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RPM Tuning

Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox
Genre: Racing
Publisher: TECMO/Wanadoo
Developer: Babylon Software

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'RPM Tuning' (PS2) - Developer Interview & Screens

by Thomas on May 21, 2003 @ 1:57 a.m. PDT

Get behind the wheel and be ready to live numerous driving experiences in Los Angeles; choose your car to be fully customized: add loads of new tuning elements either on the body or in the mechanics of your car. Thus its behavior will change and evolve providing you with an always in-evolution sensationand appropriation feeling of your car. Once on the streets, drive freely wherever you want ! RPM Tuning is THE authentic car tuning game with great driving and freedom sensations.

Q: Is RPM TUNING more a tuning game or a racing game?

A: RPM Tuning is a driving game where the player will have the possibility to entirely tune his or her car. Tuning dimension is very important. Nonetheless it will make the player's car more efficient and adapted to his driving feelings but it will give the car a look and style he wants it to have.

Besides, players will participate in several racing competitions and will experience pure driving experience thanks to the 'Adventure Mode' : for example chase car gameplay will be part of the driving sensation.

In fact, this is through the tuning dimension that RPM Tuning will make the player discover a challenging and diversified driving experience.

Q: What is the difference between RPM Tuning and all the other racing games?

A: There is not only 1 difference but 2 main differences.

First, RPM Tuning is the authentic car tuning game. The player will choose how his or her car is going to look like visually and behave as well.

There are 2 main directions for tuning : car body tuning and mechanical tuning. The player will be able to fully customize his or her car model. Front wing, rear wing, body kits, headlights, rear lights, wheels, stickers, kit colors, brakes, injection system, exhaust system, supercharging, transmissions ... there are more than 1,382,976 exterior modifications (without color changes and stickers personalisation) and more than 221,184 mechanical possibilities in the game. Thoses modifications will have a real impact on the gaming experience.

Second, RPM Tuning proposes a large array of game experiences :

We propose what we call "the thrill of racing competition". Players can take part in pure racing challenges in circuits, in-line (from point A to point B) or during original ΒΌ mile races. Here, the 1st place is the ultimate goal.
Besides, players will experience the ever elusive adrenaline rush of car chases in an open town : a car pursuit or an "escape the cops" situation.

For both driving experiences, story will explify the player excitement and in-game implication.

To sum up, RPM Tuning is the real tuning game that proposes a large array of driving sensations.

Q: What influenced you when designing the game?

A: First we try to propose where we are better at and driving games are our speciality and I hope players will enjoy to play RPM Tuning.

What influenced us or more precisely didn't influence us are all driving or racing games that exist. We didn't want to propose the Xth circuit racing game or the Yth in-town driving experience. We wanted to propose a rich and varied gaming experience that offers fun, challenge and replayability.

We didn't want to exploit the Street Racing trend but the tuning universe. Besides, we wanted to propose an interesting driving experience. With all respect for those great games, RPM Tuning is half way between the reference, Gran Turismo, and a Midnight Club-like experience. The driving is realistic, tuning possibilities are huge and races are not only in circuit but in an open town as well.

Q: Why did you add characters to a game more car–oriented?

A: To drive a car you tuned exactly the way you want on diversified and interesting tracks is fun and exciting. We want to provide the player with the deepest gaming experience that is possible.

If you propose a compelling story that is at the service of the game experience and rhythm it will give the player a tangible pretext to drive and thus a more important implication in the game. This is the first reason why we have characters in the game.

Besides, when you work on the tuning universe, it is more than only cars and races you are dealing with. It is about an underground universe as well that has its own references. When you think about tuning you think about cars and about passionated people and strong natures too. We have to stay as coherent as possible and this is why we have characters in RPM Tuning as well.

Q: How long do you imagine the game will take to complete?

A: The game proposes 3 different modes : Quick Race with solo and multi-player, Adventure and Tuning modes. Besides, the fact that we deal with the tuning theme greatly improves the replayability of the game (1,382,976 exterior modifications and more than 221,184 mechanical possibilities).

If it is possible to carry out the Adventure mode (25 "quests", 54 races) in less than 8 hours (? Difficult to say precisely) the Tuning mode has no real ending. You can change and keep several vehicles, buy, tune as much as you want ...

Q: What replay value does it have?

A: See previous answers

Q: If we suggest that Midnight Club 2 and Auto Modelista are the most complete tuning game on PS2 yet, how does RPM TUNING compare?

A: If Automodellista deals with tuning, I am not sure Midnight Club 2 is a tuning game. MC2 is about street racing. RPM Tuning is about tuning.

In RPM Tuning, player do not take an already tuned car. Players tune their cars the way they want ! We can't compare RPM Tuning and MC2 regarding the tuning dimension. They have 'turbo's' for their cars, we have NOs as well, but they do not have the tuning feature that is our main asset.

Automodelista is more interesting to compare with RPM Tuning. They do have a rich tuning dimension : exterior tuning, mechanical tuning. We do propose the same kind of tuning categories but we propose a wider array of tuning possibilities (*2 / *3 depending the category). Besides, RPM Tuning proposes a more realistic approach than Automodelista. We have a more challenging driving experience to propose. Cars are destroyable and this will have a direct impact on the driving experience. Tuning elements have a more profound influence on the driving sensation.

The RPM Tuning is the reference of tuning games.

Q: How much time has been spent on developing RPM TUNING?

A: 1 year development.

Q: Can you give us an example of a driving mission we will have in the game?

A: Here is the kind in-game situation the player will face :

Burk has a delivery problem. Vince enters Burk's garage.
Burk: " Huggy just called and wants to buy a rear wing for tonight tuning competition. I don't have his model in stock right now but there is one in my warehouse. I don't have the time to go there." He smiles. "Would you do this favor, for me? If you are ok, I offer you a free repair."

Vince accepts and jumps in his newly tuned and beloved car.

GAMEPLAY : GOTO

Vince found the warehouse without problem and on time. He puts the rear wing in his car and is ready to come back to the garage. 100 meters later, Vincent stops at a red light.

A powerful car engine is roaring near him. A car comes on Vincent side. Bruce is impressed and looks at Vincent.

Bruce : "We have a new tuner in town ! Nice car Vince ..."
Vince: "Thanks you Bruce. Remember, I won last night freestyle competition ... I earned money and as you know money equal tuning."
Bruce : "Cool ... but is-it fast enough ? Let's just say the last arrived to the ocean is a jerk ..."

The light goes green and both vehicles start like arrows in the dense traffic of the town ....

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