"Behind The Code": W. Lee (Part 1/2)

DanQ · August 7, 2003, 23:17

The first part of the first "Behind The Code" interview set, where ex-Activisioners talk with Apolyton CS' Locutus about the Call To Power series and in particular the second title in light of its pending source code release, is now online.

Winnie "St. Swithin" Lee was on the Civilization: Call To Power design team along with James Farley, Jason Feffer and Brad Santos. On Call To Power II, she worked alongside Dan Hagerty and Tony Evans. In looking back, she discusses the highlights and low points of her gaming career in relation to her work on CTP. Blacklisted by the industry for two-and-a-half years running, Lee discusses the good and bad of people and events around her, her positive outclook on the pending release of the Call To Power II source code and why she cannot play the games she worked so hard to contribute on.

The second and final part of the one-on-one chat with Lee will be posted on August 21st. Comments on the first instalment are welcomed in this thread.

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Dan; Apolyton CS

Atahualpa · August 8, 2003, 02:20

nice

nevertheless I'd like to hear more info on the actual development of C:CTP and CTP2. What problems did they run into with the code? What were the worst limitations and work arounds?
And finally what are the most basic things to consider when trying to work with the code? What is considered to be the "best" part of the CTP2 source?

ata

J Bytheway · August 8, 2003, 06:37

Thanks for that, to all involved

.

I look forward eagerly to part 2

. You imply that there may be more such interviews - is that a certainty, or a hope?

Maquiladora · August 8, 2003, 08:17

Indeed id like to hear what they had planned if they had time to do everything they wanted with the game. (besides the bits that can already be found in the txt files)

child of Thor · August 8, 2003, 09:27

Very interesting

And in some small way makes up for the 'pulled' chat from the other day

Im sad that it appears St.Swithin was really roasted by the industry.....hmmm i think 'they' deserve a stars wars quote,
'The more systems[people,customers etc] you squeeze in your grip, the more will slip through your fingers'.

We have a thing called the 'Internet' these days guys, so you should all remember that ancient saying,
'What goes around, comes around'.

ahenobarb · August 8, 2003, 10:42

dp

Solver · August 8, 2003, 12:35

Wouter.

centrifuge · August 8, 2003, 14:39

Good Stuff, Good Stuff

hexagonian · August 8, 2003, 15:41

As usual, a sad story of a game rushed out the door before it is completed, but based on the problems that Activision had at the time, they had to ship before Christmas to recoup their investment. So it is not suprising that when initial sales probably did not meet the goals, they pulled the plug.

That's business...the key words being that Activsion realized that 'development was unprofitable' to them.

I'm still amazed that CTP2 actually sold 750,000 copies. I was under the impression that it was 1/10 of that figure.

Either way it does not come close to the civ3 numbers. Stick Sid's name on a box and you are guaranteed 1,000,000 right off the bat.

Dale · August 8, 2003, 17:34

Winnie:

It is indeed a testament to the game that we have taken "your baby" and modified it. I for one stand and applaud the work you guys did. This game has had me keep coming back to it for 2.5 years now, and my fiance hates it, especially during the period I was writing SAP2 and WAW mods.

Thanks heaps.

Solver · August 8, 2003, 19:24

Quote:

Stick Sid's name on a box and you are guaranteed 1,000,000 right off the bat.

Well, Sid deserved it. Colonization, Civ 1, Pirates... masterpieces.

DanQ · August 8, 2003, 19:46

Quote:

Originally posted by J Bytheway
[..]

You imply that there may be more such interviews - is that a certainty, or a hope?

It's a certainty.

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Dan; Apolyton CS

Immortal Wombat · August 9, 2003, 09:27

cool

Thanks to all.

Frozzy · August 10, 2003, 00:21

Wonderful Locutus and Dan

I eagerly await the next installment. Who are the other coders you are planning to inderview? I assume Ogre is one?

DanQ · August 10, 2003, 23:50

Quote:

Originally posted by Frozzy
[..] Who are the other coders you are planning to inderview?

Just wait and see...

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Dan; Apolyton CS

WesW · August 11, 2003, 03:23

Looks like I dropped by at a good time... Hey, Winnie the (Lemur) Poo(h)!!!!
I'm glad to hear from you guys again, though I am saddened by what has happened to you these last couple of years. Is there nothing you can do about the blacklisting? The stuff with the game seems trivial to being shut out of a career you love.
I still think about you from time to time when I remember the mostly ill-fated public beta testing for Ctp II. I can't remember the designer's name who tried to make that work, I am sure it was one of the guys you mentioned in the interview. Anyway, I knew it was a bad sign for the game when he couldn't even get the mail room to send out our copies of the beta until weeks had passed. It just seems that everything I ever hear about Activision's management style reeks of old farts who treat game marketing like selling soap. They took over the publishing for the new game I am working on now, and already you hear things on the Total War .org forums about the situation.
Anyway, I hope you can maybe get together with Richard Myers and discuss what it was like. He was let go right after the patch came out, but he contacted me by email and helped me out with some stuff when I was delving deep into the text and AI files. He was "unsatisfied" with how things were rushed out, too, and tried to help with my mod work for a couple of months.

Anyway, glad to hear from you, and I hope things get better in the future.

Wes Whitaker

Locutus · August 11, 2003, 09:47

Thanks for the kind words, all. And thanks to St Swithin for participating.

Good to see you posting again, Wes

Quote:

nevertheless I'd like to hear more info on the actual development of C:CTP and CTP2. What problems did they run into with the code? What were the worst limitations and work arounds?

I think at least the modding community should already have a fairly good picture of this

Quote:

And finally what are the most basic things to consider when trying to work with the code? What is considered to be the "best" part of the CTP2 source?

Quote:

Indeed id like to hear what they had planned if they had time to do everything they wanted with the game.

This was only part 1 of 2. Patience

Tamerlin · August 12, 2003, 05:19

Very interesting interview... From my registration I read some stories about the game, its designers, Activision and its management. Before this interview I only had bits of informations, now I have a better idea of the whole picture.

The world of the companies is really a sad world...

Gilgamensch · August 12, 2003, 05:44

Good stuff

but this behaviour is nothing new.........if the boss didn't like you, you are getting blacklisted........And it is hard to get off this list.

Slax · October 1, 2003, 17:23

Can someone give me a hint about what she said in the Tony hawk thread? It has been deleted.

st_swithin · October 19, 2003, 17:18

Hi WesW! Good to hear from you. Sorry, I didn't even see this thread until today.

Slax: I took down the Tony Hawk thing because after reading it, I thought maybe I was wallowing a little too deeply in my own crapulence.

Dale: Run with it. I'm sure you'll make something better out of it!!