Rockstar’s Table Tennis is no joke

How often do you get to have a really deep conversation about Table Tennis? Based on our talk with Benjamin Johnson, lead designer for Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis, we've been missing out and we had no idea. Catch up on the latest on Rockstar's seemingly random new sports direction, their new R.A.G.E. engine, and just how badass hitting tiny white balls can be with this upcoming next-gen experience.

Xbox.com: What was the genesis of this project? Who pitched it, and were you surprised by the initial idea?

“You can perform net scrapes, edge shots,
high arcing lobs, powerful smashes, arcing scoops …”

Benjamin Johnson: Our mission at Rockstar has been clear since the company was founded: We want to make games with innovative game play about subject matters we are interested in. Table Tennis embodies the focused, intense action that we wanted to bring to a gaming experience. It's a serious sport, and it's no joke to us. We're all about making great games that are a thrill to play, and we've done that here.

Xbox.com: What gameplay elements do you think the game of table tennis brings to videogames that we haven't experienced before?

Johnson: Xbox 360™ has given us the opportunity to craft an incredible aural and visual experience that works with the gameplay to create unforgettable moments. You wouldn't believe it, but table tennis is a very deep and involved sport that requires fast reflexes, precise timing, and strategic planning.

If you're wondering how well we recreate the feeling of table tennis, the game is just plain fast. The sense of speed is electric. The best part is that when the ball is flying back and forth over the net at lightning speed, you are in control of what happens. If you win a point, you earned it.

Huh. Look at that. Guy’s married.

Xbox.com: Can you talk a little about the physics system and how vital it is to both the experience and the strategy the player uses?

Johnson: Physics play a huge role in Table Tennis. Our physics and gameplay programmers were able to put together an excellent system that is realistic and fun at the same time. The ball reacts appropriately to what's happening in the game, and each rally is a unique and exciting experience. You can perform net scrapes, edge shots, high arcing lobs, powerful smashes, arcing scoops and more.

The players in the game have unique strengths and weaknesses such as power, serving, spin, and accuracy. The different combinations of players and attributes make things quite interesting. For example, if you're a control player playing a power player, you should use that control to avoid giving the power player an easy chance to smash the ball on you. Everyone will be able to find a player that matches their style.

Xbox.com: Is Table Tennis the first title to use the R.A.G.E (Rockstar Advanced Game Engine) toolset, and can you talk about how important it is for you not be dependant on another company's engine for your development needs?

Johnson: Yes, Table Tennis is the first game to use the R.A.G.E. engine. The engine really allows us to create type of games we want to create. We're no longer restricted by another company's software. This has allowed us to custom build technology for our purposes.

For Table Tennis, everything was developed to get you more emotionally involved in the game. We utilized R.A.G.E. to create an advanced animation system that seamlessly blends swings and movement together to bring the characters to life. Our technology has also allowed us to give a deeper connection to the characters than most sports games offer. When your player is having a hard time, he'll respond to missed points with anger, disappointment, or even indifference. You'll be able to see this in the player's face and his actions. In fact, you'll be able to find characters that you love or hate just based on their emotions.

Also, the graphics and physics you'll witness in Table Tennis are meant to immerse you into the experience. This should give you a sense of what all of our future games are moving towards. The character models are lifelike and feature advanced cloth and sweat technology that add to the experience.

The A.I. in the game is also something that we're proud of. At every difficulty, your opponents will use real tactics without being cheap or robotic. The AI will also respond to how you play. If you try one tactic for too long, the game will catch on and change its strategy. At the harder difficulty levels, you'll still have a good time, but you will respect the A.I.

Two words: Boo and Yah

Xbox.com: Online multiplayer would seem to be a natural focus. Can you talk about what unique modes or options we can look forward to? Are there any plans for online tournaments?

Johnson: We expect Table Tennis to be big with the Xbox Live® community. Players will have the ability to hold one-on-one contests, join 8 person tournaments, and even just be a spectator. We've been playing online matches with people from different departments and offices. I've heard the quietest guys in the office jump up and yell during tournaments. It can get pretty crazy. But if you don't want to actually play in a match, you can go online, find the best players out there, watch their matches, check their skills, and just have a good time.

Xbox.com: Were you surprised by any technological or feature-set benefit that Xbox 360 provided during the development of Table Tennis?

Johnson: Working with new hardware is always a challenge, but with Xbox 360, we were really pleased with how easy it was to work with and the results that we were able get. In the end, you just want the hardware to let you make a game without having to sacrifice creativity and innovation. With Xbox 360, we were also really able to push the audio to new places.

Xbox.com: Are there any plans to provide downloadable content?

Johnson: We're going to have the Table Tennis demo on Xbox Live Marketplace, which will be a great way for people to get a taste of the game. But be warned, you can get addicted pretty quickly.

Xbox.com: What gameplay element or feature are you most proud of in Table Tennis?

Johnson: If you've ever played a table tennis game, then you know how simple and fun it can be. If you've ever seen a professional match, then you know how intense it can be. Even if you never knew the sport existed, you'll still have a lot of fun hitting the ball around. We've brought this same play dynamic to Xbox 360. Anyone can have a great time playing it. At the same time, there's a ton of depth in the game that you will have to learn and understand before you can call yourself a master of the game. Even now, we're still finding new strategies and techniques to use.

We were always trying to create a sports game that was highly accessible, maintained the intensity of a fighting game, and gave off an emotional response to the players as if they were actually at the table. And by emotional response, I mean jumping up and yelling out loud. I think we've done a very good job of bringing this all together in one cohesive package.

Think someone’s about to get served.

Xbox.com: The game utilizes a dual analog control setup as well as one focused on the face buttons. Do you have a personal preference? What would you suggest newcomers to the game use?

Johnson: The game is built to be played either way. The analog offers a wider range of control when you're trying to do certain shots, but the buttons are more exact in their input. We've seen some masterful play with both setups, so it's really a matter of preference. Regardless, when you play, you're not going to be too concerned with fiddling with buttons. It only takes a second to feel your way around the game and start getting into some good rallies.

Xbox.com: Wow, we can’t wait to check out that Xbox Live demo. Thanks for your time, Benjamin!