Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed...!

[Shane]

I'm surely not the only one thinking that Billy's track looks like that Snow Village stage from Diddy Kong Racing am I? Seriously looking awesome though, can't wait to tackle this with Rabid-Noodles!

Frosty Village it's called! skip to 8:40

This is exactly what I thought of. Might just choose to main this game on 360 for the sake of using Frosty Village's music as a custom soundtrack occasionally.

Well... and 'cause I actually really like my Avatar...

Edited November 10, 2012 by XD375

[S0L]

Right, now I've got some free time, let's catch up on some questions...!

SOL please can you answer a question, i hear about an all star difficulty, is this mode only harder or is it also more speed?

It's more speed again, and when we say it's hard, it's properly hard. You'll need to drift, stunt, risk boost and use the weapons wisely. We really don't hold back... But then it's designed for the hard core! If you clock the World Tour with it, there is a very nice reward...

Hi I'm new here and judging from my avatar, yes I'm a Nintendo fan, but I like Sega's games too, and yes I've read the rules before you ask.I also hope to become a regular poster here. Now that that's out of the way, I understand SOL is a developer for Sonic and All-Stars Racing Trasnformed and I wanted to ask him a few questions if possible.

Not sure if anyone has asked him before or if he's answered this question already, and since the game is coming out in a week, I thought this would be a good chance to ask him now. Anyway, here is my questions, I've seen the trailers for the game and it looks cool, and I love it that it also has non-Sega characters in it, kinda making this like the Super Smash Bros of racing games if that makes sense. If you could, who would you add from third and/or first party video game characters to be playable in the game? Like for Sony, Crash would be pretty neat, since he's been in his fair share of racing games like that PS1 one and Tag Team Racing, I think it's the one with transforming cars. Nintendo-wise, Diddy Kong would be cool since he does have the vehicles to be in the game. For MS, not sure, maybe Banjo.

And it would be cool to have atleast a level from those exclusive characters. And, now that the game is done, or close to releasing, what are your plans now? Are you going to work on some new games? And which games would you want to work on now? I heard that if you could, you'd work on a new F-Zero game, that is awesome, I'd really love a new F-Zero game, since Sega did a great job with GX.

Also I heard that the Wii U version is going to have exclusive content in it, and that has me interested. I was going to get Halo 4 and NFS: Most Wanted, but the first sign I see Mario or something Nintendo related in the game, I'll pass those and get this game instead, even though my brother was already getting the PS3 version. Sorry if it took me too long to get to the point.

Nice opening post!

Let's get some answers then...

Who would I add... Nintendo wise, I would get Kirby in there, simply as he is nails. Plus I love Kirby. Sony wise, we really wanted to get Sackboy, but it seems he's got his own racing game and was too busy to come over! We did consider the Duck from Super Rub-a-Dub as a cameo though!

X360, trickier... We have joked about Master Chief in a Warthog, Ghost and Hornet, but I don't think we'd actually do it! I think Banjo was a pretty good fit actually last time...

I'm joking of course... Or am I?

We're not quite done either with Transformed. We've got the PC version to wrap up and the Japanese version to do. Between those we've got enough to keep us quiet for a while. We've got one eye on the future though and we're having a good think about what's next, but it'll be a couple of years before we'll be able to talk about even if it does happen!

Bizzarely, the other day I had a dream we were working on a new F-Zero game for Nintendo, I'd love them to bring a new one out regardless. Could we top AX/GX? I'd like to think we could!

Wii U does have some extra content in terms of the Wii U specific game modes, plus 5 player splitscreen, but outside of the Mii's, don't expect any extra characters. We'd love to get Mario in, but really, I'm not sure he's ready to move up from a Go Kart

I'm not sure they're releasing Halo 4 of NFS:Most Wanted on Wii U either mind...

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S0L

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[Captain N]

@SOL Thank you for answering my questions, and Kirby would totally make sense in the game, considering he did have his own racing game, and all of the Air Ride Machines did all the terrain types that are in Transformed. Though wondering if Kirby's vehicle will be something from Air Ride, or his ship from the Kirby Anime or something entirely new. As for Sackboy, well look how that turned out for Sony, heard the game isn't that good, so that's one game I wont be buying, Sony was better off having Sackboy in Trasnformed. Master Chief or Banjo would be fine, but does MC have a water based vehicle? Though one thing that did surprise me was seeing Wreck-It Ralph in the game, now I know who I'll be using the most, sorry Shadow

On question 2, fair enough though I'll be keeping an eye on your future endeavors for games. And outside Mario Kart, F-Zero is my most favorite racing game ever, nice to see another fan, especially one in the game industry. And given your track record with games, maybe you might surpass GX/AX, it'll be hard but I'm sure you can pull it off, if Nintendo does allow you guys that is lol

On the Wii U, the rear view thing seems neat for the game and 5 player co-op sounds nice. As for Mario, welll I see that as a Nintendo issue, but if it was possible, I'd immediatly drop any other game I was buying and get Sonic on the Wii U lol And I know Halo 4 isn't on the Wii U, NFS is going to be on there, next year.

Again thank you for anwsering my questions

@Beat and Ball Hog Badnik thanks for the replies. Ralph does make sense cause of the Sonic cameos in the movie. As for Danica, yep more of a marketing thing but she's a great driver in the track, so I'll use her in the game as well as Ralph.

[PsychoJosh]

I'd love Master Chief in this...

[KrazyBean]

I'd love Master Chief in this...

Well if Kratos and Sackboy can be in the same game, then this would've definitely be possible.

[Jim5745]

"It's more speed again, and when we say it's hard, it's properly hard. You'll need to drift, stunt, risk boost and use the weapons wisely. We really don't hold back... But then it's designed for the hard core! If you clock the World Tour with it, there is a very nice reward..."

Thanks for the info SOL, can't wait to test this all star mode.

And by the way, can we play in all star mode on the online multiplayer? Can we choose the speed mode we like on a online match?

[Lady Soniko]

I have a question S0L...

In the first game, to some hazards whilst boosting you were immune to them, does this carry through to Transformed too? when playing Adder's Lair at SoS I was boosting and still got taken out by the Swinging gondola axes and molten steelworks as a boat, or have you scrapped this system to stop players taking advantage of it?

[Jango]

Odd... you thought in putting Kirby in the game, even with the fact that by behind he/she? would just look like a pink ball? Ok.

[Chooch]

Kirby is a boy.

And yes, I find it hilarious that star themed character who is mostly a pink ball was more heavily considered than star themed character who is mostly a black ball.

Edited November 10, 2012 by Chooch

[#EndyGate]

In all honesty I would've preferred Kirby's inclusion over Ristar's :U

[Carbo]

Odd... you thought in putting Kirby in the game, even with the fact that by behind he/she? would just look like a pink ball? Ok.

What of it?

[Jango]

What of it?

[Carbo]

You say this like any car of Transformed is shapped like that, besides, this shot was taken during a turn, Ristar's face would appear too, so I can't still see the problem.

I never said a car is shaped like that but I'd like to take the liberty in assuming that S0L would preferably have a vehicle for him that'd able to display Kirby possibly sitting on top of a vehicle similar to how he's displayed in Air Ride, except make it larger for the sake of keeping it in tune with the game's set design rules.

That and while I don't necessarily buy the idea that Ristar would be that amazingly hard to model there's not a snowball's chance in hell that you're able to convince me that Kirby is any harder to make or even make particularly lively during a race. We're talking about implementing him in the same game where Sonic occasionally jumps out of his car to make a few hoops. I don't see why Kirby wouldn't be able to do a "keep up" gesture like he does occasionally in an Air Ride race.

[Chooch]

What of it?

[Blue Blood]

Basically all the difficulties cited in making Ristar playable would also apply to Kirby. Possibly even more so considering Ristar has stretchy limbs and Kirby has none.

[Autosaver]

Couldn't Kirby hop on like 3 different vehicles in Air Ride? I'm sure you could possibly mess with the design to make a car. Hey, maybe the All Star could transform you into the Dragoon for a bit.

[Carbo]

Basically all the difficulties cited in making Ristar playable would also apply to Kirby. Possibly even more so considering Ristar has stretchy limbs and Kirby has none.

In what context? Kirby was made with the purpose to be extremely easy to model to the point that his model change from Melee to Brawl were basically only textural details.

The only thing I can see being difficult to make Kirby would be his vehicle, an issue I'd apply similarly to Ristar. But I don't see how there's any validity behind claiming that Kirby is harder to make than Ristar when the latter has limbs, hands and a huge star on his face that need animating. The difference is superficial of course but the ease in modeling mere shapes is often a non-issue.

Unless I'm missing the line of discussion somewhere.

[Pawn]

In what context? Kirby was made with the purpose to be extremely easy to model to the point that his model change from Melee to Brawl were basically only textural details.

The only thing I can see being difficult to make Kirby would be his vehicle, an issue I'd apply similarly to Ristar. But I don't see how there's any validity behind claiming that Kirby is harder to make than Ristar when the latter has limbs, hands and a huge star on his face that need animating. The difference is superficial of course but the ease in modeling mere shapes is often a non-issue.

Unless I'm missing the line of discussion somewhere.

Edited November 10, 2012 by Pawn

[Match]

Couldn't Kirby hop on like 3 different vehicles in Air Ride? I'm sure you could possibly mess with the design to make a car. Hey, maybe the All Star could transform you into the Dragoon for a bit.

[Carbo]

Sumo have said in the past that Ristar wouldn't be so appealing as a racer because he'd just be 'a black ball from behind', so it's a bit odd that they'd be interested in Kirby.

Ah, right. Then I can understand the point being made. When I read the word "difficulty" I assumed it was referring to characters being tough to model/make.

That said I always thought Kirby being in would have been one of those "S0L choices" like Big the Cat was. Like, if he had the chance to put him in he'd have made it his mission statement no matter what previous excuses there were to not include other characters.

Wasn't that why he always said it was a personal choice and not an outright call that everyone agreed he should be in?

[S0L]

LOL - yeah, Kirby would be a personal choice. Rex would have a fit

Seriously, I figured you'd see that post was slightly tongue in cheek...

Though Kirbys design would be much easier to wrangle into being usable than Ristar, mostly as you wouldn't have to resolve how the arms pass around the 'star', how you'd sit him in a vehicle again as the 'star' would need to avoid flexing/distorting too much, whereas you can have Kirbys arms anywhere you like and squash and scale him as much as you need.

But guys, not so serious please. We get you like Ristar, which is why he's waving a flag on every track!

The question was which Nintendo character would I include, hence the answer

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S0L

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[Barry the Nomad]

I think that Ristar, in 3D, looks weird from behind and he looks equally strange from the side. He'd have to turn around and face the player in order to actually look decent. Even in the original Genesis game, Ristar was either 3/4 view or facing the camera for a majority of the game.

edit: and the arms issue, as Steve noted. I can imagine they'd be tricky in fitting around his giant star shaped head.

Edited November 10, 2012 by Barry the Nomad

[Crazizzle]

I wish we'd get a Sega All-Stars fighting game, but I'm sure SUMO wouldn't be doing that.

My pre-order is paid off, just awaiting release date. One question, though. Are all characters available for average players? I'm good at racing games, but not great...and I'd like to get every character.

[Conando]

So S0L would have included Kirby if the team had the opportunity to add a Nintendo character? I like you, man. You're all right.

[Woun]

Upload WiiU gameplay on Youtube:

http://sonic-scene.ru/eng/?p=356