Rolf 'floR' Raven on B.O.T.S. II

Feature

October 25th, 2005 by Howie Howard

It's not everyday that we put a browser based game in the spotlight. Yet the people behind these games are often worthy of praise for their spirit and dedication to the communities that surround some of these games. After some of our staff got hooked on a game called B.O.T.S. 2, we decided to have a chat with the man behind the game to find out what makes people like him tick. Below Howie's findings on the game and his interview with its developer, floR.

Discovering B.O.T.S. 2

I was recently introduced to a fine little online Internet game called B.O.T.S 2. This game is free and is actually run as a hobby by a man known only as floR. There are no advertisements or pop ups any where to be found on the web site. You are not bombarded by requests to contribute. If you feel like contributing you can charge a small amount of Euros to your credit card via a secure web site. Of course I had to contribute in order to gain the rank of Major and to have 3 small stars displayed next to my name. You also gain some in-game extras for your contribution. It's not that you'd notice its a one man show. Everything is very professionally done and you rarely realise that this is mainly the work of one man.

The player can chose to play a solitary game by training and then fighting other player's Bots. Or if so inclined you can join one of the many clans and participate in team play. There is a hall of fame, player rankings, clan rankings and so darn many different weapons and armor choices to look through that you will soon become immersed in trying to build the perfect Bot. I played for a few days and then decided to join a clan after being sent an in game recruiting message by the owner of a clan. I was a team player for a while racking up clan score and wins like there was no tomorrow. After doing this I decided to give owning and running my own clan a go. This is where the fun really is. It's fun trying to recruit and manage your team while attempting to develop your own Bot. You also need to win at fighting in order to help the clan gain in over all rankings. Be aware though that running a clan is not an easy task. If you want to be successful you have to act and be like a coach. I can tell you this. I am hooked on this game and much of my free time is being spent fighting other Bots in this online world.

I was lucky enough to lure the developer and operator away from his many duties of administrating the game to sit down with me for a little Q&A chat. The following is an extremely interesting story of a man that has done it all. He is the creator, developer, producer and operator of this exciting and rich online game. To top it off he runs the entire show out of his home. This is what I call a classy operation. Let's listen in and see what it takes to run your own online game...

Interview with Rolf Raven

Hooked Gamers: How did you get started in the online game business?

Rolf: I really wouldn't say that I'm, 'in the business'. This is a hobby for me and, personally, I think it's an idea that has grown a bit out-of-hand. It actually was a very pleasant surprise to see my work being enjoyed by so many folks through out the world on the Internet.

Hooked Gamers: What gave you the idea to start and run this game?

Rolf: Some times I would become bored with the way everyday live would just seem to progress from day to day. During one of these periods of boredom, I thought it would be neat to design a web-based MUD (Multi-User Dungeon, old telnet adventure style RPG). Unfortunately with the demands of life and family I was not able to progress beyond only a fighting system. This game is now known as B.O.T.S.

Hooked Gamers: Do you work in the Internet or computer fields? Can you elaborate a bit as to what your work and background is?

Rolf: I studied Computer Sciences and Information Technology. During my internship and final project, I decided I wanted to work in the Internet business as a developer. Which is what I do now, as a freelancer/contractor that builds web applications.

Hooked Gamers: Did you develop Bots yourself?

Rolf: I developed the game by myself from scratch, using vi (linux's equivalent of notepad). I borrowed some of the graphics and equipment images from the web. Although that might seem like it would make developing this game easier, it actually was a lot of time consuming hard work. (The game is free and there is a disclaimer stating that there may be some similarities to easily acquired free web graphics.) The graphics really do not have any direct bearing on game play. They serve to increase the visual pleasure that the player will experience.

Hooked Gamers: How long did it take you to program B.O.T.S?

Rolf: Actually answering how long it took me to develop the game is a hard question to answer. Version 2.0 was completed in several months of spare time. Since then, I have built a lot of additions and changes to the game. It is really difficult to say, but I did enjoy the development stage very much. It is still a work in progress.