Interview: Morpheus
The following interview has been taken by Magic, of Samods, with Morpheus, co-creator and exceptional graphical artist on the StarCraft Conversion "The Terran Ascension" (Abbreviated to TTA).
Magic: Greetings Morpheus!
Morpheus: Hi Magic.
Magic: Now then, for those that don’t know, what exactly is The Terran Ascension all about?
Morpheus: Well, The Terran Ascension is an expansion for StarCraft. We are adding 5 new units per race, as well as a full blown campaign and other aesthetic features, such as splash screens. I'm well aware of other projects that have failed such as Target Earth, but I will see this through to completion. We have instilled an element of fun and enjoyment into creation that I believe is often missing in projects such as these.
Magic: So there is actually a story of sorts behind the conversion? There is a campaign being made?
Morpheus: Hehe, yes there IS a story, though not as much has been revealed as I would like. I simply haven't figured out how to really give information about it without revealing too much. A summary would go like this: it is one year after the end of Brood War, and Kerrigan rules the sector. A pirate militia investigating a border planet activates a dormant Xel'Nagan device that initiates the next stage of human evolution. The rest is revealed as the story progresses, and is obviously more detailed.
Magic: What sort of features are there for us to be excited about?
Morpheus: Well, as I mentioned, we are adding 5 new units per race, and they are going to be quite innovative. We are stretching the limits of editing technology and creativity in some of the abilities we are creating, including a jump-jet unit that can land and lift-off, a unit that can move while burrowed, a ship with a weapon of mass destruction, a building that drains surrounding units' energy, a ground based transport, and more. We are going to make everything as close to Blizzard quality as we can graphics-wise. Also, a very deep story that I believe will be involving to players will present itself in the form of one campaign per race, and POSSIBLY an opening or concluding cut-scene, but we have not taken that into much consideration.
Magic: And of these multitude of features, what do you think is the best?
Morpheus: I think the units are the best, personally. Balancing them all out will be difficult, but I feel that the end result will add fresh new game play that is both fun and new.
Magic: There’s been some pretty big and professional-looking conversions out there, such as Pur- uhhh, (Well right now that’s a no-no)Star Wars: Open Rebellion (A personal favourite of mine), WarCraft III (Created mostly by Deathwing and Shadow of Infoceptor, another favourite) and Gundamn Century (Yet another favourite), though none are totally finished. How exactly will The Terran Ascension be different to the countless other conversions? Or is it not even intended to be?
Morpheus: Well, we are trying to extend the life of StarCraft, but in a way, good games never die. Communities slow down, but people still play. Many others say the community is dying and that those of us who say otherwise are delusional, but history has proven that games years old that have editing capacity still go strong, even if only in a tight-knit group. We are not really concerned too much about who thinks the SC community is dying, because people will always be around to play StarCraft, it's a proven pattern. As far as what makes us different, we have a bit of a motto at TTA, that we are the "people's add-on"(seriously, don't laugh J and it's not a wrestling thing either!), because we are set on producing a top quality product while at the same time being friendly and non-elitist. We don't take ourselves too seriously, and it's all in fun. We won't ban people from our forum (not that anyone posts J), hell, I don't even think we CAN. Other campaigns often don't act in a friendly or warm way to their fans, and we are determined to be, well, nice guys. Also, we are not "full-timers" we do not work non-stop, we have lives, but we take a small portion of our free time to work on this project. What makes the difference is that we are younger and more enthusiastic. We don't have to deal with college or getting a life-long career at this point. Our free-time is more abundant, and our youth is what I think gives us a distinct advantage. Our lives aren't full of complications yet.
Magic: I’ve seen some of the unit portraits you’ve made so far; such as the Terran Oracle- they are pretty damn impressive. Which application do you use?
Morpheus: I used Rhino3D only for that portrait, believe it or not. The version of 3D Studio I've worked with is too fickle and out of date. Some people underestimate the power of Rhino.
Magic: How long, on average, does it take to create these spectacular images you’ve produced?
Morpheus: Well, actually not too long. The modelling part is fun, I enjoy it a lot, and I'm always learning. The "hard" part is creating unit .grp's, collections of 2d animation frames, which are often frustrating and time consuming.
Magic: How large is the team you are working together with? Do you feel a smaller, more precise team has it’s own advantages than a larger one?
Morpheus: Well, right now we have a very small team, consisting mostly of a core of a few people: Jaded_Mule, myself, Fusioned, and Poisonicnuke (though he has been MIA lately). I think a small focused group can get more accomplished because they have easier communication. Larger groups often have a falling out and a tendency for lack of action.
Magic: And your favourite unit of TTA?
Morpheus: Well, my personal favorite unit is the Protoss Talon. It is the result of a concept that has been floating around in my mind for a long time now. I used to doodle ships similar to the Talon in history. It's a symbol of power and destruction, as well as elegance.
Magic: Have there been any difficult moments so far? How did you overcome them?
Morpheus: Well, there has been some difficulty in deciding just how to implement some of our more experimental ideas, but we have dedicated people who are constantly over-coming technological boundaries. Also, low hit counts and feeling of "no body cares" is often a damper on one's motivation. I remind myself that it is in fun, and I do it because I want to, which is the truth.
Magic: With Battle.net still very active and StarCraft still selling in some parts, I think it is safe to say that the StarCraft community is far from dead. This is especially true when the big conversions (See above) are finally finished, as they will increase the game play as people continue to slot in their StarCraft CD’s to extend their play for hours upon hours. For example, the Beta of Open Rebellion- a sure sign of this sort of ‘extended play’ for StarCraft. Many would have doubted it, but the number of conversions and mapmakers out there is definitely considerable. Clearly, there are a lot of conversions out there, and of these- have any in particular been an influence? Or any people?
Morpheus: Well, I think "The Fenix" by Desler of Campaign Creations was great, despite what others say. It had a good storyline and was the first campaign to use editing technology to enhance the game play and story. I liked it very much. "War of the Tribes" by SCX is also a big influence. That campaign left me wanting more, it's too bad no more will be made. L It had such an awesome storyline, and the graphics by Joel Steudler were excellent.
Magic: I myself will be doing some unit responses and am greatly pleased for my part being involved (Swapping GoldWave instead of StarEdit is a nice change:), providing my voice\ mic remains intact. For those interested, what roles are available right now?
Morpheus: Actually, if anyone wants to convert ready-made 3D models into .grp's they're quite welcome. Hehe, it's the most undesirable job out there, so most likely I'll end up doing them with some help from SCMAN of Star Wars: Vengeance. Other than that, there's really no need for staff. We DO need voice actors, especially female voice actors.
Magic: And, though TTA is quite a way off from being completed, what’s next after it is done and dusted? Are your future plans StarCraft-orientated?
Morpheus: Probably not. I'll most likely end up working on WarCraft III. Total Conversion Nation will probably be hosting a WarCraft III campaign in the future.
Magic: Will anything be available for download from the website in the near future?
Morpheus: Yes, Jaded_Mule and I have been working quite hard on developing the interface for a TTA teaser release. We are converting the StarCraft: Brood War interface to our own customized one. We are including this and a few new background screens in our main MPQ. I will be .grp-ing the Talon for this as well. We will probably incorporate the demo into a SECWAD for security reasons.
Magic: In 15 words or less, why should the reader decide to visit the TTA website? (http://www.scnation.com/tcn/tta/)
Morpheus: I think that any visitor will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of work being done at TTA. We update on the main TCN page quite often,(it only takes 6 minutes to make an update), and we almost always have a new tidbit for people to read or look at. We could use your support in becoming recognized. We DO work very hard.
Magic: Finally, as we approach the end of the interview, which question are you glad I haven’t asked?
Morpheus: "When is The Terran Ascension going to be finished?"
Magic: And the answer?
Morpheus: Haha, what do you think? (When it's done)
Magic: *Sigh* Thank you very much, Morpheus.
Morpheus: I'm very happy to oblige, Magic, I've never been interviewed before.
The Terran Ascension is quickly accelerating, as is its popularity, but of course, they are always looking for some moral support for passing fans. I will definitely "free my mind", when it's released.
Interview produced circa 29/5/00.
As of Aug. 2002, TTA has been canceled, due to the disappearence of Morpheus.
Magic: Greetings Morpheus!
Morpheus: Hi Magic.
Magic: Now then, for those that don’t know, what exactly is The Terran Ascension all about?
Morpheus: Well, The Terran Ascension is an expansion for StarCraft. We are adding 5 new units per race, as well as a full blown campaign and other aesthetic features, such as splash screens. I'm well aware of other projects that have failed such as Target Earth, but I will see this through to completion. We have instilled an element of fun and enjoyment into creation that I believe is often missing in projects such as these.
Magic: So there is actually a story of sorts behind the conversion? There is a campaign being made?
Morpheus: Hehe, yes there IS a story, though not as much has been revealed as I would like. I simply haven't figured out how to really give information about it without revealing too much. A summary would go like this: it is one year after the end of Brood War, and Kerrigan rules the sector. A pirate militia investigating a border planet activates a dormant Xel'Nagan device that initiates the next stage of human evolution. The rest is revealed as the story progresses, and is obviously more detailed.
Magic: What sort of features are there for us to be excited about?
Morpheus: Well, as I mentioned, we are adding 5 new units per race, and they are going to be quite innovative. We are stretching the limits of editing technology and creativity in some of the abilities we are creating, including a jump-jet unit that can land and lift-off, a unit that can move while burrowed, a ship with a weapon of mass destruction, a building that drains surrounding units' energy, a ground based transport, and more. We are going to make everything as close to Blizzard quality as we can graphics-wise. Also, a very deep story that I believe will be involving to players will present itself in the form of one campaign per race, and POSSIBLY an opening or concluding cut-scene, but we have not taken that into much consideration.
Magic: And of these multitude of features, what do you think is the best?
Morpheus: I think the units are the best, personally. Balancing them all out will be difficult, but I feel that the end result will add fresh new game play that is both fun and new.
Magic: There’s been some pretty big and professional-looking conversions out there, such as Pur- uhhh, (Well right now that’s a no-no)Star Wars: Open Rebellion (A personal favourite of mine), WarCraft III (Created mostly by Deathwing and Shadow of Infoceptor, another favourite) and Gundamn Century (Yet another favourite), though none are totally finished. How exactly will The Terran Ascension be different to the countless other conversions? Or is it not even intended to be?
Morpheus: Well, we are trying to extend the life of StarCraft, but in a way, good games never die. Communities slow down, but people still play. Many others say the community is dying and that those of us who say otherwise are delusional, but history has proven that games years old that have editing capacity still go strong, even if only in a tight-knit group. We are not really concerned too much about who thinks the SC community is dying, because people will always be around to play StarCraft, it's a proven pattern. As far as what makes us different, we have a bit of a motto at TTA, that we are the "people's add-on"(seriously, don't laugh J and it's not a wrestling thing either!), because we are set on producing a top quality product while at the same time being friendly and non-elitist. We don't take ourselves too seriously, and it's all in fun. We won't ban people from our forum (not that anyone posts J), hell, I don't even think we CAN. Other campaigns often don't act in a friendly or warm way to their fans, and we are determined to be, well, nice guys. Also, we are not "full-timers" we do not work non-stop, we have lives, but we take a small portion of our free time to work on this project. What makes the difference is that we are younger and more enthusiastic. We don't have to deal with college or getting a life-long career at this point. Our free-time is more abundant, and our youth is what I think gives us a distinct advantage. Our lives aren't full of complications yet.
Magic: I’ve seen some of the unit portraits you’ve made so far; such as the Terran Oracle- they are pretty damn impressive. Which application do you use?
Morpheus: I used Rhino3D only for that portrait, believe it or not. The version of 3D Studio I've worked with is too fickle and out of date. Some people underestimate the power of Rhino.
Magic: How long, on average, does it take to create these spectacular images you’ve produced?
Morpheus: Well, actually not too long. The modelling part is fun, I enjoy it a lot, and I'm always learning. The "hard" part is creating unit .grp's, collections of 2d animation frames, which are often frustrating and time consuming.
Magic: How large is the team you are working together with? Do you feel a smaller, more precise team has it’s own advantages than a larger one?
Morpheus: Well, right now we have a very small team, consisting mostly of a core of a few people: Jaded_Mule, myself, Fusioned, and Poisonicnuke (though he has been MIA lately). I think a small focused group can get more accomplished because they have easier communication. Larger groups often have a falling out and a tendency for lack of action.
Magic: And your favourite unit of TTA?
Morpheus: Well, my personal favorite unit is the Protoss Talon. It is the result of a concept that has been floating around in my mind for a long time now. I used to doodle ships similar to the Talon in history. It's a symbol of power and destruction, as well as elegance.
Magic: Have there been any difficult moments so far? How did you overcome them?
Morpheus: Well, there has been some difficulty in deciding just how to implement some of our more experimental ideas, but we have dedicated people who are constantly over-coming technological boundaries. Also, low hit counts and feeling of "no body cares" is often a damper on one's motivation. I remind myself that it is in fun, and I do it because I want to, which is the truth.
Magic: With Battle.net still very active and StarCraft still selling in some parts, I think it is safe to say that the StarCraft community is far from dead. This is especially true when the big conversions (See above) are finally finished, as they will increase the game play as people continue to slot in their StarCraft CD’s to extend their play for hours upon hours. For example, the Beta of Open Rebellion- a sure sign of this sort of ‘extended play’ for StarCraft. Many would have doubted it, but the number of conversions and mapmakers out there is definitely considerable. Clearly, there are a lot of conversions out there, and of these- have any in particular been an influence? Or any people?
Morpheus: Well, I think "The Fenix" by Desler of Campaign Creations was great, despite what others say. It had a good storyline and was the first campaign to use editing technology to enhance the game play and story. I liked it very much. "War of the Tribes" by SCX is also a big influence. That campaign left me wanting more, it's too bad no more will be made. L It had such an awesome storyline, and the graphics by Joel Steudler were excellent.
Magic: I myself will be doing some unit responses and am greatly pleased for my part being involved (Swapping GoldWave instead of StarEdit is a nice change:), providing my voice\ mic remains intact. For those interested, what roles are available right now?
Morpheus: Actually, if anyone wants to convert ready-made 3D models into .grp's they're quite welcome. Hehe, it's the most undesirable job out there, so most likely I'll end up doing them with some help from SCMAN of Star Wars: Vengeance. Other than that, there's really no need for staff. We DO need voice actors, especially female voice actors.
Magic: And, though TTA is quite a way off from being completed, what’s next after it is done and dusted? Are your future plans StarCraft-orientated?
Morpheus: Probably not. I'll most likely end up working on WarCraft III. Total Conversion Nation will probably be hosting a WarCraft III campaign in the future.
Magic: Will anything be available for download from the website in the near future?
Morpheus: Yes, Jaded_Mule and I have been working quite hard on developing the interface for a TTA teaser release. We are converting the StarCraft: Brood War interface to our own customized one. We are including this and a few new background screens in our main MPQ. I will be .grp-ing the Talon for this as well. We will probably incorporate the demo into a SECWAD for security reasons.
Magic: In 15 words or less, why should the reader decide to visit the TTA website? (http://www.scnation.com/tcn/tta/)
Morpheus: I think that any visitor will be pleasantly surprised at the quality of work being done at TTA. We update on the main TCN page quite often,(it only takes 6 minutes to make an update), and we almost always have a new tidbit for people to read or look at. We could use your support in becoming recognized. We DO work very hard.
Magic: Finally, as we approach the end of the interview, which question are you glad I haven’t asked?
Morpheus: "When is The Terran Ascension going to be finished?"
Magic: And the answer?
Morpheus: Haha, what do you think? (When it's done)
Magic: *Sigh* Thank you very much, Morpheus.
Morpheus: I'm very happy to oblige, Magic, I've never been interviewed before.
The Terran Ascension is quickly accelerating, as is its popularity, but of course, they are always looking for some moral support for passing fans. I will definitely "free my mind", when it's released.
Interview produced circa 29/5/00.
As of Aug. 2002, TTA has been canceled, due to the disappearence of Morpheus.
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