If you live in the UK and you've got the Nintendo Channel installed you can now watch an interview with a popular C64 developer - John Rowlands, the creator of Mayhem in Monsterland, Creatures 1 and 2, and other classics.
Strangely enough the video isn't available in most European countries (And obviously not in the rest of the world either), but not to worry, as a kind soul has already recorded both videos and uploaded them to YouTube! The interview's split in two parts, you can view both below:
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Comments 34
The Interview is on the german Nintendo Channel and another (forgot the name) Developer from the Past
Not too interesting to be honest. I don't have the Nin Chan for a reason
Very Interesting, seeing gameplay of the C64 on the Wii was very interesting. My only complaint and the first one is where in hell are the C64 games in America, they all look so good, and even if they are not that popular what is wrong with releasing them, they still make money. People want to try these games, but many can't because they can't get a working C64 or because they aren't on the VC in North America, it just seems like the demand for C64 in America is greater than what Nintendo of America realizes. Overall the C64 is an underappricated system that only Europeans will ever have a second chance at playing, still I would love to see the C64 released in America, so tell me why won't they release the damn C64 in America, it just makes too much common sense. Sorry for my amount of cursing but this is the kind of thing that just makes me mad as heck, video games be neglected. But overall I liked the interview and I had to get my point across for the C64 in America. Go C64!!!
After watching this video I want to get c64 games in US even more. The guy seems nice, but he seems like he's only interested in making c64 game. I wonder if we can hope for another 8-bit...Nevermind, I'll shut up now.
I wish Nintendo Channel would offer more stuff like this. The American version of the channel just has crap.
At least Nintendo of Europe is trying to promote VC games. I have not seen much of that here in the states for a while
I agree Tony. My brother lost interest in the Wii VC catalogue almost instantly because he says the 360 offers him a better variety and he's totally into the achievements. If only Nintendo offered achievements...
EDIT: I'm American, living in the UK, my brother is in the US still.
@Viral, I guess it's to each their own, there's probably about 3 games on X-Box's service I'd actually play myself lol. And I'm just not that into achievements, it's like a cheap way of saying "do this" and get next to no reward for it, and I ain't interested in "showing everyone on-line that I did"
But onto topic, I also with the C64 came out on VC, I had much love on my C64 back in the day with games like The Great Escape and Impossible Mission.
I have now the other name. The other Interview is with Ian Livingstone.
Age 58
Co-Founder of Games Workshop, Inventor of White Dwarf, Co-Developer of Fighting Fantasy.
You can watch this Interview also on the German Nintendo Channel in English with German Subtitles
C64 ain't that great so yeah im not interested.
@Viral
Achievements in not only VC but WiiWare also would make the Wii Shop so much better all in all.
Wow, John was really young when they coded Mayhem and creatures then. This is great stuff though. Feel a bit sorry for the Americans, C64 games were coded by love, it was just a differant time I guess. Rowlands games especially, I'd say if they made zero profit from any of their games, they still would have made them, and they would still have been just as awesome.
Loved this interview, hearing the guy talking about his passion for the games from that era. This is a dedicated creator like there are fewer and fewer nowadays. I hope to see more of those interviews coming to the nintendo channel in the future.
@ RGVEDA: Kann man sich das Video mit Ian Livingstone denn schon anschauen? Auf der Startseite ist es noch nicht, oder?
@ News: Yep, a really nice feature on the Nintendo Channel, hope to see more of things like that.
Just curious, but how do you guys review so quick. Do u just tell someone who played it back in the day to review it or what?
Loved the interview. It's great hearing from people involved in the game industry back then. I had a ZX Spectrum in the 80s, but a friend did have a C64. Anyway, many games were released on both platforms and later I got an Amiga, so I'm really enjoying the games on the VC...
Here's a link to Ian Livingston's interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKJsQ3t9198
It's nice they're showing interesting content on Nintendo's Channel... I erased it a while ago because I'd rather have some games instead, maybe when they solve the storage issue I'll put it back
Interesting interview...
Why did you take off my comment VC Reviews?
The hair might be a lot, lot longer today but that's the same old John as always heh... and yeah he was about 19 when they launched firmly onto the C64 scene with Retrograde. He was about 23 when Mayhem came out. Many programmers around that time were that sort of age, cutting their teeth on assembly and design.
And I remember the gag mentioned in the second video @ 3 minutes with the voting slip. Definite oversight whoops, but hey it allowed a ton of us to finally contact the guys to give them feedback
Can't see the videos , I may look for them later.
@Terranigma
You put all my feelings in your post, C64 FOR NA!!!!
can some one tell me please was the c64 release in USA
@Mayhem - I think the slip up with the address is fantastic. The developers getting real interaction with the end user. Very "Mail 2.0"
^ To dfalco. Yes, the C64 was most certainly released in the USA. In fact, there's a good chance I've owned one since before you were born, which makes it even more disgusting that Nintendo seems to be playing ignorant and pretending we don't know that it's been on the Virtual Console for months elsewhere.
I'm from America, I've got my list of favorite C64 games, I even did a little programming on it in the day (though it was on a hobby level), and I still have the damn thing and all my stuff for it. I love Jumpman, Space Taxi, M.U.L.E., and so many other games, and with the mixed blessing of the internet, I've discovered and purchased plenty more over the years I never played in the heyday.
C64 still isn't here on the Wii, it's never been referenced officially by any means and this video probably won't appear anytime soon, if at all.
You know what though? I OWN a C64, and plenty of cartridges, disks, and tapes (and I'm one of those few who has a love for data written on tapes. It's such a cool concept, even if it can be a hassle.) I enjoyed the videos, and I enjoy my C64. Nintendo may be trying their damndest, but they can never stop me from playing Commodore 64! >: )
Can't get sound at work, so does he mention if the wonderful Creatures 2 will be coming out on VC?
both interviews are available in Austria as well.
A pity they don't ask him what he makes of the botched Wii conversion of his game.
@pikmin95
Profanity.
@ ness
Ja, kannst Du! Hatte es erst auch nicht entdeckt. Es ist auf Seite 3 oder 4. Musst bisschen nach hinten blättern
@Kelvin - he says they were approached to license their games for the VC so both Creatures games may well appear down the line.
Thanks Mayhem. Good news!
@ RGVEDA: Alles klar, danke =).
@ VC-Reviews: Here is the Interview with Ian Livingstone from the Nintendo Channel.
Why can't Nintendo do like a Virtual Console spotlight on the Nintendo Channel. Maybe every month or so just highlight an old game and maybe some developer interviews or something. It may help gamers catch up with some titles that were overlooked the first time around.
The European Nintendo channel sure does get some unique content from times. I remember at one point they had clips from the Gyakuten Saiban orchestra (about the time Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations came out).
One thing I find odd now is Wii points cards seem to have stopped coming in the packages seen in the interview about 2 months ago. Guess it shows the age of the interviews...
@Ness. You need to put "http://" on the front, otherwise the link doesn't show up.
Ah, thanks, i fixed it.
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