We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the good people at Electronic Arts Poland, whose assistance made this interview possible.

Let us start with a question about your family roots. On your website, in the FAQ section you wrote that your last name is of Ukrainian origin. If this is the case, do you feel a strong connection with that part of Europe?

I'm a third generation Canadian; my great grandparents emigrated here from the Ukraine in the late 19th century, so I tend to identify more with Canada then the Ukraine. However, I do live in Edmonton, which has a very high Ukrainian population, so I have some understanding of the cultures and customs.

Knights of the Old Republic

Mass Effect was a project constructed basically from scratch. You had greater freedom there, than while shaping the world of Star Wars. If you were to compare the two experiences, would you say you prefer creating a new universe, or sticking to guidelines and source material?

I wouldn't say one is necessarily better than the other; there are pros and cons to both experiences. With a new universe you have more creative freedom, but you also don't know which elements fans will gravitate towards or become excited about. With an established universe like Star Wars you have the opportunity to build on and expand something that millions of fans already enjoy, and you become a part of that fan culture.

Not many games out there stress the need for authenticity and staying true (to an extent) to real-world science. How did the idea of a creating a true-to-science world of Mass Effect came into existence?

We really wanted to capture the feel of the "golden age" of sci-fi movies. Alien, Aliens, Blade Runner, Terminator, The Thing - all these films came out in the 1980's when the members of the Mass Effect team were growing up, so we wanted to create something that evoked the same sense of wonder and awe while still staying somewhat grounded in "real-world" science.

Was it difficult to create a complex storyline with different dialogue options and, consequently, different roads to success?

Writing branching narrative is very complex, but it's a skill we've developed over the years at BioWare. Unlike a novel or movie, the player controls much of the action so the writers at BioWare have to learn how to balance player choice with narrative drive to move the story forward along each specific path. There really isn't any other medium that does this, and we've had several TV and movie writers apply to work at BioWare, only to discover the branching dialog was something they couldn't get a handle on. Fortunately we had a strong team on Mass Effect.

The events of Mass Effect feature many different cosmic races. Apart from your own original creations, was the experience in working on Knights of the Old Republic helpful in any way?

I don't think KOTOR directly affected the process of developing the alien species in Mass Effect. We knew we wanted a rich universe filled with exotic aliens, and we also knew that we had to develop each of the alien cultures in great detail to make them feel real. Those two guidelines were really what helped direct our focus.

Mass Effect

Could you please expand on the notion of biotics in Mass Effect? Is there any link between biotics and the Force from Star Wars?

Biotics is the ability of some individuals to use their mind to manipulate Mass Effect fields (similar to gravitational or magnetic fields) to alter the world around them. Mass Effect fields can be used to lift, throw or freeze objects in place. The concept is an extrapolation of the ability of certain animals to detect and manipulate electro-magnetic fields in nature (such as sharks or eels). We tried to establish a scientifically plausible explanation for biotics to help distinguish it from the Force, which has a very mystical, almost religious, kind of feel.

Even before the premiere of the console version, Mass Effect became a popular topic of discussion, due to sexually explicit scenes in contains. Are such scenes, in your opinion, an element which is essential for a product to succeed commercially?

First, let's be clear that the discussion about the scenes came from people who had never bothered to look at them. The scenes in Mass Effect were PG rated silhouettes, and were far less explicit than many other games out there. The whole controversy was really an example of people hearing about something and overreacting without ever bothering to understand the truth of what was going on. Having said that, I believe the scenes were tasteful and were a necessary part of the romance subplots. The game is intended for adults, so we felt very comfortable in approaching relationships in a mature, adult way.

What made you, a scriptwriter for computer games, decide to take up writing books?

I was actually a novelist before I began writing for video games. The real question is: why did a book writer take up with a game company? The answer is that it sounded like something fun, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time when BioWare was looking to hire new writers.

What is the most pleasant and the most difficult part about being a writer?

The hardest part of being a writer is finding the time, energy and commitment to actually sit down and write. There are always a million excuses to put writing off, and it's very easy to go weeks without putting anything on paper (or on computer hard drive). The best part is when you finish something and get it out there to the public, and you see how your words have impacted people in their lives. I love reading comments on my work - both games and novels. Fortunately, most of the feedback is positive.

Your Star Wars novels are commonly regarded as very dark and not quite suitable for young readers. In your opinion, how does this affect the Star Wars world as a whole, which according to George Lucas is primarily directed towards a younger audience?

I think as fans of Star Wars have grown up, we've been looking for something that has grown with us. Many of the novels are more "adult" than the movies, because it gives older fans of the series a way to continue to be a part of the universe. A more mature audience will want a more complex and mature setting, and the novels (and even games like KOTOR) have helped to build that into the Star Wars universe.

You told us the story of one of the most important Sith Lords in Star Wars history, and you also helped shape the fascinating world of KOTOR. However, "the past" in the Star Wars universe is still full of blank areas. Are you planning on exploring any new and previously untouched eras?

I would like to explore more stories in lesser known historical Star Wars time frames, but right now I don't have anything official in the works. If something ever does come up I would jump at the chance.

We know that you are currently working on Mass Effect 2, but our readers would be quite disappointed, if we did not ask you this one question - is there currently any work underway concerning KOTOR 3?

Sorry, but all my time right now is focused on Mass Effect 2. As far as I know, there are no plans in the work for KOTOR 3.

Thank you very much indeed for your time. We are looking forward to your future games and novels!

Thanks for the opportunity to talk to your fans. If they want to know more about me, they can check out my website at www.drewkarpyshyn.com - it's all Drew, all the time!