Jakub Guman is one of the core members of Warhorse Studios as he is was already a member of the design team before our Kickstarter campaign in early 2014. He was born in the city of Kyjov in the more rural Moravian part of the Czech Republic, where the stars are beautiful during the night. This is important as astronomy is one of his favorite hobbies, so you can expect a pretty realistic night sky in Kingdom Come: Deliverance.
Do you have any questions to Jakub Guman? Please ask here!
You can find a Spanish translation of this interview here.
1) How did you hear about Warhorse?
I knew about this project from the beginning, but I wasn’t interested because I already had a job in the game industry. However, the project ended and my new game-related job was a disaster. At that time, I accidently saw “warhorse looking for designers” on my friends Facebook, so I applied and succeeded. I’ve been with Warhorse Studios for four years now and I’m pretty glad I landed right here. It’s beautiful to see the whole process of Kingdom Come, starting with the Kickstarter to the present day, getting closer to release!
2) Describe your usual day at the studio?
Read, write, read, write, play, argue, listen, argue, listen, yell, scream, explode with furious anger, calm down, listen to chill out music, read, write, play and argue again 'till the evening.
3) What are you currently working on?
Most of the time I’m playing my own quests and trying to polish them, filling some excel tables in a database and discovering what I could have designed better two years ago that can’t be fixed now…
4) What are some of your notable accomplishments?
Growing my own vegetables in the garden, despite the endless war with slugs. If you mean accomplishments with Warhorse: I guess I’m most proud of the Sazava monastery, which is basically like my own little cosmos - a small, unique and living world with its own rules, aside from the daily open world business. You will see about it in the game
5) What do you like the most about Kingdom Come: Deliverance?
That the world really does look alive. I enjoy wandering around and enjoying the nature, observing the day cycles and finding all the cool features around.
6) Which videogame character are you?
The Nameless One from Planescape Torment or Robed Figure from Journey.
7) What was your most touching video game moment?
“The Caves” chapter in Dear Ester, played after I had a drop of acid. I got lost in the cave, found some shiny carvings on the wall which looked like a chemical formula, got lost and found again, wandered through the miracles of blue stalactites, followed the mushrooms trail and finally found an exit. Then I went back to the cave, because it was so nice and cozy there…
8) What is your worst video game experience?
Worst video game experience: after 300 hours of playing Diablo III, I found myself wondering: what the fuck am I doing with my life?
9) What would a perfect game according to your wishes look like?
Hey, whichever of the endless Gods are reading this right now! Can you kindly add “save” and “load” or, “choose your character” options to the real world?
10) How do you relax after a hard day at work?
My deepest and longest love is astronomy. I love you can’t imagine anything better than a clear night sky far away from Prague – just me, my telescope and endless counts of stars. For the last two years I’ve been flirting with astrophotography. I’m still a beginner, but learning fast.
Some of my pictures: http://astrofotky.cz/~dansemacabre
11) Do you have a favorite spot in the sky?
Yes. It’s the Milky Way between the Swan and Cassiopeia – observing this part in scope is just… astounding! Many star clusters and nebulas all around. Unfortunately, the best parts of sky are on the southern hemisphere and can’t be seen from here. I’m planning go back to Chile this summer to enjoy it once more. This time with a camera!
12) Your favorite music playlist
I’m a psytrance-freak, grown-up from a hardcore scene – HC, screamo, power violence, neo-crust… basically left wing political music. Currently, I prefer deeper psychedelic music - electronic or guitar.
Favorite Bands: Lvmen, Tool, Fall of Efrafa, Isis (the band, not the terrorist group)
Favorite DJ’s: Penta, Aioasca, Aes Dana, Carbon Based Lifeforms, Whitebear
13) Your favorite movie or book?
Movie: Marketa Lazarová (Czech classic) and a The Wall (Pink Floyd classic)
Book: Recently, it’s the The Education of Little Tree (Carter), but it changes over the time
14) Your travel tip?
Visit Patagonia at least once! One day, I will move there…
15) Do you have a Bucket List?
Of course, and I’m successfully fulfilling it!
16) What will be your famous last words?
“I want to see a sunrise back on Planet Earth once more…” And then die at an age of 161 as an oldest colonist of Trappist-1e.
17) Knights or Samurai?
A partisan guy in the forest waiting for the right time to beat them both.
18) What was your favorite subject and your most hated one at school?
Literature and history. I have the best university degree from both
19) If you could say something to the fans of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, what would it be?
Please, don’t try to kill everyone in the monastery right after beginning of game. I beg you: please don’t!
Do you have any questions to Jakub Guman? Please ask here!