I wish Martin Edmonson was just honest.

[Lazychu]

DRIV3R EXCLUSIVE - CREATIVE DIRECTOR MARTIN EDMONSON TALKS!

Tanner gets set to join the ranks of Popeye Doyle, Frank Bullitt, and, er, Bo Darville (The Bandit)

18:18 To cut a long story short, Driver on the PSone was brilliant, and Driver 2 on the PSone was disappointing. Since then we've had The Getaway, which looked great but sadly came with a sizeable stack of bugs, and GTA III and Vice City, which looked okay but played wondrously well. Is there still a place for original wheelman Tanner and his particular brand of undercover cop-based driving craziness?

'Course there is. For our first impressions of Driv3r, see here; for now though, we've got an exclusive chat with Martin Edmondson, the founder and creative director of Reflections, the developer of Driv3r, for you to digest.

How does the gameplay split between car and on-foot missions break down?

Edmondson: We've really aimed to focus on the car action, so it's something like a 70 or 75 percent split in favour of the driving sections. The game is entirely about car chases, so that's the main focus. But it really depends how you play the game of course; you could run everywhere if you wanted to, it wouldn't be a particularly interesting experience, but you could do that.

There's a lot of freedom in there to basically do what you want, but we've aimed for predominantly car-based action. It's 156 miles of road, and on top of that there are so many backstreets and alleyways that aren't marked on the map but that you can drive around, open parkland, secret areas.

We've added our own things in there, realistically modeled but with ramps so you go flying off the top into the city below in the Nice level.

You have to focus somewhere, otherwise you'd just go on developing the title forever. We could have had a whole fighting system in there, but if you do that, it just pulls away from somewhere else. These things are a balance and a trade off. There's going to be less freedom and flexibility in some areas than in others, that's just the nature of development.

In GTA and The Getaway the targeting and combat system has been criticised as being less satisfying than the driving sections; what have you done to ensure Driv3r doesn't fall into a similar trap?

Edmondson: Remember first of all that the main focus of Driv3r is driving; the on-foot sections are always going to play second fiddle to the driving sections. But we've approached it from a different angle anyway; the reason why those other games are a little difficult to manage is because of the way that, if you press left on the pad, then you're character runs off over to the left.

The way we've done it is that you can keep your gun on the target while you're running around, it's the standard first-person shooter style of control. It's a deliberate decision that can sometimes make Tanner look a bit weird if you're running around like that, doesn't look particularly natural, but the gameplay advantage is huge, so that's why we've done it.

So you've got one hundred percent control in any direction while you're running, and I think that gives the player a huge advantage.

In the main Undercover mode, does the game take a similar, open approach a la GTA, or do you have to follow a more linear gameplay route as in The Getaway?

Edmondson: It is fairly controlled; the structure of the missions is that the missions follow on one from another, so that's quite linear, but the missions themselves are very open in the way that they can be tackled.

So, for example, there's a mission in there where you have to go and steal a car from a rival gang. There's a truck leaving to pick it up, so you have to follow this truck to find out where the car is.

So anyway, follow it and eventually this guy's mates will pull out and start shooting at you, blocking your way, stopping you getting past. So you've got a few options; you can try to ram your way past the truck, you can jump out and kill the guys, jump in the truck and move it yourself - do you then stay in the truck or jump in your own car?

There's various different routes to go on your journey to dodge the blockage; eventually when you get to the compound you learn the identity of the car by following the truck in there, but you can also get ahead of the truck.

Do that and report to the compound and they'll actually give you the car because they think you're the driver they've been waiting for.

That's just one example but there are plenty of other missions like that.

I've mentioned both those games because Driv3r seems to be pitching itself squarely at that market - what is it that Driv3r's offering that's different from those titles?

Edmondson: I think what it offers that's different is what Driver 1 offered when it arrived. It was completely original at the time. It's the only accurate simulation of car chases out there. Although there is this new genre of games that combines on-foot action and driving, it was an area that was created by Driver 1 back in '99.

Although the game was relatively simple compared to Driv3r or Vice City, the spirit of the game hasn't changed even if the technology has. Great game though Vice City is, it's not a car chase game, it's not about car chases. What Driv3r is all about is creating those realistic simulations of car chases, the kind of thing you see in Hollywood movies.

Bullitt, The French Connection, those were all the films I used to sit and watch when I was a kid. One of the first films I ever went to see at the cinema was the Ryan O'Neal film The Driver. Three or four fantastic car chases in that film, and it's those kinds of dramatic car chases that inspired us. You could go over the top in the game, but instead we've gone for a general feel.

There's even elements of Smoky and the Bandit in there, elements of The Dukes of Hazard which inspired our wheel camera view. And smashing through cardboard boxes at the end of an alleyway, from Starsky and Hutch - it's all there, every good car chase reference.

We avoided the bad ones. Ronin is one of the few modern films with a good car chase, but some of these modern films like Gone In Sixty Seconds, those chases were just appalling.

Tell us about some of the more offbeat vehicles you can drive.

Edmondson: The vehicles are all fairly diverse, although you can conceivably have a chase in all of them. We don't go for submarines or planes or anything like that. So it's cars, trucks, vans, boats, bikes, scooters and so on, a forklift truck in there, a crane, a go-kart, classic cars.

There are vehicles there just to play with, they're not essential to the gameplay experience but it's fun.

It's cool that you got big Hollywood names involved to provide characters voices - can you tell us about how they got involved, what they offer, and so forth?

Edmondson: They were surprisingly easy to get involved actually; if we'd gone to the likes of Michael Madsen a few years ago, or a similar Hollywood actor, we'd have been told to get lost, or they'd have demanded a ridiculous fee. It's a complete reverse now.

Michelle Rodriguez was so enthusiastic; she actually bought Driver 1 on the PSone, she knew everything about the first game, Michael Madsen's got five kids, a PS2 and an Xbox at home, and he told me the reason he did this was so his kids would think he was cool.

I think that just shows the complete shift in this industry from a few years ago.

Also, who put the script together, are we going to be impressed? Can you give us a taster of some of the grittier or more notable moments?

Edmondson: We did it in-house, and the theme is quite dark. It was designed to be a dark game, it's supposed to be serious, although you're sidekick Tobias Jones has some good lines.

Iggy Pop also turns up in the game, and he was apparently fantastic; they did the recording in Miami and he just had so many stories; he doesn't play one of the main characters, but he's got a memorable appearance in the game.

How do the Xbox and PS2 versions compare? Any word on a release for the PC version?

Edmondson: Obviously the Xbox version is slightly graphically improved, but the PS2 version we're really proud of, it really pushes the hardware. Both versions are in parallel development, it's been designed from day one to be on both systems. The differences tend to be things like bump-mapping that we can't afford to do on the PS2.

As for the GameCube, the machine is just not geared toward games like Driv3r, it couldn't handle that level of detail. We have some ex-Rare people who know the 'Cube very well, and what it came down to at the end of the day was: "we can do it if we cut down on this detail" - and we weren't prepared to do that.

The PC version should appear three or four months after the console version, so September or October.

What were the reasons behind Driv3r's slip to a Summer release?

Edmondson: We desperately want to release the PS2 and Xbox version simultaneously. Driv3r has been one of the most complicated games we've ever worked on, so we need time to make sure we're not going to rush it out before it's finished.

Are you confident the game will definitely be ready in time for the new release date?

Edmondson: We didn't need all of the extra time we've taken, we just took it to be absolutely certain, so I would hope not. We could theoretically add an extra month and it could theoretically be a little better, but you've got to draw the line somewhere.

So last word on Driv3r - why are we going to be blown away by it?

Edmondson: The level of realistic car destruction has never been seen before. The rush of the car chases, to actually take part in that and be really involved, I think you can see you get a real rush from this. Play it in first-person, cops right up your arse, and the whole thing is really feels like a film car chase.

Driv3r is set to hit PS2 and Xbox from June 1 this year, with a PC version to follow.

Bolded that part that narked me off.

[Sir DangerM]

So, PS2 can handle more than the GameCube? What's your problem?

[scottcr]

hmmm... I spose Metroid Prime and Rebel Strike are pretty low on detail when you look into it.

FFS.

Eurogamer didn't rate what they've seen of it very highly tho'...

[Tetchy]

Yeah, and next they'll say that MK:DD was a bad game too. Sheesh.

[rgraves]

The problem is, they are not bringing Driv3r to the GC as they don't think it'll sell. That's the real reason. Why can't he just be honest and come out with it? Why all the bullshit and lies about the GC not being able to handle it?

[Lazychu]

So, PS2 can handle more than the GameCube? What's your problem?

Obviously, I can't say that Driver 3 can or can not be done on the GC, but I highly doubt it's the true reason.

Why don't they just say 'we're not doing a GC version because it'll sell like shit'?

[Paradigm]

So, PS2 can handle more than the GameCube? What's your problem?

If you'd like to explain how that's true (when it patently isn't), then go ahead! The GC is more powerful - by a fair bit, in fact.

[Project 2501]

This has happened before, remember the PS2 version of Max Payne? The team responsible for that stated that a GC version wasn't technically feasable, oh dear!

[Jack]

This has happened before, remember the PS2 version of Max Payne? The team responsible for that stated that a GC version wasn't technically feasable, oh dear!

How, exactly? From what I've seen of the PS2 version, it looks like it could be done on the Dreamcast with little bother.

[Project 2501]

How, exactly? From what I've seen of the PS2 version, it looks like it could be done on the Dreamcast with little bother.

RAM (or lack of) was their main (poor) excuse.

[scottcr]

Bloody PC programmers and their lazy ram usage.. I remember the days when I worked on embedded software, writing a tool for users to configure wireless radios.. oh those were the days... when you had to pour through the code looking for inefficient memory usage since we only had a number of K to play around with... memory leaks.. pah.. coders nowadays don't know how lucky they were... we didn't even have Purify back then, every char* every pointer...

I can't believe the RAM requirements on PC games nowadays... reeks of lazy programming. Why bother spending the time and effort (and skill ) required to wring everything out of the system when the base platform has 1Gb RAM and oooooodles of hard drive space.

Lazy buggers..

[Jack]

RAM (or lack of) was their main (poor) excuse.

Pffft, they should stop using .BMP for textures then.

[Cthulhu]

Bloody PC programmers and their lazy ram usage.. I remember the days when I worked on embedded software, writing a tool for users to configure wireless radios.. oh those were the days... when you had to pour through the code looking for inefficient memory usage since we only had a number of K to play around with... memory leaks.. pah.. coders nowadays don't know how lucky they were... we didn't even have Purify back then, every char* every pointer...

I can't believe the RAM requirements on PC games nowadays... reeks of lazy programming. Why bother spending the time and effort (and skill ) required to wring everything out of the system when the base platform has 1Gb RAM and oooooodles of hard drive space.

Lazy buggers..

And I bet you had to swim 50 miles to work with rocks tied to you as well, didn't you...

Heh.

[Ebisumaru]

Pisspoor programmers seems a slightly more likley scenario. Or the fact that Reflections are prats, but that's a bit fucking obvious...

[scottcr]

And I bet you had to swim 50 miles to work with rocks tied to you as well, didn't you...

Heh.

and when I got home t'shoe box t'int middle it'road, father would kill us and dance on our grave singin' hallelujah.

[Sprite Machine]

If you'd like to explain how that's true (when it patently isn't), then go ahead! The GC is more powerful - by a fair bit, in fact.

It's lacking in standard RAM, though. Not by much, mind, but still...

Hmm.. but wasn't there a GC version of this on the cards for a while now, anyway? I thought it was just pulled?

Still, besides all that.... I'm really excited, because its sounding excellent, and I thought they'd be approaching it with the wrong attitiude to what it should be incorporating. But I'm impressed with this, and with the screenshots, and rather looking forward to it now!

Go, Drivthreer!!!

[eves pudding]

Does smell of BS to me

One clear advantage that the Gamecube has is that it loads far quicker than the PS2, making it easier to get info from disc into ram

Also having the 16mb videoram is a massive advantage over the PS2 4mb ( - texture compression)

I don't though understand why Nintendo chose only to have 24mb main ram in the Gamecube, how much extra would it cost to put in 32?

[Cyhwuhx]

.::: Playing it is different though. It's nice but just the chasing gets boring rather quickly. Even worse, get out of the car and the game falls flat on its face.

I do hope they use the extra time to make it perfect.

[Paradigm]

It's lacking in standard RAM, though. Not by much, mind, but still...

Hmm.. but wasn't there a GC version of this on the cards for a while now, anyway? I thought it was just pulled?

Still, besides all that.... I'm really excited, because its sounding excellent, and I thought they'd be approaching it with the wrong attitiude to what it should be incorporating. But I'm impressed with this, and with the screenshots, and rather looking forward to it now!

Go, Drivthreer!!!

It's just talentless programming. It has plenty of power to throw around, but because their lazy code which they aren't good enough to fix, they'll claim it's "technically unfeasible" or some other crap.

There's a reason why software houses like Konami are so well respected - because their programmers are streaks ahead of other teams.

[Sprite Machine]

It's just talentless programming. It has plenty of power to throw around, but because their lazy code which they aren't good enough to fix, they'll claim it's "technically unfeasible" or some other crap.

But it does physically have less usable RAM than the other systems, so it isn't a totally baseless claim.

I'm sure it could be done, however, but they obviously didn't want to spend the time getting it 'right'.

[Project 2501]

It's just talentless programming. It has plenty of power to throw around, but because their lazy code which they aren't good enough to fix, they'll claim it's "technically unfeasible" or some other crap.

There's a reason why software houses like Konami are so well respected - because their programmers are streaks ahead of other teams.

Honest question, are you a developer Paradigm?

[Badger]

Oh well, never mind, eh?

I'm sure it'll be ace on the Xbox and that's all that really matters B)

[Tetchy]

Costs can also play a part as they can fit 4.7gb of data on a standard PS2 DVD-Rom, 6.7gb on a standard XB DVD-Rom and only 1.5Gb onto one NGC disk so if the game weighs in at 4.0gb thats 3NGC disks compared to one PS2/Xb disk.

[Cyhwuhx]

Oh well, never mind, eh?

I'm sure it'll be ace on the Xbox and that's all that really matters B)

.::: I do hope so. Honest to God; the PS2 version was better looking.

[Scarbir]

In terms of colours and ambiance, it whiped the Xbox version to a Project Gotham Racing-coloured wannabe: grey and sharp, whereas the Playstation 2 version was blessed with a nice palet.

[MK-1601]

Costs can also play a part as they can fit 4.7gb of data on a standard PS2 DVD-Rom, 6.7gb on a standard XB DVD-Rom and only 1.5Gb onto one NGC disk so if the game weighs in at 4.0gb thats 3NGC disks compared to one PS2/Xb disk.

In the event that the game did use multiple discs, it would have to use loads to seriously impact the profit margin. (And I very much doubt that it would use more than 2 discs anyway.

It's just more middle management buffoonery from the clowns at Infogrames. They weren't quite this penny pinching and shrewd when it came to bankrolling ETM, eh?

[angel]

No one genuinely thinks Driver (i cant use the 3/e im sorry) is gona be better than Vice City do they? The game that finally sinks Reflections anyone? Or will that be Shadow of the Beast 4 packaged with free cardigan (theyre getting older now).

[Beertiger]

i think it will compliment GTA nicely. The graphics blow GTA's out of the water and it's more serious.

[ChrisN]

Pffft, they should stop using .BMP for textures then.

CLUE: When you load an image of any file type it takes up the same amount of space in VRAM as any other filetype. JPEGs etc all have to be decompressed before you can look at them.

[The Liberal Elite]

But it does physically have less usable RAM than the other systems, so it isn't a totally baseless claim.

I'm sure it could be done, however, but they obviously didn't want to spend the time getting it 'right'.

True. I know someone who worked on the GC port of another big title, and they mentioned htat htey had to rip loads out to get some of the levels to actually work properly, and I don't consider him a sloppy programmer, and he'd probably be a touch insulted if someone tried to imply he was.