Q. You also mention a massive multiplayer party mode, could you elaborate more on that?
Up to four players can race in online Grand Prix matches with a full set of combat items and Frenzy abilities. Each Grand Prix will be four races in length, and there will be four Grand Prix matches initially. That’s 16 levels, but in Story Mode (which has over 70 unique challenges) there will also be several levels where you can upload your best time or score to the global leaderboards. We’ve tried to incorporate the competitive side into all aspects of gameplay, so those who enjoy posting high scores will certainly have the ability to do so, but for those just interested in conquering the story mode, there is no required online competition!
Q. Can we expect to see Raskulls invading the PlayStation 3 or Wii anytime soon?
(In most sober, authoritative executive tone) – We can neither confirm nor deny such rumors. That’s all there is to say about that!
Q. The Xbox Live Arcade certification process is notoriously tough, how have you been finding it so far?
It’s just a matter of getting the best possible game to the Microsoft team and working with them very closely to ensure it’s up to XBLA standards. I think we are certainly managing the process well!
Q. How many points can we expect to fork over for Raskulls?
That will be an official word closer to the release date. Watch this space, because it will be a worldwide announcement!
Q. It has been stated previously that Microsoft has a say in the price that you charge for your titles on the Arcade, did you experience any issues along those lines?
It’s just a matter of finding that sweet spot when it comes to pricing, and Microsoft definitely help with that using their years of experience. We haven’t worked out specifics as yet though.
Q. We have a lot of application developers visiting the site, if they wanted to get into game development what would you recommend they do?
Focus is the main thing. If you want to be an artist, make sure you are the best you can be. If you want to be a game designer, there’s plenty of courses and technical knowledge you can immerse yourself in. There is no overall “game developer†job; you have to manage your skill set wisely.
Q. Brisbane is quite the hotbed for games development with many international studios having a local branch in Brisbane, why do you think that is?
It just seems to be a congregation of developers and a hotbed of fresh talent. It’s good to work within a community that understands how the gaming industry works, and with a global marketplace, the physical location of development studios isn’t nearly as important as what it used to be. We can easily work right here among other talented people, keep up with technological best practices and release our game for the world to download!
Q. Do you have a release date for Raskulls yet?
No
exact date, but we’re expecting a mid-to-late 2009 release. Around September / October. As soon as we know for sure, we will let you know!
Q. If you only had 3 words to describe Raskulls what would they be?
Fun, fast and very fulfilling! It’s a complete package and we certainly hope everyone has the chance to try it.
Last Updated: July 14, 2009
Nick de Bruyne
July 14, 2009 at 15:48
Great interview, they did a great job to answer all the questions.