Fusion: the Act or Process of Fusing or Melting Together...

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

(thought I'd rename this topic, as it wasn't getting many replies and I thought it was due to the title not being obvious that it was about Fusion)

Fusion...
1) the Act or Process of Fusing or Melting Together.
2) the State of Being Fused.
3) to Join or become Combined.

Are you good enough? Are you?

This is an article form the Offcial UK PlayStation 2 magazine, about the game which is to PS2 what Munch's Oddysee is to the XBox: WipEout Fusion. The article is spread over four glossy pages, stuffed with screenshots and production art (I'll scan it in if you want me to). This issue of the mag also came with a trailer for the game on its free DVD disc. It is frogging amazing! I have watched it so many times now it's not even funny!

ARE YOU GOOD ENOUGH?
How do you improve a game that is already genre-defining? That's the task faced by WipEout Fusion developer Studio Liverpool. OPS2 paid them a visit, wish-list in hand, and found that fans have nothing to fear - it's WipEout, but not as we know it.

"The WipEout Experience". It's a phrase that WipEout Fusion Lead Designer Rob Francis uses as a collective term for his game as if it were a genre in its own right. It's the kind of shorthand speak reserved for genuine benchmarks; classics that sit snugly in their very own genre grooves. Think Resident Evil, Metal Gear, even Tomb Raider.
"It's a sign of the strength of the game's identity that we never really take much inspiration from other games," says Francis. "There are a lot of quality racing titles out there, and there is pressure for mass appeal. But we try to resist simply bolting on familiar features for the sake of it. We only ever pursue things which we think will enhance The WipEout Experience."
The latest WipEout experience is currently being 'polished' for SCEE by a zealous crew at Studio Liverpool, many of whom also worked on F1 2000. The vibe in the office however, indicates that WipEout Fusion is the favoured son. Deadline-frantic corner-cutting is not an option (I guessed that - Fusion was originally scheduled for a Feb 2001 release, but they keep putting the date back to get everything perfect - Middlesboogie). The muted commercial response to Wip3out - last year's third PSOne instalment - seems to have shocked the team into a conviction to never again take a sidestep when a great leap forward is required. And with the next-gen hike, they wouldn't have had an excuse, anyway.
"We've looked long and hard at the things that made the PSOne games special," says Studio Liverpool Manager, Clemens Wangerin (nice name! - Middlesboogie). "We wanted to make sure that nothing was lost in the PS2 translation. The essence of the game can be boiled down to two things: the music and the speed. Once we had a grip on that, we got to work on how to move things to a new level - instead of just porting over the original games and buffing up the graphics."
So, they have the technology and the philosophy, but can they deliver the next-gen gameplay that WipEout fans and WipEout virgins alike are craving? (if the screenshots and trailers are anything to go by, Hell yeah! - Middlesboogie)
Many gamers felt that some aspects were missing or certain elements weren't quite right in the PSOne games (Yeah, Wip3out was a real anticlimax after WipEout 2097 - Middlesboogie). So from our own personal gripes and those expressed by the gaming public at large, OPS2 has made up a wish-list for our perfect WipEout Experience. Can Studio Liverpool step into the purple turban of the PlayStation 2 Genie and grant us these humble wishes?

WIPEOUT FUSION WISH-LIST...

1. BETTER HANDLING
The WipEout games on PSOne were often criticised for having far too sensitive handling (WHAT?! Icaras and Qirex, sensitive handling?! My arse! - Middlesboogie), and controlling your craft involved a very steep learning curve. This lack of instant expertise often lead to much frustration, although once mastered the control was very rewarding. So now we want less fighting the track and grinding the walls, with more focuses on reflex and creative control.
"We've spent a lot of time redesigning the craft dynamics," says Dave Burrows, Lead Programmer. "The PS2 has allowed us to reallt play with the physics. There's more variety in the crafts' 'drive'. Traditionally, there's the big cumbersome ship and the sleek, fast one. It's more subtle now.
There's also the bonus of an increased depth of field, giving players more reaction time. Even on a debut glide on a new track, we managed to limit the stop-start grinding to one or two careless clangs. A bit more familiarity, and races will be races - as opposed tofrantic efforts to hit as few walls as possible with a vague ambition of finishing somewhere in the rankings."

2. MORE VARIATION AND INSPIRED TRACKS
Unfortunately the limitations of PSOne meant that the draw distance was limited and and tracks were often accused of being similar in style. So how about some loops, twists, corkscrews and upside-down sections. We'd also like short cuts, freeform areas... WIPEOUT OFF-ROAD!
This wish seems to have been granted as OPS2 plays one of the sixteen new tracks: a lush jungle with lots of craggy kinks and foaming waterfalls. Burrows guides his ship over a trigger pad which raises a drawbridge. He zooms up the new ramp and soars over the top of a mountain onto a secret landing area.
"We can do a lot more of that kind of thing because of the new design flexibility. On top of the standard reverse mode, there are hidden short cuts and alternative routes - some guarded by barriers which need to be destroyed with missiles. Most of the short cuts are 'hidden' in the sense that you need to use a turbo to fly to a seemingly inaccessible section.
It's a key part of the feedback we get about racing games," says Francis. "Players like to see what corners they can cut, and because there's a lot of big, big leaps and drops, we've used that to give the game a more open-ended, go-anywhere feel."
One of the later, more advanced tracks features a gut-spinning vertical drop linked to an immense reverse loop. Francis claims the roller-caster chic was there from day one. "The difference between WipEout 1 and 2 was speed. When we increased the speed, we found that the ship would hammer off the end of drops and then nose-dive into the track below. Some people liked that feeling of having to pull back to correct in midair. When we were redesigning the dynamics for Fusion, we kept the 'leap' effect, but added a few drops and twists where the ship 'sticks' to the track, to give that pit-of-the-stomach roller coaster effect. Once we had that working, the idea of adding loops and twists came naturally. It wouldn't have been possible in the PSOne games. When the artists were designing the levels, the programmers were still working on the craft dynamics. So, a lot of the artists' more outlandish ideas - loops, drops, leaps - often served as inspiration for the coders."
Probably the most thrilling advantage of being able to 'stick' the ships to the track is the new flip-pad. If the road ahead is a little congested or mine-littered, simply drive over the pad and your car will do an 180-degree hop up and sail right over the blockage.

3. SPEED WITHOUT FRONTIERS
A big issue with WipEout Fusion's predecessors was that the speed got ridiculously fast, often faster than a human could handle. What if the capacity for speed was limited only by the player's skill? And maybe showcased with, say, a special nosebleed-level 'speedway' track?
"We can do better than that," says Francis, and Burrows calls up 'Zone' mode - an entirely new challenge where the player controls a ship on constant accelerate with no brakes. The speed gets faster and faster, and the longer you last, the higher the score clocks up. There are special multiplier bonuses for shield energy, hitting all the speed-ups, perfect laps and so on.
Francis claims it's the mode that the designers most frequently play against ech other. "The idea came from Tetris - the way the blocks fall faster and faster. It's theoretically infinite, but eventually, it becomes too fast to cope with. The only question is - what 'level' can you reach? I'd say that you could probably hit around 3000kph (1875mph - Middlesboogie) in Zone mode."

4. MORE CHARACTER
Although the ships, weapons and logos looked very good, there was no feeling that the companies were separate entities. It is easy for computer-controlled cars to just roll on by, glued to their fixed racing lines with little individualism, no reaction to shunts and no sneaky manoeuvres. Could we see a little soul in Fusion, perhaps?
This time, the other drivers all come with their own looks, backgrounds and driving styles. At opposite ends of the scale are Ms Natasha Belmondo - lead pilot for Xios, and daughter of the inventor of anti-gravity racing - and Omarr Khumala (I like his name! - Middlesboogie) - lead pilot for Tigron. He's bad. He drives a specially-customised, Ben Hur-style 'Bull' craft designed for ramming.
A grudge system has also been introduced giving the single-player game a little multiplayer-style spice. "If you eliminate someone in a league race," says Francis, "they will remember you in the next race. The more eliminations, the trickier the races get. The eliminations give you impressive bounus points on top of your tally for high finishing places also. (that grammer sounded very 'Engrish'... - Middlesboogie)" For example if Khumala is unlocked it makes everything more difficult as all the other pilots will go out of their way to get him - and you, for unlocking him. Not fair, but more fun.

5. BETTER DAMAGE ZONES
In previous WipEouts, the only reference for imminent destruction was the hard-to-keep-tabs-on damage gauge. So we want a damage control system that's easy to monitor.
And according to Burrows our wish has been granted again. "All of the ships have several damage zones. If you take too much damage on the left, then the left wing will be clearly buckled and and the left-turning dynamics will be severely impaired. Too much damage on the nose, and the nose-cone will fall off, sacrificing control in the air."
And, naturally, a quick drive through the pit recharge area will result in a miraculous, Terminator-style flourish of metallic healing.

6. DON'T CHANGE THE MUSIC
It's still sweet to cherish a racing game that will never feel the need to turn to rep-friendly Blair-rock. Stereophonics? Travis? Say it ain't so!
"Definitely not," (Phew! - Middlesboogie) says Wangerin. "People keep asking us - what music is going to be in it? Chemical Brothers? The Prodigy? Well, we did all of that back in 1996. It's still going to be very much in the techno/progressive house vein, but the main thing is not to worry about, say, Underworld being in there somewhere. It has to be right for the game."
"Yeah, there's nothing signed up yet," adds Francis, "but, the main goal is to find high energy music that enriches the play. We review tracks by playing them in-game. If they start to feel bigger than the game, they get dropped, even if it's a massive name and the marketing department have a gun to our head. The game comes first, and the music's job is to enhance the gameplay. Also, we want to put together a good album in itself. I want the track listing to be so good that people would buy the game for the music alone."

7. A WARMER LOOK
The slick futuristic designs of the pasts meant that a lot of the humanity was lost out of the games, although your pilots were human, a more robotic, mechanical feel was conveyed. Our final wish is then to fill out some of the ultra-arch minimalism and give first-time gamers a friendly hand to ease themselves in.
From the beginning, the look and feel of the series has been handled by the Sheffield-based design agency Designer's Republic. Wip3out was presented via some particularly fierce lateral graphic design. WipEout Fusion owes its more unselfconsciously videogamey look to news boys Good Technology.
"We were getting the impression that people thought that Designer's Republic actually designed the games," says Francis. "With the original WipEout, they came up with the team identities, a lot of the more iconic visuals, they designed a few print ads... This time, we pitched three new agencies and Good Tech seemed to have the strongest grasp on it. They revamped the team and ship iconography, they did the weapon icons, the team logos (Well, they sure messed-up G-Tech's logo. It looks like arse. - Middlesboogie)... again, we wanted to keep that sense of an entirely new generation game for the series - not just another gradual progression."

AND NOW TO PLAY...
So not only have our wishes been granted, but WipEout Fusion plays beautifully too. It's slicker, it's faster, the graphics are sharper (Well, duh, of course they are; we're talking PS2, not PSOne! - Middlesboogie), there's more of everything and it's rammed with glorious set-pieces (best so far being a swooping dash through a rocky desert corridor, with the leading ships whipping up a blinding sandstorm in their wake). Be advised - this IS WipEout 1.5 (absolutley everything has been ramped up to the z-th degree, with all of the PS2 de luxe trimmings) but it's also been revamped so that it feels like a new game. It's a brilliantly realised mix of old and new. Fusion. Good title.
Cynics will still ask, how, despite all of the well-targeted PS2 wonder, can Studio Liverpool hope to repeat the legendary, hand-in-hand feel that the original WipEout had with the PSOne? How do you convince the unconverted that a PS2 without WipEout Fusion is like a gun without ammo?
"It's much harder now because there's more competition around," argues Wangerin. "When PSOne launched, everything was new and stood out. With a new, fairly familiar machine, there's a fight for attention. Before we went to E3, we were apprehensive - wondering whether or not we'd done enough to make it a 'different' game while keeping the WipEout hardcore firmly on-board. But the reaction we got there convinced us we were on the right track. There's something about The WipEout Experience which makes it accessible, yet still appeals to hardcore racing game fans. The deeper you get, the more the challenge there is. There's a real sense of - are you good enough?"

[ October 21, 2001: Message edited by: One, Two, Middlesboogie ]

[Gluk Schmuck]

cool...i wish it would come out for the Xbox...ahh well


---

this is slightly related:
which is the best (1 and 2 player) Wip3out game for the PSX?
(i can't decide which one to get)

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

I can answer that. Wip3out is the best for 2-player options. You can insert two controllers and race in split-screen mode against someone else. Insert a multi-tap, enter your name as 'LINK', and you can race with four people!
However, as a game on its own, it kind of misses the WipEout flavour. If it were a stand-alone title, it would be fantastic, but there's none of the frantic essence of WipEout 2097. 2097 is the best of the bunch by far; with the best soundtrack and graphics as good as Wip3out. However, the only way you can play with another person is if you have 2 TVs, 2 PSOnes, 2 copies of the game, and a link cable to link the whole lot together!
Both titles are platinum now, and will only set you back 20 squid apiece, so I'd get both. I managed to get my copy of 2097 for only a fiver, from a second-hand shop, so try those as well. Amazon.co.uk also sells games cheaper than high-street prices as well. I wouldn't recommend getting the first WipEout. If it's the first title of the three that you buy, then it is good, but after experiencing 2097 and 3, it's deeply anticlimactic.

And nobody's saying that Fusion is a PS2 exclusive. Obviously getting it onto the PS2 is their main priority, but they may very well release an XBox version. Nobody knows yet (on the other hand, they are now deliberately postponing the game's release to coincide with the XBox's release, in the hope of distracting gamers from the XBox and boosting PS2 sales, which would suggest that the company doesn't like Microsoft all that much).

Back in their PSOne days, Studio Liverpool also released an N64 version of WipEout, with tracks that weren't in the PSOne versions, the best (supposedly; I've never played it) of which was Qoron IV. I really wish they'd port that over to PSX.

Someone at the WipEut Zone forums said that Studio Liverpool should release all five 64-bit versions (WipEout, WipEout 2097, Wip3out, Wip3out Special Edition, WipEout 64) on a PS2 disc. Wishful thinking, I know, but if only...

[Gluk Schmuck]

hmmmm, popular topic...
obviously a large Wip3out fanbase here...

well, it's gonna increse by 1 in a while...so that's Wip3out 3 & 2097...
*goes to amazon*

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

Yeah, in the past I've tried to stir up interest in WipEout, but I think that Pacen and I are the only fans here! Oh yeah, DH has played Wip3out a couple of times, he tells me.

It's a shame though, because WipEout made the PlayStation what it is today. PlayStation didn't help get WipEout off the ground; WipEout helped get PlayStation off the ground.

[Gluk Schmuck]

well, on saturday i should hopefully be getting at least 1 of them...

so on you list you can +1

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

OPS2 posted another article this month; I'll post it when I have time... right now I can't be bothered to do all that typing!

In the meantime, I did a little searching on IGN...

Bring on the desert levels!


OMG, this is a sicko jump!


Ooo, dark!


Dogfight! G-Tech, Feisar, Van Uber, and Auricom


The sprawling city metropolis. Joyride this now!


He he, reminds me of Elysium Alps in SSX!


Eeksome!


Deeply impressive, lush visuals

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

More...

Aaaargh! Scaree!


Ice levels rule!


And some concept art:

concept art of a snowy city:


concept art of a ship design:


Auricom concept art:


Very blue conept art:

[Joe the Intern]

incredibly kewl middles!

[Conzumah]

those pics sort of make me sad that i'm selling my ps2 to get the x-box. oh well that's the way it goes i suppose.

[Gluk Schmuck]

that makes me sad that i'm too poor afford any more consoles...i've already got a PSone and i'm getting an Xbox ASAP

that looks COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL though!

[Xavier]

wow, can you shoot with tis machines, or is it just speed ???

So if I understand it come on Xbox ?

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

No-ones knows yet whether it'll get an XBox release.

And yes, you get to use weapons! Here's (more or less) the full arsenal:

Quake Disruptor: Afficionadoes of WipEout 2097 and Wip3out will remember this one... it whips the track up and then slams it back down in a huge ripple effect... causes massive damage.
Autopilot, Flamethrower, Mines, Speed Boost, Shield, Grenades: These ones are self-explanatory.
Proton Cannon: Rapid-fire plasma gun with 25 rounds of ammo.
Gravity Stinger: A bit like the stingers used b the police. Craft who drive over it get their anti-grav unit taken out temporarily, and they drop down onto the track and scrape along for a while; losing shield energy.
Gravity Bomb: Like the Stinger, but it has a bigger blast radius that hits all the ships in the immediate vicinity.
Shield Drain: Sucks energy from an enemy's shield and adds it to yours.

These weapons can be used in multiplayer bouts only:
Control Jammer: Rather like the RevCon in the original WipEout, this weapon reverses the steering controls of an enemy for about five seconds.
Turbo Enforcer: Gives the enemy an instant, and unwanted, speed boost. Use just before a really sharp turn, and watch them hit the wall!
Hunter Missile: Very like the Warp Orb in Crash Team Racing. It hunts down the race leader. Big explosion, damage and slow-down.
Global Drain: Probably the msot evil weapon in the whole game! Reduces the shield energy of all the other ships to zero. Any further physical contact with anything results in destruction.
Stealth: Like Wip3out's Cloak, the player's ship turns invisible (well, actually, just transparent, otherwise the player him/herself wouldn't be able to see it). Weapons will have no effect, and enemies can't lock on. Flying through enemy ships causes them damge. If it wears off while flying through an enemy, the enemy is instantly destroyed.

The weapons above can be picked up by any ship. The ones below are exclusive to their respective teams:

Feisar - Super Missiles: Three missiles lock on to the nearest three enemies ahead. If only one ship is ahead, all three missiles lock on to it! Pain guaranteed!
Van Uber - Seismic Field: A black hole type thing is fired forwards. Enemy ships are drawn into it, causing slowdown and damage. Direct hits can cause eliminations.
G-Tech - Bio Snare: A throbbing glowing wall covering half the track width. Ships that hit it are drawn in and smothered; reducing their shield energy to almost zero.
Auricom - Orbital Laser: Locks on to an enemy ahead. When fired, huge shafts of energy pump down from above, causing major damage. It also leaves a big smoke screen in the blast radius.
EG-R - Power Swarm: Automatic lock-on; either front or rear-firing. Four mini ships emerge from under the main one, and each is equipped with a machine gun. They automatically attack enemies.
Tigron - Nitro Rocket: Locks on like a missile. A missile made of liquid nitrogen is fired forward; crystallising the enemy ship. Lasts for five seconds unless the enemy flies through the pit lane or is attacked with a Flamethrower, which will melt the ice.
Xios - Shield Drain: Like the normal Shield Drain, but with a bigger blast radius, a more flexible linking distance and it's mroe powerful.
Piranha - Penetrator: Locks on, and then the whole ship fires itself forwards like a missile, penetrating it and causing massive damage.

[Xavier]

I can't read and understand all but i see one thing, there is a lot of army, I love that. shoot on the stupid bastard before you nice game

hehehe, I wich I got it

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

Here's that article from OPS2 that I was talking about:

WIPEOUT FUSION
The game with speed that knows no bounds is fast approaching. Don't get in its way - it won't stop for anyone.

To begin, let's throw around a few similes. In this case, for speed. As fast as a speeding train. Quick as a flash. Like a greased Scotsman. In the blink of an eye. Faster than a mayfly's homeymoon. Bundle together all these dreadful approximations, and the result is something pretty fast. Agreed? Agreed. And the only thing that nimble bundle can be compared to is the sensation that WipEout Fusion is going to bring to PS2.

Proof required? Well, it's not often that having played a game for just half an hour, any other movement seems slow in comparison. Just getting up and walking away from the screen gives the sensation that you're in some kind of freeze-frame world. In gaming terms it ahs the ability to make - take a deep breath - GT3 look like it's stuck in first gear.

It's a little over-confident to suggest WipEout Fusion will be a life-changing experience, but it certainly won't disapoint in terms of pace. As you pelt through lush jungle, around maountain peaks, down mines and into sub-aquatic tunnels, there is a constant, pant-wetting thrill akin to a ride on a life-threatening roller-coaster. The scenery is highly detailed, elevating the race areas, giving a sense of depth, thoguh you'll only notice them when you crash.

Even at this pre-pubescent stage, the game is in place. We played seven tracks, each having three sections that can also be played in reverse. The most obvious thing that has changed in couse layout from previous WipEouts is that the tracks are no longer just made up of straights, turns and the occasional drop or climb. Loop-the-loops make an appearance as do corkscrew twists and huge, almsot vertical inclines.

One memorable section of the Katmoda 12 course has a drop where at the apex you lose sight of the track altogether with just an unnerving nothingness below your craft. In another, a jump pad suddenly fires you on to an upside-down track, sending you in the wrong direction. Believe us, this is brilliant.

If WipEout was broken up into essential components, then Fusion's covered the msot important one. Speed. What about design and sound? It's already been well-documented that Studio Liverpool wanted an entirely new look to Fusion, with design firm Good Technology taking over from Designers' Republic. A totally clean slate was ordered and subsequently delivered. Even if you really don't care that the drivers now have a caricatured face and exhibit 'more personality' or that the craft look a bit different (and did we mention that the fonts have changed?) it's a good selling point. Furthermore it's a big two-fingers-in-the-face to those who say Fusion is just a PSOne update. Musically, the developer has opted for a mix of well and not so well-known artists including Orbital (Yes! Yes! Orbital! - Middlesboogie), BT, Lunatic Calm, Luke Slater, Plump DJs and Utah Saints. Still no ZZ Top though.

It would be unproductive to mention that in its current state Fusion is prone to slowing down in more detail-heavy portions of the track, most noticeably in Two-player mode, or that some of the graphics could still do with being smoothed over. You know and we know that SCEE would be mad to release a game of WipEout Fusion's heritage in an anything but an entirely complete state. Which is why we must wait a little longer for the full experience (Yes, they've postponed the date again! *sigh* - Middlesboogie). Over to you Studio Liverpool.

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

I was leafing through my back issues of OPS2M, and I found this article in the very first issue. It's slightly (!) out of date, release-date wise, but it still makes for a good little read.

WIPEOUT FUSION

The fiercely intense futuristic racer slams headlong into the PlayStation 2. But can the WipEout series survive the perilous journey to Sony's 128 bit marvel?

WipEout is, quite simply, a legend on PSOne. Back in 1995, its head-rush combination of frantic racing, mesmerising visuals and pumping soundtrack introduced a whole new clubbing generation to videogames. Five years on, Sony's Studio Liverpool - the Team Formerly Known As Psygnosis - is preparing to unleash the next generation of this futuristic franchise on PlayStation 2.

WipEout Fusion is set in 2150 AD, where the notorious 'Federation' has unveiled a tough league containing a brand new breed of advanced gravity-defying craft, possessing hi-tech handling. This time the super-sleek ships hug the tracks much more closely than in previous WipEout incarnations, giving a 'rollercoaster' feel to the game, with hair-raising loops, infeasible jumps and terrifying twists.

The structure of the league system - with its different classes of Vector, Venom, Rapier and Phantom - has been given a dramatic overhaul, combating criticism that WipEout's learning curve was too steep. A new cash management system gives players points depending on their finishing position in a race and damage inflicted on opponents. Parameters such as speed, stability, thrust and firepower can then be improved, allowing the player to define their ship's characteristics. Reach the maximum upgrade level and you get a new ship with better weapons, more speed and more shield energy. Eventually, players get to test-fly the most prestigious ship available: a black hyper-reflective stealth craft that avoids enemy radar.

Courses are now spread over seven different environments, each containing three tracks of the easy, medium and difficult variety (that's right, 21 circuits! - Middlesboogie). Players start off in a windswept desert with sand dunes and deep canyons, then the action sweeps through varied landscapes including ice, jungle and a non-Costner water world. Studio Liverpool wants to cram a PS2 innovation into every track, so for example, the very first course has an evil 360-degree loop right near the start to disorientate the player. Tricky flip pads turn craft upside down, while transparent areas of track on top of each other allow you to look down and see what your foes are up to. All scenery is now interactive - boulders can be blasted to reveal secret routes, while the ships themselves take on damage, sending metal fragments spinning onto the track.

The programming team has concentrated on bringing realistic computer opponents to the PS2 by paying close attention to the AI. Pilot characters now have their own personalities and will 'remember' which players have attacked them. The cache of weapons include upgraded versions of old favourites - such as the road-shaking 'Quake' - that have been revamped for devastating explosions, although the final arsenal has not yet been decided on. In the two-player split-screen mode, specially designed weapons will provide new challenges.

Although the game isn't due for release until March 2001 (Yes, that was its original release date, which is now December this year. But still, it's good to see that they are getting it perfect instead of rushing it out the door half-arsed. - Middlesboogie), it's shaping up to be a stunning PS2 racer, with detailed tracks snaking over stunning landscapes and a cracking new multiplayer mode. Mix that with in-game music from the best UK dance talent, and snazzy new design from Good Technology and WipEout is set to make one hell of a return.

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

Here's an interesting piece of news... the three titles proposed for WipEout 4 were WipEout Fusion, WipEout Pure and WipEout Class A. I'm glad they chose Fusion!

Also, Kappa (leisure clothing label), are sponsoring WipEout Fusion, and are going to be making all the Fusion merchandise! Well, the clothes, anyway. Can't wait to get one!
2097 had some merchandise - shirts and record bags - but the line has been discontinued... a real shame.

There is now an official Fusion site ( http://www.wipeoutfusion.com ), but it's been just a splash page for a few days now. I'll keep checking, and I'll post when it updates. Hopefully, now that it has has a site, this does mean it's going to be released this year.

And does anyone actually read these posts? I just want to know whether I'm wasting my time doing all that typing...

Edit: Just discovered this on IGN. If you're a WipEout fan, vote for Fusion in IGN's
top 25 games of 2001 (you get three votes, so you can still vote for MO as well!).

[ October 20, 2001: Message edited by: One, Two, Middlesboogie ]

[Robbo]

Wipeout is sssssooooooooo cool man. It makes me feel lucky to own a PS2

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

Yay! Another fan! I thought I was the only one!

[Robbo]

Middlesboogie, check out the preveiw of Wipeout. It officialy kicks ass!

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

Where can I see it?

And here's a little something I knocked up... behold the dream team!

Hyena W Industries
[img]http://communities.msn.com/_Secure/0PAArGSEVem6n86TUVKkN!8ocGa1Bhf*qF3cmmv7kMaQCWVAbOLjDawGT!HRDu3dtErZ2Fs1mdvPRn37WUgWdXuTq0WdqZ0Gf/Hyaena-W.jpg[/img]

[Robbo]

Cool. And its where you get your other stuff from.

[Sydney]

I remember playing WipeOut on my PlayStation a few years ago. It's a great game, it has a cosmic, otherworldly feel to it. It's quite refreshing to hover at such amazing speeds. A good game.

I'll have to get this new one when it comes out.

[Cloverfield]

I played some of one of the Wipeout games (I don't know which one) on my boss' PSX last year at our work Christmas party. It seemed pretty cool, but the sad thing is that I felt sick afterwards.

I'm one of these unfortunate people who get sick when playing some games (Spyro 2 also makes me feel sick, I can only play it for about 1/2 hour before having to lie down). I don't get sick for all games, only some though... it's really strange as there is no constant to it. And it never used to happen at all. I could most likely play Wipeout Fusion and never be affected at all.

Abe Babe...

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

Bad news... the game has been delayed until next frogging year!
It's been put back until March 2002. However, it should be noted that Fusion is one of those few titles that the Brits get before the Yanks, and the UK XBox release date for the XBox is.... next year... in March!

Methinks 'tis a tactic by Sony to try and lure potential XBox buyers away from the XBox and towards the PS2, by releasing the kick-ass Fusion at the same time.

Whoa, come March 2002, there's gonna be a helluva gaming overload in the UK.

And now for some good news!
The track listing for Fusion has been (more or less) confirmed, and it's got lots of old favourites in it! Here it is:

1.The Future Sound Of London - Papua New Guinea (Hybrid Mix)
2. Braniac - Neuro
3. Blades & Naughty G - Beats Defective
4. BT - SmartBomb (Plump DJs remix)
5. Cut La Roc - Bassheads
6. JDS - Punk Funk
7. Elite Force - Krushyn
8. Elite Force & Nick Ryan - Switchback
9. Amethyst - Blue Funk
10. Utah Saints - Sick
11. Plump DJs - Big Groovy Funker
12. Humanoid - Stakker Humanoid 2001 (Plump DJs 2001 retouch)
13. Timo Maas - Old School Vibes
14. Luke Slater - Bolt Up
15. To be confirmed
16. Orbital - Funny Break (One is Enough) (Plump DJs remix)
17. Nightmares on Wax - Bleu My (wipe mix)
18. Bob Brazil - Big Ten
19. Intuative - Wav Seeker
20. Hong Kong Trash - Down The River (Torrential Rapids mix)
21. MKL - Synthaesia

[ October 24, 2001: Message edited by: One, Two, Middlesboogie ]

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

More news -

It seems that the gaming news sites had jumped the gun, and the game will be getting a winter 2001 release as planned! Whee-hee!
Fingers crossed it stays that way!

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

Robert Foxx, the creator of WipEout Zone, recently made a visit to Studio Liverpool's studio, and got to play the game and ask the designers questions. Some of the WipEout Zone forum members submitted questions to him for him to ask Studio L (I didn't; I couldn't think of any that hadn't been asked), and he came back yesterday with the answers. (the text below is all from him - so if there's any spelling mistakes or bad grammar it's him, not me)

Will the up and down steering keys still be in?
Yes, they are in - the ships handle similar to Wipeout 3/SE, although you can tell that the ships have different weights now... A Tigron can smack the hell out of a Piranha with a sideways barge and, in fact, using the weight advantage is one of Tigron's tactics.

When is it coming to the US?!?
Not yet known.

Is it a high priority for promotion or do Psygnosis reckon the audience the original W'O'' got has moved on?
The original clubbing culture has moved on from 1996 and so has the audience, so Wipeout Fusion isn't aimed at that particular group any more.

Is it being released only for PS2 or are there any plans for it to arrive on other formats?
It will be PS2 only - Sony wont be making games for Gamecube or X-Box.

if there will be a soundtrack cd released
It is a possibility - something that is being looked into, however, due to the artists/labels etc involved it could prove tricky to get all the necessary licences to fall into place.

who the other companies that pitched for the design job
I wasn't told exact names, but of the three companies who chose to pitch it was hard to chose between them - they were all very enthusiastic and produced great things. Good Technology have actually produced a load of additional stuff that looked fantastic, but couldn't be applied consistantly to some of the in-game screens, such as the audio settings screen and other screens with a bit more clutter. GT's strength in web design has shown with the website, though - that particular work is totally stand-out compared to even some decent game web sites I've seen over the years.

There was a feeling, regarding DR, that folk assumed the Designers Republic actually designed the ships, tracks and everything else for the game, which wasn't accurate. Therefor the decision to move on was not a difficult one on the part of the studio. I was told many things, both on and off the record about the Designers Republic situation, and since I cant really remember which parts are confidential I wont say any more about it, except that I'm satisfied I know the real reasons behind the decision now and I wont be arguing with anybody about it.

More about the menus...

The menu screens aren't as designed for design's sake as those found in Wipeout 3 - they're more angled towards functionality and getting the user to their destination with the minimum of fuss.

Personally I got right into the game no problem at all - never got lost and it was obvious which elements were immediately accessible and what was locked. One thing that did bother me was a klaxon sound that happens when an option is highlighted. This done my head in very quickly indeed, especially if I was selecting a track that was more than three tracks round the track selection dial - the klaxon was giving it "whaaaaamp! whaaaaaamp! whaaaaaaamp!" every time you move through a track. I was also a bit puzzled by the final track selection screen... those that weren't selected seemed clearer to me than the one that was... however, due to only two hours of play, I didn't really get the chance to get too comfortable with the interface.

any "hidden" stuff
If I told you it wouldn't be hidden!

Yeah, there's a lot of stuff in there for people who want to search it out.

Please could you ask if there are any plans for online racing
No - Wipeout Fusion is too fast to rely on a Modem. It would only be possible when broadband is a reality and that is still some way off.

...whether the first/subsequent versions will be DVD-spec and feature Pro-Logic or, preferrably, Dolby Digital encoding?
The game features Dolby prologic II - 5.2 surround sound, the .2 meaning stereo rear speakers. Some parts feature Dolby 5.1 although you'd need better ears than mine to tell the difference.

What involvement if any will the characters will be having in the game? Will there be some story happening acted by the AI in the race? Or will the characters just have enough back story just like the first game had.
There isn't a linear story line as such, however the characters will fly in a nature fitting their personality/craft. There's one pilot that virtually all the other pilots have a grudge against, so they are more likely to attack him than others.

If you nail someone at the start of the race they are more likely to seek you out and even the score later on in the race or the league. Basically you could make yourself notoriously hated if you wanted to!

Have they prepared to pitch this game full on like WipEout and XL/2097?
The marketing campaign will be "full on" and will revolve around the web site which is totally awesome and features pilot bio's, chronology and track fly-through's.

We never really knew if either turbo boost or hyperthrust (or both) was going to be set in fusion. Turbo boost will be a power up - you wont be able to drain from the shield energy as in Wipeout 3.

will there be a link-cable mode
No

Will different times of day be available on each track?
The time of day wont change, but different tracks are set at different times of day, such as at night or with a setting sun.

What kind of weather effects will we see?
Rain, snow, dust as well as the other particle effects caused by explosions. I can tell you that the pit lane effect is simply fantastic!

Will "Zone Mode" have any specially designed tracks made purely to attain insane speeds?
Yes, although I didn't actually play more than one track in Zone mode and only reached a pitiful 17 on my second attempt.

Will we see any more real-world endorsements or ads, like for Red Bull?
Yes, Kappa will feature on billboards and hoardings, as well as team logos. The team animations shown in game are actually movies streamed directly from disk as the game is playing - quite a cool effect!

What kind of announcer's voice is there? (god, I miss the Amiga voice from 2097...)
There is a female voice for the weapon notification, as well as a male voice for starting the race and "contender eliminated."

Will the announcer announce player's weapons, or rival's? (rival's, pleeeeaase...)
As far as I could tell it warned you what was coming.

Will it support that new PS2 steering wheel that has legit force feedback?
No, it's not a car driving game! It does support the NegCon, though... I wonder why, Mr Sartwell!?

For some reason the d-pad control was slightly tighter than the analogue stick control on the Dual Shock 2. This concerned me a bit, as it immediatly throws the ball straight into the court of those using NegCon. I use a Dual Shock 2 analogue stick for every game I play - in GTA 3 it feels a bit tighter than it did in Fusion and I'd like to keep on using the analogue stick with Fusion, rather than knowing I'm at a disadvantage to someone with a different controller. Why cant all controllers be calibrated for different sensitivity? That way I could crank it up for the Dual Shock.

I did find the pressure sensitive fire button, the R1 button by default, very easy to get used to - especially for throwing grenades, where a harder press would lob them further up the track.

Most of the other controls are the same as in previous Wipeout's - square to drop weapon, R2/L2 for airbraking, although I never did find out what the circle button did, but the select button would choose the next audio track in-game, which was a cool feature.

What do load times look like?
Very quick indeed - for the amount that is going on you're hardly waiting at all from the pilot/ship/track selection until you're on the grid.

True 16:9 widescreen correction?
Yes - anamorphic, I believe.

Timetrial ghost options?
It's a sort of translucent "glass" effect - I didn't see it, but apparently it leaves trails and looks very cool.

what kind of apparel can we expect to see from Kappa, and when?
T-shirts, hoodies, caps - all the usual stuff will be on sale through the website.

4 players on 1 tv?
No, just two.

Will we b able 2 change view when viewing the replay (I'd love 2 c the hole race fr cockpit view even if I race fr the outside - as I can do in toca world) or the same st*pid offtrack 'camera'?
There was no option to replay a race in the version I played. Apparently there was a bug of some nature where the AI ships would crash into the walls instead of following their original route. I wasn't told whether this would be fixed for launch.

will they put bonuses on the DVD?
You get more than 20 music tracks and a fantastic game - that's your bonus!

will there be a 50/60 Hz switch option?
No

will there be a inside-cockpit view?
There was, but it was taken out - it's not a popular option anyway, compared to nose and behind views.

Are the computer opponents fully armed, or do they have a limited number of weapons available?
They are fully armed - I had my ass quaked off in the league game I played, and there are team specific weapons that you can only use if you're on that team.

How do the craft now sound as they fly past the camera?
They didn't, as there was no replay, but I can tell you that the engines make a sort of whiny/howly sound that changes in pitch with your speed... if you hit something (like the rocks I hit a lot in the Nevada based track) then the engine sound dies back down with your speed.

What has been the main influence to create another WipEout?
It was a logical progression - Wipeout goes hand in hand with PlayStation, so people just assumed that there would be a next generation Wipeout to go along with the console.

On reflection, is the up-side-down flying thing right or wrong?
It is right - it looks extra cool and the way that the screen flips is a total mind job. I am sold on the idea now - you can choose to avoid the flip pads if you want and stick to the deck, but it is pretty cool to overtake a bunch of dudes on the ceiling which then becomes the ground... if you know what I mean. Either way it is cool and does add another tactical dimension to the game. It's most apparent on the Moon based track - a good proportion of the lap can be done either on the upper track or on the ground if you prefer... it looks pretty wicked to loop off in one direction and see other ships take off in the other direction in the track above, only to meet up again later on. As an aside, the moon track features a drop that is just so chuck worthy... I had vertigo the first time I went down it! Needs to be seen to be believed, it's a true stomach lurcher and will have you moving in your chair.

WHEN IS THE OFFICIAL SITE LAUNCHING?
I wasn't told, but it is just about finished and looks very, very good. It takes the guise of the official website of the F9000 Racing Federation and mentions the officially licensed game - i.e. Wipeout Fusion. The whole site is done in Flash and helps to flesh out the world of Wipeout - bringing extra depth.

Believe me, when the official site is launched you will have absolutely no need to visit this place - there is a forum, a place to enter your time codes for a ranking and it's far better than anything I could come up with!

WipeoutZone version 2 will look good - I'll try my very best to make it good, but Good Technology are the daddies as far as Wipeout sites go.

You will be impressed, WipeoutZone will be lonely... but not really because I'll be over at the official site too!

Will wipeoutzone be getting any props in the credits?
Yes - and it was embarrassing - thanks for asking that one, Joel - I felt like a bit of a plonker.

From what I can remember of the credits it says "Special thanks to infoxicated and all the pilots at www.wipeoutzone.com

a possible WipEout Fusion 2
As expected they have to wait and see how this version does first. They wont just make a sequel for the sake of making a sequel - like to polish up the graphics in a couple of years or whatever. If they have a good idea that would bring something more to the world of Wipeout then another game will be made, however, the original game wasn't made because the development team stuck to what was tried and tested. It was something new and has created a genre in its own right - this is why other developers might try and do a game similar, but the second they have anti-gravity ships racing around tight tracks it's obvious it's Wipeout. Virtually everyone who created the original has moved on and over time there will obviously be new people that come to the studio. Should a new member or an existing member come up with an idea that adds to the world of wipeout then maybe they can think about a new game.

Everyone in that studio breathes Wipeout Fusion - there were team banners, pilots and ship schematic's placed on every square inch of wall space, not only of Fusion but of Wipeout 3, 2097 and the original. This is not just a piece of software to the Fusion Team - it's a world that they've created and they're taking great care of it. Touches such as bringing in the original character artist to do the work for Fusion and the fact that there was a 2097 disk sitting on the desk in the room where I was playing Fusion, show that they're paying very close attention to the storyline and the chronology of the sport of AG racing. For the team profiles, pilot bio's and scene setting they have used the same copy-writer that produced the text for all of the other games in order to keep the world of Wipeout consistant. (the Piranha chineese/brazilian thing is an embarrassing exception that the guys weren't to keen to be reminded of!)

what game are the planing on working on next!?
F1 2002 is the next project for the studio, however a well deserved holiday is a high priority too. The day before I visited, the team had to meet an important milestone and had been working like dogs. The general vibe I got is that they are proud of what they've done with Wipeout Fusion, having learned new ways of programming for the PS2 along the way. Now it's so near the finish line that they're just eager to get the game out into the hands of the fans.

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

I don't know if anyone'll be interested, but I made a site for Hyena W Industries.

I've also managed to play the demo of WipEout Fusion... I posted about it in Daniel Brown's "5 best games" topic.

[ November 11, 2001: Message edited by: One, Two, Middlesboogie ]

[One, Two, Middlesboogie]

The elusive 'to be confirmed' track has been revealed as 'Carnival' by Breeder.

A grain of good news: despite the game being delayed until February 2001 (it's finished; the decision was made by Sony, not Psygnosis), an arcade-mode demo will be released to the masses in early January!
The current demo is Zone Mode; where it's just you and a ship stuck on permanent acceleration, but arcade mode is the one where you race against a full grid of opponents all armed to the teeth! Can't wait!

[Robbo]

WAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!!!! *somersaults over PC* That is good news. At least there'll be something to stop the riots as millions of WipEout fans go beserk from pro-longed waiting. Why in the blue streets of cheese did SONY hold back the game? Stupid, stupid SONY people. *whacks SONY people over head with demo disk* Stupid, stupid SONY people........