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Michael Flatley Interview |
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| Author: Roger LaMarca Published: 2002-09-16 |
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This is an interview with one of the greatest Quake3 trick jumpers of all time Michael Flatley. He is the author of movies such as Tribulation and Cosmodic.
PlanetQuake3: How did you first discover trick jumping in Quake3? Did
you trick jump in Quake2?
Michael: I've always done tricks in games. I've been gaming since the
Atari days and any game I played I tricked in some form or another. To be honest
Quake3 was my first fps. I was so new to the stuff that it took me two weeks
before I "found" a neat way of looking down, jumping, and then firing
a rocket. I basically started playing Q3 with pr1.17. I never thought of
entering into the tricking scene until the whole pmove issue came about. Once
there was a standard for the engine's physics I could be assured that with
enough skill I could do anything anyone else could do. SiT and drpd were my main
idols back then and my only gripe was that they didn't produce the amount of
demos I was willing to watch. So I entered tricking.
PlanetQuake3: Do you spend a certain amount of time each day perfecting
old tricks and trying new ones?
Michael: Depends. If I'm occupied with college I don't have much time for
tricking. If you take my typical summer day I probably spend about an hour
practicing old and new tricks and another hour or two producing something
related to those tricks (i.e. trick demos, mapping, video editing). If there is
a tricking competition pending I'll probably spend all three hours towards that
one trick demo.
PlanetQuake3: Are there any games out now or any games coming out soon
like Unreal2k3 that you think will have a good environment for trick jumping?
Michael: I have no idea. I'd much like a PC game to be made in which the
main focus is on tricking. I've got plenty of ideas on how to make such a game
and I'd make it myself if game production didn't require so many people. It'd be
nice to get a community of Q3 trickers and programmers together to make a
tricking game that departs enough from Q3 that it wouldn't be considered your
typical MOD.
PlanetQuake3: Would you consider Quake3 the best game for trick jumping
released to date?
Michael: As far as I know - yes. It's the first game I've come across
that allows for projectiles to aid you in your physical interaction with the
gaming universe. Unlike most other games in which you jump or hit ramps and
that's it Q3 allows you to also launch objects at high velocities that can
impart a force back on the player you are controlling. This adds an extra level
to the physics of the game that is amusing to exploit and spectate.
PlanetQuake3: Were you into video editing before you started making trick
jumping movies or did you learn the process to make your tricking movies?
Michael: I learned movie editing because of a need to show my tricks in a
different format. Movie editing is a long, tedious, and complicated process and
if this had ever been taught to me in college I probably would never have
learned it. Because of my interests in tricking I forced myself into movie
editing and surprisingly I soaked the information in rather quickly. It's easy
to learn something when it interests you.
PlanetQuake3: You created "tribulation" one most popular Quake3
movies ever released. During the production of the movie, did you have any idea
that it would be so popular?
Michael: I had an idea to make a movie with 4 of the best trickers in the
world. Conceited as I am I included myself as one of the four. Camping Gaz was
the best tricker I had ever come across. His material looks inhuman. I knew that
he had to be on the team and I was very pleased when he agreed to donate his
time. Mario was the most popular tricker at the time (and still is?). I knew
that he could produce top-notch material and he would also draw the crowds. I
basked in his Promo glory. I needed one more member for a team of four and I
knew it had to be SiT. He agreed to be a part of the project but shortly
thereafter things were said and due to differing opinions Tribulation became a
three man project. I knew the movie would be popular and it was definitely
hyped. This being my first effort at movie editing I was afraid I wouldn't be
able to deliver what was promised. In the end I think Tribulation turned out to
be a worthwhile experience.
PlanetQuake3: A good amount of trick jumping released lately have
shown off old tricks we have seen many times. Do you make sure when your doing a
movie that the tricks you perform have rarely been done? Also, is it getting
harder to do tricks many others have haven't preformed yet?
Michael: For Tribulation I had come up with about 60 tricks that I had
never seen before. Finding those tricks was easy. Now I must admit I don't see
room for much else on the standard ID maps. I also don't see much room for new
and interesting tricks with custom maps. This is why I've basically abandoned
the idea of coming up with new tricks. I'm now trying to find new ways of
showing the tricks. I've started doing a live tricking show, the first of which
was a disappointment but the second a fun experience. I hope to do more in the
future.
PlanetQuake3: What are you favorite maps to trick jump on?
Michael: In order - Paradise, dm17, ctf4
PlanetQuake3: What project are you currently working on?
Michael: I am currently working on a project in which mapping, tricking,
and movie editing will be combined. Nobody else has attempted to do all three of
these things in unison. I will have complete control over the mapping so expect
very interesting tricks to come out of that. Also, when making a movie there are
things you just can't do unless you have access to the actual map you are
filming. For my next vid expect scenes with dynamic environments.
PlanetQuake3: Anything else you would like to add?
Michael: I need a job. I can obviously play games and I enjoy them. I'm
not so good at mapping but I can edit movies and I can program. I'm very
creative. Somebody give me money to do what I enjoy.
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