Q&A: July 3rd, 2024

OzarkTempses Asks
Over the years, I've always wanted to have a Mad Max-esque racing game in which you could conceivably both shoot your enemies and race but (aside from the fact that nobody is making those AFAIK) it always comes down to how to make vehicles resilient enough so they can cross the finish line while being brittle enough to actually be destroyed mid-race? There was this web game called Darkwind but aside from that, how would you balance such a thing without making it Mario Kart 2.0?

That is one of the most difficult aspects about Car Combat, even without involving a race. I recently played Twisted Metal Black for the first time, and one of the disadvantages it has of its technology compared to later driving games is the damage model and weapon effects.

Hitting somebody with a missile needs to feel like its doing something deadly, but as I found out via the Turbo Sloths Demo on Steam, it can't actually be that devastation, because driving along and being one-hit KO'd just isn't fun or engaging.

There is perhaps one method for Mad Max. I played a little indie racer called Octarace, and instead of cars being destroyed via weapons, or contact, instead, they're destroyed when players are out of frame.

This can be achieved via out-pacing your opponent, but it can also be done by compromising them at very inconvenient times.

That might solve the problem you'd have with Mad Max where you need players to do damage to others, but you can't just make the game an endless string of blowing each other up.

Or just reskinning it as a Burnout game.

Matthew Malone Asks
Hardest you’ve ever raged in a video game? In terms of difficulty and/or general frustration at the mechanics.

It's a weird answer, but Assassin's Creed II.

I do like that game overall, but there was a moment when Ezio just refused to grab a ledge that was within range so many times to get a collectable, I threw my controller hard enough at the Mattress, it bounced off and slammed into my mirror.

THANKFULLY, it didn't get smashed to pieces, but it was a close call, and from that day on, I promised myself to never rage at a game enough to do that again.

Duncan Gohl Asks
Thoughts on the summer games fest and the other showcase (Xbox, Sony, Nintendo)? Anything that concerned you or caught your interest?

I had a great time with it as usual, and unlike the last one, I actually had time to go through all the games I wanted to play. Highlights for me were...

-Wild Bastards
-Caravan Sandwitch
-I Am Your Beast
-Victory Heat Rally
-Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers
-Tricky Madness
-Phantom Spark

Wild Bastards especially, I almost just want to make a show with those characters.

WashedAF Asks
Odds of you pulling a Frankie Muniz and starting your racing career?

First, I'd have to get a drivers license... but my last name is SUCH a racing name, that I should at least make an attempt someday.

it's just Kurt Asks
Are their any games you have thought about doing years later on but didn't because they were simply to much? If so could you list a few and a quick reason why they are to much?

I've never started those projects, but they absolutely exist. Dragon Age Origins, Cyberpunk 2077, and it's not just Years Later videos, but lots of my recent projects.

I kinda feel like I'm in this awkward middle ground, where I want to increase the scale and production value of my work, but I don't have the money or staff to do so.

Hopefully that'll change in the future though, and things like Cyberpunk 2077 are works I definitely intent to complete.

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