New MX vs. ATV: Untamed screens and developer diary
posted:
11/26/2007 8:00:00 PM
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MX vs. ATV: Untamed
THQ has just released a mother ton of new screenshots for MX vs. ATV:Unleashed. If you want to read some more information about the game from Brian Coonce, the designer on the game just hit the more button for the details on some of the ideas they are putting into the game.
Developer Diary – Freestyle and Open Worlds
By Brian Coonce, Principle Game Designer, Rainbow Studios
Long-time Rhythm Racers know that some of the best moments playing MX vs ATV come not just from the intense racing competition but from exploring the massive open worlds and carving up their own trail. While designing MX vs ATV: Untamed, we wanted to take this interaction with the environment to the next level, so gone are the sloping terrains and foggy skies and in their place are towering canyons, jagged rock spires and flowing streams. Pulling off freestyle stunts in a crowd-filled arena is always a challenge, but landing a double back-flip off a hundred foot cliff drop leads to the ultimate pulse-pounding offroad experience. With these massive new environments in mind, we sought to revamp our freestyle mechanics from the ground up to take advantage of these natural outdoor launching pads.
One of the biggest gripes of gamers in the past was the inability to rack up massive stunt combos. This was largely because a player was limited by the biggest jump they could find to execute their most intense combo. In MX vs. ATV: Untamed, gone are the days of single-jump stunt combinations. A sequence of jumps and stunts can now be chained together through a new linking mechanism that allows the player a short period of time to execute their next back-flip or three-sixty. Is the next ramp still too far away? There’s still time to keep your combo alive by executing one of our all new ground stunts including no-handers and side-saddles. Your stunt score is limited only by your creativity and ability to nail that next line of jumps.
Of course, the biggest single-jump combos can still only be executed by hitting the outdoors hard. Next-gen hardware has allowed our level designers to create massive changes in elevation, unlike anything seen in previous MX titles. Not only does this change in elevation allow for major air-time, keeping your wheels on the ground while tearing through a down-hill trail leads to speeds bordering on the verge of insanity. The result is terrain that leaves zero room for error on the biggest jumps and down-hills, but also has the biggest potential payoffs.
When you’re not stringing together six-stunt combos, we’ve also made sure you have plenty to keep your time occupied as you begin to explore the offroad. Take in the scenery of ocean views, lakeside villas, and desert buttes, or begin conquering the outdoors by jumping streams and scaling rock archways. We’re particularly proud of the work we’ve done on our water simulation. You’ll feel the full effect as the tug on your vehicle churns out huge water sprays. Leaping over a water hazard can mean the difference between beating the competition and winding up in last place with only soaked gear to show for your efforts.
The best part is that the waiting to conquer the terrain in MX vs. ATV: Untamed has finally come to an end. Download the demo today on Xbox Live and the Playstation Network to experience the Untamed World for yourself, and check out the full version in stores December 17th!
By Brian Coonce, Principle Game Designer, Rainbow Studios
Long-time Rhythm Racers know that some of the best moments playing MX vs ATV come not just from the intense racing competition but from exploring the massive open worlds and carving up their own trail. While designing MX vs ATV: Untamed, we wanted to take this interaction with the environment to the next level, so gone are the sloping terrains and foggy skies and in their place are towering canyons, jagged rock spires and flowing streams. Pulling off freestyle stunts in a crowd-filled arena is always a challenge, but landing a double back-flip off a hundred foot cliff drop leads to the ultimate pulse-pounding offroad experience. With these massive new environments in mind, we sought to revamp our freestyle mechanics from the ground up to take advantage of these natural outdoor launching pads.
One of the biggest gripes of gamers in the past was the inability to rack up massive stunt combos. This was largely because a player was limited by the biggest jump they could find to execute their most intense combo. In MX vs. ATV: Untamed, gone are the days of single-jump stunt combinations. A sequence of jumps and stunts can now be chained together through a new linking mechanism that allows the player a short period of time to execute their next back-flip or three-sixty. Is the next ramp still too far away? There’s still time to keep your combo alive by executing one of our all new ground stunts including no-handers and side-saddles. Your stunt score is limited only by your creativity and ability to nail that next line of jumps.
Of course, the biggest single-jump combos can still only be executed by hitting the outdoors hard. Next-gen hardware has allowed our level designers to create massive changes in elevation, unlike anything seen in previous MX titles. Not only does this change in elevation allow for major air-time, keeping your wheels on the ground while tearing through a down-hill trail leads to speeds bordering on the verge of insanity. The result is terrain that leaves zero room for error on the biggest jumps and down-hills, but also has the biggest potential payoffs.
When you’re not stringing together six-stunt combos, we’ve also made sure you have plenty to keep your time occupied as you begin to explore the offroad. Take in the scenery of ocean views, lakeside villas, and desert buttes, or begin conquering the outdoors by jumping streams and scaling rock archways. We’re particularly proud of the work we’ve done on our water simulation. You’ll feel the full effect as the tug on your vehicle churns out huge water sprays. Leaping over a water hazard can mean the difference between beating the competition and winding up in last place with only soaked gear to show for your efforts.
The best part is that the waiting to conquer the terrain in MX vs. ATV: Untamed has finally come to an end. Download the demo today on Xbox Live and the Playstation Network to experience the Untamed World for yourself, and check out the full version in stores December 17th!
