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Interview with Vulcans Marble-Eyes Development Team


Q: I remember downloading a preview of Genetic Species from Aminet made by Ambrosia and now you are called Marble-Eyes what has happened?

MeD: Our full name is Marble-eyes Development. Our game started as a good demo effect, but at this point our coder was more or less alone on this project and a member of the demogroup called Ambrosia. The Genetic Species engine was first shown the Gathering96 in Norway and got a lot of positive criticism. After this event the other members in Ambrosia seem to care more about other demo productions, and the coder was therefore forced into an alternative arrangement of finding someone to do the job.

Finally a very talented graphician reply an e-mail and process began to speed up. Later on Martin Halberg our audioman joined the team and our demo effect began to look a lot more like a game. We all decided to leave behind the demo scene and concentrate on game development, therefore it seem natural to restart under a new name.

Q: When did Vulcan Software get into the picture?

MeD: The demo from the Gathering96 was put on Aminet and downloaded by Vulcan. They liked it and saw potential in it's concept so they contacted us and a contract was signed on 1st of December 1996.

Q: Try to describe Genetic Species using 50 words.

MeD: Based on Paradroid this game offers furiously invigorating and thrilling 3d action with an amount of details not seen on the Amiga for along time. Lots of puzzles, atmosphere and gameplay. 200 MB intro animation, 30 mins of CD music and 29000 lines of optimised 68k assembler.

Q: 46 words that's close . The Amiga has seen many doom clones, is there anything new about your game?

MeD: The speed, the playability, the atmosphere and support for everything worth a mention. Not at least your unique ability (and need) to take over the bodies of humans, cyborgs and droids, which has proven to work very well in a 3d environment. We believe it is unfair to call GS for a doom clone. In fact we use the 3d environment as a platform to build an adventure game. Imagine the year 2034 you startup your big virtual reality machine and enters a cyberspace with no boundaries. Would you say: "awesome doom clone man!"

Q: Why do you think Genetic Species is better than other 3d games.?

MeD: GS features a original plot that is well combined with the story and gameplay. The plot in the game is not just for decoration. Once you start playing a weak and twisted story line begins to unfold. Shooting every thing that moves will get you nowhere and that gives Genetic Species the edge.

Q: Tell us a secret no one outside Marble-eyes knows!

MeD: We are aliens from Alpha Centauri and have made plans to rule the world before the millennium.

Q: What can we expect from Marble-eyes in the future?

MeD: Well, we are here to stay! Our motivation and passion for computer science continues and we have big plans for Genetic Species before we start on another game. First up is a multiplayer AddOn with TCP/IP support. This means that you will be able to play over the internet. We hope to create the first useful internet game for the Amiga, if not Mr. Burkey beats us there. However this multiplayer AddOns will be infected with all sort of pirate protections something we didn't have time to do on the CD-ROM. With 4 years of demo coding experience and reverse engineering of demos I should be able to give the cracker and good headache and at the time this AddOn is cracked a new one is out.

Q: Speaking of piracy. How is Genetic Species doing?

MeD: We haven't done anything to prevent piracy yet, but the size of the game is more than 600 MB which makes a natural limit for BBS/Internet piracy. Still there are jerks out there who rather will spent two days online than to support the future of the Amiga. However most people are supporting an Amiga specific game. An issue our sales at the WOA show outlined in style!

-paul carrington