Dean Andersen Studio Creative Manager
FAVORITE MOVIE?
Some of my fondest memories: Goonies, Blade Runner, Predator, Aliens, Lord of the Rings, E.T., Mad Max, Star Wars, Star Trek, Terminator, Labyrinth, and Conan.
CURRENT GAMING OBSESSION?
I love exploring all sorts of games—VR, classic 8-bit, tabletop role-playing, tactical tabletop miniatures, poker, board games, and new games my kids invent. It’s nice to see gaming in all forms have a broader appeal and become more accessible for old and new fans.
FAVORITE ALL-TIME GAME?
My favorite video game is easily The Legend of Zelda. My favorite non-video game would be Dungeons and Dragons.
FAVORITE BOOK?
I’m currently re-reading the Conan Saga collection that I got as a gift (all 97 issues!). I often go back to Super System by Doyle Brunson.
HOW DID YOU FIRST BECOME INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN VIDEO GAMES?
I’ve enjoyed video games since I was a child. I’ve loved tinkering with programming and graphic design since the fifth grade. In high school, a programmer friend and I created art for a small RPG game. After that, we met with the creators of BioWare. There was no looking back.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON THE TEAM?
I’ve been with BioWare for 21 years.
WHAT WAS THE TRICKIEST TASK ASSIGNED TO YOU AND HOW DID YOU SOLVE IT?
I really enjoyed trying to reimagine Mass Effect. Obviously, there were a lot of expectations because of the amazing success of the trilogy. It was a challenge to determine what was important to keep, areas that needed improvement, new ideas, old ideas, and how to tell a new Mass Effect story. We listened to the fans, listened to ourselves, and returned to the roots and pillars of Mass Effect and BioWare. We really studied the evolution of the trilogy and ultimately created a Mass Effect game that we ourselves would really want to play.
WHAT WERE THE OVER ALL GOALS IN CREATING THE NEXT CHAPTER OF THE MASS EFFECT UNIVERSE?
We knew early on that we wanted a Mass Effect game that was fast and fluid. We wanted to bring back broad concepts that were buried over time, like exploration. Of course, we also wanted to make sure the player had access to great characters. It was equally important to consider when the game took place and respect the trilogy’s canon.
WHAT KEY DECISIONS WERE MADE TO REINFORCE AND ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS?
We made several early decisions, like using an automatic cover system, creating jump-jets so players could explore a whole axis of playable space, and bringing back the drivable vehicle. We designed less linear environments and opened the progression systems to be more flexible for the player.
WHAT DO YOU FEEL HAS THE MOST IMPACT IN MAKING THE MASS EFFECT SERIES STAND APART FROM OTHER VIDEO GAMES?
I think that BioWare’s focus on characters and relationships have always been a strong point and something that generally stands out from other games. I think that progression systems are something we’ve always done really well, which feeds into characters and the heart of RPGs.