Here are the results for the AMA that was undertaken last week. Hope all your questions were answered. Don't worry if you didn't get to ask a question, we will more than likely do future onesEmoticon smile
- Peter
R8 Games: Formula Fusion AMA#1 Results
Q - When it will be available on SteamOS and/or PS4?
A - Yes to PS4 – Maybe to SteamOS (we still need to understand what development requirements that needs). As for a release date we’re aiming for Q3 2016 but that’s all we can say for the moment
Q - I backed Formula Fusion at £10, just to show support. When the final Kickstarter questionnaire arrived, I opted to raise my pledge to £20 and buy the Xbox One version. I was told (here on the forum) to wait for email details of where to PayPal the extra £10 to, but those details never arrived. So my question is: where/when do I give you the extra tenner?
A - You can make further payments to
Paypal@r8games.com – make sure you flag it in the comments and it will be added to the spreadsheet. Currently we have someone dealing with all that now so expect a confirmation email by the end of next week (as we get the list together).
Q - Similar question here, I've picked some additional skins, but never have received any emails about how to pay for them and whether I can get the skins at all?
A - Same as above – make sure you flag it in the comments and we will update your details on the Kickstarter spread sheet.
Q - Is everything really going to be ok with the project?
A - Yes! 100%, we went through a bit of a dark period dealing with the harsh realities of indie development but we have a great buzz in the office now and we are ploughing on with everything. We even have a producer to hit us over the heads if we don’t complete tasks on time.
Q - Will we see any updates on Early Access?
A - Eventually yes. While we do hope to update Early Access sooner rather than later you have to understand that we have a lot to do in such a short space of time. Currently we're working on updating the overall handling of the craft within the game as well as some overall tweaks to make the gameplay a much smoother experience. I would love to be able to hand these to you right now but they aren't quite ready for play-testing just yet.
Q - Are we still targeting the next year for the release?
A - Yes totally – or the producer will have our testicles in glass jars. The plan is for the end of Q3. The quality we want to put into the game means more work. But that’s our focus.
Q - Does purchasing a copy of the Early Access version of the game on Steam give me access to the full game when it is released?
A - Yes indeed!
Q - I only found out by chance that the Early Access was out. I missed the Kickstarter (was disappointed too!) and signed up but never got any email telling me it was out. You might want to look at that - might be a number of other keen folk who would join the Early Access, but you need to contact them?
A - Don’t worry we are starting to put together a plan for Marketing and PR.
Q - Have you considered alternate control-methods, such as controller tilting?
A - Right now we are balancing the gameplay side of things – controller options will come later (as we achieve the optimal controllers set up).
Q - Can you share news about the funding?
A – We already have news regarding a press announcement up on the forums, we will aim to make a Press release regarding the matter very soon though.
Q - Will we be able to fully map an input controller such as the Logitech F710? (I want airbrakes on top bumpers/L1 R1)
A - See the comment above. We want to support as many peripherals as possible but getting it right with a standard controller is what we are focussing on right now.
Q - Now that you have significant funding, are you guys looking at visible weapons you see under the craft after you pick them up and before you fire?
A - The weapon system will feature upgrades to the hard points on the craft. This will be configurable in the garage. But it will fit with the overall style so as not to destroy the aesthetic of the craft.
Q - Also any chance of locational scorch marks of where weapons impact other craft?
A - Yep – we are playing around with ideas for the damage system but localised damage – scuffs is definitely a possibility.
Q - Finally how are the physics coming along? Is the team still struggling to get that floaty feel or have there been some breakthroughs in this area?
A - GREAT! We have come a long way and you should be able to have a feel in the next update on steam. We have our ‘own’ system for the craft physics which will be more ‘floaty’ but ties into the quantum levitation direction.
Q - Is it possible for someone to jump on a Kickstarter package this late in the game?
A - Potentially – I will discuss this with the other directors and get back to you. I think it will be nice to allow for this but right now the game has been our focus – plus organising everything so we don’t hit any speed bumps again.
Q - What do you plan to add in the next update? That and when do you plan to add these updates?
A - See above
Q - How's the studio holding up financially? I know you got a sponsor on board but will he be affecting any decisions on the game?
A - We ramped up too quickly and as a consequence we had major issues with funding, but now we have learnt from our mistakes and we have everything meticulously planned. Regarding your question on sponsor involvement - NO! We have been really careful to make sure we get the right people on board. They are big fans of AG Racing and they want the game to do well.
Q - Who are you? How many devs are working on FF? Give us some names, please, present the team to us!
A - You can see details on the website under about us. We are not the studio Liverpool team – but there’s room to bring in people with that sort of experience. We have new and old talent working on the game (when I worked on Wip3out it was exactly the same deal) – all of us are from different walks of life and have a multitude of various experiences that we bring to the team collectively – and this is the important thing – they have the talent to produce the game. Up to press, and for a variety of reasons, people have come and gone, so we want to bed the team we have in now and will create a developer profile next year. We currently have around 14 people in and out of house – some working on a contract basis and some permanent (the core office team). It is being driven by tDR and myself – Andrew Walker. When we get to a point where we have the team fully locked down we will make a big song and dance about our developers, what they do, and what they have done. You can be sure it is in safe hands.
Q - Do you plan to have vertical control? (nose up/down)
A - There is a degree of that. You can tweak ride settings in the garage.
Q - What about the widths of the tracks, are they going to stay the same? There were some suggestions that tracks should be wider.
A No – the released track we have is fixed but the game tracks will have single – double and triple variations.
Q - Are we going to have some kind of "Zone Mode"?
A - We have our own version of that concept – so yes.
Q - Why are there constant communication cuts for a few days/weeks and then we get another reassuring message, repeated over and over again? What exactly is going on over there? I haven't been following as closely as I would have liked to, but I'm starting to get worried.
A - Because we have had to deal with running around the country getting deals sorted – sorting finances and dealing with tech issues and replacing people we had to reluctantly let go – it has been one issue after another. The focus was on keeping going whilst we made sure that the game was protected. The pressure on us has been immense but we are out of the dark times now. Many games that do Kickstarter and steam fail. We are not one of them.
Q - Will you release a roadmap?
A - All versions will be released at the end of Q3 2016. Currently the plan is XboxOne, PS4 and PC and we will port onto everything we can, dependent on time and resources. But we will update you shortly.
Q - Have any of you read all the things we've written on this forum since September 1st?
A - Yes – it has been hard – but I didn’t want to keep peddling the same old messages giving you information and repeating myself saying everything would be ok – when I didn’t know myself. It’s a very different story now so no more excuses.
Q - Will someone take care of all the Steam multiple-keys problems? Last solution suggested by Aaron and Valve did not work.
A - Yes – We will deal with this in a clinical way next week. It means going through our spread sheet and finding out who has been missed what if any problems there are. We will make sure you are happy – if you don’t have a key and want a refund we will be sad to lose you. But you will miss out on the ride we are going to take you on.
Q - Are you going to hire a new community manager?
A - We have a new community manager at the moment – it will be managed by Peter Scott to make sure you are all included and kept up to date.
Q - Will there be regular updates on steam now that you got new funding?
A - Hopefully - but we also have to fit in with the PR and Marketing strategy we need to sort out. That means we will deliver key updates that are coordinated with press releases – but more incremental developer updates will happen a couple of times a month.
Q - Are there any other problems to take care of at the moment that will delay the development?
A - No.
Q - Am I able to change my pledge from say, PC to PS4 or Xbox One?
A - Yes – please email
team@r8games.com and I will get someone to look at it.
Q - So, AG Systems, FEISAR or Piranha?
A - If I had to choose a WO favourite it would be FEISAR.
Q - Are you guys going to add more of a story to this game? Just enough to give extra incentive to race and make it more human. Wipeout always lacked that element; fun racing but a bit empty.
A - To a degree. There will be narrative features in the environments to try and describe the world and we will have team/pilot personalities that will reflect in the behaviour and strategy of the AI. It is a racing game first and foremost with a focus on multiplayer but the world lore has been deeply thought-out with its own rules, political influences, and layout – all conceived by tDR and our in-house designers.
Q - But why Red Rock is green?!
A - Red Rock is supposed to be Red. Maybe that’s a bug you need to report? Also remember that we’re all very Work in Progress at the moment.
Q - Will the game feature loops, helter-skelters, inversions, corkscrews, banks and drops like the later Wipeout titles or will the tracks be more traditional in design?
A - The tracks will have more experimental features in-line with what you have mentioned but we don’t want to break up the core racing experience.
Q - What happened to the model ships that were previously for sale on the website, and are they still available?
A - We have a base agreement with a supplier and we need to make sure the craft designs are 100% finished before production starts. The whole merchandise side to the game is being sorted as far as having a ‘Store’. This also needs a dedicated sales team which we are in the process of sorting out.
Q - If we supporters who pledged for the track sponsor package will be able to choose which track will have our name on the logos or if it will be complete random?
A - The sign pack has been created by TDR. The signs in the game are placeholder at the moment. We need to feature community signs in the appropriate places to compliment the design (not the other way around).
Q - When will we see new content for fusion again?
A – Soon hopefully
Q - I would like to know what is up with those hoodies which could be purchased in the shop from the R8 website?
A - Hoodies and T-Shirts have been designed to a point – they still need some revisions and then we will make them available to everyone – which will also include a range of apparel that features team and game branding. This will happen early in the New Year.
Q - Tracks - Cliffs, plunges, rises and loops, right? Cos it ain't AG racing if you ain't upside down at 300kph.
A - Indeed – the track you have experienced was a base line to help refine the physics and handling. It didn’t make sense to include all these gameplay features early on as it all needs to be balanced in order to fit with the progression.
