References:Gearbox employee emails

This page mirrors email conversations made between fans and current or former Gearbox employees. The legitimacy of these messages have been verified by OverWiki staff.

Conversations

Stephen Bahl

On his video game work

“	Since our game was about being with soldiers, we took what valve had created and improved upon it with new versions/classes. I was responsible for creating all the soldiers; Medic, Sergeant, Engineer, Saw gunner, and any other variation in the game (it's been a long time since I've played so I can't quite remember all of them). I also made the shock trooper and pit worm boss. As for weapons, I made the m4, displacer cannon, spore launcher, rocket launcher, and a few others, again, it's been awhile. I was also responsible for making higher detail versions of all the weapons and soldiers for the HD packs.	”
	– Source  (November 13, 2009)

On Race X

“	We wanted to add some new creature variety without messing with what valve had already established. Since the black mesa facility was experimenting with portal technology, it made sense that a rift to different dimension other than xen could have opened up to let other creatures in. Not knowing where this rift was, the name "X" was used to define the unknown.	”
	– Source  (November 13, 2009)

On the Spore Launcher

“	Yes, think of it as a tadpole version of a shock trooper.	”
	– Source  (November 13, 2009)

Stephen Palmer

On his video game work

“	I built chapter 8, the "laser puzzle". I believe I started work on Chapter 9 (Rift) but handed it over to Matt Armstrong to finish.	”
	– Source  (December 20, 2016)

Kristy Pitchford

On laser guns powered by the crystals

“	The weapons were presumably created by scientists who were struggling to deal with the situation that unfolded. The fate of the scientists who worked on the portal and the Xen crystal powered weapons is unknown, but whatever their sacrifices, it allowed Shephard to use their equipment to save the Earth (at least for a little while longer).	”
	– Source  (September 29, 2016)

Randy Pitchford

On Race X

“	I worked within a framework articulated to me by Marc Laidlaw of Valve that allowed for many alien species to exist in the universe – some intelligent, some not – some with agendas, some without. With what was revealed, you can deduce that the masters of the aliens referred to as "Race X" clearly have some sentience and some agenda and they clearly employ or subjugate other aliens... In that way, they are similar to the creatures that have subjugated the Vortigaunts (and you learn more about that in HL2). Other than that, there is no clear answer to your question given the information that's been revealed by the games..	”
	– Source  (2006)