Tips from GyverX CNR008 & Track Making (The Guild's first official interview) PG - First things first: where did you come up with the name CNR008 and 005? GX - Honestly I came up with the CNR because that's what type of tracks they are but the numbers were for one basic reason - The zone. Anytime you see someone playing CNR 005 or 008 you see those exact words in the game name CNR what ever or 008, 005. I named them to keep them short and to the point; that way people wouldn't have to abbreviate and others get confused on what track was being played. PG - Where did the idea first come from to do CNR008? GX - Well, the first idea came from CNR 005. I wanted to make a more elaborate playing field and I was taking a lot of suggestions from the community but I cannot remember who gave me the idea for the sewer system. I wanted to have a big enough playing field but still have the scenery. PG - What considerations did you take into account before you began? GX - The first thing I take into consideration with every track is "What is the community going to want?" So I asked the community to give suggestions and they gave them. Some I was not able to do because of the limits of the game. I also had to think about how to get the textures just right. Towards the end I finally bought Traxx and was able to make some good custom textures PG - Was there an overall approach that you used? GX - Yes! I take the same approach with every track that I build. Every track I build I sketch out on my 12" by 18" drawing pad and most times I will use an easel too. Silly as it may seem I lay in bed trying to go to sleep thinking about a track and try to view it im my mind before I even start sketching it down. I always approach a track the same way in order to get a real feel of the track before it even becomes a file PG - Was the whole idea pre-conceived, or did you start with vague general ideas and then improvise as you went? GX - CNR 008 was always in my mind even when I started 005, it was a question of time. I had 008 started before 005 was finished, doing little experiments here and there with the environment then I started the thinking process and then started sketching it out and adding in extras here and there PG - I know you made extensive use of the beta process. Can you tell us something about that? GX - Normally I don't do a lot of beta stuff or even offer out betas. The reason for this is that I like to spring the tracks out of nowhere but with CNR 008 it was inevitable due to the fact that everyone knew I was working on it, so since it was becoming more popular than I had imagine I decided to give the unfinished product to a few select people so they could give me feed back before its final release PG - Did you find the beta process helpful? or a hindrance? GX - Well, it was very hard to keep track of who had it and who wasn't supposed to have it. In this case, with this track, I have to say it was both : a help and a pain. Answering emails and clearing up mix ups with emails and what not, I found it took a lot away from what needed to be done. PG - You include incredible detail and complexity of design in your tracks; how do you decide when you're finished? I mean, when do you say enough is enough? GX - That's a hard question to answer because I never really consider any track I build finished. I find myself being to crucial on detail and that becomes more difficult with the limits of the game. With small tracks the finish line for me would have to be at least 6 to 8 months of work with checking and rechecking and testing and eye the detail, then I guess it would be finished but I never expect it should be greatness, that's not for me to decide - it's the community's. With long tracks the finish point for me would have to be when I run out of resources like no more ground boxes or models being able to be placed in the track, then I have to go over it all to make sure I don't need to delete something to replace it with something that is needed. PG - Seeing the complexity of CNR 008, do you have anything that can help someone learn the lay of land? GX - Yes! It was brought to my attention by the captain of LAPD and he asked me to make a map. It was some time ago but it is coming together. It is huge so will take some time. PG - How much time did you spend making CNR008 and your other tracks? GX - CNR 008 I really can not remember how long I spent on it. There was times I spent a complete day on doing the track and even forgetting to eat at times. With other tracks I have spent at least months beyond months doing them. PG - Do you have anything to add that you think would help new track makers? GX - Yes! There will always be some one that will tell you how to make a track and what you should do but if you're building from scratch and thinking up your own course then don't let people tell you what's right and wrong. Take help for technical stuff but never change your ideas. It's your track, you build it and it will be yours. And, if you have the time, try drawing out what you want your track to look like. The finished product may not look the same but you get the base of a track from your mind, putting it on paper helps you realize what you can and cant do with the game. PG - What are your track making plans for the future? GX - Currently I have 8 traxx files of tracks on my HD waiting to be finished. 3 of them are arena tracks and 1 is a arena track with a twist (Tease Tease). The others are mostly rallies and circuits. I also plan to redo my only two mtm1 tracks - Techno Run and Mortal Run. PG - Well, I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we can hardly wait. Thank you for your time and help. Apr 99 Visit GX's Matrix Lair