Sao Paulo Circuit

[DDD113]

I formed this thread for development ideas for the Sao Paulo street circuit. I know Xpand and Oryx Crake are the ones that will develop it, but I simply wanted to have somewhere to submit ideas for the circuit itself.

Firstly, Xpand told me that this track would only be run on at night. After playing (and beating) WipEout XL, I thought of an interesting addition to the night: Thunderstorms. Part of the difficulty of Spilskinanke is the blinding lightning flashes throughout the race, and it has been made clear that Sao Paulo will be a tough circuit. Driving rain and lightning flashes would only add to the unique difficulty of it.

I also liked the idea of Mike458 of having an underground section, sort of like the sections in Subway in 2048. It wouldn't have to actually be a subway, but it would add some interesting height and visual variation to the circuit.

Finally, I was just wondering out of curiosity if you guys were planning to implement skillcuts and track splits on this circuit, like the style in 2048. I think that would be another great addition to what will already be a unique and exciting circuit.

Edit: Nice DC ground textures, the leaves really add a lot of believability to the forest section. (screw you forum for thinking believability isn't a word! )

[docfo4r]

Hey there

Sao Paulo will have rain, we experimented with this in Unity already. I dunno about lightnings and thunder rumble but the idea isn't bad so I am curious what Ric thinks about it. Bruno [BrunoDG] was in Sao Paulo this summer and filmed some sights and streets, it also included an underground section so I see no reason why we shouldn't include it...
So, yeah. Would be nice if Ric and Theo can maybe share their ideas and visions in here aswell since I am also not fully aware of that and it would be great to collect some ideas together!

[DDD113]

Cool, I'm ready to see what they're thinking; there's nothing like a good street race! The lightning/thunder was just something I liked from 2097 (and I'm nostalgic about those old games ), so I thought I'd just mention it here.

[Mike458]

Well then, I have made a track plan!

Sao Paulo.png

KEY: Green: Start/finish line
Blue: Checkpoint/sector mark
Red: Underground section

[DDD113]

Same comments as on the other track plan thread, too long, too complex, simplicity with style is the name of the game here.

[dreadofmondays]

Tracks are not just squiggly lines! Wipeout tracks are designed over many iterations. In our case, we put a focus on particular elements that are fun to fly and match the mood of the track. We also focus on landmarks and setpieces in the design; for example, Cassy's chicane and underground sweep. If you're going to design a track layout, start first with the type of gameplay you want to enable through it (in saopaulo's case, street-racing) and start considering elements that are fun to fly and work well with this concept.

Keep in mind that Sao Paulo is going to be a new player's first introduction to actually racing, and it's entirely possible that it won't be that difficult to seasoned players. The first proposal of the track was quite tame, and the inclusion of civil traffic that needs to be avoided means that this map can't really be approached from your average Wipeout perspective of tight corners that require precision to do well in.

[Xpand]

Uh just a notice. This track is going to use the actual city layout (streets) to make the circuit's shape.

[BrunoDG]

I've already made some mappings for Ric and Theo for the São Paulo track, since I was there on February. The city is quite big, though. Ric is going to have a tough time finding a way to make a nice modelling on São Paulo, but I can assure that Ric is definitely going to make an awesome work. =)

[Xpand]

Btw, the city has to be imagined how it would be in 200 years. The overall layout may not change much but the buildings certainly do.

[docfo4r]

True.

How about you guys draw some building concepts instead of ground layout? Buildings, track obstacles, city objects like signs, futuristic rubbish bins/containers, street lamps, parking zones... suburbia entities etc.
The races take place on a ground level, where there are transportation and cargo vehicles floating around. It will not take place in public traffic or pedestrian walkways as far as I understood Ric's and Bruno's visions.

[Mike458]

Btw, if anyone doesn't know what Sao Paulo looks like, here's a map:

sao-paulo-downtown-map.jpg

Woot! 100th post!

[Amaroq Dricaldari]

You should add a corner sort of like the one at the beginning of Firestar in the original WipEout. Where there is slightly-banked a shallow right turn and a slightly-outward-banked sharper right turn, the sharper one being loaded with speedpads and being more difficult to navigate, but providing a better entry into the next corner. They would both lead into a double-helix split. Like the idea?

(Also, the shallower turn will have weapon pads.)

[Xpand]

S. Paulo circuit is a campaign only street racing course, like on the streets of the city. Think Need For Speed Underground and you'll get close. Plus no weapons because the Thruster can't use them.

[Amaroq Dricaldari]

Campaign only!? WHY?! *calms down*

[Xpand]

Because it's non standard and scripted. You can replay that campaign event as its own race mode.

[Amaroq Dricaldari]

You could at least make it available in racebox or something once you beat the campaign

I also had an idea for a track where the "starting grid" is actually above/outside the track, and the ships are on electromagnetic rails, being launched off onto the track at high speed. Just an idea.

[Xpand]

That's what I said, you can replay it in the Event mode.
Also this thread is just for S. Paulo's circuit, which only needs a creative interpretation of the city in 200 years and not just a free track design.

Also try to keep in mind the current game mechanics. All those ideas are nice and all, but to put them in practice would require to remake some game mechanics and create specific models and we're not a 100+ person team.

[Xpand]

This thread is for S. Paulo's circuit only.
Unrelated posts moved here.