Spotlight is back!
Now the Spotlight is back =))
Thanks Mr Daydreamer for a good job, and Rocketman for participating!
Enjoy guys!
// Marru and Mats
With me here today on "Spotlight" I have Rocketman
Rocketman is one of the creators of shockplay. Probably the brains behind it ;)
Whats your real name?
Per Ekstig
How old are you Per?
39
Ok Per. We also have to start with asking you about your civil status, I mean for all
the luck seekers out there? :)
I have a girlfriend.
Sorry everyone :)
Ok, if we try starting from the beginning here.
First, how did you come up with the idea to create shockplay, and when was this?
In the year 2000 I founded my company, Raketspel, together with two partners:
Johan "Hammarn" Höglund and Oskar "Pixel Pusher" Andersson. Our objective was to
create fun web games, and also make more traditional CD-ROM based multimedia.
In 2001, I got the idea to make a Table Tennis game. It was just a small singleplayer
game, but almost everyone that tried it was hooked, and it spread widely on the web.
We decided to build a Community around this game, and added more games.
In December 2001 we launched Shockplay 1.0. It was a gaming site with 7 singleplayer
games, and it was free of charge.
At first shockplay was a singleplayer version only with table tennis, what made you
decide to make a multiplayer version?
We got hundreds of requests to make the Table Tennis game multiplayer, and this was a
tough challenge for us, and to cover the development costs and the server costs, we
made Shockplay to a pay-to-play site, and we also added more features, like buddy list,
PM, more multiplayer games: Couronne, Backgammon, etc.
How about an economical question? :)
Is shockplay the big source of income or is it programming for others or what is
that you make a living on?
The truth is that Shockplay stands for less than 10% of our income. We build a lot of
other games to make a living. But, since Shockplay is our own community, and since
there are so many active players that help us run the community, we feel that it has
great potential, and we want to improve Shockplay in every way we can.
Do you need another job on the side of this?
Yes, we have lots of clients, and the problem is that we find it difficult to get the
time to work with Shockplay as much as we would like.
So is your "rear end" (could be children accessing this sight) glued to the office
chair or does this job mean you are sitting at the coffee table being lazy all day? =D
Personally, I love my job, and I cant wait to get to the office every morning when I
wake up.
Yeye that didn't really answer the question did it :D
Can you tell us a bit about what it is you really do? Think many people
might be interested in knowing!
I am a programmer. This means that I write the logic in the games. I use Adobe Director
Shockwave Studio and Java to create the games. Often I build a small prototype without
any fancy graphics, just to see if the game idea is enough fun.
Is shockplay your work or does raketspel mean that you have
other obligations as well?
Well, we today Raketspel have 7 employees. We have several other projects, but one of
our goals is to make Shockplay bigger than it is today, but it will take time and money
to improve Shockplay with more games and features, and in order to afford this development,
we build and sell other games for other clients.
Enough about work it's boring :)
Lets talk about the people inside the great world of multiplayer games.
ok, shoot!
Who was the first ever member at shockplay?
Magnus "Mc Mongo" was the first member. But he is one of the guys working at Raketspel,
actually he is the one that made the database with all the users, so of course he took
the no.1 spot in the database.
The "oldest" member who is still a member at Shockplay is tommylu, the "shanghai pro"
He became member 2002-11-04
And then comes: Thorleifa, Sara, Surfin, Haney, andreas.carlsson, Samson, Kru, goran34,
Dubbel-H
How did you get people to join shockplay from the start?
We have done very little marketing, a few tests with affiliate networks that did not
work so well, but,, a few players found it, and then it was spread "word of mouth".
How many active members are there as of today? And are double accounts counted for? :P
Around 1000 accounts are active today.
About the double accounts, is that a problem that you try to keep track of or don't you
see it as a problem?
Sometimes it can be a problem. We do not allow 2 players that use the same IP to play
in the same group in the league.
Ok this is getting too serious hehe
Lets see whom your favourite member(s) is/are? ;)
oh, I have so many good friends there...let's see...torkelsnorkel, Joe Killer, Chris,
Vicky, Redhead, Mayhem.
I have a question I have been wondering about, maybe there are more who did.
You are Rocketman, but then there is Rocketkid, Rocketgirl, and RocketDJ. And these are
people that have had more or less responsobility on shockplay. Who are they? And did they
choose names themselves or did you give them those names?
We created the users Rocketkid and RocketGirl with some special features for recruiting
new members.
A member (chris) who is a DJ used to send a shockplay web radio, and that is why he got
this user, RocketDJ.
Alright here is a nutcracker for you, someone needs to sort this out and be honest about
this. Who is really the best female player on shock all times, in your opinion?
Oh, I think Katjziska is the best female couronne player, and Wickey27 is the best
"female" tabletennis player.
In backgammon there are several good female players.
Eh what the heck, male aswell, who is the best?
I'd say Hektor.
But once in a time, it was me! Before we launched Shockplay 2.0 with couronne,
I bug-tested the game a lot, and when we launched it in december 2002, I was the best
player :) I even felt bad dominating the game that newcomers tried to so hard to master...
I even played with my left hand just to give them a chance to win a set once in a while...
It took 2 months before a member got good enough to beat me. But soon after that I have
fell way behind the top players.
Alright, there we had som bragging aswell :)
About the couronne game!
In my opinion: Müller was very close to perfection when it came to the tactical game
in league and I'd say that GodisGuden, Zimond and maybe Hektor are two steps infront of
others when it comes to "skillplaying" sweeping and finding ways to like I call it
"refurnish", do you think we are getting close to the end when it comes to
the development in the game, has the top skill level been reached?
I have constantly been amazed of the new discoveries that members have come up with, e.g.
the different kind of trick shots. And back in 2003 there was a fight between those that
did not accept pushing, and those that did. There was a group that called themself NCP
(no chicken play) that swore to never play chicken (no pushing) and then the opposite
group, CPFL (Chicken-play for life) that used pushing as much as possible. I was myself
a member of NCP. And there was a lot of speculation if NCP was doomed to fail. Later,
players like inqy and Hektor proved that it is possible to play offensive and handle most
pushers quite well. So the game has evolved and is still evolving, but in smaller steps.
So I do not think the "top skill level" has been reached, although I have no idea how
the skill level can become even better.
There are glitches in couronne, for example, rings get stuck on eachother once in a while
and the yellow goes in the hole if you put it o close, even though you hit it forward
(I call it reverse physics ^^) is this something that will be looked at?
Yes, actually I spent a week trying to fix this glitch, and I managed to fix it, but,
as a side effect, the physics of the game was a little bit different, so that is why I
never launch that version. Lots of players would complain, even though I just change a
microscopic detail of the physics.
Ok I think questions about the game are gonna show up again real soon.
Reason for this is that, (as probaly everyone knows by now) a new version of shockplay
is to come in the near future, isn't that right?
Yes, we are working on Shockplay 3.0.
Can you please tell us all something about the new version that we don't know?
Sorry. we want the new features Shockplay 3.0 to be a surprise.
What is the purpose of this update? What do you want to achieve with it?
Several reasons:
- Today we have the resources we need to update shockplay.
- We want to do some marketing to try to get more players to join Shockplay, but before
we do that, we need to update our servers and software so we can handle more players.
- Lots of players want to help us administrating leagues, tournaments, and stuff, but
we lack the admin functions for them to do so.
- When we built Shockplay, many players had slow modem connections. Nowadays almost
eveyone has cable modem or better. So we have now better possibilities to make better
features and games.
- The current version is a bit old fashioned. We want to update the user interface
the code behind it too.
Ok enough about that, we will be back with more questions when the actual update is done.
But when can we count on that the update will be finished and made?
We have not gone public with the date yet.
Up for some personal questions :) ?
Starting with a shockplay question haha.
What do you like best about being a member at shockplay?
Getting friends from all around the world. And I love to play chess.
What do you do in your spare time?
At the moment i'm trying my best to get in a good shape for a bicycle race (vätternrundan).
I'm also like to practise juggling with clubs, balls and tourches.
Ok, that ought to be interesting if we will have a "shockplayparty" in the future.
We have entertainment folks :)
What would you do if you won a lot of money?
I would invest it in my company, and make it possible for us to work 10 months with only
shockplay and nothing else. But, I doubt I will win that kind of money, because I never
play on any lottery. I calculate the probability to win, and the odds are seldom to my
advantage :P
Or maybe you have loads of money ? :D Thanks to Shockplay :P
Unfortunately that is not the case.
Whats your favourite song, and group?
Rocketman by Red Elvises :)
You can listen to it here: http://redelvises.net/mp3/roketman.mp3
Awesome, thank you for sharing the song, might that be a reason for his shockplay nick? ;)
A general question about shockplay.
There are a few couples that has met here am I right?
Which once do you know of?
Yes, it is wonderful that couples have met here. Im afraid I might be wrong about this,
but I think these players met through shockplay: Petrify and Marru, Katjziska and
Mr Daydreamer, and Goodman1967 met someone, i forgot her name.
Thats 1 of 3, good work ^^
Was Katjziska that made friends with Petrify, and then one thing lead to another =) However, Marru and Petrify are no longer together.
And I give you a wrong answer for not knowing the name of the one Goodman met.
Maybe you can see shockplay as a matchmaking site :)?
That's a cool side-effect. I see Shockplay as a friendly community where you have fun
and meet lots of new friends. That some players meet their love of their life is a bonus :)
How about a trick one?
If a rooster sits high up in a tree facing the east, and then the rooster lays an egg.
Which direction will the egg drop?
Well that ought to be....... roosters don't lay eggs :)
Oh darn, you were not as easely fooled as woodchip :P
Ok last but not least, what is your shoe size?
43
Thank you very much Per for taking the time to answer these questions.
And it is not Pers fault that this program is delayed.
Coveridge from the local rugby championships is the reason.
Nothing we could do about it, I know it sucks!
We did try to pay them off though.
(no, my fault :/)
See you next week on "Spotlight" :D
Martin // aka Mr Daydreamer
Very nice reading :)
agree, very nice!!! :)
and nice song, rocketman! hahaha
Sorry Rocketman.
In a way you live in the 16th century, Rocketman. Why so?
You havnt been in the league for long.
Katjziska is a extremely good female player.
And she was one of my first friends in here.
I think I even knew her some also before she got to know MrD.
But the thing is . . .
You are so wrong Rocketman . . . .
MASTERHAND is the best female couronne player on Shockplay so far.
Kat is the second.
Some others have been very very good.
Sofe, Jenn, Anita, Broken Angel, even Marru.
But noone, so far, has reached the skillness and devoted view as MASTERHAND has.
She is a female player and she has her ups and down as we all have - but she is the best so far.
/ Scandal
Well, the case is this aswell, that Kat has not played in the league since the 16th sentury :)
And when they was in the same league some time ago. I believe that Kat won !! :)
No doubt who is the best female in my opinion!
MrD
Trevlig läsning. Alltid kul att få reda lite om männsikorna bakom shockplay! Vem blir nästa spotlight?
MrD
I have beaten GodisGuden when we both were in the eliteleague.
But I didnt ever say after that game, I was better than him.
/ Scandal
No of course not. But since you did a comparason with Rocketman not playing league since 16th sentury.
That means you base your opinion on the league games :)
Roughedge- nästa person blir Katjziska =)
In my opinion Katjziska is the best female, and Broken Angel, marru and Bratitude and maybe leahan aswell hehe ;)
Very well written,
Serious questions mixed with fun ones...thats good=)
You get 7 toilet-seats out of 10=)
MrD
I did not say Rocketman played the league in the 16th century.
Cause there was no league back then.
But I said his opinions were from there.
Please, read the text MrD.
/Scandal
Hej=) Jag skriver på svenska för annars förstår inte ens svenskarna vad jag skriver=) Ja vem är den bästa kvinnliga spelaren??? Är det så viktigt?=) Om jag måste säga det så tror jag att det är lika mellan mig o Kat( Jag tar henne om vi fegspelar o hon tar mig om vi inte gör det=)). Ok jag kommer spela i eliten nästa vecka men vet att kat har precis lika stora förutsättningar som jag har=) Hon har varit där innan. Vem är bäst av godis och zimme el hektor o muller??? Mkt baseras enl mig på hur väl man e vän med personen här på shocken el om man nu har mött el sett denna person när den spelar för fullt och är motiverad. En som är bästa vän med muller skulle säga muller förståss o vice versa med hektor. Men återigen så spelar jag bara här för att det e roligt och om jag el kat e bäst spelar ingen roll enl mig. Sedan visst skulle de vara roligt att samla alla tjejer i en tunering och tävla o se vem som vinner=) Men om jag el Kat vinner spelar väl ingen roll. Vinner Kat så grattis Kat=) Under oss finns det också många tjejer som är jätteduktiga som mkt väl kan slå mig el Kat.
Men tack igen Mr D för en trevlig intervju och om du orkar kan du översätta detta=)
Kram Mathilda
I did scandal =) Nevermind actually.
So you mean that in your opinion MASTERHAND has been better since the 16th century? Well said :)
Ja, min första dag på Shockplay så hamnade jag i en turnering och fick möta Rocketman. Jag var ju inte helt färsk, hade ju spelat ett par månader på couronne.nu... Men herregud va stryk man fick. Ett av mina första minnen på Shockplay är att jag och min brorsa som också spelade då tävlade om vem som skulle slå Rocketman först. Tyvärr så var det brorsan som lyckades först och vann! :(
Mr D klart du försvarar din älskling=) Skulle jag osså gjort men som jag sa på mitt tidigare inlägg så tror jag inte att jag el Kat bryr oss om detta=)
Men jag skall vara snäll mot dig nästa vecka nu Mr D i eliten=)
Kram Mathilda
Sorry att min intervju denna gång blev till sådan förvirring och osämja. Meningen va ju att detta skulle bli kul. Rocketman gav sin åsikt om ämnet, scandal gav sin och jag gav min. Men att det sen skulle skapa debatt va ju inte riktigt syftet. Ne det spelar ingen roll, men jag gav min åsikt (vilket hade varit min åsikt även om jag inte varit tillsammans med Kat) Tyckte så låååångt innan vi ens pratade med varann!
End of story! En annan bra kvinnlig spelare, den som förmodligen (så här långt) varit mest framgångsrik i ligan är anita!
MrD
Mr D är väl roligt med lite debatt=) Men jag o Kat kommer att mötas i lagtävlingen som Zimme och Spiik satt ihop så då kanske det visar sig=) Nedå håller med End of story från mitt håll med=)
Mathilda.
Om jag ska kasta in mina '5 cents' i leken så skulle jag utan tvekan säga att det är Anita! Hon hade spelintelligens och kunde de flesta trixen för att vinna. Hon är mig veterligen den enda tjej/kvinna som kommit i närheten av att vinna ligan. Vid flera tillfällen har hon kommit tvåa i ligan och lämnat bakom sig namn som puffe, cronos m fl...
Att det ens är en debatt?
Ne kanske det inte är :) Men tycler det skapats en osämja här och det va inte syftet :)
Jag tycker inte att det skapar någon direkt osämja utan snarare att det är intressant att se vem folk "håller på" :)
Det finns ju inget rätt eller fel, alla tycker ju olika och kanske kollar efter olika egenskaper hos spelaren som dom tycker kvalificerar att den är bättre.
Själv ger inte jag någon kommentar om vem jag tycker är bäst, eftersom att jag knappt sett t.ex. Anitas eller Masterhands vanliga/liga matcher.. =)
MrD
If you thought exactly like I did, there would be no disharmony
Thats why peace isnt present in this World - people do not think alike. But if you change your opinion MrD peace will be very visible in here.
Its so simple
; )
/Scandal
Bra skrivet Marru=)
Kram Mathilda.
Yes, it was years ago, fells almost like the 16th century, I had an advantage that I had developed the game, and was ahead of all newcomers, and I felt really bad to take points from everyone. Fortunately, it only took a few months til some players got better, and the past few years I have not made much effort to beat the top players. I just cannot find the time to play to improve my skills. I play JFF :) And of course I find it more important handle shockplay support and develop the new version of shockplay.
Ok, Rocketman.
It feels great you talk to us some about this.
Its very very interesting to read. Im serious.
Also some again about this MASTERHAND, Kat or Anita thing again.
I was in the eliteleague during the Anita era - She was on my friendly list and we were good friends.
As now, there were rude and unfair people around here.
There was especially one player called "Bakeren" from Norway, who always did what he could to win only by interupting the game, using timer frequently and so on.
So, Anita was very upset about this.
Anita and I won like every second game in elite.
I would say that goes for me and MASTERHAND too today.
But the difference between MASTERHAND and Anita is MASTERHAND constantly keeps developing her playing.
MASTERHAND today isnt MASTERHAND one month ago.
Ok, she will have her ups and downs, as we all have (Please compare with Charlotte Kalla) -but thats the big differens as far as I see it.
The same goes for Kat.
If she wants to get better she must struggle in the league again and also try new things.
Im not writing this to belittle Kat`s skills, because we all knew about them.
But someone must be objective here!!!!!
Rocketmans opinion about this matter isnt that valid today - as he is not that active in the league, as he also state himself.
Sadly Hektors opinion isnt too "up to date" either. For the same reasons.
Come back guys and show them all.
Ok, As long as we have Golden - its ok.
/ Scandal
Jag tänker inte kommentera mig el Kat ngt mer då jag tycker detta är ointressant och de är upp till andra att bedöma=) Men vill kommentera mit spelande under dessa år som jag varit på shocken=)
Jag har aldrig gått in för pointgames el fr a tuneringspel. Mkt beroende på att jag älskar deffspel=) vilket jag självklart inte spelar utanför liga. Mitt spel utanför deffspelet har naturligtvis påverkats av detta men har nu börjat insett att jag måste förbättra detta om jag skall ha ngt i eliten att göra. Vilket jag börja göra och äntligen börjar ge resultat=) Jag tokdeffar lika mkt i liga men funderar mer innan jag gör stöten jmf med tidigare. Som jag sagt tidigare är corre så mkt mer än deffspel och märken. Mkt taktik som inte är så synligt för en ovan correspelare.
Jag vill säga att jag är minst en klass bättre jmf med när jag spelade i eliten förra gången. Men vet att detta inte räcker och måste bli bättre på mkt mer=) Men det är detta som är roligt att utvecklas och bli bättre. Minst största nackdel i liga är att jag är fruktansvärt ojämn både i matcher o stötar. Jag kan som du sagt innan Mr D slå de flesta än bra dag men kan osså förlora mot de sämsta=) Detta håller inte i eliten men det är under förbättring=)
Sökt upp en mental tränare, ne skoja bara. Men det skall bli bättre=)
Nu ser jag fram emot en elitvecka samt en ny goldenrunda igen o motivationen är på topp=)
Kram Mathilda
Just need to ask. How come only the "leagueskills" are the criterias here?
And is this so important? And is there really any use discussing? We all have our opinions and they are not going to change!
I like the interwie Wd:)
Next out in the spotlight i think we take u Roug:)
And i agreee its fun to no little more abaout ppl u play against.
Who are best or not i dont think its so important.
More fun to guess who is next great player i see some new play real god one short time, but that we come back to.
And i understaand that Rocketman dont wont to talk abaout sp 3, more fun for all off us when its ready:P
And we are here the most off us jff so lets play and have fun.
If u are good not so good, play much or play little dont care to mee one thing i care abaout that ppl write nice and bee fair.
Its so meny how could bee in the elit if they have motivation or time, so maybee the all best not even play more than a few games?
And its no fighting in here write abaout all i want to say but not fight then i lock that ip number.
Now its end off dinner :)
Play and have fun
cya
Bra intervju =)
Well done Mr.D!
Thank you nice doing it :)
And no wolfy, we already dicided that next week is my beloved on Spotlight :P
And we want the readers to come up with questions for her. So if there is anything you want to know about her, please write to me on Shockplay and you will find out! :D
Call it the viewers Interview this time!
Oh sorry, there might actually be someone who does not know who my beloved is.
Katjziska is next weeks Spotlight guest!
I now off course that DD but i love joke with Roughege.
And as Marru said i dont se no fights here, if i se that i do as i said and block that or this ip mumbers.
But i think and hope we all can say what we think and understaand that all off us dont think same things.
But i still miss more ppl to say to me or Marru what they think or wants to happend on sp good or bad things.
But both Marru and mee are beginners on that so we are greatful to get tips everything to help us to bee better its not that easy to write both serious and a little fun , but we both try our best so plz be welcome with ideas.
An its nice off u dd to help us with the spotlight, own u one there:)
Take care all cya
Is there any chance that you might include some players who are not as well known?
It always seems that everything is done towards the swedish players.
I don't have a problem with this, I understand SP is Swedish, and most players are from here.
But there is a LOT of players who are not.
Maybe you could include them from time to time.
Not a plug for myself to be interview, although this would be, I do belive I'm *in line*, eh Mr D ;)
But come on...
Round up the troops.
Get some more players we all know and love who aren't elite, swedish, sweep happy regulars...
You guys all seem to know each other anyway...where's the fun?
Woodchip was a good start, but then...
Peace. x
