Interview with Phil Martin from Devil Whiskey
Corwin, 2004-05-03

 This week I had the opportunity to ask Phil Martin site admin for www.devilwhiskey.com and a programmer on the game Devil Whiskey a few questions about this hommage to "A Bard's Tale' which is about to release an updated version in the next few days.

RPGDot: Could you please tell us a little about yourself and your work on DW?

Phil: My name is Phillip Martin. I live in Oklahoma. I'm a software engineer by trade, and Devil Whiskey is the first game project I've ever worked on. As to the work I do on Devil Whiskey: I came in later in the development cycle, around February of 2003, and saw the game through to completion. I came in to flesh out some components that weren't done, and to add general development help to the mix. As time has passed, I've become more and more involved in the production of the game, and have learned a lot in the process.

RPGDot: For anyone who has not heard about this game, what do you feel is essential for them to know about it?

Phil: Well, it should be known that this is a game styled after old RPGs, and developed by amateurs who simply loved those old style games. Don't expect it to play just like Neverwinter Nights or Morrowind. That said, after the initial shock of not being just like these current RPGs wears off, a lot of people seem to really get into it. The game isn't for everyone, as it is combat heavy, can be very difficult at the beginning, and has a steep learning curve. However, I find it to be a very satisfying play experience because of these challenges. If you want an RPG that can really add some challenge right off the bat, this is the game for you.

RPGDot: Will this game mainly appeal to the ‘Old School' gamer, or is there something in it for the new generation of CRPG players?

Phil: I think it definitely does appeal to old school gamers right off the bat. We made it for ourselves first. However, I've heard witness from some players who've never spent hours running through the original Wizardry or Bard's Tale, but have really come to enjoy it. Good gaming is not defined by what model a game uses, rather it is defined by the experience of simply playing it. The old RPGs were popular for a reason, and we're simply trying to recreate the experience of playing them, albeit with more modern graphics and sound. On that note, we have some very beautiful music which really helps set the tone, great artwork for the characters and monsters, and a nice main plot to drive the story surrounding the game.

RPGDot: There is a free demo available for download. Could you give us some details about what it contains and how much playing time you estimate it has?

Phil: The demo has a level cap at level 13, which is the first major plateau for characters. There is one complete dungeon available in the demo, which is considered a sidequest but is quite entertaining. The plot begins in the demo, and stops at the first real plot-based dungeon entrance. Demo players can explore Rennibister and all the locations within, such as the casino, the arcanium (library), the temples, magic shops, stores, etc. As to play time, if you complete the side quest, the plot structure, and level all your characters to level 13, you're probably looking at around 10-20 hours of play time, depending on what all you do and explore. There is no time limit, or character limit, so you can play as much as you want to, experiment with different class combinations, etc.

RPGDot: The initial release of the game has been out for a few weeks now, what sort of response and feedback have you been getting?

Phil: Most of the comments that I hear are quite positive, we have a great user base, who've been very active and supportive, especially in our forums at forum.devilwhiskey.com We get to hear about many ideas for new features, help people who are having problems getting past parts of the game and so forth. Really a very helpful group of players, they've been great, and I try to offer my services on a personal level whenever I can there. I really think the players feel good to know that the developers of Devil Whiskey really do listen to what they have to say, and are responsive to their needs and questions.

RPGDot: I understand that the latest release, due any day now contains some additional features. What are you able to tell us about that?

Phil: Lots of the additions in the next release are based on user feedback and industry reviews. We've added the much requested and often debated support for mice. Free roaming 3D movement, more options for character portraits, more monsters, more dungeons, just more more more. A few bug fixes are included, and hopefully the game will be even more extensible to help the mod authors we are starting to gain.

RPGDot: I've heard that a small, but dedicated modding community is growing up around DW. What exactly is happening there and how would interested people get involved?

Phil: Ya these guys are great, quite a few people in our forums have been working on getting things up and running, trying out new maps, playing with XP structures, messing with monsters, making new items and quests. All in all we provide tools to change the way Devil Whiskey runs to your liking, as well as adding new adventures to play through. If people are interested in getting involved, the purchase of the full version includes access to a seperate download of the tools you need to create mods, as well as a good set of tutorials to get you started. Of course the best resource for questions would be our forums, we have several sections dedicated to all aspects of the modding process there, and those guys are great about helping out one another. I do try and help with what I can when I can as well.

RPGDot: Finally, how do people obtain DW?

Phil: Visit www.devilwhiskey.com
Click on goods...and you can order it from there.
It's available as a download edition, with one large file or several smaller chunks for people on slower connections.
You can also order a boxed version, which will go to press when we release this new update that was previously mentioned.

Thanks for your interest in Devil Whiskey, I'm glad to answer any other questions that come to mind.

RPGDot: Thank you Phil for your time and your answers. We wish you well with the future update release of Devil Whiskey.