Last Tuesday in the midst  of E3 madness, Tim Schafer spent an hour, deep in the bowels of the Los Angeles Convention Center answering a whole heap of questions from our community on Twitter. We’ve put the transcript below. Watch as Tim answers questions hard, easy and silly. We had a great time doing this, thanks again to all the Ironheades out there on Twitter!


Q: Tim What type of game is Brütal Legend? I watched the Vids & I know whatever the hell you guys do will be awesome but what kind of game is it?
Tim Schafer: It’s an action game full of action with a side quest that’s all about action.

Q: Will the soundtrack be generic metal or will there be licensed music in there?
Tim Schafer: Nothing Generic! We have a great soundtrack made up of the best metal songs I know. As well as original pieces by Peter McConnell.

Q: For Psychonauts you created friendster pages for the kids in the camp. How did you approach character design for Brütal Legend?
Tim Schafer: I was reading Norse mythology when writing the backstory for Brutal. I wrote it in the form of a creation myth for the world. Norse mythology is awesome and you should all read it, by the way.

Q: Will Brütal Legend be more heavily marketed than Psychonauts or about the same?
Tim Schafer: Have you seen the E3 banner? It’s bigger than Rhode Island.

Q: Hey Tim! As someone who dreams of working in the Schaferverse (doing art/animation/etc.) what is the number one quality you look for?
Tim Schafer: We really value talent and originality and people who are fun to work with. Also, you need to be really good at Scrabble.

Q: How long will the game be, and can we expect any DLC in the future.
Tim Schafer: It’s an open world game so it could be 12 hours or it could be 25! DLC would be cool, but we can't say more right now. We have some great ideas though!

Q: How will your feel if Brütal Legend is panned for its gameplay even if all the other creative elements are outstanding?
Tim Schafer: I would feel like that person hadn’t played the game, because the gameplay is awesome!

Q: I hope you guys make the deadline! With all those gameplay elements, aren't you afraid that some will feel gimmicky or worse: tedious?
Tim Schafer: No way! Heavy Metal is our inspiration, not a gimmick. It gives us endless ideas for images, story and gameplay scenarios.

Q: Is there an inspiration from “heavy-metal adventure” Full Throttle in Brütal Legend? Is it sort of a “spiritual successor?”
Tim Schafer: There are some similarities. Cool cars, action and a tough guy hero. But Jack Black brings a new level of comedy to it.

Q: What other artists/bands will be making cameos in Brütal Legend? Is it too late to hope for Geddy Lee as a arcane wizard?
Tim Schafer: It’s never to late for Geddy Lee!!! Wait, no, actually, it is too late for Geddy. Sorry Geddy! Maybe next game!

Q: When did Jack Black get attached to the project? Was he a fan of Psychonauts by any chance?
Tim Schafer: He is! That’s what gave us the nerve to ask him to be in the game—we heard he liked Psychonauts. He played all the way through, and even got through Meat Circus without a walkthrough.

Q: Is Eddie’s shirt and the flag text behind a clue of some sort from the recent story trailer?
Tim Schafer: Yes. Don’t try to figure it out though, or you might uncover a demonic conspiracy and get in over your head.

Q: Can I be your roadie Mr. Schafer? until I'm awesome enough to make my own games that is.
Tim Schafer: You know, I’ve been thinking about getting a roadie. But first I have to find a bus for you to drive and some amps to carry

Q: Did Jack Black get into a motion capture suit?
Tim Schafer: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/jack-black-spike-tv/43457

Q: What is your dream project that isn't Brütal Legend?
Tim Schafer: Brütal Legend 2

Q: What does your mind look like? I can't look into it from here.
Tim Schafer: I tried to look at it just now and it kind of hurt my eyes to look back that far. I think you broke my eyes. Luckily, I am a touch-twitterer.

Q: May I have some of your beard? (I hear it will give me DESIGN POWERS)
Tim Schafer: Yes, you are welcome to take the gray parts, you can’t have the parts with food in them. I’m saving those for later.

Q: Are there any senior DF staffers on Brütal Legend from way back around the MM/Day Of The Tentacle era? Dave Grossman?
Tim Schafer: We have some of the original Grim Fandango animators—Mark Hamer and Chris Schultz still making awesome animation for us after all these years. I’m making it sound like they are 100 years old.

Q: Finland is called the promised land of Heavy Metal. Will we be hearing any Finnish tunes on the extensive soundtrack?
Tim Schafer: As a Norwegian, I take issue with the premise of your question. Norway is the black heart of metal!

Q: How many bands, or genres of music will be in Brütal Legend?
Tim Schafer: Many, many bands. And we are trying to represent pretty much ALL of metal’s many subgenres.  Classic metal, black metal, industrial metal, power metal—all have their place in the story.

Q: Brütal Legends is coming for PC also, right? Is it at the same time as the console version?
Tim Schafer: We are coming out on PS3 and XBOX 360. If you don’t have one of those machines, you have until Rocktober 13 to get one! 

Q: What is your favorite part of the game and how much do you love giraffes?
Tim Schafer: Wait a second… are you… are you a giraffe? I think you are trying to trick me into endorsing giraffes, but you know that is something that I can never do.
Also, my favorite part of the game is just exploring the open world that we created. It’s full of little heavy metal nooks and crannies.

Q: Does "action-adventure" adequately describe Brütal Legend? In terms of gameplay rather than ROCK, how would you describe it?
Tim Schafer: It’s definitely an action game, but there is an epic story and humor woven into all that action.

Q:  Were the metal artists you got for voices and music excited about the idea of the game?
Tim Schafer: They all seemed to have a lot of fun working on it. I think what they liked about the game was that they could tell it really treated metal with love and respect.

Q: What was the development process like for this game? Was Jack Black involved? How many people contributed to the story?
Tim Schafer: I write the script, but the other designers contribute elements to the story through their gameplay ideas. Everyone on the team ads a little something to it. Including Jack!

Q: How many classes of characters are available for each "faction"? So far I have heard of three.
Tim Schafer: We have Ironheade, which is the army that Eddie Riggs puts together. And the Drowning Doom, which is a more doom/death metal oriented group. And we have General Lionwhyte’s Hair Metal Militia. Plus we have the demon army known as the Tainted Coil.

Q: Will there be and when can we expect a demo? I want to play this pure godliness!
Tim Schafer: Yes! No! Maybe! I don’t know. Someday? Watch www.brutallegend.com and you’ll probably know before I do!

Q: What's your favorite metal song and why?
Tim Schafer: I can’t pick a favorite! That would be like picking a favorite flower in a garden of beautiful flowers. Wait, no. It’s like something much tougher sounding than that.

Q: How will character advancement work? Will we gain levels and unlock new abilities as we advance through the game?
Tim Schafer: As you play the game you earn new combat moves, upgrades for your axe and guitar, and weapons for your deuce, plus you unlock new songs you can listen to while driving.

Q: BRÜTAL LEGEND MAKE ALL FEELINGS OF INADEQUACY DISAPPEAR FROM MY PERSON IN A FLURRY OF HEAVY METAL REFERENCES.
Tim Schafer: You’re made of metal, your circuits gleam, you are perpetual, you keep the country clean.

Q: Why don’t add a multiplayer to Brütal Legend... and make friends play the campaign??? It’s cool with me if you ask…
Tim Schafer: We do have multiplayer, and it’s awesome. I can’t make your friends play with you though.

Q: Can anything kill the Metal?
Tim Schafer: No, the metal will never die.

Q: Is this game going to make me turn from a casual metal fan into a problematic metal fan?
Tim Schafer: If you are casually into metal when you start Brütal Legend, you will be a raving metal nerd by the time you are done. Your brain will explode with all the metal you take in.

Q: The game is not going to have multiple endings, is it?
Tim Schafer: No, just one ending: you being the happiest game player of all time.

Q: Why did you decide to pick Jack Black to be the lead?
Tim Schafer: Jack is a great actor and a true fan of Metal and games. The work he did in School of Rock and Tenacious D were a big inspiration for Eddie Riggs.

Q: What do you say to people who think Jack Black is your younger brother?
Tim Schafer: That is a big secret. Our mother separated us at birth so that Darth Vader wouldn’t find us.

Q: How much focus have you put towards the multiplayer aspect of the game? What details can you discuss so far (modes players etc)?
Tim Schafer: We have been working on our multiplayer game even longer than our single player game. We’ll be releasing more details about it in the coming months.

Q: Who in the Brütal Legend team holds the record number of cock pushups?
Tim Schafer: Jack.

Q: Are there lots of cool easter eggs and references to older games?
Tim Schafer: Here and there—it’s a hard to keep those from sneaking their way into the game.

Q: This latest idea of yours... Riding up to a shareholder's meeting with a gang of bikers? Who do you think you're fooling?
Tim Schafer: The shareholders, sir. It’s good PR to be seen hobnobbing with real Corley Motors customers.

Q: What sort of cool moves does Eddie Riggs learn?
Tim Schafer: I think my favorite is the Rock Slide. Eddie can run and slide for a distance on his knees, creating a wave of rock energy that knocks his unsuspecting foes to the ground.

Q: Give me 7 reasons for why I should play Brütal Legend. Also, will there be demo? #e3bl
Tim Schafer: Jack. Ozzy. Rob. Lemmy. Lita. Decapitaion. Making-out. Maybe.

Q: Are any of the guitar solos used with Clementine from any specific song or are they of your own design?
Tim Schafer: We created original solos with some exciting name talent from the world of metal.

Q: Will this include like a full playable version of Full Throttle hidden somewhere in the game, as I’ve lost my copy of that, and miss it?
Tim Schafer: That would be cool, wouldn’t it? But no. Still, if there’s anything else you’ve lost, like your car keys, I could try to squeeze that in.

Q: How many vehicles will be available for use in Brütal Legend?
Tim Schafer: Many awesome hotrods and choppers are at your disposal There’s the deuce, the Headsplitter, the Rock Crusher, the Fire Baron chopper… I think I’m out of characters.

Q: Hey, Tim. How did you get the dialogue speed perfect in Day of the Tentacle?
Tim Schafer: We peeped through your window and watched your lips move!

Q: What kind of rating for the game are you aiming for? T? M? E? Kids to Adults?!
Tim Schafer: Well, I’m not taking out the decapitation, so I’m thinking M. But you never know.

Q: Do you have any regrets about Psychonauts?
Tim Schafer: I regret nothing!

Q: Is there any character that is based on the awesomeness that is Tim Schafer?
Tim Schafer: They all are!

Q: How much of Eddie Riggs is based on Jack Black?
Tim Schafer: About half. The other half is Glen Danzig. Mostly the hair-and-muscles half.

Q: Any inclination at all to do a sequel or do you want to do something entirely different next time out?
Tim Schafer: I want to do both! Brutal is a fun world that we could do a lot more with, for sure.


Q: Will there be other celebrity voice actors, other than the ones in the trailer?
Tim Schafer: Yes!

Q: What was your first rock concert experience?
Tim Schafer: I saw Robert Plant around 1982. Closest thing I could get to Led Zeppelin.

Q: How has the change of publishers from SierraGames to EA worked out for Brütal Legend were you ever worried?
Tim Schafer: It has been great. EA has been extremely supportive of the game and really shares our vision for what it needs to be, which is awesome.

Q: Tim, what is your personal favorite out of all the games you have made?
Tim Schafer: I like them all for different reasons. Is that a boring answer?  Well, hey, twitter is free.

Q: Where are Tim's Answers? I can't find them anywhere.
Tim Schafer: I Just answered them all! Pay attention! Thanks to everyone who asked questions tonight! it's been a real pleasure!