California Dreaming

All the forums are brown
and the blog is grey
I went for a walk
on a summers day

I'd be safe and warm
if I was in L.A Anaheim
California Dreamin'
on such a winter's day

Mittens has begun in Cally Forn-I-A

Interview Part 10: Beam Me Up Scotty - An inside view

Prologue:
Star Trek Fans ahoy! Non-Star Trek Fans ahoy as well! Upper Tier Studios (namely Matt and Kenneth or Tier and Disco if you like it more), have been working on an epic 3-part series based on the Star Trek Universe. There may be no Scottie, no Spock, no god-damn Cpt Kirk, but the game still proves to be great fun. So with no further s$%@ I present you the interview to Cpt James Tiberius Tier


1) First question. A very classic one for you. Do you have a favorite AGS game?
A tough question as always. I definitely don’t have a favourite AGS game but there are definitely several that I have really enjoyed playing over the years. Obviously the Chzo mythos and Ben Jordan series’ are nice to play. They have such engaging storylines. I’m definitely looking forward to the conclusion of the Ben Jordan series although it will be sad to see it end.

Probably one of the more memorable stand alone games I’ve played was Nelly Cootalot – Spoonbeaks Ahoy. It had such a great art style and comedy storyline. Mmm, I should play that again, good times. I’m sure there are many more games I’ve forgotten but that is because I have a brain like a sieve.

(Indeed you have, but we still put up with you.)

2) You've decided to make a Star Trek game, completely disregarding the famous crew of USS-Enterprise. Was there a reason you want to share with us?

I do love the original characters of the Star Trek series but I thought this was a great opportunity to introduce a new ship and characters. It never really occurred to be when I first started making it to use the original cast for my characters. Hopefully people will warm to the characters I have created for the series anyway. You will start seeing more of the new ones as the series progresses. The last time I checked there are about 18 characters drawn ready to be introduced, eek!


3) You've said that the whole Star-Trek Newton games will be 3 parts of a trilogy, has that plan changed or the ending of the series will indeed be given on part 3.

I am definitely still going to be making this as a three part series. The reason for this was to make the creation much more manageable since I am still getting to grips with the engine (after 8 years…that is bad). It is likely that we will be making future three part series’ with the same characters, but that is another story for another day.


4) Everyone really likes the style of the backgrounds especially when we can see intern parts of a wall or a tube or a machine. Where do you get your inspiration from? And how long does it take to make one?

They style was mostly born out of a lack of art skill. I have watched a lot of the Star Trek Original series and thought that the colors of the sets were quite flat so I thought I would carry that through to the games. It worked out quite well for me I think.

It can take me anywhere between 1 and 3 hours to create a fully working background depending on the complexity. In the first game a lot of the corridor scenes were quite easily reproduced but in part 2, I have tried to make every room look unique which has made the creation process a little longer.


5) Will episode 2 feature any Star Trek cameos? Like Scottie?

The closed nature of the story means that it is unlikely that there will be any cameos featuring in the three games. Maybe in future episodes it could be fun to bring some original characters in, as long as I could do them justice. I am scared I would completely ruin their characters! I’d really love to use some of them if I could though.


6) You're working on this with Disco. Is he a real help? Would you say that you guys have good chemistry?

Our mutual interest in Star Trek means we are working on the same wavelength. In the first game he mostly did animations (good ones!) but in the second game he has also been providing me with puzzle ideas and he also drew a character for it. I think we work quite well together and hope it will continue in the future (as long as he doesn’t show me tunabeard again).


7) Unless I'm mistaken you and Disco will go to Mittens 2010 in Italy, are there any plans on blowing the rest AGSers' mind with a playable version of Star-Trek Newton 2?

I’m definitely going to be blowing their minds with something (*hides shotgun*). I will probably bring a copy of the latest build to Mittens to see if anyone is interested in playing it. Hopefully I will have a little time to work on bits of the game while I am in Italy since I will be bringing a trusty copy of AGS Editor with me and a really bad netbook!


8) Is there an estimated date of release for episode 2?

Good question. Originally I was planning on getting it done a long time before I left for Mittens but things haven’t worked out that way. Since I have pretty much no coding background, it has been difficult learning ways to script the puzzles I wanted to include. Fortunately, the hardest part is behind me and I am now in the process of finalizing the coding and puzzles while Disco finishes animating. I would like to say it would be ready by October (Wow that is almost a year after the first release) but it depends on how hard we work on it. Don’t worry, loyal fans, it WILL be released eventually.

Epilogue: Have a play at the episode 1 of Star Trek Newton, by visiting this hyperlink! And have a look at the episode's 2 in production topic here.

Interview part 9 m0ds: Indiana Jones meets Beer

Today, on this very cool, very spicy, very don't-wait-nothing-else-than-randomness interview, we feature teh best! teh coolest! teh m0ds!!! Yes..well. Time for total random stuff.
To quote m0ds:
"I'll do this now when I'm sober, otherwise it really will just be junk text..."

1) To start of smoothly, I'm going to give you the chance to tell me what's your favorite AGS game..if any?

No absolute favourite sir, so many are so good in lots of different ways. But I enjoy the games that throw me back to my youth with their retro flair. Recently I enjoyed AeroNuts, it was awesome. Not to blow my own trumpet, but Fatman is still one of my personal favourites - not just because of the whole experience around it, but it's the only AGS game I've got on CD, and I treasure stuff like that!

2) You are the core of the Fountain of Youth team, everyone pretty much is eager with anticipation about the release that we've yet to see. Care to explain what's taking so long?

The game is a team effort and so it's a matter of juggling free time for FoY time amongst real lives. The team members are experts in their field and have so much else to do. Miez runs his own business, Lorn runs his own business, Nacho is now studying in the UK... You notice a pattern - people have commitments so it's better for me to be sympathetic of that than to be cracking a whip (pun intended) and trying to hit deadlines. When you get the best, you get people who are already busy being brilliant in lots of other areas

And also sir it's because it's a hobby project. We all have reasons for making games, and we all have reasons for making deadlines too - if for nothing more than thinking if you don't finish a game you may never finish it. But there really is no strict timeline on FoY. The alternative of course, is to make it under LEC. You pay for it, but at least it exists! So Jim, which will it be? Creative freedom or a price tag?

(Valid points there Mr. Lovegrove..)

3) People have commented that the FOY (once awarded with AGS Best Demo) really feels like a true Indiana Jones game. What do you feel about that burden over your shoulders?

They ain't seen nothin' yet! Seriously, for 2006 the game did exceptionally well - and it's such an honour people were so kind about it. If it hit the right buttons then that is great, but seriously - compared to the material we have going at the moment the demo isn't a patch on the nostalgia you'll feel with the full-game. But this is why we made a demo, and took a while over it - so that we can do everything on the full game perfectly. Seriously, it's no burden. People either trust me or they don't. I haven't left the scene in 10 years and I don't intend to for another 10 either, it's too much fun - and though FoY has this spectacular worth, it is the biggest learning curve of the entire experience and will inevatably be the most rewarding, and I'm not one to argue with or challenge that exciting knowledge!

4) I haven't actually caught up with the time you were into the AGS pioneering, but I've seen the results. How did you come up with all those ideas that we all love about AGS forums. The Mittens for instance. And then there's the Ben Jordan movie!

Flattery will get you nowhere Mr Jim Spanos! (Well, it worked on how i got this job..!) Stay away from my pants! So I guess it's just what happens when you been kicking around the boards too long and "posts too much" A lot of it is gut instinct. Ben Jordan is a popular successful game series and Francisco is a good mate and I'm good with a camera so it seems only right to do a movie! In the same way the first film being successful pretty much proves the need for a sequel The same process went into Mittens - people obviously enjoy having a BBQ together so why not have a whole week together instead. And in the earlier days there was a lot of discussion but not a lot of making it happen, which is fine - people were busy on their games, but because I wasn't so heavily involved in the game making process at that point I would have time to address these ideas & issues & get them moving. It's questionable if anyone truly appreciates them - but thanks for making the assumption that it is the case, sir! Above all that, it's about making sure CJ is completely puzzled with the amount of strange and wonderful things that happen because of his creation, AGS - in the same way I enjoy the strange & wonderful things that happen because of my own

5) You're of the few that have actually worked with Yahtzee and lived to tell the tale. How would you describe that experience?

Yahtzee knows what he wants and that's been the key element to a good working relationship with him I think. He's also good at understanding where and where not to use music in games and has understood how to impliment a good soundtrack since the beginning. I'm certainly thankful for the experience - his games are a lot of fun and well made so I was lucky to get in there before he became a ZP celebrity. I'm also honoured that he considered my work to be valuable & complimentary to his games. But there was never much more beyond it than an email here or there about what he needed for the game. I don't think we ever actually exchanged a nicety - ever! But it was early discussions with him that formed Mittens, and also the AGS Awards and of course a role reversal every now and then when he would contribute some prose to my AGS ezines and stuff. I'm certainly interested to see if he makes another AGS game, and although this has been his longest break yet I believe AGS for him is a hobby too, something fun to do - and necessary to satisfy just who he/you/i ares

6) Last question..and trickiest. Did you showed her your Loom? Did she play with your Grim Fandango? 206 replies and not an answer..we're just sitting in the dark

My Quest for her holy salsa definitely left me with nothing more than my own chunky salsa. But it did create that awesome, funny thread! Yufster(Meowster!!) was always fun to talk with - but eeww no, I'd never go there You crazy ucking Spanos! Keep up the good work on the blog, and well done for ruining it with this interview of me!