Q: 2007 was a huge year for the gaming industry. The overall quality of the games and the frequency at which they were coming out was something we have not seen in a very long time. What are your thoughts on the big year and what were some of your favorite titles?

Tramell - I think it's good for our business. The gaming industry is expanding beyond every ones expectations at this point. We now see older people playing games, thanks to the Wii. Games aren't just for kids anymore; they are a legitimate form of entertainment now. Games like World of Warcraft, Second Life, Wii Sports, Rockband, Guitar Hero, and Halo3 are breaking sales records and expanding the player base. This is just the beginning. I think we're going to see gaming become the number one form of entertainment some time in the near future.

07' was a really busy year for me but I did get a chance to play a couple of games. I'm half way through Crysis right now. It's shaping up to be a pretty good game so far. Half-life2 ep2 /TF2/Portal were nicely done. Right before my Xb360 red ringed on me I was playing Need for Speed Most Wanted, the best in the NFS series if you ask me. I know that's an old game but I got it for my son and I couldn't put it down ;) Of course I can't forget Wii Sports Bowling. I know everyone with a Wii loves that game.

Q: How have those games impacted Duke Nukem: Forever and/or the quality bar you have been reaching for?

Tramell - We are always keeping track of what the rest of the industry is doing. As artists, we want to try to create the best visuals possible. The guys on the art team look to other artists in the industry, other in-game art, myself and each other to gauge where the quality bar is. We want to be one of the games that other artists in the industry look to for inspiration. Every day the artists are reminded of the level of quality that is expected of them via the "inspiration machine". The inspiration machine is a computer that is set up in the artist area that ONLY displays images of renders and in-game art from games that have defined quality (in that screenshot). It's just a friendly reminder of what the rest of the world is creating with today's tech. No one should develop in a black box.

Q: Do you feel pressure knowing that you are working on such a highly anticipated and iconic title?

Tramell - Yes, there is a massive amount of pressure that goes along with the name. "It is what it is", Right Blaw-Dog? "It's the nature of the beast"…Scanny, can I get a slow clap ;-) (My guys from SOE know what I'm talking about) But what can you do? We are trying to create something that the majority of people will enjoy. We hope the fans appreciate our efforts as much as we appreciate their support.