Paul Coleman is the senior games designer behind all-conquering rally car racing game DiRT 3. He tells Live about the next-level attention to detail that goes into a game, and turning his hobbies into his profession
What experience do you want players to get when they play the game?
We want players to feel the intensity of driving the world’s best off-road vehicles through the most challenging environments. Adding weather and time of day changes in to the mix, offers a whole new set of challenges for the player to adjust to. DiRT 3 is all about racing and having fun and we feel that we have got the balance just right.
What problems did you face making this game?
Actually things went really well. We thought we were going to struggle with Gymkhana [rally car gymnastics] as it was the first time it had ever been done in a racing game and it was a departure from what we normally do. It turns out that our physics were robust enough to cope with the challenges of Gymkhana and the game modes and scoring systems we have created compliment it really well.
How is this game different to the other games in the series?
We’ve taken that professional Motorsport feel from DiRT1 and added some of the more irreverent aspects of DiRT2. I’m confident that we have found a really strong balance between the two.
What other games have you made?
From a design point of view I have worked on DiRT, SEGA Rally and DiRT 2 before working on DiRT 3.
Do you enjoy making games? How did you get into it?
I love making games. I finished university and got a job as a Quality Assurance technician at Codemasters three months later. I worked on TOCA Race Driver 2, Colin McRae 2005 and an assortment of other projects before getting my break as a game designer.
How do you balance your social life and your job?
At the moment it is about 90% job because we are pushing hard to get the game ready for submission. When we aren’t crunching I’d say it is more like 60/40 job to social life.
What else do you do apart from games?
I love cars so going to motorsports events and tuning my Ford Fiesta are hobbies. I also play golf and enjoy watching football and motorsport.
Where do you see yourself in five years do you still think you will be making games?
I think so yes. There is so much I want to do in off-road racing games and I have so many ideas that I want to try out in future titles.
What would you say to someone who wanted to get into your job?
Be passionate, play games, enjoy life, make sure you are a good communicator and don’t take no for an answer.
DiRT3 is out on May 26 on PS3, Xbox360 and PC
Written by Theo Jackson, 16 & Danny Byrne, 13
![Justin Bieber Boyfriend Cover - The Dolly Rockers [Up,Up and Up]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/y4OaKS3R7kM/default.jpg)
![How I Became a Music Video Director - [Inside Job]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/R7FzFQWfkjo/default.jpg)
![Video Games - Purple Ferdinand [Up, Up and Up]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/f4z_cMVri2k/default.jpg)
