Fellow is a big fan of Vectorman.
Told him about this Blog and how a couple of other people congregate here that worked on the games. The Blue Sky crowd.
Question-
Why is Karl Robillard's name not on Vectorman One or Two?
Wasn't the basic animation system something Karl did with his trusty Amiga?
16 comments:
I hope you got a good price for those. Those are piece of history. (And so are you Ellis!)
25 bucks plus shipping.
I was trying to remember what would have made Matt so enthusiastic about that photo of Vectorman. Then It came back he was the only one doing 3D at the time. This is no doubt an early Lightwave piece he managed to pull off as a render.
Vectorman will always be one of the greatest platform/action games ever made. I'm honored that I'm related to and know so many of the folks who made that wonderful game.
I have some Vectorman 2 concept originals... watercolor and prismacolors.
I did an interview for a website devoted to 16 bit games a while back concerning Vectorman 1 and 2...
... ah, here it is: http://www.sega-16.com/2006/05/interview-rick-schmitz/
Holy heck Rick. Thanks for the big shout out. But that expands my role quite a bit. But now that it is in print, it's a fact. Any memory of why Karl isn't mentioned? Or am I expanding his role?
The fan, David Hesler, sent this email note "At some point I'll take a picture of the Vectorman stuff I've accumulated. I'm sure those guys would get a kick out of it. A friend of mine in Brazil is going to send me the Brazilian versions of Vectorman 1 and 2, which are neat because unlike the US release with the cardboard box, they've got plastic clamshells and art inserts."
I told him I'd post the photos.
If Karl isn't in the credits, it is (yet another) major oversight. I remember that fuck Jerry Huber removed me from the credits on VMan2 becuz I left to go to Sony--after I had already done MUCH (if not MOST) of the animation for that game. Really left a bad taste in my mouth.
I have no idea why they overlooked Karl in the credits. He was very much the deep-down tech and tools guy. He wrote the anim editor that allowed the whole thing to work (what was it called...? some funny acronym...). Karl was a right dude. I really liked him. But the word that best described Karl was "inscrutable!"
Don't know what he's doing now, but I know he's doing it well. Possibly running the web's best Amiga fan site....
...and BTW, these old Ellis Vman drawings and concepts are so great. I really want you to do a collection of VIDEO GAME drawings and designs. Self pub on Lulu or wherever. People would go ape sh-t (sorry, I've already used up my yearly allotment of a single online curse word in my last comment).
I'm totally serious about that. There is a HUGE market for that. Same with Weezie's book on game design.
Just looked up close at yr sketches. Holy crap, ('crap' doesn't count as a true curse word, does it?), I remember that sheet so clearly.
Yr Popeye Vman!
Was this done at the same time Chris Kriedel was doing his character designs for Vman? I remember it as you doing these just after Chris--he'd been working on it a while (which in vid games at the time meant, what, two weeks?), and Mark wasn't satisfied and wanted to get some new input. I joined the project about this time--weren't we both in that far block of cubes with all the windows at this point?? A great little island...I remember Mark asking for designs for the character and me not having a clue. You did these and he said, yeah, like that, make him more heroic, and I took a buncha ball sprites into Karl's editor and stacked 'em to look about man-sized and Mark said, "Done!" (And my point here is not to take credit for Vman's look--I didn't design him!--but more to point out how nobody really did. If I had to credit anyone, it would be Mark Lorenzen, fer sure.How haphazard that process was...I loved it! These sketches were fun and helped point the way, but when I think of inimitable Ellis contributions, I think of the enemies and other denizens of the world--that's where you really hit yr stride, IMHO)
Now I'll go read Rick's interview and find out how far afield my memories are....
BTW, $50 is still superhighway robbery.
Be SURE to get GOOD SCANS of ALL OF THESE!!!!!!!
Hey all, I'm the guy that bought the sketches from Ellis. I've got a few posters and other things that I'll photograph at some time, but for now here are some pictures of the Brazilian Vectormans that I had in my email. I created an album and I'll add other pictures to it as I get the chance:
https://picasaweb.google.com/112958087951798376675/VectormanCollection#
Rick, if you get a chance, I'd love to see some of those concepts/watercolors. And as Ellis said, if they are something you would like to part with, I would definitely be interested.
Also, I believe Ellis has already shipped the concepts, but (assuming my scanner is large enough to accomodate the pages) I would be glad to scan them and send you all the files. Same goes with the photo.
Thanks for all the compliments Marty. I do have good scans on one of my art disks. Probably in the big compilation TUB O ART 3. I used to keep my art in one of those big Plastic Tubs you get at Home Depot.
Speaking of which, I have an interview Tuesday for a job as "designer" at Home Depot. Hope I get that if it's a full time gig.
And my memory is the same as yours Marty. It's insane that Karl is not credited on Vector Man. And I'll back you up on doing most of the animation of Vectorman 2. That editor was a fun tool.
Thanks for the photo links David. Brings back memories. Most of them painful. Kiddiing.
Here's a question David asked in an email. I'll cut and paste and any one that knows an answer can give it.
"Random question, do you remember anything about the "Play to Win" contest where apparently some carts were programmed to flash a "You Win" message if the player completed the game. Was that something the team came up with, or was it something Sega of America asked to be added. Any idea on how many winner carts they actually put out?"
I have only the vaguest memory of any contest...definitely all handled on Sega's end. And don't remember any winner being named (not to say there wasn't one, mind you).
I DO remember that a screen with the faces of Rich Karpp, Amber (?? not Mark Lorenzen, 'cuz he'd gone to Shiny already, right?) and me came up if you beat the entire game.
And really, wouldn't that be prize enough?
I may have an invented memory. A couple of people laughing at the unlikely idea of implememnting some contest. Of course video games seem totally unlikely right up until they're shipped.
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