Jet Force Gemini Tepid Seat

by Paul on Jan 7th, 2006

It’s time… for the Jet Force Gemini team to answer some stupid questions from YOU, the caring public. So without further ado, and without a second thought for the designer’s chronic leg injury, let’s embark on the adventure of a lifetime! Nearly.

Q1: What was the first computer game you ever played and did it inspire you to do what you are doing today? (Joseph Wybraniec)

A: The first computer game I ever played was probably something on the Sinclair Spectrum and it inspired me to realise that I enjoyed sitting on my fat backside in front of a TV screen and not doing any real work.

Q2: What past things have you guys done? Hopefully you guys weren’t just the janitors for some real good project but they decided to put you on the list of people that helped make some really great game like Goldeneye. (JWhit13@aol.com)

A: We’ve got a great deal of experience throughout the team. In the recent past, various team members have worked on Diddy Kong Racing, Blast Corps, Goldeneye, Killer Instinct and Body Harvest… to the best of my knowledge, none of this was in the capacity of ‘janitor’. Some of the less publicised projects have included a version of the hit TV show ‘Blockbusters’ on the BBC micro, and a Darts simulator which we all hope will see the light of day sometime in the future…

Q3: This game looks cartoonish, but the subject is not. What type of ESRB rating are you expecting? (Ben Williams)

A: It’s not something we ever really thought about. Although the game can get fairly messy the graphical style means it never gets too offensive. I would imagine it would be Kids to Adult.

Q4: I’m pretty sure this will be asked about a million times. Will it be compatible with the RAM Pak? (Steve Kawski)

A: We haven’t really looked into it yet. If we feel that it will have a significant beneficial effect on the game then we will use it.

Q5: Will there be mini-games to discover, and some kind of secret to add replay value? (Philippe Côté)

A: There are loads of secrets already in JFG. Without giving too much away there are hidden multiplayer levels, jetpack levels, puzzle levels, flying robot missions, hidden characters and many more.

Q6: In the Jet Force Gemini screen shots I couldn’t help noticing that there is this weird little flying object that seems to be following Juno, Vela and Lupus. Now to me it doesn’t look or act like an enemy so who or what is it? (Phill)

A: That is Floyd. He plays a very big part in the game. Not only is he an integeral part of the story, he can also be used by a second player for some co-operative gameplay action.
There are also missions in the game that will require the player to take control of Floyd and complete certain tasks. In the co-operative mode, a score is kept of the hits registered by each character, so at the end of each level the sharpest shot can be calculated.

Q7: Why Gemini and not some other starsign like Leo? I mean it sounds kind of effeminate. (Pete King)

A: Sigh… (The main characters are twins, you fool. – Ed)

Q8: I thought I read somewhere on this web site that your team also made Blast Corps (If so, that would explain all the big explosions in JFG). If that’s right, then will you have the same musician working on JFG? (jtownzen)

A: Some members of the Blast Corps team are working on JFG, and I’m happy to tell you that the Musician concerned is indeed one of them. He gets about a bit does our man Nozzer, he’s worked in some form on most of Rare’s N64 products, and he will be bringing his own brand of distinctive early 80’s synthpop to JFG…

Q9: I heard that you, the JFG team, are the same guys that did Blast Corps. Is there anything you wanted to have in Blast Corps but couldn’t because of various problems or restraints? (Raymond Clement)

A: Blast Corps was a top game, but we can’t really answer your question in too much depth in case we decide to do a sequel… There was one glaring ommission from the game and that was the ‘Super Secret Bovine Bonus’ which due to artistic differences never made it in… (The artists seemed strangely reluctant to waste their ever-decreasing spare time drawing cows. – Ed) There is a tribute to this lost treasure somewhere on this website, and to the best of my knowledge, no one has found it yet…

Q10: Will any other Rare characters be making a guest appearance in Jet Force Gemini? Gobi the camel? Joanna Dark? Mr. Pants? (SirSlush2@aol.com)

A: One major Rare character will be making a brief appearance in the game. I don’t want to say too much but it will be a graphical feast that utilises all of Rare’s artistic talent.

Q11: Righty! What’s the ratio of exploration to blasting in this game? What inspired the game? Ta V. Much! (Mana Hero)

A: The emphasis is definitely on the blasting but there is enough to please those of an inquisitive nature… The game itself was inspired by the lack of a decent game of this type being available and the characters were all based on members of the development team. Vela is based on one of our artists who has blue hair and wears a dress, Juno is based on one of the programmers who wears leather shorts and has a shiny red helmet and the dog is based on me ‘cos I can lick my own (No you can’t. – Ed).

Q12: Will it be longer than Banjo? And I don’t just mean a stupid hard boss! (Azeroth)

A: We’re paying particular attention to different ways of extending the single player game’s lifespan. As with all the team members’ previous games, we’re aiming to give you plenty to work with.

Q13: These questions will make the developer happy: 1) Will the characters have faces? 2) Will the water attack you when you go near it? 3) Are there any rabid animals in the game? 4) Is there going to be a special goober gun? 5) Why is my hair brown? (Fireseed)

A: 1) Unfortunately no. Due to memory restrictions we have to re-use the arse texture and map it onto the faces of the characters. 2) Yes, its wetness will be a constant threat. 3) Is that ‘rabid’ as in Elmer Fudd’s “I hate that rabid”? If so then no. 4) We don’t know what that means. 5) It’s all in the genes…

Q14: How many different types of weapons will there be in the game? I loved all the weapons in Goldeneye. (Michael)

A: Let’s see, we’ve got pistols, automatics, grenades, shrinkers, blade guns, flamethrowers, twin rocket launchers… let’s just say it’s not the sort of game where you get bored easily.

Q15: I’ll keep this short and sweet. How much completed is the game (40%, 50%) and, when do you expect to have it out on store shelves? (DataDynePD@aol.com)

A: We don’t really want to commit ourselves, so take even this vague answer with a pinch of salt, but we’d say it’s about 70% done and we’re aiming for a release before mid-1999. (Crosses fingers)

Q16: Now I can picture the guy and the girl being playable, but what about the dog? It seems to me the dog’s abilities would be extremely limited. (Popmuzik@aol.com)

A: Lupus has the ability to fly which elevates him above most dogs in the general scheme of things. There are areas in the game where Lupus can use his rocket boots to leap vast canyons. He can also carry all the weapons the other characters can, so he is a formidable dog. Vela and Juno also have unique talents which make them ideal for various situations that crop up, as you’ll find out on your way through the game. And this is where the character-switching comes in…

Q17: I just want to know – is there going to be a Battle Mode? (Balthus Dire)

A: The actual range of multiplayer modes has yet to be finalised, but considering the amount of heavy weaponry in the game, it’s pretty safe to say we’ll be including your basic deathmatch setup.

Q18: I just wonder if you are going to include some huge, nasty and creepy big bosses in the game. Thank you for answering. (K-TANA X-64)

A: We certainly are. You can’t have a shoot-’em-up without a few huge, nasty, creepy big bosses – especially not one where the enemy race is made up of mucus-dribbling mutant insects. Thank you for asking.

Q19: The bad guy in Jet Force Gemini is called Mizar, correct? Well whose job is it to come up with these spleen-splittingly-funny puns? (Leif Cussen)

A: Most of the JFG characters are named according to a general theme of stars and constellations, so we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to call the bad guy Mizar…
(The obvious exception to the rule at the moment is Floyd, and that’s because he went through a series of starry names with potential trademark issues – notably Pyxis – before we copped out and called him Floyd because even though it’s not even remotely relevant, we thought Floyd the Droid sounded funny.)

Q20: Why is Jet Force Gemini gay? (Brother Death)

A: Sigh…

Categories: Interviews