Interview with w.r.e.c.k.s. - Levels4you

NOTE: This interview, entitled "Interview with w.r.e.c.k.s.", was originally uploaded to Levels4you on July 24, 2003 by RoMeK.

Today i am interviewing the brilliant mind that has kept Red Faction alive time after time! The Mapper of All time! W.r.e.c.k.s

Welcome, and thank you for your time W.r.e.c.k.s

The community of Red Faction has been more then happy to have you as a mapper, you have revolutionized Red Faction all together.

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RoMeK: What was your first map that you ever created?

W.r.e.c.k.s: I started mapping at almost the exact same time I started playing multiplayer games with WorldCraft for Half-Life. It took me quite a while to get the hang of even the basic functions. I pumped out a few, mainly for the boys at work. The first one I actually finished was a recreation of our office building. It turned out pretty well, with a working elevator, viewscreens, functioning doors, etc... We played the hell outta that... Until someone brought in Unreal Tournament... After working with WorldCraft and UnrealED, RED came pretty easy. My first Red Faction map was DM-CatwalkBoogie. I remember how exciting it was uploading that map to different sites, most of which are gone now, and seeing people download and play it... what a thrill! I followed that one up with DM-Golgotha then DM-WharfofSorrows and I was hooked!

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RoMeK: Have you mapped for any other games?

W.r.e.c.k.s: I've mapped a bit for Half-Life, Unreal Tournament, and UT2003

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RoMeK: Lets get back to your Red Faction Mapping skills. Were the maps that you have made from any place you have seen before? or were they purley made up.

W.r.e.c.k.s: Two of the Microfactions are based of real locations. Microfaction [wrecks'office] turned out to be a pretty reasonable recreation of my home office at the time. Microfaction 4 [culinary wrecks] was based from my grandparents' kitchen. I took a few liberties with that one.

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RoMeK: What else should we be expecting from you W.r.e.c.k.s? anymore of your brilliant MicroFactions?

W.r.e.c.k.s: I recently submitted a map for the July L4Y competition. I also have about 4-5 incomplete maps that have been sitting on my hard drive for a while that I plan on finishing up as I find the time... Currently, I have no plans for another Microfaction.

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RoMeK: Your texturing skills are more then amazing, where did you learn how to be so skillful in that area?

W.r.e.c.k.s: Thank you. But to be honest, I'm not really sure. I learned RED pretty much the same way as any other mapper. Perhaps it turned out to be one of my strong points because I work in other 3D programs like Bryce, Poser, Rhino, etc. quite a bit.

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RoMeK: Are you planning on opening your own Software/hardware company?

W.r.e.c.k.s: I am currently working on getting my freelance Graphic/Web Design business off the ground.

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RoMeK: Have you been asked to map/work for any companies yet?

W.r.e.c.k.s: That would be nice! None as of yet. I'm actually not really sure I would want a job as a level designer. The gaming industry is highly competitive and very stressful. I've been doing graphic/web design for about six years and have managed to build a career. Now its just time to stop working for somebody else.

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RoMeK: Whats your all time favorite Game?

W.r.e.c.k.s: Ouch.. tough question! There are too many to narrow it down to one. Lets see.. I'm going to show my age and say that the first game I became addicted to was MegaMania for the Atari 2600. I remember that I used to scare my parents because I would go into a rage everytime I was killed...hahah... Damn, that game was fun!

Then there was the arcade, where I spent hours and hours. BattleZone, Sinistar, Gyruss, Space Ace, Gauntlet, Discs of Tron, Golden Axe, etc..... I poured quarters into those badboys like water.

Recent games that I've really dug are Medal of Honor : Allied Assault, Alien Vs Predator 2, and Metroid Prime. For Multiplayer, I think that the original Unreal Tournament and Red Faction are hands down the best so far. I'm not into team play or strategic play... I want action! The more the better. Both UT and RF are great, straight forward fragging.

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RoMeK: With your pure talent, have you worked on any MODS, or Created any add ons for any other games?

W.r.e.c.k.s: There is a very simple answer to that.... nope. I started to work on the Hive Mod, but that whole thing fell through at the time.

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RoMeK: What does W.r.e.c.k.s stand for? Where did you get the idea for it?

W.r.e.c.k.s: Aha! there it is! That's the one question I get asked the most... It means... hehe :-P

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RoMeK: Many people on Levels4you© have been taught or learned something from another mapper, Did anyone teach you?

W.r.e.c.k.s: I started playing RF when the Demo was 1st released, 2 Years ago this August, and I started mapping the day the full game came out in September 2001. There were no custom maps released at the time... so, I learned by opening up the default maps in the editor... took me a while to realize those EAX black panels were utterly useless

Recently from another mapper, I learned how to impliment the Anti-Grav event that I used in MorpheusXtreme. I learned that from studying Trotskies map CTF-FortressofSouls.

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RoMeK: What are your Hobbies?

W.r.e.c.k.s: hehe... Mapping! For a while there, it became more like an obsession.

Most of my hobbies involve the computer. 3D artwork, gaming, graphic design, writing, etc...When I can get my geekass out the door, I go mountain biking or climbing. I'm also an avid reader, nothing beats a really good novel. ___________________

RoMeK: What do you wish could be your future career?

W.r.e.c.k.s: Novelist. I've been working on a novel off and on for several years now. Hopefully once I get my freelance business off the ground, I can allocate some more time to work on it.

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RoMeK: Do you plan to map for any future games (half-life2)?

W.r.e.c.k.s: I'm not sure. I have so many other things going on in my life. The thought of mapping for Half-Life2 is very, very appealing. I'll just have to see If I can learn the Hammer Editor quickly.

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RoMeK: What are your current computer specs? how often do you upgrade?

W.r.e.c.k.s: My current system is starting to get a bit dated:

Dual Pentium III 1.2Ghz 73 Gig SCSI HD 20 Gig EIDE HD GeForce 4 Ti4600 512 RIMM Audigy Platinum Dual Hitachi 20" Monitors

I do little upgrades every three or four months, but I'm planning on doing the BIG upgrade the beginning of next year. I've been saving for a knock-your system to the ground machine and the Alienware and BOXX systems are looking pretty damn good. They are overpriced a bit, so I

might just end up building one out myself.

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RoMeK: Do you ever plan to stop mapping/gaming?

W.r.e.c.k.s: I will never stop gaming. I plan on still playing the latest and greatest when I'm half-blind and nearly too old to pick up a controller.

Mapping... I'm not sure yet.

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RoMeK: What got you into mapping? was there anyone or anything specific that inspired you?

W.r.e.c.k.s: I was really getting into creating 3D environments in Bryce, when Half-Life was released. After playing the single player and then a bit of multiplayer, I thought how great it would be to create a 3D environment that I could actually walk around in and explore. Then I found the editor and... well you know the rest.

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RoMeK: Is there anything else we should know about you W.r.e.c.k.s?

W.r.e.c.k.s: I love strange movies; Mexican food is THE food; Clive Barker is my hero; I've been living with the love of my life, Tamara, for 9 years; Our 25 pound cat is named Zero; Our 2 pound cat is named Echo; I'm counting the days until Half-Life2, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Return of the King, and the Battlestar Galactica miniseries on Sci-Fi; We recently bought a BowFlex and my shoulders ar very, very sore; My Akira action figures are the shizzy..... oh I could go on and on =)

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Thank you for your time, it has been an honor. The Community of Red Faction hopes to see more from you!

W.r.e.c.k.s: Thanks, its so cool that players have enjoyed my maps. Thanks to L4Y and to everyone for keeping the game alive!