From Star Trek Game Information
This interview with Mark Graham of Mad Doc Software took place on the 1st October 2001.
Mark Graham is one of the artists, or rather in this case architects, currently working on Armada II. We sat down to talk about himself and his work on Armada II.
Armada Universe: Thanks for stopping by Armada Universe Mark, it’s always a pleasure to talk to one of the members of the Armada II development team at Mad Doc Software. Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Mark Graham: Thanks. I never imagined that I’d be here. I am relatively new to the gaming industry. Up until a year ago I was working as an architect. My professional career involved various architectural firms in Switzerland and the United States.
Before that, I spent some years building an academic base in architectural design and structural engineering...a Master of Architecture from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, a Master of Science in Structural Engineering from MIT and a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College. Now, you could say, I’m crossing over to virtual architecture…my recent design work shows prominently in the 3D Art of Armada II in addition to the office we now inhabit.
Armada Universe: When did you first realize that you wanted to apply your talents in the gaming industry?
Mark Graham: While in school, I never really considered the gaming industry as a part of my future. A combination of things led me this way. Architecture reached the digital age. Rem Koolhaas won the Pritzker Prize and started a virtual practice to complement his architectural practice. Ian Davis sent me Activision’s BattleZone and talked about the possibilities of architecture in the game world. Eventually, I saw the potential convergence of my architectural design work and the space of computer games.
Up until recently, my design work has existed in a pre-concretized state…virtual…from concept sketch to digital model. The design of game objects and architecture is fundamentally very similar. Of course, the constraints and end results are dramatically different, but the design processes are similar. As the virtual world becomes rapidly more immersive and pervasive, the gaming industry becomes an exciting place for an architect to research & design.
Armada Universe: Could you tell us about some of the previous projects that you've been involved with?
Mark Graham: My previous projects are all architectural, many of which are now being built. They range from housing in Zurich to urban design, academic buildings, and corporate headquarters in the United States. The most recent project was Mad Doc’s new office...we moved-in last June.
Armada Universe: What lead you to work for Mad Doc Software?
Mark Graham: Our CEO, Ian Davis, and I have been involved in one venture or another for a while. Never anything as serious however as a game company ;). I met Ian, the Mad Doc, in Mainz, Germany. We were roommates at Dartmouth, formed a couple of bands (at least one involved theNord), and kept in touch throughout graduate school. We’d been seriously discussing the future of games and such since an E3 back in Atlanta, perhaps 1998.
Armada Universe: What areas of Star Trek: Armada II are you directly involved with?
Mark Graham: I’ve been primarily in charge of designing, building, and texturing the new Borg ships and stations. I’ve also contributed designs to some of the other races’ fleets…the Cardassian Shipyard and Super Station come to mind.
Armada Universe: Could you describe for us what a typical day working on Armada II might be?
Mark Graham: There has yet to be a typical day at Mad Doc.
Armada Universe: The Borg have undergone a considerable change from Armada I. Could you tell us a little about the creative process you used to come up with the new designs for this race?
Mark Graham: Yes, a few ships were renovated, but most were completely rethought. The creative process certainly didn’t happen in a vacuum. The designers, fellow artists, and even programmers were especially helpful in providing feedback and resources. Mad Doc’s hierarchy is virtually flat…this helps with feedback and spread of ideas.
I began conceptualizing new ships & stations by studying the physical and cultural content of the Borg. Images of existing ships, stations, and artifacts as well as sociopolitical tendencies and technologies were interpreted and extrapolated. From this analysis, a basic understanding of the race’s morphology emerged. Once an understanding was reached of how the Borg would manifest itself in form, space, material, and structure, the process flowed.
Although a strongly identifiable race, the number of Borg vessels represented in Paramount’s movies, television series, and publications is limited. However, by cross-analyzing the culture of Borg Collective with its primary vessel, the Cube, I began to find an armature for design. One could argue that the Borgian concepts of the collective consciousness, the cyborg (a dialectic of technological and biological), and assimilation find themselves reified in the Borg Cube. Although a platonic form (singular and abstract) at one scale, the Cube exhibits a complex matrix of aggregates at another. In its form, it is directionless & non-hierarchical, while in its depth it is pure structure without bounding surface.
Observations and connections such as these acted as a starting point for the design of the Borg. The rest of the process involved morphological and typological explorations in three-dimensions, depth & material study in two, and of course guidance from Paramount.
Armada Universe: Is there a ship or station that you’re worked on that you’re particularly fond of?
Mark Graham: The tactical fusion cube’s texturing and the Harbinger’s form. I also enjoyed extrapolating from what I think is an exceptional design, Mike Swiderik’s Cardassian Mining Station, to create the Cardassian Shipyard.
Armada Universe: Out of the ships that we have listed in our race section pages at Armada Universe, can you tell us which ones your worked on?
Mark Graham:
Fusion Cube
Tactical Fusion Cube
Borg Cube
Tactical Cube
Borg Sphere
Harmonic Defender
Wedge
Pyramid
Nexus
Assembly Matrix
Advanced Assembly Matrix
Armada Universe: What, so far, has been the most enjoyable aspect working on the Armada sequel?
Mark Graham: Designing and building the Borg and seeing them come to life on the screen is pretty cool.
Armada Universe: Do you feel that working on this project has helped you grow as an architect/artist?
Mark Graham: Actually, yes. In addition to the technical practice of using the tools within a team of gifted colleagues, I’ve enjoyed the openness of the design process. It felt a little bit like an architectural studio crossed with sculpture.
Armada Universe: Do you participate in the multiplayer balancing tests for the game? How well do you stack up against your fellow colleagues? Any victory battles you'd like to share?
Mark Graham: I’m pitiful…but I never give up. Any victory battles had very little to do with me.
Armada Universe: Are you a fan of the Star Trek universe? Have you watched any of the shows?
Mark Graham: I was an avid fan of the first series and the Next Generation series. I’m the type of fan that will go to the game but stop before memorizing the stats.
Armada Universe: We'd like to thank Mr. Graham for taking the time to do this interview. Check out our past interviews with other members of the Armada II team in our Interviews section.
