Oswald: Well, I seem like I know you quite well, considering the amount of time we spend talking considering the time difference,introduce yourself and give the Action players an idea as to who you are, where you are from and what are you're all about.   WetWired: Well, my real name is Brent Waller, and I live in a small town called Forest Hill, which is about an hour west of Brisbane, QLD Australia. I'm 20 and I don't really do much, but when I do, I design websites, I've only done a few but I did one for the local council here and I'm currently doing one for a fairly large Australian Carpet Company   Oswald: You Aussies have seemingly taken over the in the mapping community when it comes to Action. Is the community that strong down there? I remember when sites like Action out West were active and the Action Ladders were quite active.   WetWired: Yeah well both AOW itself and ladders down here have become pretty none exsistant, several people start one up every now and again but nothing really becomes of it, a clan member of mine Smurf has now started one up that looks promising, but well have to wait and see. As for a community, we all know each other (mostly) and help each other out where we can with ideas and testing, FiReWaLKeR can vouch for that when he complained that the last version of Matrix2 I sent him better be the last because he was sick of downloading it... :)   Oswald: I think some remember your Consortium web site, since you p1mped it quite often. That was a kick ass site design. You took it down recently, why was that? You plan on getting out of Action gaming or was the clan scene just becoming too much to handle?   WetWired: Actually it's back up now, but for a time there it was down because of several people in the clan were leaving for real life reasons, and we were having trouble getting quality new recruits...so I talked to a couple of the members and it seemed pretty clear that the best thing would be to quit while we were ahead and go down in style at least. But then everyone later decided that they didn't want to see it go, and some ex-members came back and well yeah, We're back!   Oswald: Good deal! One more Action site that is here to stay for awhile. Not to mention a site where people can actually go upload the most current versions of your maps when you revise it. Speaking of your maps, how long have you been mapping? Did you come into Action already knowing how to manipulate polygons and create the good looking maps you have been submitting?   WetWired: Well I came into AQ2 mapping knowing NOTHING of mapping, attempted doing something back with Doom 2, but all I could manage was a box, so I gave up and stuck to playing...but I probably started about june-august last year, I got Worldcraft, BSP, Qoole and some other mapping programs but settled on Qoole simply because it's far easier to use and understand for a newbie mapper (although doing Auto-CAD in high school helped) But I went into mapping wanting to do a Matrix map after seeing the movie and thinking it was perfect for AQ2. So I played around with Qoole and came up with a fairly detailed map, then I heard about r_speeds, at first I thought, "that's something for people with slow computers to worry about" and kept going, until I realised I had no idea how to do lighting etc. And as any mapper will tell you, NEVER RELEASE YOUR FIRST MAP, so I gave the map to TIGEReye, who used the idea and my lobby in the unreleased map Inside The Matrix (matrix.bsp) It didn't really turn out the way I orginally intended so I moved on to other things (nobeer to be precise) and told myself I'd come back to it one day, which I did!   Oswald: Yeah I remember when TIGEReye was talking to me about Matrix and you name was also included. That was good, but nothing really compared to what you created in Matrix2. Unfortunately, TIGEReye's Matrix was forgotten about when the Test Matrix went inactive. By the sounds of it then, you have bene planning Matrix2 for some time? Did you think this project came out how you wanted it to? I know you spoke of adding a rooftop, similar to the final scene of the movie.   WetWired: Yeah the original map I had, did have a rooftop and a pretty damn good helicopter I made, but yeah Matrix2 was going to have a roof too, but I decided, after comments from people, that the map would be too large with it and rounds would take too long to complete.   Oswald: What makes your maps different then most that are submitted to the AQMD?   WetWired: Well I think it's my originality, apart from nobeer and beer, none of my maps are the same, even the original matrix is completely different to Matrix2. But I like that, I mean who else has made pubs? who else made a mexican mansion? (tequila) I can't stand seeing all these city maps out there, it'll be a cold day in hell when you see one come from me   Oswald: And from what I have seen, most new mappers usually begin with a city map, usually after seeing Urban by Gerbil! But your maps do have a different style and feel to them. Have you run into any serious problems that you have not been able to overcome? I remember seeing the HOM (hall of mirros) effect on Tequila.   WetWired: The only real pain in the arse I get is leaks...the sad fact is when I usually get one I can't find in a few minutes, I get annoyed and give up on the map, I had an egyptian desert one like that with large pyramids and wind tunnels inside them but I gave up due to leaks. I did have a HOM effect in matrix2 in a small spot. but I managed to fix it. And there is one in Beer as well that I only noticed recently when you look in the front door of the pub from a certain angle   Oswald: Since the AQMD gets many questions related to mapping, such as, "I want to create a map." or "I have this great idea for a map, how can I make it?" Talk a little about how you go about creating your maps and what information would you pass along to the next would be mapper?   WetWired: Well I know a lot of people use Worldcraft, but I prefer Qoole, so go grab that and the texture editor Wally and just play around with the programs, don't expect to do big and fancy things at first, just make a room and expand, I find it's easy to make something you know, make your house or something. That's where nobeer and beer came from, they are 2 pubs in my town, but changed a fair bit for gameplay/speeds reasons.   Oswald: Yeah I remember when I got a hair to attempt my hand at mapping. That experience did not last very long. I think I got as far as making a box with a cylinder in it. I did not even make it to doors. ANd on top of that I was using Worldcraft. Did you find Qoole difficult to understand and use?   WetWired: Not really, I found it really easy, I even showed a friend of mine it and he was whipping up a starship troopers style map in about 3 hours   Oswald: Talk about your textures. DO you come up with your own creations or do you borrow from other maps. The AQMD has a " no illegal texture" policy, which does cause problems at some time. While we try to enforce this, there are maps which slip through simply because there are many games out there in which to rip textures from. ALthough this policy will not change, I'd like to hear what you think of the use of textures from other games? More specifically Unreal and Kingpin, since these have been used quite extensively in recent maps. Do these professionally designed textures add to the overall effect?   WetWired: I think textures make the map, gives it a personality, I got a lot of my textures from sites on the net, or edit exsiting ones...for example the walls on tequila are an edited version of the road in nobeer/beer! Taking textures from another game however takes away some of the fun of it too, I remember looking for textures for tequila, and just going "OMG!!! that is perfect!!!"   Oswald: Along with the texture issues, map standards and the desire for "quality" maps has been all the talk. AQMDs first map contest was our hope to spawn some new and unique maps. Regardless of the results, I enjoyed seeing the maps that were created from a multitude of different authors. How would you go about trying to get authors to create unique and quality maps?   WetWired: It's really the mappers own style that plays the key here, you can really see Gerbil and Ruskpricks style. You just need to play off your own attributes. I'm often depressed at some of the maps made, not mentioning names, but most of the maps could have some more effort put into them, I know its a bit cynical of me because I have only made the one Action Quake map, and mainly because High Voltage has been in production for ages (and still hasn't got very). I started on this map about 7 months ago, I quickly got involved with school and didn't have time for it. One think that mappers need to look at is creating a consistency. Levels that are just a mish mash of things put in with out any thought can be a bit disappointing, I guess its up to the mapper to make what they can. Textures are the best way to make detail, because you don't have to rely on brushes for detail. but then again, it's hard to make maps. By creating a feel to the map, you give it uniqueness, you can tell a good map, by the number of servers running it. And using other people textures can be good, but add some original ones, even just whack out Paintbrush and see what you can come up with.   Oswald: In an attempt to get maps tested and possibly get feedback to the author, what do you feel is a fair testing procedure? Should all maps be "officially" released or only those which stand out above the rest?   WetWired: Well firstly I'd crack down on the urban clones, I release a lot of work may have went into their creation, but not a lot of thought...I mean how hard is it to places a few boxes far enough apart for a strafe jump?   Oswald: So you have seen the testing procedures and the forum in the Staging Area, which people can comment on how a map is doing in general categories (ie: r_speeds, textures, DM, TP, etc)? This gives players the chance to download some of the test maps and decide for themselves how well made a map is. Or, do you think the AQMD should go back to the secret testing, making nothing available to the Action Community until it is officially released?   WetWired: I think it's good that testing is open for the community, but I used to download every map, but now I only get those with good comments on them...like the 3 urban style maps you released recently I haven't gotten simply because I've seen it, it's been done to death.   Oswald: Do you think those mappers who have created maps in the past that have "officially" been released have an advantage over new, unheard of mappers?   WetWired: Oh definately, taken urban4 for example....that went straight up on every server immediatly while even the winners of the 666 comp havent' even been put up yet! (at least here anyway) the only ones I've seen played are, passin, beer, urban4 and I saw paradise played once or twice at the start.   Oswald: So do you have any ideas as to which direction you play on going? Are you going to create another Action map or are you going to go check out some of the new mod that are being developed using the Quake 3 and UT engine?   WetWired: At the moment I have no idea, I've had several offers to map for mods and stuff, but as of yet I'm still undecided, I was planning on converting one of my maps to AHL but I don't know which one yet...or where to begin...I need to find the differences between Q2 and HL mapping...   Oswald: Yeah, I say the thread over on the Action Quake/Half-Life messageboard. That is it! Plan, simple and to the point. Anything you wanna p1mp or comment on? WetWired: Hmmmm, not that I can think of....just go download all my maps if you haven't already!!!   Oswald: Well WetWired, that is it. That is the entire interview. Thanks for taking the time to let the Action Quake community get to know you. You have created some great looking and playing maps. Good luck in the future with you mapping endeavors. I am sure I speak for most when I say, I look forward to your next creation.   WetWired: Thanks!