Hey folks, so here is the last interview of the NADEO week. We did not release it yesterday on Sunday because... Sunday is not a day to work. So last but definitly not least, here it is. The big, the one, the almighty, the magnificent: HYLIS! Have fun to read and keep in mind that this interview has been made some weeks ago (questions about different beta phases might be obsolete).

How do you feel the bata tests, that gather thousands of players, that enjoy at that moment?

This is a dream. We wanted to go as fast as possible with the beta access pre-order. But we did not want an open beta, it would be too crowded and too much mayhem. We have a great balance today, that permits us to bring updates and keep our flexibility with that. It's still mayhem, because we have so much to do, but it goes well.

 

May we know how many pre-orders you sold?

This is confidential. The game sells great in France, which is quite normal, as we have a great eSport scene, that is dynamic with ShootMania. Next step is to make the same outside France, and to make it good. If we manage to carry the dynamic outside of France, this will be a major success. This was part of the plan, because we couldn't work with all the countries at the same time. There is a 4 months delay, and it is during October that we will be able to see if it worked. And that is the moment that we will be able to start seeing and analysing the sellings, as we will still be in beta.

 

What is the next big step for Shootmania, about developping or events?

3 levels of steps. The 1/2/3 betas will be the major ones. The 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and updates interesting for players. The 1.1a, 1.1b betas, no log updates but for optimisation, bugs and tweaks. The 1.2 beta is coming soon, with the Storm music and a title for Canyon. Then i think we will have to wait the end of the summer for a 1.3 beta. Because some are going on holydays and this is not helping for releases. But, the fact that some people will work a long tie on it without release, this will be a great version. The beta 2 will be a great event. For the real events there is the PAX, the ESWC and some other ShootMania LANs. Well some good things!

 

Sometimes and quite often, we can hear that people think this game is boring and without real goal. What will you do and say, for players that do not want to compete, but just have fun and pleasure to play?

If the question is how to attract the player that search fun in ShootMania? oO, i am quite puzzled. I think that fun is one of the great pillars of Shootmania. For the life of this game, with a player that want to "no life" the game, we are making a game that permits to improve in lots of domains, more close to real skills, like competition, creaton, exploration, the sharing and others. We have to remember that a game that need 3 hours of playing to keep you on level is a great burdon for real life. Moreover, there have been much players on Counter Strike, TrackMania and others to keep me confident about this way of life. We have to keep the ShootMania world take place, to feel its land, its bumps, its history, its mythology, its levels and other. The ManiaPlanet world is under construction. And that's why coming back to it makes it so interresting.

 

1 word to describe ShootMania?

1 word? Fun? Some more, i would say it is a FPS that put players in the heart of the dynamic. That what it makes the game so unique.

 

We really thank you for all these precisions and let you conclude.

I have many questions about the future of this game, about the keys of success, for the "others" that play for their personal reasons. At the time where we see some awesome online tournaments, when people gather to watch the streams, like this week where 1800 viewers were here on Millenium website with the crazy Zerator, with a community that keep on growing, i think there are many questions to ask. A lot of people are planning some crazy events. That's the real thing!