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TOMORROW'S
HEROES
Q*Bert Interview by Tom
Zjaba
With the release of Faster, Harder, More Challenging Q*Bert (abbreviated
to FHMC Q*Bert for the interview), an unreleased sequel to one of my
favorite games, I decided to do some tracking to find the programmer.
After a little work, I was able to track down Warren Davis and get a
little background into this game. I would like to thank Warren for taking
time out of his busy schedule to do this interview. So here is
interview, for all of you to enjoy.
Question #1-How many of the people from the original Q*Bert
team were involved in FHMC Q*Bert?
Warren-The original Q*bert team consisted of myself as Game
Designer and Programmer, Jeff Lee as Graphics Designer, and Dave Thiel
as Sound Designer. No new sounds were added at all for FHMC Q*bert,
and I believe Dave was onto other things by then, but Jeff designed
an entirely new character, Q*bertha, and made a number of other art
additions as well. So I guess the answer is myself and Jeff.
Question #2-Was the concept for FHMC Q*Bert yours (the Q*Bert
team) or was it Gottliebs?
Warren- I don't know that the word "concept"
even applies here. Gottlieb wanted some sort of sequel, but it was so
soon after the original came out, that I thought of it more as an upgrade.
I thought the original was made too easy (to pander to some focus group
testing), and I thought if we came out with a faster, harder more challenging
version a few months after people had time to master the original, we'd
extend the life of the game. The changes we made were fairly minor from
a programming point of view. As it turned out, we tested FHMC QB too
early, and people weren't ready for it - they were still learning and
enjoying the original - so Gottlieb shelved it.
Question #3-Did FHMC Q*Bert use the original code of Q*Bert
and then enhanced or was it completely rewritten?
Warren-FHMC Q*bert was an extension of the original
Q*bert code.
Question #4-Did you get ideas for any of the enhancements
in the game from arcade gamers, either verbally or from observation,
or were they all thought of by the team?
Warren-A combination. Some of the tweaking we did was
directly related to watching the better players in the arcade. Some
the of other things we did, like Q*bertha or the moving discs or the
bonus round were things we either thought of ourselves or heard from
other people.
Question #5-Was the name FHMC Q*Bert going to be the actual
name or was it just a production name? If it was just a production name,
was there any names being considered before it was cancelled?
Warren-The name was always FHMC Q*bert. I didn't want
to do anything boring like Q*bert 2 or Super Q*bert, and the whole reason
this came into being was because the people who were GOOD at Q*bert
wanted something that was faster, harder and more challenging. That
phrase was used so often in describing what we wanted to accomplish
that I used it as the name. As a bit of background, the VP of Marketing,
Howie Rubin, wanted the original Q*bert to actually be called *@!#*?!
so you can see our management was open to the unconventional.
Question #6-When it was play tested, were there actual machines
made for it or was the chip just put into an existing Q*Bert cabinet?
If there were actual cabinets made, how many and are they still in working
order?
Warren-I'm pretty sure we just put it into existing
cabinets.
Question #7-Speaking for gamers everywhere, we are quite
thankful you decided to release this lost game, but what made you decide
to distribute it with MAME?
Warren-I've always had the ROMs for FHMC Q*bert running
in my own Q*bert cabinet at home - it's always been my "Q*bert"
of choice. When I first heard of MAME, I considered releasing the ROMs
but was always too busy to really look into it. A few years ago, I hooked
up with Steven Ryner who maintains a classic coin-op web site, and he
seemed pretty excited that there was a "lost" Q*bert. After
I left my job with Williams/Bally/Midwaywas, I started noticing a growing
interest in classic arcade games and thought more that releasing FHMC
QB would be interesting to people. Then Steve Ryner published an interview
with me where I mentioned the existence of FHMC QB, and I started getting
a lot of e-mail from people asking me to release the ROMs. The final
straw was that I just happened to be working with someone involved with
the MAME project, Fred Soosookian, who asked me about it, and so I just
turned over the ROM images to him and he saw that it got integrated.
I'm sure it would've happened eventually if Fred hadn't come along,
but that made it supremely easy for me.
Question #8-It is probably just wishful thinking, but are
there any other unreleased versions of other games you programmed?
Warren-I was just watching some video I shot at the
Gottlieb offices back in 1983 (I think) and a bunch of us were clowning
around and playing prototypes of some games. There is some footage of
a game I was working on which was abandoned. Even though management
thought it had potential, I got bored with it and moved on to something
else. I don't have any source code for it, but I'm tempted to try an
recreate it just for fun (if I ever have any time!)
Question #9-If you approached (if you haven't already) to
do a new game with Q*bert and given total freedom, what kind of game
would you like to do? Anything special you would want to have in the
game?
Warren-I think I'll keep my ideas for a modern Q*bert
to myself for now, just in case it ever happens.
Here's a little bio... I got my start in the arcade game industry
in 1981 at Gottlieb where I designed and programmed Q*bert and Us vs.
Them (a laser disc game). I left the industry when Gottlieb closed its
doors, and was hired by Williams a couple of years later. I worked on
Joust 2 and Lotto Fun (a redemption game), and then helped develop a
new system which would become Narc. I developed one of the first (if
not the first) video digitizing systems used in coin-op games. I left
Williams to become a consultant, and developed a game called Exterminator
for Premier Technologies. I returned to Williams in 1991 where I worked
on Terminator 2 and evolution X, and also upgraded their video digitizing
system, paving the way for actors to
be used in such games as Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, and virtually all of
Williams/Bally/Midway video arcade games of the early to mid 90's. I
currently work for Disney Interactive.
Warren can be reached via email at: warren_davis@studio.disney.com
Faster, Harder, More Challenging Q*Bert Review
Is that a title or what? Something tells me they would have filled up
that marquee! This is the unofficial sequel to Q*Bert. It was done after
Q*Bert, but never officially released. But the programmer, generously
gave the ROM to be included for MAME users. Another reason why MAME
is awesome!
When you first play it, it will look and play like good old Q*Bert.
Very little difference at first glance. But looks can be deceiving!
Once you start playing this version of Q*Bert, you will see how it got
its name. It really is a faster, harder and more challenging Q*Bert.
If you thought you were a Q*Bert ace (myself included), then this game
will humble you in a hurry.
The first change you will notice is that the platforms you jump on to
avoid Coiley are now moving. No longer are they stationary targets.
This alone changes the game and increases the challenge. But the good
part is now you have an unlimited amount of platforms. After you use
it, another one will take its place. Sorta addition by subtraction.
The next change you will notice is that there is no gradual learning
curve here. Try a ninety degree turn of difficulty. The first screen
is the same, but the second screen is like the first screen of round
two in the old game. The third screen is like the first screen in round
three and so on. As you can see, things get awfully tough in a hurry.
No breezing through levels anymore, this is a serious challenge!
There are also other bonuses like a female Q*Bert and more! I would
tell you about more of them, but I am having trouble getting there.
This game has really taxed me and I am loving every minute of it!
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