“I’m sorry, I just can’t say much about it,” Full Sail Game Development grad Jim Shepard explains when asked about his most recent project. “The game itself and what’s going on with it are classified – but what I can tell you is that it’s Wolfenstein, and it’s back!”

Having almost single-handedly defined the first person shooter genre in the early 90s, the Wolfenstein games have become some of the most popular and respected action titles in the industry. And so when it was announced that a brand new entry in the classic franchise was in the works at Raven Software, we decided to drop in on Jim Shepard, who is deep in production as a gameplay programmer on this latest entry in the series.

With the experience he gained working on Raven’s previous release, Quake IV, Shepard is laser-focused on creating the next-generation of Wolfenstein. “We really want to make the game as awesome as possible, so right now we’re focusing on keeping a clear vision for how it takes shape,” he says. “You have a long line of gamers who have a certain set of expectations with Wolfenstein, and that kind of excellence is what you want to deliver. And a lot of times in these early stages you find yourself really in the zone trying to develop something new and exciting for the fans-- whether it’s a new trick for the AI, or a new weapon design.”

With nearly five years having passed since the last chapter in the Wolfenstein series – 2001’s critically-acclaimed Return to Castle Wolfenstein – fans have had a long wait. That time frame, coupled with the intense pressure to live up to the series legacy, means the Raven team have been taking special care to make sure this latest game not only lives up to it’s pedigree, but can also stand head and shoulders above the recent influx of WWII first person shooters.

“The number one challenging thing for us right now is to make sure that it never ever looks like another World War II shooter,” Shepard says. “So capturing the old spirit of Wolfenstein is the key. The feeling people got when they played the original PC version, and were running around with the crazy intense action – that’s the kind of stuff that carries it forward, so we’re trying to keep focused on that.”

Of course, gamers are nothing if not loyal, and people have been buzzing with speculation about this upcoming title at a feverish pace – with various conspiracies clogging up fan sites and message boards across the Internet, many of which Shepard will visit while in development.

“I actually appreciate the opportunity to go to the forums and see what they’re saying on the outside – both good and bad. And when it comes to these die hard shooter fans, my biggest concern is to make sure that what we put together is simply fun. It’s a matter of working with all the different aspects of a game so that somebody sitting down and playing it for the first time will really feel comfortable with the controls, with the weapons, and with the combat. Tying all those gameplay elements together is vital because you’re always thinking about the guy who puts down $50 at the game store, and says ‘I hope this is fun.’ You don’t want to disappoint anyone, you want to give them their entertainment value, and that’s always your inspiration to stay late every day and work that extra bit harder.”

Working on one of the most highly-anticipated titles in recent memory, the buzz of the gaming industry still hasn’t worn off for Shepard. Having already shipped one blockbuster title in the past few months, with the nail-biting Quake IV, he’s already anxious to see his new project hit shelves. “Oh man, I’m a complete dork about that sort of thing, probably more than I should be,” he says, laughing.

“Let me tell you about this one time… So there’s a game store nearby, and I was talking to the manager about some things, and this guy walks in – about 2 or 3 weeks before Quake IVshipped – and he says ‘I’d like to pre-order Quake IV.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh wow!’ So I looked at him and said ‘Hi there, I’m a developer on Quake IV. I’m new to the business, this is my first game, and you are the first person I ever heard say he was going to pay money for a game that I’ve worked on. So you know what? I’d like to pre-order it for you.’ And I actually went and paid for his pre-order!”

“You talk about living the dream, man, and there it is. Somebody’s buying your game, and it’s so cool! The first time that happens to you, it’s completely overwhelming to watch the world experience the stuff that you spent all your time putting together.”