An interview with Kenn Hoekstra by Phoebus.

Phoebus: To start off, how about some in-the-editor screenshots of your levels, with some comments to accompany them?

Kenn: For my commitment to HeXen II and its affiliated HeXenWorld project, I was fortunate enough to put out two single player maps for the Mission Pack and a DM map for people to enjoy with the super cool new HeXenWorld project. I would like to talk a bit about the maps, at Phoeb's request, and let everyone see into the dark recesses of my mind!

I'm sorry to say that I can provide no screenshots for the levels because my machine has been down for several days. It should be up and running for my triumphant return on monday, though... Here's hoping!

The first map I did was the final keep level which serves as a sub boss level and a transition to the Tibetan area of the Mission Pack. This level caused me a great deal of pain because it was my first Quake technology map and I found myself making many fundamental mistakes because of the technology switch. However, after I got going, it turned out to be a pretty cool level after all! And believe me, I learned everything I could learn about mistakes and how NOT to make a Quake engine map! =) My goal for this map was to make a good single player experience that successfully made the transition to DM map. Once I pulled all of the entities out and added some "optimizations," I think that this map should be equally fun in Death match as it is in Single Player. That is one of the things that I admired most about the original Quake was the smooth transition from playing an SP map in DM format. I hope I was successful.

The second map that I did was the seventh Tibet level. This level is part of a "mini hub" with a level of Tom Odell's and one of Matt Pinkston's levels. This level was a pain in the ass to script as I and Jon can attest, but the end result was well worth the effort. I am particularly proud of this map and I hope everyone is successful in finding all of the secrets I hid within it! =) I'm not telling... As I figured, this map was much easier to do because now I was familiar with the editor and the technology and all of the traps and pitfalls of Quake level design. This was a level that I thoroughly enjoyed working on.

The DeathMatch map that I did for HeXenWorld was a ton of fun for me to do. Originally, I was building it to release on the net and I was using the Tibetan texture wad we used in the Mission Pack. However, at the request of Rick Johnson, I dragged the completed map architecture to a new location and retextured it with the Roman texture wad used in the original HeXen II. Rick liked my level and wanted to use it on HeXenWorld. I enjoy this map because it is fast paced and symmetrical and wide open... No lava to mess with and no traps to slow you up, just pure and simple fast paced death! Just like all DM levels should be, in my opinion... =) This one's a keeper...


Phoebus: What music did you listen to while working on your levels?

Kenn: When I'm designing maps, I generally listen to "the big three!" Those being KISS, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden! They seem to provide me with the motivation I need to sit still long enough to get some work done! Because once I start listening to one of their albums, I'm not going anywhere until it's done! Fortunately, I have a five disc cd changer at work and that keeps me in new music for hours on end.


Phoebus: What was the feel you hoped to accomplish playing your levels?

Kenn: As I mentioned earlier, I want people to get enjoyment out of my levels in both single and multiplayer games. It's tough to design for both, but I did the best job that I could. Hopefully, everyone will approve!


Phoebus: What other levels have you done (for any other games, commercial or otherwise)?

Kenn: I did several levels for Take No Prisoners from Raven and Red Orb Entertainment. TNP was my first game, as it was for Jon Zuk (the Mission Pack lead designer) and Bobby Duncanson, another MP contributor. I think that of the twenty-three levels that were released in the game, I designed or co-designed about seven of them. But, we all sort of lost ownership of "our maps" in the final months of the project where no one was safe from working on everyone else's maps. Aren't bug lists just tons of fun? =)


Phoebus: What other levels inspired them?

Kenn: I can't really say that any other levels inspired the levels that I did because of the nature of the HeXenWorld. Reading books about castles and Tibetan architecture helped immensely as well as looking at other MP levels that were completed before mine were started. I was pulled in in the middle of the project to help out, so I was fortunate to have some maps by Jon, Jeremy, Tom, and Mike to look at to get me started. I guess those were the levels that inspired the ones that I did.


Phoebus: What other level designers inspire you?

Kenn: Right now, the only level designers who inspire me are the ones who work with me here at Raven. Why? Because these are the guys I'm in the trenches with every day. Eric Biessman in particular is never at a loss for ideas and inspiration and I look to him often for advice and guidance. I have never met any other level designers from other companies, so I can't say that they have inspired me. However, playing Quake, Quake II, and HeXen II has certainly given me all of the inspiration I need to continue working on Quake Engine games! =)


Phoebus: Any other comments you'd like to make?

Kenn: Thanks for the opportunity to talk about my work on HeXenWorld and the HII Mission Pack. Both should be released soon and I think that people will enjoy them very much. Cheers!


Phoebus: Thanks, Kenn!

[Back to the top]