TreeSprite: Thank you for offering to do this interview Lacota, I'm quite sure the members of the community will be happy to have some more information on this project. =)

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TreeSprite: There's been a bit of confusion over the project name C12DS can you tell me how the project first came to be known as C12DS?
Lacota: It was originally called Creatures 1 Docking Station Add-on. However, AntiNorn used the term C1->DS. This was later simplified to C12DS. (Creatures 1 2(to) Docking Station)

TreeSprite: What can we expect from the C12DS project?
Lacota: You will be getting the entire Creatures 1 world faithfully recreated in all its glory. It is the biggest single room add-on ever.

TreeSprite: So with this project being so large, how much time, and how many people from the CC have actually worked on it?
Lacota: Lets see here, the project started 3 years ago this July. There have been about 12 people involved in the project, broken up into two teams. The first one was way back when the project started. The second team is only about a year old and consists of Clucky, Skywalker, Fizzstickle and I.
TreeSprite: Can you tell me what each one has contributed to the project?
Lacota: Umm… With the first team its kind of hazy. That was over a year and a half ago. At that time no one really played a specific role. As a matter of fact many of the people who were on the first team have left the CC.
Lacota: My role has changed drastically since the beginning. At first I was a coder, then I became "Project Manager" as Clucky calls it. Basically I coordinate the Beta testing, I divide up the work and lend a hand where needed. Clucky is the head chicken of programming. He's the CAOS master. Skywalker is working on converting all the breeds, and Fizzstickle was the person who converted all of the images.

TreeSprite: It sounds like you've all been really busy working at this project. Can you tell me, how does the world tie in with DS? Is there a lift that takes you to the C1 world, or do the Norns just teleport there?
Lacota: There is a Movable teleporter (on both ends) that allows you to go to and from Albia. They can be stashed in the inventory if you don't want your Norns leaving the C1 room or DS.
TreeSprite: I noticed in one of the preview shots that the C1 computer looks like it's been upgraded. Is that so, and will it teach the Norns better than it used to?
Lacota: The C1 Computer will act as it did in C1. It will be slightly faster than it was, as it’s not word-by-word anymore.
TreeSprite: So it will teach the Norns the new DS vocabulary?
Lacota: Yes it will. It uses some of the same code as the Teaching machine in DS.

TreeSprite: Many people liked the third party add-ons from persons like Slink, and Steerpike that were available for C1 will any of those cool COBS be included in the release?
Lacota: We are planning an add-on pack of 3rd Party agents. However, as many of these people are gone it is near impossible to get permission to do so.
TreeSprite: Will any add-on pack include some of the original Christmas add-ons? And as add-ons go are things like the coconuts and improved bees already in the finished version?
Lacota: The Christmas stuff is in already, and we (at last check) have a simulated agent injector applet.
TreeSprite: Oh, wow! There are applets as well?
Lacota: All the applets that would be of any use are planned to be in.

TreeSprite: Will the Grendel mother work, and will it lay more than just male Grendels?
Lacota: Yep! It plops out a Grendel! As C1 didn't have female Grendel sprites, there will be no female C1 Grendels.

TreeSprite: What breeds have been converted besides the Purple Mountain Norns, and will the converted breeds be available for download without downloading the whole metaroom?
Lacota: Every official breed is there, and the breeds are 75% of the file size, so no.
TreeSprite: Does that include the Ron Norns, and the Forest Norns that were in the life kit?
Lacota: Yes, the team was given permission to use anything that was in the Freeloader version of Creatures, and the life kit was included in the Freeloader version.

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TreeSprite: Wow! That sounds like the file will be huge! Is this a download only add on?
Lacota: There will be a CD version for people with slower connections; however, there is absolutely NO difference between the two.
TreeSprite: Is the project on CD expensive? Is it available worldwide? And what options for payment are there?
Lacota: I've not gotten a final price for the CD. It will be available worldwide. You can use credit cards or send a check/money order for US funds only.
TreeSprite: I take it there will be a secure store for this then? Where will we need to go to access the store page?
Lacota: Yes, it will be hosted through Cafeshops.com as they're the only ones that are within my personal price range to publish the CD.
TreeSprite: Where will everyone be able to download the project?
Lacota: The c12ds will be available ONLY the following sites: Lacota.net, TreeSprite's Creatures Grove, The High Tech Hand, and Aftran.com

TreeSprite: I think everyone is curious about the technical aspects of how this project has been put together. Technically speaking I think that the biggest question on everyone’s mind is; will it clash with other add-ons?
Lacota: We have registered the Meta room space, which exists outside the normal "Universe" of both C3 and DS, so there should be no clashes. However, it won’t be until several weeks after the release that it will be Edynn compliant.

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TreeSprite: Can you tell me, does the room wrap around like the old C1 world? If so, was that difficult to accomplish? If not, how do the Norns make the Journey around the world?
Lacota: The world does wrap, and Clucky spent weeks on getting it to work seamlessly. You cannot tell where it ends as it's completely seamless now.
TreeSprite: Are there still problems with the scenery moving and black holes as there used to be in the original game?
Lacota: That’s all been fixed. However we did include some of the more fun Naven "bugs"! ;)
TreeSprite: Like what? Or are we left to find the fun things on our own?
Lacota: Well, You'll just have to wait and see.
TreeSprite: Are there any other surprises that are new that we might enjoy?
Lacota: Yes there is. We've added a secret somewhere in the world that will let you see mug shots of the main people from both teams. We are also planning an additional Room that will let you control most aspects of how everything works. Whether or not this will be in the initial release is not yet decided.

TreeSprite: As a Beta tester on the list I know how much fiddling can go on while making agents, and metarooms, but I've never seen one on the scale of this project to date. I've seen many creatures loose their lives in the course of the creation of a project, so I have to know... How many creatures lost their lives in the course of creating this project?
Lacota: Well, it’s hard to say, very few actually had gravestones; many were just deleted when new alphas came out.

TreeSprite: Some funny things must have happened while you were testing. What were they, did you capture any photos, and if so can we see them?

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Lacota: One of the most humorous things was when we were working on the various lifts in the world. Clucky, who was talking to me Via MSN mentioned how he was having trouble with them and that his Norn, Eem Foo, would not get on the elevator, when I inquired as to why, he said "Well Wouldn't you turn tail and run after seeing your elevator get shot off into the sky?"

TreeSprite: On a project of this magnitude there must have been some really tense times, where everyone was about to go nuts from the stress. Is there anything funny or particularly wonderful that came out of those times when you felt like doing something off just to relieve your stress?
Lacota: When we were stressed we took a break; there is no sense in doing a project when it becomes a chore. During these times we had lots of great discussions. I'm sure Eem Foo was glad for the break as well.

TreeSprite: It seems that Eem Foo has been the project mascot; will he be offered for download with the project?
Lacota: If he still exists, yes.

TreeSprite: After the Beta Testing is done and all bugs are quashed you have said you'd like to get the project out the door.
Lacota: I'll be glad when it’s over.
TreeSprite: Care to tell us why?
Lacota: Well, it’s been 3 years, and I'll be glad to see all the people playing it.
Lacota: Clucky, on the other hand is so determined to get this done he worked on it through his anniversary!
TreeSprite: Do you have an approximate release date then?
Lacota: Clucky said he would pass an egg if it goes into July. So, the team is pretty sure it'll be out by then.

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PMN Foot Fix

TreeSprite: Well that's all the questions I have. Thanks again for giving us such a wonderful look at the C12DS project Lacota! I know I can't wait to add it to my worlds, and I'm sure everyone who reads this interview will be anxious to get their hands on it as well! Our thanks to you and the rest of your team for all of your hard work!
Lacota: Oh, wait! Don't run off just yet, I have a bit of a fun gift for you and the rest of the community. Here are the Purple Mountain Norns complete with egg agent. They've been release for only a short while prior to this, but I thought it would be nice for your readers to have something to go away from this interview with. ;)
TreeSprite: Oh, thank you very much Lacota! I'm sure we'll all enjoy them and give them good homes! =)

TreeSprite Says: Sharon of Creatures Inc. wrote me this morning and sent me the foot fix (available above right) for the Purple Mountain Norns. Thanks Sharon! =)