(The following is an interview from "A Talent For War". It occured during the early days of HardWar. I am presenting these interviews to help give viewers a better understanding of HardWar's history and hopefully give clues as to its future evolution. Please keep in mind that this interview is a year old. -- Zedo)

We sent our very own Karate Kid, Dave Ward to check out the Software Refinery. He took himself to visit Ade Carless, but was under strict instructions not to show anyone his "exploding fists".

Can you tell us about yours and Software Refinery's history? What games have you worked on before Hardwar?

The Software Refinery (Ciaran Guiltnieks, Ian Martin, Mark Griffiths) have worked on many games between them (they all previously worked for Microprose) including conversions of "Star Wars" to the Spectrum (a very good version if memory serves) and other long forgotten chunks of hardware. Their previous Gremlin release was a game called Slipstream 5000, a fully 3D racing game which I believed was slightly ahead of its time.

Personally: A few games for ZX Spectrum, Amstrad and C64. Golden Axe on the ST and Amiga (graphics). Zool on Amiga and SNES (graphics). Some bits on the Top Gear series on the SNES. Loaded (Character Design and Game Design), Fatal Racin' designer. Actua Soccer Designer. Normality Designer. Buggy Designer (RC RACER in US?), amongst many others.

I have no particular favourites of Genre, I just like being involved in games on each and every level. Though I was particularly happy with the characters in Loaded and the way Normality turned out (first 1st person point and click?).

How did Hardwar actually come about?

The Software Refinery had finished Slipstream (about 3 years ago :) !) and Gremlin recognised their obvious talent, especially in the field of technology. We all got together, and like many game developers before us thought of our favourite games. Elite obviously ranks in almost everyone's (of an age!) top 10. Because they had worked on flight models before we decided to try and "bring it up to date". We had loads of ideas and angles which we thought would really add to the game, little did we realise just how long these would take to implement.

Obviously Elite was an influence on Hardwar (show me a trading game that isn't), but what other influences helped you in creating Hardwar?

Ummm, well graphically we tried to incorporate elements of Chris Foss's work. He does a lot of sci fi type covers for novels and the like. Their style and execution is very original, big bold paint jobs and strange geometric architecture. Hopefully this makes the game look a little different from most of the Star Wars or HR Giger inspired stuff around. Game and idea wise I think we tried to follow our instinct, only Elite played any part in our direction really.

Why did you decided to make Hardwar 'ground-bound' rather than a space-sim and was it always the plan to make it a free form trading style game?

Right from the word "go" we wanted the game to be a free form trading game (the optional plot came later). We wanted the player to be responsible for their actions within "Misplaced Optimism" (the city). Instead of the normal mission based stuff (which we thought was a bit restrictive).

The decision to set it on a single planet was made in an attempt to create one very immersive environment, rather than a big indistinct area where not much happens, or where one shimmering cloud sheathed orb looks much like another. Hopefully the player will learn how the city (and it's corporations and people) operates and discover ways to exploit this.

Elite is an obvious inspiration for Hardwar. But where these games attempted to recreate an entire star system we though we would concentrate on a single planet specifically. By doing this we hoped we could inject even more atmosphere into the proceedings and make the city of Misplaced Optimism really seem to be alive. WE also wanted the reactions of the computer controlled inhabitants to have a real impact on game play, with the player being directly responsible for their actions, thus attacking the wrong person at the wrong time can have disastrous effects. Similarly if you are carrying the wrong cargo through the wrong part of town at the wrong time of night you are likely to be picked on by pirates who show just a little too much interest in your affairs.

All of the development team had fond memories of Elite, and particularly the open-ended nature of the game play. We tried to recreate this in our own way, and add yet more flexibility for earning cash than any other game. In Hardwar players are able to open shops, be pirates, scavenge, trade, do missions, and bounty hunter amongst other things.

During Hardwar's development did you have to make any significant sacrifices? Is there anything you would have liked to have included?

There are lots of things which didn't quite make it, among them some very good ideas. I can't disclose too much about these as we might do a sequel eventually. As far as sacrifices go I don't think we made too many, all of the basic elements are there, though some could perhaps be a bit better :)

Do you have a favourite moment while playing Hardwar?

About a year ago I was giving Hardwar a good play, I was chasing a trader, trying to shoot him down to get his cargo of Ore and Gems. Next thing I knew he had jettisoned his cargo to try and buy his life. As I went down low to pick it up with my Cargo Drone a few of his mates began to attack me. I died.

That was perhaps the first time the AI we put into the game really seemed to be making consistent and convincing decisions. Great stuff.

Any sequels planned or any other games set in the Hardwar universe?

Maybe, it is early days but we are currently considering this.

You actually crop up in the games FMV sequences, was this just to save a bit of cash? :)

Nooo! We did a test shoot to see what type of effects we could get with a blue screen, costumes and post production effects. Alan Coltman (our video guy) liked my performance so much he decided to keep it in along with the professional talent. Either that or he hates me :)

So how did the 'whole' Sheffield thing come about with Gremlin publishing, Warp Records doing the music, and Designers Republic doing the errrrr, design? All of which suit the game very well by the way. For people who don't know Sheffield is a place in the North of England.

Thanks. Again an idea which occurred early on in the development cycle. We popped round to see each of them (taking a marketing geezer to talk legal stuff) and found we got on really well. Warp were very responsive to both the "Sheffield" idea and the possibility of putting some of their more "challenging" stuff into a computer game. DR were an obvious choice :)

Just a rough guess but how much pizza and Coke was consumed during Hardwar's long development?

Mountains and lakes.

What new games are you looking forward too? What games are you playing at the moment and what's your favourite game of all time?

Outcast looks like being a monster, fantastic graphics. I really hope the game delivers as much as they do. Messiah is going to be great, I hope it doesn't get "missed" like MDK (this is very unlikely). Our own Soulbringer is looking very cool (RPG). Giants by the ex-Shiny boys (I think I read about it somewhere). Quake 3. Brave decision for network only (I'm lucky to have access to a big one, oooer!!), but the best may get even better.

I play Quake, Ultima Online, and Streetfighter 3D, oh and Gran Turismo. All very nice.

I think my all-time favourite game has to be Doom. Music through the stereo in a dark cold room all those years ago, a stack of clean keks (that means pants to everyone else - Ed) within easy reach.

So what's next for Software Refinery?

They have plenty of ideas, unfortunately nothing I can disclose for a couple of months!

Do you have anything you want to add?

Not really. Other than thanks for your interest Mr "KungFu". Lets hope the game sells well, then we could get a crack at doing what Hardwar should "really" have been like ;)

Thanks very much, and good luck with sales of Hardwar.

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