What was your role in the development of the games and how has it changed from the first to the third?
Tony Hawk:
Mostly just playing it every step of the way, getting every major build and trying to figure out what should be added. Every time they added a trick I had to find reference material for it, pictures, locations, animations. This time we're working on Paris, so I wanted to help on that. Mostly just playing it and trying out how I feel it should be as far as tricks and stuff like that.
But, Neversoft dives in deep, they really submerge themselves in skating. So, they already get it, most of the stuff that's in there.
Slateman:
Was it weird the first time seeing yourself in a game.
Tony Hawk:
Yeah, the first time I saw my character it was weird. When I was first playing the game it was just a generic character. Then when I got involved and they put me in there and started adding my style, and other skater's styles and that's when it became surreal. I was so detached from it.
But it's fun. People are always like, "Oh, I've busted your head open so many times!" apologizing. [all laughs] That's a weird phenominon. It's fun though, I guess I got used to it. My character now in number 3 looks more real. It's more like watching video instead of playing some blocky character
Slateman:
In the first game on the N64, there's a code that popped a picture of a blonde girl. I don't know if this is your wife or if you even know about it...
Tony Hawk:
I don't know. I didn't play the N64 version much, didn't get into it that much much. When I get one I just get it to make sure that everything feels the same, but I don't bother to finish the N64 or Dreamcast versions.
That's weird...I've seen some funny tweaks, on the PC where ppl can make their own characters, like Chewbacca. That's funny. That's awesome when you get that deep into it.
Slateman:
Yeah, someone has actually gone out and made one for me, so my face is in the game, which is cool...
Tony Hawk:
That's cool! Ultimately that's something you might be able to do on the Xbox, b/c it's so closely related to the PC, but that's way down the line.
Slateman:
Do you know of any other skaters that might be scheduled for 3?
Tony Hawk:
Umm...not at this point. That's still up for debate for sure. I think that we're a lot further along now.
Slateman:
Is there anyone you'd like to see?
Tony Hawk:
That's a good question. It's kinda like when Cab, Rodney and Eric Koston were added, they were the unanimous choices really. Now it's like from that point on, it's so open and there's not just one obvious choice. So it's really hard and it's taken on a life of it's own as to who's going to be in the next game and, 'Why is he in there?' and 'Someoe else should be in there!' and so it's like walking on eggshells. It's not just me deciding. Obviously I wanted Bam in there, b/c I though he has so much personality in his character as well. But not at this point.
Slateman:
Down the line in the next few years, do you see anyone taking the spotlight in skating? Obviously you're the guy that everyone knows, and that when ppl think of skateboarding they think of you. Do you think that in a few years that will change and that someone else will take over?
Tony Hawk:
I hope so! I don't know. I can only assume. I think that skating has reached the point where it could be any number of pros that become really well known. B/c they're the ones who've stuck it out, they're the ones who are done really well and progressing. That's what I would hope for.
But I don't really know it's so hard b/c there's the school that believes that it's all about the competition...that this guy is the best b/c he went to all the contests. But then there's also the way of thinking that, No this guy is the guy that does all the crazy video stuff, he doesn't enter contests and it's not about contests. I don't know which one will prevail, I don't think one has to. But, as far as household names...you can talk about Chad Muska and he doesn't enter any contests, but then you can talk about Bob Burnquist who's incredible and wins a lot of contests...
Slateman:
Real quick question about Birdhouse. I guess you started it up w/ Per Welinder. But I noticed that some other old Powell skaters work at Birdhouse w/ you.
Tony Hawk:
Yeah, Ray Underhill.
Slateman:
Right, is there anyone else that works behind the scenes?
Tony Hawk:
Not really, Sean Cliver does a lot of our graphics and he used to do a lot of graphics at Powell. But other than that, not really. I don't think anyone you'd recognize. Ray and I do all the web stuff, he does the Club Tony Hawk site too. He got into html just by hobbie and I always knew he was a really good artist as far as layouts and stuff like that.
The only other old school guy you might recognize is Kevin Staab who is working on Hawk Shoes, Hawk Clothes, marketing. He's actually here on tour doing that and skating.
A lot of the old school skaters are still behind the scenes...they couldn't leave! [laughs] Lance, Steve, he's actually on this tour.
Slateman:
I noticed that, there's a number of great names on this tour, some old that I remember from back then, some newer names.
Tony Hawk:
Yeah, we've got a serious crew on this trip, it's been awesome. And now we've got Steve Berra here for this stop and Willy [Santos] is flying in...
[slate - he wasn't at the demo unfortunately - I then go into a dumb story about how my cat is named Santos...and how my cat actually looks a little like Willy Santos]
Was he in that Transworld game?
Slateman:
I think it was Grind Session.
Tony Hawk:
Oh, yeah yeah yeah, the Sony game. I haven't played it. Well, I have played it once at E3. The only game I tried to play was that Thrasher game, that was so hard to play.
Slateman:
Yeah. Grind Session's was just like Tony Hawk
[slate - please take note, we all call the game Tony Hawk, but I've got to admit that's very awkward when you're actually talking to him!]
Tony Hawk:
Yeah I remember the controls were the same.
Slateman:
It had some good ideas...
Tony Hawk:
It's funny how all these games are coming out w/ the same button use...
Slateman:
Have you tried the new game w/ Bob Burnquist? Do you know any details about him leaving THPS?
Tony Hawk:
I don't know...I think it may have had something to do w/ his agent. I don't think he would've signed up for anything he didn't know about but, maybe he didn't realize he couldn't do both. That was a drag...
When is that slotted?
Slateman:
I think that's later in the summer. The movies looked good, but didn't look that great.
Tony Hawk:
They had a demo of it?
Slateman:
At E3.
Tony Hawk:
Oh! Like I said, I can't get away from the Activision booth long enough to see anything else. I did get to the Xbox booth, which as next door.
Slateman:
Well they had Tony Hawk playing there too.
Tony Hawk:
Yeah, and Abe's Oddysey, which looks good.
Slateman:
I think that everything's going to look pretty good from now on.
Tony Hawk:
hehe...
Slateman:
That's pretty much it.
Tony Hawk:
Well, if we can hook up later today, you're welcome to come check out THPS 3 the bus.
Slateman:
*drools*
Tony Hawk:
hehe...
Slateman:
So have you had good turnouts for the shows?
Tony Hawk:
Yeah, in Calgary we had about 3,000....more like 5 actually.