Original Idea and Script by Decoy, addendum by Forceflow.
Okay, this is the second interview featured here, and who else besides Decoy can we interview? He is the second biggest driving force for the XWAU, behind Darksaber, and his opts, especially the Z-95, are just awesome work!
| XWAU: | So Dec, shall we start? |
| Decoy: | damn I knew this idea would counter on me but sure go ahead let's see what you have in store for me =O)
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| XWAU: | Again the first question would be what actually hooked you onto this whole OPT-ing? Was it just that you wanted to edit games and you just pulled out the first game you could lay your hands on, or did the whole Star Wars concept made you pick XvsT and later on XWA?? |
| Decoy: | Well I think it's the well known story once again. I have been hooked on Star Wars ever since I saw ANH, back when I
was just a little Dec. Man did I love that movie I use to dream about having my own X-wing and taking on the empire all by my self. So
I would say it surly was the whole Star Wars thing that got me into this mess. I'm not saying I always wanted to edit games but I have
always been busy creating stuff, mostly painting and drawing. So when I finally got my own comp and starting to surf the web I found
out about all off this editing stuff and I just knew I wanted to try some of that stuff. At that time XWA was nearly complete and
about to be released and I started looking for more info about it and found my way to the xwingalliance.net forum where I met with
Hades who asked me to do some texturing for some OPT's he was working on. Back than I had no idea what he was talking about all I knew
is that I wanted to try it and well I have come a long way since =O).
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| XWAU: | Did you ever thought about editing games like Quake, Unreal Tournament or the likes? The editing community for those games seems to be a lot bigger than XWAs, not to mention that the actual support for them is easier to get. |
| Decoy: | Yeah sure I did and actually I have tried some of that stuff. I must say I only did some level editing just the
basic stuff actually. Thing is I tried some UT levels after I started with OPT editing. The OPT-ing takes so much of my free time it
almost leaves none to do something else. Because I haven't got enough experience with UT levels the results usually are of pretty poor
quality, on the other hand if I put the same amount of time in to an OPT I usually can come up with something quite reasonable. So
when ever I have some spare time the choice is easily made, I will leave my level editing to what it is and kickstart ACE-DXF =O). I
must say I'm still planning to do a player model for a FPS game sometime in the future, but hey I'm planning a lot lately so it might
never happen =O)
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| XWAU: | Do you think that the custom made editing tools for OPT editing can compete with any of the editors that come out of the box for other games? |
| Decoy: | Actually I like the custom made editing tools better, not because they are easier to use or have more possibility's
than out of the box tools, more because these tools where made out of love for the game not out of love for the big money. The
creators of custom made tools deserve a lot of credit in my book and they did a great job for XWA. Although we can't do all the stuff
we want we still have some powerful tools at our disposal with some great possibilities. The tools we have right now are the products
of the total community and I think we should be proud on them.
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| XWAU: | What is your opinion about today's XWA community. Since it is a small community compared to for example the UT community you should have a good overview of what is happening in it. What kind of future does the community have, with the apparent lack of support from LucasArts? |
| Decoy: | Yeah our community is smaller than some others but our community is build up from hardcore fans knowing not only
about XWA but about the whole Star Wars Universe. I think that is what makes it so good and will make it last longer than others. The
fact that the community isn't limited to the game but has a story covering thousands of years to back it up does give it a future for
sure. The lack of support from LEC does put some pressure on the community, it would be easier if they would hear and help us out now
and again maybe even give us some future perspective. I could go on and on about LEC here but I won't because it wasn't the question
=O). As for the community well we sure have some strong EGO's running around in it, which I don't necessarily find a bad thing it
makes it all a bit more interesting. We also still keep running into people who THINK they want to make OPT's but actually find it to
much of a hassle to do so and want to get every thing explained to them word for word. The more I meet those kind of people the more I
find myself being less tolerant to them. This probably has something to do with the fact I already put a lot of afford in trying to
explain stuff to people who disappeared on me and that happened to me 3 times already. Other than that I find MY community the best
there is and due to lack of LEC interest we still find our self in a dynamic community with new stuff turning up every now and than.
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| XWAU: | Okay, Dec. It was basically you who got Forceflow onto the project. Why was that? After all he has no modeling ability and was never really into the modeling community? While this may be true for others, too, those entered the XWAU right from the beginning, where Force only joined in a lot later. This is especially interesting since his only talent is as a webmaster, talents that you yourself have, too! (Quite good ones!) |
| Decoy: | Force???? Hey he is just part of me where I go he goes and the other way around. No seriously He was the first
person I met in the XWA community back when xwa.com was still online we stacked together ever since. We have quite a history together
and did a lot of work he is a great friend and a hell off a worker, though we don't always agree we usually get the job done. As for
him doing the site for XWAU, well with me doing more and more OPT work I couldn't keep updating the site as much as it had to so we
where looking for some one else. For me Force was the only good choice I had, he is a dedicated worker, has a huge amount of knowledge
about the Star Wars Universe and is perfectionist, so he was just the person we where looking for.
Hehehe talents I have, yeah well if I have any, those are purely graphical I just don't have the patience to work with content. I have build a whole lot off sites but mainly the layout's actually I never really cared for the content I got bored with it pretty fast. I think we hit the jackpot with Force he is doing a huge amount of work behind the scene I'm glad he is part of the team, to bad his joystick is still broke . Can you imagine the webmaster of the XWAU not even being able to play the RFP hehehe.
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| XWAU: | Okay, but let's get back on topic again. Could you please tell us how you start a new project, does it take a lot of research?? |
| Decoy: | Yeah it does take a lot of research, the net, books, watching the movie over and over again and this is just for the
existing models. Non existing models take a whole different approach some say it's easier since you have more freedom but I think it
is still pretty hard to make a good believable craft. How do I start it ??? I actually don't know it depends I guess. Normally I just
start screwing around a bit in Rhino making a model from memory after that I'm going to compare it to the resources. That's when the
tweaking begins, it's normally a case of trial and error until you got the right look. The models don't have to be exactly the same as
in the movie they just need the same look and feel it's all a matter of searching for the right combination of detail and face count.
As for the texturing well I have my own ritual first I start with determining the borders than I try to find the right color after
that it all depends on what I want in it and a lot of looking at the originals. With texturing you can put in as much detail as you
want as long as you keep in mind the rescaling and the capabilities of the XWA engine. All in all it all comes down to making the
right combinations for both modeling as texturing, you can't determine that before you start on the actual thing it will have to come
naturally along the way, it usually speaks for it self.
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| XWAU: | You are the main texturer for the project right now. (With Captain Hottie gone) Isn't it really stressing that you basically cannot concentrate on your work but instead having to work for all those other guys texturing? |
| Decoy: | Hey it's a dirty job but some one has to do it =O) No it's not really stressing I just go with the flow man one can
only do so much. Actually it is quite nice to be part of so many things at a time, I have worked on a lot of OPT's this way so you
won't hear me complaining. I must say, sometimes I just wish to finish some of my own stuff but hey if the project needs me to do
something else I don't have a problem with that. I know people will be helping me as soon as I need them so things should work out in
the end. I enjoy doing textures because they have such a big impact on an OPT. I have been working with Darksaber a lot the last few
months and like he said we make a perfect team we both do what we like and we pump out OPT's in no time because of that. Despite all
the comment DS is getting about his behavior, he is a great partner to work with and is always willing to put in a helping hand where
he can, believe me I know =O). To sum it up, I don't care helping other people out or ask help if I need it. After all we are working
on this project as a team why not benefit from the help this team can give you or help out where you can.
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| XWAU: | What kind of program do you use to make your models and especially your textures, why do you use it?? |
| Decoy: | For modeling I use Rhino just like the majority of OPT creators. Why??? Well it's easy to learn and exports the
model just like you want it. For texturing I use Macromedia Fireworks mainly because of the same aspects I just summed up for Rhino.
Fireworks has a lot of possibilities and although it isn't as BIG as photoshop, it does have about all the essential tools to make a
nice texture. These are just the programs I prefer, not because they are the best but because I know how to use them and they let me
do the things I want. I think there are a lot of similar programs out there which would do just as well after all it's the person
working with the program that determines the result not the program. Creativity is the most essential tool you need, not some
expensive program, to bad you can't upgrade creativity to a better version =O).
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| XWAU: | Did you ever tried any other modeling program and if so why did you ditch it?? |
| Decoy: | Modeling program??? Well yeah I tried several but to be honest , they where just to freaking hard for me, I was
still trying to figure ACE out and I didn't feel like going to an other book again. So I just stacked to Rhino and it serves me well
=O) All though I must say that I'm looking in to MAX right now just for the fun of it.
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| XWAU: | If you could make your own modeling (or texturing) program build up from components of today's 3d programs could you give us some features it would surly have??? |
| Decoy: | Let's skip the modeling program and talk about the texturing. Well if I could have it my way I would like to see a
combination of Fireworks and 3D Painter. 3D Painter really seems to be a good program and it looks pretty interesting to bad I can't
seem to make head nor tail out of it. SO if anybody knows anything about this program please contact me =O)
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| XWAU: | Are you pleased with the XWA game engine and the OPT format and if you could put one thing in the engine and one more function into the OPT format what would those be?? |
| Decoy: | Well I have to judge on the visual aspects of the game. I'll say I'm pretty pleased with the engine, it could always
be better but I'm not complaining. Well there are a lot of functions I would like to include and I'm sure the engine could handle them
but with a seemingly simple thing as the s-foil rotation still unknown I don't think any of these will be included any day soon. Still
if I had to pick one than I will probably go for manual take of and landing, that would make the game much more realistic.
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| XWAU: | You have been using ACE DXF all these time but now there is a new OPT program in making what do you expect from this?? |
| Decoy: | A LOT =O) No seriously as long as it can do all the things ACE can and it will make my job a little easier , I will
be a happy decoy.
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| XWAU: | How do you see the future for Star Wars space sims and do you expect LEC to come with any thing new soon or will we still be playing XWA the next 5 years? |
| Decoy: | Yeah actually I think LEC is working on a huge space sim right now. LEC is combining the X-wing series space sim
with the FPS Jedi Knight game as we speak. It will be the biggest game to be released in 2002. Huge interactive non linear game play
based on the STAR WARS GALAXY in the period just after the destruction of the second deathstar. The first mission will start with your
briefing just before the battle of Endor you will have to equip your X-wing and take of to be part of the rebel fleet. The DS will be
full 3D this time and you will be chasing the TIE's over it's surface while being fired at by the tower mounted turrets. After that
you will be able to choose your own way for example you could be recruited to join an all-round squadron not so much different than
Wraith Squadron. You will have to fly deep space missions as well as atmospheric mission ohh and of course several First person ground
missions but that's just one option. The game will be fully editable and will come with out of the box mission, craft and actor
editor. Look for it on the shelves of your local game shop, spring 2002 and it will only cost $ 10.00.
NOT hehehe Seriously I do think LEC is working on something or at least planning something. I find it hard to believe they will totally abandon Space sims as we know them. I must say I find it pretty disturbing to find that they are working mostly on console games at the moment and I would like to see it a bit different. But it is hard to track what LEC is doing or what they are planning. The only thing I really hope is that they will be a bit more involved with their fans in the future.
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| XWAU: | Could you tell us a bit about your future plans can we expect anything from you beside XWAU work? |
| Decoy: | Yeah sure you can I got a lot of projects on the shelve right now. Don't know if all of them will be done but a few
at least. For example I'm well under way with the textures for Sax his E-wing and as soon as the IFP is done I'm planning to finish
it. DS also has some stuff he asked me to help with so all in all you should see some non XWAU work from me in the near future. All in
all it comes down to finishing the IFP first, looking at other stuff later but you can count on me having some surprises on my sleeve.
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| XWAU: | Last but not least we have some short questions we would like you to answer short and firm |
| 1. Why are you working on the XWAU project. An unrealistic dream of fame and fortune and an ever burning urge to create stuff =O) 2. Do you enjoy working in a team, or would you prefer to be able to concentrate more on your own projects alone? 3. What's the best thing going around in the XWA community right now. 4. Who is the biggest upcoming talent in OPT editing? 5. What is the most important part of a good OPT, just one please? 6. We heard your room is decorated with pink Barbie wallpaper is that correct??? 7. Will PC-games be abandoned by LEC? 8. What's the best OPT (made by some one else) you have seen so far? 9. Will the XWAU ever be finished? 10. How did you like the interview? |
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Okay, thanks a lot for you time! We all hope to see some more of your great work very soon! (And with the IFP hot on it's way it sure wont take much time!)