Velocity 2X interview: Bringing the game to Xbox One and Windows

Velocity 2X from FuturLab and Sierra blends two genres: shooting and platforming. Players smash through space at high speeds, dock and sabotage enemy bases on human foot, and and then return to the send for more than intense infinite gainsay. There's something you don't come across every day!

The fast-paced hybrid game arrives on Xbox I and Steam next week. James Marsden, managing director at FuturLab, has kindly provided us with lots of details and fantastic concept art that reveal how Velocity 2X came to life. Read on for one of our best Xbox programmer interviews withal!

Hiya James! Delight tell the states a bit most yourself outside of the world of game evolution.

Hullo Paul, exterior of game development you say? I don't actually be outside of game development. :p

In all seriousness, everything I do for leisure, whether it's reading, watching movies, traveling, making music – it's all to inform what I do for a living. I'g one of those people that live to work.

What are some of your favorite games, both former and new?

Street Fighter Ii, WipEout 2097, Flashback, Turrican 2 – those are the games that stole my imagination at a young historic period. Portal is the best game ever in my opinion. I've also been inspired past the original Halo and Gears of War for the satisfying activity. Of grade there's besides the holy trinity: fl0w, Flower and Journey made a big impression on me.

All artwork is product or concept art from Velocity 2X

How did y'all become into game development? Did you always want to make games?

I had no idea what I wanted to practice when I left school, and then I followed a friend to Fine art College. Afterward a week there I realized I had some value in the world (schoolhouse wasn't proficient for me), and threw myself into that – my tutors kept saying that my work was more similar an interactive experience than a slice of Art. Information technology took me a few years to realize that I was designing games and calling them Art. I'1000 yet doing that!

Then James, how do you detect the fourth dimension to work on videogames in between starring in such films as X-Men and Superman Returns?

Honestly, it's tough. All the fans constantly throwing themselves at my feet with admiration etc. Information technology's also a real challenge to only get downwardly to some focused level blueprint - all those sit ups and push-ups needed to keep my perfectly chiseled abs and delts in movie-star condition – it'southward a lark.

Nosotros should all be so productive! I notice that FuturLab has no "e" in the word Time to come. What'due south the story backside the unusual spelling?

Looking at the English linguistic communication, at that place'southward ofttimes no need for the letter of the alphabet 'e'. Then, in 2003 when FuturLab was founded, I proclaimed that the letter 'due east' would no longer be used in the Futur.

Then along came Flickr, Tumblr etc. I rested my case about a decade ago. :p

Y'all guys have worked on several PlayStation Vita titles, including the Velocity and Surge games. What are some other games you'd recommend to prospective Vita buyers?

Oh wow, at that place'southward too many. The OlliOlli series is fantastic. Guacamelee is besides awesome on Vita. Killzone: Mercenary gave us lots of enjoyment at the studio too. (You tin play Guacamelee and the first OlliOlli on Xbox I too! – ed.)

Now then, let's talk virtually Velocity. The original Velocity was a fast-paced shoot 'em up. The sequel Velocity 2X adds second platforming sequences to the mix. Did archetype shoot 'em upwards hybrids like Guardian Legend (NES) influence the decision to incorporate an boosted genre in Velocity 2X?

Really no, I'd not played whatever hybrid games, I just wanted to add some Sonic the Hedgehog and Flashback into the mechanics nosotros'd introduced in Velocity.

Oh! With those two genres differing so much, how did you guys make Velocity 2X feel like a cohesive feel?

If you think about it technically, there is just 1 difference between a platformer and a summit down shooter: gravity. And so for me, it was a no brainer. All nosotros had to exercise was ally up the controls and abilities betwixt the ii formats of play. We'd invented some really cool mechanics in the original, and I was certain they could be applied to a platformer for the reasons above.

Can you tell u.s. about the puzzle mechanics both within and outside of the send?

The puzzles are quite uncomplicated considering players need to be able to solve them whilst on the movement. It's a case of following numbered and colored switches to open up gates – a bit like a treasure hunt. The challenge comes when the numbered switches appear in the incorrect order, and you have to drop telepods and employ them to instantly render to the college numbered switches afterwards you've constitute the lower ones.

The shoot 'em upward genre can be high on claiming and thus difficult for new players to get into. How tough is Velocity 2X compared to other shmups?

Honestly, I'm not a fan of shmups for that reason. Equally a issue, Velocity 2X is not really a shmup. The challenge is not so one-dimensional as just fugitive bullets and destroying enemies – those two things are super easy in Velocity'southward earth. Velocity is really a memory game, dressed up equally a racing game, dressed up as a shmup. See the 'DesignPyramid.jpg' image in a higher place.

Players tin go through stages without much hassle, but you lot'll be rewarded with a rusty old statuary medal. What y'all actually want is the shiny PERFECT gold medal, and for that you must larn the surround, like a race track - to become through it with speed, fashion and grace, and without being striking.

The upcoming Xbox 1 and Steam versions of Velocity 2X take a new daily challenge fashion. What is this way similar, and do players get to endeavour individual daily challenges more than in one case?

We've taken the exercise and commit approach, like OlliOlli. Players can try a daily sprint as many times as they like to practice, and then they have 1 run a risk to practice information technology for real. It makes things fairer for people who are shorter on fourth dimension, considering no matter how much you practice, if your fretfulness don't hold upwardly when information technology'south time to perform, you're going to get beaten.

The Xbox One and Steam versions of Velocity 2X also include the 'Dual Core' and 'Disquisitional Urgency' DLC packs that were sold separately on other platforms. What exercise nosotros get in these DLC packs?

The Critical Urgency pack contains a set of obsessively fine-tuned speed run levels. Yous're racing through the Rokunia Ice Mines in your ship and on pes, where the temperature is fatally common cold. There's no hanging effectually.

The Dual Cadre pack provides a set of mental dexterity races that require the control of two ships at in one case. Players should but attempt these once they've completed the game, considering, well, they've gone beyond hardcore and into dual-core. :p

After working primarily with PlayStation platforms since 2022, FuturLab is finally releasing a game for Xbox One. What inspired you as well branch out to Microsoft'southward platform?

The engine nosotros used to create Velocity 2X was written from the ground up to exist multi-platform. Withal, we didn't take any concrete plans until Sierra got in bear on during the launch calendar week of Velocity 2X, offer to help bring the game to more than players.

What has the porting process been like for Velocity 2X? Has Xbox 1 presented whatever unique challenges compared to previous consoles?

The porting has been straightforward, mainly because we'd designed our engine to support multi-platform development from the beginning. We likewise have a not-so-secret weapon...

How do you experience about Windows 10 so far? Will nosotros ever see FuturLab games like Velocity 2X released on Windows ten?

We've been waiting to upgrade our workstations at the studio from Windows 7, and ten looks like it's addressed some of the problems we had with viii and 9.

We'd similar our games to be played past as many people as possible of grade, so Windows 10 would make sense at some point!

If you were ever to make another Velocity sequel, would you consider cooperative multiplayer support? Or would multiplayer not fit well with Velocity's fast-paced shooting and platforming?

Velocity 2X was initially chosen Velocity 2UP, with multiplayer cooperative gameplay. We apace realized that was out of our reach from a budgeting point of view, and then we practice accept lots of ideas for that. I guess sentinel this space. :p

Finally, what's next from FuturLab?

We've been feverishly busy developing a new IP. Velocity 2X was relatively straightforward from a blueprint perspective, considering we already had the mechanics to build upon from the first game – whereas I've now been reminded just how tough information technology was to create the showtime Velocity - something brand new that nobody else had done before.

We're doing that again with the new game, and information technology'due south both thrilling and terrifying in equal measure out. Every day there's a new breakthrough, and a new brick wall to tackle. Information technology's looking very promising though, then keep your eyes and ears peeled. :p

Velocity 2X comes to Xbox One and Steam on August 19! Information technology will cost $19.99.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/velocity-2x-interview

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