Frederick Raynal Family, Heritage, History, Ect.

[MrQuetch]

Some of you may think, "Why are you posting about this?". Well, my answer to that is, "Let's learn more about our most awsome game developer ever born, Frederick Raynal!". Some of you may think that I may be a pervert, a creeper, or other types of things, but I love Frederick Raynal! (Not like "real" love, that would be a bit creepy). Anyways, I bet all of you either love Frederick Raynal, or like him alot! Otherwise, why would you be here in the first place? If you didn't like Frederick, I wouldn't see the point in making an account. I am assuming all of us here have at least played and beaten both LBA1 and 2, as they are the most favorite games to be mentioned here, and also Frederick likes these two the best! (I think, I saw his account page here on the MBN once). We know that he hasn't made many games for the past few years, he seems to have made a bit more in the 90's. And in the 90's, he has made the following:

LBA1
LBA2
Time Commando
Alone in the Dark

However, he didn't help at all with the Sequal to AITD or the Third one. And in my honest opinion, I don't really like AITD 2 and 3, they seem to be a bit far too different from the first. I think the first one was awsome, as it gave birth to a whole new survival horror genre that still scares millions today. And it was the first to have distorted different camera angles, widescreen gameplay, suspenceful music, and many other suspenceful things happening throughout the game.

I'm expecting most of us here have seen the GDC of Frederick talking about AITD. I have watched it nearly 5 times in the last month, and I love to watch it in my free time. It gives me a very good inspiration and new ideas for my upcoming fan-made projects and creations. Also I think he speaks very good for a French person! (I am not being racist in anyway). I am learning Spanish, and it is hard for me to speak. I am learning Spanish only because I live in the area where lots of the population do speak Spanish, and no, it is not Mexico. However, I do wish I was learning French. I have a friend who is learning French though, maybe he could teach me a little.

Sometimes, I just sit down and day dream for a near 20 minutes just to think about everything that has happened, and I look forward to new information I learn each, and every day. I have read about Frederick Raynal on Wikipedia and have watched some videos of him on Youtube.

This is all from memory, that I am going to say: I know that Frederick Raynal worked in his father's computer shop (I think). They would repair parts and help the people who came in. Frederick had been working up to 15 hours a day at this time. In his free time and sometimes at night, he would watch scary horror movies. Soon after this, he thought about making a game. Sometime later after watching many horror movies, he realized and made up the game, "Alone in the Dark". He made the programs all from scratch and he made a demo and showed it to Infogrames in 1990 (I think). After they saw this, they made him a member of Infogrames and he worked there for two years. In only 3 days, they talked about everything that the game was going to have and needed, storyline, characters, monsters, music, everything. A few months later, the game was released in stores in 1992. In 1992, Frederick hated the game, but later started to like it a bit more (I think). When he wanted to make the Sequal, he and (Forgive me if I mispell his name) Frank de Girolami, the leader of Infogrames, got into a conflict. Frank wanted more action in AITD 2, and a different story than Fred's. Fred wanted the oppsite, more adventure, and less action. After this, Fred took the entire team from Frank and went on to start the our favorite company, "Adeline Software International"! If this had never happened, there probably wouldn't have ever been an LBA1 or 2. Later on, Fred and Yael Barroz got married. And they had 2 Children.

That is most of what I have from memory. Sometimes, I wonder. I wonder if Fred's kids are programmers, I wonder if in the next 20 years, they will make their own games and release them. I wonder if Fred's kids get to use the source codes from AITD, LBA1 and 2, and also Time Commando (TC). I wonder so much about Frederick and his family, and I hope to learn more. I hope that one day, I just might meet him. Even if I am in my 30, I hope. Because when I am in my 40's or 50's, he may be dead. But for me to meet him, that unfortunately for me, may never happen. I would have to get a lot of information, and with millions of people on earth, it would just be too hard to find him. I am completely certain I am one of the youngest people on the MBN, in account year created, and age as well. I am not even in my early 20's yet.

For my job when I get older, I might be a 3D Modeler for Video Games, a Programmer, Artist, Animator, or something that has to do with these.
Right now I make only about 5 Dollars a week.

And if any of you Quetches have something to share with me, please feel free. This post took a near hour and my fingers are really hurting right now, so I will just stop for a while.

I hope to see many responces! And I will be on the MBN for a long time, don't any of you worry!

[Darkflame]

Given what Fred reads these forums he probably feels quite weird about you posting this
Then again, I am never sure myself if its right I refer to him as "Fred" rather then Fredrick or "Mr Raynal" so what do I know.

When he wanted to make the Sequal, he and (Forgive me if I mispell his name) Frank de Girolami, the leader of Infogrames, got into a conflict. Frank wanted more action in AITD 2, and a different story than Fred's. Fred wanted the oppsite, more adventure, and less action.

I think it was also that Fred wanted a whole new engine - or at least, significant improvements.
Infogrames wanted, by comparison, a more quick sequel.

I still think it was the biggest mistake that company ever made.
In a alternative world I think AitD could have taken the place of Resident Evil in terms of sales and sequals.

But then, we wouldn't have got LBA

[SpaceGuitarist]

This thread is very nice actually.

But just remember that the awesomeness of those games is a product of the whole TEAM - don't focus so much on just one man.

The whole "vibe"/chemistry from the interaction of a great game creating team is what led those games to be so special as they are, each member of the team gave their special touch which changed completely (for the better) what the games have become. A good example is Philipe Vachey, I cannot imagine LBA without his music - even if Fred asked some other musician how he wanted the music to be, it would've turned out completely different.

[Kasia]

Uh, well... that was... kind of... amusing to read, but...
YOU MIXED UP SO MANY THINGS!

Besides, SpaceGuitarist is right. We owe LBA to the whole team.

[Frederick]

Hi ! oh thank you Mr Quetch !
You made some small mistakes, but I need to correct this one.

Originally Posted by MrQuetch

Franck de Girolami, the leader of Infogrames, got into a conflict.

Franck was a young trainee programmer when he joined Infogrames. He worked on Scenedit tool and did the scripting of the game. He was hired by Infogrames while working with me. I like him very much and had (neither have) no conflict with him at all. When the former team left Infogrames, he stayed to be the main programmer and project manager of Aitd2. The way the game changed its mood was not from him.

Call me Fred, dude !

[MrQuetch]

Originally Posted by Darkflame

Given what Fred reads these forums he probably feels quite weird about you posting this
Then again, I am never sure myself if its right I refer to him as "Fred" rather then Fredrick or "Mr Raynal" so what do I know.



I think it was also that Fred wanted a whole new engine - or at least, significant improvements.
Infogrames wanted, by comparison, a more quick sequel.

I still think it was the biggest mistake that company ever made.
In a alternative world I think AitD could have taken the place of Resident Evil in terms of sales and sequals.

But then, we wouldn't have got LBA

Yeah, I am sort of happy in ways that this happened, but again, if Fred worked on AITD for a Sequal and a Third, it would have been better.
But I am glad we have LBA.

[MrQuetch]

Originally Posted by SpaceGuitarist

This thread is very nice actually.

But just remember that the awesomeness of those games is a product of the whole TEAM - don't focus so much on just one man.

The whole "vibe"/chemistry from the interaction of a great game creating team is what led those games to be so special as they are, each member of the team gave their special touch which changed completely (for the better) what the games have become. A good example is Philipe Vachey, I cannot imagine LBA without his music - even if Fred asked some other musician how he wanted the music to be, it would've turned out completely different.

Yeah, that is all true. I am glad that LBA has what music it has already. It would have been different in many ways. And also the whole team did make it happen. One person wouldn't be able to do it all.

[MrQuetch]

Originally Posted by Kasia

Uh, well... that was... kind of... amusing to read, but...
YOU MIXED UP SO MANY THINGS!

Besides, SpaceGuitarist is right. We owe LBA to the whole team.

Sorry Kasia, it was mostly from my memory, maybe I need to refresh it just a little. But I think most of it is right.

[MrQuetch]

Originally Posted by Frederick

Hi ! oh thank you Mr Quetch !
You made some small mistakes, but I need to correct this one.



Franck was a young trainee programmer when he joined Infogrames. He worked on Scenedit tool and did the scripting of the game. He was hired by Infogrames while working with me. I like him very much and had (neither have) no conflict with him at all. When the former team left Infogrames, he stayed to be the main programmer and project manager of Aitd2. The way the game changed its mood was not from him.

Call me Fred, dude !

I am sorry about my mistakes Fred (Now I am calling you Fred! ) I am sorry about that mistake. I meant the dude's name who wanted to make AITD2. I can look it up to see who it was again, but this entire post was just from my memory. So yeah, I am really sorry about that one. I feel like you think I am a bit stupid now, but I will always think you are cool. And I still do today. I remember sitting on my father's lap watching him play LBA2, then I would say, "Play it again!". But now I can just beat the game myself, and I have countless times before. Wow, I never thought I would get a comment from you, I guess I only would have from this, no other way... I hope you can make the LBA1 remake and possibly LBA3! Keep up the good work Fred dude!

[MrQuetch]

Originally Posted by Kasia

OK, so now I feel that I'm a nasty person. Should try to be less strict sometimes...

Anyways, it wasn't my intention to be unkind to you, MrQuetch! I just like things to be ordered and precised... So I rather wanted to motivate you to widen your knowledge about Fred / Adeline, than to be rude.

Wikipedia isn't always the best source of informations, I'd recommend you to read some interviews instead, even the old ones. You can find many interesting things there.

It's fine with me. I should look at interviews more often. I did see one where Fred was speaking French, but I couldn't understand any of it!

[MrQuetch]

Originally Posted by Kasia

I meant texts not videos. Many of them are in English.

Woops, okay.

[Nieniepaninii]

Wooh! what a topic! haha!

I really liked how you started..!

It's an awesome story you wrote down here mrQuetch!
I can imagine for Fred that it must be a little kind of weird to read this here haha!
But maybe he is kind of used to it (He is visiting the MBN)

[MrQuetch]

Originally Posted by Nieniepaninii

Wooh! what a topic! haha!

I really liked how you started..!

It's an awesome story you wrote down here mrQuetch!
I can imagine for Fred that it must be a little kind of weird to read this here haha!
But maybe he is kind of used to it (He is visiting the MBN)

Yup, that is true! And most of it was from my memory.