Well to many of you this is very new news, but to a select few (and the whole clan of HR) these are old interviews. I decided to put up my two best interviews, I thought LucasForums might like this.
My original intent was to become jk3files interviewer, Amy got a little busy so to say.
Instead of me looking like im trying to promote or commercialize my clan's website, I will merely post the whole versions by quote on these forums.
NOTE: Please do NOT steal or take claims for these interviews
Hapslash Interivew, old but gold.
[HR]Knight: Hapslash, the best modeler jk2 or jk3 has ever seen in the community, has let me interview him. I hope yall enjoy this, and I hope it inspires people out there to learn how to model.
[HR]Knight: Tell me, how did you get started in making models? How did you learn?
Hapslash: I originally started out just making skins for JO. I had done a few based on the models Raven included with the game, but the models weren't the best for the skins I was working on. Then later, people started making their own models. I tried my hand a skinning a few of those, but the characters I was really interested in doing weren't being made, so I eventually got into modeling.
[HR]Knight: I see and how hard was it for you to learn how to model? did it take weeks just to get the hang of it?
Hapslash: Heh,... I'm still learning. I had never used a 3D modeling program before, so I had to learn everything as I went. I imported a few of Raven's models and took them apart to see how they were made. From there it's been an ongoing process of attempting various things, then seeing if they work or not. If I had looked into any tutorials at the time, it probably would have been easier, but I like to learn through failing.
[HR]Knight: Your dedication is a pure and perfect example on how a modeler should be, you work hard and learn from your mistakes, I hope others can learn from this. Many people are impressed ( as well as I ) by your improved storm trooper model and your sand trooper model, tell me , what was it that inspired you to improve the realism of raven's non realistic and wimpy storm trooper model?
Hapslash: The fist time I started playing Jedi Outcast, during the opening mission, I immediately took notice of the Storm trooper model. It just didn't seem quite right to me, the blue tint and the game's lighting only highlighted the problems with it. So, when I did eventually get into modeling I thought back to the Storm trooper. I thought that taking the pre-existing model and then updating it might be a worthy attempt for a first model and an easy way to learn the ropes.
[HR]Knight: Aye, and were all thankful for you doing that. You do seem to have a lot of stuff to work on. How often do you work on your models and your other projects?
Hapslash: I try to work on them as often as I can so it really depends on how much free time I get. Generally, I might put in an hour or two a day, sometimes less. But then there's also times where I've spend a lot more on it. For instance, one weekend I almost spent 18 hours straight working on them. I got a lot done, but had to take a break from it for about a week.
[HR]Knight: How was it that you became involved with the dark forces project and the farscape one?
Hapslash: During the time when modeling for Outcast hit it's peak, I was looking for something to do. I hadn't quite gotten into modeling yet, and was still tinkering with my skins. Team Fortress offered me a position as a skinner on their mod, but they folded a few months after I joined. So I started to get into modeling. My brother was involved with the Dark Forces Mod when it began, and I was drawn towards the project as soon as I learned of it. I've always a fan of the original Dark Forces, and seeing it reworked with updated graphics sounded fantastic. By petitioning my brother to let me in on it, and peddling my wares on the DF forum, I eventually wormed my way onto the team.
The Farscape project was a mod I originally wanted to start before I became involved with the DF team. Unfortunately I was never able to draw up enough interest to get it to go. Later a French Half-Life 2 Hapslash: Farscape mod contacted me, and asked if I would continue with my models so they could use them for their mod as well.
[HR]Knight: Tell us what the dark forces mod and the farscape mod is about for the viewers reading this.
Hapslash: The Dark Forces Mod is basically a recreation of the Dark Forces video game, the game that started the JK series. The Mod is intended to take the 10 year old game and bring it into the new millennia with better graphics, sound, and if possible gameplay. The Farscape Mod never got very far, so I guess it's just me putting together some models based on the Farscape TV show.
[HR]Knight: Do you have a model that you are more proud of than the others? Like any of the ones you are working on or have done.
Hapslash: Hmm,... not sure there. I don't think there's a single model that I'm especially proud of, mainly because so many of them are unfinished. But there are parts here and there that I've been really happy with, like Boba Fett's cape, the Navy Trooper's helmet, Darth Vader's head, or the improved E-11. Of course, the Storm trooper will always hold a special place, being the first released model.
[HR]Knight: How did Hapslash become your name?
Hapslash: That's a long, long story,...It's origins go back to when I was regularly playing D&D with a few of my friends in high school. At the time I was playing was a particularly sadistic character who eventually picked up the moniker 'The Happy Slasher' for the tendency to laugh while dispatching his enemies. Anyhow, when I first started getting online I wanted to pick a unique name for myself because I would often run into others that would choose the same screen name that I would. So I decided on an abbreviated form of 'The Happy Slasher',... HapSlash.
[HR]Knight: (Laughs) So that’s why you like Star Wars! you like to slash people of course =P. Which model are you closest to finishing?
Hapslash: Right now I have two that are really close. The Improved Officer is just waiting to be converted into a .glm, and the Navy Trooper needs to be weighted then he'll be ready for conversion.
[HR]Knight: When do you guys expect the dark forces mod to be released, any News that the community doesn't know?
Hapslash: I don't think any specific date can be given. Because everyone's schedules keep changing, the amount of work that gets done in a specific time frame can change drastically from one session to the next.
[HR]Knight: Oh man, I hope things get better in the future
Hapslash: It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just that the amount of work being done doesn't have a consistent rate, so it makes it hard to judge it's completion date.
[HR]Knight: Thanks Hap, I appreciate your time. Be sure to give hapslash's website a visit at
www.hapslash.com) and the dark forces mod at
http://darkforces.jediknight.net/) , be sure to check out his improved stormtroopers and sandtroopers and other files. Also be sure to check out the Farscape mod at
http://www.farscapehl2.com/accueil.php) and I hope everyone enjoyed this interview.
---INTERMISSION-----
Dual interview with Sith-J-Cull and LivingDeadJedi, good sports, silly guys, good friends :D
Today I am interviewing not just one great mapper, but two great and awesome mappers of the JK community. Sith-J-Cull and LivingDeadJedi join me today in a dual interview, probably the best two mappers you’ll ever see in one place. Enjoy!
[HR]Knight:
So, both of you, tell me when was it that you started mapping?
LivingDeadJedi:
I started mapping for Duke Nukem 3d, 10 years ago. One set of maps was put onto Mac format at the time, I then moved onto PC for Elite force, before moving to Jedi Outcast then Jedi Academy
Sith-J:
Back in the days of Quake III, but I didn’t release any maps publicly until JKA. I have mapped for elite force 1 and 2 and SOF, MOH, I used to give the map to my friends that live near me and we used to play on my LAN, they said that I should make some maps and place them online, so I did...
[HR]Knight:
How did you learn? Did you simply learn by your own errors?
Sith-J:
Self-taught all the way - I did a lot of research into other mods etc, but it was the want to make a certain environment that made me want to keep learning more...
LivingDeadJedi:
When I started mapping for Elite force I had a friend their to teach me how to use Radiant... Seems so easy now but believe it or not I’m still trying to get more detail into my maps… Sith’s new map just made me gasp (Mustafar map)
Sith-J:
Thanks you LDJ you have been a big inspiration to me (as is publicly known) mutual appreciation society.
LivingDeadJedi:
But also I got better by trying to make my maps as hard as possible
[HR]Knight:
If Sith's new map doesn't make you gasp, then I don't know what can. How long have either of you been playing the JK series?
LivingDeadJedi:
Yeah the corridors especially, and the way it works with the landscape.
Sith-J:
Awe you guys are too nice, I have been playing JK since mysteries of the Sith I believe.
LivingDeadJedi:
hehe
[HR]Knight:
For the majority that don't map…in your own words, tell us how long does the mapping process usually takes?
LivingDeadJedi:
For me it takes about a month for a basic map, but can take up to 2 months... should really take longer I suppose if the map was to be sold for retail… Also depends how exited I am to do that level LOL
Sith-J:
Well I would say that it would differ from person to person, I tend to work on a couple of maps at the same time so I don’t get bored with one. If I have the time I can normally get most of the structure of the map done in a week or so on and off, then its just creating custom textures, shaders and adding the detail to the map, adding the little details to my maps took longer than the initial layout, maps work better if there is more for the player to see. So yeah I would think about a 4/6 weeks with the everything included.
Sith-J:
Yeah I agree about the exited part - you need to be interested in the level itself and want to create it.
LivingDeadJedi:
=)
[HR]Knight:
So, do you have a favorite out of the maps you've made? If not, which one was definitely the hardest one to get it pretty much how you wanted it?
Sith-J:
My favorite map/s would be (in this order)
Mustafar
Tatooine Scum and Wampas
Kamino
Out of those, Kamino was the hardest to craft, the problem there was that I wanted it as close to the movie environment as possible and I really did push the q3a engine to its limits, just to get the amount of detail needed in locations such as the Prime minister’s room and the Clone Factory. I must admit it did become a real pain in the ass towards the end as it had silly compile errors that I had to hunt down LOL
LivingDeadJedi:
There have been a lot of maps for me... so many I’ve forgotten For Elite force it was Episode What which was nothing like the movie but was fun to play... For JO it has to be Carbon Freeze 2 I would think although my most original maps (with good game play) were for elite force...
Sith-J:
The more fun ones were for Elite force that you made, but I was amazed at the detail you put into the Jabba map very nice...
LivingDeadJedi:
=)
LivingDeadJedi:
One thing I want to include are moving things like in Sith’s map that would have made jabba much better, working machinery.
[HR]Knight:
Out of the many themes you can do (ex: Coruscant, or Yavin), which one do you enjoy creating the most?
Sith-J:
Tatooine maps I love them - I really enjoyed making Boonta Eve racecourse and Scum and Wampas. In the end I always end up wanting to return to Tatooine eh LDJ?
LivingDeadJedi:
true true
LivingDeadJedi:
For me Cloud City , I love deep dark pits in maps.... I’ve had a go at outside maps but I am still better at indoor locations... I might one day make a space hulk type map or a ship like from alien movies
[HR]Knight:
Next question, how often do you get to work on making maps?
Sith-J:
Weekends, most evenings when I am not giving quality time to my wife and four kids. It the time that I get off work is when I really get to map as my wife is at work and my kids at school lol.
Sith-J:
Sometimes If I am really into a map I will map through the night, but only sometimes ;-)
LivingDeadJedi:
Hmm I used to map for hours on end, never doing much else. My best ideas coming very late at night usually working from 11pm to 2 am but now its less time, to many good games coming out.
Sith-J:
Indeed
[HR]Knight:
Do both of you intend to work on maps for Battlefront?
LivingDeadJedi:
God knows it could use larger maps… but if I can use engine i guess so. but i get the feeling it will need 3dstudio max and a plug in.
Sith-J:
I have given it some thought, I may do but to be honest I still prefer JKA, but the engine in BF is mainly a terrain engine and the buildings are done in 3d progs then you place them in later, I don’t like that kind of setup really, but yeah i may do in the future...
LivingDeadJedi:
Exactly
[HR]Knight:
How much do you get to work on the aotc:tc mod and moviebattles? And how much could you say (in your words) you are done with on both mods on mapping, percentage wise?
Sith-J:
Well I have produced two maps for MB so far, Hoth and Tatooine both of which are fully sieged up. I did the siege on Hoth and a MB teammate did the siege for me on Tatooine. I am working on another map for MB but am awaiting beta testers feedback on Hoth at the moment, so I guess you could say that I am 80/90% complete on the maps for MB. However AOTC mod I have not had a chance to do much with although I do have a map in the works for them right now and its about 40% complete, I am very excited about that release as they have come up with some amazing stuff for the next version aotc-tc.
LivingDeadJedi:
AOTC mod I did the clonewars side, if made 2 maps for that CTF_ILAM and CLONEWARS EPISODE 7 movie battles I made Jabba, Tantive IV, I wanted to make more to tantive IV but time limits meant I might do that later, but id say 3 months
Sith-J:
Tantive Rules.
[HR]Knight:
Now one for LDJ; Almost every map you’ve released on pcgamemods has became a staff pick, Since you are currently working on the Mos Eisley map, can you give us any inside information? Such as, what you have planned with the map, or will we have to wait it out =P?
LivingDeadJedi:
Well ill be getting help from Mr. Sith here, I’ve made docking bay 94 and some streets, leading out onto the main area. Which will lead to the cantina... I hope to make it siege. Sith has provided me with some stuff I needed from his maps. And he has agreed to make the parts under the city, that will include the traps and stuff... well I think he has
LivingDeadJedi:
And it’s set at night and also day, two maps
Sith-J:
I have cant wait either mate.
[HR]Knight:
Here’s one for Sith; Ever since you made us go crazy over the kamino teaser we have been on the edge of our seats waiting...now that it's out, what can you go back and say you could have improved on? Can the public expect a version 2 soon?
Sith-J:
Well the first thing that I have already done is sort out the LOAD TIME, I found the problem to be an offending patch in the end, also there was a bug concerning the slave one model (which stopped SP from working) that has now been sorted. I really wanted some moving water as part of the sky box, but the fps issues made that nearly impossible to implement, its something I plan on trying to add to version two. I will also be downsizing the map, instead this time of making it accurate to the movie (in regards of locations relation to each other), I will make it smaller so that its easier to find each other. I will still however keep all of the important places in there. I plan to expand on the multipad area introducing some flyable vehicles so the player can fly over the city. This is a LOT of work though so it may not be complete until x-mas time.
[HR]Knight:
Can the public ever expect a map that is FULLY done by the both of you?
LivingDeadJedi:
Tatooine wont be far off.
Sith-J:
Well I think the tatooine map will be pretty much just that.
[HR]Knight:
What kind of advice can you give to the new mappers out there?
LivingDeadJedi:
1. Listen to music as you map =P…
2. make sure you get LOTS of reference unless your really good at mapping from memory…
3. don’t be afraid to ask on forums or use ravens maps to see how they do things
Sith-J:
Have a clear idea of the map you want to make, and make the priority: getting the map done, with as much detail as you can. You must also consider game flow so that the maps are fun to play on. Don’t be tempted to release it when you get a couple of rooms done but only when you have the map more complete.
[HR]Knight:
How long do you guys expect the JA community to last? Do you think it will move to Battlefront or Republic Commando?
LivingDeadJedi:
I hope it will move to JK3
[HR]Knight:
When you say JK3, do you mean the next JK game?
Sith-J:
No I think JKA will last a bit longer yet. When you read the JKA forums there are people who are making EIII mods / maps / player skins and the movie isn’t even released until then. JKA offers the complete star wars gaming solution still, I don’t think the other game do that (I must admit I am looking forward to Republic Commando) until then, 2005.
Well that about raps it up, thank you Sith-J-Cull and thank you LivingDeadJedi. I hope everyone enjoyed this interview, You can visit these wonderful mappers respective sites, Sith-J-Cull’s site at
http://sithjcull.jkmods.com/) and LivingDeadJedi’s site at
http://www.ldjmaps.jolt.co.uk/) . Also, Sith has released his Mustafar map at pcgamemods.com, drop by and try it out. Until next time!
Hope you all enjoyed, brings back memories.
May the force be with you all
-Knight