Uplink Creators, hailed as the Last of the Bedroom Programmers, and nice people too! Here is Introversion Software’s responses to 10 Questions

1. Who/what is Introversion Software (For those who do not know) ?
Introversion Software is an underground game developer, formed by three guys from University. We have only one game out at the moment – Uplink – and we have a couple more in development. Our webpage is at http://www.introversion.co.uk

2. What is Uplink? (And those who don’t know by now must lead very sheltered lives…)?
Uplink is a hacking simulator. You play the role of an Uplink Agent – a freelance computer hacker who will work for the highest bidder. Your task in game is to take on assignments (ranging from stealing classified files to forging criminal records) and hack into various secure computer systems around the world.

3. What gave you the idea to make a game about system penetration?
It’s an old idea that had been floating around in my head for a while. It fits the mold of a computer game quite well.

4. Uplink has machines (gateways) that are stupidly high in their specifications. Many whom view the game have the sudden urge to storm the fortified buildings of various PC manufacturers in order to have home systems built in the same way. What systems do you work on?
You mean at home? Nothing quite so elaborate 😉 Introversion tends to work on Laptops, since we have to move around the country to meet up with each other.

5. Various magazines around the world and online are stating that you are the "Last of the Bedroom Programmers". Respond
Yeah, I quite like that. Uplink was made in the spirit of the bedroom programmers of old – one or two man teams working away late at night (after their day jobs have finished) to complete a game that they all loved and where proud of. There aren’t any companies around that are doing this anymore – it’s just too expensive and takes too long, and the retro style of gaming just doesn’t hold up against masses of polygons and shaders in modern games. We are trying to recapture some of that spirit that started the games world off.

6. The people who made Grand Theft Auto and Carmageddon recieved complaints due to the content. Parents around the world say that games are teaching their kids how to kill/steal/(Other illegal act). Have you had any from the misguided few about Uplink?
Actually one of the shops in the UK (who shall remain nameless) refused to sell Uplink, claiming they objected to it on moral grounds. This shop also happens to sell Grand Theft Auto 3 and sell porn mags, which I found hilarous. Uplink is a little sadistic at times (one of the mission types is "destroy someones life" – killing them isn’t sufficient) but I think it’s all sufficiently abstract.

7. Why? (Does not have to be about #6)
Good question. Why not.

8. Like they say on the adverts for the overpriced Eastertime based chocolate egg, "How do you eat yours?"
Not such a good question.

9. So… What’s next after Uplink?
We’ve got a couple more games in the pipeline. They’re both in very early stages, so i’m kind of sworn to secrecy. But we are trying to stick to the original ethos that drove us to make Uplink.

10. Anything else you want to say to anyone who may read this?
If you haven’t played Uplink yet, or if the current range of first-person-shooters and real-time-strategy games is failing to satisfy you, have a look at Uplink. There’s a playable demo available for download here http://www.introversion.co.uk/uplink/demo.html