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Exclusive Super Farm Q&A Feature
Derek dela Fuente
18/09/2003
Magic mushrooms and falling anvils a plenty, as we chat exclusively with the guys behind Super Farm...
The arrival on the farm of a voluptuous turkey-hen called Pamela has caused mayhem. Ten bored animals competing for her affections in the only way men know how - by fighting - is not a pretty sight! Now's your chance to find out and experience what this can be like! Super Farm allows players to pick any one of the characters - each of which comes with specific strengths and weaknesses - and progress through a story-led adventure in order to win over the attentions of Pamela. Essentially, the game involves biffing up your fellow love-rivals and using any of the many, many ways in which to inflict pain. This can involve something as simple as an ordinary anvil in the face or maybe something more complicated, like wiring them to the mains. Any way is fair - as long as Pamela approves.
Cartoon capers, lavishly created cut scenes that introduce the levels and scenarios through cartoon-quality cinematics are on offer but that is not all!
Developed by Asobo Studio, this cartoon styled madcap-melee combat game mixes an original set of bizarre farmyard characters with classic single- and multi-player arcade combat, providing an endearing and entertaining arena-based romp.
Another interesting fact to add to the equation is the fact that we could be hearing a lot from Ignition as they recently announced that industry icon and game guru, Archer MacLean, will head the creative department of this next-gen publisher.
Super Farm will be the first title due with the companyâs new focus and we spoke to Sebastian Wloch (Director and Programmer @ Asobo) to find out more.
Let the interview commence....................
This is a weird sounding title. Firstly where did the team draw their inspiration for the game from (what have they done before) and why have you gone for the pastel palette?
Super Farm started with the desire to create and play the ultimate multiplayer experience on consoles. We dreamed of a game that would be addictive and that would keep us playing for a very long time, allowing us to always come up with new tactics to defeat our friends. But we also wanted to create a funny game that would be easy to play for everybody. We mainly drew our inspiration from combat games, first person shooters and party games creating an original combination of the three. We also wanted to offer a great experience to the single player and Super Farm features a complete story mode with deadly funny CGI, a very advanced AI, as well as many sub games and challenges. The graphic style we chose allowed a clearer action and was perfect for the kind of humour and jokes we wanted to create; Super Farm is not meant to be serious; it is fast action, mean tricks, and hilarious moments alone or to share with friends. We think it is the most addictive and fun game to play with friends out there.
How many animals can you assume and what kind of varying skills do they have?
At the beginning the player can choose from 4 different animals but quickly you'll unlock others to end up with 10 totally different playable characters. Every character has specific skills: The pig is quite strong and can hit an opponent from very far, it can also carry 3 different weapons or objects at a time. That makes it a very dangerous character for its opponents who might get hit at any time from anywhere. The rabbit is totally different from the pig: It is fast but weak and its inventory only features 1 available slot. The rabbit is not very dangerous but it quickly hides to avoid attacks and easily steals objects from other characters.
How does the game, story, differ with control of each character and is there a linear path through the game and events? 16 levels - how is this broken down?
The player needs to make up strategies adapted to the character he chooses. In Super Farm, managing to hit opponents doesn't make a victory: There are 4 different major game types and in each one the player needs to combine offensive strategies to slow down his opponents' progression and defensive strategies to ensure his own progression.
The story mode is split up into groups of 4 levels. In each group, the player must have played a level once in order to unlock the next one. To unlock the next group of 4 levels, the player must have won at least 3 levels of the previous group. In this mode, 15 minutes of joke packed CGI await the player.
Can you run the readers through the first few events as you play the game to give them a feel of what is on offer? Also a little mention about some of the sub games and challenges on offer.
When the player starts the story mode, he'll be guided though each level: A tutorial will explain the goal of the game mode, the usage of weapons, traps and power ups. In the first level, the player must hit his opponent, pick up the teeth he looses and be the first to reach 50 teeth. The opponent is going to try to do the same. In this level, the player will find a shovel and a speed boost power up. This first level is very simple but already offers many strategies. Depending on the character the player chose, he'll have to manage his inventory, fake attacks in order to lead the other player to use his shovel for nothing, etcâ¦
Once the player manages to hit the opponent; with the shovel, by throwing him against a wall or by electrocuting him; he still needs to pick up the teeth without getting hit in return. Once the player has defeated this first opponent, he'll get to the next level where new weapons, power ups and tricks await him.
Besides the story mode and all multiplayer modes, the game features 16 puzzles and 16 chrono challenges. These game modes are time based. When the player picks up clock items, he gains precious seconds, otherwise time counts down until it reaches zero. The player must pick up as many clock items as possible. In each one of the 16-chrono challenges, the clock items follow a track throughout one of the 16 locations of the game. In the puzzle modes, the player needs to hit opponents to gain clocks. In each one of the 16 puzzle stages there's a particular way to use the available weapons and gain the maximum of clock items. Playing these 32 sub games is really fun but also teaches the player new tricks and helps him improve his skills for the story and multiplayer mode.
How does the combat actually work - what objects and weapons can you use and what part do the environment and surroundings play in this? What limits are there and what are the winning conditions?
In Super Farm, the player has to be the first one to complete the game's objectives which can be to collect and bring 15 objects to Pamela, to run through the level and be the first one to touch Pamela 15 times, to pick up the flag and be the first one to keep it for 60 seconds or to hit the opponents, gather up the teeth they loose getting hit and be the first one to reach a score of 50 teeth. To ensure victory, the player also has to slow down his opponents using various tricks and weapons. The game features many, short range and long-range weapons. As an example, the anvil is a long-range weapon. The player targets an opponent and then throws the anvil high in the air. The anvil then comes back down right on his opponent. If an opponent was targeted, the weapon always reaches its target. But there are many ways to counter each weapon: To avoid getting hit by an anvil, the player can go hide under a roof. Some roofs get destroyed when they get hit by an anvil but others remain throughout the game. These are strategic places to protect. The player can also use the right weapon to counter the anvil: If a player uses an umbrella when the anvil comes down, the anvil gets sent back right to the sender. Each weapon featured in the game (shovel, anvil, cow dung, bomb, umbrella, bean tin, remote control, eggâ¦) can be countered using various tricks. Besides the weapons, there are also various power ups. One of them allows you to unlimitedly reuse a weapon. This allows the player to let it rain anvils throughout the level. Each level also features many ways to trap opponents. In the first level, the speed boost power up is right on an electrified roof. When a player comes along to pick up the speed boost; just switch the lever aside and grill the opponent to death.
Finally, the game also offers a cooperative mode. Here, teams of 1 to 3 players are allowed. Team play offers even more possibilities: Players can pick up and throw their team mate right toward Pamela in order to win the next point or define strategies to more quickly deliver objects by throwing them to each other.
What locations are on offer and are these locations pertinent to gameplay?
Everything starts in the farm where the animals live. But when their beloved Pamela (a turkey hen) gets taken away to the meat factory, the heroes try to save her and follow her throughout the entire world (and even into space, but that's a surprise for those who finish the story mode). Each level offers peculiarities: In the train level for instance, the player will have to jump from wagon to wagon and also across several cars driving on the road next to the train. In the docks, fishes can be found on a boat that floats back and forth and depending on its position it is more or less important to protect the fishes from the opponents. A floating iceberg is one location where the player has to master the more delicate moving around on ice. The more the player progresses, the more he'll need to set up the right strategy in order to win. He'll have to combine more and more weapons and defeat more opponents simultaneously.
How focused is the team on innovations and special effects? Mention some of the cool things for the player to watch out for?
There are some great visual effects to catch the eye of the player: Reflections, depth of field effects, explosions, heat distortions. Every character has more than one hundred behaviours and animations; there are hundreds of special effects upon impacts, etc. Many things around the levels can be destroyed, the vegetation moves with the wind, clothes hanging around move when the player runs though them⦠But there are also many innovations that won't pop into the player's eyes but that directly participate in creating the experience: The game features almost unlimited combinations of interactions, even after weeks of playing the player will still discover new tricks. As an example, when playing in team mode, two team mates can both pick up shovels, then one catches an opponent and throws the opponent towards his team mate; the thrown character will bounce back and forth between the two team mates holding shovels and will loose all his teeth. The game also features a very effective AI that masters loads of advanced strategies, moves perfectly around the stage and takes advantage of all possible shelters in the various locations. The AI characters also adapt their abilities to the player's skill by automatically modifying more than 50 internal parameters. And with the game's 4 different difficulty levels , no type of player was forgotten.
Finally, can you give us a breakdown of all onscreen icons and explain briefly how the controls work?
On the upper left part of the screen, the inventory has 1 to 3 free spaces. When the player picks up an object, weapon or opponent, it is displayed in the inventory. The currently held item is highlighted; the latest can be switched pressing L1 and R1. The player can use the currently held item pressing SQUARE. Each weapon works differently; for some you'll have to target before you use it, for others, one ignites first and throws afterwards (the bomb). On the upper right part of the screen, the current ranking displays the number of points each player has at the moment. Depending on the game mode, an arrow, in the upper middle displays the current target to reach or object to take. When an opponent is targeted or once a projectile is approaching, the visual representation displayed on the top of the opponent shows the type of menace and the time to impact. When a player sees such targets on his own character it is time to go hide or take out the best counter weapon available.
