BIOGAMER GIRL: Spiderweb Software has been independently producing video games since 1994. Can you tell us how the company first started and a little about how far the company has grown since then?
Jeff Vogel: Spiderweb Software was something I started in grad school as a way to stay sane. I hated it, so I decided to take a few months off to write a role-playing game called Exile: Escape From the Pit. It came out in January, 1995, and, to my amazement, it sold.
Since then, we have been writing games non-stop for Windows, Mac, and now the iPad. We've created over a dozen original RPGs, have three full-time employees, and are having a great time!
BIOGAMER GIRL: The Spiderweb Software video game series Avernum is an incredibly entertaining lot of games set within a deeply immersive fantasy world. Where did the idea for the series and its world first originate, and where does the inspiration for the other numerous titles from you studio come from?
Jeff Vogel: Avernum takes place in a gigantic, subterranean prison, an enormous network of caverns far below the world's surface. The players are banished to this harsh underworld and must fight for survival and, hopefully, escape.
Avernum has a lot of little inspirations. It's very rare that I can point out one specific source for an idea. All sorts of stuff gets stuck into my brain, smooches together, and then something fun and weird pops out. For example, the idea for our newest world, Avadon, came when I was watching a Hungarian opera called Bluebeard's Castle.
BIOGAMER GIRL: Avernum is Spiderweb Software's longest running and most successful video game series already having six main entries into the series and additional games from the same universe. Are there any plans of ending the series in the near future, or will Spiderweb Software continue the game's storyline for as long as fans are pleased with the product?
Jeff Vogel: There are seven Avernum games: Six in the main storyline, plus one adventure-maker kit. That's a lot. Right now, the story is pretty much done, and we're just working on rewriting the first Avernum trilogy so that it plays a lot better and runs on newer machines (like the iPad). I haven't ruled out the possibility of creating new Avernum games, but I wouldn't do many, and not for a long time.
BIOGAMER GIRL: Avernum is obviously not Spiderweb Software's only successful gaming franchise. Can you tell us more about some of the other games your company offers and any new releases or upcoming titles fans should know about?
Jeff Vogel: Our newest series is Avadon. Avadon: The Black Fortress is out on Steam and for the iPad. It tells the story of Avadon, a gigantic fortress full of warriors and spies, who are above the law and tasked to find and destroy threats to your homeland. In the Avadon games, your lands are being threatened by powerful forces, and you need to use your power and influence to find and defeat your enemies.
BIOGAMER GIRL: Spiderweb Software has recently developed versions of their games to be playable on iPad, and it seems that tablets and other mobile devices are becoming a more and more popular gaming platform. As an independent video game developer and publisher, what are your opinions on the gaming industry as of right now, and where do you see it and your company five years from now?
Jeff Vogel: The gaming industry is really in flux now, and I have no idea where it will go. The rise of alternate channels like Steam and iTunes is truly revolutionary. I mean, you can pick up and iPad, go into iTunes, and find more cool games than you would ever have the time to play for $4.99 or less, often much less. It's amazing!
But, whatever happens, I really hope we will be around in five years, happily making cool, indie role-playing games.
To learn more on Spiderweb Software and the above mentioned games, visit the official Spiderweb Software website.