Friday, 10 November 2000 - Mar
The Rising Star of Aus Mapping

    [Mar] Ok, so I guess we better start with the basics. Tell us about yourself. Name, Nick, Age, Breast size etc :)

    [ShoveL] Erm, Sean Edwards, ShoveL, 24, bigguns! I live in Newcastle Australia and I dig mapn!

    [Mar] lol

    [ShoveL] No pun intended

    [Mar] Sif pun ;)


    The man himself.


    [Mar] What about your game history. When did you start and what have you been playing.

    [ShoveL] I got an Atari 2600 when I was 4, owned every Commodore machine there was, then had a brief stint with consoles before finnaly seeing the light and buying myself a PC.

    [Mar] 0ld 5|<00l3r.

    [ShoveL] Some might say that, but those Quake1 freaks would dissagree :P

    [Mar] hehe.

    [Mar] What started you off into mapping.

    [ShoveL] Um, at the time I bought my PC, I was realy addicted to games and I wanted some way to learn some skills on how to make them. A friend of mine had Duke Nukem Atomic addition which had all the Build Engine tools and tutorials so I spent the next 2 months doing nothing but learning to map for it.

    [ShoveL] This was back in 97.

    [Mar] How many maps did you make for Dukem?

    [ShoveL] A few, but only 2 serious ones, 1 was a single player level called Command Centre and the other Trench Rain was designed just for multiplayer and was an outdoor area with trenches running everywhere with rain and stuff...

    [Mar] Caw.. Wouldnt mind seeing that rain one ;)

    [ShoveL] Yeah I've actualy considered building it for Q3.

    [Mar] Q3 cant do rain very well tho :T Need a 40gig cpu and GeForce SLI GTR DDR 256 Supra Extra Millennium Edition Plus.

    [Mar] Or something.

    [ShoveL] Yer it just doesnt work in Q3 cause you have to do many shader pass' to get any density in the rain.

    [Mar] Yeah.. Big shame I reckon... Would have been really cool... All atmospheric and stuff.

    [ShoveL] Yeah they could have implemented it a different way.

    [Mar] Yeah.

    [Mar] Many mappers find making maps more enjoyable than playing the game itself. Whats your take on this?

    [ShoveL] I'd have to say I'm about 50/50 with the map making and map playing.

    [ShoveL] I realise that if I don't play enough I won't understand gameflow enough to execute it well in my maps.

    [Mar] Yeah.

    [Mar] How do you begin a map. What are the stages you go through.

    [ShoveL] Erm like most other mappers I know or have read interviews about, I sometimes design on graph paper first to get a good idea of what i want to do, but other times like with Q3Shov3 it started out as an experiment to try a certain architecture or style and somehow turns into a map.

    [Mar] Do you have a particular style you try and stick to with your maps? And if so, why?

    [ShoveL] No not particularly, I think it's important for a mapper to be flexible in what kinds of styles they can build, if you land a job with a game developer your going to have to construct what they want and if all you can do is gothic architecture then your not gunna be much good to them :)

    [Mar] Good point.


    Oblivion Temple. A beautifully detailed map.


    [Mar] What sort of maps do you find more enjoyable to make. Single player. Team deathmatch. Free for all. Or Duel?

    [ShoveL] Well I think single player is what i realy want to do, but I've been building Multiplayer maps because of the replay value they have and in turn better exposure to the community, but I have been wanting to get stuck into a Half-Life SP map.

    [Mar] What is it about single player maps you enjoy?

    [ShoveL] I like to be absorbed into a game, Half-Life, System Shock2 and AVP for example, realy sucked me in, and many times I nearly drew mud while playing them. I guess it's just the whole role playing thing and being able to do something that just wouldn't happen in reality.

    [Mar] How do you feel about the current trend of FPS games, being mainly multiplayer targeted.

    [ShoveL] I think it's great, and see it as a natural progression for games in general. With broadband becoming more available, the types of games we'll have in the future are going to be more and more focused on large interactive worlds. I don't think Single plyer games will ever go away, because theres still a need for games that tell a great story, just like ppl still read novells.

    [Mar] Yeah I agree... Probly see a merging of both styles.. Large multiplayer games where armies fight armies of computer controlled opponents... Or something.

    [ShoveL] Yeah, I'm waiting for the MMOG war game where every thing in it is controlled by humans, ground forces, air forces, sea forces.

    [Mar] Sounds a bit like codename eagle ;)

    [Mar] That game was heaps fun.

    [ShoveL] Hehe yeah it r0x.

    [ShoveL] Pity its got so many problems.

    [Mar] Yeah :T

    [Mar] And sif you'd sniper someone from a airship 4billion miles up in the sky :/

    [ShoveL] lol >:)

    [Mar] I tried it and had trouble hitting the side of a hill :/

    [Mar] You seem to acheive a high amount of detail in your maps, while maintaining excellent flow and playability (even on low spec PC's). Is this something you conciously set out to do? Or does it just happen as you build?

    [ShoveL] I try to get as much detail in as possible but I'm always conciously aware of maintaining consistent frame rates, I spent some amount of time getting an understanding of the technology behind the engine and what are the best methods to achieve certain effects, using correct constructions techniques, detail brushes, caulking, area portals and hint brushes.

    [Mar] Yeah I think thats the important thing... Sure its great to create detailed and stunning maps.. But if you cant play in it whats the use.

    [ShoveL] Yeah and its something you see in many games, you have to work within certain constraints.

    [Mar] Yeah.

    [Mar] You work pretty hard on projects you are involved with. But never publicly release the material until you are happy with it and deem it finished. Often leaving many people hanging for the realease ;). How do you handle being constantly asked by people when the project will be finished. And how do you finally come to the conlusion that the project is completed and ready for release.

    [ShoveL] I'm pretty fussy, I do have a small group of freinds that I let see any new work and to offer some constructive feedback, I don't mind people asking me cause it's reasuring to know that they like my work.

    [ShoveL] I usualy decide a project is finnsihed when I can't stand the sight of it any more and i want to move onto something new.

    [Mar] Hehe.

    [Mar] How much input do playtesters have on your maps?

    [ShoveL] In the past I was pretty stuborn to take any critical advice, but recently I've found it pretty valuable, I usualy get them to comment on item layout and to point out an graphical anomalies that I may have missed i.e. missaligned textures.

    [Mar] How many playtesters do you usually get to test out your map? And do you try and get testers of various skill?

    [ShoveL] There are about 10 or so guys I know who are pretty skilled players and I trust their opinion because of their skill, I don't realy see a need to get newbie's to offer feedback, i just make sure I clip off any thing that might snag a player and frustrate them :)

    [Mar] So what maps / apps etc have you created so far. And how successful have they been.

    [ShoveL] You want a list?

    [ShoveL] :P

    [Mar] Yeah ;)

    [ShoveL] 2 DukeNukem maps.

    [ShoveL] 1 Quake1 map.

    [ShoveL] 3 Quake2 maps.

    [ShoveL] 5 Quake3 maps.

    [ShoveL] I'm currently Project lead for a Quake3 Totoal Conversion called Q3tanx which is based loosley on the old game Scortched Earth.

    [ShoveL] I made 2 maps for the q3 mod Classic Quake Arena, a CQA version of Steel Belted and a remake of Q1Dm5 The Cistern.


    Steel Belted. Only apply if you have nerves of... well, steel :)
    The most tense, fast action to be found.


    [Mar] Didnt you also do some promotional material for Newcastle Gamers League?

    [ShoveL] Yeah I made a level based on the venue where most of their LAN's take place.

    [ShoveL] Ive had varying degress of succes with my maps.

    [Mar] Cool.

    [Mar] What, in your opinion, is the best thing you have created so far. And why.

    [ShoveL] I think Q3Shov3 was a turning point in my skill, I think I nailed the gameplay pretty good and it looks pretty sweet to :P


    More Steel Belted. No time to look at the architecture.
    Just keep moving!


    [ShoveL] But Q3Tanx would have to be my biggest project yet, it incorporates so many areas of the things I've learned.

    [ShoveL] Mapping, design, programming.


    The Q3Tanx HUD. Complete with wind speed, compass, and more.


    [Mar] I notice you seem to enjoy including new innovative and 'fun' ideas into your maps. Such as the Quad jump in Oblivion Temple. Great features that really make your maps stand out from the rest.

    [ShoveL] Yeah Oblivion Temple, to get the quad you need to have the Portable teleporter, then you can hurl your self into a deep chasm and guid yourself onto the quad which is floating half way down.

    [ShoveL] Then teleport out of there.

    [ShoveL] Or you'll die.

    [Mar] Yeah its loads of fun... Your model even screams on the way down LOL.

    [Mar] Flying towards a pit of spikes....


    The Quad Pit. In all its gory ;).


    [ShoveL] Yeah, it's something I noticed didn't happen in id's maps, in any of the maps where you fall into the void and you scream only you hear it, but I worked out away so that anyone nearby would also hear it :)

    [Mar] Hehe, its a great feature.

    [Mar] Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa "Someones getting the quad!" Hehe.

    [Mar] Do you look up to any other mappers as role models or as insperation. Or for that matter any other people.

    [ShoveL] There are a lot of mappers I admire, I can't say I favour anyone in particular.

    [ShoveL] Mapping is very much an artform.

    [Mar] Yeah.

    [Mar] So what does a hardcore mapper think of the current 'popular' maps in Quake3? T4, DM13, DM6, T2.

    [ShoveL] I've never been a big fan of T4, It's to one sided especialy when against a good railer who is camping the RA.

    [ShoveL] Dm13 is cool.

    [ShoveL] Dm6 is cool.

    [ShoveL] I realy like T2.

    [Mar] In your opinion, which maps (from any game) do you believe are the absolute best in their field. And what do you look for in maps to come to such a conclusion.

    [ShoveL] Ooo thats a tough question.

    [ShoveL] The assault map Ocean Floor in UT is the coolest concept I've ever seen.

    [Mar] Dont think ive seen that one...

    [ShoveL] Some of the stuff level Lord did for Duke nukem was incredible also.

    [ShoveL] There are so many factors that make a map realy shine, concept, construction, theme, execution, gameplay, flow etc...

    [Mar] What projects are you currently working on?

    [ShoveL] Q3Shov4 will be out soon, it supports 3 on 3 CTF, FFA and Duel, It's how you say and unorthodox style of map.


    The as yet un-named Q3Shov4. In the underground sections.


    [Mar] Yeah Q3shov4 owns... The terrain is awesome.




    The outside of Q3Shov4.


    [ShoveL] And Q3Tanx my TC which is actualy a final major project for my App programming Diploma.


    A very early version of what will be a Q3Tanx battlefield ;).


    [Mar] And what projects are you considering in the future.

    [ShoveL] Well I realy want to tackle an SP map, I'm still deciding which Game I'm going to use? other than that I finnish my studies in a month and I'll be out looking for work, Hire Me Mr Game Developer! :P

    [Mar] Hehe.

    [Mar] So how would you like to see yourself in 10 years time.

    [ShoveL] Project lead on some big titles for some well known game company ;)

    [Mar] Sounds good... I couldnt think of a person more deserving ;)

    [ShoveL] Mind you in 10 years time we'll probly be plugin some sort of jack into the back of our neck :P

    [Mar] Haha.

    [Mar] Well thats it I think. Thanks for your time, and good luck on Q3Tanx!

    [ShoveL] Thanx Mar!

Be sure to check out ShoveL's Site for updates on future releases, and also to grab his stuff. Have a look at Oblivion Temple, and his Q3 version of Q2DM1 (best version going), my personal favourites.