Sumo Digital’s Executive Producer Steve Lycett (under his alias S0L) has been busy answering the questions of many fans over on the Sonic Stadium forums and has revealed a few more details about the new Sonic All-Stars Racing game, as well as a few teases! Although he couldn’t give away major details such as characters and tracks, he still answered as much as he was allowed to.
Hit the jump for all the details, it’s a big read!
Credit for each question goes to its original author. Thanks guys!
Magnus: We have 21 characters (Including Metal Sonic) playable in the original. Now if all 21 of those characters were to return this time around, that would mean we would only be seeing 6 new characters.
Steve:
Barking up the wrong tree. Just because a character appeared in ASR, don’t take it for granted that they’ll appear in this one
Swiss: How long have you guys been working on the game? The new engine looks insanely good, must’ve taken some time!
Steve:
Oh… Good question. New engine is imaginatively named Sumo Engine, but we use the Starlight editor to build everything, so generally we refer to it as Starlight. You’ll remember we used Sunshine last time, so I guess it’s an upgrade! We’ve been working on this for about a year and a half, switching to the new engine 6 months in. Caused us a few headaches, but the results are there on the screen
Wait till you see a level with fully dynamic lights…
Peacock: Will there be the chance to tackle the entire track as one vehicle only? like if i wanted to stay in car form for the entire race? or will there be parts of the tracks that force you to change to another vehicle? thinking of the route RC Revenge tookwhere you had transformation gates if you wanted to take the water route etc.
Steve:
We can play with when the transforms happen, so it’s possible to lock tracks into given states. We choose when you transform though, to ensure there is no gamebreaking cheating going off with folk choosing to fly where they want…
JezMM: Just a small one, if it’s possible to comment on. In the article it says:
“For lone players, there’s an extensive Story mode with 16 new tracks spread across a number of different SEGA worlds, represented here by floating islands.”
Are the 16 tracks mentioned here exclusive to story mode, in ADDITION to the other tracks for the general modes, or is that simply phrased oddly and referring to the fact that there are 16 new tracks (plus the 4 returning ones)?
Steve:
Can’t go into modes right now, but it’s 16 + 4. All I can say on the tracks is they’re all unique, not three variations of Seaside Hill since you all grumbled so much about it
dabbido: Well… since we can ask about things already revealed my only question is how the All-star gauge works with those star pick-ups. I can see the transformations are automatic, wich is a good thing. I could see some shortcuts when you could only use one vehicle, but one time or another youre probably gonna be forced to change.
Steve:
All-Star gauge is a mix of skill and the pickups and… nah… you’ll have to wait and see. We do intend for it to be balanced, for example right now you can earn it quicker at the back of the pack…
Jetronic: If there’s a PC version will it have online play? The ASR on PC not having online when many PC games always have online play was an absolute turn off.
Steve:
There is a PC version in the works, and given all the complaints about lack of online last time…
Hogfather: Can we have 1970’s trousers mode? Can you transform anywhere? Or is it locked to specific portions of the track? And can we please have custom soundtracks on the PS3 version this time?
Steve:
No 1970’s trousers, sorry. I suggested it to SOJ, and they questioned my sanity. You have to pass through a transform gate to transform, which is our way of controlling it (otherwise everytime you drive off the edge of a track you’d expect to fly…). We might allow you to pick which gate to drive through of course…
TheAnvil: Can All-Star moves be online? One of the biggest issues with the first was the fact that when you were around 4th or below you couldn’t really get back in the race, having All-Stars should remedy that.
Steve:
Another good one, right now we are very much planning to make them work online, the only reason they didn’t last time was they were so complex and we literally ran out of time to network them…!
Chocolate Cookie: Will a soundtrack be released for this game?
Steve:
Actually, this is something we’ve suggested to SEGA. Not got a definite answer here yet mind!
KrazyBean14: Are you guys aiming to make the game run at a solid 60fps or 30fps?
Steve:
Aiming for 30. The water is the main reason as it’s a fully dynamic surface with proper physics, the second is the huge scale of the landscapes, we’re going as epic as we can. That said, it runs about 120fps on my PC right now…
Blue Blood: Will characters have different voice clips this time around? I’m especially looking at the Sonic cast with random comments like “shut up!”, “aren’t you worried?” and “nooooooooooo!”, and of course the brilliant announcer who couldn’t get Ryo’s name right. I know that most of the lines were stripped from other games which is fine, but the selection was somewhat iffy in both ASR and SST before it.
Steve:
As always, getting VO done for such a large ensemble cast proves to be interesting
We are still working on this one, but yeah, we’ll try and avoid annoying speech when we have to source it from other SEGA games
frokenok3: There will be a bigger variety of power-ups? How the whole concept behind Transformed came up?
Steve:
yes to the first, and the original concept was bounced around between SUMO and SEGA, but in all fairness, we have to credit Simon Woodroffe (now of Rare!) for the massive headache he’s given us to solve
sonfan1984: If this game has a storymode, is the characters going to talk at all?
Steve:
Can’t go into details yet, but there is no Story mode per se… Though there is an adventure. Enigmatic no?
Cola-Wooly: As has been already confirmed – there are 3DS and Vita versions. I would like to know if there have been graphical changes to support the handhelds’ lower power, or are you guys trying to have it run comaprably to the HD versions?
Steve:
Sumo Engine powers everything but the 3DS. 3DS is being built from the ground up. As always we’re aiming to deliver the same experience and try and take in some of each consoles features along the way. We’re unlikely to use the PS3 assets directly on 3DS, but we do have a dedicated team who are taking the big assets and modifying them suitably
Magnus: Steve, will you have a change music option like you did in the first game, or will we be stuck with one theme per track?
Steve:
We’re working on the music dynamically changing to match what’s happening, and in most cases this is taking multiple pieces of classic music and remixing/reworking it so it can change on the fly. About as much as I can say on this right now…
Komodin: A “1st Place Attack Weapon”? Does a game like this really need an equivalent to the Blue Shells?
Steve:
As if we’d put in a Blue Shell. A little faith guys! What it does is drop things in front of first place, you can avoid them, but even doing that will slow you down. It doesn’t however hit you in an unstoppable way with (hardly any) means of defence.
Phew, and there you have it folks! Plenty more details for you to sink your teeth into. We’ll more than likely get even more details in the very near future, so TSS will keep you updated as always!
Excited? Got any questions for S0L to potentially answer? Join in the full discussion on Sonic All-Stars Racing Transformed (and everything else Sonic!) over on the SSMB, or leave a comment below with your thoughts!
Question: Can you give me a copy of the game now?
Question: can you tell me name charecters in the game ?
3ds version is built from the ground up makes me worried that one will get cancelled :/
Why? The Wii and DS version of the first game were different from the console (and later PC) version of the game and they made it to retail. If this were a smaller company, I might be worried a little. But this is Sega, and this is a big game. I doubt any version will be canceled.
Let’s hope there will be cutscenes. If the Riders series had them so why not do some for this game?
I’ll more than likely get the PC version at some point, but I’m disappointed no one asked about iOS (or Android for that matter) in regards to platform availability.
Awesome! This is all great information (except for the 3DS version being a different build, that is making me nervous!) I mean, they are truly trying to make this the best they can and fix all problems! The first-place item, they did that so right! And I am definitely pleased to hear we’re not getting three variations of one stage again! This game seems like a definite must-buy, I was leaning towards the 3DS side…. but, if it’s a different build, I might get skeptical… can’t wait for more information! (Especially on the 3DS version.) …..
I like the 3DS, okay?
Love your 3DS! But, why wouldn’t you have expected the build to be different? The 3DS is obviously differentiated from other consoles. It’s straightforwardly weaker. Look at the difference between the Generations games. The 3DS version is not running on the Hedgehog engine and it probably couldn’t (like how Colors wasn’t actually running on the hedgehog engine). This is the same deal. Also, handhelds typically get different versions of console games (largely, I’d guess, because handheld hardware is significantly different from console hardware).
I was sort of expecting it, but I was expecting it to be like the DS version of the first one, it was just about exactly like the console game… except a couple characters are gone and Super Monkey Ball courses are changed, yes, this version could be like that, but what I wonder is how the PS Vita isn’t the same as the 3DS build… now, time will tell the truth of how the 3DS version will unfold, but I dunno, this is moving my mind… how will it work? How does the Vita have the capabilities of the console build? I am torn as to where I should get the 3DS, Vita, or PS3 version… nyaah! XD Time will tell..
20 stages seems like a rather small amount to me, but having all of those being unique seems really awesome compared to the first All-Stars racing 😛
Just hoping there’s a way to power up weapons in-game by collecting rings or something haha 😛
I would like to know if Banjo and Kazooie will return.
when can we except pre orders?
I have a good question that I’d like to see be answered, but I don’t have an account for SSMB, so if someone can pass along this question, I’d be grateful.
In the first All Stars Racing game, whenever my friends and I played splitscreen, there would be certain race tracks, like all the Seaside Hill tracks, where the entire map looked way too bright. Too bright that it was really hard to focus on the race, which was already difficult enough by having to look at our small screens. My question is, will you guys be able to fix this issue for Tranformed and make sure that in splitscreen, the maps remain exactly the same visually i.e. easier on the eyes?
Cmon Steve Lycett.
Start deconfirming stuff.
20 stages is too lame for an a actual racing game. (mario kart uses 32, 16 brand new, and 16 olds)
25 at least.
And why 27 characters?, put 35 or something like that.
30 fps?, hell no, i really want see this runing at 60 fps. men, no all of us have a monster computer…
I hope the WiiU at least can run this on 60 fps..
My sarcasm detector is malfunctioning… This is you being silly, right?
Of course not, this is my serius mode.
20 stages is low.
If i being silly, i wrote something like,” wow this game wonna be perfect, cut off original characters”
instead only incorporate more characters..
I really love 30 fps games yeahhhh. That is sarcasm.
I’ll take you seriously when I can understand what your trying to say.
Try spelling words correctly and using better grammar.
20 stages and 20 characters is fine. As someone already said, the number of original tracks matches whatever Mario Kart you were talking about, and while there are less characters, that comes to a total of 81 vehicles, not to mention the unique All-Star move for each character.
Another thing to consider is that this is a multiplatform game, so Sumo has to optimize the game for several different console markets, while the Mario9 Kart team has the luxury of working on just one version.
Your criticisms are quite silly. The game has so much going for it with the announcement alone, expanding wildly on its predecessor, and yet you’re complaining about the game having a terrible 30 FPS (which a lot of great games have).
“20 stages is too lame for an a actual racing game.” This has 16 original tracks, the same as Mario Kart Wii, the levels are longer and dynamic, and there’s the option of DLC.
“And why 27 characters?, put 35 or something like that.” That’s 81 vehicle designs. And, honestly, who used every single player in Mario Kart Wii regularly?
“30 fps?, hell no, i really want see this runing at 60 fps. men, no all of us have a monster computer…
I hope the WiiU at least can run this on 60 fps…” Let me quote: “The water is the main reason as it’s a fully dynamic surface with proper physics, the second is the huge scale of the landscapes, we’re going as epic as we can.” Smooth gameplay vs. High frame rate. But maybe they will be able to push it to 60.
The sonic racing 1, has no water, and moves to 30 fps too, so dont become with this answers.
What sonic and sega all stars racing game did you play? 3 of Sonic’s had water. “Curien’s Mansion” had a stage with green substance. There was a stage in Samba De Amigo that had a water slide.
What did you play? seriously.
I’m not sure what “don’t become with this answers” means, but the first game was a much smaller title. Fewer characters, no transformations, fewer locations (24 tracks, but there were 3 Seaside Hill, 3 Egg Fleet, 3 BINGO Highway, etc.). It also had a much smaller budget, and was being developed for the Wii as well (I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure the PS3/360 version was the same version they used for the Wii, but with dumbed down graphics). It was also Sumo’s first game of the series, and often the beginning of a new franchise is a little rough around the edges.
30 FPS is fine. You can barely even tell the difference between 30 and 60. In fact, Insomniac (Spyro, Ratchet & Clank, Resistance) probably dropped 60 FPS because it was too much work for no real improvement. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/insomniac-60fps-no-more
The catch here is that SASASR didn’t have “real” water.
It was just for show.
Whereas what they are trying to explain here is that the water is actual coded water.
It has its own physics, pushes things around, gets pushed around by racers – takes up processing power.
The water in the original would have just been a plain old texture to make seaside hill and such look nicer.
i would like to see classic sonic in Sonic and All Stars Racing Trasfromed in his car from sonic drift
Will Big The Cat be replaced by Rouge The Bat?
Will there be more different Sonic game stages? As in less Sonic Heroes stages?
Is it possible to have DLC? It never hurts to have Agent G(Overkill) in the game.
A possible Super Knuckles and Super Tails All Star Special?
Will Nights be playable?
Why do I have so many questions?
Will we see Rouge in her Dildo Mobile from Sonic Adventure 2?
I would Looooove to see Rouge included in this game. Big sucks and everybody knows it.
Poor console gamers. I couldn’t bare play the game below at least 60FPS. Thank God for my PC.
WHAT IF THERE WAS A DIDDY KONG RACING STYLE ADVENTURE MODE OH GOD I THINK I WOULD LITERALLY FANGASM OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH
Question:
If I’m not mistaken ToeJam & Earl were supposed to be in the first game, are they in this one? That would be pretty neato!
No 1970’s trousers mode…. .. … *cries*
What’s that? :O
I love the concept, and the fact that fans can share their thoughts all in one place. Awesome job TSS!
The team behind SASRT are going to have one insane title on their hands (again!)
I agree that 20 stages isn’t very much, but I’m happy that they’re all unique!
And an adventure mode sounds really fun! I kind of hope that there isn’t a plot though. I just can’t really imagine a quality plot coming out of a racing game. 😛
Question: Will any Underground characters make “intentional” cameos? lolz
Will the items be able to be turned off in some modes so we can put just good clean driving skills to the test like the last game? My friends and I lived that feature, as well as the ability to turn off catch up!
Loved*
Characters out?
Let me guess…
Big the cat.
Opaopa, for not being a transformable car
Maybe bonanza bros.
I dunno.
Nah keep Bonanza Bro’s in, they could have their Getaway Car turn into the Blimp for air-mode. Dunno what their water-mode would be, but since they can just invent one like with other characters it wouldn’t be that much trouble.
Then again i do get the feeling they may be out, i don’t think we will see the Zobio & Zobiko (sp?) team back either. I would love to see Nights in, even tho he/she grows a mermaid type tail for water sections in Nights into Dreams and can naturally fly, i am guessing they would still give Nights a vehicle like everyone else. Ristar would be a shoe-in after all the fan outcry from last time. Take out Big the Cat and put in Nack the Weasel for the love of all that is holy!! I’m really looking forward to Vyse tho 😀
is it on steam? or other stuff? (PC)
How interesting…I didn’t get the first game, but this looks like a good buy so far XD Gotta see gameplay.
And, you know, wait for the price tag to drop…
Question: Will this game feature a custom-track maker?
STAR LIGHT CARNIVAL from sonic colors!!!! “….wait until you see a level with fully dynamic lights…” i hope she was talking about star light carnival
Ooh I cannot wait for this game! The All-Star attack when playing online is my only request 🙂
cause_of_chaos
Question: Will Bentley Jones be performing the theme song in this one?
1. Will we see popular characters we wanted in the oringal playable like Ristar, NiGHTS, Vectorman & Bayonetta ?
2. Which Sonic characters from the oringal are out and being replaced with more popular characters like Rouge or Blaze ?
3. How will the stages be even up this time around since there’s 20
4. Who came up with the awesome new design for Sonic’s car ?
6.
I Hope An Adventure Mode/Story Mode is in the game i can’t wait to see all Sega Characters meet and to see Sonic’s or Tails’s reaction to Ulala if she is in the game i really hope she is maybe Sonic will say this “Heh Heh Hi Ulala“ and while he does that he scracthes the back of his head while smiling and blushing and the same thing will probably happen to Tails or he will Smile and Blush if he or Tails rescue her or meeting her for the first time, we will just have to wait and see, also please put an adventure mode/Story Mode in it,with this awesome gameplay it needs one plus it would be awesome to see the Sega Characters meet each other and try to release the game earlier i can’t wait till November it is June that is 5 months away way too long for me and Please put Ulala in This she is Sexy She needs to be in this thank Sega People
Really? Why would anyone want to see Sonic and Ulala in love?
Story mode sounds good, and besides. Sonic still has Amy chasing him.
And you can wait, and save some flipping money dude.