[PDX] Which would you call Hotel Carone: a Modification or a Fan-made Mission?

[carone] "Mod" seems to be used(when associated with playable missions, not "mini-mods") for a project that has alot more than just new maps and maybe a few custom classes.
In that case I'd have to call Hotel Carone a mod. It has lots of new code, models and textures. Altogether more than 100 custom classes.

[PDX] How long HAS Hotel Carone been in development?

[c] About 1 1/2 years, with short breaks in between.

[PDX] Style of design: "work like mad for 48 hours, then leave it alone for a week," or a "little bit every day"?

[c] More like the latter. Constantly working on it, with short breaks every few weeks. Of course, long sessions of working on it weren't rare. ;)

[PDX] At what point did you realize the project was more than just an experiment?

[c] Probably when the PDX contest came up. I saw a chance of doing rather well in that contest, but I was aiming too high and couldn't finish it on time. It was well worth submitting it anyway, though, in my opinion. :)

[PDX] As you worked on the project, you undoubtedly gained new skills and learned new tricks. Was it a problem to integrate this new knowledge with older work that wasn't as well-executed?

[c] Yes, it did. It caused some of the delay. I went back and changed what I didn't like anymore. There still is lots of things I don't like, but at some point one has to give up on that or it will never get finished.

[PDX] How did you develop the Story and Plot in a project that started out as an experiment? Did you just allow it to play second-fiddle?

[c] At first, definitely yes, since I didn't build the maps around a story but I created a story to suit the map I was working on(the hotel map). Once I had a basic idea of what this plot was going to be, that changed a bit.

[PDX] What kept you working on the same project for such an extended period of time?

[c] I've been asking myself the same question many times. ;) Actually, I think partly because of the comments I've been getting on my work in progress, and especially the "honorable mention" by Warren Spector. The main thing that kept me going was that it was simply fun making this mod. You're a level designer yourself, I'm sure you can confirm that editing games is highly addictive. [Indeedy. -Ed.]

[PDX] Any lessons learned that would be helpful to other modders?

[c] Don't quit. Actually releasing something big is quite exciting. :)

[PDX] Now that you've released, what do you plan to do next, outside of a patch with bugfixes(if necessary)?

[c] I should concentrate on my studies a bit more now. But I will also be making a map or two for a friend of mine who is creating his own 3D game engine. And I will keep going to #dxediting on irc.starchat.net to flood the channel(and to help people with Deus Ex editing related problems, of course). ;)