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3/2 - TNM Seeking Mappers
3/2 - Deus Ex Online Is Back, Baby!
3/1 - Power & Love Mod
2/23 - Thief: Deadly Shadows Editor Released!
2/12 - Unatco Born Update
12/24 - DXMP_Duality
12/24 - DXMP_Onslaught
12/23 - DXMP_Yokatami
12/23 - DXMP_HedgeFields
9/25 - Latest DX SDK
Interview with Face
You are arguably the most recognized name in the Deus Ex community. Did you ever expect to become such a celebrity in the community?

I think the term "celebrity" is a bit overstated. When I started out mapping in April 2001 I never expected my first released map, Towers, to get the recognition it did - at that time I was just trying to learn the basics and didn't rate the map that highly. It was surprising for me to see how well received the map was across the board and I never expected to have people regularly asking me when my next map was coming out.


What was your original inspiration and goal when you first started editing with the Deus Ex version of UnrealEd? Have these factors changed and if so, in what ways?

I'm not sure whether this really answers the question, but before Deus Ex I had never tried editing for a game. I was heavily into the multiplayer side of Deus Ex at the time and wanted to learn how to make a map that could be played in online matches of DXMP. I didn't know what I was doing and really just wanted to learn how to do the simple things and slowly progress onto the more advanced elements of editing. The original goal was to learn everything there was to do with the editor and what makes a good map.

The original inspiration was from multiplayer orientated play and what could be done to make MP more fun. After a while I was finding myself not being pushed, I wasn't learning anything new whilst making maps for DXMP as there's only so far you can go with them. I wanted to know about NPC's, conversations, coding and everything else you could imagine. The only way I was going to learn this was to move onto single player maps - Disclosure was born.

At some point in the future I would like to try and get into the games industry but without a decent sized portfolio of work to demonstrate my capabilities it would be difficult to achieve. Disclosure, which is a story driven modification to Deus Ex, serves as my main goal and source of inspiration now.


Towers is unquestionably the most successful user map ever made for DXMP, after the success of Towers, why is it that you decided not to release Hell's Gate and Towers 3 for DXMP?

Hell's Gate would have been my second DXMP map. Unfortunately it was going through beta test and one of the testers saw fit to distribute it amongst his friends, I didn't appreciate what he had done and ended my association with DXMP for quite some time. It was in May 2001 when I had started planning for Disclosure, I was working on the story line which called for a remote military facility, Hell's Gate fitted the description perfectly and I chose to use it. Unfortunately I could not commit myself to finishing Towers 3 due to some events that occurred during development, which I'd rather not go into.


Now that server downloads can be disabled, you you have any plans for a new DXMP map in the future?

I never knew that a way to stop downloads had been found, it is certainly good news to hear though. I don't currently have any plans for new DXMP maps as I'm too busy working away on Disclosure, but if the time ever arises in the future when I get some free time I may consider creating another multiplayer map.


The first disclosure demo was well received, the second demo - the much talked about Hell's Gate - is near nelease, are you excited? Nervous?

I'm very excited about the forthcoming release of the second demo for Disclosure. Between the time of starting editing for the first mission and the second mission I had learned a lot of new ways to implement ideas and how I could be more expressive with the way in which I made single player missions. The feedback from the first demo was tremendous and all of it was noted, I was able to see where I had gone wrong in the first mission and take corrective action. I guess you could say I am nervous at the thought of releasing the second mission and how well it will do in comparison to the first release. As I said in an earlier answer, Disclosure is more about a portfolio of work and whatever feedback I get, good or bad, is a valuable resource for me. There are a few fresh ideas in the second mission overall, things that haven't been featured in Deus Ex before and I hope that they add to the realism.


The locations in Disclosure are based on real-world locations. Thus far what we have seen is based on British Columbia, Canada. What other locations do you have in store for us?

Disclosure takes the player to a number of real worldwide locations, starting off in British Columbia, Canada. Later missions send the player to the deepest depths of the Puerto Rican rainforests, San Francisco (USA) and later London (UK). What the player does at each location and what they have to do is very much a guarded secret. :)


How much longer do you think you will be a part of this community? Do you plan to work on any Deus Ex 2 modifications?

I think I will always be a part of the community in some shape or form. Lately I haven't been as active as I once was, but this is largely down to me putting extra time into Disclosure. There are a couple of DX2 mods being planned already which I have a vested interest in, and I think it's safe to say that I will definitely be working with the DX2 editor and toolset when released. I have even been putting down ideas for a possible "Disclosure 2" because even after the 10 missions of the first mod, there's still many ways in which I could continue it.


Is there anything you would like to say to the community as a whole?

I'd just like to thank everyone who has in someway helped me along the way, including all of those people who have sent in feedback about Disclosure and my work in general. Also, a big thanks to everyone who has helped the community - other mappers (hello Geist), tutorial writers (Steve Tack), the community websites (Eberon @ DeusEx-Machina.com; The Renegade Master @ Deus-Ex.org, Deus Ex Center, PDX and of course DXEditing) and anyone else who has had a positive effect, including BigCountry for hosting what I remember to be one of the best DXMP servers around.



Copyright 2001 | Design by AsylumX | Coded by Jim