Full Auto: Developer Interview

From its very inception as a development studio in Toronto, Canada, Pseudo Interactive has always wanted to make a game like Full Auto™. Cord Smith, producer of the Xbox 360™ racer, parked his vehicle long enough to talk about the first original racer for Microsoft®'s next-generation console. Smith said that the technology at Pseudo has always revolved around complex physics, so putting vehicles in its games just makes sense.

"It's not common knowledge, but well before Cel Damage ever went into production, the founders of the studio were already busy prototyping realistic cars in explosive situations," said Smith. "The XNA Crash demos really got the studio back to its roots, and the allure of high-speed combined with deadly weapons paved the way for those demos to evolve into the foundation for Full Auto."

Next-Gen Possibilities

Under William (Need for Speed™: Underground) Ho's guidance, the entire team participated in brainstorming sessions to hone the game's core mechanics and the way in which Pseudo would ultimately build the world. That world wasn't possible before Xbox 360.

Smith said that the sheer amount of interaction (read: destruction) within the world is unprecedented, andwhen you combine the amazing textures, gratuitous particle effects, and extensive physical simulations, you get a racing experience that defies modern-day expectations. Add to that the ability to turn back time through the Unwreck feature and suddenly you're looking at a mixture of game mechanics that no one has ever achieved within the genre, added Smith.

These looks can kill … and destroy a city.

Full Auto comes packed with four classes of cars, four distinct districts, and eight weapons with three levels of upgrades each. Smith said that translates to plenty of toys to master in the game 's single-player mode. Pseudo has included a 80+ event Career Mode, as well as plenty of adjustable parameterswithin the Arcade Mode (like reverse tracks, lap counts, competitor cars, difficultylevel, etc.).

"With no canned animations and a fully-physicalized world, you'll find that you'll never race the same race twice," said Smith. "Tearing the world apartin different ways, pushing the limits of the different car classes, and mastering all levels of all weapons is a big challenge that will keep you coming back for more. Beyond that, you can compete against a friend in two-player, split-screen competition, or against seven other players over Xbox Live®."

The Need for Speed
Smith said creating the interactive world—one that was built from scratch to blow up beautifully—wasn't possible until Microsoft 's new console came calling. But what you see in the developer's first next-gen title is just the beginning.

"We've certainly tapped the 360's capabilities, but we're far from exceeding them," said Smith. "Throughout the development process we've identified areas and systems that can be taken much further with the proper planning and tool creation within a second attempt. Pseudo is all about next-gen console development and we are dedicated to pushing our tech to new limits. Whether it's fully-simulated explosions, new rendering effects for sense of speed, enhancements to real-time destruction, or simply increasing frame rate, we're already moving forward with enhancements to our engine and are confident that our next project will set a new bar."

Who needs to take in the scenery when you can destroy it?

Blowing Away the Competition
Pseudo built Full Auto knowing the game would be compared to the best games in the genre. Because of this, they set out to differentiate themselves in as many ways as possible. Smith said strapping weapons to the cars was a good start, making the environment 100% destructible pushed the team further, and then the addition of "unwreck" changed its own expectations of how a racing game should be played. Looking at Full Auto as a franchise, it's important to hold true to what makes us different, while always being mindful of areas we'd like to improve, added Smith.

As is often the case in gaming today, Pseudo looked to the big screen for inspiration in its new racer. Pick any movie with a fast car in it and Psuedo has probably referenced it.

"You get bonus points if the movie has cars and guns, and even more points if the guns are massive and actually mounted on the cars themselves," said Smith. "Honestly, we took cues from Jerry Bruckheimer's best scenes, along with a slew of classic car chases. Additionally, we looked to cart racers, arcade racers, and the best of the first-person shooter genre to inform some key decisions in our pacing, our look, and the feel of our controls."

I knew I should have paid for that rental insurance.

More Cities to Destroy
Smith said that while Xbox 360 is perfectly suited to Pseudo 's bold vision, time can only allow for so much. With Xbox 360, ideas and features were never cut due to technical limitations and Smith said that with enough time and resources, the people at Pseudo believe that anything is possible.

"We have more ideas than we can even sift through at the moment," said Smith, when asked about a potential sequel. "The elements within Full Auto give rise to almost infinite possibilities, and taking the core action further can be done in almost limitless ways. In our opinion, a full-blown sequel is only the beginning. Through our powerful technology and the talents of our team, we're confident we'll push new boundaries with each new project."

When asked what hardcore gamers will enjoy most about Pseudo's new racer, Smith said it 's the amazing spectacle of the game that will impress anyone who sees it.

"Full Auto is a showcase title for the Xbox 360 and I think the infinite possibilities along with the amazing presentation (just wait until you experience one-touch replay) will keep gamers and their friends entranced," said Smith. "The multiplayer will keep them happy, as the game offers up some serious challenges online and off."

Article by John Gaudiosi

• Pseudo Interactive Official Game Website.
• Sega Official Website.