Interview
Handle: Oliver Stiller
City / Country:
Nowadays: Taunton, Somerset, UK
Born year:
1969
What was your first computer, and when did you get it?
A commodore 64, I guess sometime '83 or '84. I'm not sure though. However it was at the time when it was about 900,- DM in Germany including the Datasette tape storage medium. After 1 or 2 years struggling with those tapes I got the Floppy 1541.
There were some guys in my class at school and among my friends who bought (!) pirated games for a couple of bucks every now and then from some chaps in the "scene", ("the great diabolo" et.al.) in cologne. Part of my motivation to start programming certainly resulted from the fact that those games were not available for free.
How did you get into the scene and what groups have you been a member of ?
I'm not quite sure what you/the audience understands when thinking about "beeing in the scene". There was a time when some friends and me drove to Venlo once a month to show / swap the latest demos. All my demos were released under the "Masters' Design Group" label/group name.
What was the proudest moment in your career ?
Some of my programms published in the "64er Magazin", a paper magazine that printed out listings of computer programs (for typing them in!) a long time before those popular coverdisks were around!
Beeing asked to contibute to a website where interviews with Michael Galway, Rob Hubbard and Yak Minter are posted already ;-)
For what specific reason(s) do you think that you are remembered ?
The demos ? The famous Amica Paint bitmap painting program ? Crappy conversions of Amiga games to the C64 ? Hopefully the demos or "A Paint"... ;-)
What would you like to be remembered for ?
For my current game I'm working on. It's always your current game/product/project you are in favour of - right ?
What made you stop the scene activity ? (and do you remember when?)
If scene activity refers to programming demos and travelling to Venlo then it stopped sometime around '90 when / because I went to the army.
Thinking back on the good old days, is there anything you regret?
Yes, the good old glory 8-bit days. If there is anything to regret - than it's only wasting too much time doing crappy conversion work instead of cool games for the overseas market.
What was your favorite
GAME(S)
David' Brabens Elite
Dan(i) Buntons M.U.L.E, Hearh of Africa
John Freeman/Paul Reiche/Ann Westfalls Archon
DEMO(S)
Ummm... Er... Sorry. Don't remember (m)any of those. I think Ash and Dave came up with some really nice demos having some good design and not (only) the latest programming technology. I liked that.
PROGRAMMER(S) (OR PROGRAMMING TEAM(S))
See "favorite games" section...
CRACKER(S) (OR CRACKING GROUP(S))
Noone in particiular
OVERALL GROUPS :
There were dozends of very creative and good demos groups around but I must admit I can't remember anyone outstanding beeing "my favourite group".
BEST COMPOSED TRACK(S)
Outrun Europe, Charles Deenen
Most of the tunes from Michael Galway and Rob Hubbard.
BEST GRAPHICS
X-ample architectures who "re-invented" dithering on the C64. Everyone really admired them - and they deserved it. They really created some sort of look and design which was copied by many people.
BTW: in computer graphics research the sort of dithering techniques they used are pretty common knowledgs for ages already.
DRINK ?
Good cold German beer, unfortunately terribly expensive in the UK :-( Any good old wine.
What are you doing nowadays ?
Lead programmer of a cross-platform 3D game devellopment for Tigon Software, the guys who made "Space Hulk".
What are you doing on your spare time?
Furnishing my house. Possibly building / maintaining my Lotus Seven soon... There isn't really much spare time to be honest.
Is there anything you'd like to say to the public (read: admires)
You need some great, visionary statement here... eh ?
1) Can't think of one particiular thing. In these days everyone has their very individual visions, goals and ideals which is a very valuable archievment of mankind. So everybody search your goals then and keep on pursuing it ignoring any unwanted suggestions ;-)
2) Sorry for my bat inglish width loads off shpelling mishtakes and the bad grammar also. ;-)
What is the meaning of life?
37.