Link here: http://web.archive.org/web/20020811045456/http://www.gamespy.com/interviews/january01/chriskingsley/
Chris Kingsley
Rebellions Studios' co-founder Chris Kingsley speaks about their company's own personal triumph: Aliens vs. Predator.
By - Tricia "Kazi Wren" Harris
Think back to the first time you saw Predator. The film was set in the humid jungles of South America. An entire team of highly skilled U.S. soldiers was sent in to recover hostages, but before the sun could set we were treated to enough havoc and bloodshed -- not to mention a terrifying alien hunter -- to make us fear what else lurks in the universe.
Now, do the same with Alien. I don't know about you, but that movie still freaks me out. The Aliens were the scariest creatures I'd ever seen. You couldn't negotiate with them. You couldn't hide from them. You were toast, and they had the strawberry jam.
When Rebellion created Aliens vs. Predator in 1999, the U.K.-based developer gave gamers fear in a box. AvP was a fantasy come true: Two of the most powerful warriors in the universe squaring off (with an unlucky U.S. Marine tossed in for good measure).
Taking his own look back, Chris Kingsley, chief technology officer for Rebellion, believes AvP was a great personal triumph.
"I am very proud of Aliens Vs Predator. It was a true team effort to produce such a great game," he said. "It took many months of true dedication, hard work late into the evening and on weekends to make it such a gaming a milestone. I still look at it with a glow of pride. It was great for many things, but perhaps most of all, it proved that Rebellion has an ability to consistently make great games."
We spoke to Chris about the company he co-founded in 1992 with his brother, Jason.
GameSpy: Which Rebellion games have you worked on? What did you do on that (those) game(s)?
Chris Kingsley: I have been involved with all of our games. I have done programming, sound, production, and the occasional bit of art. Nowadays, I get less involved in the day-to-day nitty-gritty, although that's the bit I really enjoy the most.
GameSpy: Had you ever worked on a computer game before joining Rebellion?
Chris Kingsley: I worked as a freelancer with my brother Jason on a number of games -- BladeWarrior and Murder are two that immediately spring to mind, but there are more.
GameSpy: Of the games you've worked on at Rebellion, which are you most proud of? Why?
Chris Kingsley: Alien Vs Predator on the Atari Jaguar. It was the world's first first-person shooter on a console. The graphics still look remarkably good even to this day.
GameSpy: Rebellion seems to have a track record for making hit games. Now you're moving on to The Mummy. What do you owe your success to?
Chris Kingsley: Working too hard! No, in reality it has to be down to the people who write the games - the programmers, artists, designers, producers, testers, musicians. It takes a lot of people and a lot of time to make games. And you need to have great enthusiasm for the games you are working on -- after all you may have to spend a couple of years working on a game.
GameSpy: Rebellion has developed for computers and consoles. Do you have a personal preference?
Chris Kingsley: They all have their strengths and weaknesses. I rather like the Gameboy as it hasn't changed that much in ten years -- it still reminds me of the classic old days of the Commodore 64 and Sinclair Spectrum.
GameSpy: What's this Asterix title I see mentioned on your Website?
Chris Kingsley: This refers to a Gameboy Color game that we developed for Infogrames a few months back. The creator of Asterix said that it was the best ever version he's seen.
GameSpy: Shifting now to Gunlok. What is it about the lone gunman scenario that appeals to gamers? How will Gunlok set itself apart?
Chris Kingsley: We all want to be that lone gunman, that's what. With Gunlok we are trying something new, we are trying to create a new genre. This is both challenging and exciting. We've had a lot of fun making it, and think players will really enjoy playing it.
GameSpy: Do you find yourself paying close attention to negative or positive remarks made on news sites, or in game magazines?
Chris Kingsley: We normally get great reviews for our games, thankfully. We always try to make the best game you can, but no matter how hard you try, someone somewhere won't like it. I will pay more attention to someone who has spent time playing our games. Quite often it is clear that a reviewer hasn't played the game -- they don't get my respect at all.
GameSpy: Is it possible to get too caught up in making a game and running a company?
Chris Kingsley: Absolutely, I enjoy everything I do, perhaps too much. That's why I work so hard -- long days and a lot of time at the weekends. But, then, making games is such a great thing to do that the time always goes by so quickly.
GameSpy: When you go home at night, do you fall asleep quickly, or do you toss and turn and think of the game you're working on?
Chris Kingsley: It varies. I often lie awake thinking about new ideas, better ways to do things, all sorts of things. But I like that because it shows that my brain is still working. It is very important to me to be creative.
Other times, I will go to sleep very quickly. Occasionally, when we have a big deadline, I might not get to go home and get no sleep at all!
GameSpy: Can you help us understand the decision of Fox Interactive using Monolith to do the AvP sequel? It was a strange and controversial move to many of your fans.
Chris Kingsley: Fox Interactive are the owners of the Aliens and Predator characters and have every right to do what they want with them. Don't forget that we have been working on Aliens and Predator games for many years now, since about 1992! In fact with the release of the downloadable multiplayer games (check out AvP News for the downloads) this is our 4th Aliens and Predator project. But don't worry we are continuing to work with Fox Interactive on a number of projects; I just can't say anything about them yet.
GameSpy: With two major movie licenses under your belt, I wonder what movie will get Rebellion treatment next. Choose a recent movie that you'd make a game for it everything was right (time, money, etc).
Chris Kingsley: It would have to be Gladiator or Last of the Mohicans -- my top two movies of all time. The great thing about our close relationships with Fox and Universal is that we really do have access to these sort of great movie licenses. It really is a dream come true!