Interview:
The World Foundry
The Amiga games market is hotting up, and there are lots of new, ambitious games on the way. Definitely in that category is Explorer 2260 by The World Foundry. As a relatively new software house, what do they think of the current Amiga situation? Erik Elgersma finds out.
|
After loads of tosh and drivel not fit for publication, the interrogation finally begins. Topic of discussion is the recent Saku '98 show in Finland.
Dickie= Erik Elgersma, reporter extraordinaire
Kosh= Chris, of The World Foundry
Garibaldi= Ed Collins, of The World Foundry
|
<Dickie> Anyway, what did you guys think of Petro's amiga song? <Kosh> Haven't heard it TBH. Only saw his speech. <Garibaldi> Which I think told a bit more than usual. <Garibaldi> But mostly the happy happy stuff |
|
<Dickie> In what ways? <Garibaldi> Well he mentions giving out hardware to developers (or something like that I think) <Dickie> And cheap A1200s for usergroups... |
|
<Dickie> Do you think they'll be important (the usergroups that is) in the future of the Amiga? <Garibaldi> Can't remember exactly what else was said but it was slightly better than expected. <Garibaldi> Hm. Maybe. <Kosh> Problem is that they still intend to charge for things like the RKRMs (Rom Kernel Reference Manuals). Hell the RKRM's aren't even the latest version - they should allow Amigaguide version of it to be uploaded to Aminet or summin - you have no idea how much trouble most developers have getting hold of decent dev material. Sure there's the Amiga Dev <Kosh> CD, but that's only got the includes, autodocs and some examples. They should make things like RKRMS freely available, even if it's only the registered ones. <Garibaldi> Although I think supporting the developers more to help get software for the computer is needed. <Garibaldi> Yes I agree totally <Kosh> Usergroups are important - but they are really only a representation of the latent market. We need a push to bring in new users. |
|
<Dickie> Petro talks of a need (a project even) for new hardware, which will take some time, do you think they have the cash, the manpower, or just the will? <Kosh> The will: if Petro is an example, yes. The manpower: nope, the cash: nope. |
|
<Dickie> OS3.5 by november: do you think Jeff Schindler can pull it off? <Garibaldi> Hm. Maybe. <Garibaldi> I really hope they do. <Kosh> Depends. |
|
<Dickie> Reckon they're taking too much on too quickly? <Garibaldi> Well they should have been developing OS 3.5 ages ago. <Kosh> Nope, infact I think it's not enough, too late. They've let the market slide for a long time and have to do a lot of work to get it back again. <Kosh> They've had, what is it, 8 or 9 months to pull their act together.... <Garibaldi> It's a year since AI was bought by GW2K |
|
<Dickie> Don't you think it would take that to sort out two years of chaos and messing up? <Garibaldi> But then what have they been doing to try and sustain the market. They've stayed quiet and appear to be doing nothing, so more leave to pastures new. |
|
<Dickie> Do you think their "Amiga hymn" and "'98 will be a fun ride" approach is going to work for them? <Kosh> Dunnow. IMHO they are just tactics to try to stabilise the current market. Sure, that's very necessary, but people want hard facts and solid products rather than songs and promises. <Garibaldi> Telling people everything is going to be great and the Amiga is back I think isn't fooling anybody. <Garibaldi> They just don't appear to anybody to be doing anything. |
|
<Dickie> What do you think of Petro "unintentionally" mentioning Netscape may well be integrated into OS3.5/4? <Dickie> Has it got anything to do with Windows 98 and the Explorer browser integration thing? <Garibaldi> Well if it's true, it would be a good thing. Netscape is something that all computer users have heard of. <Garibaldi> Hm. Don't know. Maybe. <Kosh> I don't know if it would happen though. |
|
<Dickie> Also, what do you think of Petro's statement that P5, H&P, Fleecy and some other dude are all working as a team on OS3.5? Things are hotting up, eh? <Kosh> Well, I've not heard that confirmed - if it's true then it's very good. <Garibaldi> Hm. I don't know how P5 and H&P will work together well after P5's latest antics in the Powerup v warpos battle. <Dickie> It's in his Finnish Saku Amiga show speech- hot off the press. (Well it was then- Erik) <Dickie> http://tzimmola.tky.hut.fi/saku/saku98/transcript.html <Kosh> Yep, I read it.. and heard it several weeks ago too <Dickie> Seems the P5 - H & P wars are over already <Garibaldi> I doubt it. <Kosh> Ah, well.. I wouldn't lay money on it. |
|
<Dickie> They're also promising low-end and high-end developer kits for release at WOA 98 in November, does that help to ease your problems with the RKRM? <Garibaldi> Well as long as developers actually can get RKRM books for free. <Garibaldi> Or updated versions of it. <Kosh> It should all be on the dev CD IMHO :) |
|
<Dickie> Will you buy the high-end kit come November though? <Dickie> Or do you want it distributed among developers as standard? <Kosh> Depends on how much cash I have - I spent nearly £500 on my system before Christmas - not easy when you are on a student income <Garibaldi> I think if a developer approached AI for a program (be game or app) they should prehaps give them a kit on the condition that they finish it or something like that. |
|
<Dickie> What systems do you all rely on to develop Explorer? <Garibaldi> I've got a 18MB 030 A1200 with SCSI Cd rom drive, zip drive and Microvetic 1438 monitor. <Dickie> How are you developing the PPC side, does one of you actually own one of those godly things? <Kosh> I've got 1200T, 030/ 882 (soon to be PPC), 18Mb Mem, 4xCd drive, 2Gb HD, other bits & pieces.. George has a 4000...with PPC |
|
<Dickie> AI said they heard from developers that business was picking up, do you think that could be true? Seeing GH are leaving etc. <Garibaldi> I'm not too sure. <Garibaldi> Nothing I've heard really showed that. <Kosh> Don't know. As vulcan started Wasted dreams again, it would appare there may be.. can't say. Sadeness don't sem too pleased though. <Garibaldi> CB seem happy enough with Myst sales. <Kosh> That's true.. although that's not really a big surprise given Myst's quality. |
|
<Dickie> They also stated that G2K will support them/ donate cash, how commited do you think they are? Do you believe them? <Dickie> Do you think Quake is going to be a massive hit for them? <Kosh> Quake may be.. they have caused themselves a lot of damage by postponing the PPC version though. A lot of people had preordered that apparently and got very disillusioned when they announced the delays. <Garibaldi> And cancelled the preorders too. <Dickie> Surely not... that would be suicide almost. |
|
<Dickie> Do you think it's wrong they're concentrating on the 68K? Or is it simply business sense? <Dickie> Does 68K series have anything to offer Quake at all? <Kosh> 68K is too slow for Quake IMHO - even an 060 stuggles to get a decent framerate <Garibaldi> Not really. Only playable on an 060 with GFX card |
|
<Dickie> Do you think it should have been PPC only to begin with? <Garibaldi> No. But the ppc version should be high priority. <Garibaldi> Infact should have been released at the same time. In the same box. <Garibaldi> But must have been that powerup/warpos debacle that might have affected things. |
|
<Dickie> What do you think of the CE approval of the PPC cards for desktop machines, is this a blessing, or will it cause people to not upgrade and stay desktop, without a tower. <Kosh> Have they? :) Didn't know that. I doubt it would make a lot of difference - a lot of people seem to want the tower anyway for the expansion room <Garibaldi> well it must be a good thing. Not all would want to go and stick in a tower. <Garibaldi> Like to hold onto their old machines. |
|
<Dickie> Has the mass towering up been a massive blessing for hardware cos? <Dickie> Will it be vital in years to come? <Garibaldi> The likes of the power tower where it is very easy to make is good. <Garibaldi> I'll be getting one soonish. ;) <Dickie> Everyone seems to be ;) <Garibaldi> Certainly provides the option to expand more after that too. <Kosh> Should have been in boxes from the start. After all, a custom case must have cost nearly as much as a bog standard PC case. <Dickie> Wasn't the mobility of the custom cases, ie. for in front of the TV a la Spectrum style? <Kosh> Dunnow really.. |
|
<Dickie> Last question: what would you say to a PC user to convince them of the Amiga's abilities? <Garibaldi> Um. <Garibaldi> Thats a tricky one. <Garibaldi> At the moment it would be hard to think of anything apart from a great OS that still works well with some of the third party additions. <Garibaldi> I'd maybe wait a while and then show them E2260 and M&M in action. :) <Dickie> You would, wouldn't you ;) |
|
<Dickie> Well, that's just about it... <Dickie> Thanks for your time over these two conversations... <Garibaldi> No problem at all. |