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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Today (or actually tonight, over here in Holland), we get a bit back in time. Widely known in the community, by his name and for his tracks, he has reached a nice place between the so called “TMX Legends”. Going way back to the first TMX, Natzke interviewed this man who somehow found a way to get rid of the Trackmania Addiction. We introduce to you:

Andree!

1. Please tell us more about yourself (birthday, real name, place of birth, height, weight, favorite color) and your background?
My real name is André Karlsen. I'm living in Harstad, Norway. Harstad is a small city in the north of Norway with around 23 000 people. Not so many days before I turn 39 of age. I have a wife and two children aged 7 and 10. I'm working at a endoscopy unit as a nurse. I prepare the examinations of the stomach, colon and all other parts where we can use a instrument with a camera to have a closer look. During the examinations I assist both the patient and the doctor.
Its always nice to have some computer skill and know your way with all the different gadget we use. I love my job and my family. I try the best i can to support my children with the schoolwork and all their soccer matches and training.
Height: 190 cm. Weight: 105 kg. Favourite colour: Green (i have worked four years in the Norwegian army and just love the colour)

2. How did you get your nickname?
Well, easy enough: since my real name is André i took something that came as close as possible. And most people have big trouble getting this letter correct: é, so i used two ee.

3. What made you become a track builder and who made the biggest influence at your beginning?
Back in November 2003 I bought a Norwegian PC-magazine. One of the demos was the TrackMania. I have always liked cargames. So I started to play and got hooked straight away. I used to play Stunts and did build lot of tracks for this game. With TrackMania I could race and build, it was just perfect. I remember I had to order the game from England, and with the Norwegian tax-rules i also had to pay over 50% more for the game (the game did arrive over 6 months later in Norway). Then I discovered TMX and found lot of cool tracks. I tried to build the best I could, but it was so bad compared to the big names I discovered on the site. My biggest influence was Mr. Anderson (MrA), Rax, JornR, Baboy and faith.

4. Can you please guide us through a typical track project from start to finish and what part of track building do you find crucial?
Typical track project from start to finish: wow. OK, here we go. I like to play with the editor. I try to make something interesting and add some seconds each time. Lot of racing and adding and removing along the way. Then I maybe start another track and keep making 2-3 tracks at the same time. A normal project took about one week to finish. During this time I try to make the track easy enough for most people also, but maybe after years of track building the tracks get harder for the beginners. Scenery is also important. And I used lot of time with the MT, more and more during the years. Many of the oldest player don’t like a long intro, remember back with the original TM, online you couldn’t skip the intro. The most important in the end is to have fun when you drive the track. The most crucial part is to make the track fun to drive. Most people only drive a track one time, maybe a couple of times, why then make it so hard that you cant finish it? Many times I did remove parts that make the track too hard.
It’s very important to test a lot of tracks to see what other players both build and enjoy.

5. Can you tell us what great track builders need to posses besides versatile capability in track building??
A great track builder has to try out lot of tracks, I have always loved to test tracks from unknown builders, try it out and you may learn something. It’s important not to try too much: if you make something new, don’t be tempted to add too much new things. It’s much better to stick with one new thing in each track. Don’t try to make the track harder then it need to be, I hate to use too may tries just for completing a track. If you make a track for having fun you have a better chance to get some glory. Never make a track for getting awards. A good track builder is capable to make tracks in all seven environments. If you are able to make some good MT you have a bigger possibility to make the track enjoyable.

6. How would you describe your style or better say what makes you different then others?
Don’t think I’m the right person to ask regarding this questions. But I always try to make my tracks fun to drive, also I like to try something with the Media Tracker. I have always liked jumps and high speed, so you sure can count on that.

7. What makes Trackmania game so different then other racing-games except of editor part?
It’s so easy to start driving and so hard to master. You get some interesting environments and you have to get used to how the car react. Most of the tracks is under 1 min and you get feedback straight away how your time is on each checkpoint. Online you also get a good mixture of tracks in all environments.

8. What makes TMX so special place in your opinion and did TMX made influence at your life in any way?
You have the biggest and best community in the world for this little game. Most people try to be nice and it’s a nice place to meet others. During my time at TMX i have met some wonderful people. Especially -32-, MrA, Rax, MasterDisaster, Baboy, DaKKoN, Dengel, PapyChampy, RustyMike, pitstep and Ganja are people I have enjoyed talking with and sharing tracks with. Since I found this game and the site it have always been my number 1 place on the net, all the way until i stopped playing. But even now I try to visit the site and check what’s going on. I have also been a moderator and I used way too much time on the site. There you also have the biggest problem with me: I always get too involved and committed. During the time I felt I had to make new tracks and test tracks. I have been giving 6000 awards during my career on TMX, I don’t even know how many tracks I have tested. I usually spent lot of time each day on it. Now when I have stopped tracking it’s much better getting time to do things with the family and don’t have the pressure I felt to make tracks and testing.

9. Can you tell us who, by your opinion, are or were the most important persons that have/had the biggest influence on TMUFX history?
There are two persons that need to be mention. MrD and MrA. And i don’t know how MrA manage to keep the spirit up since the start of the site. If you send him a PM he always answer pretty quick and always so service minded. I don’t think the site would survive without him.

10. Can you share an entertaining story from TMX with us?
I had some very interesting and fun times making duo tracks with several persons. People who know my tracks and comments i have made to others know my feelings towards anti-boosters or reversed booster. I have made some tracks with PapyChampy and he always wanted to have some to control the speed, each time i used all the arguments i could to have him remove them. We even had to take a long break thanks to our different opinion on the matters. But eventually we solved the case,, but with two stubborn track builders we sometime have to make some compromises. End of the story: we have one track that still have a reversed booster and I still don’t like it (track made in march 2007)

11. What is your daily routine and your favourite daily activity?
Up from the bed 6 o'clock. Have a nice shower and try to wake up. Then i collect the newspaper and wake up the children and prepare them for school. My wife works at the hospital as a midwife and most of the time work nightshifts, so its only me and the kids home then. I make the breakfast and food for the school and try to make something for my work, but its so easy to buy something non-healthy at work (remember I’m 105 kg). At 7 o'clock i walk 2 km to work and one of the kids take a taxi and the other use a bicycle or walk with some friends. 07:45 my daily work routine start. I prepare the examination and assists the doctors and patients. Finish at work 15:15. Then i head home and we eat some dinners before we follow our kids to soccer practice or matches. If the kids need help with schoolwork either me or my wife monitor it. After the kids are in bed i usually play some games on PlayStations 3, at the moment Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. Its always a need for doing some work in the house, so if my wife is home i tend to do more in the house.

12. What is the achievement you have made that you are most proud of in real life?
My family is my pride and glory. My two kids are highest on that scale.

13. Who made the biggest impact in your real life on you and why?
My wife, my best friend and most important person in my life.

14. Tell us about a memorable moment in your life; a time you will never forget?
Witness both children’s childbirth and when I got married back in 1997.

15. What are the goals you are still working towards?
Be the best father and husband in the world. Its a long and enjoyable journey with ups and downs, the key is to minimize the downsides.
Always meet people with the same attitude you prefer to be met with yourself.

16. Could you share your virtues and flaws with us?
If i first have decided me to do something i have to willpower to reach that goal no matter what. I should have taken more care of my health, i always find a excuse for not training.

17. Any phobias/addiction or both you’re willing to admit and could you tell your favourite food and drink?
Phobias: I don't like a big party. I prefer smaller hanging out with friends and the family.
Addiction: Pepsi Max. I need to have it, I can't get enough of it. Always have it at home and at work, even get my friends to buy it when the family are visiting.
Favourite food: Pizza. My number one choice in dinner. Also the reason for having too much weight on my body

18. Is there any known cure for well known disease called "Trackmania Addiction"?
Nice question. Trackmania addiction is almost like a disease. I have never played a game that make me so addicted before. But i have finally managed to stop playing. My solution: i have bought a PlayStation 3 (PSN-nick: TMXandree), so I use my time playing and watching movies on Blu-ray. My PSN-nick shows that I will always have TMX in my memory.

19. Do your kids play or plann to play Trackmania and are they now here in community?
My son has played the game and made some tracks. He likes the editor and has had fun creating some strange tracks. But we have never uploaded them. Today my kids play on the PlayStation 3, my son does make maps on LittleBigPlanet.

20. Favorite games/websites/tracks and why?

Websites:

1. PSForum.no
a Norwegian website for PlayStation. A community with reviews on Blu-ray and games. Have been a writer on that site and reviewed lot of movies and games. Always nice to see what’s going on for the Norwegian PlayStation-community.

2. www.n4g.com/PS3
A great international site for every important news regarding PlayStation 3. Lot of links to reviews on upcoming games.

3. http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/Premier+League/Everton
All the latest news on my favourite English soccer team: Everton F.C

[You’re probably the first one not selecting TMX in his top 3 – Januy]

Games:

1. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
Best game ever on PlayStation 3. Shooting, platforming and exploring, what more can you wish for.

2. Pixel Junk Monster DeLuxe
Best game on the PSP. Tower Defence game. Have played the PS3 version for countless hour, and now the PSP version is even better.

3. TrackMania United
I don't play the game anymore, but regarding all the years i have used on the game it will always have a special place in my heart.

Tracks:

1. All track by -32- and Jet Black
All tracks they have made are so good, i can race them over and over again and i never get tired playing them. They deserve lot more credits.

2. Future Reminiscence by Ron Turbo before the update
What a track, maybe the track on Trackmania Sunrise i have played the most. Before the update you have the possibility to take a hard but cool SC. It made the track just perfect. Sadly for my part it got updated after some weeks.

3. Alpine Unplugged by MrA
When i first started to play Trackmania it was the best track for online racing. Superfast and fun. Just perfect.

21. What advice would you give to someone who just starting out with track building and can we expect you to come back one day?
A person just started to build should try to make the tracks fun to play. None like a sudden blind-turn. Don't try to make a track with too many new things. The best advice is to test out tracks from other people on the site, check out tracks from unknown authors. Always nice to see what other people like. Find your own style and stick with that style. Take your time in the editor, don't rush out a track, i think it's better to make a track over a week then to finish the same day. I race the track over and over until I’m happy.
Maybe i will return to check out the site and the game when TrackMania 2 is finished. Until then i continue to use my spare time on the PlayStation 3.

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As you can see, even the famous have a normal life and are on the edge of being, well, chubby ^^. We want to thank Andree for his time, and Natzke for the interview. We hope you enjoyed it, we sure did, and we will see you next week with another interview =] Take Care!

~ The Author Showcase Team