FUEL Interview

The evolution of PC and Xbox games is moving at a great pace. Even racing games are experiencing some core changes. FUEL ought to be a pattern for other developers how they should mix game-genres even if they seem unmixable. For instance, in FUEL you'll see a classic racing game that also features some cool RPG-like elements (yes you read it correctly), which will let gamers be more careful when selecting the drivers of their vehicles.

With the help of the Xbox technology the developers of FUEL have incorporated some nifty visual details and effects. The game has a lot of huge environments, in which the players can drive and explore freely, while competing with other racers on land, water, and in the sky.

To let us know more about this interesting Xbox game we have caught up with Steve, the Project Manager, and Nathan (Programming Lead/Co-Founder). Don't wait any longer, dig into the scoop.

Action Trip: I cannot perform this interview without knowing one thing: have you ever driven in the Paris-Dakar rally? If the answer is no, don't worry, I know someone who can get you in ;^)

Indiana Jones myth comes to life.

Drrrive that horses ars Angus!

Steve (Project Manager/Biz Guy): I don't think anyone here has been in the Paris-Dakar rally, but I know that I personally drove through Chicago during a blizzard during a 5pm rush hour on a Friday in under an hour. I understand that the conditions are sometimes quite similar.

AT: Seriously though, how can you describe this game in a few short words?

Steve: A character interactive, off-road racing triathlon. Think of a 3rd-person adventure title combined with an 4x4 off-road racing experience.

AT: What inspired you the most to make FUEL?

Nathan (Programming Lead/Co-Founder): We wanted to make a new type of racing genre. We made Everglade Rush as a tech demo, and then realized that minus a few things, it was just like every other racing game out there. So we changed it and added innovations to the genre - creating a new genre, interactive, off-road racing.

AT: Primarily, the Xbox has attracted many developers and publisher worldwide, and each day more titles pop-up. However, next to all of the recently announced Xbox games, FUEL seems to offer a rather original concept for a racing game. What do you think is the main aspect of this game that will attract players the most?

Steve: We are offering the players the ability to explore our game worlds without the common restrictions of a racing game. Have you ever been in a game where you have seen something on the sidelines that interested you as you speed by it? In FUEL, for example, you can see a barn off to the side of the road. You get out of your jeep, jump the fence (or smash through it) and look inside the barn. There you see an ATV and a back road up the side of a hill, which turns out to be a pretty nifty short cut. The rules are simply to win in whatever manner you see fit. We think that's a pretty fun idea.

AT: And now for the question everyone has been waiting for. What juicy features did the GeForce3's nfiniteFX engine allow you to include in the game?

Nathan: Well, we have a lot of features that take advantage of GeForce3's nfiniteFX engine, like per-pixel bump-mapping, self-casting shadows applied to every surface in the game, per-pixel reflecting and refracting water, and cubic environmentally mapped models.

AT: Will the game feature any visible alterations on the vehicles chassis, from track dirt? And will there be any car damage?

Steve: We have thought about doing track dirt and vehicle damage but have scheduled those items to be additions that we will include if time permits. We will have a wide variety of vehicles to choose among, which makes implementing a damage model for each vehicle a very large effort, especially for vehicles that are for all purposes throw-away. We are paying extra attention, however, to each vehicle and attempting to make it react realistically, which would include their breakdowns if abused too much.

AT: One of the things that really impressed me, is the fact that players will be able to race in air, on land, and on water. Can you tell our readers more about the tracks and environments they'll get to explore?

Cathing up with the other guy.

Move that blasted thing ya slik-wearrin' buttercup!

This thing can fly Ma!!

Steve: FUEL's tracks and environments will all have a realistic feel. Our environments are very large. So large, in fact, that when we held trial races through the game's levels, it took us nearly 15 to 20 minutes to complete each level. Since then we have broken the races up to cover each portion of the terrain. Players will be visiting locations such as Egypt, Australia, the Canadian Rockies, Scotland and others.

AT: We noticed on some of the shots that you plan to include quite an interesting range of vehicles. Give us a clearer picture on that. Specifically, name some vehicles and speak more about their features.

Steve: Well, each vehicle will have it's own special characteristics, which will require the player to choose the right vehicle for the job. For example, our 4x4 off-road vehicle handles very well and has better hard-surface control than our dune buggy, which handles sand and soft dirt better. Our ATV isn't as fast as either of these vehicles, but because it is smaller and lighter it can access sections of the course that other vehicles wouldn't be able to reach. (You can also hide ATVs in really interesting places :). On the other side, a swamp boat that can go through shallow water may take a short cut that the jet boat would never be able to traverse. A surf-runner will be far more maneuverable than a normal outboard speedboat and can also take turns at higher speeds. The speedboat, on the other hand, will be faster than the surf-runner on the open water and, (insert evil cackle here) due to its size, will easily dominate any collision with a smaller craft.

AT: You revealed recently that the player races from one parking lot to another. Explain more about the purpose of these parking lots?

Steve: The parking lots are essentially a staging area where a collection of easy-to-locate vehicles will be found. These staging areas will signify to the player that it may be more advantageous to change vehicles at this point for the upcoming challenges. Players are, of course, free to proceed however they want.

AT: How does the players character selection reflect upon gameplay?