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	Hi. We're 3DGN. Check your monkey at the door, please.

Here's the full interview text between Greg Zeschuk and 3DGN.

1) Do each of the three playable characters have their own levels?

Yes. The characters take turns playing levels based on the story. Kurt plays the first level but when he gets into trouble Max has to help him out. Then, Doctor Hawkins has to wade into battle. The overall story is very cliffhanger-based and it is clear to the player what has to be done to continue the game.

2) If yes to above, how many levels do they each have? And if no, how differently will you need to play through the same levels with the different characters to beat them?

There are three levels for each character and a final 10th level to the game that any of the characters can play - the player gets to choose which character to use to finish the game.

3) There's been a rumor going around between 3DGN staff members saying you are going to make an evil monkey enemy with "3DGN" spray painted on the side. Is this true? (If it isn't, we can pay you to add one in.)

I'm not sure where you heard this from - it is patently untrue! Ironically, you're not the first person to demand a monkey in MDK2. There are two monkeys involved in the development of MDK2. Cameron (the lead programmer and assistant producer on MDK2) has a monkey puppet that he sometimes wears and Russ (the art director) has a really spooky puppet with a drum and cymbals sitting on his desk. It gives me nightmares.

4) Approximately how long will each level take "the average gamer" to beat?

We think each level will take at least a couple of hours to finish. We've been doing some testing in-house that verifies this.

5) Do the different characters generally complete levels in different times? (on average)

Yes - some of the character partially traverse areas that the others have played through earlier in the game. The environments themselves are slightly altered for each player depending on the story.

6) Are you planning a lot of Easter eggs and other hidden goodies for our (the gaming community's) viewing enjoyment?

We're going to put in as many as we can. One of the things we're grappling with is the desire to make sure that people find all the really cool stuff in the game and not having all the best stuff hidden. We don't want to hide big surprises so well that no one sees it.

7) Can you run us through a sample, wacky battle?

Hmmmm, I'd have to say that Doctor Hawkins has the nuttiest combat modes in MDK2. My favorite battle so far takes place with the good Doctor using his atomic leaf blower to bounce a number of enemies around his treed lounge. The leaf blower can be used to not only blow the enemies around but it can redirect their weapons and thus cause them to damage each other. And, if you are good and tricky you can push the enemies into an area that isn't very healthy for them….

8) MDK was known for its offbeat enemies, care to name a few of them and their signature weapons?

Well, the most unusual attack in the game is the flatulent telepathic attacks of the feared Conehead (described by some as the evil Asparagus).

9) Are there any big (planned) differences between the version lucky Dreamcast owners will get to toy with and the one us PC junkies are anxiously awaiting?

The main differences are that the PC will be able run in high res mode - the Dreamcast is limited to 640x480. Also the Dreamcast only allows the player to save between levels while the PC players can save anywhere they want. The levels have a number of checkpoints that are arranged to prevent the player from having to replay really difficult segments.

10) Is there multiplayer planned? If so, what kinds of modes will be available?

There will be no multiplayer in MDK2. This was a decision we made quite some time ago when we started the basic design. We wanted to make the ultimate single player game and concentrate on story. Our philosophy is to pick one thing and do it really well rather than divide our development efforts. We chose single player. I think more people are making this type of decision - of course many of them are choosing to do multiplayer-only games but I think a well-crafted single player game is still really fun to play.

11) How much pressure is put on BioWare to make a sequel to another company's game with the Internet community watching so intently?

There's a fair amount of pressure, especially since Shiny did such a great job with the original MDK. MDK was a really great game and if we don't deliver something as good or better everyone will be a little disappointed. The thing with game development is that you can't just do an average game and expect to be successful, every title has to be a home run and we're certainly working hard to make sure MDK2 is a zinger.

12) Is it possible for you to throw us some buzzwords on graphical features MDK 2 will support? Could you tell us a bit about the 3D engine it's going to use?

I think that the most interesting thing about the BioWare Omen Engine is the fact that it supports arbitrary polygon environments that can feature large animated segments. We've got some really interesting scenarios involving the player traversing some dazzlingly weird structures. We've got a really good particle system, swank physics and 3d sounds. All in all, Omen is a nice and robust engine.

13) How would Kurt Hectic react to one of the cartoon "chicks" on our site?

I think he might be a little on the bashful side. Even though Kurt is an Earth-saving Superhero he is still simply an average janitor underneath the famed Coil Suit.

14) Is the game's ending going to blow our minds, make us collapse to the floor in laughter, or do something entirely different but still as dramatic?

I think the ending will cause all player to completely flip their lids! We're going to allow the players to choose which character they want to use to finish the game. The final battle itself will be different for each character. That's just what I can discuss at this point, we've got a lot more planned.

BioWare is definitely on my list of places to visit in person and bring homemade gifts to. Now, if only I can get their address… yes, I believe Mr. Zeschuk would like the Popsicle stick dungeon, and I could always… er… I'll finish this monologue later, in a quiet environment. I can't stand you people watching. Thanks for reading! Come back soon!