The official publication and its german translation is here: http://www.mania-community.de/entry.php ... -Interview
Because I think, some people from other countries want to read it too, I post it here again:
Question 1: Will ShootMania release on time (in January)?
It is difficult for ShootMania to have a schedule. I hope and wish to release a first test version soon, but it can again be delayed somehow. The game is getting greater and greater, and as long as we have ideas that have to be implemented before release, we will take the time to do it. However, it is sure that we want to release it as soon as possible as well. For us, this is a moutain of emotion to cope with, since it is the first different genre since 8 years for the team!
Question 2: Want you expand the functionality of TrackMania² or wait you until Valley?
It will expand through Maniaplanet 2.0 expansion. TrackMania specific features may arrive with Valley but can also be linked to Valley only. Since years, the basics of TrackMania has remained the same since we did focus on the system. Maniaplanet evolutions will bring this to another level again I think
Question 3: Are there already any information about QuestMania?
As I said many times, I want to avoid to talk about things that are unsure. It makes the interview more boring, I am sorry, but that's too much of a constraint to say we are going to do this and then to change. It creates disapointement. Since I would like to be able to change as much as it is needed for the project, I avoid to speak of anything that is not fixed. QuestMania is being developped the way we do things: we make a lot of tools in our labotary in order to go fast at developpement after. So, it is still in deep labotary, we only set things firmly in the last few months if not weeks and days.
Question 4: Do you want to expand the Nadeo-Team?
It is expanding, especially with the Nadeo Live team. The goal is to remain high level of complexity split into teams. Each teams is increasing a little since we really have a high water time here, but thanks to the experience of the core, we can easily absord this increase without putting things in danger.
Question 5: What do you like most about ShootMania?
I am really proud of the team of having made a ShootMania like style shooter instead of something that looks like another FPS. This is what some specific players told me yesterday testing it, and each time it is good to hear. Innovation is a challenge for us, and we are really taking the long path of learning, by making our own oppinion instead of borrowing other receipes without really knowing why they did it.
Question 6: Aren't any bots in ShootMania (Gamestar) or can bots be programmed with ManiaScript (Edge)?
Lol. ShootMania is a multiplayer experience. I don't know what we will deliver in this area, but that's far from a need today. I can understand that it could be really cool to populate your maps of bots, but we concentrate on having the happiest players in it before having the most artificially happy bots ^_^
Question 7: Is there an Easter Egg in TrackMania²?
Arg, no. I should do a title pack just to find eggs ^_^
Thank you for answering the questions!
Thank you to you, and I would like to say that we call next year, the year of Maniaplanet. This is why we are taking a little of our time at the moment to prepare this well. Canyon was released at the end of this one and Maniaplanet will really starts to exist with two titles and Maniaplanet 2.0. So, even if you can find the time a little longer before next update, I really want to say that we are working fullspeed x 200% at the moment!
