Richard Wright - English version

Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing Richard Wright, an illustrator from Games Workshop which was responsible to paint the tiles of the original Warhammer Quest and its two expansions.

He has also made iconic sci-fi illustrations such as the Eldar falcon from Warhammer 40k

You can see more of his artwork in his webiste: https://richard-wright.com/

Full interview with Richard Wright

First of all, thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. The Warhammer Quest fan community really appreciates your contribution to the game, and in my opinion the art of the floor sections and tiles of the game is one of the best in the Games Workshop history.

Before we talk about Warhammer Quest, could you please tell us a bit about your professional background? How did you end up working in Games Workshop? Were you part of the ‘Eavy Metal team from the beginning?

Richard Wright: Hello! and thank you for the kind words. So I grew up in Hilltop, Eastwood. After leaving school I studied Graphic Design at college. It was a 4 year course but at the end of the third year, one of the girls on my course, also from Hilltop, asked what I had planned for the summer. She mentioned she'd got a job at the Games Workshop factory which was just a short walk from where I lived. I called them up, went round to have a chat and I ended up working in the mail order department. At the the end of the summer holidays, just before returning to college, Steve Bruce, who was the factory manager at the time, suggested I visit the studio in Nottingham. He arranged an interview for me and I went down and had a nice chat with John Blanche. And he offered me a job. Initially I was working in the graphics department working on rulebooks and White Dwarf magazine, helping Phil Lewis photograph miniatures. I was painting miniatures in my spare time, some of which were featured in White Dwarf magazine. At Games Day I was often put with the 'Eavy Metal team – Colin Dixon, Dave Andrews and the miniature designers. And John Blanche of course. I don't think I was ever an official member of the 'Eavy Metal team.

Before working with Games Workshop, did you play any games at all? If so, which ones?

RW: I used to play D&D when I was at school. Although I think I was probably too young to get the most out it - I spent most of my time painting miniatures and funnily enough drawing very elaborate maps on graph paper.

¿Do you have any previous work before Warhammer Quest in 1995 that you are particularly proud of?

RW: Let me think. It's difficult to remember what order I worked on the games. I remember Space Hulk and Blood Bowl – both of which I really enjoyed working on but I'm not sure if that was before or after WQ.

When did you first hear about Andy Jones's idea for Warhammer Quest? Did you volunteer to participate in the development of the game or were you chosen by Andy?

RW: Well I didn't actually volunteer – by that point my job at GW was to provide component art like insignia, colour schemes and also floorplans. I guess I first heard of Warhammer Quest watching Andy and some of the writers playtesting it. And eventually I was assigned the task of working on the floorplans. During this time we would play WQ at lunch which was great fun.

We know that you designed and painted the floor tiles for Warhammer Quest, which are by far the most attractive and realistic tiles I have ever seen in a dungeon crawler game. How was the process of creating such tiles? Did you have enough freedom or did you work within specific parameters of size/dimensions of the modular terrain for this game? Did you face any particular challenges?

RW: It was all very carefully planned out beforehand. Andy and the rest of the guys already working on WQ would have had prototypes of all the rooms and corridors – a black and white grid on paper for each room or corridor glued to card. And he would have coordinated with Steve McGowan (Print Buyer) on how many sheets of card would be included and therefore how many rooms that would fit. So for example I would be asked to produce a 8 by 4 room with a fire pit in the middle or a 1 by 6 corridor or various junctions or stairs. Apart from that I was left to do what I liked really. The studio was open plan so people would stop by and chat and make suggestions or offer feedback.

What was your source(s) of inspiration for the development of the Warhammer Quest floor tiles?

RW: The artwork from the previous floor plans was a big help. I think Dave Andrews did a lot of those. Not to forget all the amazing artwork, miniatures, dioramas and scenery that was being worked on every day at the studio. There was no shortage of ideas or things to be inspired by.

Is there anything that you designed that did not make it to the final game? (and you think it deserved to be included!)

RW: No I don't think so. Like I said, everything was meticulously worked out before I started work. The guys knew exactly how many rooms could fit on a sheet of card so it's unlikely anything was left out.

Did you play any additional role in the creation of Warhammer Quest? Did you work on the tiles of the two expansions of Warhammer Quest?

RW: If I remember correctly I did the tiles for Lair of the Orc Lord and Catacombs of Terror. And I think some extras that were included in White Dwarf magazine.

During the development phase of the game, were you in contact with artists of other dungeon crawler games such as Les Edwards (Heroquest) or Gary Chalk (Advanced Heroquest)? Others?

RW: No, only the staff that were at GW.

Warhammer Quest was only supported by Games Workshop for 3 years. Were you surprised that Warhammer Quest stopped receiving support and went out of print, or was it obvious to those of you working on the game that support was going to end?

RW: Not surprised really although I don't think I stopped to think about it. When I'd completed all of the floorplans for WQ I was moved to another game or project. All the GW games except Warhammer and 40K would have a limited lifespan. A few years and something else would take it's place. Sometimes an older game would be resurrected.

Looking at the current Warhammer Quest games such as Cursed City and Silver Tower; how realistic do you think it would be for Games Workshop to reprint an updated version of the original Warhammer Quest?

RW: Mmm I'm not sure. I guess they would if there was enough demand.

You also contributed to the White Dwarf magazine with numerous illustrations and miniatures painted by yourself; As a hobbyist, what do you enjoy the most, painting illustrations or miniatures?

RW: I don't really enjoy one more than the other, but as I now work full-time creating illustrations, it's not really something I do as a hobby any more – so I'd have to choose miniatures, although I'm not sure my eyes are up to it any more. I'd need many magnifying glasses.

You have created illustrations and paintings for both Warhammer worlds, (Fantasy and 40K); Do you feel more comfortable painting fantasy or futuristic stuff?

RW: When I was at Games Workshop I would have said 40K. I was less confident painting organic fleshy creatures and much happier with hard edged mechanical subjects.

Now that you have moved from the tabletop gaming industry to a more digital work for the videogame industry, how do you see the future for the traditional illustrator / painter. Do you think that everything will be fully digital or there is still room for the non-computerized artists?

RW: I don't think it matters what medium you use as long as you and the client are happy with the end result. I do miss painting sometimes, but I'm not sure I'd want to give up unlimited undos.

Thanks again for your time answering these questions, and for your contribution to make the ultimate dungeon crawler of the 90s.

*Update: I have shared this interview in the Warhammer Quest Facebook group, and Andy Jones himself (the creator of the original Warhammer Quest) has commented on the post, adding the following information:

Andy Jones: "We actually had another set of tiles done by Mark Craven who did all the amazing airbrush logos on our games around that time. And very neat and colourful the original set looked too. And yet…somehow we felt that the tiles needed to be more than a ‘playing board’ and needed to resonate with the atmosphere of a Warhammer Fingeon (I meant to type ‘dungeon’ but actually quite like ‘Fingeon’as a new word ). So Rich Wright (he and I used to occasionally skate together and somewhere I still have a peralta bones brigade board I bought off him) was called in and bingo! we have the awesome WHQ floor tiles we all know and love. That’s my recollection anyhow…"