Post your Questions for Rolf Mohr

[Slugger]

Engage!

[Mickey]

3 for now I will update with more soon

Is there any Trailer or even Demos of the game that you might still have?

What was it like knowing that the technology that you most needed to accomplish your dream game didn’t exist or was limited ate the time you were working on Trespasser?

What is your opinion on most of the reviews and bad press Trespasser got? Do you think they were right considering trespasser ate the time was a very demanding game? Or do you think the game deserved more credit?

[hppav]

What originally went in the space between the Lab and Ascent 1?

What kind of tools were a part of the original development kit (GUIApp, MaxScripts, etc)?

Is it true that the maximum texture resolution was lessened to decrease loading times and increase framerate?

Which puzzle do you think was the best and most fun to program?

What's the true story behind the dam and Harold Greenwood?

How many times did you hear cussing from the programmers?

Which one was it that pushed for the 1998 release, Dreamworks, Universal, or Speilberg himself (I've heard all three)?

What's your favorite level?

If the project were to be picked up by another game corporation, would you work on it again?

Was there supposed to be a puzzle on stealing data from the computers in the Lab level?

[machf]

1.- How did you end up working on Trespasser at Dreamworks Interactive?

2.- As a 3D artist, what were you tasked with on the Trespasser Team?

3.- How did the various team members get along?

4.- What happened with the team between when Trespasser was finished and when it was finally disbanded?

5.- What projects have you been involved with after that?

6.- Regarding Trespasser, some of the models showcased in your site seem to be related to a scrapped level called "Pine Valley" (sometimes also known as "The Geothermal Plant"). There's the Turbine Shed, the Transformer Array, the Porta-Potty... what was your involvement with that particular level?

7.- On your site, there are a couple concept images which appear to be of a level called "The Plains", showing several dinosaurs near a big lake, with wide open spaces around and a few hill s in the background... was it only a concept, or did the level actually exist but got scrapped before the release (like Pine Valley was)?

8.- Were the dinosaur textures also your work? If so, they are petty good, and the bumpmapping (or normal mapping, rather) used on them was a very advanced feature for a game back then...

9.- Did you ever play Trespasser after its release to see the results of your work? If so, what did you think of it?

10.- Do you think Trespasser would have fared better if it had been done more recently, with the advances in PC hardware that only became available after that time?

[Draconisaurus]

• We understand that Trespasser levels were mass-exported directly into the level files using MaxScripts. While we don't have these scripts, we have developed similar ones to use, though they are mostly intended for small- to medium-groups of objects at a time, and no scripts exist for exporting Max terrain into the WTD format. We also know that you had a level-viewer program known as "GUInterface" that allowed you some manipulation within the game (such as the fabled "grabbing dinos and dropping them"), but we know very little about it. What capabilities did it allow you and the team, and was actual editing of the game possible with it, or was that limited to the Max scenes?
• There is an unused music track in Trespasser called "MUSIC - HIDDEN VILLAGE". Some speculate that this was for the Mayan city in the Ascent1 level, even though it has its own music, while many others think it was written for an undeveloped location of an ancient colonial town that thrived many years before InGen came to the island, about the same time as the Plantation House, but was later abandoned. Some site this image of the old Church in a pine setting as evidence:
  http://trescom.3dactionplanet.gamespy.c ... hot005.jpg
  It could simply be a promotional image, with various available models placed into one scene. But we notice that the windows originally had none of the planks nailed to them, like those in the town, and that the hole in the roof actually served as a spot where a pine or two could stick out. There is also a vast area of nothing but pines and rocks in the Ascent1 level, leading all the way to the ocean, with nothing else. It's been my opinion this is probably where the village could have gone. Can you tell us anything about such a village, if it ever existed?
• What sorts of research do you remember the team doing in order to work on the game? For example the Mayan ruins and Plantation House seem highly accurate, probably more than anyone knows. Were there any team visits to sites such as a working geothermal plant or biochemistry lab?
• The town level is rather large and quite a sight to see, although it seems to be missing much of what was intended for it. It is mentioned in an interview that there was to be a baseball diamond in the InGen Town - all that is to be found in the release is a basketball court. Do you recall the diamond making it into an older version of the level? Do you remember anything else that was taken out of the town? Early renders of buildings suggest they were not meant to be as bare of objects as they are now, what can you tell us about the decisions to change the environment for the sake of engine capabilities?
• Many findings in the level files of Trespasser tell us that there was a "Hunters Camp" location, probably in the much altered IndustrialJungle level, which is not in fact very industrial. Do you remember anything about this location, and what sorts of things the player would encounter there?
• Also in IndustrialJungle is the BioSyn helicopter. Do you remember why this was included, or if it once had any significance to the story/gameplay?
• There are many cars found in Trespasser, of course none of them are drivable. However, there are sounds in the audio files of the game for starting/running car engines. Do you remember anything about early intentions for drivable vehicles?
• In one review of the Trespasser Beta, which we all wish we could get our hands on, plants may actually be torn straight out of the ground. What purpose did this serve? Why was it taken out? Perhaps it was for an earlier health system, where the player would have to find food and medical kits to regenerate hitpoints?

[Draconisaurus]

BTW do we know what level Rolf was primarily responsible for, if any? Might be good to ask if we don't...

[machf]

He's quoted as an artist, and according to the examples on his site, he made stuff for several different levels...

[ExTrespasser]

Just registered,
Thanks for the invite Stephen..

Whew, I see a LOT of questions already!
I guess the plan is to wait till you've posted a bunch of them and then I'll answer them in an interview format?
I will have to mention upfront that my memory is already pretty hazy about most of this stuff, so please bear with me...

Cheers,
Rolf

[Slugger]

Thanks for signing up Rolf! Nice to see you around.

(Now people, let's not scare Mr. Mohr away by bombarding him with PMs. Continue to post your questions here. )

[Rebel]

Questions:

If E.A.Games ever decided to remake Trespasser, would you be
willing to work on the project?

Of the many talented people who worked on Trespasser, how many
(if any) former team members do you still have contact with?

How would you describe the time you spent working on Trespasser,
was it rewarding, a learning experience or a nightmare?

On a personal level, in spite of commerical failure, how would you as
game industry professional, rate Trespasser?

[machf]

Welcome to the forums, Mr. Mohr. Let's hope you enjoy your stay...

[masterchiefoo7]

- are you embarrased or proud to have worked on trespasser? did you happily put it on your resumes ir just pretend this never happened?

-what is your favorite project you have ever worked on?

-do you play video games? including the ones you made?

-how much did the game differ from the version you guys worked on to the version that made it to the stores? what other levels were there? were levels combined and whatnot to make it what it is today?

-what was the GUIinterface like? do you still have any of the products and tools that you made the game with?

-were you a big fan of jurassic park? what made you work with DWI?

-were there any other plans for more dinosaurs?

[Draconisaurus]

Why hello there, Rolf! Thank you so much for taking the time to join the forums and talk with us about the game we all adore.

did you happily put it on your resumes ir just pretend this never happened?

He has a section of his website devoted to Trespasser so I doubt this is the case.

-how much did the game differ from the version you guys worked on to the version that made it to the stores? what other levels were there? were levels combined and whatnot to make it what it is today?

We pretty much know the answer to this.. very thoroughly in fact. Especially how/why the changes came about. Though that's a fairly general question, we could always learn more about the Plains and PV.. or the fabled "lowlands" (I'm personally a huge fan of the long-abandoned Plains concept I'm busy trying to recreate it in a section my massive fan level...)

[hppav]

You're forgetting the area between Lab and Ascent.

[don vercetti]

Welcome, Rolf. As some already said, thanks for joining. It's really, really exciting to have you here.

I have one question that might be a little dumb, but anyway,
- were real life counterparts used as models for, say, mayan structures, geothermal plant etc. or were they designed from scratch?