FAQ: TT Games’ Jonathan Smith

Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Jonathan Smith, strategic director at TT Games.

What are you working on right now?
As I have done for the past ten years or so: exciting new LEGO games.

What was the first game or product that you ever worked on in the industry?
Starting at Codemasters, I was lucky enough to be able to work with the fantastic team at Bohemia Interactive on the original Operation Flashpoint. Insta-death hilarity.

What was the first game you ever played, and did you enjoy it?
Asteroids In Space: flicker-scrolling lines of asterisks on a ZX81, typed in from a Melbourne House listing. Having the power to control what appeared on the telly was nothing short of magic.

What was the most recent game you played, and did you enjoy it?
I played about three hours of Civ 5 last night. It’s more a tool for self-hypnosis than anything.

What is your favourite game ever, and for what reason?
LEGO Star Wars. Because LEGO Star Wars.

How many hours a week do you spend playing games?
Not as much as before, but enough to keep up.

What area of the games industry needs more ‘investment’?
Education. Always education.

What do you enjoy about the games industry today?
People and possibilities.

What disappoints you about the video games industry today?
When players aren’t shown the respect that they deserve.

Of all the games you have worked on, which has been your favourite to work on?
We had the best time on LEGO Star Wars II, working on the classic trilogy at the same time as the first game was growing into a success far beyond our original expectations.

What game that you weren’t involved with would you most liked to have worked on?
Guitar Hero. Man, that’s a game.

What other video games developer do you most admire?
Anyone who gets the job done with style.

What hobbies, collections or interests do you have that are completely unrelated to video games?
Everything is related to video games.

What is your favourite book, movie, TV show and album of all time?
It doesn’t matter. But Google ‘Sam Cooke Bring It On Home Harlem Square’ right now. You’ll thank me later.