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- {center}
- {subhead} James Daniels of Apex Designs interview{def}{p}
- Article by Chris Seward
- {left}
- {p} {p}
- CS- Chris Seward{p}
- JD- James Daniels
- {p} {p}
- CS: When was Apex Designs first started and how did it actually start?
- {p} {p}
- JD: Apex Designs was offically started in 1996 as a label to release my
- public domain titles, such as Frontal Assault and 6-Tris, although I was
- writing games for over ten years before that. Since then, I've moved on
- to programming in C and assembler, which is essential for a project the
- size and complexity of Payback.
- {p} {p}
- CS: Who is in the Apex Designs team and could you explain what each
- person does?
- {p} {p}
- JD: Apex Designs is mainly just me, James Daniels. I do all the programming,
- website design, sound effects and the bulk of the graphics. However, a
- couple of artists are now working to improve Payback's graphics: Niko
- Moreira and George Davis.
- {p} {p}
- Also, 10 bands are contributing to the soundtrack - a full list can be
- found at {link http://www.apex-designs.net/report13.html}http://www.apex-designs.net/report13.html{end} - and the ATO will be
- translating the game into several languages. Finally, there are about a
- dozen betatesters to make sure the gameplay is as good as possible.
- {p} {p}
- CS: What projects are you currently working on and when do you expect them
- to be released?
- {p} {p}
- JD: Payback - due for release in November.
- {p} {p}
- CS: This Grand Theft Auto style game, Payback sounds like an exciting project,
- how is it similar to GTA and how does it differ?
- {p} {p}
- JD: The basic gameplay is quite similar to GTA, in that you are a criminal
- doing missions for the local crimelord. However, Payback does have many
- advantages over GTA. Firstly, it's in full 3D, which means that cars lean
- realistically as they go around corners or up slopes. Even the trees and
- pedestrians are in 3D. Secondly, Payback should be more varied that
- GTA - I've attached some pictures of the snowy levels, and there are
- plenty of other surprises in store.
- {p} {p}
- Also, Payback is very efficient and is able to match the performance of
- the Playstation version of GTA even on an 040 - and it totally flies on
- an 060! Even though Payback is certainly inspired by Grand Theft Auto, I
- wouldn't really call it a clone - I've taken GTA's best bits and then
- build on top of them to create a new game which should be a lot better
- than GTA.
- {p} {p}
- CS: What do you expect the minimum requirements to be for Payback?
- {p} {p}
- JD: Requirements: 020, 16Mb RAM, CD, AGA/GFX card
- {p} {p}
- Recommended: 040/25 or faster, 16Mb RAM, 6x CD or faster, AGA/GFX card.
- {p} {p}
- CS: Do you have any future plans to make Amiga versions of popular games
- from other platforms and/or do direct conversions of popular games?
- {p} {p}
- JD: I've got quite a few ideas for future games, but I want to get
- Payback finished before discussing them.
- {p} {p}
- CS: How many years have you personally used the Amiga and why do you
- continue to use it these days?
- {p} {p}
- JD: I've been using the Amiga for over 10 years. I use the Amiga because
- it's a wonderful machine, with an equally wonderful community.
- {p} {p}
- CS: Any other comments or words you'd like to say to the Amiga users
- reading?
- {p} {p}
- JD: A playable demo of Payback will be released in November at the same
- time as the final game. Please download it and make sure you buy the full
- game if you like what you see (and I'm doing my best to make sure that
- you will :). The complete game will be available both from the Apex
- Designs' website -
- {p} {p}
- {link http://www.apex-designs.net}http://www.apex-designs.net{end}
- {p} {p}
- and from Blittersoft -
- {p} {p}
- {link http://www.blittersoft.com}http://www.blittersoft.com{end}
- {p} {p}
- If you want pre-order the game, send a blank email to:
- {p} {p}
- {bold}payback-preorder@apex-designs.net{nobold}
- {p} {p}
- CS: Thanks for your time!
- {p} {p}
- JD: No problem. :)
- {p} {p}
- {image gfx/int1.iff}
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- {image gfx/int2.iff}