Interview With 76.IAP-Blackbird

[Skyviper 1,101]

Interview With 76.IAP-Blackbird

 

From the other side of the Iron Curtain this next modder, who now resides in the Chez Rebublic is 76.IAP-Blackbird. He has been member here at CombatACE for nine years. His most notable file is the TU-22KD. Thank you 76.IAP-Blackbird for doing the interview with us.

 

"I`m amazed to have been here for 9 years... Thank you guys for the great time ..." -76.IAP-Blackbird

 

So, can you tell us a little about yourself?

I was born in Prague in 1984, on the other side of the iron curtain. We escaped into West Germany in 1989 and established a new life there. Not a better one but politically different. If we knew the wall was going to fall down, we would have never escaped. But that’s how life is sometimes.

 

What interest you about aviation?

I was 3 years old and on holiday somewhere in Czecho Slovakia next to a training area of the Czech Air Force. The Czechers flew in formation of 3 and 5 planes, so damn low, that you could literally touch them. They scared me to death! So I had to know what the noise and machines were. That`s how it started...

 

What is your favorite aircraft and why?

I don`t have a specific, each era has some nice birds. I love the Spitfire from WW2. The MiG-15 from the Korean era. The F-4 is great, the Starfighter, Suchois .. oh man I could talk about it the whole day

 

What got you interested in flight simulation?

It was the ability to fly "missions" back in WW2 with "Aces over Europe" from Dynamix.  In a different time and a different place on earth. It`s like a tale, you travel with your mind. As a kid it`s easy and you create fantastic adventures. The graphics were so "simple" in comparison with today, that your mind filled the gap. You flew over cities, over beautiful landscapes, under bridges and trough a cloudy sky... 

 

 What would be the perfect flight sim in your opinion?

 It`s simple, moddable as Strike Fighters, with systems like Jane`s ATF/USNF and LOMAC and a open and connected world like FSX. You could even travel from Britain or Germany to the near East. (Please don`t let me fly from the US to Iraq)

 

What motivated you to arrive here at CombatACE and stay here over the years?

To be honest, no idea, I was searching for a Forum that had info and Mods for Strike Fighters 1. I think I have started over at Column5`s site.

 

When did you start modding?

I worked with Maya but this software wasn`t made for games like SF. I have modded since DOS in 1992, you could change stuff with a Hex editor, or simpler with a notepad like the one on Norton Commander, today it`s Total Commander. With this method I made all planes flyable in ATF, you could even stand there as a Building... a bit boring but possible. I loved to change things in games, not go with a predefined way. That`s why I love open world games like Flight sims, Total War series or Operation Flashpoint/ Arma 2

 

What does modding do for you? Is it something that is relaxing, a neat hobby, etc?

Relaxing, not really. I would say it`s a different kind of work. You can lose yourself very easy in your projects and make people angry when you lose the interest, ah.. that`s not the right word, motivation. But I if you build a plane you love to fly, or just see it in a game, makes you a bit proud! And[so does] the feedback of the people.

 

How long did it take you to make the Tu22KD mod?

All in all 2 months, cause I had to learn a lot about MAX. This mod was something to test the new Fakepilot Method from FC. TK`s Tu-22. It was nice and a good point for me to start. I have some more variants of it on my HDD, but never released them. I was surprised of the positive feedback this mod received. My Mapping skills were less than basic at that time and I was happy to create a Template for it.

 

What motivated you to make that mod?

It made the Tu-22 from Strike Fighter useful in a different aspect and made it look "cool" too.

 

What modding tools do you use and why?

First I have switched from Maya to Max, for the Skinning part I’m using Paint.net and Gimp, both powerful and nice tools to use. 

 

What is your favorite mod that you have created?

Tu-75 variants out of the Tu-4 Bull

That reminds me, I have to finish it ....

 

What is your favorite mod that you did not create?

I think it will be the Mig-25 and the new Tornado IDS by GMG

 

Who is a Modder you admire or has inspired you to start modding?

It`s the GMG, those are highly skilled guys who I can ask [for help] in German if I have some problems. And they are offering me core files to learn and expand my skills. Those guys have a lot of patience.

 

Do you have any favorite quotes or thoughts about being here at Combat Ace you’d like to share?

"Nice to meet you guys!"

 

I`m amazed to have been here for 9 years, damn what a time, but I enjoyed it. This is one of the most cultivated and most friendly forums [i've] ever seen. Thank you guys for the great time we have here.

 

 

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[+Muesli 2,161]

Nice!

More interviews, I love knowing the background of some CA diehards!

Cheers, Iwan