As someone who has owned both a Super Nintendo and Mega Drive console, I was surprised to hear about a new USB device which allows users to play their old SNES and Mega Drive cartridges on their PC.

Called the Retrode 2, the USB device plugs into a PC and allows users to then plug both their cartridges and old controllers into it. Running via an emulator, the games can then be downloaded and installed on their PC.

This certainly is a more legitimate way for people to play their old 16 bit games, and Matthias Hullin (the creator of Retrode 2) took some time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about Retrode 2, and why he thinks it might appeal to people who already own a SNES or a Mega Drive.

What was the inspiration behind the Retrode 2 project, and what made you decide that there was a niche for such a product in the marketplace?
Back when it all began, the Retrode 2 was not intended as a product but rather as a neat proof of concept. Being a researchey guy and also a bit of an emulation fan, I just wanted to show that it is in fact possible to connect and use this really old SNES gear on contemporary computers through a modern interface.

As the project got some publicity, tons of people started asking me to turn the concept into a product. I’m not a marketing person, and I never really knew if this would take off. So I just let it happen

What made you decide to focus on the SNES and Genesis/Mega Drive, as opposed to other platforms?
Those are the platforms that I can best relate to, because they would be on display in malls and we would go there after school and hang out for hours. I’ve never owned a console myself, and neither did any of my friends back then.

How does playing a catridge plugged in through the Retrode 2 differ from someone playing the same game via a ROM on an emulator?
Technically, not at all. You are, in fact, playing the ROM of the same game on the same emulator. However, the Retrode gives you the exact ROM of the cartridge you own, making it a legal alternative to shady downloads. Quite a few folks also like the possibility to load SRAM (the on-cartridge savegames) off your SNES cartridges; try to do that with a ROM download.

Then, there is the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes with plugging clunky cartridges into a plastic device, and playing them using the original controllers. I hear from many people who have tons of games, but their console has died and they are looking for a modern way to play their games.

Emulators have always found it notoriously difficult to emulate SNES and Genesis games which utilised special chips – eg Starfox with its Super FX chip, and Virtua Racing with its Sega Virtua Processor. Is the Retrode 2 able to emulate these types of games flawlessly?
The Retrode 2 is not an emulator. It just provides convenient access to the cartridge ROM, and the emulator of your choice takes care of the rest. Most have no problems emulating those special chips — in fact, the quality of today’s emulators never ceases to amaze me. Just take byuu’s bsnes as an example, it is programmed with an incredible love for detail.

Is the Retrode 2 able to play cartridges from different regions, and if so, can you switch to 60Hz and get rid of the borders? What about the application of filters so as to ensure that these 16 bit games don’t look terrible on modern TVs?
The Retrode supports cartridges from all regions, and you’re free to use whatever filter your emulator offers. Personally, I quite like the vectorized look of the hqNx filters.

What has the reaction been like from the industry, and have Sega or Nintendo said anything about the Retrode 2 device playing their games without their original console hardware?
While I haven’t heard from Sega or Nintendo themselves, I know of a handful of big names from the video game industry who own and use the Retrode.

How much time, money and R&D went into making the Retrode 2 dream a reality, and how many people were involved? Did you encounter any difficulties along the way?
Lots of time, lots of money, lots of people. I guess it comes with the hobby-turned-business thing that you spend much more effort on something than you would on a regular job. I’m the only person to work on the project full-time though.

Difficulties? You bet. Coordinating the German production from Canada (where I happen to live at the moment) is no easy task by itself, as you can imagine. Then we had such things as the wrong type of USB cable, delivered to the wrong (my mom’s) address. The poor 3D guy fell seriously ill just hours before he would sit down to finalize the case design. Tons and tons of minor crises. Lots of nice surprises, too! The tooling and injection, and electronics companies were a veritable pleasure to work with.

Finally, what are your plans for the future? Will you be making any machines which play other retro consoles, and what is the possibility of you making a device which is backwardly compatible
(such as a machine which plays PS3, PS2 and PS1 games on a PC)?
Again, the Retrode is no emulator; I leave that up to others. As for the future plans? Designing new products consumes an incredible lot of resources. For now, I’d rather spend some more effort and take the Retrode to the max (mind you, it has an updatable firmware, so anyone can profit whenever something is fixed or a new feature is introduced). Specifically, I’ve got a bunch of plug-in adapters in the pipeline; anything else – you’ll hear about it as it happens

It’s better to be talked about than not talked about at all (Oscar Wilde)

Just a little outro I was working on for my podcast today. I’m sure it’ll get its fair share of haters, but I don’t see the majority of the haters having their own podcasts….

Haters are always gonna hate, no matter what you do.

One from the archives, this interview was originally published on my MySpace blog in January 2007 – nearly 5 years to the day, and was the result of working in tandem with Edge’s forum members, who helped to ensure that the questions I asked were of an extremely high standard.

It is safe to say that whilst I did take credit for securing the interview, the interview itself was only as good as the interviewer(s), and I would like to thank Edge forum members for their contribution in ensuring that this interview remained a stable highlight on the old Edge forums till the day it closed.

Anyway, you can read the interview below:

You recently had an article published in MCV on the state of videogames and their representation on TV through celebrities and other media icons. Can you please tell us as to what the reaction was to your article and how do you feel about Mr Biffo’s reply in his column at Edge magazine?
On the whole the reaction to my article was extremely positive. MCV had asked me personally to write the piece, so I guess they felt it needed saying.

As for Biffo’s comment in Edge, I can only assume he was short of something to write that month, because I certainly don’t want to believe that he would be that naive. He’s entitled to his opinion – but he should be aware that he’s wrong.

A gamer called Otoko asked me to ask you, given that you were for many children, a TV “gaming hero of heroes”, if there are any modern day gaming icons that you would consider as carrying the flame for future generations? Why do you think there has been a dearth of comparable modern gaming icons since you and what would you do to rectify the situation?
For now there are no modern gaming icons, and that makes me sad. I think most people are too frightened to put their heads above the trenches for fear of getting shot. What kind of career is that? But this industry is its own worst enemy. Generally it is very snide and negative. There is certainly a lot of jealousy and resentment aimed towards success of any kind, a real barrel of crabs mentality. You’ve only to experience the kind of cowardly vitriole and hostility that can be found on most gaming forums.

There is nothing you can do to change the situation. You cannot just create personalities, X-Factor has proved that.

Whilst you’ve always been a legend in publishing circles, it wasn’t until the arrival of the Games Master TV show that you found fame on a truly mass-market level. Tell us, what were your experiences like whilst on that show and who did you get on with more between Dominic Diamond and Dexter Fletcher?
Without question Dexter. Although Dominik and I got on fine in the early days of series 1 and 2. We had a good laugh. Why things changed I don’t know.

My experiences of GamesMaster were a combination of very high, highs and annoyingly frustrating lows. I loved doing the show, as it had been my ‘baby’ from the start. But I always felt like I was on a crusade to keep it true to its original concept, to make sure that when I was onscreen it was always about the games not just a forum for cracking one-liners and childish innuendo. By series 6 I’d had enough. I didn’t feel I could stop the rot and lost interest in the politics. Series 7 showed my decision to walk to be the correct one.

As the self-proclaimed “Greatest Games-Player in the World”, how did it feel to be beaten by Dominic Diamond during a Super Mario 64 challenge, and why did you pick a game as mediocre as Mortal Kombat to master?
Ha, ha. I mastered many games. It’s just that Mortal Kombat was THE big game for many years, and the one everyone wanted to play me on. Don’t forget there was no online gaming community in the early 90s. The arcades were where the real battles took place, and at the time Mortal Kombat was king of the cabinets. So in return I had to be the king of Mortal Kombat. And I was.

As for being beaten by Dominik, he’s never beaten me on a game in his life. The Mario 64 challenge you’re referring to has been well documented through the years. It was rigged so that I would lose on a game and a system I had never played on before, against someone who had practiced for three months in advance. That person also just happened to be Dominik’s best friend. You do the math. My only regret is that I didn’t react better. But hey ho.

Can you please give us any tips as to how one can forge a reputable career in the media publishing industry and what advice would you give to those who want to follow in your footsteps by becoming Videogame Journalists?
Okay… are you ready?… Here is my standard response to anybody wanting to get into the games industry….

There’s no questioning the fact that as professional arenas go, the games industry is an exciting place to earn a crust. For example there are also the obvious benefits – playing games, going to parties, and flying to expos around the world, and these when matched up with a decent salary are what makes this industry such a desirable place in which to hang your hat. However, it is also an extremely tough world to get a foot hold in, and, due to its quite insular and specialist nature, prospective professionals can find it a bewildering place to get started.

The most important single area, when beginning any attack on a career plan, is getting your head in shape. I have long since lost count of the number of whinging university graduates I have worked with who seemed to believe that the world owed them a living, and after a year in the job couldn’t understand why they weren’t running the company and banking a big league salary every month. If this sounds like you, then stop now. Save someone the trouble of firing your ass, and save yourself months and months of hanging around pubs and web forums moaning and bitching about how everyone else has got it wrong, and just can’t see it. You know the kind of people I mean.

If you want to get a career really worth having then you’ve got to be prepared to go that bit further than everyone else in order to get it. Great jobs don’t just pop up at the end of the street. For my first two jobs in publishing I turned up ready to work with my life’s possessions crammed into the back of my mini clubman and a sleeping bag. I lived in digs in London and a converted bus for two years earning £7,000 a year and living on soup and beans (not glamorous I assure you). But I had to do it to get the grounding I needed.

Experience is essential, but more often than not it is up to you to go out and get it.

I have always looked at a career as being like a car. To get it moving you need the following:

An Engine – Your Work Ethic
A Driver – Your Skills and Training
And Fuel – Your Ambition

It’s a very simple model to picture, but if you try to imagine any two of these three elements on their own then the vehicle/career simply won’t go anywhere. You must have all three if you are going to achieve anything in life, and must be honest with your self-appraisal. Because if you can see a weakness, you can be damn sure your boss will!

Most importantly… ideas don’t work unless you do. If you still think you have what it takes to forge out a career in videogames, then commit to it 100% and go get the career you’ve always dreamed of. Personally, I wouldn’t change my time spent within videogames for any other industry in the world.

What do you feel about the state of videogames journalism today and what would you change about the way gaming “journalism” is done?
People seem to have forgotten that people buy magazines to be entertained as well as informed. The glitter and fun have gone out of the news stand sector, and the internet on the whole seems to be mistaking irreverence and bad language for coolness and humour.

Where’s the fun, baby? Games are fun. You’ve got to remember that it’s a great job, but it’ll never be a cool job… so stop trying so hard. You’re fooling no-one. Just enjoy yourself.

What do you think of Old Games Journalism and why do you think it’s fallen out of favour with the “Videogames Intelligentsia”, especially when one considers the impact of New Games Journalism and its associated championing by Edge magazine?
New Games Journalism is the ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ of videogames writing. It doesn’t exist. It was a tongue-in-cheek joke that backfired.

What did you think of Dominik Diamond’s comments on the need for videogames academia and study in Edge magazine and what do you think of Edge magazine in general?
Study videogames? Really? No wonder the hobby is in danger of disappearing up its own overly retentive anus. As for Edge, it’s alright. It does a job but it doesn’t excite me. It’s like reading a manual when you could be playing the game. It reminds me of a Big Mac trying to be a steak dinner. Magazines are the fast food equivilent of literature; they should be cheap, fun, tasty and immediately satisfying, but ultimately leave you wanting more. Read, throw away, but crave another one in four weeks time. When magazines get too intense and serious they lose their very essence.

You once had plans to launch a magazine that was to rival Edge and yet capture the zeitgeist era of Mean Machines, Super Play and CVG. Please tell us, how would you go about launching such a magazine today and do you think a market still exists for such a magazine in printed format? Indeed, do you think printed publications even have a future when considering the encroaching effects of the internet on traditional media publications?
A far as the games press is concerned, print is all but dead. Broadband has seen to that.

“Player1″ asked me to ask you as to what you think of journalists entering the games industry as developers (such as Julian Rignall and Greg Kasavin off Gamespot). Do you think that this is an evolutionary step and if so, is it an area of work you’d be interested in entering? If so, where do you think your particular skills would be best put to use and what type of game would you most want to make and for which platform?
Games journalists always need somewhere to go when they get too old to write for games magazines and websites. Mainly because the money is so bad. So a more corporate environment often seems like the answer. Decent salary, lots of perks, expense accounts, company cars etc. I tried it at THQ but missed my independance too much.

There’s no reason why experienced journalists shouldn’t take their knowledge into the development arena and try to use it to produce more playable products. But just as many developers would make awful journalists… it also works in reverse. It’s not for me.

What is your opinion of Nintendo’s newly released Wii console? How do you think the machine and its Virtual Console will do in the marketplace and what do you think the implications will be for both gamers and retro collectors?
I’m not a great fan of the Wii. It’s a nice toy, but a bit too gimmicky for my tastes. Still it’s nice to see people trying something different. Nintnedo can always be relied upon to do that.

Considering the viability of the PC as a gaming platform, how do you feel about the PS3 and Xbox 360 and why do you think we should care about either console as a gaming platform when a modern PC has shown that it can do both gaming and serious applications at an affordable price?
I still believe that there are games that work better on a console (beat ‘em-ups, racing games) and those that work better on a PC (RTS, first person shooters). So for me there will always be a need to have both a PC and a favourite console.

Personally I have both a PS3 and a 360, and while the PS3 has thus far been underwhelming, I think Microsoft’s machine is the most impressive console I’ve seen since the original PlayStation. If only it wasn’t so fragile.

What are your Top 5 games of last year and what do you think will be the gaming highlights of 2007?
My top 5 games of the last year… boy that’s tough. I liked Def Jam: The Fight For New York, Motorstorm (I’ve had an early version since October), Guitar Hero 2, Viva Pinata and Fight Night 3. Hmm, but Gears of War and Medieval 2: Total War aren’t too far behind. I also really enjoyed Fiffa Street 2 on the PSP, but that’s a controversial opinion.

I guess the gaming highlights of 2007 will come from watching to see how the Wii’s developers actually use the hardware to its best advantage and trying to guess when the PS3 will finally appear in the UK.

A lot of people have asked me as to where the inspiration for your bandanna came from. For those who don’t know, can you please tell us as to what your favourite bandanna is and why do you think this article of clothing was so crucial towards establishing and maintaining your image in 90′s.
I started wearing the bandana during series 2 of GamesMaster because I was growing my hair and to be honest it looked shit. You know, it was at that in between stage. So I started wearing bandanas on screen, and the Director loved it. From that moment on I decided that it would be a really strong image to have. It didn’t matter whether it looked cool or not. The important thing was being iconic. Being recognisable and standing out from the rest. And it worked.

My favourite bandana’s were my US flag bandana and the Union Jack one I wore throughout series 3 of GamesMaster. In the end I had over 70 different designs. I even had my own ones made and screen printed for personal appearances.

The bandanas were crucial for establishing my image in the 90s because they gave me a trademark. They made me instandly recognisable. They made me ‘feel’ like the GamesAnimal, which also gave me confidence. It’s like playing a character sometimes when you go on stage in front of a crowd.

With everyone now being fascinated with the concept of celebrity (through reality TV shows etc), how do you think your life has been affected since you became famous and what do you think the term “Celebrity” means today. What would you want the term to mean and what do you hope to gain from your proposed re-entry in the videogames industry?
I certainly got to sleep with more models and female ‘celebrities’ as a result of my ‘fame’. Which in my early 20s was a huge bonus! Believe me, if I ever write a book about gaming in those years it’s going to be interesting. I somehow managed to have a rock n’ roll lifestyle while being a games expert. A colleague once described my career in the 90s as a ‘roller coaster ride’, and it was. It was amazing, and probably climaxed with my being recognised by Company magazine…

Company Magazine named you one of Britain’s most Eligible Bachelors in 1996. Tell us, how did a “gaming geek” like you become so popular with the ladies and what do you think was the reaction from both gamers and women as I have heard many stories about you. And just for the record, what exactly happened between you and Dani Behr?
Bloody hell. I think most people were amazed that a gamer could achieve such recognition. But then I have always been way better looking than your average journo. Just check out the recent Ram Raider Poll.

Certainly many stories have circulated about me through the years though. And an awful lot of them seem to come from people who have never even met me but think they know me well enough to comment anyway.

As for Dani, well it was fun while it lasted. But that was years ago man. Ask me about Denise or Louise or Nancy…

Now that you’re no longer single and lead a successfully married life, what do you think girls look for in a guy? Is it still the case of winning girls over with a flash car or do you think the modern woman now asks for an altogether different type of person?
Women like men who can make them laugh and are individuals. Strength of character is also a definite female turn-on. However, I have found that just having an enormous knob has always been my greatest asset with the fairer sex.

As someone who attended many opening ceremonies of independent videogame stores, what do think of the increased proliferation of chain retail stores (such as CEX and Gamestation). What do you think of these faceless corporate behemoths and what tips would you give to someone who wants to open “The Best Videogames Store in the World”? What strategies would you implement and how would you go about ensuring that the enterprise is able to live up to expectations?
I have a blueprint for an idea that would allow private businessmen to set-up their own independent stores all over the world, without having to worry about competing with the big chains. The trouble is it would initially need an investor with fairly deep pockets to get it off the ground. After that however it would give a lot power back to the indies… but not in quite the same shape and form as before. You can’t compete head-on with the chains, the profit margins just aren’t there any more. You have to think laterally.

Seeing that you’re an industry veteran with many years of experience, what would you say have been your fondest memories and favourite moments to date? Indeed, what do you think have been your biggest achievements, and if all this ended tomorrow, what would you like to be remembered for?
Phew, it’s been almost 20 years now since I first started working in this industry. I have lived in a converted bus and written articles on PCs powered by a generator, presented on more than 300 TV shows and been voted one of the country’s Top 50 bachelors. I have opened stores, had articles written about me in the tabloids and even gone to The Cliff training ground to work with Manchester United’s players on new product promotions.

My fondest moments though would probably have been spent sitting in front of the crowd in the Games World arena for Sky One. That was such a great place to be. Just me and Bob Mills, up on the stage, trying to commentate on the latest games while the audience cheered the competitors on around us. It was electric. A real home for heroes.

If I could be remembered for anything I would like it to be that I was larger than life. A real character. Someone who stood out from the videogames crowd and did things his own way.

Do you have any last words for your adoring fans?
Just love me. I do.

THANK YOU!!!

Happy New Year!

And with a new year, comes a new look for a (new-ish) website.

I recently discovered a thread on the new Edge forum which asked as to why people read Edge. Here are my opinions as to why I DON’T read Edge. Please note: these are my opinions, and do not in any way represent the views and opinions of gamers everywhere.

I started reading Edge magazine around issue #6 (or was it #9? Either way, I guess I’m a “lifer”). But I gave up on it a few years ago, because as much as I wanted to stick with the magazine (out of some sheer mis-placed sense of loyalty), its arrogance in continuing to promote “videogame culture” just took the fun out of it for me. Also, towards the end, I just found the magazine’s feature articles and columns to be really boring. Even Steven Poole couldn’t reignite my interest when he returned as a column writer.

Thank God for Games TM, a multiformat magazine that does a better job of conveying the enthusiasm one should feel toward the medium. Its features are always informative (much like the Edge of yore), and are always really fun to read.

Reading Edge in comparison is like watching a really old couple who’ve decided to stick together, even thought the passion that they once had for each other died a long time ago. For me, Edge now represents a creatively stifled brand that has little meaning and significance within an increasingly fragmented marketplace (even though Tony Mott et al continue to peddle it as being the one-size-fits-all “videogame bible” – which in itself is the height of misguided arrogance).

Edge’s recent redesign is also testament to an editorial philosophy that harks back to a time when the internet didn’t exist. And in an age when the web offers a two-way dialogue, so that a news article eventually comes to represent an ever-changing organism that is constantly evolving, Edge continues to stand by its firm stance in only purporting to offer a one-way stream of dialogue.

Judging by what Rllmukforum gets up to, I get the impression that most gamers are lazy, incredibly stupid and have nothing meaningful to say… and although I honestly believe that each and everyone of us has the ability to carve out a successful name for ourselves in the gaming industry, not everyone of us has the desire. It’s for this reason that I understand (yet lament) Edge’s insistence in taking away the “Online/Offline” component in its magazine. To some people, there just seems to be no reason as to why anyone would wish to interact with the magazine now, especially as one isn’t going to be rewarded for their efforts.

But even when the “Online/Offline” section was included in the magazine, this slice of editorial was hardly renowned for highlighting intelligent gaming discussion amongst Edge’s forum users. Many of their printed comments were throwaway and childish, and didn’t give any impression at all of any industrious long-form articles or intelligent gaming discussions materializing from the forum. In this regard therefore, Edge can certainly be accused of not only dumbing down its intended audience, but also for promoting a culture which comes to view videogames as anything other than a mature pursuit.

There used to be a time when Edge’s ability to meet the needs and demands of the “mature” gamer was such that its lofty status within the industry was fully deserved. The magazine was the unequivocal bastion and leader in the videogames magazine market for a long time and fulfilled this crucial service with much aplomb and public fanfare. Compare its authoritative heyday to where it now resides, and one realizes that Edge has replaced its assured confidence for misplaced arrogance. The magazine and brand is so out of touch with “mature” gaming interests now, and seems far more interested in pleasing the demands of corporate shareholders.

Even today, Edge continues to argue that its editorial tone is unmarred by financial and economic pressures, and yet its senior editorial team resigned (mass exodus) in 2003, followed by its online editorial staff walking out in 2009. To me, that doesn’t spell confidence in a magazine that continues to perpetually straddle the fine line between creative and commercial interests – and let’s not even talk about the £5 cover price.

With Gamepro (a longstanding American gaming magazine) having recently ceased operations, its only a matter of time before Edge has to also make the decision of where it wants to go next. Its redesign smacks of a desire for the magazine to recapture former glories, but the redesign also reeks of Edge’s nostalgic nod towards its former status, when gaming magazines enjoyed a far more mainstream place within the industry. Bob Dylon once sang “the times, they are a changin”, and I don’t think Edge has done enough in recent times to evolve with the changing needs of the marketplace. And with everyone now going online to consume their media content, it baffles me as to why the Edge website continues to look like a glorified blog.

With websites (like Eurogamer) having stolen much of Edge’s thunder in recent years, I do wonder as to when it’ll be before Edge wakes up to its own predicament and embraces the myriad of exciting opportunities as presented via the internet. And if everyone is going online, how long will it be before the “videogame bible” follows suit and joins the rest of us who left the print world (in its present incarnation) long ago…

Only time will tell. But one thing I can tell you though is “The future is almost here”.

The last time I visited Charlie Knight and his Scoregasm project was just over a year ago when I saw the game at Eurogamer Expo 2010. Since then however, everything had been pretty quiet, until recently when Charlie Knight re-emerged with his beautiful bullet-hell arena shooter. A game that GamePro describe as nailing “all the elements that make an arena shooter fun and exciting while offering incentive to dive back in over and over again for more space pummeling”.

Now that the game’s been released, I thought it was high time to catch up with its creator – Charlie Knight – and find out as to what took him so long to make Scoregasm.

Now that the game is out, how do you think Scoregasm has been received by gamers and press alike?
Yeah, pretty well I guess. It’s been nice reading comments by folk who’ve enjoyed it even though they don’t usually get much out of this sort of game. I’d hoped that the game would surprise people, and I put a lot of time into making it more enjoyable for non-shooter fans.

Scoregasm was originally meant to have been released late 2010, but didn’t actually come out until October this year. Why do you think there was a delay in releasing the title, and how do you think the game’s production cycle could have been sped up?
Actually, I started the game as a summer project in 2009 with the intention of releasing it that year. In terms of development time, I guess 2.5years is a while for a project, especially considering my previous two titles were both done in a couple of weeks, but I let the game evolve as I wrote it, rather than stick rigidly to a plan. It would have been nice for it to have been finished sooner, but I don’t regret spending the time on the game.

In wanting to attain that elusive goal of seeking perfection, every developer has to make compromises during the development of their game. Are there any aspects of the game that you aren’t totally happy with, and what do you think could have been done so as to allow Scoregasm to play closer to your original vision?
I’m genuinely pretty happy with how Scoregasm worked out to be honest. As I didn’t really have an original vision aside from colourful and explosions, I can’t really say if it’s close or not to how I wanted the game to feel when I started. In terms of what I might have liked, I guess I’d thought of how I wanted the menu/map screen to look before I started the levels, as I could have made the transitions between menu and game much smoother by having them occupy the same scene. A few super hardcore players have said the game is a little too easy for them, and that’s fine, the game isn’t really designed for them, but I’d like to maybe do a set of levels that are more difficult. We’ll see!

Are there any plans for making the game available on Steam, and do you have any plans for porting Scoregasm across to other (console and mobile) platforms?
The game will be out on Steam in the new year. I’m not planning on porting Scoregasm to consoles/mobile platforms, at least not myself. I’ve got my work cut out with the platforms I do support, and I really want to be pushing on with new projects and not investing more time in rewriting this one.

By looking at your development history, I’ve noticed that every game you have ever released has tended to be a 2D shooter. Why is this, and have you ever thought about branching out and exploring other genres?
I’d like to maybe try some different sorts of games, but I’ve yet to come up with something interesting enough for me to want to carry through to completion. My disks are full of little experiments, but they never get much further than my dev folder. On the other hand, I like shooters, and they lend themselves well to the more abstract visuals and animations I like playing around with.

Of all the games you’ve ever worked on, which is your favourite and why?
If you ask me in a year, I’ll probably say Scoregasm, but I’ve been so close to it now for so long that I struggle to get into it as much as I can my older games. I like playing through Irukandji and unlocking all the ships every now and again, so I’ll say that one for now.

Any idea as to what your next game will be about, and will that also have a two and a half year development cycle?
I started on a sequel to Irukandji earlier in the year, and also a 3D project where you pilot a little ship around various planetoids, so I might finish one of those up next. Or combine the two! Who knows!

Even though Scoregasm is an arena shooter, to a certain extent the game is still a continuation of the 2D shooter, a genre that has declined in popularity in recent years. Why do you think this is, and how do you think developers can can go about reigniting the genre so as to make it appeal to modern gaming conventions?
I don’t know really. I think the mass appeal of games like this is pretty much gone now, and it’ll take something pretty special to regain the footing they once had.

Scoregasm was coded and designed by yourself, and you were also responsible for creating all art assets. Although you received some assistance from John Marvin and Doug Livesy, what challenges do you think a lone developer (such as yourself) faces in working in an industry which favours multiple personnel working on its games, and what are the advantages and disadvantages for continuing to operate as a one-man operative today?
Working by myself lets me work on what I want, and I’m free to approach that in whatever way I like. This is the good bit! Where it’s not so good is how much work it can be, and how easy it is to get into a mess if you can’t think things through objectively and see where you’re going wrong.

I’m not totally convinced that the “industry” prefers multiple personnel to create games. Mostly I suspect it’s a case of needing them, rather than wanting them.

Lastly, what games have you enjoyed recently, and if you could pick just one game to chew over this holiday season, which game would it be and why?
Errrr… I’ve been playing Binding of Isaac a bit, it’s pretty moreish, and I like that even though I’ve played through it a few times now I’m still finding new stuff. I’ve also been playing New Mario Bros. Wii, which is, well, not exactly the cream of the Mario crop. It’s very close to the DS game, which I also didn’t enjoy as much as I thought I would. I don’t really know what exactly I think it’s missing, but maybe I just expected a little bit more. It irks me that they keep reiterating the original NES games, rather than the superior Super Mario World on the Super NES.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat” (Theodore Roosevelt).

I’ve been meaning to have my own podcast for some time now, and I guess this is as good an opportunity as any. There are some issues with the podcast, but hopefully these will be resolved in coming episodes in future. But for now, let’s get started, and I’ll introduce you to Episode 1 of ‘Prankster101 Productions Podcast’.

YAYYYYYYYYY!

In this episode, I interviewed Bruce Grove – Director of Strategic Relations at OnLive. I managed to interview him at Eurogamer Expo 2011 where OnLive launched in the UK, and quizzed him as to what the company has in store for UK gamers, and as to why the gaming public should care about another company vying for our attention.

Subscribe here: iTunes (enhanced) – RSS (enhanced)

Oh, by the way: no, I’m wasn’t admiring this year’s booth babes for their intelligence (save for a few who really did have their head screwed on).

EDIT: And just to let you all know, the buypsvita.net website ripped my photographs wholesale and passed them off as their own – which just isn’t cool.

Speaking of “cool”… Some of you have taken umbrage to my off-the-cuff comments above. Geez, I guess you can never convey sarcastic humour via the internet. In which case, I’ll try to be more serious in future.

RE-Play Issue 1 was released as a test issue at the Eurogamer Expo 2009 at Old Billingsgate. With its emphasis on indie (Kenta Cho) and retro (Bitmap Brothers) content, the issue went on to generate pre-orders of over 25,000 copies from more than 40 different gaming retailers across the UK.

Since then, there has been an editorial shift in the magazine. As a consequence therefore, Re-Play is aiming to not only be a free consumer games magazine, but is also hoping to give you – the gamer – a voice in print, and to have your opinions heard.

With the official launch yet to be confirmed, in the meantime however, you can view the digital copy of Re-Play Issue 1 here.

If I didn’t know know any better, I’d say that Edge is trying to make me pay for substantially more pages, whilst offering considerably less content in the process.

Maybe it’s just me. Or maybe it isn’t.

Initially I thought that the magazine was trying to revert back to its original paper dimensions, but then I realised that Edge was trying to appease those who saw videogames as a lifestyle accessory – in other words, it’s trying to orientate itself as a lifestyle magazine. I don’t need a Wii-style magazine. Sorry, but there’s a reason why OPM etc exists. I always thought that Edge (along with Games TM) was the journalistic bastion of hardcore gaming. So what is all this talk of “market research” in the Editorial pages? Granted, I just skimmed through the magazine, but to me, that just screams of “design by committee”.

An Edge forum user by the name of hn6 believes that “The quality of the product is what differentiates Edge from the rest”. Is he referring to the paper stock and pagination size, or is he referring to the editorial content?

In any case, whilst hn6′s statement may have been true five years ago, the advent of smartphones and the burgeoning effects of the internet has really helped to curtail Edge’s influence, and stopped it from being considered as the industry bible that it once was. The world is a-changing they say, and together with other forms of market competition (Games TM et al) proving to be viable alternatives, just how relevant does Edge consider itself to be today?

In todays knowledge-based economy, the average reader has more information than what they know what to do with. In other words, we have reached an age of information saturation. And with time being the greatest resource at one’s disposal, will adding more pages really add to the magazine’s allure? Or will this strategy end up alienating just as many time-poor readers, who find it difficult to struggle through one 132-odd page issue, without having to worry about ingesting a further 100-odd pages each and every month. In short, will regular readers still buy Edge on a monthly basis, or will they now resort to buying the magazine on a more infrequent basis so as to have the neccessary time to read the previous issue?

Edge has marked its new issue with a cover price increase of 50p, making the magazine £5. Surely this price point hits a psychological barrier, and prevents the magazine from being considered as an impulse purchase. Will regular readers continue to support Edge, and come back every month? This is a question that the editorial staff need to ask themselves.

Back when Edge launched in the early nineties, it was a veritable breath of fresh air and enjoyed a mainstay welcome in an age when there really wasn’t any competition. There really wasn’t anything like Edge, and the market was screaming out for a magazine that was different and that treated videogames as a mature pastime. Edge came alone and filled that void beautifully. As time progressed, and much like the medium Edge sought to cover, the magazine really started to find its feet and carve out a successful niche for itself. Truth be told, it was my favourite magazine for years, and I certainly didn’t object to paying £3 for a 100 page magazine each and every month – knowing that each issue would be unable to satiate my appetite, and leave me wanting more.

So why do I object to this new Edge redesign (version 4.0)? The rate at which the price has increased is certainly lower than the rate of inflation. Well, it’s for the same reason I hate anything that becomes too established and popular. It stops being small and beautiful, and starts becoming more risk averse so as to become this huge monolithic enterprise. Would Edge’s present editorial team really have taken the same degree of risks as they once did 18 years ago? I highly doubt it. And with that, the stench of commercial pressures begins to seep through, and the old spirit of Edge begins to wane. To a certain extent nowadays, Edge just seems like any other magazine. A magazine that seems far more concerned with protecting its own brand image to achieve short term goals – no matter how detrimental this may be towards its longterm vision and editorial integrity.

But one should certainly not begrudge Edge for offering over 200 pages at £5 an issue. Compared to previous price-points, the new price certainly screams value, and together with the magazine’s commitment for covering “The Future of Interactive Entertainment”, this does bode well for future issues – assuming you have nothing else to read in the intervening month.

But that’s the problem as well. Nowadays you can buy a pretty decent game for £5. Edge now finds itself in a vastly different marketplace to the one it launched in over 18 years ago. Not only does the magazine have to compete with other forms of media communication, but it also finds itself in the precarious situation of having to defend its marketshare from the very form of interactive entertainment it seeks to cover.

If Edge is to continue to remain relevant for the discerning gamer (or to me at least), it needs to focus on a few key factors. As another Edge forum user by the name of Mod74 recently mentioned, “I detest the columnists 70% of the features and all of the developer crap”. I think he hit the nail on the head. Games TM is renowned for offering excellent features, and has won awards in the past for this very reason. And with the likes of Eurogamer offering reviews for all the latest releases as they happen, Edge’s reviews start to appear increasingly redundant.

Edge has certainly tried to counter most of these points: according to its website, the magazine now offers “more opinions from (with one possible exception) respected voices in the world of gaming. More insight. And Create, a new section dedicated to the stories behind the pixels which should be as interesting to dedicated videogame followers as it is to those who make the things we play”. Many of the “reviews in the magazine now feature extra material, including reviews with the developers and detailed looks at specific features”.

But the issue of the column writers needs to be addressed if Mod74 is to be appeased. Many (if not all) of the original cast return, whilst new ones have been added. Edge claims that it only considers someone for a column writing position if they have something valuable to say. My question is: who decides? Does Edge decide? And what about me? What do I decide, and where do I fit into all of this? I don’t want to read about the same racial issues plaguing Resident Evil 5 every month. And although I don’t have anything against N’Gai Croal, I much rather prefer the likes of Rob Fahey.

I guess money talks, and I haven’t bought Edge for nearly three years. I much rather prefer Games TM as the superior choice.

Maybe Edge’s columnists (such as N’Gai Croal) don’t appeal to me, but I must be representing the minority for what is ultimately a commercially driven, mainstream publication. These column writers must be doing something right if their opinions appeal to such a large demographic, and they have been able to secure the prestigious column writing slot on what is still a largely respectable magazine.

But then I liken Edge’s editorial team to the judges on X-Factor. Are the column writers really so deserving so as to represent the views of gamers everywhere? Or are the column writing positions rigged so as to allow only a small minority of individuals to get through. The likes of Simon Cowell is certainly no stranger to controversy, and even he had to defend the judging panel’s integrity on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ when an anonymous blogger claimed that Ronan Parke had been groomed for success. Far from the notion of meritocracy playing its part, there does appear to be a certain whiff of cronyism seeping through.

Despite its incredible success, the videogames industry is still an incredibly small tight-knit community, where everyone knows everyone else. It wouldn’t be too far off the mark to suggest that much like the Hollywood acting system, popularity plays an incredibly huge part in securing the best jobs (regardless of talent). In this case then, the only hope one has is to hope that lady-luck smiles through, and that the fickle finger of fame stays pointed at the industry star for as long as possible. Fate surely has its part to play, as well as God’s influence in affecting one’s life trajectory.

But life is also about place and balance. In today’s congested marketplace, everything has a sell-by date. Edge has done well to maintain its authoritative presence within the games industry. However, with so many pretenders to the throne, whether the magazine is able to maintain this after the redesign is anyone’s guess. But with the editorial team of Edge having committed themselves to a renewed vision and sense of purpose, whatever plans they do decide to unfold in the coming months will hopefully bode well for the magazine, and for the videogames industry as a whole.

Maybe I should have a little bit more faith. For as the Edge of yore often used to say: The future is almost here. But then again, and in a world with so many viable alternatives (in terms of money and time), I’m not particularly sure if it’s a future where Edge can authoritavely argue that the magazine and brand is as relevant anymore.

And that’s a fact.

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the magazine in question is a little known project by a former 1UP journalist called Ray Barnholt. And with the first issue piquing my interest with its cover of Nintendo’s all conquering Super Nintendo, I decided to find out more about Ray Barnholt’s project, and discover as to what motivated him to start Scroll.

Why did you opt to make Scroll a print-on-demand offering as opposed to having it in the shops as a fully fledged print magazine? Alternatively, why not just publish the articles on your blog/website and get readers that way?

I’m just one person, and I’m in no position to start up a whole enterprise that prints and distributes magazines. This is a zine in spirit. But I was still attracted to the challenge of doing a print product.

What sort of preparation and planning went into the first issue, and how did you go about designing the layout and securing contributions from other writers?

I took a couple months to just freely lay out pages as closely as I imagined them. And there are no editorial contributors except a good friend of mine. I had all the existing software, so it cost nothing extra to do.

How do you think Scroll differs from other gaming publicaitons on the market, and who is the magazine’s target audience?

It’s all about covering gaming subjects that interest me and hopefully interest others, with a heavy lean on history. I like to go deep into game history and pull out interesting items and facts. In general, I want to be a huge annoying know-it-all.

What inspired you to form your own magazine and blog, and did 1UP’s decision to lay you off have any affect on this? If so, what are your plans for the website blog and magazine, and do you have any plans for www.scroll.vg to become a media rival to 1UP, much like how Jeff Gerstmann intends www.giantbomb.com to be after he was fired from Gamespot?

I started the project after getting laid off, but I had the idea long before that, so I would get it off the ground sooner or later. This is a very personal project about my own gaming passion(s), and I have no desire to grow it into anything beyond a thin magazine and a rarely-updated blog. I want a place to scratch my proverbial itches, but I don’t hate the “real” games writing field, either. Which is why I just took a job at GamePro.

Considering the saturated presence of internet websites and blogs, what tips would you give to aspiring content creators and media moguls who want to carve out a successful niche on the internet?

I don’t consider myself a success at that sort of thing, so I probably don’t have any advice you haven’t heard before. I did SCROLL because I thought I could, and because I wanted it to be different, however slightly. The only advice that comes from substantial experience is if you can write for a popular website and get a couple thousand people to remember you, that’s a great way to go!

No-one cares about what you have to say. Remember when you were spamming peoples email addresses and begging them for charity handouts? No? Well, let me refresh your memory as I received the following email on 14.10.09.

It’s Graham_S from rllmukforum.com here. Please excuse the spam.

The owner of rllmukforum,com has decided that he’d like to step down from running the forum, and plans to switch the current server off at the end of November. We are forming a non-profit co-operative group, called the Rllmuk Supporters’ Club, to own and run the forum from now on.

We need you, and we need your money.

We’d like to invite you to become a Member of the Rllmuk Supporters’ Club. The subscription fee is £10 a year. This will entitle you to a package of benefits, and more importantly buy you one share in the Industrial & Provident Society which will make you a legal member of the club that will own the forum. Legal members will have the right to vote for a President and the Committee, and have a say in how the forum will be run.

In order for the subscription fees to cover running costs in the future, we also need donations to buy a server and to get us started. We need you to dig deep. I’d hope that to start things off many of you can find an additional £10 or £20 on top of your subscription. For the people who have good jobs and money to spare, £50 would help set us up really nicely. Give whatever you can. I’ll be nagging many of you personally for the money over the next few days. Send us your money! (Please!)

Xevious, our Treasurer, has the full details of how to join and donate

If you want to know more about what’s going on, look at the FAQ

We’ve been making good progress:
- We have a clear technical plan.
- We have a clear financial plan.
- The FSA and Co-operatives UK are looking on our application favourably

All the volunteers are working really hard to secure the future of the forum.

Join us! Save the forum! Thank you!
Graham_S

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem in pledging my support to the “gaming community”. What I do however have a problem with though is the manner in which this community is run. Instead of being a forum that champions ideas and innovation, and allowing people to get their point across, Rllmukforum comes across as a forum that is rather more concerned with promoting egos, popularity contests, and whether (or not) someone is “cool”. I did voice my concerns about this when I received criticism (not the same as “critique”, you understand) for one of my “column” articles in September last year. It seemed that Rllmuk forumites were far more interested in being petty, and weren’t at all interested in supporting those who wanted to grow and better themselves.

I guess some things never change. Led by committee, Rllmukforum is run by the most “hateful, petty and altogether shit internet-dwellers I have ever had to experience”. Its no-name inhabitants congregating together so as to voice their opinions and have their group therapy sessions. In light of this, and considering Rllmukforum’s lack of productivity, £50 seems like an incredibly tall order. Why would I want to fund a bunch of nobodies who aren’t interested in intelligent gaming discussion?

Despite its reputation as being one of the more established forums on the internet, in this day and age, what exactly is Rllmukforum’s USP? With every other website increasing its repertoire of skills and services, and acting as a one-stop shop, why would anyone wish to care about what a bunch of no-name individuals on Rllmukforum have to say about the state of the industry? What makes Rllmukforum contemporary and relevant, and what unique content does it have at its disposal?

I can understand it if Rllmukforum is some “higher authority”, and is doing all these “cool” things – like winning awards, hosting events at Earls Court (like Eurogamer did last year), or having a magazine out in the shops that is currently being written by many of its more prestigious members, but from what I’m merely observing… and with all that manpower and resources at its disposal, Rllmukforum hasn’t done anything to legitimate itself in the eyes of the gaming industry. It’s so far behind other websites that it hasn’t even adopted many of the more exciting features currently being championed by leading community game websites (such as N4G and Gamervision). So to that extent, why would anyone care about what Rllmukforum has to say? What is Rllmukforum’s list of accomplishments?

That’s a simple question, and it shouldn’t be that hard for the 60,000 nobodies on that forum (with their 60,000 spam posts) to give a rather more complex answer.

Oh wait: they can’t. They’re all bullshitters with zero talent.

Girl Power! Yes, that’s right. You’ve heard it all before. You’ve heard as to how girls find it so hard to express themselves, gain respect, and get themselves heard in a male dominated industry. Well, for a videogames commentator who goes by the name of Nintendo Fangirl, that isn’t the case at all.

Utilising the democratising power of the web, Nintendo Fangirl (real name: Samantha O’Neill) has been making video blogs for the last four years, to steadily become an emerging gaming voice, and an inspiration for gamers who don’t necessarily have the confidence to speak up and get themselves heard. It is for this reason that I decided to interview the emerging star, and to find out as to what drew her to post up her opinions in a highly contested field, and on the web.

First of all, let me just say that you’re not like a stereotypical gamer at all – as in that you’re attractive, intelligent, and a highly articulate GIRL who happens to know a LOT about the games industry. Can you tell us as to what got you into games, and how long you’ve been an avid gamer for?

Well, I’ve been a gamer my entire life. For as long as I’ve been alive, there’s been a game system in the house. From the NES to the SNES and Genesis and beyond, I really grew up on video games. It wasn’t until I got an N64 that I was really hooked though.

What was the inspiration behind branding yourself as ‘Nintendo Fangirl’?

The systems I grew up on were majorly the NES, SNES, and N64. For that reason, I had a major fixation with Nintendo as a company. For a while, I really was a ‘fangirl’ in that I refused to even try other systems or give them a chance. I learned a long time ago to be more open-minded, but my love for Nintendo sticks around.

Why have you opted to create video-blogging content (VLogging), as opposed to focusing on other forms of content creation – such as a traditional blog, or podcast?

When I started making videos, the intent wasn’t vlogging. I tended to rant a lot about games in general when I was younger on various online communities, and at some point I decided to just rant via videos. Somewhere along the line that turned into vlogging.

What sort of prep-work do you do, and what are the processes behind creating your own video-blog?

I try to make videos that are relevant to current gaming news that interests me. If it’s something I’m not personally interested in, odds are I haven’t done enough research to make a video on it. I don’t have a script or notes, I just turn on my camera, capture about 10 minutes of me talking about something, and then edit it down to the good stuff afterwards. I’m no actress, scripting my videos would probably turn out terrible.

What sort of equipment and editing software do you use?

Up until recently I used my computer webcam for all my videos! Now I have a Flipcam Ultra HD and I edit in either iMovie or Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 depending on how much editing I have to do.

How would you describe yourself to someone who has never heard of you?

I’d say I’m a pretty average person with an extreme passion for gaming and the games industry.

What do you think distinguishes you from other video commentators and gaming analysts, and what would you say is the secret behind your popularity?

I honestly don’t know why I’m as popular as I am. People say it’s because I’m a girl, and they’re probably right (as much as I hate to admit it). I like to think it has something to do with the balance I have between being fun and being informative.

In what ways do you think being an outspoken female has affected your ability to be taken seriously and to attain credibilty in the games community?

Oh, my lack of a penis changes the way I’m viewed entirely. To say that a little more appropriately, I can never be viewed as just a ‘gamer’, always as a ‘girl gamer’. Some people say I’m not credible because I only make videos for the attention, others say I’m fake altogether, some only watch me because I’m a girl and coulndn’t care less about the stuff I talk about. Being a girl sets me apart from a lot of others who do the same thing I do, and that does help me quite a bit, but it really is a good thing I have the common sense and tough skin to deal with all the ‘hate’ comments I get.

Have you ever thought about collaborating with another person, and getting a co-presenter on board?

I haven’t really put much thought into it, but it would probably be fun.

What do you think of Nintendo’s upcoming 3DS system?

I’m SUPER excited about it! The games are looking terrific so far, I just can’t wait to see the 3D effects in person.

What are your thoughts on the Kinect and Move peripherals, and how do you think these technologies will fare against Nintendo’s own motion senser Wii-Remote?

Kinect and PS Move are both awesome in their own ways conceptually. Unfortunately, Microsoft has shown a VERY disappointing library of games for Kinect’s launch, and the PS Move isn’t much better. Both peripherals are also on the expensive side. The games as of right now aren’t enough to set Kinect or Move apart from the Wii-mote, so I highly doubt either are going to sell very well when you can practically get an entire wii system for the price of just a peripheral. It’ll also lead to less developers making games for these systems and a vicious cycle of no-game-no-buyers-no-games, Ultimately, I think they might be competition for each other, but not against the Wii at all.

Why do you know so much about videogames, and how do you keep abreast of recent developments within the games industry?

Video Games and the industry in general just interest me. I belong to plenty of online video game forums and keep up on all the big gaming news sites because I like to know when new things are announced and I like to now who’s doing what and etc.

On average, how many hours a week do you spend playing videogames?

It depends on if I’ve just gotten a new game or not. I’d say as many as 20-30 (or more) if there’s a game I’ve just gotten into, and as little as 5 if there’s nothing I’m particularly playing at the moment. As a general average, we’ll say 15.

What other hobbies and interests do you pursue outside of videogames?

I’m into cosplaying (dressing up as video game characters and going to conventions when I can.

What kind of games do you normally play?

I’d say a bit of everything, but my favorites tend to be action-adventure and RPG games. I like games that have a good story to them, depth, etc.

What would you say is your favourite game of all time and why?

This is REALLY tough for me. But I think I’m going to have to say Banjo Kazooie. I played that game to death on my N64 and I’ve been playing it over and over again recently. Banjo Kazooie is an amazing game, it’s unfortunate that Rare went on to turn it into Nuts and Bolts.

What is your favourite Nintendo console?

Nintendo 64. Hands-down.

Let’s assume that you were about to be stranded on a desert island that operated a strict Anti-Nintendo policy. Which console (not manufactured by Nintendo) would you take, and what three games would you include that were released on that platform?

Geez, what a strange island. I’d take my PS2 along with Shadow of the Colossus, Okami, and Persona 3.

What is your favourite gaming-related website and magazine?

To be honest I don’t keep up with any gaming magazines, I’ve even ditched my Nintendo Power subscription because the information in them tends to be not all too substantial. Most of the information in them is weeks old aside from a few interviews. As for the website, I keep up on a LOT of different sites. IGN, G4TV, Gamespot.. there isn’t one I really like in-particular, they all tend to get the job done.

You’ll have to forgive me for asking you this, and considering that you are so attractive, but what does a guy have to do to impress you and win your heart?

Haha, well, he’d have have an amazing gaming library for me to choose from, would have to be able to take losing well, and must accept all of my Pokemon Battle requests.

What is your favourite band?

My music tastes are pretty sporadic. They change really often, too. Right now I’m a huge fan of ‘Lady Gaga’ and ‘The Used’.

What is your favourite movie and TV series?

My favorite movie is ‘Donnie Darko’, favorite TV Series is probably ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’.

What do you enjoy eating the most, and what would you say is your favourite ice-cream?

Candy. lots and lots of candy. Don’t care how unhealthy I am. Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream with chocolate sprinkles.

Where do you see yourself in five years time, and what are your future goals and aspirations?

I’m not so sure where I’ll be in 5 years. Even if I’m doing the same thing I’m doing now, I’ll be happy! I’m not so good at looking towards the future, only at focusing on the now. I guess as far as aspirations go, I’d love to do this (talking about video games) on a larger scale. Perhaps journalism or a bigger website, or even TV! Who knows.

Finally, where can gamers find out more about you?

The most obvious way is through my youtube channel, at youtube.com/NintendoFanGirl. I also update my twitter (twitter.com/NintendoFanGirl), and I’m on the process of creating my own personal website at NintendoFanGirl.com (which unfortunately won’t be up for another month).

Tucked away in a corner at this year’s Eurogamer Expo, at The Indie Games Arcade stand, was a wonderful indie PC twin-stick shooter by the name of Scoregasm. Developed by Charlie’s Games, the game beared more than a passing resemblance to other twin-stick shooters (such as Geommetry Wars and the Mutant Storm games), yet managed to convey a sense of style all of its own by having new experiences that weren’t necessarily confined to square boxes. In this way, Scoregasm managed to differentiate itself from the competition by having differently designed enemies and bosses for each level.

With the intention of blasting alien baddies into outer space, Scoregasm was able to garner quite a bit of attention at this year’s Indie Games Arcade, and managed to be one of the most action packed titles that I played during the entire event.

So as to learn a little bit more about the game, Charlie Knight – the creative force behind Charlie’s Games – was able to sit down and talk me through the reasons as to why he decided to develop Scoregasm, and as to why he enjoys creating levels containing coleslaw.

How long has Scoregasm been in development for?

About 18 months.

Is the game a solo effort, or are you working on the title as part of a team?

I am responsible for all of the coding and design.

Who is in charge of generating art assets, and what was the inspiration behind the LSD-inspired visuals?

I do the art assets. I guess the inspiration came from a general lack of artistic talent, so it was quite easy to come up with over the top effects using code – which is how most of the animation has been done.

It seems that Scoregasm has been heavily influenced by games such as Super Stardust, Geommetry Wars, as well as bullet-hell games such as what were popular during the 2-D era, and what Cave are famous for now with regards to their own manic shooters. So with that being said, what kind of shoot-em-ups do you play in your spare time?

I play PC Engine shooters as well as a few PC indie shooters. However, I mostly just play Super Mario Brothers (laughs). I like Super Mario Brothers.

Why did you decide to devote 18 months of your life to make a shoot-em-up, as opposed to a platformer, or another type of game?

I don’t know. I enjoy the games that I make, and if you develop anything on your own, you have to enjoy what you do. You have to concentrate and maintain motivation. I didn’t know if I could maintain the motivation in order to make a platform game, so that’s why I opted for a shoot-em-up in this style.

I was able to make each level do something slightly different – change the shape, the enemy designs… Some of the challenges are alternate versions of levels present in the game. There’s also some silly stuff, like coleslaw making when you fire vegetables into a shredder. There’s one where you can shape a guy’s face. One where you have a disk chasing after you. There’s all sorts of things.

What inspired you to come up with eclectic ideas like the ones you have just described?

Aside from being slightly eclectic myself, I guess you could say that they were just fun. It’s a top-down game as much as it’s a shooter, and there’s a lot of stuff you can do from a top-down perspective. I have this top-down game, and this extremely flexible system, so why not just have some fun and throw in some silly stuff in there as well.

With Scoregasm having been developed for the PC, would it be safe to say that the game is coming out on Steam?

It would be nice if the game came out on Steam, but I haven’t gotten in touch with Valve about it yet. However, Scoregasm is also coming out on Mac and Linux as well.

Do you have any plans for Scoregasm to be converted to XBLA or PSN platforms?

Not at present, but we’ll lets see what happens.

Is Scoregasm your first game, or has Charlie’s Games developed any other games in the past?

I have four or five games released so far. I’ve been developing games since 2005…

When did you start learning to program?

I learnt the basics of programming whilst at sixth form, but then I got a job as a full-time gardener. After about two years, I felt as if I was ready for a career change, so I decided to train as a software engineer.

Coming back to Scoregasm, who did the music for the game?

There’s this chap in Sweden called John Marvin who does the music. I met him about five years ago whilst being a judge for a shoot-em-up making competition. One of the people who entered was Cactus with his Cleanasia game, and I really liked the music so I decided to get in touch with John Marvin, the game’s soundtrack composer, afterwards.

Cactus is one of the more prolific auteurs within the games development community. As well as people like Kenta Cho, I think he’s an amazing source of inspiration for people who want to go it alone, and make their own games in the indie spirit.

Cactus makes some cracking stuff.

When is the game due out?

Maybe November or December. It’s not completely finished yet as I still need to add some bits… Visually it’s all there, but there’s still a few levels missing. However, it should still be out later this year.

Did you develop the game full-time?

Yes.

How did you support yourself in the meantime, especially when you don’t happen to have the financial security of being employed by a big-name studio?

Well, I’ve got four other games already for sale. I also have been selling pre-orders of Scoregasm via my website.

Wow. It seems as if your reputation alone has enabled you to make a living, and forge a credible career as a bedroom coder within the games industry.

Yeah… That, and a bit of luck.

I don’t know as to whether Trey Smith has ever heard of Rllmukforum, as that’s a forum that constantly hates upon newcomers, and spews ignorant hate on its boards. And then one has to wonder as to whether the people that help run and maintain that particular community even deserve the opportunity to have themselves be heard and be offered the chance to have an opinion.

Before anyone starts hating on me, let me just give you a brief history lesson:

Rllmukforum is a community comprised of refugees, outcasts, and misfits who weren’t fit for the likes of Edge magazine – a highly respected media institution that has won numerous awards in the past. The only reason as to why those people managed to find shelter in the form of Edge forums is because Edge is renowned for being an excellent videogames magazine that delivers unique content on a monthly basis.

In other words, it was the content that was the unique selling point, and the principle reason as to why so many forumites congregated at Edge forums. So when one hears about Rllmukforum battling for survival a few months ago, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realise that the reason as to why the community isn’t generating new incoming traffic is because those who help run it would rather let the site idly remain as a forum, and not allow it to evolve and sieze the myriad of creative opportunites offered by the web (so as to become a mashup site of sorts), and to allow some of its forumites to become eminent spokesmen within the industry.

Eurogamer hosted its very own Expo this month at London’s Earls Court, and is a stunning example of a website that has gone beyond the boundaries offered by the web, to truly become an international and well respected brand name in its own right. The company has its own website, with its own in-built forum, and regularly draws in huge incoming reader traffic due to its ability to act as a site that not only encourages its user community to submit their own reviews, but also develops content of its own in the form of reviews etc, as well as video and podcast content.

Gamers demand so much more from websites nowadays, and if a site isn’t doing anything to increase its repertoire of services, then it will eventually lose its competitive edge, and flounder in the wake of more hungry competition who are eager to gain a foothold in the marketplace and who want a larger market-share.

If I was a website forum (or business), I’d be thinking as to what it is that distinguishes me from the other 60,000 organisations in existence, who all offer the same service or product, and who all say pretty much the same thing. What am I doing that allows me to remain competitive, and enables me to offer a unique (value-added) proposition?

Every month we see Rllmukforum bleat on (like sheep) about what Games TM and Edge have to say (who all now incidentally happen to have their own forums), but does anyone really care about what Rllmukforum or what any of its members have to say? And even with all that manpower and resources at their disposal, what exactly has Rllmukforum done and achieved so as to become a legitimate gaming authority in its own right?

With some of its more vocal members decrying a lack of desire for Rllmukforum to evolve, and to offer an increased repertoire of services (through exclusive content etc), maybe the site’s selfless act of harbouring refugees has been replaced with a drive to celebrate mediocrity, with egotistical nobodies and lunatics running the asylum after all.

With (exclusive) content being all the rage as far as the internet is concerned, Ed Fries states that “some of the retailers need to become like distributors to have a place in the future, and I just think the smart ones are seeding that path with digital.”

Obviously, and if a games retail company was really smart, then they would endeavour to develop their own game, and have exclusive content and products that none of their competitors are offering. In the long run, this would enable them to retain a competitive edge, and have a more refined USP.

Whilst most game retail companies (like CEX) consider growth as growing in store count, it is debatable as to whether they have done anything that really distinguishes them from the competition. Most game retailers product portfolio can be sourced from other retailers (Game, Cash Convertors) and online sites (Ebay, Amazon), and their business practices from which the bulk of their revenue comes from (of buying and exchanging second hand games) are hardly revolutionary and are easily replicable. To that extent therefore, and whilst I am not doubting a game retail company’s ability to be good at what they do, they lose their competitive advantage.

Games retailers need to understand that it is no longer an option to just have a store (or a portfolio of stores). Store owners need to take active steps to embrace new business practices and seriously consider the notion of improving their skillsets so as to retain any semblance of a competitive edge.

If the adage of “quality and not quantitiy” can be applied, then retailers need to realise that growth does not always involve an increase in bodycount and an increase in employees. Many of the more forward thinking companies have a considerably lower headcount than other more established industrial juggernauts (such as Microsoft VS GM Motors), and yet make more money per head as a consequence.

Retail may not have the most illustrious and glamorous of reputations as an industry, but with many industries converging, it makes sense to consider games retail as being capable of being more than the sum of its parts.

Anyone with a modicum of business and creative acumen must realise that the internet and digital distribtion offers a wealth of opportunities. If games retailers are to grow, then they must embrace these new and emerging technologies and utilise these creative strengths for the benefit of their own business agenda. Companies must realise that the only way they can do this is by actively encouraging their employees to develop their skillsets, or by hiring higher calibre staff.

Intelligent individuals aren’t really that expensive to hire. They may not be as easily manipulated, but that’s a strength that companies just cannot choose to ignore. Apart from finding new and improved ways to increase efficiency, many intelligent individuals also offer new and exciting solutions which their parent companies can adopt.

There is no glory in wishing to remain as an unskilled till-monkey for the rest of your life. Any individual worth their salt would want to grow and develop their skillset in order to become more valuable. Companies must actively encourage this, and not consider their employees as a disposable resource. And if a company is to seek a symbiotic relationship with its employees, then it must stop treating them as mere fodder. Here, I am thinking of Nintendo. There would be no Nintendo without Shigeru Miyamoto, and there would be no Shigeru Miyamoto without Nintendo.

Creative and intelligent people don’t always run off with all the best ideas. If you treat them right, and encourage them to develop themselves to the best of their abilities, then you’ll find that the vast majority of them will be more than happy to stay. And you never know, you might just find that you’ve been sitting on a golden goose (and an industry star) all along.

With Game Maker 8 having recently been released, and with the majority of games released via the program looking so amateurish, it was truly a wonder seeing Fionn Hodgson’s Total Anarchy game in action. A GTA clone, Total Anarchy attempts to re-write the rulebook on what can be achieved using the game authoring program, and is indeed a creative showcase for other game creators who want to know as to what the software is capable of. Knowing this, and wanting to find out as to what made Total Anarchy tick, RE-PLAY got the chance to ask the game’s sole creator – Fionn Hodgson – as to how one can go about appropriating the same techniques in order to make what is definitely looking to be a GTA: Chinatown Wars beater (without the support of massive marketing budgets or a huge studio).

I understand that Total Anarchy is being created using Game Maker 7. Is this the first game that you have ever created using the authoring software, and if not, how many other games have you created before in the past?

I’ve been using Game Maker for a good five years now, and this is by no means the first game I have produced with the software. Early games I made before I registered included simple arcade games and shoot ‘em ups which I’ve long since lost. In 2005, I made a couple of 3D first person shooters which I’ve also unfortinately lost due to a computer virus. In 2006 I made two games, Boxville and Pliston which were much more simple GTA clones. A game I’ve made which you can still play today is NEON which is a 3D arcade shooter available on my website for free.

How long has the game been in development for?

The Total Anarchy Engine has been in development since I finished Pliston in late 2006. This essentially makes the project over three years old! The game was originally going to be called ‘Pavilion City’ and was to be released in 2007, but my exams got in the way and production has been much slower than I thought. The game was renamed Total Anarchy just before the start of 2008. The final version of the game has only been built from the start of 2009, when I rewrote the whole engine from scratch in order to add many features and fix bugs more easily.

What programs did you use for creating the graphics and sound?

I’ve used a large variety of software in order to build up my resources. While the vehicles and pedestrians in the game are displayed as 2D sprites, they are graphics created in 3D software such as Truespace and Poser and edited using Photoshop. All of the buildings are rendered in 3D and many were modelled and textured in software like Truespace. A free Game Maker game called Marzipan was used to convert the model formats into a Game Maker friendly format.

Many of the sounds are taken from freeware resource packages and then manipulated by myself to make them stand out. I have some experience as a sound designer and have been able to build many sounds from scratch using synthesis. I’m an electronic musician too so I was able to use my music on the game’s radio stations.

For voice acting, I’ve used my voice, friends voices and have also had the pleasure of receiving contributions from people online which I will credit appropriately upon the product’s release.

When is the game expected to be released?

I don’t normally set deadlines for myself because I tend to not meet them. The game is very nearly finished, with just a few missions left to code and issues to fix. I’m going to say it should be ready for public Beta testing before March 2010.

This is probably the best looking Game Maker game I have ever seen. Do you know as to whether you have any intention of porting the game to other platforms such as DS or PSP?

Unfortunately, Game Maker only exports Windows executables which means that the game will only be available to Microsoft computers running Windows 2000, XP, Vista or 7. There is a Game Maker in development for Macintosh but I don’t know when it’s available. To release games on consoles you also need licensing and I would stand to lose a lot of money as the game is free.

Why have you decided to make the game freeware?

Because more people tend to play free games. This is the product of a hobby, not a profession. I never intended to make cash off it. If I decide to work in the games industry later in life, Total Anarchy will increase my chances of getting employed as I’d imagine It’d look quite good on a CV!

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out on Game Maker and wants to make a game that is as technically accomplished as yours?

Game Maker is very easy to learn the basics of and can be expanded greatly. Download the free version first and see if you like it, take a look at a few simple tutorials to see how different features do different things.

Once you gain some experience, the PRO version is a fully capable video game building package. Most games built with Game Maker do have a very amateurish look, which is bad for it’s reputation. This is why a professional looking game will stand out very positively. You can play and publish Game Maker games on YoYoGames.com.

What other programming languages are you adept in?

Currently I’m only fluent in GML, the Game Maker Language which is very similar to the more mainstream language, C++.

What other projects do you have lined up, and what kind of games can we expect to see from you in future?

I have a couple of products in early development and planning that I plan to get cracking on in this year. I’m still working on Utopia Unlimited, a 3D geo-political city simulator which pushes the graphical limits of Game Maker. I also plan to begin work on another GTA Game after Total Anarchy, this will have extended 3D features and be a much more expansive game.

What kind of games do you play during your spare time, and what would you cite as being your favourite games of all time?

I’m obviously a big fan of the Grand Theft Auto series, although I don’t like Saints Row. Other games I am very fond of include WipEout, Fallout 3, Outrun, Red Faction, Sim City, Age of Empires, Max Payne and Mafia.

What made you choose Game Maker as the primary tool for creating your GTA Clone Total Anarchy?

Game Maker is actually very good for building large games because the resources and scripts work together so well. It’s very easy to see how the game is going to work before you even run it! Game Maker also comes with very useful functions including a built in 2D Room Editor which makes mapping a delight and a 2D Path Editor which is useful for making traffic patterns.

Finally, Total Anarchy reminds me of ‘Blade Runner’ and Syndicate, but what I’d like to know is: why did you decide to set the game in the future, and what was your inspiration for having a sci-fi setting? Did this impact your design decisions in any way?

I decided to set the game in the future for a number of reasons. The story of Total Anarchy is set in a darker future of Britain which has developed for twenty years.

The game opens with a “terrorist attack” which the player is involved with. The game then goes back a few weeks for the player to understand what is going on and eventually willingly cause and conclude the attack, which turns out to be a rebellion against a corrupt government holding a mysterious device….

A futuristic setting also allows for interesting architectural design and more exciting weapons. It was also a way of effectively using quite spacey music and sounds. I am a fan of films like ‘Blade Runner’ and ‘THX 1138′, so they are also key influences for the games theme.