Leipzig Games Convention 2007/Skalman Interview

From Entropia Directory wiki

I met Skalman and the MA stand, and he agreed to have a talk with me. So, we went out for a smoke and I hammered him with questions. He actually is a great guy IRL, we had a lot of laughs.

I tried to go against him in PvP and I completely sucked. I could now tie that fact to the horrible, over-sensitive mice they used, or that I use a different keyboard layout when at home, but I won't. He pk0wned me big time, and I sucked. I hit him once, I believe.

DD

Skalman, thanks for the opportunity to talk to you here on Games Convention. Did you have fun so far? How was the reception at Messe Leipzig?

Skalman

I love the convention. It feels good to be here, the stand is great and I get to meet a lot of other players.

DD

Did you have the chance to do any sightseeing? How do you like Leipzig?

Skalman

No, no sightseeing. On our way here, we travelled through Halle. I was surprised that many of the buildings were in really bad shape, almost like after an atom bomb in places. But when we got here it was nicer.

DD

What do you think of the german gamers you met here?

Skalman

I believe that germany has a lot of potential for new players. Germany has some of the most successful gamers and gaming clans be it Quake4 or CounterStrike, all the FPS. It's simply a good player base. I think a lot of people from Germany will go into Entropia soon.

DD

Games Convention has loads of concerts and parties after hours. Did you attended any of these evening events? Or plan to?

Skalman

No. With the convention work, I simply cannot find the time, and after a day at the booth I am really too tired.

DD

What is the most interesting thing at GC for you personally?

Skalman

Thats not easy to say. The growth of it, maybe, it gets bigger and bigger every year.

At GC, you have all the big companies that make games, the developers, the hardware folks like ATI or Intel. People can go to one place and see it all. But you simply cannot do it in one day, you have to spend several days to have an in-depth overview of the scene and the market. That is, if you don't have a special goal like going to the EU stand and going ingame from there. ;)

DD

What other games do you like? (MMO/non-MMO)

Skalman

Actually no other MMO. I tried Silkroad online for a couple months, I started to play on new server that was just set up. At the beginning I was easily the top player on that server. But after a few weeks the bot players catched up, and security measures against these exploits were really bad, so i saw no point in going on.

Considering non-MMO, I play every big shooter there is. I need that. Sometimes one needs to take a break from Entropia to be able to really appreciate it again. It really feels good to go out, recharge your battery and then come back and ... KICK ASS! I love Stalker, it is great.

DD

Did you bring some of your loved ones, or is it just you alone in faraway Germany?

Skalman

Its just me here.

DD

How do you like the booth? What is different from last year?

Skalman

We have bigger space and a lot more "virtual" stuff, computers, people can try out the game, we have big plasma monitors with CryEngine and other trailers. We have a promo video by Neverdie, about CND, and of course the pking computers to face Skalman on equal conditions.

DD

What about our famous german beer?

Skalman

Yes, trying out the beer is imperative for a Swede. The local beer is great.

DD

What do you like best about EU?

Skalman

The whole concept, I guess. It simply doesn't matter what kind of mood you are in, you can always find something fulfilling to do. For example, if you are fit, feel great and are not tired you can easily have a great hunt for a good 8 hours on end. If you feel grumpy or are down, you can go out an PK a bit for excitement. If you feel like doing nothing much at all you can just stand around and chat with the people around you or in your society.

There's so much to do. If i have no interest in what I do mostly I go mining, it gives me some balance. Every day is an Entropia Day!

DD

What is the greatest opportunity or the greatest threat to EU as it is now?

Skalman

As I see it, the new GFX engine of course, though it really doesn't matter to me personally. I'm not playing for the GFX, I play for fun. But I still think it's important because it's appealing to the new audience, MA have to do something like that to make EU attractive. But thats perhaps not what you actually asked. Let me try and answer your question.

In very short short time, all people that have played for a while will have acquired a special kind of friendship or respect for each other. Because soon there will be a lot more people, a new "medium player" thats much lower in skill than the "medium player" of today.

DD

What improvement do you think is the most important to be made / that has been made?

Skalman

MA will have to upgrade the system to be able to handle all the masses that are going to come. They have to upgrade at the same speed as they implant new people into the game. I think that's very important.

It may sound like a cliche, the best thing is that you can really tell that MA has got so much development stuff behind them, so much about lag, clothing, guns, things like that, Dunno if thats the answer, but it all feels more "real" now. They see a future, "virtually".

CND was the most important improvement so far, i think.

DD

As an über player, do you have great expectations concerning the new VU9.0 and the GFX upgrades that come with it?

Skalman

Of course. It really is great. When the next VU will come people will be impressed for the work they have done WITHOUT the new engine. Also we need that to show that we are really unique, every player in the universe, clothes style, looks, reputation.

DD

Are you informed about the state of german law concerning "Killer Games"? CryTek announced on the GCDC (Games Convention Developer Conference) that they would leave the country when the production of "games with a violent background" will be outlawed as planned. What do you think of that?

Skalman

I think they did right, why should they stay. Authorities can't go against the whole world for things that happened in the past. This is reality, we want to build a future. Back in the past, lots of violence was created without computers. Right now, I feel that there's lesser real life violence.

DD

How did you come to play EU in the first place?

SKalman

I was at competition with my CS clan and we won. MA was sponsoring the prices and promoting EU at the same party, so we were able to get into that game. We went home after the contest to my place and partied, and we created our accounts, and checked it out, that was it.

DD

What weapon and armor do you like best?

Skalman

Well, Shadow + 5B of course, and the Improved Strikehammer.

DD

I guess you heard about the recent scamming reports on EF, kids being scammed out of their pocket-money-earned stuff, and the ever increasing scamming rate in the game. What are your feelings about this?

Skalman

First of all, concerning kids that are getting scammed, I simply don't think the game is for kids. Second, we all play a pretty unique game, its about real money. I don't condone, but you have to understand that in some countries, it's a LOT of money. I can understand those people's motivation, but they don't know or understand the damage they do. People are getting taken away what they have built up over years. Overall, it makes me feel very sad.

DD

What are your feelings about the challenge to go up against you in PvP at the convention, with the potential to win 1000 PED?

Skalman

Well, its fun, a lot of fun. But also its a very big risk for MA to take, for the prizes, actually they believe more in my pking skills than I do. It's a great opportunity for players, to fight me on the equal conditions. Most of the time, I have better gear or skills or FAP, now they finally can kick my ass. Actually, a few have kicked my ass, and I'm happy for them.

DD

Being at Games Convention for MindArk, is it more fun or more work?

Skalman

Actually both. Because I really enjoy being here, to be able to talk to some people you talk in the game in RL. To be there, to see that MA is promoting the game in the right way, so people dont get the wrong impression. The noise is really hard to stand at times. Thats the worst.

DD

You are easily the biggest PKing über in the Universe, and a great celebrity in the game. What is that like? Does it have pros and cons?

Skalman

It's fun, but it has lesser enjoyment than you may believe. There is lots of jealousness and backstab talking, that is bad. Sometimes I really wish I could just shut that all out and play the game the way it should be. I dont like the politics talk, and endless explaining to people so they dont get the wrong impression. We are all here to have fun, after all.

DD

Do you have any opinion about the soon-to-come "banks"? Will you use them?

Skalman

Maybe it's good for the Universe. Personally, I do not believe in the idea, but maybe it's good for the players being able to get those extra PED, or turn stuff into cash to pay a RL bill. I guess that is a economy question. I play for fun, thats why im not so into it.

DD

Do you have any opinion about the China venture?

Skalman

Of course it will affect us a lot. I'd say that we would be ready, but maybe in one year. I don't think we are ready for it today. Of course they should also have a chance to be a part of the universe we have.

DD

Do you still sweat or snable?

Skalman

No. I'm not. Thats a lie, because I have a pro standing of 40 in Sweat Gatherer. When the sweating started, I was too skilled to be able to sweat at all, so I tried it when they opened it up, but it's not my thing.

DD

Do you listen to music while playing, or ingame sounds?

Skalman

Actually I do listen to the ingame music, with no sounds.

DD

Thanks a lot, Skalman for taking the time and sharing your views with EntropiaDirectory. I take it we will be meeting here again next year?

Skalman

My pleasure. Yeah, i believe I'll be here next year.