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Speedball Arena Feature Feature
Derek Dela Fuente
00/12/0000
We sit down with the Bitmap Brothers and discuss their latest title Speedball Arena due for a release on PlayStation 2 and PC next year.
The Bitmap Brothers are one of the dwindling band of elite developers who produce games to excite and offer that little bit different from the norm. The Speedball tag has been going a good few years but Speedball Arena could be the high-powered PS2 and fast 'spec' PC game that really shows off the team's expertise.
Derek dela Fuente met up with Bitmap, Ed Bartlett, the Lead Designer on Speedball Arena who has been working for The Bitmap Brothers for around three years on various projects including Z: Steel Soldiers and Speedball 2 GBA. Before that he spent a short time at Acclaim London, having originally worked at the now defunct West-Midlands codeshop NMS Software on a number of products including Risk, Battleships, Mass Destruction and Tilt.
Most people know the Bitmaps as four guys who occasionally pull an expert or two into the fray to help with a game. With times changing and products growing larger it makes sense that a larger team ensures a game is produced faster (this one will not be put back constantly - a trait the team has). The really big surprise is that only Mike Montgomery remains. (Hmmm - would the Beatles be the Beatles with only one member?) Mike is now the MD and he still programs when he gets the chance, but most of his time now is taken up with the general running and expansion of the company. The team working on Speedball Arena will weigh in at around 15 full time internal development staff members.
With such a well-known and well-loved game such as Speedball, I put the question to Ed pertaining to people's expectations and whether they could be unreasonably high and expect too much from what is a sequel! "This situation was well demonstrated by the previous Speedball incarnation; Speedball 2100 on PSOne. The idea of Speedball 2100 was to create a 3D version of Speedball 2 in order to re-introduce the game both to past fans and to the younger PlayStation generation, who perhaps wouldn't know about Speedball. We spent a lot of time with press and retail doing previews and explaining not to expect any significant changes or additions, and everyone seemed happy and positive. Then when we released the final product we got roundly criticised for not advancing the concept after 10 years⦠Speedball Arena is a true sequel, and contains many new and enhanced features, some of which have never really been seen before. The response so far has been overwhelming, and we are confident that we can deliver a game deserving of the next generation Speedball moniker.â
"The reason we have waited for so long to create a true sequel to the Speedball series is simply because the technology was not in place for us to do the new concept justice. To be fair, the technology still isn't exactly where we would want it to be to create our ultimate vision of Speedball, but it's nearly there!"
Well as you would expect the game is full of new features, but the biggest difference is obviously the ability to play with your friends online. But as is customary, getting detailed info from the Bitmaps is never straight forward although a lot of unique things will be presented with this game and prototyping and refining those features takes time but I forced Ed to expand on the online spec. "Online gaming is one of the key growth areas for the industry and offers all sorts of exciting new opportunities to both developers and gamers. With the difficulties posed by translating many of the traditional sports games to online, and the growing apathy with the glut of FPS titles available, I believe that Speedball has the ideal mix of game play and features to become the premiere online title, putting us in a strong position when online truly finds the mass-market.â
To the many that are not au fait, Speedball originated in the mid-21st century as a violent, rule-free street sport. However, due to corruption and lack of proper funding it collapsed, only to be resurrected in 2100 after the formation of the World Speedball League. Speedball Arena is set 50 years on from Speedball 2, and the game has evolved into an unstoppable
uber-sport. A way of life. In Speedball 2 the player had to guide the laughing stock of the series, Brutal Deluxe, to the top. In Speedball Arena, Brutal Deluxe is now the team to beat, and the player must begin the struggle through the leagues again, knowing that they will at some point meet the team that they made famous.
"I see the ethos of Speedball kind of like human pinball. There are obviously elements such as the enclosed ice-hockey style arena, but what really makes the game fun are the pitch features such as the multiplayer, stars and bounce domes. The pinball influence is something that will be expanded on in Speedball Arena, with much more use of lighting and colour to make the features stand out. This is also why I believe the human-only online clan mode will work, because even defenders can score vital match-winning points instead of just standing idle for long periods of time as you would in a traditional sports title."
As with any sport there will be a comprehensive roster of stats, with the ability to view them in each of their constituent units or as a whole. The team is also planning to make the stats available online, so that when people are spectating a match they can call up the various different teams and even individual player stats.
Although the game has been designed around the premise of training players in the single player mode in order to take them online, it is equally valuable just to train the players for use in the single player game or for local-machine multiplayer matches. As players of Speedball 2 will know, the training mode itself can be very engrossing!
It was good to hear Ed clarify the fact that although the game has many online pluses, bought as a stand alone game satisfaction is guaranteed! "Speedball is already known for the thrills it offers a lone player, and the new version will build on that. A greatly expanded career mode, including numerous leagues, cups and knockouts, new customisation options and the player-training mode will ensure a long and compelling experience. It is also worth remembering that multiplayer is not restricted to online, and Speedball Arena will support a number of new local modes including allowing multiple players to compete in the single player leagues simultaneously."
The Bitmaps have basically taken the system from Speedball 2 and put it alongside the new character class system and worked out exactly what areas are useful to train, in order to give the player a distinct set of attributes to play with. There are also some new skills in Speedball Arena that tie into the attributes, such as the class-specific special moves and the speed boost,
which is affected by both agility and stamina.
There are four main classes: Keeper, Defence, Midfield and Attack. Each one of these has a distinct physical makeup, both visually and in gameplay terms, and will allow all types of players to find a perfect balance to suit their playing style. So what we have in effect is a more detailed and interactive experience which means lots more focus on individual facts of the game.
Injuries, for instance, are tied into the training / stats system, so each team memberâs susceptibility to injury will be defined by their player class and their individual stats makeup. If an individual becomes too badly injured, the player will be forced into the 'blood-bin'. This is also true of online games, so if your player gets injured in an online match you will have to train them back up in the single player mode. This will force people to consider the risks of playing their star player online if, for example, they have an important match coming up in the offline mode.
Strat Vs brawn are both important areas - in effect can you win either way? Yes. Speedball Arena has been designed from the ground up to ensure that there are no all-conquering tactics available. This applies to all aspects - from player training right through to the league structures and pitch layouts. Ed is a strong believer that no advantage should be insurmountable, in the same way that in real life lesser teams can sometimes beat the obvious favourites through passion and a little bit of luck. By training your players you are simply maximising your advantages.
Some intriguing modes are on offer like enhanced full-combat attacks. Whereas in Speedball 2 you could only punch and slide-tackle, and there was no defence against incoming attacks. Speedball Arena will use a unique context-sensitive control system to create a much more flexible and dynamic attack / defence system with a lot more emphasis on hand-to-hand combat. Because Speedball is the team's own creation they can do what they like which means some outrageous but gripping gameplay. "We are in the enviable position of not having to conform to the strict game and world 'rules' seen in real-life sports games, which allow us much more scope for interesting play mechanics. With our blend of furious full-contact action, unique pitch features and futuristic ball dynamics, as well as our reputation for polished gameplay, you can be sure that skilful play will be rewarded.â
So as you can see, even unveiling this early info, a feast of hard action is in store on the pitch and there are no concerns about off field razzmatazz or incidents that may deflect the focus. Gameplay is paramount. The goal of the team, which will see the game on as many next gen platforms as possible, is to offer people an exciting alternative to the masses of generic sports and shooting titles currently flooding the market, and to become the premiere online title. Ed gave his own summing up of the experience that will be on offer. âWe are aiming to provide players with a world in which *they* can become the star, instead of just playing at being their heroes. We are offering a complete package that allows the user an unprecedented amount of control and flexibility, whether playing alone, with friends or online. We are providing the digital age with their own sport for the future. I mean, why play soccer on a console when you can do it for real? You certainly can't play Speedball for real."
Box out
The Bitmaps are in talks with strategic partners across the world with regard to setting up and supporting servers and tournaments. Speedball is a sport and sport by nature is universal, therefore they see online play restricted only by each individual's bandwidth capabilities.
