Man, how do I start this…?
This post is about the process of building and finding a name, for my last two tracks.
I started with the PF when building Imperium (of course). While building the 10-20 sec. after the start, I realized that it looked a bit like pillars from the Roman Empire. You might say I have a colorful imagination… Then I thought: “OK, take this as a theme.” And I built the track under this condition. The pillars, the ranks, etc. gave me the feeling of the Imperium Romanum, and also the driving style got more like majestic cruising instead of hunting (in my eyes).
During building I realized, that Christian Kracht’s novel Imperium, that I bought some days before, was lying on my desk. It was visible to me all the time, but without conscious perception. You could say I was subconsciously influenced by this book when building the track (who knows?).
The name Imperium was set after I realized the book was lying there all the time. That brought me to another little problem: I did not want that the new trackname had anything to do with Star Wars. The bad guys in Star Wars are those from The Empire (and in German it is called Imperium).
I could also construct a different connection: Isaac Asimov’s Foundation books are clearly based on the Roman Empire. And Star Wars is kind of a Foundation rip-off. To push it further: The Stormtroopers (Sturmtruppen in German) in Star Wars bear a resemblance to Nazi-Soldiers; and when Kracht writes about the Empire under the German Emperor, he means the Nazis. And the Nazis with the Third Reich lead directly back to the Romans. Puh, I better stop here…
Another thing, some days before releasing Imperium (with everything already done, except AT), Eile released his track named Jumperium (what is much cooler than just Imperium). Despite all of this, I kept the name Imperium, maybe just because I had this subconscious urge to do so.
 
The next track was built under the presumption of being very fast, easy and built with arena parts only. I think I’ve accomplished this.
The working title of the track was “I wish I was a drone pilot, then I could work from home”, but after some time, I felt that this was way too long, even for my taste. The first short name that came to my mind was Phaser, but I doesn’t look good when written, in my mind; even as a changed it to Phazer ( I now could draw another line to Christian Kracht who has also written Faserland, which sound in German like the English word Fatherland).
So I was looking for another name, something that reminds you of the arena-style; I was thinking about something with concrete or other hard materials. Then while playing my favourite board-game (Star Wars Miniatures) I drew the card
Han Solo in Carbonite. Yeah, Carbonite was the solid stuff I was looking for, and it also has a connection to Han Solo (Hans Holo). But Carbonite was not enough, it had to be at least one more word. The next step was Carbonite Rush, but I thought about how many tracks I’ve raced with rush in it (it felt like a lot). And a rush isn’t something that you can have when being in Carbonite. Some days later, the relief came as the word fever: “Carbonite Fever, yeah, that’s it! – Hm, looks familiar somehow …? Ah, you thought of the Poster Carbonite is Forever. OK, no problem, that’s it: Carbonite Fever!!!” I’ve made the (very small) intro with the name in it, finished the last things, always being sure Carbonite Fever would be the final name. (I also checked tracknames on MX for Carbonite and fever.) Then I played a track by Dr.-Disco-R2-D4-Ulrichius-whatever-Eile and saw the author name:
Carbon Fever. Then I knew why it felt familiar.
Another time I changed the name, but with mAsskicker I’m pretty satisfied. I think it nails it. Maybe it had to go such a long way to finally become the right name.
(The story of finding this name will come in the next blog, I’m getting a bit tired of writing. Don’t worry, just a joke, it won’t.)
Another topic I’d like to say some words about:
Many people complain, that there are many updates, and every time the Unlimiter has to be reprogrammed. This all sucks and I hope it gets solved soon, so we get fresh interesting mixes.
But sometimes it seems like people do not see what’s left to do without mixing.
After the first weeks of playing Canyon, I thought I had seen every possible combination, transition, idea…
I guess everyone knows this situation from the childhood: You see your aunt (f.e.) that you only see once a year. She says to your parents: “Oh, he has grown so much.” And your parents answer: “Really, you don’t realize when you see him every day.” Something like that happened to me while playing TM2. When I build a new track, I hardly play the tracks of others until the track is finished (someone once compared it to a crap you have to take before doing something else). Then I play the tracks I have downloaded in the meantime and other new ones, not expecting something new. And every time I’m surprised by the cool ideas, new inventions and generally great stuff that has evolved during the time I didn’t drive.
I just want to say, that where we are inside the usual boundaries of the game, is not the end of the line. There is still a lot to discover and build.
Hans
PS: I should inform you, that while reading this blog, you got influenced by my totally secret, subliminal power. 
|
Log in
Trackmania² Exchange
Shootmania Exchange
TrackmaniaExchange
Trackmania Original Exchange
Trackmania Sunrise Exchange
Trackmania Nations Exchange
Trackmania United Forever Exchange
Trackmania Nations Forever Exchange
ItemExchange
ManiaPark
TMTube
ManiaExchange Account
ManiaExchange API
