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Full Auto Q&A Feature
Derek dela Fuente
24/01/2006
TVG catches up with the Pseudo Interactive's Producer, Cord Smith, to discuss all things Full Auto...
Billed as one of the most destructive and highly detailed car/combat titles yet, TVG was eager to find out more ahead of the game's release as Derek dela Fuente spoke with Full Auto's Producer, Cord Smith, who gave us the full low down on the game.
Please tell us about the team, Pseudo Interactive, who are creating the game and the kind of thoughts and visions that have gone into the design of Full Auto?
Founded by David Wu more than 8 years ago, PSEUDO has undergone significant changes since finishing Cel Damage, its last major console release. Given our strong sense of community, unparalleled company culture, and the cross-departmental talent we employ, we consider our studio a very special place where the singular goal of making fun games is always our first priority. Full Auto is no exception. Given our incredibly powerful technology, we have certainly innovated within the genre, but at the heart of Full Auto's design is a super-accessible racing game fused with heavy artillery and mass appeal.
"... but we have always seen Full Auto as a racing game first, and a combat game second."
Is the focus in Full Auto on the racing or combat; if you stripped away the firepower how would the driving experience compare to the likes of Burnout and Need for Speed?
It wasn't easy to hybridize the gameplay mechanics of racing and combat in a hyper-realistic setting, but we have always seen Full Auto as a racing game first, and a combat game second. That design philosophy probably isn't as apparent to the gaming public considering 99% of our screenshots contain massive explosions, but from our perspective, you can't create a game about cars without first designing tracks that are inherently fun when it comes to racing. We've done a lot to fully differentiate Full Auto from its arcade racer second-cousins. Unwreck is just one innovative feature that sets us apart, and obviously weapons come to mind as a change of pace, but our tireless efforts to create fully-interactive environments will almost certainly raise the bar on what gamers expect when playing games in almost any genre on next-gen hardware.
Physics plays an important role within Full Auto, perhaps you'd like to give a description of the technology behind the game and the role it serves within it?
At PSEUDO, our development is intricately tied to our powerful physics engine. Every object in our game behaves according to our physics engine, which means everything is tied seamlessly into one universal set of physical rules. This translate across all elements, from the handling of our cars to the tracking on a homing missile, you'll notice that everything "feels" like it exists in the same "space." This poses challenges given the detailed nature of each asset's characteristics (mass, volume, collision, material type, etc.), but it reaps awesome rewards when elements combine in unexpected ways while staying true to how you'd expect them to behave in the real-world. When you see these chain reactions for yourself, just remember that they're not canned animations; they're literally the result of simulating a highly-detailed and destructive world.
Can you tell us a little about the combat aspects and what types of weaponry players can expect?
You'll start out learning the basics: how to drive, how to boost, and how to Unwreck. Once you're ready for combat, you'll find that your weapons come in 8 different types. Other than machine guns and smoke screen, all weapon types offer aimable versions at some level (there are 3 levels per type). Gamers can aim their on-screen reticle very easily using the Right Stick, then press down on the Right Stick to fire. Certain close-range weapons have a large aiming radius (i.e. Shotgun), while more powerful weapons have a constrained aimable range (i.e. Tank Cannon). Don't forget that every weapon preset contains both a primary and a secondary weapon, so the trick is using both effectively and in a balanced fashion since our overheat system prevents those with an itchy trigger finger from firing indefinitely.
Perhaps you'd like to tell us about the structure of the game and the breakdown of challenges presented to the player; what types of rewards can players expect?
We have three levels of merit: Survivor, Semi-Auto, and Full Auto. In order to earn "Full Auto" (the highest level of merit), you not only need to place 1st in the event, but also achieve a set Wreck Total, which translates to drive fast and blow up lots of stuff. We give you a second incentive for blowing away opponents and tearing the world apart in that causing damage also has the benefit of filling your Unwreck meter. Thus, the more punishment you dish out, the more second chances you'll receive. Of course, within our Career Mode, we mix up various elements to provide gamers with unique challenges like stripping away weapons for true time trials or locking out unwreck for added intensity. As for our overall destruction claim: words can't really do it justice--you just have to experience for yourself.
"Just think: if shooters and racers rule the online realm in popularity, what will happen when both genres collide in one lightning-fast game?"
Naturally Xbox Live is key to many 360 titles so can you tell us a little about this area?
The Xbox Live experience within Full Auto consists of three intense track modes: Circuit, Point-to-Point, and Down-and-Back, with each mode uniquely configurable for various options like lap number, forward/reverse, opposing starts, supported car classes, etc. The key differentiator between single-player and multi-player is the lack of second chances. Without Unwreck, you really have to make every lap count and avoid making mistakes. This has the effect of making online matches incredibly intense, and based on the tests within the office; Xbox Live gamers are going to have a total blast. Just think: if shooters and racers rule the online realm in popularity, what will happen when both genres collide in one lightning-fast game?
Unwreck appears to be Full Auto's greatest innovation; can you tell us a little about this feature and any that we may have missed?
Unwreck alone has the potential to redefine how gamers approach racing games. Having a second chance in your back pocket means you can always live on the edge-without fear of letting one mistake ruin your experience or force you to restart an entire race. Additionally, the sheer amount of emergence that comes from a fully-interactive world means no two races are ever the same. With so many elements combining in unpredictable ways, the action never grows stale. I can attest to that phenomenon personally since I've been playing the game for nearly 16 months and still experience explosive moments and victories so thrilling I'd never imagined them possible even though I'm well aware of all the variables involved.
For such an explosive game sound must play an integral part, can you elaborate on this area for us and the extent to which you've gone to ensure Full Auto sounds right?
Our sound designer contracted multiple engine-recording sessions through a professional sound studio in California which resulted in some amazing source material. These files were used to create loops for the engines and we use a special system to link these loops directly into our tachometer and shifting parameters so that the engines react properly at all times. Beyond that, many of our other SFX were created by modifying stock samples and linking them directly to objects, events, and other systems (like traction in the case of the skids). The amount of audio in Full Auto is staggering since almost everything can be broken. Once you combine that amount of sound with our exclusive adaptive soundtrack (composed by John Roome and Rom Di Prisco), you end up with something gamers simply haven't heard in the racing genre.
Finally can you tell us something about the unique camera setups in Full Auto?
With so much happening around the player at any given time, the presentation of those elements has to be a priority. We offer unique views of the action through a procedural camera system that automatically frames key moments like when the player gets big air, takes out an opponent, or gets taken out or wrecks. Additionally, we've included an amazing new feature we call One-Touch Replay which allows players to instantly view the last 12 seconds of gameplay. Our camera system will automatically track all the action and loop the footage, but players can also pause and take control of the camera while moving time forwards and reverse with the Left and Right Triggers. This sort of instant replay control has never been available in a racing game-much less the world's most destructive racing game-and we're confident that it will raise the bar on next-gen presentation while also allowing gamers a critical look at our amazing physics engine and our dazzling special effects.
TVG would like to thank Cord Smith for taking some time to go through the finer details of Full Auto. The game is slated for a European release on February 10th with an Xbox Live Marketplace demo to appear shortly; we'll have further coverage soon...
