[PDX] The ubiquitous question: when will it be done?

[E] With the newest and seemingly last patch out, we're slowly speeding up production of the mod. Right now, other than that, we're not going to go into any specifics



[PDX] Are there any other major sources of inspiration for the team besides Team Fortress?

[G] Well, a lot of us are big sci-fi fans, so of course we've drawn from the "cultural stream" there. I can't think of any specific outside influence on the game, but the plot and setting of the single-player DX was a big factor. In fact, other than the original TF and TFC, we drew almost all the stuff in DXF from the DX storyline or our own imaginations. Just to cover my ass, though, I want to say that there may be some obvious rip-offs of outside material (probably in the context of a parody) in the game when it's released, but I can't think of any now.



[PDX] Is the Reason for the recent change in leads public information? EternalSpark was rather cagey about why exactly his 'Net time was going to be curtailed.

[G] I think he just wants it to be left at "personal matters." There's some things in his life that need to be straightened out, and they're going to take time. He doesn't want to lead a project that he won't be able to devote himself wholeheartedly to, and I applaud him for it. It was a tough decision, I'm sure.

[E] Look, I ain't saying. Period. :)

[PDX] In what ways do you think the change in Project leads will effect the project?

[G] I'd like to think that the project was working well before, and I'm going to do my best to adhere to the credo "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I don't think there's anything broke here ;-)

[PDX] How to the other members of the Team feel about the change?

[G] I was really pleased to see a lot of posts in the private forum supporting Spark's choice. Even the other members who were under consideration said they were happy with the choice. Of course, it's possible there's somebody sulking in the back of the room and secretly plotting my demise, but the majority seems to be cool with it, and I have yet to hear any vocalized dissent.



[PDX] An interesting thing about your Team is that you have a dedicated Public Relations member. What exactly is his function, and why was it considered necessary to have a PR department?

[G] Well, I think everybody needs PR sometimes. Just look at Bush O_¤ Fatal sets up interviews and deals with advertisement, and he isn't just for PR. He also does research when team members need to find something. I'm not 100% sure why Sparks took him on, but we're all glad to have him.

[PDX] What level editing/mod experience (besides the Deus Ex SDK) do you have?

[G] I was almost hoping you weren't gonna ask me that. I'm a senior in college, majoring in Computer Engineering. I've had around 20 credit hours of programming courses, and had informal experience prior to that. Other than my schooling, though, I really haven't done much in the way of "real" coding. I made a few levels for HalfLife that never got released, so at least I understand a bit about the workings of an FPS engine, but I would like to make it publicly known that while I lead the mod, Pigpen leads the coders, and I'm at the back of that proverbial pack.

[E] I worked on a mod for Half Life known as Alien Invasion. It was a great idea, but it crapped out for a number of reasons. I hope that maybe someday I can brink AI into DX - thinking about all the stuff we had ideas for it would be WAY easier to do in DX.

[PDX] What is your policy for releasing information about the mod such as screenshots and class information to the public?

[G] Um, policy? Huh. Well, Fatal is our PR officer, so I plan to run most of what I post anywhere by him, if I can help it. I don't worry too much about "leaking" anything to the public, because it's like the guys on ION's forums said -- a great mod is not really made by great ideas. If you had an idea, chances are that ten or twenty or a hundred other guys had that idea at some point too. The difference is if you have the ability and the ambition to act on it. Frankly, if the public had access to our private forum, I don't think anybody would "steal" our ideas, because as I say chances are that the public already has similar ideas. We're just the ones who are going to bring those ideas to life.