From Star Trek Game Information
This Interview with Challenger from the FGX Team took place on the 9th July 2002.
Armada Universe: Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Challenger: Well my real name is Mathias Rehnman, currently 17 years young, live in Austria, and I am occupied with studying at school. Yep, there are modders which still go to school.
Armada Universe: Are you a Star Trek fan and which shows are your preferred viewing?
Challenger: Yes, you can seriously call me a Star Trek fan. Though when I first saw Trek I didn't like it - Original series, you know. Sometime my mum told me, "look there's Star Trek on TV“. I looked at it, it was TNG's first episode. Since then I'm a real fan. Favourite is DS9 with TNG coming a close second. Unfortunately Enterprise hasn't started yet over here.
Armada Universe: When did you first start modding?
Challenger: Hmm. Damn hard question over there. Does modifying Red Alert's rules.ini file count in as modding? In that case it was Red Alert, beefing up some of the unit strengths, some unfair maps etc. SERIOUS modding? First Armada. About June or July 2000. I just looked for some additional maps for Armada and somehow got involved into the modding.
Armada Universe: And can you tell us how you got involved with modding Star Trek: Armada II?
Challenger: It was only logical to progress to the newer game. At first I found that it was a bit confusing but now I like it more than Armada 1.
Armada Universe: Can you tell us about some of the other modding projects you have been involved with in Armada and Armada II?
Challenger: It has been quite a few mod projects; 2 finished ones and 2 WIP's so far since I founded Project STAR:MADA back in August 2000 together with Galaxy. Namely Fighters@War (a fighter-based Star Trek mod with Storm3d edited ships), later about one year Galactic Wars. Now we are working on both Galactic Wars II (the Armada II port of Galactic Wars with new ships and 2 new Alliances) as well as on Conflict at Terellia Total converison, 4 entirely new races Beside that I'm working as a modeller for the STvsSW II team and try to help out people who ask me for help if time permits of course.
Armada Universe: What new modding opportunities does Armada II provide?
Challenger: Quite some new ones in my opinion. I can understand the yelling about the original game. Mad Doc could have done a better job indeed. I for myself welcome the new features in A2. But where in the seven hells would be the fun to mod a perfect game?
Armada Universe: What are your main goals in creating a new ship or mod?
Challenger: Fun. Fun, but still to save some playability. Give the gamers out there new cannon fodder (tough not as fast-dying as in Original A2). "Canonity" comes second for me. It isn't as important though. I keep in general "canon" ship sizes.
Armada Universe: And can you tell us the process you go through in creating a new ship?
Challenger: Doh, what a question. Depends on if I make a 'canon' or entirely new ship. If it's canon I try to build it as far as I can remember it's shape, then I get some reference and look for errors and correct them. For non canon vessels.. well when ever my imagination strikes me with new ideas, I just get to my Computer and start modeling it. I just build and build, and cut and cut until I'm satisfied with the model.
Armada Universe: What about the process you go through in creating a new mod?
Challenger: First, a concept. Then some initial planning and start! Of course if some idea is striking me right now, I'll try to implement it.
Armada Universe: After that, how do you go about balancing your new mod or ship?
Challenger: I keep tinkering around with the values until I am satisfied with the result. Might sound a bit weird but seems to work so far LOL. If you play the mod extensively you'll soon notice that a certain ship or station is too strong or too weak.
Armada Universe: What is your favourite ship and race from Armada II?
Challenger: Armada II, favourite ship? Well possibly the Sovereign. But I like the Romulan Phoenix a lot too (Boom) Tough so many yell at Activision's original models. I think they are mostly pretty decent, just a finer texture would not be bad. As for a race I tend to choose between the Federation and the Cardassians.
Armada Universe: Which ship that you have created is your favorite?
Challenger: Only one? Damn. I have made so many ships that I really like. I am drifting around between my Jem'Hadar Warship, the STvsSW II Mon Calamari and the STvsSW II YT-2000 class transport.
Armada Universe: And what ship by another modder is your favorite?
Challenger: Hmm. I can not give a definite vote. I like Deemon's ships a lot, just as some other modder's like 9 of Nine, Major A Payne, The Force, Pneumonic... aww too many choices. But I think Major A Payne's Iwo Jima replacement gets the vote with Deemon's Norway a close second.
Armada Universe: What has been the most enjoyable experience of modding the game so far?
Challenger: I think when I first really figured out how to mod the odf files in Armada 1. I had been sitting around for about three days then, trying to get a cloned Sovereign working ingame. Sometime I managed to do this, and I was really happy. I thought I was the best.
Armada Universe: Is there any feature you are pleased with, that was put into Armada II?
Challenger: The light maps, the breaking apart models, Warp drives, colonization and trade. Alltough it isn't AS moddable as I would have wished.
Armada Universe: With that in mind, is there anything that you would like to have seen in Armada II?
Challenger: Like many other people, the Multivector attack mode. Though I don't estimate it as important as other things. I would have liked to see a real Development kit for Armada II, not only the plain odf files for it.
Armada Universe: What would you like to see the modding community accomplish?
Challenger: I just can agree with Deemon in his Interview. I like to see the community growing, all those Newbie modders joining into the big community, getting better and better :-) With such talent's joining our rows all the time, we will sometime be able to accomplish anything we want to.
Armada Universe: And how do you see the future for the Armada II community?
Challenger: I think the whole community is somewhat down in the dumps at the moment. Quite a few of the experienced modders have left the community in disappointment about Armada II and other things, quite sad in my opinion. Even if not many people like Skynet2100 for exampl, after all he helped me quite a lot coming into the topic of modding. The future might be better, just a few mods have to be released that will give the community a push upwards.
Armada Universe: What would you like to see possible for modders in a future Star Trek RTS, or even a possible Armada III?
Challenger: Higher polycount. More modding options, maybe a planetary combat mode like in the Imperium Galactica Series. A Development studio or something like that, a work area including a Debug mode. Of course a all-new graphics engine, honestly the Storm engine is damn old by now. I think it was based of the Original Battlezone engine, if I remember correctly.
Armada Universe: Do you have any ambition to become a part of the gaming industry, if you do what?
Challenger: Yes indeed. I want to join the gaming industry. Though I don't know as what exactly. My modeling skills have improved over the last 2 years incredibly (just compare my old and recent work) Also a job as head designer or something in a design role would'nt be wrong at all. Sadly there aren't as many companies around here as I'd wish there were.
Armada Universe: And finally, what plans do you have after your current project(s)?
Challenger: Oh well. Honestly, I don't really know. Possibly I'll take a break from modding for a while. Maybe Some Idea strikes into my mind again. Who knows?
FGX Team
