LIVE On-Line Interview with Christian Boutin on CyberScape BBS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ On Sunday, June 6th 1993, at 9:00pm CyberScape BBS's On-Line Interview featured a talk with Christian Boutin, President of Oracle Software, and the author of many Shareware games including Construction Bob in the Bouncing Factory. Every Sunday night at 9pm (Eastern Time) CyberScape hosts an On-Line LIVE Interview with a personality from the shareware or BBS industry. We have many such interviews planned with SysOps, Authors, and all the other people both in front of and behind the scenes of the shareware industry. Stop in some Sunday night and you can be part of the action. Anyone who calls CyberScape and joins us in a LIVE Interview will get a chance post their questions and have their name or company appear in the transcripts. Attention: If you are a Shareware Author or Sysop, and you'd like to be interviewed LIVE on CyberScape, drop a message to the SysOp on CyberScape BBS at 508-368-8456. We're always looking for new and interesting people to chat with. So, if you'd like some additional exposure for your programs or your BBS, just let us know. We'll set up a LIVE Interview focused directly on you and your products or services. Give us a call! What you're reading is the written transcript recorded LIVE, On-Line, in Chat Conference on CyberScape BBS. Sometimes in an On-Line Chat the conversation can get difficult to follow since replies don't always follow questions directly. So, during editing, conversations have been grouped (e.g.: questions grouped with answers) but other than that, this is the EXACT text of the interview. Preceding each line of dialogue, you will notice a number and name as in the following example: (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN). The number shown is the CyberScape Node Number that the person was logged into, and the name tells you who said what. That's about all the explaining that needs to be done, we hope you enjoy the interview! Dave White * Sysop -=CyberScape BBS=- - Get On with it Already! - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, June 6th, 1993 Start of Session with Christian Boutin from Oracle Software ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Here I am! (00:DAVE WHITE) Hello Christian... Have you ever met Jeremy Frerichs ? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Not personally He is a beta tester for us! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) How are you? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Fine, as always! How about you? (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) Good, thanks.. (00:DAVE WHITE) Christian, can you give us a little background on Oracle and CB Software? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Ok, Oracle Software was formed on March 6th, 1993. Before that however, we were working under the banner of CB software. After one year under CB software, we switched to Oracle Software. (00:DAVE WHITE) What games were released under the CB Software Logo? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Our first release was The Tournament of Zulula, in may 1992. This was a CGA hack 'n slash game. Then I made Defense of the Boat, a mouse-driven CGA shoot'em up game. Then came new technology, and a 486! After that Construction Bob was released, and finally, Earth Invasion. (00:DAVE WHITE) How old were you when you released Tournament of Zulula? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) I was 17, but I had made this game long before releasing it. I was about 15 when I made it. At the time the terms Shareware or BBS were unknown to me. Only a couple of years later did I released it as Shareware. (00:DAVE WHITE) I've always liked the names you give your characters and the places they live in. Where do you get the names for them? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Well, as a Role-Playing Dungeon Master, it is essential to have imagination for that sort of things. The world Akistar (depicted in Zulula and The Walls of Bratock) is the world in which my real Role-Players are playing. As for others (like Construction Bob), it just came to me as a good name for a construction Stuntman! (00:DAVE WHITE) What is involved in being a Role Playing Dungeon master? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Well, the task requires a lot of work, it is very demanding, and very rewarding. Like computer games, it's a lot of work, but if people like it, as if they like the Role-Playing session, it's rewarding! (02:MARK ADKINS) ok, where is the party (00:DAVE WHITE) Everyone, this is Mark Adkins. Mark is SysOp of a BBS in Nebraska called Axcelerated BBS. Welcome to the chat Mark! (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Hello Mark! (02:MARK ADKINS) Thanks Dave: Nice to meet you Mr. Boutin (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) No Mr. Boutin, it's Christian! (02:MARK ADKINS) ok, first name basis (00:DAVE WHITE) Christian, can you tell us about games that are in development? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Of course. The next one to be released will be The Walls of Bratock. It will enter Beta-Testing tonight (11:00pm) on CyberScape. This game is probably the biggest shareware role-playing game to ever come out! It's got great VGA graphics and digitized sounds for the Sound Blaster. There is a great depth in the storyline, and I as said, it occurs in a world entirely developed (Akistar). We also have 2 other projects underway, none of them are named yet. (02:MARK ADKINS) I really like it when they take Bob to the hospital, since i am at one a lot! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) I like how the guys get grossed out and the floor cracks if Bob falls.. (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Glad you like it guys! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) Did you get your idea for Bob from the old akranoid type games? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Construction Bob was essentially based on a game that went out in 198X called Clowns and Balloons. Of course it has a lot more stuff in it than this old CoCo game! (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) As for the other games in development, there will be one Squad combat futurist role-playing game in VESA compatible Super-VGA, and one 3-D space combat simulator. Each featuring graphics like never seen before in the shareware industry! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) That is great, besides Canada and the US, do you plan to go international? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) It's funny you mention that Jeremy, last week we received a registration from someone in Germany! It proves our games can be popular all around the globe! (00:DAVE WHITE) Who does all the graphics and sound? Can you tell us about the people behind Oracles game development? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) You're talking to him Dave ! No actually, Oracle Software has 3 members, me, my brother Eric and Richard Martin, make it 4, with Alain Paradis. Eric and I are doing the programming, design and graphics. Alain Paradis is making the cool soundtracks, and Richard is a programming-only dude! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) I Downloaded your Screen Shots of the new RPG game to be released, The graphics are excellent, did you draw them yourself, and what graphics format did you use? (02:MARK ADKINS) I realize games are getting harder and bigger to make. do you have a size in mind or development time limit when you begin (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Whew, a lot of question, wait a minute! (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Jeremy's question first. I do all graphics in my games. I use a drawing program I made myself, along with some routines I also made myself for special effects. (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Mark's question now. Games are getting awfully big these days. It's hard for a small business with 3 people to stay up to date. But each of us is working like 10 men to put all this together. As for limits, I use both, size and time limits. If the time limit is about to come, then I think about making the game less big (without removing any of it's characteristics) But by making less graphics or removing the less useful options. I don't like games that are too late, so I don't like being late. (00:DAVE WHITE) Can you tell us some of the improvements in the new Construction Bob? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) The new Construction Bob has many improvements, first of all it is now time-dependant instead of processor-speed dependent. There is a nice cut-scene at the end where Bob is taken to the hospital. Some new animation like the floor cracking, and other surprises! (00:DAVE WHITE) What language do you use to write the games, and how long did it take to learn? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) We use a variety of languages depending on the task to execute. For example, assembly is used when fast animation are required. High-level languages such as C and Pascal are used to build the structure of the programs. (00:DAVE WHITE) So then would you say you're using assembly mostly? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Assembly sub-routines in a High-level language structure. (00:DAVE WHITE) What advice would you give to young people wanting to start a Software Company like Oracle? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) First of all, believe in what you do. Some people (even friends) can discourage you by saying what you do is not good (or fair). But if you believe in what you do, go for it! (00:DAVE WHITE) What were the most major hurdles you faced in starting Oracle? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) It was very scary, I played those games since I was a child, and I know how people can be hard on software. There is also monetary problems at first, getting the things together, finding people, it's no easy task! But it's rewarding! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) What sparked your interest in computers, and programming as well? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) I received my first computer when I was 8 or 9. I was immediately mesmerized by it! Since I had but one game at the time, I searched for other things to do with this machine full of keys! So I plunged into the Basic language immediately! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) Was this an IBM or did you start learning on something else? (02:MARK ADKINS) I made a game in college with ascii, and thought it was great, now i program professionally. kinda interesting how people come together (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) My first computer was a TRS-80 (Trash-80) with a big 32k of memory and 4 fantastic colors! (costed 800$ too!) (00:DAVE WHITE) Did you learn to program on your own or did you take classes? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) I learned Basic on my own, as well as the other languages I use right now . But I will be taking classes to get better on assembly language. (02:MARK ADKINS) Gentlemen, I have been summoned, and must egzit.. thank you Christian for allowing me to beta test your new warez! (00:DAVE WHITE) Thanks for joining the chat Mark... Take care. (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Ok, see ya around Mark! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) Bye Mark (00:DAVE WHITE) Do you go to school now, or is Oracle a full time thing? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Well, both! I spend as much time working on Oracle products than my school time! In the summer I work full-time on my projects. In the winter it's like 50/50 (50 school 50 projects). (00:DAVE WHITE) Is there anything that you'd like to say that I haven't asked? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Well, just that people should stay tuned, because the games that are coming in will be like nothing seen before in the shareware industry! Of course there is also the Oracle area here on CyberScape. In this area people can come to find out everything they need to know about Oracle. It features all the publicities for current and upcoming games! A message area to leave comments to me and my fellow designers. As well as news and sections about Oracle! People are really missing something if they don't see it! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) That is great, do you plan on implementing full sound blaster capabilities into your upcoming 3d games? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) We are working on Adlib music capabilities, as well as Sound Blaster speech. In The Walls of Bratock there is Sound Blaster digitized Speech and Sounds, as well as Sound Blaster FM music. (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) Are you going to have really big, like over a meg, zipped games coming out, or do you try to keep them smaller? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) We are trying to keep them small, but it's hard. The Walls of Bratock is a 800k+ giant. The two next should be even larger. It's due mostly to the incredible amount of graphics and animation found in newer games. (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) That may be a problem for people with slower modems, will you split the files up? (00:DAVE WHITE) So we have a new game to test tonight then? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Yes sir! Tonight at 11:00 pm, I will upload the beta version of Walls of Bratock, With a message telling the testers what to expect, it'll all be there! (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) As for file size and The Walls, there will be 2 files, one for the entire game (graphics/programs/datas etc.) and one containing the Sound Blaster voice and music files (optional, only if one has a SB) (00:DAVE WHITE) Christian, can you give us some of the storyline for the new 3d game and for the Walls of Bratock? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) The 3d game is more a space combat game. It will feature graphics easily comparable to those seen in the Wolf games. And there will be more in-between missions scenes (cinematic cut-scenes). I'm currently building the entire crew for the shuttle Sullivan in which you will serve. Every crew member will have it's own personality, etc. My brother will make the game part. I make the cut-scenes, the storyline etc. (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) Will it have Speech, and who will do the speech if it does.. (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) As for Bratock, you are haunted by a dream, this dream is haunting your nights. A goat-man and a human fighting. After seeing Dimitry, the old sage, you depart for the Island of Bratock. Once there, you realize the humans and korreds (goat-men), who were long-time friends, are suddently attacking each other, each accusing the other of attacking first. You must uncover a machiavelic (does this word exists in english, it means evil) plot that could affect the entire world of Akistar and do what you can to prevent this useless war! (00:DAVE WHITE) Sounds great! (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) To JF: Digitized speech will probably be a part of the 3-d game. Let's say we are sure at 95% that there will be digitized speech! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) i am anxious to play this now!! (00:DAVE WHITE) How about Earth Invasion.. We'll be posting that one in a day or two. Can you tell us more about it? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Well, Earth Invasion is a game like few others. In opposite to other games, where you save the Earth, or save a galaxy or whatever, in Earth Invasion, your goal is to DESTROY EARTH! You play the role of a pilot for the evil Yanchooz empire... (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) Is this game VGA? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Led by Xyfud Plasfoc. Xyfud sends you on a suicidal attack to destroy all of earth's vessels BY YOURSELF. Truly hilarious, as you will notice soon, Xyfud doesn't like you at all, and gives you some pretty threatening (but funny) comments! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) sounds neat.. (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) It's EGA high resolution (640X350) 16 colors. But the graphics are really great for EGA! (00:DAVE WHITE) I've tried it.. I really like the concept. (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Thanks, I owe that one to my brother, he did it all by himself! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) Great, now in this are you flying a space ship of sorts? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Yes, a Skrunga-class fighter, and you fight against really great terran ships such as the Corvlette fighter, the Tupolov Destroyer and others! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) So are you looking out the cockpit kind of view, or is it a side view? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) It's a side view, it's not a 3-D space combat simulator (like the one we're working on) but a side-view arcade style game. (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) Kind of like defendor, only opposite? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Well, taking nothing away from good old defender, it has more diversity, you have 5 different ennemy fighter types, 3 different capital ships type, as well as many different weapons (Including many sorts of missiles, lasers and bombs) (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) and the goal is to destroy earth, instad of save it (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Yes sir, we written this one with a grain of salt, and I hope people will take it with a grain of salt! It's not like if Oracle wanted to invade earth (we want to, but with our products, not with weapons! ) (00:DAVE WHITE) Can you tell us about your products pricing and where to get information and copies of them.. Also where are you from and where do the people send to register? (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Most of our current products are priced at 10$, wich is ridiculously low considering that other sharewares are 3 times more. The Walls should be priced 15$, as it is bigger and better than our other releases. We do not plan to rise our prices anytime soon. (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) That is great, it allows people with a lower budget to enjoy your games.. (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) I live in a small town called Amos, in Canada. The complete address is: Oracle Software enr. 132, Marchildon (Postal Box 6) Amos, Quebec Canada J9T 1A3 (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) To JF: Well, that's what Shareware is all about! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) It sure is Christian.. (00:DAVE WHITE) And, all of Christian's Shareware products can be found on CyberScape in the Oracle Sub-System! (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Of course! If it says CyberScape offers all the best shareware, then it obviously offers Oracle products! (00:DAVE WHITE) Well, I guess that should wrap it up. Thanks very much for joining us Christian, it was a very enlightening chat! (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) I enjoyed it, nice chatting with you Christian.. (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Thanks Jeremy, see you around the beta conference! (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Thanks to you Dave! It was my pleasure, maybe we should do it again, when there are new developments? (00:DAVE WHITE) Yes, I would like that! We can do it again after the Walls comes out and you are further along with the new games. Until then, this will be published and distributed, and I hope that it will help to get the word out about Oracle! (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Ok, don't forget to tell me when it's ready to download, I want my copy! (00:DAVE WHITE) I will send you one personally! (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Roger on that Dave, I will also send a little demo of our new projects in the near future! (00:DAVE WHITE) Sounds great.... I'm looking forward to seeing them. (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) Bye for now, Christian, Talk to you soon.. (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Ok Dave, I think I'm going to leave if there is no other questions. (00:DAVE WHITE) Nope, all set. Thanks again Christian! (01:CHRISTIAN BOUTIN) Bye! (00:DAVE WHITE) Take care.. (04:JEREMY FRERICHS) c-ya ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- End of Session -- June 6th, 1993 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - In Conclusion - We hope you enjoyed reading the interview. This was our first such attempt, and things went rather well for our first time out. We hope you will join us LIVE next time, and get a chance to ask your own questions! We offer a Live Interview every Sunday night at 9pm with a different speaker each week. Of course, you are always welcome to stop by CyberScape and chat anytime! We have live chat areas, CB Chats, and all of our OnLine Interviews are available for download along with our "Best of the Best" file collection. Stop in sometime, and don't forget your RIPTERM! We are now supporting full RIP graphics at CyberScape, which helps make our BBS easy to use and more attractive also. Thanks! Dave White * SysOp -=CyberScape BBS=- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How to get in touch with us: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Special Guest Speaker: Christian Boutin - President Oracle Software enr. 132, Marchildon (Postal Box 6) Amos, Quebec Canada J9T 1A3 (Or leave E-Mail on CyberScape) Conference Host: Dave White - SysOp CyberScape BBS 108 Shirley Road Lancaster, MA 01523 (508) 368-8456 (Data) (508) 368-7085 (Voice) Special Thanks to: Jeremy Frerichs, Nice Guy, Leominster, MA Mark Adkins, Sysop, Axcelerated BBS, Nebraska (Can be reached via E-Mail on CyberScape BBS) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some Notes on Distribution of This and Other CyberScape Interviews: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You are free to distribute this material on BBS's as long as you do not alter any of the text contained in any of the files in the original archive. This includes the FILE_ID.DIZ description file, and NO NEW FILES may be added to original archive. If you wish to publish any of this material in any magazine, article, or any other written or On-Line format, you must obtain the written permission of the Speaker(s) and CyberScape BBS before doing so. Thank you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- All text is Copyright 1993 by CyberScape BBS and David A. White --- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------