Link here: http://web.archive.org/web/20020608032807/http://www.avpnews.com/community/interviews/dschat1.html
This is an interview conducted over the MPlayer chat client with David Stalker and (I assume) anyone who happened to be in the chat lobby at the time.
Conducted over MPlayer, July 30, 1999
Reformatted and re-edited by Sadogoat, January 2002
Edited Chat Log from the David Stalker Chat conducted on July 30th at (the now defunct) Mplayer.com. David Stalker is the Producer for Fox Interactive's Aliens versus Predator.
Additional notes (in yellow italics) added by Sadogoat, Jan 2002.
Zweiblummen: First I want to say the game is awesome. Well done. Here is my question: Why isn't there a level editor bundled? Wouldn't it have done good for the game popularity?
Dave Stalker: It would've been great but the tools used are not suitable for public release.
AOD_LordHadez: What do you think of this: multiplayer team options....(ie 3 aliens + 1 pred VS. 2 preds + 1 marine)??
Dave Stalker: You can do that now, the game let's you set up teams however you like.
AOD_LordHadez: How?
MadDog 38: Teamplay...
Dave Stalker: It just doesn't formalise it. Play normal DM and select the species. What more do you want??
Jays_cool: Can you please consider making an alien coop for this game? Like marine coop? Also, are you thinking of putting out any addons in the near future?
Dave Stalker: Honestly, Alien co-op is tricky because of AI issues but it's something that we may investigate in the future expansions that we will be doing.
BARTOK01-RCS: Will there be an option for clan play at some point?
Dave Stalker: You mean like tournaments and ladders and stuff?
BARTOK01-RCS: Yes
Dave Stalker: That's in the domain of your good friends at Mplayer ;-)
WM_Luger: I guess you didn't see my 2nd comment, but I asked if the networking was going to be patched, I'd noticed some lagginess no matter how good a conn I have. I was asking Dave was there a patch coming out to take care of some lagginess using a 56k modem with set number of players, that would help tone down the jumpiness
SharpClaw: What is the reason for removal of such items such as the Bone Spear, the secondary fire for the pistol... etc...? I was extremely disapointed in the missing weapons, even the Alien Spit, all of which were in Beta. Is it possible that they are going to be implemented later? Possibly on one of the expansions? (SG Note: The 'acid spit' was never actually in the beta, save as a functionless key bind. The Spear, of course, appeared in AvP2. The Predator pistol originally had two fire modes, the second mode being the sole fire mode of the final release. The primary mode in the betas was a kind of 'scattergun' effect)
Dave Stalker: The Bone Spear wasn't removed, neither was the Acid Spit. The pistol was revised. BTW where did you get the "Beta"? - that's illegal y'know! Acid Spit was in the menus but wasn't actually implemented.
SharpClaw: I have many beta friends. I'm a HUGE fan so, I followed it though I was too late for beta
Alien926: Why did you decide to make this game? i mean, did you just get up and say "hey, let's make a computer game based on the best movie monsters ever"?
Dave Stalker: I didn't decide to make it, it was underway when I got here but it was a Saturn, PSX and PC game with 2D sprites. But...an AvP game is as much a dream project for me as it is for you guys.
kidvideo1: Why doesnt the Predator pick up the Marine's head when decapatated? I have tried this and it doesn't work and will there be a ladder for this game in www.igl.net?
Dave Stalker: No plans for a ladder. Picking up heads would be tricky...even in an expansion but perhaps in a sequel?? (SG Note: Of course, this never happened - at least it didn't in AvP2. Ladders appeared though)
MadDog 38: Just why wont Rebellion support a editor like PREditor? As it is there engine not Foxes so they can do what they like with it! other companies make an editor for their Engine with out the consent of the publishers.
JD-TL: they banned the bloody AvP Quake mods! (SG Note: Preditor was the first attempt at an AvP map creation project. Despite the appearance of several very good editing tools, the actual map program never really got far. It was the Leinen brothers with their Leadworks editor that passed the Preditor team in the race (themselves being former members of the Preditor team))
Dave Stalker: AvP = Fox's Property, Rebellion can't just do that. Besides there's no cash in it!!
BH-A9B6C6-War: hehehe money
MadDog 38: So its all about money? No quality???
K I A15: Dave, do you work for Fox or Rebellion? (SG Note: Some people still think Dave works for Rebellion to this very day)
BH-A9B6C6-War: Grrrrrrrrrrr - are you insulting the makers of AvP?
BH-A9B6C6-War: Go Dave! Woooohooo!
Dave Stalker: Wait a sec here! I have no idea if PReditor actually works or not but I *CAN* tell you Fox would be very interested (in a cool way) if it did. BTW, PrEditor was the name of the PREY editor, anyone know what's going on with that game, these days? (SG Note: Of course, the game "Prey" was canned)
JD-TL: Somehow, I don't see Fox EVER letting the "public" do anything to their "property"!!!
walletboy: Prey will be released with the sequel to Stonekeep
Dave Stalker: Who's the next question?
JD-TL: 'Coz Fox got annoyed that all the "mods" were better than their game (Alien Trilogy)
Dave Stalker: Trilogy was made by Acclaim
JD-TL: I don't know of one single Alien game/alien mod that Fox didn't ban! (SG Note: Actually, some of the Alien and Predator TCs for Duke Nukem 3D escaped the net - so to speak)
Dave Stalker: Someone from PREditor should get in touch with me.
AOD_LordHadez: Can you please add teamplay to make clan battles easier to set up if the clan isn't all one race? I (and I bet other people too) would REALLY appreciate it.
Dave Stalker: We had lots of discussions about this, whether people would make mixed race teams or not. Seems like you would like to, is that true?
Jays_cool: yes
5618rickster: CROUCH/CLIMB toggle is not supported in Mplayer, (only ID_PLAYER works) when will these be implemented for Mplayer use? When can we expect (if ever) a map editor (even crudely)
Dave Stalker: Crouchmode should work. Or is it only in SP? Can't remember
5618rickster: It doesnt in Mplayer does in sp and MP
K I A15: make sure you enable it
5618rickster: the toggle mode
Dave Stalker: Map Editor...I can only repeat we'd like one as much as you.
BH-A9B6C6-War: Do you have any plans to make any add-ons or expansions for AvP and if so what are some of the features of it.
Dave Stalker: Yes, can't really discuss at the moment but more levels and listening to some of your feedback is a large part of it. (SG Note: This, of course, was the Gold Edition released in 2000)
JD-TL: I don't see AvP hosting and TCs tho. Not as modifyable as the Quake engine
Dave Stalker: The game architecture is not Quake-style client/server but we *might* be able to allow a persistent, standalone server.
T.Crowe360: Dave, what other programs or accessories, are you planning on making for AvP, and is it possible to make new weapons for AvP?
Dave Stalker: Yikes! Let's shoot for a map editor first, then we'll maybe see about that! :-)
philipmlaker: When did you start to like Aliens and Predators and why? Also, are there any codes?
S_Hole: how do you crypt the .rif files?
Dave Stalker: I discovered Aliens by watching the first movie on TV when I was around 14. ----- my pants and loved them ever since!
Jays_cool: The codes are stuff like "beat the game 15 times perfectly and your shirt turns a different color".
Dave Stalker: I love that shirt colour cheat, don't you?
WM_Luger: Dave, can you disable the set number of save games you can use? Like make it unlimited, so the game wont be so frustrating on Director's Cut.
Dave Stalker: No, it's meant to be a challenge when you get to that level. I'm sure someone will hack it tho'
Jays_cool: Will you consider making like Capture The Flag? Like in a much larger map than you have out now? It would be like 2 bases (say, one being an Alien temple, and the other being a Marine base, and have up to at least 20 people playing. That would be unbelievably awesome. A good example would be something like Tribes. I know it sounds far-fetched, but I'm sure Fox can do it some how. If the game is too complicated to do this or it would have too much lag thats fine I guess...
Dave Stalker: Possibly - large numbers of players is not what AvP is built for tho'
K I A15: Who hired the terrible actors?
Dave Stalker: Don't slag the talent man!
kidvideo1: Can you break the (Predator) disc in multiplayer if someone swipes at it when it's stuck in a wall and this other question is for Mplayer: will you ever fix the lag in a game with over 5 people
Dave Stalker: No you can't break the disc but I think you should, what do you think?
Mars Guo: Is there going to be an expansion for AvP? If there is what will be on it? And could you make different alien types to play as?
Dave Stalker: I'll be looking at mixed teams next time.
comboTron-360: will there ever be spraypaint images like in Half-Life for clans?
5618rickster: decals in other words
Dave Stalker: You can make real pretty images with blood spray.
T.Crowe360: Dave, I heard somewhere that you were planning on releasing an expansion set in 2000? Can you confirm this? Oh and would it be possible to make a paintball map for just Marines? Or a team fortress level for clan matches or sumthing?
Dave Stalker: We are looking at expanding AvP. Defintely. We love it, don't you? As for when...2000 is about right. (SG Note: Again, this ended up as the "Gold Edition")
T.Crowe360: And what about Marine paintball and team fortress?
Dave Stalker: Paintball, maybe...we'll see.
BH-A9B6C6-War: Why did you go with the transparent cloak for the Pred instead of the cool shimmery one from the movies, and in the add-on will there be any new weapons like acid spit or net gun? (SG Note: Rebellion later stated that the reason the movie-version cloak wasn't used was because it didn't make the Predator terribly 'invisible' in the game. They did, however, manage to achieve the movie-look cloaking during development)
Dave Stalker: We tried lots of different effects and went with the one that looked cool and helped the gameplay. It can also be done on any Voodoo1 card and up :-) More weapons is a possibility for expansion (SG Note: The pistols and skeeter in the Gold Edition)
Zweiblummen: One of the best fright/fun features of the game are the Facehuggers. I am sure everyone jumps in the air when one of the beasties get you. So wouldn't it be possible to make their initial placement on the map unpredictable? A bit like the Marines/civilians are starting at different maps locations each game?
Dave Stalker: Facehugger positions ARE randomised. In some places more than others. That's the cool thing. When you go into a room in the Space Station level (SG Note: This is the 'Orbital' level) you don't know if they're there or not!!
Doji Kokoro: Will there be a AvP2? If so...could you have it take place on Earth? It would be cool having Aliens on Earth, jumping from rooftop to rooftop with Preds giving chase. (SG Note: As we all now know, it never ended up on Earth at all)
Dave Stalker: Sounds cool Doji!
philipmlaker: Will there ever be a movie version of Aliens Versus Predator? And are there cheats?
Dave Stalker: If enough people buy the game maybe we can shake a movie out! Wouldn't that be the coolest?! Certainly, all the right people have seen the game. I can say that!
S_Hole: i've read an abandoned Aliens Vs Predator script.
K I A15: A friend of mine made a utility that allows the players to use the jetpack and grappling hook on any level and in MP. He would like to know if it's possible for this to be implemented into the game as a server option, for all to use, and therefore add proper animations and images(ie. jetpack smoke). Could this be done?
Dave Stalker: Ok, K I. We didn't do this 'cos we thought it would be too unfair on the Aliens if everyone can fly. That's their cool thing. They can go anywhere but other people can't. We might reopen that issue though
kidvideo1: Will you have stages made to implement the species strong points, like a jungle stage for the Pred and a base for the Marines on multiplayer?
Dave Stalker: Jungle is NOT happening man, you know how many polys are in a tree!!!! (SG Note: As it turned out, there was - of course - a "Jungle" level released as one of the Gold Edition add-on packs)
sdunn2001: ploys?
AOD_LordHadez: polys = polygons
Dave Stalker: Polygons
Zweiblummen: Make the tree leaves bitmaps
sdunn2001: Dave, what species do you like????????
Dave Stalker: I like Marine (love that Pulse Rifle)
NBK-Mauler54: Hey Mr. Stalker (like the game!) is there a idea of any paint programs for AvP and ways to download levels off the net? Like the Aliens could be greenish like in Alien Resurrection? And any new ideas for new ways to play over the net like Capture The Flag and any others?? (SG Note: As things turned out, AvP skins were being churned out en masse at the beginning of 2000 - which is when I opened the first mods site, "Cocoon-Ed" and issued the first ever AvP skin - an unmasked Predator)
Dave Stalker: Maybe, we'll have to see...
philipmlaker: When you are playing as a Predator and you die, can you self-destruct?
Dave Stalker: Only AI Preds can self-destruct
BH-A9B6C6-War: In the add on would there be a possiblity of a trophy room for the predator?
Dave Stalker: Don't know? Do you want one?
BH-A9B6C6-War: yeah
sdunn2001: yes
BH-A9B6C6-War: what's the point of trophies if we can't see them
K I A15: A trophy room, of course
Dave Stalker: BH, good point!
S_Hole: Please Dave this one!! - is there a 'gameplay code' like Quake-c?
Dave Stalker: No gameplay code, sorry. Thanks guys this was fun!!
End of Transcript