Interviews with Programmers and updated games on the way

[amigapd]

hi,

I ve recently launched a new section to the website which interviews programmers from the shareware and public domain scene and provides updates on what they are currently working on.

The first two interviews are

Kevin Gallagher who wrote some great arcade conversions

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-kevin-gallagher.html

and Wayne Ashworth - the graphic artist on Renegades - and there is currently an updated version being worked on.

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-wayne-ashworth.html

I would like to thank both Kevin and Wayne for being brave enough to be the first people to be interviewed, it was a pleasure to interview them both. I hope that this section grows over the coming months and hopefully result in new pd games being released as other updates or completion of unfinished work or maybe even totally new projects.


You can now follow Amigapd on Twitter to get the latest news on latest interviews - releases and progress on the cd32 compilation disk.

[coze]

is that hard coded html ?
you should really move to a content management system and setup an RSS feed. it will make life easier for you (and people following you)

nice interviews btw, great job !

[amigapd]

Originally Posted by coze

is that hard coded html ?
you should really move to a content management system and setup an RSS feed. it will make life easier for you (and people following you)

nice interviews btw, great job !

Alas it is not hard coded html due to many reasons - the main one being speed of updating (have an 18 month old child and a job competing for time) and that its only me running this webdsite. The twitter function may be removed if it slows down the home page or impacts on useability.

[fishyfish]

Good stuff, I personally find this stuff an interesting read.
As for your child, I suspect he's/she's one of a few, if not the only "18 month year old" on the planet

[amigapd]

I ve got another interview to add to the site with Phil Ruston (Aquanaut, Gidy, Operation Firestorm) which I am just amending - will update when this is available-

PS - changed the typo to 18 month old - need to catch up on my sleep methinks -

[amigapd]

Just a quick update - the following interviews have now been added

Jim Wills - Toado http://www.amigapd.com/interview-jim-wills.html
Phil Ruston - Aquanaut - http://www.amigapd.com/interview-phil-ruston.html
Edgar Vigdal - Deluxe Galaga http://www.amigapd.com/interview-edgar-vigdal.html
Amigan Software - http://www.amigapd.com/-interview-amigan-software.html

[Peter]

Great work amigapd - your website is really looking superb - it has some real quality content and just gets better and better - it is just what was needed to show case these great Amiga PD games - thanks for all your hard work.

[amigapd]

Interview with Tony Warriner -


http://www.amigapd.com/interview-tony-warriner.html

Whilst Beneath a Steel Sky and Lure of Temptress were released as commercial games they are now available as freeware so definately worthy a place in the interview section.

Have another interview to write up on the website which will return to 100% pd / shareware no controversy - will post link when it has been completed -

If anyone has any suitable contacts with shareware / public domain game programmers or individuals who used to run pd libraries such as Virus Free - 17 Bit - Crazy Joe - Vally Pd - please PM me.

[amigapd]

Interview with Ben Wright creator of Scavenger and Scavenger 2 now added -

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-ben-wright.html

[amigapd]

Interview with Lee Bamber available programmer of Relics of Deldroneye

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-lee-bamber.html

[musashi5150]

Originally Posted by amigapd

Interview with Tony Warriner -
http://www.amigapd.com/interview-tony-warriner.html

Nice little interview

Just one (little) thing you've linked to the WHDownload site as the WHDLoad site. Might be worth a quick change.

[seuden]

Originally Posted by amigapd

Interview with Lee Bamber available programmer of Relics of Deldroneye

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-lee-bamber.html

Love the colours in their games.

[amigapd]

[quote=
Just one (little) thing you've linked to the WHDownload site as the WHDLoad site. Might be worth a quick change.[/quote]

Have changed now - also added a comment about users needing a registered version of WHDload.

[kriz]

Great interviews !! Thx for great work !!

[musashi5150]

Originally Posted by amigapd

users needing a registered version of WHDload

I don't think they do but a little extra incentive won't hurt

[amigapd]

Three more interviews:

David Makin - Who has made two of his former commercial games available as freeware - Crystal Dragon + Super Scramble Simulator

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-david-makin.html


Andrew Morris who did the graphics for Super Scramble Simulator and some other great Gremlin / Magnetic Fields games (super cars + lotus)

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-andrew-morris.html


And

Interview with Krzsztof Koyot Matys - who is currently working on a new pd game based on the old Nintendo Game and watch series.

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-krz...yot-matys.html

Also I am currently writing up the interview with guy behind F1 Licenceware's Henry House. Will post link when it is done.

[Hewitson]

I've never heard of Super Scramble Simulator. Looks like Kikstart for the C64, I'll definitely have to give it a try!

I think it would be good for some more technical questions to be asked in the interviews, like Codetapper does with his. How was certain effects implemented, why was something done a certain way, etc.

[T_hairy_bootson]

Super Scramble Simulator looked and sounded great. Gameplay on the other hand was frustrating, very very frustrating...

[amigapd]

Originally Posted by Hewitson

I think it would be good for some more technical questions to be asked in the interviews, like Codetapper does with his. How was certain effects implemented, why was something done a certain way, etc.

I will try to add a couple of more technical ish questions but I am not a programmer and therefore will have to keep them quite basic - I will look at Codetappers to see if there are any questions which could be appropriate to use- also in order to get a good response rate I tend to keep the questions to about 10 - I admire the detail of Codetapper's interviews but that level of detail would not be appropriate for programmers who made one or two shareware games which are my main interviewees. Also the level of response of the interviewees varies considerably - the same question can be answered in one line by one interviewee and then in a small paragraph by another. This is probably due to the interviewees time and in some cases their memory of why they made decisions over ten or twenty years ago.

I would like to thank everyone who has given their time to contributed to the interview section. It is much appreciated.

Any suggestions of pd / shareware programmers to contact for future interviews and suggested questions are always most welcome.

[amigapd]

Have added 12 additional questions and answers to the Andrew Morris interview -

with some more technical ish questions

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-andrew-morris.html

[amigapd]

More questions added the to the Tony Warriner interview - these are marked with a *

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-tony-warriner.html

New interview with Matthias Bock - Lazy Cow shareware games

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-matthias-bock.html

[amigapd]

New interview with Jens Andersson and Jan Kronquist of Gravity Power fame !!

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-jen...kronquist.html

Thanks to Lifeschool from Lemon Amiga forum for researching some interesting questions including one involving an orange and a ..... coffee pot????

You can now follow us on Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Amigap...79290508780793

And on Twitter too.

[amigapd]

New interview with Michael Gordon Shapiro - creator of the RPG - Zerg

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-mic...n-shapiro.html

Thanks to Lifeschool from Lemon Amiga forum again for researching the questions -

Fingers crossed there may be two more interviews in progress.

[HenryCase]

Thanks for the update amigapd, amigapd.com is one of my favourite Amiga sites.

Was wondering if it would be possible to get an interview with the creators of Tank Attack? That was one of my favourite Amiga PD games back in the day.
http://hol.abime.net/3855
No worries if not, just thought I'd make a suggestion for something I'd enjoy reading.

Thanks for your site. :-)

[amigapd]

I am more than happy to try to locate the creators of Tank Attack - can't guarantee I will be able or they will respond but will try my best

In the meantime here is a new interview with Mark Sheeky who created many public domain games and shareware games as well as the commercial game burnout.


http://www.amigapd.com/interview-mark-sheeky.html

Thanks to S2325 for providing / directing me to videos of some of Mark's game to include on the page.

[desiv]

Hey, just thought of this..
You should see if you can track down/interview Ed Mackey (sp?) (and his brother)..
They guys who did Megaball and EdPlayer!!!

Awesome stuff there..
(And did they think WinAMP ripped off EdPlayer.. ;-)

desiv

[amigapd]

Latest interview is Gabriele Greco - creator of Eat the Whistle

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-gabriele-greco.html

Also I don't think I ve posted the link to the interview with the creator of Brutal Homicide

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-pontus-lundwall.html

I have tried contacting one of Mackey brothers using their website about Megaball but unfortunately have not heard back - will try using the email address on aminet.

[amigapd]

Latest interview is with Al and Ed Mackey of Megaball fame

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-mackey-brothers.html

[desiv]

Great interview!!

Thanx!!
Always loved that game..

desiv

[amigapd]

Latest interview added - Tony Kingsmill who is probably most remembered for his football management game Top of the League

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-tony-kingsmill.html

I have also an interview from the creator of Mr BeanBag which I will type up over the next week.

[amigapd]

Have n't updated this for a while - three interviews you might not know about

Amy Worthington - Mr BeanBag fame

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-amy-worthington.html

Aaron and Adam Fothergill of Jet Strike and Base Jumpers and many Amos games

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-aar...othergill.html

Graham Humphrey talking about his current project Downfall and past game Tank Wars and unfinished projects.

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-graham-humphrey.html

[amigapd]

Interview with creators of horror survival game damage

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-jyrki-sinivaara.html

[Peter]

Brilliant - I love Damage - I was really impressed with it at the time and still play it every so often today - it was and still is a decent looking little game and it plays well - thanks for the link to the interview - will give that a thorough read through.

The AmigaPD Website is looking great these days - it has really filled out. Nice work!

Don't forget I'm still looking for my missing game "Scavenge"

I haven't had any spare time lately to dedicate to my search but with your new contacts on the site... you never know! Rewards for the full version still stands....!

[amigapd]

I ve been searching for the author of Scavenge for you Peter but haven't had much luck - if I get any leads I will PM you.

In the mean time another interview link with creator of the Fayoh platform games

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-marcus-johansson.html

[Amiga Forever]

I love reading interview from programmer on how they made the game

[amigapd]

Latest interview - Alex May - creator of "The Attack of the Green Smelly Aliens from Planet 27b/6"

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-alex-may.html

One more interview is close to publishing - and hopefully one more in production.

[amigapd]

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-darren-ithell.html

Darren Ithell - talks about the Dithell platfrom games

Another interview is just being finished off - post soon.

[s2325]

gameplay of Scavenger: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu97rmwmBu8

[amigapd]

New interview with creator of Top Hat Willy - Tero Heikkinen

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-tero-heikkinen.html


Also not sure if I ve added link to interview with creator of Starbirds - Samo Jordan

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-samo-jordan.html

[amigapd]

New interview with creator of Bull Run - Dave Townsend

http://www.amigapd.com/interview-david-townsend.html

If you have any other questions you wanted Dave to answer let me know - he may be willing to answer them.