Welcome to the Author Showcase, a project founded by Natzke on Trackmania Nations Exchange. We already made a lot of Interviews, with famous users like Ron Turbo, Panis and GanjaRider, but also normal TMX users like Quat or SeaDevil! We have gotten a lot of positive reactions to it. And we now got the great news that we can publish our Interviews on TMX Blog! We hope you enjoy it!

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Well, hello everybody, this time we bring you a true Russian bear to your door step! Pls, don’t be scared, don’t cause panic XD Because he is probably the only bear that plays TM, with a gamepad :)) Girls and scared boys we bring you ….

zY!

1 Please tell us more about yourself (birthday, real name, place of birth, height, weight, favorite color) and your background?
Date of Birth - January 2, 1983, my real name is Maxim, place of birth - Russia, Izhevsk. Favourite color - green. Favourite games before (because now I don’t play anything other than tm) was elastomania, quake3, SOF.

Because I’m a designer and programmer, funny isn’t it? My hobby is developing small games for myself (they are little known, but I dislike them, I also hate to advertise myself and my creations). I’m a music lover too and I like to listen different styles and directions – or something like that.

2 What made you become a track builder and who made the biggest influence at your beginning?
I always liked to create something. I was attracted by the game thanks to the fact that you can create your own maps and share them with friends.

Tracks for TM I begin to build after 6-8 months of playing TMN, before that I played in TMO – I also had the desire to do something there, but at that time I had no internet and creating work for yourself is not interesting. The first tracks I created were for the server of my team - 70% of them was laps and now I see that they were terrible. At that time it seemed to me that it's fun to create a circular tracks, but since then, I dislike to make such kind of tracks.

I like tracks from Swensen, T-hunderbird, Ron Turbo and you can say that they had big influence on me, but I can’t say that they were the only ones. I also copied from and was influenced by some others authors that I like.

3 Can you please guide us through a typical track project from start to finish and what part of track building do you find crucial?
Before, I start building the track with interesting blocks, and after that adding start and finish. Now I always start from the start and gradually adding and testing every new unit on track (due to the fact that I play on gamepad, it’s a slow job). One track usually takes about 3 hours to build, but 99% of the times I like to drive the track in first time and if I didn’t drive track at once - usually I don’t return till the next day.

MT - I'm very lazy for a good MT. Sometimes I have good ideas for it - but I’m to lazy to build it. I play a lot online and I always miss the MT part from other authors. I think that creation of MT is a waste of their time.

4 Where lies your strengths and what is your weakness in track building by your opinion?
Maybe I'm doing too complex tracks – they are not for beginners and that’s probably my weakness; the path is not always clear for the first time and that’s very irritating to many newcomers.

 
5 How would you describe your style or better say what makes you different then others?
Complicated question. My style is just my style - I have never seen an author that makes 100% the same tracks like mine, there are several authors when I see their tracks, I think "hell, it could be my track.”, but that’s not the same. In summary - a mini, technique.

6 Do you think that creativity is limited in the Trackmania Editor, and why?
I think it is limited and that’s positive; the restrictions stimulate creativity. Therefore, I am an opponent of the BM: because in ugly(bad) hands it can be a very scary toy.

7 Do you think that the quality of tracks become better or worse, with the new features, then before?
It's just new blocks. I think that it gives a new impulse and motivation for those who build for a long time, because there is more new ways of block combinations.

8 What makes TMX so special place in your opinion?
To me, this is a place where I can share my work, get feedback and find new tracks for my taste. I can’t say that TMX is beautiful and perfect, because I think that’s simple not true. But it is simply the best place for presenting constructions of tracks for TM.

9 Can you tell us who were, in your opinion, the most important persons that gave the biggest influence on TMX?
They are more than 3, so we can close this matter right away. Clans have a great influence by my opinion. This can be good and bad, because that someone can take away all the attention from other equally excellent works of less-known builders. When I see that I get desire to drop everything and remove all my tracks - which I repeatedly did previously.  [Brilliant answer :O - Natzke]

 
11 What is your daily routine and your favourite daily activity?
At the moment I don’t have work and my days are simple as a dollar. I go to bed very late, 3-4 at night, so I get up too late - 12-14 xD Then I eat breakfast (or lunch xD), then watch the news on TV and turn to my computer to do nonsense (programming for themselves, listen to music, browse websites, play tm).

12 Who made biggest impact in your real life on you and why?
John Carmack - what he has done and in which way he went - impresses me.

13 Tell us about a memorable moment in your life; a time you will never forget?
A few weeks a ago, my father had a stroke. No comments.

14 What is the achievement you have made that you are most proud of in real life?
Build two houses for my 2 dogs (now left alone - the dog) xD. Seriously - I do not have that much to be proud of, I hope that it will still come.

 
15 What are the goals you are still working toward?
The global goal - to start a family. Tiny goal - create famous indie game xD.

16. What’s your idea of a perfect vacation?
Far away from the people - maybe at the north pole =)) Trip to the moon is also a good choice. [crazy, probably you will have a chance soon xD - Natzke]

 
17. Any phobias/addiction or both you’re willing to admit and could you tell your favourite food and drink?
Yes, I have a phobia - I'm afraid to be in the spotlight.

My favorite food - very simple: fried potatoes + cucumber (pickled or fresh) + milk. Before, I drank coca-cola, now I gave up on it - the quality of the drink has deteriorated and .... teeth are burning right before our eyes with every zip.

Now I cheer a situation where one track - loaded by two guys can get fame or disappear into oblivion just as easy as that fame come, only due to the fact that the authors is known / unknown. This is really fun and sad at the same time.

On TM I meet many people from different countries; that’s very good and it’s always interesting to hear about someone from the other side of the world. The fact that a show on TV and a radioshow have a little resemblance to the truth, having virtual friends in different countries - can make a more complete picture of the situation and draw some conclusions.

19. What are your top 3

Top sites:

1. www.gamedev.ru - the largest forum of game developers in Russia. I love it!.

2. habrahabr.ru - social network of IT thematic. Useful articles and news.

3. youtube.com - I hate to watch TV on the couch, this site is replace it to me - now I'm sitting in a chair and watch at the monitor :D.

4. tm-exchange.com :)

5. rpod.ru - russian podcasting. no comments.

6. last.fm - awesome music portal :D

Top games:

1. Elastomania

2. Quake 3

3. Trackmania

4. Toca race driver grid.

5. Icytower xD

I don’t have a list of favorite tracks. I already said what I have to say, but I like 15-45s long tech tracks with style like hitch, t-bird and Co.

20. What advice would you give to someone who is just starting out with track building and where we can find you online?
Before you start to build your tracks see what others have to offer. You don’t need to do and to repeat others' mistakes.  No need to make tracks mixed styles - they are equally dislike to all. More try someone else's tracks - there is nothing wrong if you use pieces of well-known tracks in your work. Show track to good friends - but do not forget, they are 99% lying when they say that your track is excellent.

Find me on the Internet or not - I will find myself:)

I must say that this Bear is very sharp minded and his answers were much different then others :/ But, nevertheless this was awesome interview and let’s rest Zveryshka from this spotlight, because he could end up in hospital xD See you next week!

~ The Author Showcase Team