Hey TMX’rs :D

You noticed it? Well, of course you did, as hardcore TM fans! Trackmania exists 6 years!
Because of this occasion, our friends from the German TM-Blog arranged an interview with Florent!
They were so kind to give us the English version, but don’t forget to check their Website!

TManiacs: Which aspect(s) do you put down to the big success of Trackmania?

Florent: It is a simple game where the fun, the tracks, is made by players. The free version is also a good innovation to reach more people.

TManiacs: Do you think, Trackmania United Forever will really be "forever", so that a 10th birthday can still be celebrated by a large number of players?

Florent: It is really "forever" but maybe our understanding is different in it's meaning. What I wish, is that the 10th birthday of TM can still be celebrated by a large number of current players! But I hope that the players will be on the next TrackMania in four years or I need to tell the team that it is quite useless to work at the moment.

TManiacs: Most players don't know anything of Nadeo except for you and Alinoa. Tell me something about your Team! How many developers are you at the moment? How many litres coffee do you consume each year? Do you have a little photograph for us?  ;)

Florent: The team is quite the same since the release of the first TrackMania. Some additionnal members also came in recently, so it is difficult to get a complete picture. Our goal is to keep our efficiency instead of growing bigger. We work less than some years ago when it was difficult for the company, but everybody works really well and with a positive spirit. I think we dring less than 561 litres per year, for 13 people. We are trying to keep a good daily pace and a good decade pace. I think the team is stronger than ever.

TManiacs: Your last "new" game was Virtual Skipper 5 in 2007. You presented the big Forever-Updates in 2008, what was a great present to the community, but nothing big in 2009. Can we expect some really new stuff for 2010?

Florent: We call our next step, Nadeo 2, or 10 if you think binary ^_^ So, let's say that there will be really cool stuff for the next decade. 2000-2009 was quite cool, but we want to multiply this for 2010-2019. I hope it is precise enough for a release date.

TManiacs: You have got at least 3 big projects at the moment (Trackmania 2, Shootmania, Questmania). Which one has got your highest priority and gets most of your ressources at the moment?

Florent: At the moment, it is in this order: TM, SM and QM. However, we have spent more time on SM and QM over the last two years than on TM.

TManiacs: When can we expect new material in form of screenshots, videos, or facts to any of these games?

Florent: There is little to be seen at the moment for many reasons. The main reason is that we need to answer 15610 questions at the same time and if only one answer change, it can affect too much the big picture, or the screenshots. And we want to feel free to make any decision, because even when we say only a date, it is difficult to change.

TManiacs: To close the circle of the interview: Which aspect(s) of Trackmania 2 will result in the Racing-Game of the Year and make the success even bigger than before?
Florent: The Game Of The Year is often based on the impact it had during the year. Our focus is less on one year than on a long term. So, it is difficult to make a game of the year when you want to make it for a decade. The success will probably come from other ways. TrackMania is big by letting the players be at the center of it. If there was an award that would be more easy to see around, it would be Community Of The Year ^_^ Hands down, woooohoooooo....

TManiacs: Thank you for taking the time answering our questions! We wish you a great birthday party!

We’d like to thank the guys from TManiac for sharing this interview!