You open the interview and start reading from a random place
[...]
that the Robotic madness game is a child of the SBFTF project.
What do you mean?
You see, when we're working on a serious project like this we often also make some game in the same time, just for fun.
We have discovered that being able to play with making a silly, fun thing like the SKADV games improves the productivity.
In recent times we are working on our next big thing - SBFTF.
At the same time we started making the Robotic Madness.
Whenever we felt we had enough of writing serious code we could swithch to the game for a while.
When doing this we really like to insert jokes and references to some things we're dealing with. As a result RM has many references to the SBFTF project. Most of them are not understandable.
Another thing is that when we make these games we like to reuse the code that we already have. RM reuses very much of SBFTF code.
If you looked at the source you would be surprised how much of it is from SBFTF. It's everywhere: the engine, the data formats, the communicaion protocols, everything.
Or you would not, since you don't know the SBFTF code.
This SBFTF thing. Almost nothing is known about it so far. I heard something that it will use some new kind of virtual reality.
Well, you could say that and it would not be completely wrong. Actually, I would say that this is more like the opposite of virtual reality.
I don't really know what you mean.
It's not relevant anyway.
Why? Also, you aren't talking very much about this SBFTF. If it's supposed to be your next big thing then being silent about it is not the best plan.
Because it's a secret project.
In that case why are you releasing a game with all of its code freely available this week if it shares so much with it? I see a contradiction here.
Not really a contradiction. The software is useless without the rest of the system. And the SBFTF software will be free as well.
Aren't you afraid that everyone will know what your secret project does?
No, not really. It's not a secret that it exists. I mean, I'm talking about it right now. It's not even a secret what it does. The only secret here are the actual data tapes, and so on. And that's because we don't want anyone to be spoilered too soon.
So when are you releasing this mysterious program?
Releasing is not the best word since we're not making it publicly available. There will be three 5&1/4" disks attached to the rest of the system. Also, in some sense, it was already there. We're only making it happen. But it should be ready soon. The beta version is being tested and the results are very promising so far. Currenty, there is only one
[...]
What was this?
You don't know what to think about this.
Instead of the game they started talking about some of their secret stuff and nothing makes sense.
Also reading this aloud so that she can hear it too is a bit tiring.
You don't feel like continuing reading this.
