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26/04/2002 Interview with Thomas Kollmeier- author of F1 Sprint
How long did F1 Sprint originally take from initial idea to full release to complete?
The basic game engine was done in about a weekend. I had one car that you could drive around on the screen and one track layout with simple wall code to keep you in bounds. I was surprised at how much fun it was to fly around the screen with this tiny stick figure as a car. And so I decided to develop it into a finished game with all the trimmings. The complete game, with the menus, high scores, bonuses, etc. took about six months to finish and it was more work that I ever expected.
Why F1 Sprint- were you a fan of the original Atari version (I was addicted to 'Badlands' on the Atari STE)?
My original plan was to recreate the old original black & white game, you know the one with the white dotted track outline and the oil slicks that had the word OIL written on them. I thought the 4-color grayscale screens would be perfect for the Palm platform. But as I added more features and a color version it started looking more like the later sequal version of the game from the late 80's. I was a huge fan of that game back in the day.
What developments can we expect to see in the future and when?
The next version will have exploding cars, better sound effects, more tracks, more wrenches, and smarter computer opponents. The exploding cars feature is more than just a special effect, it is part of the strategy of the race. You can crash your opponent into a wall to slow him up, or can get caught up in a three-way accident. Computer cars will now be required to get three wrenches before getting a bonus, but they are now smart enough to turn around and get the wrench instead of just driving past it. And sometimes multiple wrenches will appear during a race. Oh, and did I mention the Practice mode? You'll be able to drive solo on any track and try out all the bonus upgrades. All this should be released in a few weeks.
Do you have plans to work on any other games/applications for the Palm platform?
So many ideas, so little time. I've always wanted to do an isometric 3-D marble game (hint, hint), and I have an original idea for a helicopter dogfight game. But my immediate plans are to get F1 Sprint rolled out, then finish the sneek peek game from my web site. After that I'll have to see what ideas look do-able.
What PDA do you use and why?
I have 3 PDA's, all Handsprings. I have the original Visor Solo, the color Visor Prism, and a silver Visor Edge. I keep the Solo around so I can make sure my games run on 16Mhz devices. I do all my color testing on the Prism, and use the Edge as my personal organizer because it's thin and easy to carry. I preferred the Prism over the IIIc because it had a faster processor and supported 65 thousand colors. I liked the Edge over the Palm V because of the integrated metal flip lid and the chrome buttons. At the time I got my Handsprings, the first Sony devices were still new on the scene and I didn't think they measured up to Sony's usual stylish design standards. Lately, however, the Clie's are looking very stylish and think they are helping keep the Palm platform competitive with Pocket PC's. Although I still like the Handsprings, I predict that my next PDA will be a Clie with a built-in MP3 player.
If you could add one (yet to be invented) feature to a PDA what would it be?
As a developer I'd like better sound support. A lot of good games have very annoying sound (mine included) because of the restrictions of the platform. As a user I'd like to see an FM radio add-on module. It would be nice to current news and entertainment without the expense and complication of wirelessly logging on to the internet.
Who's your favourite music artist and your favourite song (and why to both)?
I have to say that my all-time favorite music artist is Sade. I like a lot of different kinds of music, but I always come back to Sade and I never get tired of listening to any of her music. My all-time favorite Sade song is "Is It A Crime". I really dig the sax. Over all I like jazz, R&B, and also dance/club/techno. I listen to classical music in the morning, jazz at night, and club music on the weekends.
What's your favourite PDA application by another developer?
I have to give it up for Tim Smith's "Froggy". It's one of the best recreations of a classic arcade game for the Palm and the sound effects are really impressive considering the limitations of the platform.
What's the best piece of feedback you have received for F1 Sprint?
That's a tough one. There may be no one best piece of feedback, but there's a certain type of feedback that's really funny. The best type of feedback is from adults who sound like kids. They write emails to me something like "Hey man, awesome game. Played it until my thumbs were sore." But then their automatic email signature says they're the managing director of some big company. I have to laugh.
The other game on your site- what's the working title and will it be available in the near future (looks superb!)?
The sneek peek game on my web site is meant to be a faithful recreation of a classic arcade game. While F1 Sprint deviates somewhat from it's arcade inspiration, this new game will be a much more authentic recreation. The title of the original game was a nonsensical word which was actually the name of the boss robot that appeared at the end of each level. The working title of my game is 'Attack Zone' which is more relevent to the gameplay but also reminds one of the original title. You're reading it here first folks! Once F1 Sprint is out I will be working on it and I hope to have it out as soon as possible.
Thanks to Thomas for taking the time to do the interview- trust me when I say that F1 Sprint is a VERY addictive game. It was the first Palm game I purchased and it still gets played regularly to this day. Available here.