One of the coolest game people I have ever met is Mark Dochtermann, genuinely cool. . . friendly and just all around a great guy. This years E3 was awesome for me, largely in part to the great guys from Ritual Entertainment. Mark made sure I got an exclusive look at FAKK2 before everyone else got the preview, matter o' fact. . . . it was me and the gang from Grey Matter who sat in and went through the whole showing.

I tell you what, not only is FAKK2 a kick ass game, it comes from a group of Kick-Ass guys. . . . 

1.) How'd you get started in the Game Designing Biz??

I had just graduated college (June, 1993. Rochester Institute of

Technology, Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering) and I was having little luck breaking into the electronic music instrument business because of its Japanese dominated nature.  Since most of my college years had been spent around Unix machines and evaluation boards, and since my primary computer was still a Commodore 64/128, I didn't have a lot of PC experience. I decided that it would be a good idea to get some of that experience before heading off into the real world so I sat down and wrote a really good clone of Missile Command called Missile Commander (original I know) for the PC using Mode-X graphics.  About that same time I saw an advertisement on Usenet for a job opening at Apogee Software for a games programmer.  I had no idea who Apogee was at the team and had only played Wolfenstein 3D once in our VLSI design lab at school.  I figure what the heck, it sounded like fun, so I sent them my version of Missile Command, they brought me down for an interview and the rest is as they say history. 

I stayed at Apogee for 3 years until mid-1996 and then left to form Hipnotic Interactive which later became Ritual Entertainment with 4 other people from Apogee including the lowly levelord.

2.)What’s it like to work with Richard “Levelord” Grey?

Most of the time it’s just plain annoying.  He constantly wants to be referred to as “Lord” and if you don’t address him in the proper way he’ll just plain ignore you.  The name game was bad enough but lately he has brought in his loyal subjects (two scantilly clad nubile young females).  I mean at first they were great to look at and all but they follow him anywhere he goes, even into the bathroom!  I think levelord needs to stay in his own castle.

3.) People you admire in the industry. 

John Carmack would probably be it.  I have never met anyone else who could maintain such focus through the course of a project.  I mean I am sure he IS human and that he does change his mind from time to time, but as long as I have known him, he has always given me the impression (both in what he said and what he does) that his vision remains consistent from day 1 to day 547 (18 months later).   

4.) What's the most annoying thing to deal with as a Game Designer??

Deadlines.  Of course they are necessary, no one has an infinite amount of resources except Bill Gates but they do have a tendency to limit the extent of your creativity sometimes.  Feature creep is the number one reason why games are late and you can only ship products remotely on time by controlling this impulse.  Ultimately time is your worst enemy.

5.) We’ve all heard how great the Quake3 engine is to work with, have you given any thought to the next projects engine?? ( after BW )

We are working with the Quake 3 engine in our new project as well, and yes we like it…a lot.

6.) Speaking of. . . . . what IS coming up for Ritual?

Lots of cool stuff I would love to talk about but then I would have to kill you and your audience which would make me a mass murderer and certainly spoil Ritual’s plans which would in effect make them unobtainable.  So really, I am doing everyone a service by keeping our future secret … for now

7.) Drink of Choice

Coke (if it didn’t have so much damn sugar and was bad for you…I would drink it, so instead I drink Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi and imagine it is Coke)

8.) Tunes of Choice

Ofortuna by Apotheosis.  Band wise, Orbital.

9.) Babe of Choice ( I know the answer to this one )

Marianna

10.) Now pick another babe of choice ( if ya weren’t attached :^)

I cannot answer this on the grounds that Marianna (my love) may read this interview :)

Seriously though, Julie from Heavy Metal FAKK 2.   She kicks a lot of ass in our game but she looks like she might have that vulnerable side just waiting to be uncovered.

11.) Game you are most looking forward to. . . .and game you are playing now.

I am still trying to find the time to open up the Diablo II box sitting on my desk at home which I do look forward to playing and I am looking forward to playing Anachronox because I know it is going to be fun.

12.) You just finished up FAKK2  and so far everyone seems to like it a lot. . . .  what have been your initial responses from the community been like so far??

Where the FAKK is multiplayer? It’s funny when you make a game and tell everyone that there won’t be multiplayer in it, you still get criticized both by critics and fans that it doesn’t have multiplayer in it.  Can’t you just make a good solid fun single player game now a days…apparently not.

13.) POST FAKK2 has been like?? What the hell is up with ;^) Levelord working on Alice?? I know trips down the Rabbit Hole might seem like a natural thing to do for Richard…but don’t you guys ever rest?

We have a great relationship with EA and Rogue and when they asked for help we felt obliged to help them out. 

14.) Having met at E3 this year, you ( and all of Ritual ) seemed to totally lack the whole EGO thing that many Game Companies have…Any insight??

Lots of regular shock therapy.  Everyone has a metal chair and if someone pisses someone else off…let the current flow.  To give levelord a friendly zap, all you need to do is visit this url http://www.farookh.com.

15.) I have been asking this a LOT lately. . . . what’s the parking lot at Ritual look like??  Are we talking Ferrari’s Galore or what??

Ha! Well Ron our CEO has a Mercedes ML series and Jim Dose who is now at Id had a Z3 but the rest of us drive normal cars.  If anyone wanted to donate a few Ferrari’s I am sure we could give them a good home.

16.) You’ve been around the biz with Ritual. . . . what has had the biggest impact on your life as a game making guru??

Watching the PC market crumble in the last few years.  We used to be able to make good games and people would buy it.  Unfortunately, that is no longer the case.  If you aren’t prepared to put millions into marketing the product it is just too difficult to get the sales figures of just 2-3 years ago unless you write for the very general public (Who wants to be a Millionaire, Rollercoaster Tycoon, The Sims).

17.) Speaking of huge impacts. . . . I hear you have just had SOME MAJOR huge personal milestones… care to share a little info??

Well, I actually kept a New Year resolution and dropped 50 pounds, which is always a good thing.

18.) My buddy Asia Carrera is interested in games, and she also happens to be friends with Julie Strain… hmmm, any chance of Rituals next game revolving BOTH these beautiful women?? I already have a working title: FAKK Me: Please, I’m Desperate

Hmmm…girl on girl action, and I like the title.  We’ll have to do a lot of research on Asia and get back to you. ;)

19.) What is a work day like for Mark??

Not nearly as exciting as I would like to think.  I work hard for the money…so hard for the money.

20.) This is the part where Hypothermia SUPER SCOOPS JeffK’s L33t HaX0r ass and gets some really cool inside info on your next project.

We’ve retained Lt. Col. Grossman too make sure the product doesn’t ship with any questionable material.  We’ll give him “Elexis vs. Julie: The Wrath of JC” and we’ll end up with “The Olson twins visit Uncle Blade in the VA hospital”.  I am looking forward to it.

and the bonus question

Since we are life long friends, and hang out together all the time…. Tell me something that no one knows about Mark,  that we may find interesting??

Whenever I felt a cold coming on college, I used to go out to the Industrial Music night clubs and dance out the cold.  I highly recommend it, works best with Front 242 or Nitzerebb.

Bonus Info:  My brother designed the Love Ewe (we call her Sally at the office) which can be found at www.muttonbone.com

Being the FANTASTIC guys they are over there at Ritual, I am giving away a few autographed copies of FAKK2. So click the link and get in it to win it. . .