I couldn't end the car series without making a wish list of sorts.
After decades of playing driving games I asked myself what type of
racing game would I come up with. Something that everybody could enjoy
and not solely for car fans. A racer that brings in new ideas and
doesn't feel like another cookie-cutter experience.
Now is the time to bring up my idea, not as the capper for the car
series but because I feel that the game industry is stuck in a rut.
They seem to be out of driving ideas and are now grasping for straws.
Very few of the driving IP coming out today seems to be coming from
car fans. One new titles that embodies the spirit of the hot rod isn't
even about hot rodding. The heavy metal homage Brütal Legend
features a hot rod coupe battling hordes of demons.
I want you to commit the artistic direction of Brütal Legend to
memory. If I were to design a racing game then it would probably be
set with a similar look and feel. The presentation of this game is
based on many cultures. Brütal Legend is set to explore and in
ways parody the whole rock and roll scene while at the same time
celebrating the movement. Having a hot rod as a major weapon in the
game is a nod to the contribution of car culture. It is an earnest
statement from director Tim Schafer.
Other studios aren't approaching the car with a similar appreciation.
Those at Disney Interactive have recently announced a new racer.
Titled Split/Second
and developed by Black Rock Studios, makers of racing game PURE,
this new game sounds like an outlandish Hollywood blockbuster rather
than a memorable racer. Disney saw the success of titles like Burnout
and MotorStorm and figured they could capitalize on the formula by
introducing more chaos and destruction to the tracks than either game.
Of course when racing takes a back seat to special effects then you
can't really expect much more than a bunch of eye candy.
The approach to this title has been described as a Michael
Bay-meets-reality TV racer. The emphasis seems to be more on the
events the drivers can trigger rather than the act of racing itself.
There are many ways to make racing more visceral than simply causing
sh*t to blow up in the foreground. But I suppose we are going to the
lowest common denominator here.
Does anybody remember the lukewarm reception to the Stuntman series?
The linear nature of the levels, reliance on timed sequences and
pretty pyrotechnics did little to make this a memorable series. It
seems that Disney would rather make a spectacle than a racing game.
That is a shame too because Black Rock Studios is capable of much
more. Perhaps the Fast and the Furious is also to blame for this debacle?
But I digress...
Burnout is a fine template on which to build a new racing game
around. It has a basic premise, is easy to get into and play. Burnout
chooses a few things in the racing genre and does them well, like an
arcade experience brought to the consoles. If I were creating a racer
I would want to begin with the familiar Burnout experience. That would
mean solid control, lots of motion blur and the ability to smash
opponents into oncoming traffic. Except instead of doing laps around a
city I would create a coast-to-coast, multiple branching racer with
the engine. In essence becoming Burnout-meets-Out Run. Already sounds
better than what Disney was working on, right?
Initially the player would only be able to choose from four cars.
These four represent the evolution of the hot rod and are distinct for
their contributions. The cars for the game should look like
dead-ringers for them but not actually be branded as such just to
avoid licensing issues. Yup, I'm cheap like that. If I were naming the
four machines they would be the '23 Ford T-bucket because it is the
father of the hot rod, a DIY machine with a giant motor and light
frame built for speed. The 1940's Willys coupe represents the car
turned dragster, it was also the forefather to the lead sled movement.
The 1962 Shelby Cobra shoehorned American muscle into a small British
frame and dominated the racing circuit. The last was the 200 MPH
cruise missile known better as the 1969 Dodge Daytona. For all intents
and purposes this 20-foot-long monster was a marvel of modern
engineering and represented the peak of the muscle car movement.
Each of these cars was an amazing machine, they all deserve to have
some shine in a racing game. To the car community each car is also
very symbolic of the times. I'm beginning with these machines as a way
to get non-car fans a little more interested in the culture.
Even the drivers of the cars are all archetypes. Each driver looks
like they belong in the game. The driver of the T-bucket is the oldest
and dresses classy, his name is the Eddie the "Tin Man,"
rail thin and quite sickly yet holding onto his dignity. The driver of
the Willys looks like an old motorcycle greaser, his name is Gus and
he's been sporting the same boots and jeans for decades. The driver of
the Cobra, Brian, is a successful businessman that rarely finds the
time to do what he really loves. Sometimes you can even catch him in
his suit and tie tearing up the streets. The driver of the Daytona is
a heavy-set guy with a crew-cut and racing jacket. Dave was the big
man on campus back in the day but now settles for racing against
anybody and everybody that crosses the path of his muscle car. These
are minor details that help frame the universe this race takes place in.
The premise of the game is simple. The four friends decide to settle
a bet. Which car would have won a transcontinental race. They agree to
go all-out the next day during a grand prix. When the player chooses a
character then a small cinema plays out. The night before the race a
mysterious benefactor approaches the driver and offers a bottle of
special boost. Saying that the mixture is guaranteed to turn their car
into an unstoppable monster. The only thing he asks in return for the
boost is a race against the winner, never quite saying what happens to
the loser. The driver agrees and installs the boost to the engine. We
see the stranger make the same offer to each of the other drivers,
making them all think that they have the advantage.
The race begins in Long Beach. A grand prix is running near the
coast. The four drivers crash the gates and run side-by side with the
Indy cars, police cars follow closely behind. Players learn how to
shift, drift and knock opponents out of the race while beating up on
Indy cars. The cars continue to do laps until the player has managed
to pass all of the control lessons, then the next portion of the level
begins. The four cars break through a barrier and get on the freeway,
the police still chasing them.
The freeway is wide open for a few miles. Allowing players a chance
to get used to their controls and take-down commuters to block the
path of their rivals. Doing so damages the player's car, damage is
displayed on a meter, crash into too many cars and your car will blow
up. The player can take out traffic by using the police "pit
manuever" and not damage their own car too much. This strategy is
much better than ramming cars at full force. Knocking out opponents or
traffic also recharges the boost meter. The boost meter is earned
while on the freeway speeding towards Downtown Los Angeles.
The boost is the most important part of the race. Boosting allows
players to go much faster than normal, complete with awesome blur
effects and a rumbling controller. Boosting also allows the player to
smash through traffics and obstacles without damaging the car.
Successive take downs recharges the boost quickly, like a combo
modifier. A player that lines up enough traffic and finds the right
lines can boost almost from the beginning of a stage until the end.
While boosting the car, driver and level also begins transforming.
This is the real meat of the game, the motif that transforms the
racing game.
The longer a player boosts the more ominous the level becomes. The
edges of the screen glow red, as if the world is catching fire.
Prolonging the boost makes the edges creep in towards the center of
the screen. Until the level becomes a nightmarish version of Los
Angeles. Players can make out demons or giant bats flying on the
horizon. Fire has engulfed the hills and city. If you have ever seen
the film Constantine then you would know what I'm talking about.
In the film Constantine visits a Hell version of Los Angeles.
Everything from the real world is there, the buildings, landmarks and
even freeways, only burned and twisted as if hit by the fires of the
apocalypse. Long boost chains in my game would render a similar
version of LA. Letting off the boost would slowly return the level to normal.
However it is not enough to turn levels upside down, the cars
themselves also must undergo a transformation. Even though I said
the cars were all legendary, featuring them in a stock condition isn't
enough to create an arcade experience. Everything in the game has to
take on the speed demon look, especially these rides.
The title car, the T-bucket, is symbolic of how extreme the
transformation has to be while boosting. The T-bucket is an great
looking ride, with an exposed engine and a canvas canopy over the
driver. This 1400-pound car is obscenely fast as is. However while
boosting something awesome happens to the ride. The red-painted blower
over the engine splits in half and creates two superchargers for the
engine. The massive addition of horsepower unfurls the exhaust pipes
like a party whistle. The canvas top rips back and almost off the
frame, if not for the two metal braces holding them to the windshield.
The end result makes the canvas look like a cloth spoiler or gigantic
bat wings providing gothic down force to the ride.
The transformation of this car, like all the rest is inspired by real
life. Rod Hadfield's twin-superchaged t-bucket was one of those
legendary builds that defines the spirit of hot rodding. Hailing from
Australia Mr.
Hadfield has a reputation that precedes him. His imagination
comes through in the cars he builds, their exaggerated but real
proportions make for the embodiment of the style that I'm trying to
capture in the game. Just compare what an "average" t-bucket
looks like when compared to Mr. Hadfield's beast.
For the game the best part of the transformation happens with the
tires. While boosting the tires catch fire and leave long trails of
flame in their wake. The longer the boost remains the brighter and
hotter the tires burn until they are completely engulfed in flames.
The fire creates a vapor Tell me you wouldn't want to play a game
where this happens to one of the cars when it reaches top speed?
However the same burning tires thing doesn't happen to each of the
other cars. They all transform but in different ways. Each of these
ways complimenting the strengths of the car and making the iconic
rides turn into grotesque but equally impressive machines. Despite the
approach of transforming cars with exaggerated features I don't want
you to think that this is some sort of Wacky Races redux. The tone of
the game should be a fantastic realism rather than a stylized cartoon.
Even if a great animation director can re-imagine the Penelope Pitstop adventures this is nothing to do with the
Hanna Barbera type of racing.
For example the T-bucket is the fastest accelerating car in the game.
However it is also the lightest and has problems knocking traffic and
opponents out of the way. Even while boosting the car suffers from a
lack of mass. The saving grace is it's manic accelerating ability.
Aggressive drivers might want to try a different car if the T-bucket
is too "squirrely" for them.
The Daytona clone changes into a funny car while boosting. The tires
in the rear balloon up and the angle of attack becomes more
aggressive. A gigantic blower melts out from the hood, exposing the
monstrous burning hemi engine. The Daytona is the slowest accelerating
ride but has the highest top speed. It is also a heavy car so it can
plow through opponents and traffic. The real world inspiration was
based on a funny car version of the Daytona's sister car, known to car
buffs as the Plymouth Superbird.
Matt Tolbin, from Texas, took the already fast and definitive muscle
car and turned it
into a funny car. It was too large and heavy to compete in
class. That didn't stop the car from being a real crowd pleaser. But
since I'm saying the cars in the game would be inspired-by rather than
licensed from we'll go with a red and white scheme rather than the
more familiar blue.
The Willy's has a very dramatic transformation. Rather than becoming
a funny car or demon bucket, it begins melting. The body becomes short
and squat, melting over the tires like a liquid lead sled and leaving
an oil slick in its wake. It has the second fastest top speed while
boosting and is the toughest ride of the four. Easily plowing through
traffic and opponents. Players trying to hide behind this car as it
clears a path for them would spin out from the melting frame.
Unfortunately this car, like the Daytona doesn't do as well on turns.
Most Willys get the funny car treatment, very few become lead sleds.
The majority of lead sleads would be based more on cars like the
Mercury Cougar. But hey, it's my game so allow me to make one type of
car melt into another shape.
Speaking of changing shape completely; the Cobra has a unique
transformation. The colors reverse on the car, from blue with white
stripes to white with blue stripes. It becomes a little lower and
longer. While boosting it behaves like a ghost. Opponents are unable
to run into it while it is boosting although it can still smash into
opponents and traffic. This car has decent acceleration and a good top
speed. It weighs a bit more than the t-bucket so it can plow through
traffic better. The transformation makes the Cobra look more like a
Jaguar racing coupe, a bitter European rival to the Cobra.
While boosting something also happens to the drivers. It isn't
obvious in the Daytona and Willys but for the t-bucket and Cobra it
is. All of the drivers become younger versions of themselves. The
beergut on Dave goes away and he is once again built like a high
school linebacker, his racing jacket even becomes a letterman jacket.
The Tin Man is no longer a wrinkled old man but a spry teenager. His
nice tuxedo becomes a dirty tee shirt and his top hat becomes a
hillybilly hat, made famous by Ed Roth. Brian is no longer a high
strung day businessman but instead a phantom racer of old, with only
his red scarf flowing behind him rather than his necktie. Gus seems
the least changed of all, with only the gray in his hair turning black
and his jacket becoming a mechanic's.
The game continues well past the Hollywood hills, where we can see
that Los Angeles is sure enough becoming like hell. Of course there
are roads and freeways in the game that don't exist in real life. We
get to catch a glimpse of the USA while traveling at over 200 MPH
through the desert and rockies.
Save points pop up every so often and players can pause and save in
between stages or practice stages once completing the game, searching
for additional shortcuts and secrets.
Traffic isn't everywhere so players will learn to conserve what they
have during these stages. Without boost then being a good driver
really comes in handy during these parts. The courses won't all take
place on the roads, rockslides and other natural disasters will force
players to cut across the wilderness, and in some stages to ride over
bumpy railroad tracks. During one particular detour players will be
racing at the bottom of a dry riverbed. Suddenly a huge thunderstorm
appears. A torrent of rain creates a massive wall of water that chases
the players along the winding canyon.
The canyon eventually opens up to a shallow lake. The cars skittle
over the surface of the water like 2-ton skipping stones.
Unfortunately the lake turns out to be the edge of a dam, with a
monstrous drain hole taking the excess water and dumping it at the
base of a dam. The cars have no choice but to go down the hole and go
shooting out at the base.
This portion was based on the real-world drain holes made famous by
skateboarders. When the weather is dry and the dam
is far from capacity plenty of skateboarders and BMX guys make a
pilgrimage, and trespass on Federal land, to skate these monsters.
I've always wanted to see a car shoot down and through the pipes in a videogame.
Once the cars rejoin the road they make their way through the Rocky
Mountains. The scenery is awe-inspiring. The bridges plentiful and
chance to take shortcuts through train tunnels numerous. Of course on
some of the longer tunnels players will come face to face with a
massive train bearing down on them. Then only a last chance exit
through a side tunnel will lead back to the highway.
These changing levels and dramatic situations were mashed together
from memories of Rad Mobile. The whole coast-to-coast theme and
running against the sun so that day and night would happen faster were
also pulled from Rad Mobile. But where did the rest of this game come
from, the transforming racers and the hell motif? And what happens
once the racers reach the east coast? Come back next week to find out!
Is this a racing game you would like to play? Let me know in the comments section please. As always if you would like to sponsor me
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