KoolBear's Descent - Diedel's Descent Level Designer Interview

So, Diedel tell us a little something about yourself.

I am 42 years old and live in Karlsruhe in southern Germany. I cannot think of a special motto of mine, but maybe I can say about myself that if I do something, I try to do it right.

Are you married, do you have any children? I can't see how with all the time you must spend on the DescentBB and developing new toys for us Descent'rs!

Yes, I am married and a child is finally underway. So in about 4 weeks, everything will change - weeeeeeeeeeeeee!

What are your Other Hobbies?

I am very much into sports: I do regular road cycling tours, work out, go inline skating; snowboarding in winter. I also used to do white water kayaking. Apart from that I like to do some craftsman type of work (my last project was case modding my computer).

I think I probably speak for most Descent'rs on the NET when I say THANKS FOR your time spent to create the levels we enjoy.

Hey, you're welcome! It's always a pleasure to share a common interest with other people.

How did you start playing Descent, Descent 2, and D3?

The first time I saw Descent was when a work colleague brought a demo of Descent 1. I was fascinated at once. The total freedom of movement and the scifi theme were a computer gamer's dreams come true for me. It was only logical that I would play D2 and D3 as well.

What has playing Descent done for you?

Giving me good times in the mines, heavy sleep deprivation and day-long visual flashbacks when closing my eyes after a battled-through night ...

Why do you continue to play Descent?

I still love the feel of this game, and as I am a coder and level builder too, I find the easy access to level building and coding around Descent very attractive (D1/D2, that is).

OK, well let's get this party on the road! Speakin' of road/mines how many levels have you developed?

I have built 38 levels (all for Descent 2). 7 of them are single player levels I have bundled into one big single player mission. I have lost two of my levels, but built 3 new ones this year as a replacement ...

D2 Mission Name	Details
multi player (the better and good ones):
Dogfight!	(textures by courtesy of Midgard)
Circus Maximus	(textures by courtesy of Midgard)
1999	(textures by courtesy of Midgard)
Diedel's Playground	(D2 and Unreal textured versions)
FUBAR	(Unreal textures)
Heat Of Battle	(Quake and Unreal textures)
House Of Descent
Pyrodrome	(Unreal textures)
Pyromaniac	(D2 and Unreal textured versions)
Hunting Halls	(Quake textures)
Styx
Tankboy
Toxic Quake	(Quake textures)
Unreal-D2	(Unreal textures)

older mp levels:
Hydra
Infinity
Minas Tirith

single player missions:
Warp Shockwave	(V1.9) huge 6+1 level mission with briefings

experimental levels:
Alhambra
Rumble In The Box

That makes 27 levels, counting only the structures and not the
differently textured versions of the same level. Then there are two more
levels, which are 1 on 1 versions of some of the levels above (I had
simply removed some rooms to make them smaller). And then there is some more stuff on my hard disk that's not worth mentioning.

What/Who influenced you to try Descent and when was that?

As I already said, it was a work colleague, and it was the days when the D1 demo was available first. I don't really know when that was. Summer '96?

When did you create your first level, what was it, and was it "good"?

My first level was already pretty complicated. I built it around august '97. I wouldn't say it was good though, and it's really hard to say what it was. Maybe an exercise. ;) I built my first good levels after looking into some of the best D2 level designers' creations, and my latter works even made it into what I consider the most exclusive place for Descent levels: Zappafan's, and I got quite a few very positive reviews there.

Why do you spend countless hours developing Descent Levels?

Maybe because I am too stupid to spend my time on more worthy things

... or maybe because I am a "constructive" type of person. I love to build stuff, hence my interest in craftsman type of work as well as level building or coding. And then I like the game.

Of all your levels can you say hey this is my favorite level in each of Descent, D2 and D3, come on I know you have a few, so give me a few then?

I only have D2 levels, and I'd say my favorite multiplayer level is Pyrotechnica, while my favorite single player level ... ooh, that's hard ... well, too hard. I very much like 3 of them. Volcano is the newest one (it even has an outdoor area.

OK, I really want to know what level designer style sticks out in your mind, you know every time you get a level from him/her, you have to stop/unzip/load/look at his/her levels?

Grant Hallman has sent me a D2 single player level of his just recently (built this millennium even), and I am very impressed. There are couple other very good level designers around, like Kyouryuu or (LL)Dark, and I always loved Midgard's levels - but he has stopped building some long time ago ... and then there was this guy who had even built a skull into one of his anarchy levels , he was kind of *the* anarchy level designer at that time, I think it was Nirvana.

Tell us a little something about your current Descent related project(s).

My current project is DLE-XP. It's the successor of Bryan Aamot's great D1/D2 level editor DMB2, which had been the official level editor later on. While DMB2 was a very stable and mature program, I still had a few gripes with it, and DLE-XP fixes a lot (I hope all) issues DMB2 has. As DLE-XP is pretty much done and already in beta testing, I have started to look into D2X, the open source OpenGL version of D2, and fix a few problems there, too.

What do you want to say to the Descent'rs that use your levels?

Hey, do you really exist? lol. I hope you enjoy them - let me know.

Where do you see Descent headin in the future?

Down - where else?

WHEW, long winded huh!
Is there anything you would like to add?

Yeah! It's a pleasure to know you guys, even if it's just by electronic means, and I'd like to thank especially Bryan Aamot for allowing me to use the DMB2 code, Steve Chamberlain for his very dedicated work on the DLE-XP logo and icon, and those of the DLE-XP beta testers who have already provided very good input. Good work, guys!

P.S.
What I wanted to say and totally forgot that I was really greatly
pleased seeing you return to the Descent community.

In closing, Descent RULEZ because of people like you that are reading this and people like Diedel for keeping new and exciting things coming our way! Just look for his upgraded verison of the Descent Mission Builder 2 for XP!

Thank you for reading this and Diedel for taking the time to share some of himself with us!