Projectpixel

Inspired by my love for the WipeOut games and architecture, this project: AG Racer\Ion Thrust\Genshi Bahn among other working titles, is an anti gravity racing game, set in a Metropolis inspired alternative future. Unlike the WipeOut series AG Racer delves into the aesthetics of 1920’s Deco, embracing the pioneering spirit of people such as Nikolai Tesla and Amelia Earhart. In this world, vacuum tubes and Tesla coils, combine with ion engines to propel sleek, steel racing machines through purpose built tracks. A celebration of electrical technology in a deco metropolis of brutal statues, intimidating architecture and technological rivalry.

Testing lighting, textures and rendering within Unity 5.

Goals

The game will feature 6 characters, with their own vehicles.
The vehicles will reflect their personalities. The characters will be based on pioneers of technological discovery.
Initially there will be one track with more to come depending on reception and the time restrictions.
Multiplayer
Valve VR (Vive) and Oculus Rift Support

Origins

This project started off as barely interactive, static, graphical show piece. Something to push Unity 5 to see what it can produce, preferably experienced by way of a virtual reality interface. Then came anti gravity physics and a vehicle control scheme. Followed by a racing artificial intelligence. There’s no going back now.

ai paths — Early AI tests using paths and nodes

Early concept, before I knew it, I was regulating gravity, speeding around obstacle courses and making sweet jumps

Resources and Inspiration

A project like this is incredibly self indulgent, I get to spend time researching topics that I love and I’ve learned all sorts of cool stuff along the way. Making a game like this involves a broad knowledge spectrum of things you might not relate to game design; soviet sculpture, architecture, cinematography, vehicle design, electrical pioneers and ion propulsion drives! All stuff worth reading about regardless. I highly recommend The Metropolis of Tomorrow by Hugh Ferris, one of my favourite discoveries, referenced in the video below.

I’m not oblivious to the aesthetic similarities to Bioshock, I’m guessing we went down similar routes of research in our pursuits.
I’m OK with that, it’s an aesthetic that I’ve research and understand.