Gone are the days when gamers used cars in video games to do nothing more than drive laps around figure-eights. No longer are we content to simply drive around and around, admiring gorgeous scenery and far-off sunsets as we cruise on by. No, we want to smash these things, destroy them, and the more ways to do the aforementioned, the better. Deep Fried Entertainment's Full Auto 2: Battlelines emphasizes wanton annihilation with modes such as "Destruction Matters," and as of today, PSP users will get the chance to blow up as many buildings and cars as they possibly can. I had a chat with Rusell Rice, designer and art director over at Deep Friend Entertainment, to find out what differences separate the handheld version from its PlayStation 3 brethren.
Shack: Many gamers are hoping that Full Auto 2: Battlelines for the PSP won't be a quickie port of the PlayStation 3 game. How does the handheld version compare to its more powerful relative?
Russell Rice: We never really approached the game with that in mind at all. We really looked at what it is that makes it Full Auto, which in a nutshell is: Fast paced, arcade racing with guns and destruction. With that in mind we sat down to make an all new Full Auto experience for the player with new worlds, cars and weapons. We did borrow a few cars and weapons from the PS3 version, but other than that, we created a fresh new experience that is definitely Full Auto from the ground up.
Shack: Can the two games interact at all, perhaps via PSP-to-PS3 connectivity?
Russell Rice: Because we built the PSP version from the ground up, we've created a PSP specific game. If we had done this game as a port of the PS3 version we probably would have [added connectivity options]. In this case however, Full Auto 2 for the PSP is a stand-alone game that fits into the Full Auto family.
Shack: What sorts of environments have been crafted for the PSP version?
Russell Rice: [The] entire world is unique to the PSP. We went with 3 unique [settings], each with its own continental flavor: the Americas, Asia and Europe. Each [vista] has its own look and feel. For instance, Americas has very little elevation changes and has moderately curved roads making it great for high speeds. Asia on the other hand has severe elevation changes and tight winding roads. Europe is a combination of steep elevation, winding and moderate curves. Each [locale] also contains its own visual style that represents the continent on which it's based.
Shack: How many vehicles are available?
Russell Rice: We loosely borrowed 4 vehicles from the PS3 version and added 11 new vehicles. The new vehicles range from Hot Rods, Exotics and Muscle Cars all the way to Heavy Equipment vehicles. Each vehicle is balanced to have strengths and weaknesses which allow the player to choose the right vehicle for them in a particular event.
Shack: Are the cars customizable?
Russell Rice: All the cars share dozens of vinyl and paint schemes and each of the cars have a set of their own custom vinyls. This system allows the player to personalize their vehicle in many different ways. I wouldn't say these choices effect affect the game play, that's done through the weapons and vehicles the player chooses which definitely have an impact on the player's ability to complete an event.
Shack: Are there any new events featured in this version of Full Auto 2?
Russell Rice: Our event system has similarities to the PS3 version, but realistically we have over 50 events that are unique to the PSP.
Shack: Have many of the PS3 version's events made it into the handheld game? How many new events are there?
Russell Rice: Our event system has similarities to the PS3 version, but realistically we have over 50 events that are unique to the PSP. We borrowed a few event objective types and added a couple of our own, but once again all the events are unique to the PSP.
Shack: Any new weapons?
Russell Rice: We borrowed a few existing weapons from Full Auto 2 PS3 and then added our own array of weapons such as an 'EMP' or the handy bouncing 'Radial Charges'. The biggest weapon change to the PSP version is the 3 distinct and destructively powerful 'pick-up' weapons, each with its own unique usage. These weapons are littered throughout the events, always ensuring there are plenty to go around thus maximizing the destructive nature of the game.
Shack: Can you only mount weapons in certain areas on your car, or is anything possible?
Russell Rice: Nearly anything is possible with the weapon mountings. Of course it doesn't really make sense to put mines on the front of your car, so there are those kinds of limitations but that's about it. We also added side mounted weapon slots to the mix, which added another level of custom weapon mounting. You may really have to think about which weapons you mount based on the event you are about to play.
Shack: What is "Destruction Matters?"
Russell Rice: Just what it says! Put simply it's skillfully using destructive 'moments' in an event to hinder your opponents thereby giving you an advantage.
Shack: How do we trigger Destruction Matters moments?
Russell Rice: Target lock the 'moment' and shoot it! For example: Your targeting reticule indicates there is a 'Destruction Matters' moment ahead. You choose to lock onto it and fire at just the right moment to bring it down on top of your opponents in front or behind you. Just be careful you don't bring it down on your own head.
Shack: One could argue that the PS3 version may control slightly better given that the controller has 2 analog sticks. How will the controls work in the PSP version?
Russell Rice: Our approach was to build a semi-automatic targeting system that still requires the player to skillfully target opponents, traffic and big destruction moments, while still allowing them to focus on their high speed driving. So I would argue that the controls are just bit of a different way to have the same kind of fun and control as the PS3 version even without the second analog stick.
Shack: What sort of multiplayer experience will Full Auto 2: Battlelines offer?
Russell Rice: The PSP version has race events where you must fiercely battle your opponents all the way to the finish line. We also have death match arenas; I think the name says it all on that one. Up to 4 players can play either of these modes using an Ad-hoc connection on the PSP. The host of the game will set various parameters available, such as number of laps, lives, etc.
Shack: Thanks for your time. Anything else you'd like to tell us?
Russell Rice: Full Auto 2 was a very difficult challenge to make on the PSP, but thanks to our extremely talented team at Deep Fried and the folks over at SEGA, we managed to overcome the challenge and create a very fun destructive arcade racer. It's an impressive PSP game that could pleasantly surprise a lot of people.
And thank you for giving us the opportunity to answer your questions!
Full Auto 2: Battlelines ships today, March 20, for the PSP and is already available for the PlayStation 3.
