An Interview With Gordon Thornton!
NNN: The original System Rush game had phenomenal graphics and gameplay
accompanied by a great soundtrack. What was lacking however, perhaps
due to limitations of the last-gen N-Gage Arena software was a strong
multiplayer component. System Rush Evolution is set to have head to
head multiplayer modes which have got the entire mobile gaming community
talking.
Please tell us a little more about the multiplayer component of the
game.
GT: The multiplayer component in System Rush: Evolution is a result of
the Developer exercising their creative juices in designing a true
realtime Head-to-head online feature that could be possible using the
GPRS networks. With not everyone having the luxury of being on 3G
networks, we had to design a head-to-head mode that did not require a
substantial amount of data to be sent back and forth between the 2
users and the server.
Additionally, we had to factor in a 1-2 second lag in
sending and receiving data over GPRS. All these factors made the task
quite a challenge for Ideaworks3D, but they stepped up and delivered a
truly unique design that allowed for realtime head-to-head action over
the GPRS Networks. The design was quite simple, each user races along
their own track that is littered with powerups; obtaining and activating
a powerup will usually affect your opponent negatively.
For example one user will rip down a straight-away, pick up and activate a powerup
that reverses the controls of the other user for a few seconds. This
will cause the recipient of this present to usually hit obstacles due
to the reversed game controls, thereby losing speed and potentially the
race. There are many different powerups throughout the 3 Head-to-head
modes that keep the challenge fresh and competitive.
What type of connection would be required to play head to head? Weassume it'll have to be faster than standard gprs.
GT: Standard GPRS.
For people without unlimited data plans, has anything been done tominimize the amount it would cost that is to minimize the amount of datatransferred?
GT: Keeping the packet sizes small so that the users did not accrue
large Data charges was a huge concern. Ideaworks3D managed to keep
each Head-to-head race under 10kb for a 2min game session
Finally could you tell us what your favorite part of the multiplayer component of System Rush Evolution is?
GT: My favorite part of System Rush's multiplayer feature is the
Head-to-head Infiltrate mode (there are 3 modes in total: Infiltrate,
Shutdown and Evacuate). This mode is all about maintaining your
momentum, but trying your hardest to slow your opponent down by using
as many of the pickups littered around the track as possible. It is a
face-off on who knows the track the best vs. who has the best reflexes;
I love it!
