1.) It seems as though everyone wants to be a big game maker these days. . . or spend most of their time “dreaming” about getting into the industry. You went from designing Quake 1-2 stuff ( and playing in a band ) to making games… How the hell did you manage that?? 

It surprised me too. I've been playing and creating games of all kinds for a long time, but I never intended to get a job designing computer games, of all things. I'm a musician, not a level designer, dammit! Personally I blame DrSleep. And Steve Rescoe. I think they showed one of my Quake levels to John R. at Ion when it was just starting up. Within a couple of months, I was working there. I had like a ten minute phone interview with John and boom, yer in kid.  It was tough to leave music behind in Minnesota. There's a good music scene there, and lots of cool work on all kinds of levels (pun intended) to be involved in. Yet, the computer game biz is just so weird, I wouldn't trade this experience for anything in the world.  It reminds me of rock and roll.

2.) O.K., the history goes something like… Ion Storm, Gearbox, Looking Glass, now Rogue it seems a TON of super talented MoFo’s end up at Rogue…what do they put in the coffee over there to attract talent??

Rogue is a very special studio. Super-comfy office. Small staff. Nice people. It's pretty hard to top that. 

3.) What's the most outrageous thing you ever did ON your job. There are always the notorious tricks and pranks that everyone hears about… gimme some dirt baby!!   

I'm more subliminal with my outrageousness. I put hidden jokes in, and my sig as a kind of Slartibartfastian mark in many of the levels I work on. Heheh, sometimes other designers find these things and remove them. Ask me about the giraffe model Fingers hid in one of the Daikatana Greek levels sometime. 

4.) People you admire in the industry. ( this is a mandatory question… but very important ;^) 

Chris Crawford, Greg Costikyan, Tom Chick, Crowther & Woods, Dani Bunten Berry, the NetHack dev team... Hmm... Lots of other folks too who's names I can't recall, who were responsible for games like Star Control 2 or the wonderful Infocom stuff.

5.) What's the most annoying thing to deal with as a level designer. 

For me, it's probably the fact that during game development everything is happening all at once. ...Rather maddening when one is trying to stay focused on crucial level/mission details (but they're not done yet, or they get changed again and again). This is part and parcel to the way games have to be made right now, but it is not the optimum game development scenario, in my opinion. 

6.) You just finished up Alice, and to all that has played it…. It kicks major ass, a large portion of the “WOW” factor is from the awe inspiring levels. How in the hell did you come up with some of the ideas for those levels?? 

Level design at Rogue is a group collaboration. Jim M., two or more designers, and assorted artists, programmers and whoever else seems interested, meet round table style and discuss the coolest areas and encounters they can think of to fit the story. The best of the ideas that are playable, buildable, and the most fun, are entered into the design doc and reference areas.

(get the demo here)

 
Then the level is begun. One level designer, with help from a texture artist, begins the build-out phase. As levels, models, animations and art are created there are several peer reviews of missions in progress to hopefully assure that things are working, progressing and looking and playing nice. After a level is "complete," it still undergoes the scrutiny of anyone in the office who wants to test or critique it. Later on, the playtesting phase puts the level through its final rigors. Changes, additions, and subtractions are made throughout this process of tuning the mission. It works something like this, anyway. 

7.) Tips you can give Level Designer in training 

Master the craft of level design, and then figure out how to break the rules in new and interesting ways. At that point, what you do will also be art. Don't steal ideas. Make up new ones or improve old ones. If you must steal, please steal from the best.
 
Look at existing 3D map files (.map in Quake). Map files are treasure troves of information, especially for the beginner. Use your editor, darn it.  

Art examples: A texture artist ideally needs to see an architectural feature frontally and lit from above and to the left. (I'm spoofing a little. Bear with me.) A level designer needs to see architecture from many angles and under different lighting conditions. Look for the unusual. Use the frontal view to build. Use alternate views of the same architecture to understand. 

If you're just starting out, make a real effort to finish the level you're working on and then get right on to the next one. The sense of accomplishment you'll experience over time will be well worth the effort. 

8.) Drink of Choice 

A cup of hot meat or a tall glass of bricks. 

9.) Tunes of Choice
 

Rundgren
Zeppelin
Beatles
Ozric Tentacles
Kate Bush
Nilsson
Wendy Carlos
Steely Dan
Zappa 

10.)Food while computing?? 

Right now it's Bimbo brand Bimbunuelos Crispy Wheels. They're too sugary, and very addictive despite their annoying aftertaste. 

11.) You have gotten to work with a great bunch or guys on this last project, Levelord, Brandon James, American McGee, Jim Molinets, Rich Fleider. . . if you could “ROPE SOMEONE IN” to the Rogue team… who would it be?? 

What a cool question. Let's see. Terri Brosius or Tim Stellmach from the Thief games. Or Steve Rescoe from Third Law. 

12.) I am a car guy, I just wanna know what it’s like to buy a Ferrari and immediately have the engine pulled to have nitrous installed ( **cough** CARMACK**cough**), What is Rich’s SOOPA CAR?? 

I don't drive so this question is kind of irrelevant to me. Sorry. I spend my trash cash on books, dvd's and board games. 

13.) When Rich Carlson “unplugs” what do you do?? ( I know you’ve been hanging around my buddy Levelord. . .so be careful with the answers ;^) 

Currently I'm going through a wuxia phase. I really like the Hong Kong kung fu fantasyfilms from the 80's and early 90's, and I'm watching every one I can get my hands on.
 
I'm also working on several game designs for fun, in collaboration with various friends hither and yon, which keeps me creatively on my toes and game-oriented most of the time.  I still play my Strat and acoustic. I dabble in sound fx and music these days only for fun.  I also live with a cat who semi-regularly destroys everything in the house, so that keeps me busy too. Just kidding, Buckminster. Good Kitty. 

14.) Did you ever think 10 yrs ago, you’d be where you are today?? 

No way. I thought I'd be in a bar band, writing and recording jingles and industrials, teaching music to private students, and playing AD&D twice a week. 

15.) What’s next?? A little insight?? 

Well, both Thief 2 and Alice have given me a taste for magic again. Since fantastic stories and heroic legends are my favorite forms of human expression, I plan to follow this urge for a while. I can't say what's in store at Rogue until Jim is ready. Let me guess: A flight sim? (j/k) 

and the bonus question 

Since we are old friends and hang out all the time, tell us something that most people wouldn't know about you. . . . 

Well, I already told you that I don't drive. Hmm. If I close my right eye, I see double out of my left. Cool.

Whoa. . . . he said he sees double outta one eye! ! !  That is cool...

Hey, a big thanks goes out to Rich Carlson for taking the time and letting us bug him. I will be looking back to Rogue after the New Years ( when everyone is back in the offices ) to get you guys a couple Autographed Copies of Alice to giveaway, right here. Stay tuned......