Chatlogs/Bill Tiller

Not everyones questions could be answered on the day of the chat event so I asked Bill would he answer the few that weren't asked. He agreed :) So, here they are:

1. <twif> I want to know more about this game you are working on
Well it is 2d adventure game very much like The Curse of Monkey Island except it is in the gothic horror genre. Think Monkey Island meets Frankenstein and you get the picture. You play a vampire woman who want to resume her normal life again, and in the process she meets with all the classic monsters from the Universal horror movies of the thirties and forties. It is point and click and is very light hearted like CMI and has a fun but creepy mood.

2. <haggis> Is there any art book you would recommend (e.g. - Art for Dummies)
Yes. The illusion of Life: Disney Animation by Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, and The Fantasy Techniques of Tim Hildebrandt by Jack E. Norton. The first book is published by Hyperion -114 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, 10011. The second by Paper Tiger, and imprint of Dragon's World Ltd, Limpsfield, Surrey RH8 0DY, Great Britain. Also N.C. Wyeth: The Collected Paintings, Illustrations and Murals by Douglas Allen and Douglas Allen, Jr., thought that one may be out of print. Also any of the 'Art Of' books for nay of the recent Disney films are very educational. Now some of you may think Disney sucks and it is just silly fairy tales for kids. That may or may not be true, but they do know their art. All the rules they follow work for any type of art you want to create. They are inspired by the masters and learned from them ,so their foundations are rooted in art theory that has been used for a millennium. So just because they may be drawing a mouse or a dragon, the rules they follow are the same Rembrandt, Da Vinci, and Michelangelo used.

3. <dansky> So, are you going to take the Art direction for MI5
Hell if I know. It is a complex issue. I had a hard time working with some of the project leaders/ directors at LEC so if one of them were to be the Director on MI5 then no. Plus I didn't care for some of the decisions Randy Breen has made, and he knows it. So, even if I wanted to he may block me being hired back. Simon and I generally got along and he wanted me to come back and be the lead artist on MI5, but I am not sure if that still holds true.I haven't asked him in while. I love Monkey Island, and I would just about art direct it for free, but there are a lot of issues that would have to be worked out for me to come back and LEC may not think it is worth it.
Also if I were to do it I would want the backgrounds to be in 2d, 24 bit high color, 800 x 600 and the characters in high poly either pre rendered or real-time 3d. And it would have to be point and click. There is no need to pilot around in an adventure game. It was a nice experiment in Grim but it causes the player to work too much. Point and click is just a hell of a lot easier. These views may clash with LEC marketing and the current trend toward 3D. Just another reason why I might not work on MI
But who knows? We will see. Cross your fingers. I am.

5. <mymipage> The Secret of Monkey Island has come in some forums recently. Can I just ask you - what was Ron Gilbert's Secret of Monkey Island? Do you know it? Was it all a kids imagination or is that just a theory?
Well this is all I know, and I learned it from Larry Ahern and Dave Grossman. Ron went to Disneyland, rode Pirates of the Caribbean ride. thought it was cool and wondered what it would be like to get out of the boat and explore the pirates cave and village. Calvin and Hobbs http://www.geocities.com/dlazechk/subjects.html was very popular back then. It is a daily cartoon strip about a boy and his stuffed tiger going on all sorts of adventures and imagining themselves in all sorts of different things like dinosaurs, spacemen and monsters. I speculate that Ron combined the to together- Pirates of the Caribbean and Calvin and Hobbs- and created Guybrush. I was told that the ending of MI2 was originally going to be the ending of MI1. But Dave Grossman and Tim Shafer didn't like it an talked Ron out of it. Then I heard from Larry Ahern that two to three months before MI2 was supposed to be done, an ending had still not been decided upon. And about then Ron decided to go with the amusement park ending he was originally going to use in MI1.
The explanation I heard is that Guybrush was lost in the Pirates Ride at Big Whoop Amusement Park the whole time, imagining the whole adventure. Then Chucky, his mean older brother goes and pulls him back to reality. The end. And that magical lightning coming out of Chucky's eyes and Elaine waiting by the hole on Dinky Island (which sounds a lot like Disney Land) was put there just in case there was to be a Monkey Island 3. The secret is that the MI world is not real. now I have no clue how Ron would have written his way out of the MI2 ending. He either knows and isn't telling. Or He doesn't know and he isn't telling you he doesn't know. Or he has a bunch of ides of what he would do and isn't telling you that either.That is a bigger secret then what the secret of Monkey Island is.
But secret being that the whole MI world is imagined sucks. Why? Because we want the world of Monkey Island to be real, not in a kids imagination.
Enter big whoop the portal of hell. Lechuck goes in, comes out a powerful ghost. Then he is killed again, comes back as a zombie and hatches a plan to lure pirates through the portal of big whoop and come out zombie/ ghosts. Guybrush had spell cast on him and that is why he was a little kid. he escaped Big whoop in a bumper/ dodgem car and reverts back. Elaine had to rush back to Puerto pollo to defend it from Lechuck renewed attacks because Guybrush is safely under his spell back on Monkey Island. That is the official secret of monkey island in CMI.
Sean and Mike don't like that secret or want to add to it, so they either borrow Dave Grossman's idea that the monkey head is jut the top of a giant monkey robot, or they came up with it independently. That is the official secret of Monkey Island in EMI.
Is this all cleared up now? There is no 'one' secret of Monkey Island. Period. Maybe in Monkey5 there will be yet another one. Personally I'd like to know more about Guybrush' s origins. Where did he come from? Who are his parents? Any brothers or sisters? WHo was the voodoo priest who brought LeChuck back to life?

Thanks once again Bill :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bill Tiller, lead artist for The Curse of Monkey Island came in to talk with us (In #brimstone) on February 8th 2003. Approx 50 people entered the Chat altogether for the hour and a half that Bill was there. I would like to thank everyone who came to the event, especially Gabez (for helping out), Haggis (for setting the Chat with Bill Tiller up) and Bill (for agreeing to do the event).<btiller> is Bill Tiller. Everyone else is in Black, questions are bold, Quit IRC is Red and Join chat is in green. The following is the log from the Chat Event.

Session Start: Sat Feb 08 19:54:58 2003
Session Ident: #brimstone
* Now talking in #brimstone
* Topic is 'Bill Tiller Chat at 8:00 GMT Today (Saturday) '
* Set by mymipage on Sat Feb 08 11:39:52
* ChanServ sets mode: +o mymipage

* RemiO has quit IRC (Ping timeout )

<gabez> Hey mymipage.
<mymipage> Hey
<btiller> we doing this now?

* mymipage sets mode: +o Btiller
* Mr_Small has joined #brimstone

<btiller> or are we waiting till noon
<gabez> Yeah.

* mymipage sets mode: -o battlecat
* earwigz has joined #brimstone

<gabez> We can wait till noon if that's better.
<the_ed> might as well start
<the_ed> unless people have any objection to that
<btiller> doesn't matter to me, just say go and I will start shooting off answers
<the_ed> (you can't really tell us if you do can you?)
<mymipage> wait another minute
<btiller> ok

* RemiO has joined #brimstone
* Meatball has joined #brimstone
* Mr_Small has quit IRC (Signed off )
* Flirbnic has joined #brimstone

* mymipage changes topic to 'Bill Tiller Chat NOW :) If you want to ask Bill a question PM mymipage or ED with the question and why you are voiced you may ask it then'

<mymipage> Ok, people - lets do the voiced way for about 10 mins and see how it goes
<gabez> Sounds good.
<the_ed> ok shall we start?
<mymipage> then we might let people ask as normal
<mymipage> ok, Bill, ready to start?
<btiller> let us
<btiller> yes I am
<the_ed> we'll start with Dalixam then?
* mymipage sets mode: -vv Esseb Junior|AWAY

* Monkey-wrench has left #brimstone
 

--------------------------------------------------------
* The_ED sets mode: +v Dalixam
<dalixam> How is the development of your new game coming along?
<btiller> slow, but steady. the thing slowing it down the most is the animation and the fact that my lead programmer lives 2000 miles away
<btiller> and it is only a demo or should we say a proof of concept
<btiller> not a full game
<btiller> done
<dalixam> ok
* mymipage sets mode: -v Dalixam

* mymipage sets mode: +v RemiO
<remio> Can you tell us anything about the cancelled post-CMI Ackley/Ahern project "The Magic Box"? Were you involved with this at all?
<btiller> I could have been involved but I wanted to try something else, but in hindsight I should have stuck with them on it.
<btiller> It was called vanishing act which was an unfortunately named project because it did just that
<btiller> It was going to be real time 3d but very much like a traditional game. the genre was steam punk/ Bavarian. Think Baron munchuasen (?) meets MI
<remio> Heh, cool.
* The_ED sets mode: -v RemiO

* _emma_ is now known as Emma|IWD2
* Cyper_the_Jackass has joined #brimstone
* Meatball has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer )

* The_ED sets mode: +v THATinkjar
<thatinkjar> Which game, for you, has the most enjoyable and unique graphical style? And have you ever considered emulating this style?
<btiller> CMI was the most fun because it was original. The 3d games I have worked on were very limited in their technology so a true 'art' style really couldn't be achieved. but as the tech gets better I think you will see more artistic styles pop up in 3d games.
* The_ED sets mode: -v THATinkjar

* Gabez sets mode: +v DanSky
<dansky> Hey Bill nice to meet you, this is an hot question but... What you really think about EMI graphic? Lots of fans were disappointed with it. I think with 3d, MI lost that mappy-style only handrawings can transmit... I mean, your famous pink clouds aren't the same, with 3d :-)
<btiller> Dansky, I thought EMI lacked an experienced background artist who understood the basics of making adventure game backgrounds. I think the artists who worked on it were cool people and very talented, even more talented then me. but it goes to show your art is not just about talent, it is about careful thought, and I don't think they thought carefully about the EMI backgrounds
* Gabez sets mode: -v DanSky

* mymipage changes topic to 'Bill Tiller Chat NOW :) If you want to ask Bill a question PM mymipage or ED or Gabez with the question and why you are voiced you may ask it then'

* Huz has joined #brimstone

* The_ED sets mode: +v LucasTones
<lucastones> Hiya Bill! The background art for The Dig and CMI are both quite different - both are landscapes, but different styles. Which do you prefer, both to look at and to actually draw? The Dig is mostly rocks, but CMI is very natural, with trees etc.
<btiller> CMI absolutely!
<lucastones> Me too
<btiller> The shapes are more fun and the colors are more vibrant, I think a combo of the styles would be good. That is sort of what I am doing with my game- I keep the fun shapes of CMI but paint them more realistic like the dig
<btiller> done
* The_ED sets mode: -v LucasTones

* The_ED sets mode: +v Haggis
<haggis> Have you found any sponsors for your project yet?
<btiller> No, but that is what the demo is for, to convince them that we can make the game given the budget and time. I will also have to convince them that a 2D adventure game would sell in this market
<btiller> done
* mymipage sets mode: -v Haggis

* mymipage sets mode: +v Metallus
<metallus> Sometimes when I try to draw, there are certain things that really frustrate me and I have a hard time with, such as the creases/wrinkles in clothing. Is there anything that you consider your least favorite, or most frustrating thing to draw?
<btiller> Drawing anatomy without reference is the most difficult thing for me.
<btiller> I generally try and find an image of a person in that pose and refer to it, or take a picture of my wife or a friend in the pose I need and use that. I would suggest looking at artists you like and see how they draw clothes and wrinkles
<btiller> done
<metallus> thanks

<btiller> anybody know how well Tony Tough is selling?
<mymipage> Bill, no one else can answer
<gabez> Uh... if you do, then PM an op. :)
<metallus> I have no idea...heh
<mymipage> I will let them talk coming towards the end
<gabez> Yeah, or wait until the end.
* The_ED sets mode: -v Metallus

* Blondebeard is now known as BlondebeardAway
* Squinky has joined #brimstone
* Cyper_the_Jackass has quit IRC (Signed off )
* Murray-Mint has joined #brimstone
* Morte has joined #brimstone
* Mort has joined #brimstone
* Morte has left #brimstone

* mymipage sets mode: +v LucasTones
<lucastones> So, what do you make of cell shading? How much would it limit you as an artist?
<btiller> can you elaborate more on the question. Do you mean do I like the style or that using less shades ruins the look of the character?
<lucastones> I mean, do you think it looks good? or does it take some of the personal touch away?
<btiller> It looks bad on realistic characters like in the Dig, but looks great on Ben from FT. If we were to do the dig again I would do it in 3D. But the style we used for inking and painting CMI was fine. In that case the character was so exaggerated that his shape gave you the information about his acting, where as in the dig you can't do exaggerated movements like in CMI so a fully renderd 3d character would be need to capture all those
<lucastones> ok
<lucastones> thanks
* The_ED sets mode: -v LucasTones

* Pedgey has joined #brimstone
* jake|r has joined #brimstone

* mymipage sets mode: +v telarium
<telarium> Bill, if you get financing and your own project goes into full production, are you just going to assemble a small group of freelance employees or will you actually attempt to form your own central company?
<btiller> a little of both
<telarium> That sounds promising. :)
<btiller> To set a company will be expensive but you have to have everybody in the same building coordinate such a complictes project. but certain things like character design and voice recording can be done with people offsite, even music. but art animation and programming has to be done in house, same with the game design
* The_ED sets mode: -v telarium

* Junior|AWAY has quit IRC (Signed off )

* mymipage sets mode: +v THATinkjar
<thatinkjar> Did working on CMI lessen the enjoyment of actually playing the game, or any of the others in the Monkey Island series?
<btiller> no not at all
<btiller> it actually helped that I was a big MI fan before I did CMI
<btiller> I would listen to the MI1 soundtrack while I was working all the time, and I would refer back to the games all the time. I really wanted the feel of CMI to closely match if not completely emulate the MI feeling from the previous games
<btiller> I still love playing all three games, but I must admit I think EMI missed the mark a bit
<btiller> I still haven't finished it because it is missing that feeling
<btiller> done
<thatinkjar> Wow, that's cool. Thanks!
* The_ED sets mode: -v THATinkjar

* JQuest has joined #brimstone
* Cyper_the_Jackass has joined #brimstone

* mymipage sets mode: +v Big_Whoop
<big_whoop> What was the reason (if there was one at all) for the clouds surrounding Monkey Island and Dinky in the CMI-intro map?
<btiller> I figured it represented the magical barrier that keeps MI and Dinky island separated from the rest of the islands in MI
<btiller> You have to cast a spell to get to MI for some reason
<big_whoop> Then why did he sail from there without a spell? (in the cutscene...)
<btiller> LeChuck is magical so he can go back and forth but GB had to cast a spell to do it. I figure MI is a magical place not connected to the rest of the world
<btiller> in what scene?
<btiller> oh in MI1?
<big_whoop> CMI
<big_whoop> where he is writing his diary
<btiller> Oh I think there are ways out but it is hard to get in. I think LeChuck can let you in because he is magical, and it is difficult to get out but as we saw it can be done. I think that is why GB became an adult again and lost his memory of MI at the beginning of CMI.
<big_whoop> ok, thanks
<btiller> The spells surrounding the island broke his curse but messed with his head.
<btiller> My theory is he pushed the bumper car into the water as a kid, headed out through the fog and turned back to an adult and lost his memory
* The_ED sets mode: -v Big_Whoop

* mymipage sets mode: +v Haggis
<haggis> What would you like the graphics for Monkey Island 5 to be like, 2D or 3D? Also, do you have any other wishes for Monkey 5?
<btiller> MI5 should be 2d background with really good, high poly 3d models and animation, and the two should blend really well together. if they don't then it should be all 2D
<btiller> I wish in MI5 Elaine and Gb should have a child, you could do the whole Fargo thing with GB jr on GB's back and he can help solves puzzles and add to the comedy
<btiller> done
<haggis> thanks
* mymipage sets mode: -v Haggis

* mymipage sets mode: +v Jayel
<jayel> Hi Bill. Can you describe what your day-to-day work environment is like? Also what music (if any) do you usually listen to when you work?
<btiller> Well, I have two kids, a daughter of 3 and a son of 1. So the first thing I do is get them dressed and fed and ready fro preschool. then I go through email. Mostly I need to catch up with people working on my demo. We all work in different cities so half my day is just communicating with them
<btiller> then I have lunch
<btiller> Then I turn on the internet radio and listen to brando classic old time radio. I like to listen to books or drama when I work.
<btiller> I usually do actual art from about 1pm to five pm. The rest of the time is dealing with other non-art issues, like game design, bug fixes, schedule and the like
<btiller> If I do listen to music, the CD I listen to the most is the Three Doors Down CD. I am big fan of quality hard rock
<jayel> interesting. thanks :)
* mymipage sets mode: -v Jayel

* mymipage sets mode: +v Mort
<mort> Hello!
<mort> What colour is your toothbrush?
<btiller> White with red racing stripes going down it
<the_ed> The classic question
<mymipage> We had to let it through :)
* mymipage sets mode: -v Mort

* mymipage sets mode: +v Cyper_the_Jackass
<cyper_the_jackass> Hi Bill. Have you ever been disappointed with any of the drawings you have drawn in any of your games?
<btiller> Yes! With all of them! I know that sounds stupid, but I have hard time looking at old art I have done. there is always something I could have done better or in a different way. I keep saying "Man! if I only had another day, that would have looked really cool." But we have to get the game done so, what are you going to do?"
<cyper_the_jackass> Well I think you shouldn't be disappointed with ANY of it
<btiller> in particular I wish some of the locations on CMI were redesigned. Like -ironically enough- the Brimstone beach club BG. I could have made it a lot more dynamic and interesting.
<mymipage> ;)
<btiller> That is where a good art director comes in. they help you rethink your initial ideas and come up with something better, or they tell when it is done and good enough for the game and that it is time to stop obsessing and move on
<btiller> done
* The_ED sets mode: -v Cyper_the_Jackass

* mymipage sets mode: +v JQuest
<jquest> Hello Bill :)
<jquest> Have you read the 'Monkey Island: The Revelation' article featured on scummbar.com? If so, what's your opinion on it?
<btiller> maybe. can you refresh my memory on it
<jquest> heh, it discusses a theory about the Secret of Monkey Island where Guybrush is a young boy, imagining it all and that the secret is really a young boy's mind. Fantasy.
<btiller> I have read a few of them, but this one was all about the amusement park theory for MI1 and MI2, right?
<jquest> yeah
<btiller> Yes, well I agree with it! Don't think we didn't know this theory when we did CMI, we just thought it was stupid
<jquest> hehe :)
<jquest> Do you know if any other LEC employees, related to the production of the MI games, have read this? Have you ever discussed options of the Secret with any of the creators? If so, what came forth out of that? =]
<btiller> we didn't want to go that route, the whole Caribbean is imagine theme
<btiller> I talked to Dave Grossman about one time after CMI came out. that is when he told me he wanted the secret to be that the Monkey Head was really a big monkey robot
<jquest> ahhh, thanks *writes down name* >:P
<jquest> jk hehe ;)
<btiller> In CMI we just tried to come up with a lame secret for the island- the whole portal to hell thing and how that was really what big whoop was
<btiller> LEC is a weird company, they let the project leader do what he wants with the MI licence so that is why there is no consistency between MI2, CMI and EMI
<jquest> ah
<jquest> Thanks for the answers :) Keep up the good work, your art is fantastic =]
<btiller> thanks
<btiller> done
* mymipage sets mode: -v JQuest

* invisibelle has joined #brimstone
* Mack_Salmon has joined #brimstone
* Erwin_Br has joined #brimstone
* Tomas has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer )
* Erwin_Br is now known as Erwin[AD]

* mymipage sets mode: +v Pedgey
<pedgey> FANBOY ALERT! Hiya Bill, nice to talk to you again, (I was one of the mojo peeps at E3 in 2001, you signed my CMI manual, teehee) just wanting to know how and when you decided that drawing was what you wanted to do to make a living?
<btiller> in art school. I had three four things I wanted to do but wasn't sure which one was the career I wanted to follow. So before I went to four years of art school I took classes at a JR. college.
<btiller> There I took classes in film, 3d graphics, 2d animation, and fine art
<btiller> 2d Character animation was the most fun so when I went to art school I decide that was what I wanted to learn
<btiller> Also 2d character animation had elements of all the arts in it- drawing, directing, acting, color, design etc. it really covered all the bases
<btiller> done
<pedgey> cheers :)
* mymipage sets mode: -v Pedgey

* Tomas has joined #brimstone
* Kid_Hash has joined #brimstone
* Tomas has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer )

* mymipage sets mode: +v THATinkjar
<thatinkjar> Do you feel that the current state of adventure games will worsen before it revives itself?
<btiller> hmm. Don't know. good question
<btiller> adventure games used to have no competition, now they are being muscled off the shelf by the competition
<btiller> but still there are hundreds of thousands of people who want these game obviously
<btiller> I think the trick is to make a good game that will sell to those 300k to 500k people who would rather play and adventure game than grand theft auto
<btiller> but to keep the cost down and the quality high, the games will have to get shorter
<btiller> LEC see games like Jedi Knight sell millions and Grim sell 300k, and both were made for the same budget, plus have you seen the place? their offices are huge, they have huge overhead and they are in Marin county, the 3rd most expensive place to live in the US, so they have to pay all these arts a lot of money just so they can be within two hours of work.

<thatinkjar> And Lucasarts have identified those people, but there seems a reluctance to bring us what we REALLY want. They seem too keen to change the way we've played adventure games for years! I don't understand why, as I can't see it bringing new audiences.
<btiller> They will still do them, but they will be aware and they will try to figure out how to maximize the profit so that they are justified
<btiller> but there may be hope
<btiller> Disney was losing lots of money on their feature animation department, and they were going to stop doing them.
<btiller> But they decide to give it one more shot because they felt the animated movie really drove their other more profitable ventures like toys, music and the theme parks. An lo and behold the Little mermaid became a hit.
<btiller> if LEC could do the same thing maybe adventure games will take off
<btiller> LEC need to open a theme park, sell Mi toys and soundtracks!
<thatinkjar> Thanks :)

* Tomas has joined #brimstone
* tom has joined #brimstone

<thatinkjar> Do Lucasarts HAVE to reinvent themselves somehow to have the genre survive?
<btiller> I think adventure games have to be careful. We can't have another Grim Fandango- a high quality, experimental, award winning game that sold well under expectations. The game industry really looks at Grim and says "look see? the best adventure gem ever made no money. they are dead.
<btiller> But if grim had been made for only a million it would have made profit and the game industry would say " Well it wasn't a hit but it made good money.
<btiller> So I think all adventures have to watch their budgets and sell to the audience more, in genres we want. Then if the adventure games get healthy, we can go back to experimenting
<btiller> Grim killed Vanishing Act. If Grim Comes out and sells well, then Jack Sorensen is more open to the unique ideas in vanishing act, rather then just being safe and doing another MI game in EMI
<thatinkjar> That's a good point. Thank you VERY much. Sorry to steal so much time.
* mymipage sets mode: -v THATinkjar

* mymipage sets mode: +v Big_Whoop
<big_whoop> What is your favourite MI-related website, and why?
<btiller> SCUMM BAR
<btiller> Why? Dunno. I just like how comprehensive it is. it covers it all, and the logo is awesome! wink, wink.
<btiller> done
<gabez> Hehe.
* The_ED sets mode: -v Big_Whoop

* scabb has joined #brimstone

<mymipage> Who is your favourite MI Community Artist from those you have seen?
<btiller> The artist who did the brimstone title is great. he is probably my favourite. He is obviously a pro, or should be.
<btiller> done

* mymipage sets mode: +v Haggis
<haggis> Who is your favourite painter?
<btiller> Hmm. I have a bunch. it used to be Greg and Tim Hildebrand, but I also really Like Keith Parkinson. As far as classical artist I like Rafael, and Monet. I am also big into NC Wyeteh, Howard Pyle and Chris Van Allsberg
<haggis> Monet is great. I really like impressionism.
<btiller> I like a lot of painters. Hard to pick a favourite
<btiller> done
<btiller> impressionism is great. his colour and light are just beautiful
<haggis> thank you
* The_ED sets mode: -v Haggis

* mymipage sets mode: +v LucasTones
<lucastones> Movies like the Mummy are only 80 years old, but already posters advertising them can sell up into the thousands of dollars. With the way computer games are selling (more than books, in some countries) do you think that in 100 years or so some of your art might well be selling for BIG bucks? I mean, I once saw a copy of Day of the Tentacle (3 sided box) go for over £90 (about $125 I think) on ebay. Its only 10 years old! You can still buy it new!
<btiller> damn!
<btiller> I need to start selling my old LEC games then
<lucastones> heh
<lucastones> sell them to me!
<btiller> I have a bunch in foreign languages like Korean, and Portuguese
<btiller> I will be selling a lot of old LEC stuff on ebay soon
<gabez> Cool.
<btiller> It is time to break away from LEC and get rid of all the old keep sakes like mugs and my LEC Jackets
<lucastones> I saw a pic once of a cabinet at LEC with every copy of every game they ever made
<btiller> Look for it on ebay soon
<lucastones> like foreign versions
<btiller> as in this next month
<lucastones> have you seen that?
<btiller> yes. at LEC? It is the game library
<lucastones> wow
<lucastones> thanks bill
<btiller> Other then colleting all LEC games that library was USELESS. No new games in there for years. It was an embarrassment that took up a lot of space when I was there
<btiller> it may have changed
<btiller> you are welcome
<btiller> done
* Gabez sets mode: -v LucasTones

* BlondebeardAway is now known as Blondebeard
* Erwin[AD] is now known as Erwin_Br

* mymipage sets mode: +v DanSky
<dansky> Bill, I love that rough, soft, pencil details into your CMI backgrounds. I think it's a style that helps the player to jump into the pirate world of monkey Island, with treasure maps, captain's logs, flyers, exotic posters... (that's why I was disappointed with the EMI graphic). How big were your backgrounds papers and digital tablets and do we have chances to see your works bigger than 640x480?
<btiller> the pencil sketches were on 11inches by 14inches
<btiller> but I shrunk them down to soften them a bit to 640 by 480
<btiller> the graphics tablet I used was a Kurta, a big one 21 inches maybe. they don't make them anymore
<dansky> Heummmmm Could you send me a high res. picture of a CMI background ? :-)))
<btiller> thanks for the compliments. CMI was fun and I think it showed in the art
<btiller> None we done above 640 by 480
<dansky> ok, just kidding, thanks bill
<btiller> but what could be done is the sketches were rescanned at high res and then color layer with out the pencil could be blown up and you probably wouldn't notice a difference
<btiller> But LEC has all that original pencil drawings, not me
<dansky> that is what I was in mind... can you release them ?
<btiller> You hear that LEC? I HAVE NO ORIGNIAL ART AT MY HOUSE! Call off your dogs!
<btiller> nope not me. All that is THE LEGAL PROPERTY OF LEC, I am Lucky to have copies to help me get a future job. You hear that LEC? I only have copies and they are only for my portfolio, not for profit
<btiller> Done

* LucasTones has quit IRC (Ping timeout )

* mymipage sets mode: +v Squinky
<squinky> So Bill Tiller, do you feel violated by crappy fanart, Bill Tiller? I mean, most of it is pretty bad, Bill Tiller.
<btiller> um no
<btiller> I don't feel violated at all. I feel complimented.
<btiller> A good way to learn to make good art is to copy the crap out of artists you like, and learn from them. if people copy my art then they obviously like it, and hopefully they can learn to be a better artist from it
<squinky> Okay, thanks Bill Tiller.
* Gabez sets mode: -v Squinky

* Swordmaster has joined #brimstone
* LucasTone has joined #brimstone
* LucasTone is now known as LucasTones

<dansky> I think GF didn't sell so much because the story kind.. I loved it. but I think it was a little bit intellectual.. not for kids.. don't think ? High budget is a risk, but I'm sure if it was MI it was going to be a real success!
<btiller> I do think Grim was a bit ...grim, shall we say, and did not appeal to a broad audience, so That is why CMI out sold Grim. People love Disneyland and the pirates ride. It is a safe genre, so that is why I think you will see a MI5 someday
<btiller> CMI sold 500k so if you can make a MI game that will make a profit selling that many units, why not do a MI game. I do think there is danger that if the next one isn't good and doesn't capture that old Mi feel, it will kill the franchise, LEC's most successful on outside Indy and Star Wars.
<btiller> done
<dansky> WOAAH !
* mymipage sets mode: -v DanSky

* Fester_Flu has joined #brimstone
* ChanServ sets mode: +o Fester_Flu
* mymipage sets mode: -o Fester_Flu

<btiller> two more questions then I have to go help my wife with the kids. She is giving me THAT look!
<mymipage> ok
<gabez> Hehe.

* mymipage sets mode: +v Erwin_Br
<erwin_br> What's the most common mistake/error/flaw/problem you notice in 'amateur' adventure design, graphically?
<btiller> Perspective
<btiller> Hell I mess up with perspective a lot
<btiller> I get lazy and just eye it when really I should get my ruler out and check it all the time
<btiller> what is great is perspective problems can be fixed with some pretty simple rules you can look up in the most basic of art books. so if you mess up perspective, there is hope because it is easy to learn

<erwin_br> Do games like DOTT and CMI need a ruler? I mean, their perspective is often wacky already
<btiller> No not as much
<btiller> they are very forgiving of that
<btiller> that is why I like working on games like that : )
<btiller> You mess up and you can say "It is meant to be like that. It is just an exaggeration not a mistake!"
<btiller> done
<erwin_br> Ha!
<erwin_br> :)
* mymipage sets mode: -v Erwin_Br

<mymipage> I am going to allow free talk for 5 minutes - then Bill must go :)
* mymipage sets mode: -m
* mymipage changes topic to 'Bill Tiller Chat NOW :) Talk freely'

<swordmaster> hi all
<dalixam> Thank you for your time
<btiller> one more
<mymipage> Bill, say when you must go
<jinjo_eagle> What do you do when you have a cold?
<btiller> I take medicine. Next!
<btiller> last question
<mymipage> ok
<twif> ahh!! I want to know more about this game Bill's working on. of course, this is the first I've heard of it, so that might be my problem.
<flirbnic> Will you marry me?
<btiller> I am already married
<haggis> Is there any book out there you would suggest, Art for Dummies or something like that?
<blondebeard> Good luck with your new game :)
<btiller> Ok got go.
<btiller> this was fun
<mymipage> thanks Bill
<btiller> thanks for setting this up
<jinjo_eagle> Bye Sir Tiller.
<Emma|IWD2> Later Bill.
<mymipage> You were great
<dansky> >So, are you definitely going to take the art direction for MI5 ?
<cyper_the_jackass> BYE BILL!
<gabez> Bye Bill!
<mymipage> bye
<gabez> Thanks!
<cyper_the_jackass> THANKYOU!
<thatinkjar> Thanks Bill! Good luck!
<mymipage> It was great fun to have you
<the_ed> bye
<thatinkjar> Bye!
<fester_flu> Byeeee!
<haggis> bye
<dalixam> Bye
<btiller> it is time to feed cherrios and melbatoats to my one year old.
<mymipage> thanks again ;)
<dansky> thanks bill !!!!
<swordmaster> bye bill
<philocleon> nice having you here
<pedgey> thanks bill, bye!
<mymipage> BYE
<btiller> Talk to you all later
<lucastones> see ya
<erwin_br> Thanks for your time!
<jinjo_eagle> Give the tot some coco-puffs!
<jinjo_eagle> They love those.
<btiller> thanks for having me. It was fun!
<gabez> :-)
<mymipage> np - anytime ;)
<murray-mint> bye!
<erwin_br> And do more Tiller Techniques please!!! :D
<btiller> bye
<custard> bye
<mymipage> bye
<jayel> bye!
<the_ed> bye
<btiller> yes when I get settled I will do another before the fall possibly
<jinjo_eagle> Bye.
<cyper_the_jackass> yeah! Tiller techniques rule!
<erwin_br> YAY!
<btiller> glad you like them
<btiller> bye

* Btiller has quit IRC (Read error: Broken pipe )
* Disconnected
Session Close: Sat Feb 08 21:26:10 2003