Jacana's got a great opportunity to interview [url="http://uk.playstation.com/features/featureStory.jhtml?storyId=102174_en…"]Phil Harrisson[/url] at the AGDC for Sumea!! Phil is Senior Vice President of Research and Development for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe..
If you have any questions you're dying to know from Sony (general or developer related), please post them here, and I'm sure Jacana will put it on her list!
It would be nice to have a range of questions which would be otherwise pretty hard to find answers for elsewhere [:)]
FYI - Here is the bio I was sent by Sony on Phil Harrison.
quote:
Biography
27/08/2003Phil Harrison, Executive Vice President, Development
Phil Harrison brings more than 15 years of video game industry experience to Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.
After 4 years in the US as Vice President, 3rd Party and R&D for Sony Computer Entertainment America, Harrison returned to Europe in November 2000 to head up SCEE?s development organisation. He is responsible for the 5 internal studios and the international network of external developers creating PlayStation and PlayStation 2 products for SCEE. In addition, Harrison is leading the organisation through change as we enter into the broadband network era.
As Vice President, 3rd Party and R&D for SCEA, Harrison was responsible for the day-to-day management of Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.?s extensive third party program ? licensee relations, product planning and strategic relationships. He was also responsible for establishing and running the R&D department that is researching advanced software technologies in the fields of graphics rendering, AI and digital media interfaces.
Prior to this position, Harrison was a director of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, based in London and a member of the senior management team that launched PlayStation to the European market in 1995.
Mr. Harrison began his tenure with Sony in 1992 as director, product development, Sony Electronic Publishing Ltd. and the first European-based employee. In 1993 he was assigned to start the PlayStation third party and software development division for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, based in London.
Prior to Sony, Mr. Harrison served as head of product development, Mindscape International Ltd. from 1989-1992. He had started his own company in 1986, acting as a consultant for various software developers and publishers in the United Kingdom.
Also,
Taken from an earlier discussion with Souri I had about questions -
[14:39] I thought maybe questions about the psp would be useful
[14:39] what sort of games/market they are targeting for
[14:39] yeh, for sure!
[14:39] plans to port games vs new content for it
[14:39] maybe get into what sony europe does exactly
[14:40] and ask a bit about his background :)
[14:40] about the psp -
[14:41] also I just figured - let him know that hes got a better idea of how interviews work then I do and if theres anything in particular he wants to talk about to go for it :)
[14:41] one of the things - I hope you dont mind - that I am kinda keen to ask about
[14:42] is gender issues taken into account with development on ps games
[14:42] becuase a lot of the games tend to not focus on gender
[14:42] thus have a more mass market appeal
Also if their dept is doing R&D on new techs may be worth asking what areas they are looking at at the moment.
My question of choice would be - How many beers will it take you to ride the bull at the party? (theres a mechanical bull at the friday night party)
Some opening questions:
Tell us about your first computer
What's your favourite game/genre?
Have you ever thought about buying an x-box? ;->