Fred and Dan talk with Mac Walters about his experience on Mass Effect and Jade Empire, plus his transition from his leadership at BioWare to his new studio, Worlds Untold. Mac breaks down his sci-fi inspiration, and how he approaches game writing, building a vision, and working as a team.

0:00 - Theme music

0:14 - Introductions

01:22 - Mac's path to BioWare

06:20 - Inspiration and nostalgia

09:20 - How to begin a game story

12:00 - Playing your own games

13:52 - Creative possibilities and wisdom

23:55 - Delivering on an idea

28:38 - Prototyping versus finishing

41:45 - Building a shared vision

47:23 - Distributed teams and remote work

59:14 - Individual styles and personalities

1:07:10 - Star Wars, Dune, and styles of sci-fi

1:15:28 - Sequels versus new stories

1:19:45 - Staying inspired

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