Interview Part 20: Miguel Quixote

Like a blast from the past, I bring in the portoguese god (and that's a pun) from the Golden Era. Miguel always stroke me (that sounded weird) as a nice person that would make you feel good about yourself. And that along with his recent improvement in activity both game-wise and forum-wise, leaves me intrigued as to what will fellow.

1) This is a typical question asked to all interviewed people. So, how did you find AGS?

I've found AGS while searching for the Scumm engine and how they did those great games. After some clicks AGS popped out and I thought that I was in heaven! I remember that I had some time for myself as well and so I dived deeply into it. On my first game I was using fake inventory items as boolean variables! It was a great time for me, being able to create a game and being so easy was really fantastic. Of course it wasn't really a half-decent game, but the rush I felt when I uploaded it was something else! 

2) Do you have a favorite AGS and/or non-AGS game?

That's not very easy. The AGS game I loved more for years and years was Pleughburg. It was the proof to me that AGS was able to make games that I would like to play. Most of the stuff that was going out when I started were private jokes from some cool dudes to another and that was okay but not many guys were doing games that could be played by people outside of the AGS community. More recently I loved the Visitor games by Nicky Nice, the man can tell a good story.

As for non-Ags games I'd say the Gabriel Knight series are on my top list but all the classic RPG's as well. Dragon Age and Skyrim too.

3) How many games have you worked on so far? And which one would you consider your magnus opus and why.

Well, I've only completed 3 games, really.

There's the Dwarven Dagger series and Ancient Aliens. They're all part of my learning process. Their quality are totally related to the amount of time I spend making them. I still want to make a good chapter for the Dagger games, they deserve my full attention and I've been a creep to them.

Ancient Aliens is a different story, I had a team working with me. Very talented people with a great love for adventure games. I know that the game is short and has flaws but I was really proud of doing it. The reason it's short is due to the huge amount of work that it takes to make just a 10 room decent game. I've proven myself that I can turn my ideas into a game but still I lack the endurance to take it all the way to the end. So, I make chapters.

But, to answer your question Ancient Aliens is my best game so far.

4) Is there anything you're working on right now or planning on working on?

Yes I keep myself busy. I did the intro for Ancient Aliens 2, did background art and story for Carmel Games (they should be releasing a new game soon), am doing a original game in flash and html5 (adventure game,1st person) - 3 rooms so far while learning Stencyl and Tululoo!

But the project that is taking me more time right now is a OSD game that I'm working on. I bought a new drawing tablet and backgrounds and characters are going to be detailed and big!

No way I can release all of this during 2014 but if I put 2 out I'd be an happy man!

5) What was the reason behind the creation of that RELIGION topic? And how do you feel about it?

What religion topic?

Ahhh...that religion topic!

Jim, I really don't know why I started it or if it was a response to something I'd read before!

It turns out that every time I debate religion I end up making some "enemies" and that's really not my way man.

Thinking about it, what could I really get from talking religion on a video game forum? Even a dev forum? Well, we all know that people are much more than game makers or shoe makers or whatever. And the AGS community is really something unique, so I kind of amuse myself (sinful I know) to bring this topics in a land full of atheists and science lovers!

A recent debate made me realize that I should never jump in or start topics of that nature, that I could say things I regret and that trying to prove anything so peculiar isn't really my job.

Anyway, I see brighter lights on the horizon with the new Pope (Francisco is his name and so is the name of my younger son) who is trying to bring the church closer to younger generations and their ultra-fast pace of life.

But enough of that, here I go again!

6) Ancient Aliens was a huge improvement over your older games, especially the art. What led to that general improvement, and how did you learn to draw better (any tips to aspiring kids that want to reach to an AGS legend)?

Thanks Dual, it really goes down to a single point: work. I've worked more in Ancient Aliens than in other games I've done, released or not. Drawing has always been a passion for me and I am a decent pen and paper artist. Bringing it to the digital world of video games is completely different. There's composition, angles, walking areas, colour contrast, definition of your main lines, there's really a big difference between a background and a free drawing you may do in a afternoon.

So, I didn't learn to draw better, instead I studied how people were doing backgrounds for adventure games, AGS or not. My favourite style is the one used on Monkey Island 3 and while it doesn't show on Ancient Aliens, my newest art is reflecting that style.

My advice to  kids wanting to be me is to brush their teeth every morning and before bed time!

Kids wanting to do their own graphics should focus on a style and work on it. We all imitate somebody's art when drawing and backgrounds and characters for video games aren't different. While we draw more and more we are developing muscular memory and so lines will become more clear in just a few strokes. Quick sketches of the same object allow us to choose the best composition for a background for instance.

Also, drawing tablets make it much quicker to work. Skipping the scan, retouch, resize phase is a bless!

Also, don't be afraid to post your art on the forums. You'll find fantastic artists there that will give you free lessons and turn your drawings into art!

7)  Since you're an old member of the AGS, did the Gold AGS Era ever exist? Or is it rumours?

Hahaha! Well, what can I say?

Back when I started there were some really charismatic Agsers on the forums, Chris Jones was always around, and I remember admiring all those cool dudes doing cool stuff with adventure games. Games made were funny, although some were private-funny if you know what I mean. Jokes could go on and on for months and I had to be really aware of what's going on or I wouldn't understand it.

I guess that's what gave the impression of the community being elitist and somehow unfriendly to newcomers. It wasn't easy to fit in because the most influential guys were really that cool.

Can we call it the golden years? Sure, why not? If we want to "feel" the vibe that was going on we only need to grab some games made back then. Mackgyver and Norris jokes were always present as well. Conan was doing it as well, so there was some smart humour going on.

To me it was special, for sure. It was addicting to log in to the forums.

Anyway, this said, AGS made it very well into the new decade and the successful commercial games around prove it. And I still can't find intelligent, smart and funny people anywhere in the internet like the ones at our forums. It's still a fantastic community and I'm proud and glad to be in it.

\