Immediately after having this interview with Jacko, I was leisurely
strolling through a few RCT sites, searching for the ever so elusive new RCT
news story to share with you all. Not only to share but also to just stay
up to speed in this fast moving community based around the addictive, hit PC
game called RollerCoaster Tycoon. As I signed in to RCT Inc. to see what
Jacko was up to, I was a little surprised to see this blaring headline: RCT2
Demo is here! "I'm very happy to report that finally for all the people out
there that don't have RollerCoaster Tycoon 2 yet can now play a demo. You
can download the Demo from here, and far as I know you cant download this
anywhere else as of yet." I don't know why I was surprised to find out
that Jacko had landed the first release of the RCT2 demo, even the official
site didn't have it. After just having had an E-View with him and getting
to know him a little better it was obvious that Jacko has been around awhile
and knows what he is doing.
Here are three pointers for a good site, connections, connections and
connections. It appears as Jacko has all three bases covered and covered
well. He is a Webmaster, tried and true and defiantly belongs in this
Webmaster series. He has faced many obsticals, from his site being hacked
to nay-sayers telling him that his site would never fly. But fly it has and
RCT Inc. has became a popular site in a competitive community.
I went into this interview not knowing Jacko at all except from what I knew
of him from his site. But by the time it was over, I walked away with a
good feeling knowing I had gotten to know him a little better. He truly has
the heart of a fighter and the head of a businessman and I believe that
Jacko will be around for a long time to come.
So without further ado, let's green flag the Go-Karts and race off into the
E-View. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Jacko!
| Boomer |
Before we do anything else, I want to say thank you Jacko. The
thank you is for both giving me a little of your time, I know that's
precious right now with being in College and running and maintaining a
successful RCT website called RCT Inc. But I also want to take this
opportunity to thank you for being so patient with me while you waited for
an E-View to happen that I had asked you for a LONG time ago and am just now
getting around to. Don't take it personally though Jacko, I shamefully
admit I have done this to others also; just ask Kai how long it took me to
get his E-View done! Mr. N is still waiting for a review on his new park
that I told him I would have done a long time ago. This is not done
intentionally but is the direct result of a lot of life happening to me in
large quantities right now, I have kids AND... I am old! But regardless of
the validity of my excuses, my humble apologies to you! |
| Jacko |
"Hey its okay, don't worry about it, I know full well that things can
get on top of you at times and there is nothing you can do about it. As you
know I spend a lot of time working on the site, collage and also having to
look after my mum who is disabled so I have to help out a lot doing every
day things as well.". |
Boomer |
I'm glad I finally have the chance to get to know you a little
better. It is very kind of you to let us all have a look through this small
window into your life, both as a person and as a Webmaster. That being
said, let's get on with it. How old are you Jacko and when is your
birthday? |
| Jacko |
"I'm 21 and my Date of Birth is 30th January 1981. Also RCT Inc. went
public the same week as my birthday.". |
Boomer |
(Laughing) Nice birthday present to give yourself. I know that you
live in England but that's about it, for me and other peeps that live in
various different countries and aren't real familiar with the U.K., can you
tell us the town or city where you live, what it's like and how you like
living there? |
| Jacko |
"I live in West London in an area called Northolt. I guess its okay
but I hate living next to a major road that links a heavy motorway and a
bypass. But it's a great area to live in when it comes to shopping and
access to central London as there are great transport connections where I
live also there is a Underground Station within 5min walk and 3 big shopping
areas 20min bus ride in every direction. But if I could live somewhere else
it would be in Canada, Cyprus (where my family is from) or Japan, as I love
their culture.". |
Boomer |
I love Canada also and have been there many times but I must admit
I've never been to Cyprus OR Japan. Do you have anything in mind for a
career? Any life goals you can share with us? |
| Jacko |
"Well at the moment the main thing holding me back from fulfilling my
career goals is my medical/health situation. But my career goals are to
become a Computer Technician, which I am, but I don't have the
qualifications to back me up. Also I have really got into making websites so
I also want to become a Webpage Designer. I have my own commercial site as
well to try to make ends meet while I'm studying and getting my health
together (www.jackoltd.com). Another dream would be to become a
professional DJ. At the moment I'm a novice but I used to be a assistant and
helped out on gigs for up to 4000 plus people.". |
Boomer |
Well, as exotic as that sounds, what is a NORMAL day like for you
Jacko? |
| Jacko |
"Um... boring... lol. I guess just like everyone else's really. Get up
get dressed, go to collage (on certain days) and so on. And when I get home
I park myself in front of the computer and just laze about playing on the
computer and watching TV.". |
Boomer |
About how much time do you put in on the computer in a days time? |
| Jacko |
"Umm 24 hours... lol. Most times I just sit in my chair and just
watch TV, but I'm at the computer as well because my other computer is my TV
as my main TV blew 2 months ago and from then I've been using my other
computer as a TV and to watch DVDs, Videos and play my Game Cube on. But I
also leave my computer on all the time and only turn it off here and there
for a few hours.". |
Boomer |
Yeah, kind of like me, my puter stays on 24/7. Other then RCT, do
you have any other PC or consol games that you like to play? |
| Jacko |
"I have a massive collection of over 150 PC Games, 2000 Emulator Games
and 5 Game Cube games so you can say I have a lot of pick from. But some of
my all time favs have to be, Super Monkey Balls (Game Cube), Half-Life,
Unreal Tournament, all Command and Conquers, Theme Hospital, Return to
Castle Wolfenstein, Total Annihilation, Snare (Commodore 64), Super Mario
Kart (SNES) and Football Manger Sims like FA Premier League Manger and many,
many more.". |
Boomer |
Super Monkey Balls? Now that sounds painful! When was it that you
first had the opportunity to be a Webmaster? You must have been fairly
young, as I know you have been doing this for quite some time. |
| Jacko |
"Well my very, very first site was a personal home page I made using
Word97 and it was totally pants. But a good while later I got a job at RCTUK
helping out in the site, not coding any pages, as I didn't know how but I
gave Crispy my ideas and stuff in a basic format and he made them in to
pages. I was also the most active moderator as well and for some time I was
the only mod. But I really started RCT Inc. to show Crispy my ideas, as it
wasn't easy explaining them all the time so I thought it was better to show
him, but as I got in to it I really started to enjoy it so I thought what
the hell and started my own site and its been going on from there.". |
Boomer |
I don't have to tell you that it takes a lot of time to keep up
with and maintain any site as popular as yours. Not only time, but also it
is like riding a RollerCoaster at times, I'm sure. Lot's of ups and downs
and lots of hang time in between; just like a real coaster ride. And I'm
sure there has been more then one slow moving lift hill that you thought you
would never get to the top of, but you did! But what has that emotional
RollerCoaster been like for you? |
| Jacko |
"Well as I bet many other webmasters have felt like giving up at
times just like I have. Like when I got hacked, I worked on the sites
redesign from anything to 8 hours to 14 hours in one day so just after the
new layout went public I took a few hours break watching Series 8 of Red
Dwarf, and when I came back I found that my boards where hacked and a lot of
information was lost and that was very hurtful as I spend all this time on a
website for the benefit of everyone else just to get stabbed in the back.
Also I've been accused of copying and also threatened to be sued for it as
well and also other sites have copied me and so on, so I guess you can say
I've had my fair share of problems and set backs.". |
Boomer |
Indeed you have! Has it been worth it? All that effort time money
and energy that you must have to put into it, has it all been a worthwhile
endeavour for you? |
| Jacko |
"It really depends in what way you look at it. But after all the
stuff that's happened and so on I guess I would have to say yes. Example...
I just, last week, hit a million hits which is a amazing feeling to know
that one million pages have been viewed on my site from people from all over
the world of all ages and sexes. Also being interviewed has to be one of the
top perks of the job. But the down sides don't make it worth it. Example;
when I was trying to get information on RCT2, I phoned the PR Department in
London 10 times, I talked to the production manger of RCT2 in England 3
times and I even phoned the US countless times but they wouldn't give me any
information as I wasn't a major gaming site or making millions. And when I
get that sort of reception from the people sites like mine that help make
countless millions for them and they can't be bothered to help support us.". |
Boomer |
When will the big shots ever learn that it's the little guys like
us, that are the ones that put the food on their plates and the cloaths on
their backs. Have you ever just wanted to say forget it, too much hassle,
and just pull the plug on the site or give it to someone else and walk clean
away? |
| Jacko |
"Yes, and I can't tell you how many times as I've lost count.". |
Boomer |
If you don't mind I would like to get down to something now that
really bothers me and has not only effected you but many other Webmasters
throughout the internet and that is. site hackers! Site hackers may or may
not know it but when anyone hacks into your site they have automatically
broken not only U.S. Statutes, but international laws as well! Our New York
lawyer friend Mr. Dakin Lecakes (Dakinle, aka XuXu's Petals) can tell you
all about that. But it goes beyond breaking the law; it can break up
people's hard works and labours of love and usually for selfish, immature,
and trivial reasons of revenge or envy. I know that your site has been
hacked, along with many others, that cost you some downtime and
inconvenience, how do you feel about that? How has this affected the
running of RCT Inc.? |
| Jacko |
"As I said in another question, I find it very hurtful as I've put in
MY free time and hard work to provide a service to other people with no gain
of my own just to be stabbed in back for my troubles... but I carry on as I
wont give up because of a few twats with no life's and loads of spots on
there face.". |
Boomer |
Ha ha, I've never heard pimples called that before but I understand
what you are saying! I don't know why but when I come to your site to visit
I am always impressed by the blue colour scheme you have there. When I
think of Jacko or RCT Inc., I think blue! Are you happy with the way your
site looks now or are there changes ahead? |
| Jacko |
"I'm always happy with the current layout I have but then I have an
idea for something new, which I like even more. But when I look back at my
very first layout I wanted to cry it was so bad, but at the time I thought
it was great. So who knows what's in store next as I never know what idea I
will get next. And I don't ever plan on changing the colours as I got the
colour scheme from the old official site as it has all them great shades of
colours. I also try to make the site like the game in a cartoonish style.". |
Boomer |
You have a section at your site, a competition section that you
call P-Spot. Can you tell us a little about this competition and how it
works? |
| Jacko |
"Well the P-Spot stands for Peoples Spotlight. Now loads and loads of
other sites have a Spotlight and there all about the same but I noticed that
the same people kept winning even if their park wasn't the best they kept
winning because they where a well known name so it didn't give unknown park
makers a chance to win even if they where just as good or in some cases even
better. So one of my staff members (urban shakedown) and I had a brain
storming chat, which we used to have a lot of, for an idea for a new style
of spotlight that is fairer. So we came up with the P-Spot (I picked the
name hehe), now the way it works is that people send in there park to me
just like every other spotlight and then what I do is pick the best 4 parks
or so depending on how many are sent in that month and then I take 2
screenshots of each park and post it on the site and then people can vote on
what park they like the most going by just them pictures, so that way it is
totally impartial as there is no name to the park so it gives everyone a
fighting chance to win. So I guess you can say it's the only fair spotlight
there is as the PEOPLE pick who wins.". |
Boomer |
Sounds fair, sounds good. Could you tell us the rules of
submission and the address for us to submit our parks to? |
| Jacko |
"Oh that's an easy one, just go to the following page;
http://rctinc.tycoonplanet.com/submissions.shtml". |
Boomer |
We've taken some time to get to know a little about you and RCT
Inc. But you know me, I have RCT on my mind. too much! So that being said
I would like to steer this conversation towards a very popular subject in
the RCT community these days and that is RCT2. Do you have it? Have you
played it? Do you like it? |
| Jacko |
"I got RCT2 about 8 days before the official US release date which I
got from Scotland and that person got me it from the US, but I also ordered
the UK version as well from my website, so I have two versions of it. And
yes, I have played it as I've posted a lot of Clocked Scenarios on my Site
for people to download. And do I like it? Umm, yes and no. YES, as it will
bring new life in to the game and NO, because to me personally I think its
nothing more then a super add-on pack. I don't think it meets the criteria
for a sequel. Also I think that Chris has made it so that the public will
make the game last longer with him doing the least amount of work due to why
he don't the Scenario Maker and the ability to make plug-ins.". |
Boomer |
Have you ever had the opportunity to talk to Chris Sawyer
personally? |
| Jacko |
"No, but I have tried. The most important person I have talked to on
the phone I guess would have to be the production manger of RCT2, the PR
Manger of London and also the editor of PC Gamer UK via e-mail.". |
Boomer |
If you could talk to him now, what would you say? |
| Jacko |
"I guess I would have to start with Hello... LOL. I don't think I
would ever be able to as he is to "important" and I'm just a small
"unimportant" person.". |
Boomer |
I will say to you what I said in a recant interview I had with
Scoop, over at RCT Gazette, "my mama used to say, "Be careful how you treat
those you meet on the way up because you will have to meet them again, on
the way down"! I will just say this in my own words, I am no better then any
of you and you are no better then me. We are ALL part of this human
condition and none of us will get off of this ride alive! So respect each
person along the way, the way that YOU want to be respected and then just
sit back and enjoy the ride!" Those words of wisdom apply to you too Jacko
AND to Chris Sawyer! I know these questions may sound stupid, but I can't
help but wonder if he OR Infogrames ever surfs through the RCT community,
just looking for game users ideas and thoughts about the game. Perhaps he's
been to RCT Inc. to pick up ideas from players on your forums and other RCT
forums and sites, to put in his next add-on(s). I know I would. |
| Jacko |
"I don't really think he has because if he did he would of added some
of the things people have been crying out for but never did. So I don't
think he listens to the public very much and for that matter Infogrames has
to have one of the worse PR Departments in the gaming industry; as they are
not willing to talk to you or even get back to you when you e-mail them
countless times. I get more response and feedback from my cats then I do
Infogrames, but that's just my personal opinion.". |
Boomer |
Unfortunately, according to what we are seeing in our forums at
RCT2.com, that is the opinion of MANY peeps. It seems that when we went
from Hasbro to Infogrames we went from the frying pan into the fire. Have
you noticed an increase in your forum membership since RCT2 has been
released? |
| Jacko |
"Nope not at all, but I did have a massive spike in hits a few days
before RCT2 came out when I posted like 40 new exclusive screenshots. For 5
days in a row I broke new hit records and my current record is 9,509 hits.". |
Boomer |
(Laughing) Yes, I remember the screenshot feeding frenzy. I was so
impressed by the quickness that some of the trainer and utility makers
jumped all over RCT2 and gave us great tools to help enhance RCT2, such as
Henry Winkelstein's TRG2 trainer. Do you think that in the end we will get
everything we need that is now lacking in RCT2, from the geniuses and whiz
kids from with-in our own RCT community? |
| Jacko |
"Nope! As there is so much that so many people want in the game no
one will ever be satisfied. But it did take along time after RCT came out
before all the really good utilities came out. So who knows; I could be
wrong, like I am most of the time.". |
Boomer |
Well we have had a very interesting and enlightening discussion
here tonight with you Jacko. I know it's late and you have college and
other things to think about, such as girls! So I know I have to let you go.
I want to thank you again for your time and for providing a site that very
nicely provides enhancement of the RCT experience. Keep up the good work
Jacko and I hope we will have the pleasure of talking to you again sometime.
You are defiantly a bright star in this crazy RCT universe. |
| Jacko |
"Girls? Ha you wish... lol, enough about that part hehe.
Well I like to say thank you to you as well for asking me because this has
to be one of the best things to come out of making a website and I'm just
like every other star out there.". |
Jacko has left the house! Closing the book on this E-View and turning out
the lights, I can't help but staring out the window at the star speckled,
northwest night sky. Like glittering diamonds on a black velvet background,
the stars twinkling and sparkling held me spellbound in their hypnotic grip.
It was then that I noticed it! A shooting star! Bright and dazzling as
it made its brief visit through the Earths atmosphere on its long journey
through deep space. It wasn't until later as I was drifting off to sleep
for the night that I had a lingering thought, that shooting star I had
witnessed blazing across the northern skies, had at one time also been just
like every other star out there. But man what a show it put on tonight. What
a show indeed!