Questions and Answers. Everyday new ones! I talk directly to Steve Screech. Thank you for making it possible

> 1. What was you main aim for making KickOff 2002?

To exorcise a ghost that has been stalking me for a long time and because there appeared to be a genuine desire for a good playable football game on
the PC again. FIFA is not a choice!

> 2. What is the chance that we see more KickOff versions. (yearly basis like fifa??)

The chances are high but i'd rather just update with patches for a while until i'm ready to bring out a new KO product with updated graphics and
effect. You wouldn't get that in patches.

> 3. With the patch 1.3 we see important fixes to the game. But what about play in position how does it work?

It works just as you think it would, you select the play to control on your
squad screen by right clicking with the mouse on his name, which then turns
blue. You then control this player ONLY during the game, even if he is the goalkeeper, or an unused sub!

> 4. I'm very critic in my opinion the game lacks in graphics. I know gameplay is more important! But in what terms can you agree with that (do we see
better graphics later??)

Yes there will be better pitches, better players with different sizes and hairstyles, better effects etc. As always time is the problem, time and support from my employer!

> 5. About the sound of KickOff. There are cool options to include you own fan-sounds but why isnt there commentary in the game?. (What about making it possible to make you own commentary?, (tell us whats is going on in you mind)

Commentary is something that i'll be looking into later on, it certainly wasn't essential for this release and won't be included in patches but for a>
brand new release i would certainly consider it, but only if we could use the guy i really want to use for it. I can't say who that is though.

6. Ofcourse you aware of the fansites. What do you think of these....> (ko-gathering, durbans site, mine site etc)

I am flattered by it and it helps enormously when i see this kind of thing happening. So thanks guys, top stuff.

> 7. I have got the feeling that its a shame that you didn't include internet, network play. A lot of modern game has this option. Why did you left it
out?> (Wil we see it in a patch? Futher versions etc)

It will never be in a patch and until i get some proper backing to be able to devote time to this issue then it won't happen. There are technical
problems with playing KO style games over network as there is a certain time lag and KO is such an instinctive game that it would really kill the
gameplay however LAN play could well be possible and a version where 11 players each controlled a single player is possible, unlikely but possible.

> 8. We all know that Dino Dini made the original KickOff. I know this is asking before but we all would like that you and Dino work together. Is
there any chance (why/why not, how)?

Everything is possible and i wouldn't rule it out, i wouldn't say it was likely however but i wouldn't rule it out.


> 9. Fifa is the most selling game for years on the pc. Did you played fifa (which versions) and what did you like? And what did of didn''t you like ? > (gameplay, graphics,sounds etc)

I have dabbled with FIFA and know that i could never compete with their graphics and presentation, they are superb, beyond that though the gameplay
is repetative and full of holes, essential a very unrewarding product in my eyes but very very pretty with it. Make great screenshots!


> 10. What is the best thing about the first patch, (why). (And do we see more patches in the future?)
There will be more patches in the future and my favourite additions in Patch 1.3 are the injuty time indicator, the booing of opposition players and the slightly upgraded AI.


11. Just use you imagine if EA contact you to work with them. on what conditions did you move to them?

That i had TOTAL control on the product, simple as that.

12. For a lot of new people in the kickoff era playing with one button is hard to get used too. What do you say to them? (ever going to change that)
It is THE KO ethic so it won't be changed although i should really put in a good training element to the game that allows you to practice all the different skills and moves.


13. Put the numbers in the right order of how big the chanche is that we see
the follow in a new patch.

-1. new player bodies,skins hairstyles etc
-2. new/more sound/ fan anthems
-3. new leaques, options (like promotion, regulation) new cups
-4. stadiums
-5. indoor soccer (with special options maybe)

There will be NO new graphics in the patches, that will be left for future releases. Competitions will be overhauled at some point. The patches will be just for editing and competitions and bug fixes etc but not NEW graphics, thus from the list above only option 3 is likely.

14. How long have you been working on Kickoff2002 (when did you started etc)
tell something about you life during this project.

I started on KO2002 or UKO as it was going to be then back in April 2001 and i worked on it A LOT! late evenings until the early hours of the morning, all weekends, as soon as i got home from work i'd start again and work work work, it was fun but very tiring. It was good to get instant feedback from the Beta copies i used to send out though, that kept me going.


15. During the period of making KickOff2002 did you ever consider to stop (why/why not, arguments)

No, as soon as i had begun and got positive feedback then i was always going to finish it. No doubts

16. Steve Screech tell us what was the most difficult thing to do in KickOff2002?
(causes the most problem. why/ why not etc)

Control swapping and getting the aftertouch right, especially the freekicks, they proved to be tricky but i do like them now.

17. Now I'm going to test if you realy like your own game. Just answer the follow questions...
A= How many hours do you play kickoff2002 (per week, if possible per day)
B= How much time do you spend visiting fansites and downloading stuff for your own game?
C= Did you ever felt dissapoint about your own game? When did you have did?
What did you do about it ? (improving your own game, smashing it out the window for example?)

A= 4 games a day.
B= I check them out once or twice a week, downloading goals and sounds and some teams.
C= I was happy with it from the beginning as it just kept getting better and stronger as the time & testing went on.

18. What other football/soccer games did you play? What did you think of them? (comparing with your own game etc. wich console etc)

Matchday series on the spectrum - this was excellent and a decent challenge although it seems pretty slow now KO series - superb even to this day it is just as playable ISS - good style of football game with good buildup play available - a slower more tactical style of game with superb animation and movement

19. What is you favorite team in KickOff2002. Why? (do you play most with this team etc)

Qatar, they are very beatable but have a good character to their team. B.Vanchez up front is a one man army and can cut through the best defences

20. I know you have got some cheats/secrets in KickOff2002. Tell is
something about it. What sort of thing? Where can we find it (give advise if
you want etc)

There is a subliminal image on the Anco flags, nobody has every really checked it out. There are hidden balls and teams and some strange sound effects. Also there is a hidden soundtrack that is a little bizarre!

21. What of your own game don't you like.Where there thinks where you are dissappoint of? (why,what)

I'm not happy with the AI yet, it really needs a TOTAL overhaul but i havn't had the time for that and i kind of doubt i'm going to get it either.

22. What other recent games do you play ? (which console) Why, what do you think?

I hardly ever play console games but on the PC i've been playing Medal of Honour and Tropico lately. Medal of Honour is an excellent game and very
impressive, great atmosphere.


23. How many copies did KickOff 2002 sell. How many do thing had to be sold? When are you satisfied? (explanation)

I really don't know. I have a feeling that UK wise it sold the 5000 units hat were put out (i am guessing that it was 5000, but it was certainly
something like that. How many copies would i have to sell to be satisfied? well i really don't have a figure, so long as there are people that like the ame and think it worthy of the KO name then i'll be satisfied with the project

24. Wich programmer of games did you appreciate most? (soccergames, other games, etc, why + explanation)

Dino Dini, for obvious reasons. I learned much from studying his work and style of programming. I'm nowhere near as good at it as he is however but
i'm stubborn and can realise an imagined project into a finished product.

25. Did you always one a be a programmer? Tell is something about history (school,student time etc, your considerations about getting in this
job)

Programming is something i got into when i was about 17, before that i had no interest in it. I did poorly at school despite being in most of the top classes becuase i couldn't be bothered to do my homework or to revise for any exams.I have taught myself programming as i never studied it in schools, in fact when i was at school they didn't have computer classes...but thats just because i am so old!!

26. Are already busy with a next patch? What could we see in it?

I have started on the next Patch 1.32, it will have mainly bug fixes again but i will be adding some new bits like displaying cards and goals in
the ingame menus.

27. Steve! About the real Soccer! Who do you think wil win the worldcup?

Can't really see France not winning but of course argentina will be very strong and i am also expecting the Irish to do well and be a suprise team.

28. Do you already participate in KO2002 tournaments? Tell me something about your kickoff tournement plans!

I have yet to play in a KO2002 tournament but as the game has only been released just under 2 months ago then that is not so suprising. I would like
to play in a KO2002 tournament soon though and i'll be trying to organise a UK based one. I tend to play people who are not as good as i am so i often play with poor teams to equalise the playing abilities. This seems to work and i think it improves my defensive abilities to be put under preasure by better teams.

29. Steve at the moment you handle in UPM (Ultimate Player Manager) shares (sequel of the Player Manager game) Why did you start working with shares?

The UPM share issue is something that i've done to (A) kick start some fresh interest in the game (B) give me some working capital so that i can
deal with a few issues at home and (C) as an experiment in how much funding can be realised in a venture like this. It is i think unique!

30. What program did you use to make KickOff2002 (graphics, coding, music etc) What are the benefits of these programs etc?))

I wrote KO2002 using C not C++, i am not a very good technical programmer etc but if i have a vision i can get it to happen. Graphics wise
we have artists and technical people who code various elements of the game, i generally just deal with gameplay and logic etc, all graphic work etc i leave to others although i did code the sound on this game too i would generally leave this to others.


31. You made KickOff2002. Now you make Ultimate Player Manager! All soccergames! What other games did you make? Which are you the most proud
of?

I think i am most proud of KO2002, i think it is a very strong football game and great fun, for me too still be playing it as i do at work still after
all the time i spent on it is a good sign.


32. What was the first game you made ever? What was good? With what did you had problems etc..... Tell us something about it.

The first game i ever sold was a game about the music business called 'Power Corruption and Lies'
it was sold on micronet for the spectrum. That was a nice little game, i should have hung onto it and sold it to a better company. I made 60 quid i
think. I can't remember any particular problems with it and i remember it had some really neat little animations.

33. You played against some strong KickOff2 players.... What did you think of them? Tell us something about you KickOff qualities and others......Who do you think is the best player etc..

Well when i played at the World Championship in Dartford last year i was blown away, the opposition was much better than i had thought, i had had very little practice as i'd been working exclusively on ko2002 for ages and had just been playing that. I'm now a far stronger Kick Off player than i was then but i struggle against lobs. Alkis and Bill are the two players that i have played against and been really beaten badly. Rikki Fullarton is very good but i don't seem to struggle against him in the same manner that i do those other two.

34. What is you biggest wish in the game industrie? ( Sure take time to think about this question)

That i get time to write a game untill I think it is finished! This i think
will only happen by doing projects outside of the work environment like UPM.

35. What are you personal wishes? Does this have to do with programming too? (related question to 34)
I wish to not have to worry how i'm going to pay the mortgage or the bills next month. This is a big wish.

> 36. You best game/games of KickOff 2 was against .............. (fill in the gap) Why? (give the result etc) + arguments.

I think my best Kick Off 2 performance was against Mazim Choudhury in the semi final of the cup in Gloucester this year, i was playing as the away team which always makes a big difference and Nazim is a very good player. I came through with a 4-2 win, helped by some harsh refereeing but also some good finishing by myself.


37. In what program-languages did you write games/sofware? In wich did you made you first games etc....... why etc?

I wrote my first games in BASIC then i wrote in a combination of that and Z80 machine code, then i learned to write on the 68000 processor and then i had to get used to writing for the nintendo machines
and i can't even remember what processor that was with but now i just write in C, not even C++ which i really must learn.

38. When do we see an next version of KickOff (choose and explain) > 2003,2004,2005? What improvements do we see then you think (new graphic
engine etc)? (what other thinks are going up in you mind about this) Is there any chanche that we wil see KickOff Shares too?

I really don't know it all depends on whether i stay with Anco, i have ideas that i want to implement in it, plenty in fact, a lot of them graphical but with many extensions to the leagues and cups etc but we'll have to wait and
see what happens.

39. Some of the problems of Fifa I think is that sometimes I think they didnt play real soccer! Did of do you play it? (When, where) (did you play
tournements, clubs, was it a succes?

I used to play for some junior Crystal Palace teams and then i played for pub teams on sundays etc. I have played in every position other than
goalkeeper. I won a cup final a few years ago and i am the all time top scorer at the club i used to play for despite playing on the wing for most
of the time, sometimes right wing but mostly left.

40. If you should ever get the chanche to work with something who should you choose? Why (already worked with this person?) (is this person an example
for you?) (what can you learn from him and he from you etc)

I cannot think of anybody really, in an ideal world i would get paid to work on projects like UPM that have no time limit and that can be tuned until
they are perfect.