Dino Dini Interview about Kick Off 3 ;-)

[manicx]

Well, I found some parts of this interview very interesting. There are some hilarious comments like

'The game was timed to be released in conjuction with the start of the World Cup which didn't give us much time for playtesting'

*cough* This means that 'some people' were correct when they said that this was true *cough*

*more cough*

'Nobody except Steve Screech really playtested Kick Off 2 and it was almost a case of straight off the computer and into Anco's hands'

Well, this enough says a lot on the way Dino worked and his knowledge about bugs, versions, PBD and stuff. Needless to say that in the same paragraph (the little blue box with the title 'The Acid Test' he mentions something v. interesting.

'most people who have bought it (KO2) have played the game to death and knew it inside out'

Still though, they discovered what PBD is in 2004!

'Even KO2 suffered from a slight 10% or 15% reduction when things became cluttered'

Only on the ST version and after scoring a goal. Very memorable moment but hardly affected the DD gameplay.

Interview can be read here:

http://www.ko-gathering.com/images/Goal!/goal1.jpg

http://www.ko-gathering.com/images/Goal!/goal2.jpg

http://www.ko-gathering.com/images/Goal!/goal3.jpg

http://www.ko-gathering.com/images/Goal!/goal4.jpg


Finally, a very interesting read regarding Dino Dini and his departure from Anco + rights on the source code/Kick Off Name...

http://www.ko-gathering.com/images/Goal!/goalVirgin.jpg

[Robert]

Let me just understand something here.....

Dino was an employee of Anco, and while working for them and earning an Anco salary, he developed a new game.... then he left AND TOOK HIS WORK WITH HIM????

Is this correct?

[Pee]

Isn't that what is known as intellectual property? It does seem cynical though to accept their salary and also Steve Screeches play testing, until the game was finished (or "at the eleventh hour" as the article says) and then accept "an undisclosed fee" to transfer it all to Virgin who rebrand it, package it and reap the rewards.

[Robert]

Well, all I can say is any work I have ever done has been the property of my company. Even when I was at University doing my Masters I remember signing a thing saying that my dissertation was the intellectual property of the Uni.

I just think it's so HILARIOUS that Dino slams 'pirates' for 'theft' of games and thereby killing software companies and the whole industry.

How about someone who comes into work, takes the paycheque, develops his 'skills and experience' while on the company payroll, works for months and months on something and then STEALS it to sell to someone else for pieces of silver???

Can't believe all those lectures we received from DD about copyright theft.... PMSLing at the hypocrisy now.....

It's a bit like Wayne Rooney going to Man Utd and taking with him all the goals he scored for Everton over the previous season.

[jesper]

It's a bit like Wayne Rooney going to Man Utd and taking with him all the goals he scored for Everton over the previous season.

Would Arsenal still be the champion in that case?

[jesper]

To defend Dino a bit here before the italians show up, we can't really make any jugdement
without knowing his contract with ANCO. Could be he was working sort of freelance
retaining all the rights to his code and in the end deciding to sell the game to another
company. Don't know how the work of Steve fits in them, but if Dino broke any
legal contract wouldn't ANCO have sued him?

[GingerPete]

Exactly Jesper.
Dont go jumping to conclusions over magazines use of words guys.
Your better than that

[manicx]

Actually, the reason I posted this article was not that Robert thought. The reason I posted this one is that there was an agreement between Dino and Anco, so any claims that followed about him not getting money and stuff is pure crap.

The good question for me is that Goal! clearly uses graphics designed during the Anco days. Who designed the graphics? If they were designed by Anco or they were outsourced by Anco and were paid by Anco, did Dino paid Anco for using their graphics in his games? So many questions here and I am sure that Dino is not very innocent as he thinks he is. In any case, the articles are very good read and we know that KO2 is probably one of the worst playtested games of all time (hence the bugs, hence the PBD etc etc)...

[Menace]

I started in the game dev business in 89.. and I can tell you for sure that contracts etc were much simpler and more naive back then.. I've started many a job without the whole thing being discussed properly, and when things then go bad its a real mess...

Seems like this it what happened here.. and the "truth" will never be known by anybody but the involved parties.. and then they'll be biased..

[Stainy]

It was nice to see ANCO and PLAYER MANAGER on the pitch hoardings

[Steve1977]

I suppose its no different though to when Sports Interactive left Eidos, taking with them all the code and look of Championship Manager but just having to change the name.

Dino Dini created, designed and programmed the game so good for him that he took it all to a new developer.