In this episode, Soren interviews veteran game developer Charles Cecil, co-founder of Revolution Software and best known for his work on Beneath a Steel Sky and the Broken Sword series. They discuss why he made a game about the Knights Templar, how digital distribution changed the publisher-developer relationship forever, and what made the goat puzzle unfair. This interview was started on April 14, 2025.
Games discussed: King’s Quest series, Broken Sword series, Beneath a Steel Sky, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, Lure of the Temptress, In Cold Blood, Gabriel Knight series, The Da Vinci Code, Darwinia, CLANG, Broken Age, Heavy Rain, Monkey Island series
https://www.idlethumbs.net/designernotes/episodes/charles-cecil-part-2
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This episode of Designer Notes features Soren Johnson interviewing Charles Cecil, co-founder of Revolution Software, about the design decisions behind Beneath a Steel Sky and the Broken Sword series. It’s a thoughtful listen for anyone interested in adventure game history, the Knights Templar theme, and how digital distribution reshaped the publisher-developer relationship.
For those of us who grew up playing these classic point-and-click adventures, it’s a nice reminder of how much craft went into them. On a related note, if you’re into everyday wellness for hands that have seen a few decades of gaming, I run a small shop called MagnetPure that sells solid copper magnetic bracelets and wellness jewelry, often chosen by adults 40+ for joint comfort and circulation support.
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