No Fragments Archive 10: Diskmags/nf_archive_10.iso/MAGS/INFO/IINFO53.MSA/TEXT_LEXICOR.TXT

Text File | 1991-07-11 | 17KB | 356 lines

 > DEVELOPING ON THE ATARI STR Spotlight         LEXICOR SPEAKS UP!!
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                           DEVELOPING THE ATARI
                           ====================


 An Interview with LEXICOR'S Lee Seiler

 by Pattie Rayl, Atari Interface


 AIM:
 Lee, we've  all seen your artwork (on the back of the Jan. 91 and front of
 Mar. 91 issues of Atari Interface).   What  got  you  started  in  art and
 drawing?

 Lee:
 When I was a kid I did not do well at all.  At some point, the teacher put
 me in the back of the  room, with  paper and  crayons, and  left me  to do
 whatever  I  wanted.    This  was  at  a time in California when there was
 experimental education...phonetic speling(sic)  and  the  notion  that the
 child should  be left  to do  as he  or she  pleased.   Needless to say, I
 failed everything for the next two years and thereafter was always behind.

 AIM:
 What do you enjoy drawing the most?  What have you done professionally?

 Lee:
 I like to create animalistic machines best.  The relationships between the
 way humans  have copied  nature are  wonderful.  I am always drawn to this
 kind of creation when  left to  my own  devices.   As far  as professional
 work, my  work spans  from mechanical illustrations in the Army in the mid
 50s to current material on the Atari Computer.  Along the way, I have done
 book and magazine covers, technical manuals, story treatments for a number
 of motion pictures.  In 1983, I won an EMMY for best technical achievement
 in  a  locally  produced  show...which  happened to have a science fiction
 theme.

 AIM:
 On these book and magazine covers...are these the  type of  thing we could
 go into our local bookstore, pick up a book, and say "Hey, Lee Seiler drew
 this!"?

 Lee:
 Yes, if you can find one.  Most are no longer in print, but  every now and
 then I  will come across my own work.  Unfortunately, most book covers are
 sold outright and don't carry an artist credit or copyright.   Try finding
 these credits in current paperback publications.  You will find that there
 is little recognition rewards  for the  artist.   And, in  most cases, the
 artists are  contract artists who sign all copyrights away in order to get
 the work.

 AIM:
 Are there any titles you can tell us for the books you  did cover  art on?
 Are the motion picture movies we'd recognize?

 Lee:
 Yes.    Let  me  see  if I can remember some..."Time Riders"... "Orbit"...
 "Subterrainians"...  "The Travelers"...   Windsurf  magazine, July 1988...
 Airbrush magazine, Volume 4, No 4.

 AIM:
 We have a photo of you drawing a black and white picture of a woman...what
 is that?

 Lee:
 That is a private commission to do an  interpreted female  version of Cap-
 tain America.   I  used several  reference books  for ideas, colors.... In
 many cases,  a client  may have  a favorite  subject or  existing piece of
 artwork they want to have.  Because copying the original is a big no no --
 just like  computer software  -- clients  ask for  interpreted works which
 look very  much like  a selected subject but are handmade individual works
 of art.  I  am  sure  you  have  seen  many  such  similar  works  on both
 CompuServe and  GEnie.   What is  in your photo is the final pencil sketch
 just before airbrush painting begins.

 AIM:
 Neat!  Now that you've told us about  your love  of drawing...how  did you
 get involved with computers, and specifically art on computers?

 Lee:
 That's a very funny (strange) story.  It is a bit long, so you may want to
 drag me back to reality from time to time.

 I had picked up an Atari 400 in fall of 1979 thinking  I would  be able to
 do art  on the computer.  Well, that soon fell flat on its face when I had
 to try using the ATARI BASIC  language cartridge.   I  found that  I often
 spelled the assorted commands wrong and got lost in the editor and compil-
 er.  But, I had gotten the hacker's manual and lots of developer materials
 so I could read about it.

 I should  mention that  I had  spent 12  years working  in the engineering
 department of  the  University  of  California  and  had  a research-level
 working  knowledge  of  Cobol  and  Pascal,  but only as it applied to our
 research programming needs.

 I soon realized I would not  be  able  to  do  on  my  400  what  was then
 beginning to appear on television as computer art in motion. I was able to
 do a nice little walking machine game using the alternate graphics symbols
 for the keyboard as object primitives.

 Time passed,  and in  the fall  of 1987  I passed  a local  Atari shop and
 thought I would just stop in  and see  what was  going on  with the Atari.
 There I  saw Jim  Kent's CyberPaint  running on  a Mega4.   That was all I
 needed to see.  I got the computer  and all  the Antic  software, thinking
 again that  I could  start using  the computer to do on the monitor what I
 was currently doing on paper, wood and glass.

 AIM:
 And could you -- do on the monitor what you were doing on paper and glass?

 Lee:
 NO! In fact, once I  had  mastered  CyberPaint  and  the  more traditional
 animation  on  the  Mega4,  I  dove  into  CAD3D2  and  ran smack dab into
 CyberControl, et. al....and was  very disappointed  with the  whole idea I
 had in  being able  to use  my skills  and this wonderful computer to make
 things of impossible creative interest real...I was very disappointed.

 AIM:
 Is that what got you started with your own company?

 Lee:
 Eventually it was, but not at first...

 AIM:
 What got you started with Antic?

 Lee:
 A wrong number, actually, was the turning point.  I called Antic  for sup-
 port  when  I  was  unable  to  get  the  tutorial  examples to run in the
 CyberStudio editor.  Instead of the support person, I got  Charles Cherry.
 Charles  was  later  to  move  on  to  Atari  in  Sunnyvale as head of the
 developer's division.  When I explained my problems to Charles  and what I
 wanted to  do, he invited me to become an Antic developer! So, I went from
 being a total CyberControl code failure to Developer in 20 minutes!!!!

 For the  next three  months I  learned the  realities of  the Atari World,
 computer graphics  and how programs are created.  I also met Dave Ramsden,
 Paul Dana and others who were developers for Antic.

 AIM:
 This arrangement sounded like fun...what made you and Antic part ways?

 Lee:
 It was fun and  I learned  a lot  from Charles  and the  other developers.
 What happened  was that  Charles left Antic to join Atari one Friday...and
 through the ensuing weeks, it became clear that  the assorted  projects we
 were working on would not receive further support by Antic.

 Eventually, some  of us  got together  and agreed that, if I could put the
 financing together,  we  would  form  our  own  corporation  in  which the
 developer came  first instead  of the usual way in which the developer was
 really just an employee, or nearly so, and got a minimum return  for a lot
 of work.

 So, I set Lexicor Software up in such a way that the developer got paid in
 two ways.  First, they get a percentage of the "front door gross" and then
 stock in  the corporation,  which meant  the developer would share just as
 the other investors did.   Our  percentages are,  give or  take a percent,
 twice  what  Antic  ever  paid  and  possibly  three  times  what might be
 expected for off-the-street sale of a program.

 We also set up a flexible support system to provide  hardware and  cash to
 the developers  so they  could spend  as much  time as possible developing
 instead of worrying about 9-to-5 and developing evenings and weekends.  In
 this  way,  I  have  been  able  to get all my developers the latest Atari
 hardware and software tools.  I can market  their areas  and get  full and
 appropriate support from Atari.  We all have each other's best interest at
 heart, so the usual workplace petty bickering does not interfere  with our
 creative efforts.   And,  best of  all, the developers don't have to worry
 about getting ripped off by the owners because,  in a  large measure, they
 are the owners.

 AIM:
 Who makes up Lexicor Software?  You speak of "my developers."  Are you the
 main owner/figurehead?

 Lee:
 First, right now the developers are  Dave Ramsden,  Robert Birmingham Paul
 Dana and myself.  We have several subcontractors who supplement these main
 developers.  Next, I am Vice President and a major stock holder,  but I do
 not own  the majority  of the  stock.   The exact  make-up of the Board of
 Directors and the specific  role each  developer stockholder  functions is
 confidential.

 Needless to  say, we  have offered  to ourselves  the best of all possible
 situations and actually are open to supporting more developers.   Our pro-
 blem is  that there really are not many Developers left in the Atari arena
 to join us.  I should comment that such well  known Atari  developers such
 as Jim Kent are involved at several levels with Lexicor, partly because we
 are approaching the Atari  from a  professional point  of view  and partly
 because, at  least in  Jim's case,  he is  my near  neighbor here in Marin
 county.

 AIM:
 Now that we've laid the groundwork for what  Lexicor is,  can you  tell us
 about what  Lexicor makes?  I mean, can you finally do on the monitor what
 you were doing on paper?

 Lee:
 Last first.  Yes, I can finally do on the Atari what  I wanted  to do back
 in 1979.   Just  look at  our advertisements...they  speak for themselves.
 This brings us to the first part of your question.  What  we are  doing is
 making it possible for the average Atari owner to have and use a "Real Off
 Line Graphics Workstation."

 This is happening right  now...our first  major applications  are going to
 printers, being  groomed and  polished.   In the  coming months, given the
 user has the talent, patience and determination, he or she will be able to
 do the self-same work I now do in promoting our software.

 There is  no doubt  that many  new and  exciting things  are coming to the
 current and future Atari user.   Like all  good tools,  our first releases
 are just  the beginning...by  way of  example I had a late evening meeting
 with Leonard Tramiel at  Atari in  which we  discussed some  new things we
 both  want  to  bring  to  the  Atari  community.    Obviously, I can't be
 specific for lots of  reasons...the  most  fun  reason  is  that  it keeps
 everyone reading this interview guessing what's NEXT!

 AIM:
 Can you  tell us  if all  of your packages depend on each other, or can an
 Atari owner just pick up one program and work with it alone?   How sophis-
 ticated is the software, and how sophisticated does the user have to be?

 Lee:
 Good question.   There  is no  required program package as such.  The user
 can get any of our software and use it right away.  We have  planned it to
 function in  the same  way as  other High  End systems. You have access to
 objects, object motion control, post production  tools and  several levels
 of finishing tools.

 As far  as how  sophisticated the  software is,  my developers think it is
 very powerful and well thought out  in design  and execution.   As  far as
 being hard or easy to use, the user can create anything we have advertised
 and or uploaded as sample demos without any programming at all.   There is
 a minimal  amount of  keyboard use,  which is mostly keystroke equivalents
 and basic file handling...like load and  save.    The  whole  idea  was to
 create an  environment which  did not  require elaborate control codes, so
 there aren't any.

 AIM:
 On the ST, there  are several  animation programs,  each with  a different
 format...will people who've created pictures and animations in other pack-
 ages have to start from scratch with Lexicor products?

 Lee:
 No.  We have used the Cyber series as a foundation as far as  format goes.
 We also  support GIF,  IFF, Neochrome, Degas/Degas Elite pictures in high,
 medium and low resolution, and will support PC1 to PC6 files.

 In addition, for those who are  code-oriented, we  save Image  files, C c-
 ode, and  source code  for some graphics formats.  This allows the user to
 create  screen  images  which  can  be  saved  and  programmed  right into
 software.    We have made every attempt to support other platform formats,
 such as PC P.I.X.A.R RIB files, Amiga Sculpt  3D object  files, Mac Sculpt
 files and  several others  when we  can get them working as we would like.
 An example is Turbosilver.  We have full support on this, but  this may be
 a format that will be supported as an additional object file by mid-summer
 or as the demand requires.

 AIM:
 This sounds really exciting!   I  look  forward  to  the  release  of your
 products.    I  understand part  of the delay was due to a hardware dongle
 produced by Practical Solutions.   They're no  longer in  business -- will
 this hold you back on releasing your products?

 Lee:
 Had to mention that, eh?  Well, it was a big problem and to set the record
 straight, the delays from Practical Solutions cost us  a lot  in lost time
 and effort.   Part  of their  fear may  have been  that we were not really
 going to be worth the effort.  As it turned  out, everything  I assured PS
 came true.  Our first commercial orders were far above anything we thought
 they would be, and now I am stranded with a pocket full of cash and orders
 and no  dongle source.   We wish we could find whoever walked off with the
 goods...we were in the process of reordering when PS vanished.

 We have made other arrangements so that the US market won't be effected by
 a hardware  snafu this time.  We are hoping to fill all CeBIT orders in 15
 days with our manufacturers  shipping all  orders in  about the  same time
 frame.   Of course,  I have  to add that once we release to the market, we
 have no direct control of shipping priorities or speed.

 AIM:
 Do you have a date set for release in the US?

 Lee:
 Yes and NO...I discovered that if we were doing direct sales I  could give
 you a  date.   I did this last fall when I thought we were ready...we were
 not, and I take the blame  for  that  one.  Now  that  we  are  having our
 products made  and sold by a distributor, the best I can do is say we have
 shipped the masters, manuals  and  whatever  hardware  is  included (i.e.,
 safekey, graphics  tablet color card (board), Genlock etc.) Then, it is up
 to them to get their work done in a timely fashion.   How's that  for duck
 and dodge?  We think  that the  end of  March is  a safe date to shoot for
 today.

 AIM:
 We wish the best of luck to ya! As a  closing question,  could you comment
 on  the  Atari  market  and  its  future?  Many developers are considering
 leaving, if they haven't already...what can you say to those who are still
 with us?

 Lee:
 That's a complex question, so this may be a bit tenuous for a closing com-
 ment.  First, from Atari Corporation's  point of  view the  market is just
 terrific.   They are  selling every  computer they make.  Their problem is
 forecasting what and how many to ship where.  Right now, TTs  are back or-
 dered in the US to the VAR customers.

 From my  point of  view (i.e., Lexicor), the fewer developers, the better,
 little or no competition gives me better than two million potential sales.
 Of course,  this is  not a  healthy situation  and is  not how it actually
 is...  The current developer  who  takes  software  development seriously,
 follows all the rules and listens to the guidance from Atari, there is and
 will be a very satisfactory market in the US and the world.

 From the point of view of the user, it has been a hard few  years for very
 good reason.   There  are, and  will continue to be, new and more and more
 powerful tools from Atari...those who leave now will wish they had waited.
 In just  the next  few months, the Atari will go from a limited (color and
 res) computer to being fully equal to and better than any VGA and SuperVGA
 system, price not withstanding.

 No one  can guarantee that Atari or those who run it will not fall flat on
 their faces, but I don't  believe  from  my  associations  that  anyone in
 authority at Atari wants to fail or is running blind.

 As to  the future (here is where I get in trouble), I believe -- and so do
 "my" developers -- that there is a bright and profitable future for  us in
 the Atari  world.   We will  do everything  we can  to make it so...if the
 users and other developers do the same, then  how can  Atari fail  if they
 just keep making their fine computers?

 AIM:
 On that upbeat note, we'd like to thank you for your time and sharing your
 insights with our readers!

 [Editor's Note:
 Three of Lexicor's products;

                                Rosetta-3D
                                Prism-Paint
                                Chronos-3D

          are shipping now and are available from RIO Computers.]


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