Interrogation Room C

Subject: Al McDonald

Interview by IG88h


Many aspects of JK editing are artforms. It takes a telented person to come up with some of the stunning work that has been given to us. One such discapline within JK editing is skinning. It takes a lot of hard to work to come from an idea to the final product. In this month's Ineterigation Room we pit one of the community's greatest skinners against our very own, lovable IG88h.
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Question - How did you get started with skinning?

I used to make waxes for Dark Forces, many moons ago. If you've ever tried making a sprite you have my sympathies. It was much tougher - and slower - making sprites for DF than skins for JK. The DF community was so cool, I just migrated into skinning. Slowly.

Question -Did you have a background in art before you began skins for JK?

No, nothing formal, just what I got in school. I was always drawing as a kid, and I'm always drawing now.

Question - Have you done any editing prior to Jedi Knight?

Just Dark Forces sprites and some - dare I say it - Quake skinning. I got Quake a while back and made a whole slew of Star Wars skins. Then I took a look around the Quake skinning community and freaked out. I dunno, Quake skinners seem to have a freedom that I don't have. They're very skilled and very creative. I sometimes feel constricted doing Star Wars stuff. I just about gave up that day.

Question -What was your first skin?

I'm not sure. I think it was one of my own creations, the Striketrooper. I had a look at some of the mats for it the other day actually, and I was quite surprised. Evidently I used to take a lot more time over my skins than I do now.

Question - What do you think of the JK community right now?

Good question. Dunno. I still remember the days of stuff like The Dark Forces Programmers Edge. The community then was very supportive, less competitive than the JK community now. Having said that, the JK community is lively, and there are many cool people out there.

Question - Will you be editing the next star wars FPS?

I hope so. I don't know whether or not the ol' P100 will handle any of it. I must confess, I get a bit tired of all the new stuff that keeps getting developed. I think the coloured lighting stuff has gone mad and, all respect to LucasArts and Co., I don't need to have an accurate miniature 3D cockpit on my miniature X-wing. I think the new movie is going to be something else, though, so I doubt I'll be able to help myself.


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