Audio interview with Jonathan Boakes and Matt Clark
 

Hi all!

I just got back from Looe in Cornwall, home of the creators of Dark Fall's 1-3, The Lost Crown and Barrow Hill. While I was there I took the opportunity to interview them. It covers a variety of topics and gives you a view into their creative process and sources of inspiration. You'll also get a little bit of new information about Bracken Tor!

You can listen to the interview (it is about 1.5 hours long!!) by going to my website http://www.tomrbaynham.com/ and either playing it directly or clicking the download link.

You can also subscribe to my podcast feed and get it that way. Search for "The Investigative Author" in iTunes or use your podcatcher to subscribe to http://www.tomrbaynham.com/feed/podcast/

Hope you enjoy the show as much as me, Jonathan and Matt did creating it! Please leave a comment on the website too if you found it interesting.

I'm halfway through it now. It's very interesting! I found especially interesting how he mentions his intention to address technical issues that we adventure gamers are (unfortunately)very familiar with (eg. unskippable dialogue, no "run" function in Lost Crown etc.).
I was also very happy to hear the intention to keep using real locations as game settings. They're convincing me to visit Cornwall!!

I also liked the reference to Stargate the developer of Bracken Tor made, as I happen to be a huge fan. =P

I'll listen to rest of it today. Thanks for making the interview, and thanks for sharing it here!

Thanks for your comments!

Yes, a visit to Cornwall is great - highly recommended! Check out Jonathan's excellent map (http://www.thelostcrown.co.uk/realsaxton) for Lost Crown real life sites, and Matt's map (http://www.barrow-hill.co.uk/feature...barrowhill.htm) for Barrow Hill locations.

The Stargate reference was me but I think Matt elaborated... ;)

I finished listening to the interview. Loved the reference to the X-Files videogame... poor "I Want to Believe"... :frown:
If you manage to interview them again in the future, perhaps you can post here in advance and see if any of the gamers have some questions to ask? I'm sure many people have questions for Boakes and Clark :)
In the meantime, thanks again.

Oh yeah. I remember being very excited when I found out about those websites. A few days ago I was on Google Earth, checking out Panoramio pictures of Polperro and Looe... I wish Polperro had Street View!

Ah! Whoops. Sorry, I had some trouble distinguishing voices at times.
I remember wondering if you meant MALPs or Kinos... =P

thanks for the interview. its great to hear those guys. i have downloaded the interview and will listen to it bit by bit. as mentioned i especially liekd in the early beginning the talk about the dialogue skipping and fast walk in lost crown 2.

how did u get a chance to meet with them?

I don't get that one? I only saw the Stargate movie.

I just emailed or sent a PM to Jonathan and Matt, asked to do an interview. I told them where I was staying and they turned up one evening. Was a pleasant surprise!

I'm very excited to listen through the interview! I'm stuck with slow dial-up right now, so I'll have to wait about a month to be able to listen to it, but I'm looking forward to it! It sounds nice and meaty, over an hour!

Hehe.. a MALP is the machine you saw in movie, they one they send ahead with camera, sensors, and articulated arm. Kinos... well, they're from the latest series, Stargate Universe. I shall not bore you with the details ;)

Speaking of the place you were staying at, thanks for providing its name in your blog, it brought me one step closer to planning a trip to Cornwall.

Thanks for the comment Fantasysci5! That shows some dedication! Hope you enjoy the interview...

I think I must check out the links. I'm so looking forward to the sequel of Lost Crown.

I laughed out loud when the talked about the stone dishwashers.

"That's why there is so much broken pottery around". Good sence of humor!

I know! I'm hoping to put up some videos of the real Lost Crown/Barrow Hill locations that I made while down in Cornwall, so watch this space...

Please do! I'm very curious to see more of the locations than what I get from Google Earth/Panoramio, especially videos!
If you do, could you include GPS co-ordinates of the locations? Especially those (eg. the churches in TLC, or the well from Barrow Hill) that are not in Polperro, which is pretty easy to find.

It's not difficult if you've physically been there, all you have to do is recognize the area you've been to on GE, and it will provide the coordinates!

I was just able to listen to the interview, and it was amazing! I loved how much info there was in it, and everything that was talked about.

I agree with your statement that you use walkthroughs because some puzzles detract from the stories. I agree completely.

I really loved the interview. And being such a big fan, it's kind of silly to say that's the first time I heard their voices. Of course there was a familiarity there from the characters they voiced; like I kept hearing Matt's voice and instantly thinking Hardacre. :P And for some reason, his voice reminds me of Norman Lovett who played Holly on "Red Dwarf"...:crazy:

Anyway, really awesome interview! I really enjoyed it.

Yep it was great fun doing the interview! I got Jonathan and Matt to do a few of the lines the previous night. I love Matt/Hardacre's "Boy". Really condescending.
It would be great to do a Lost Crown Con - everyone meet up in Cornwall and go around all the sites together.

I really want to do that! I was planning on going there for 2 weeks sometime in my life, although it keeps getting pushed back :frown:, and meet up with Emma Harry, Matt and Jonathan, and go around to the sites. I especially want to see Polperro/Saxton the most.

I loved how laid back they were in the interview, and all the stuff they discussed. I learned more about the Braken Tor game which has gotten me more excited!

Emma is still working in London most of the time, but perhaps Matt could convince her to come down?

Emma has become a good friend of mine, and if I were ever to go over there, I would definetely meet her!

When Matt was talking about her being in the new "Braken Tor", and that

Spoiler:

she would be broadcasting in the different time periods

it made me entruiged and curious.

If you are looking forward to Bracken Tor, look out for my Bodmin Moor pics that I am uploading over the next couple of days...