| By Don Henson
Jeff Vogel of Spiderweb Software talked with me recently about their new project, Nethergate and other topics of interest to computer gaming. We will also hopefully find out a few other things about Jeff and what makes him tick. His Exile series of RPGs have been very popular with the gaming crowd addicted to this genre, and Nethergate now offers a new direction for the shareware RPGs from Spiderweb.
MacReactor: What has been going on at Spiderweb since Blades of Exile?
Apart from the standard order processing, updating, and placing the dozens of Blades of Exile scenarios on our web site, we've been working on Nethergate. Nethergate has taken up the bulk of our time for the past year. It's been a huge project.
What sort of new directions did you want to take the RPG in Nethergate?
I always try to do a few things that haven't been tried before. For example, Nethergate, while a fantasy role-playing game, has a setting in actual history. It takes place on the far outskirts of the Roman Empire during the reign of the infamous Emperor Nero. The player's warriors go to this valley where the last pitiful remnants of magic remain. The plot deals with this big conflict between the Romans and the local Celtic tribes the Empire has subjugated. You can play the storyline from both perspectives. You can play as the Romans and then play as the Celts. They're two completely different adventures, and you get to see the storyline from both sides.
When will the Nethergate officially be released? Since you develop for the Mac first, when will the PC version be finished?
Right now. As I write this (3/3/99), we know that CDs will be delivered tomorrow. We already have the instructions and hint books. Thus, we're open for business. In a while, we'll do the Windows port. We're hoping to have it ready in May.
Any suggestions to others that are interested in developing software, especially shareware?
We have an area in our web site (www.spidweb.com) with a lot of articles with advice for the prospective shareware developer. The most important thing is that it's possible to make a very good living at it, but it's not a get-rich-quick scheme. You have to come up with a genuinely good product, good enough that people will give you money for it. Then you have to market it well. Let people know about it. It's a lot of work.
Now that this game is reaching its final stage, what else is bubbling around in the creative juices at Spiderweb?
That's a good question. Whatever it is, it will use the Nethergate engine.
Any other changes of note at Spiderweb in the last couple years?
Two full-time employees instead of one, and a lot of freelancers. Plus, everything has become, little by little, more professional. Sending out the game on a CD instead of floppies. Hiring someone to design a logo. That sort of thing.
When you were a youngster, what did you want to be when you grew up?
A computer game designer. I started designing my first imaginary games when I was bored in class back in 6th and 7th grade.
When did you play your first console and computer games?
That would be the Atari 2600, in 4th grade or so. My first computer game was Eamon, in 6th grade. My first good computer game was Wizardry, in 7th grade. I was hooked from there.
Any outstanding favorites over the years, that move to the front in your mind?
Ultima IV-VI. Civilization. Fallout.
What are your other interests when you aren't thinking of new computer games, or coding them?
Constant attention is paid to newspapers, movies, and plays. I write a bit too.
What favorite foods and other distractions do you find stimulating for breaks while hard at work on various stages of game development?
The TV is always playing in the office. History Channel and A&E in the afternoon. Comedy Central after midnight. I saw practically every episode of Law and Order ever made while developing Nethergate. As for food, I eat a lot of fresh fruit. I'm not very health oriented, but I want to be less fat.
Any office pets?
Spider, our Chilean Rose Tarantula. We've had her for about seven years now.
Thanks to Jeff and Spiderweb for the time to talk with us, we all will be looking forward to checking out Nethergate and other Spiderweb projects.
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