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Nathan Sorenson took the time to answer our questions:
Q: How old are you and when did you start to develop games using the Acknex engine?
A: I am eighteen years old. I started using A4 back in the summer of 2000.
Q: How long did it take you to finish TWC and how many hours a day have you worked?
A: The project in total took about two years. Hours per day is a very difficult number for a hobby-minded programmer to determine, though! I would guess anywhere from half an hour to 5 hours.
Q: What problems did you run into while developing the game?
A: One problem I found right away was mathematical inaccuracy. Using standard Newtonian physics, the coefficient of friction is so low, that after framerate corrected speed- the rock could end up in different spots of the ice with the exact same throw. That was easily fixed by determining first where the rock will stop, the interpolating the speed from that. For instance, it picks the same spot every time for any given ice condition- so the game is reliable on any speed of processor.
My biggest problem though was multiplayer. I could not seem to get the A5 engine to send only the important data over the network. My bandwidth usage was very high. Having never programmed multiplayer before didn't help either. Just to note - Conitec has mentioned that they are working on improving multiplayer for low - bandwidth connections.
Q: What tools are you using for your models, textures and sounds?
A: I model everything with Blender. Textures are done with Paint Shop Pro 7, and sounds were done with Goldwave. All were nice and cheap, but very powerful tools.
Q: What new engine features would you like to see implemented in the near future?
A: First and foremost, more control over the data sent over a multiplayer connection. Second, better lighting and shading of the models.
Q: How many copies do you expect to sell?
A: That is very close to an impossible question to answer. It could be a flop or a huge hit. Time will tell. I'd be happy with 20,000 sold, but some (optimistic) people have mentioned numbers in the hundreds of thousands. We will soon see.
Q: Which were the selling points for your game in your opinion?
A: The sheer uniqueness of the title. Curling is huge in Canada, and it is a completely un-tapped market. I think the selling point is simply the subject matter.
Q: What did you do to have Take 2 Interactive publish your game?
A: Just to remind you, Take 2 Interactive is NOT publishing the game. The publisher is a subsidiary of Take 2, which is called Global Star Software. But addressing the question, I simply gave them a call and asked them if they would meet me at the Game Developers Conference, as I had been selected as one of the Student Showcase. The concept of a curling game seemed to catch their attention and they got back to me right away. I don't suppose it is usually that easy.
Q: Please give us a few tips for the beginners!
A: Make small games first and finish them. Everyone says that. I now say that too. And I would be happy if they were unique too.
Thank you a lot, Nathan.
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