GamesRelay: Can you tell us about some of the additional downloadable content that's going to be available?
Colin Berry: We are still deciding exactly what downloadable content we will release for HD, but hopefully we will be releasing additional tracks which could include a mixture of old tracks and brand new ones. Additional ships and music are also on the list of downloadable content we hope to release. We are also looking into releasing an extra game mode or two via downloadable content, but the exact extent and feasibility of this, we are still looking into. So for the time being, nothing concrete, but plenty of options are available to us.
GamesRelay: WipEout is renowned for its music - can you tell us about what's in store for HD?
Colin Berry: The initial release of HD will contain 9 music tracks from WipEout Pulse, including tracks from Kraftwerk, Mason, DJ Fresh and Stanton Warriors. All the music is going to be mixed in 5.1 surround as are the sound effects.
GamesRelay: You can use the SIXAXIS™ controller - where will you use it because we think steering at 100s of mph will be pretty difficult?
Colin Berry: We are currently looking into this, we have a few ideas but we also share the concern of how useful full Sixaxis motion control will be at the highest speeds. There are however several ways we are looking into implementing it, it could end up linked into the weapon functionality or the ship pitch control it doesn't necessarily have to link to the direct steering control of the ship.
GamesRelay: Are you satisfied with the levels of online gameplay for the HD version?
Colin Berry: As a designer I am never satisfied with anything I always want more, more features, more time, more everything concerning each and every aspect of the game. We are still working hard on the online side of WipEout HD and it is progressing well. The online gameplay is good and due to the plug-in modular system of design and code we can expand the feature set of the game through downloads, meaning that the initial online experience on launch can be added to over time to further enrich the experience.
GamesRelay: After such a distinguished history, where does a franchise like WipEout go from here?
Colin Berry: For the time being we are continuing to work hard on WipEout HD and supporting it through additional content. Beyond that, there is not much more to add at the moment, although on a personal level I think online functionality should play a large part in as many games as possible these days where feasible.
GamesRelay: Who holds the fastest lap record on any track in the office?
Colin Berry: That is most likely to be Karl Jones, one of the designers. He is pretty much established as the best player, although one of the programmers, Martin Linklater would argue otherwise, and recently I have been close to catching up too.
GamesRelay: If you could add one more weapon to the game, what would it be?
Colin Berry: Well after Pure, we wanted the cannon back and so we added it. I'm not sure there is one off the top of my head. The weapons are integral to the game and the balance of the game and we consider them heavily. I guess in future I'd like us to maybe look at some sort of battering-ram / snow plough type effect but this would more likely be additional functionality for the Auto-Pilot as opposed a new weapon.
GamesRelay: Is there a track you've always wanted to have on a WipEout game that you haven't been able to get?
Colin Berry: I guess that is music track… We have tended to be very lucky with music in that we tend to get the people we want. People we have approached have been keen to provide us with work. Getting Kraftwerk was especially pleasing based on their history and body of work. From a purely personal point of view, there is a track on the Spawn soundtrack called No Remorse, it is Slayer featuring Atari Teenage Riot. I think a remix of that would be great, but it is purely my personal choice.
Our thanks to Colin for taking the time to answer some questions on what surely is to be a great racing experience.
