Contact with ATD

[KevinVG207]

I've managed to contact Fred Gill, one of the founders of atd via email, this is the raw email:

Hi Kevin,

Abbie (I’ve removed her via BCC) forwarded on your email to me; I don’t work for Respawn Entertainment, but was part of the EA publishing team that helped Respawn bring Titanfall to market.

I must admit I didn’t know that there was a Lego Racers 2 modding community out there – a pleasant surprise indeed!

I am actually going on holiday/sabbatical for 3 weeks, so won’t be able to respond until September – please line up your questions and I’ll attempt to answer them on my return – I am still in contact with many of the original team, so hopefully can help.

Regards

Fred

---

I am going to ask him some questions, but post some here!

[dead_name]

1) Were there any other planned areas/worlds for the game?

2) Why the change in weapon system from LR1? I realise it was a different company, but surely you would have analysed LR1 for inspiration.

3) Who was Nod?

[lol username]

1) Were there any other planned areas/worlds for the game?

2) Why the change in weapon system from LR1? I realise it was a different company, but surely you would have analysed LR1 for inspiration.

3) Who was Nod?

I second these.

My own questions:

• We've heard that ATD's first collaboration with LEGO was >Rocket Racers, an attraction at LEGOLAND Windsor. Rocket Racers is obviously based directly on the original LEGO Racers, and going by video footage, it seems that it may even use some of LEGO Racers' textures. LEGO Racers 2 also recycles some minifigure face textures from the original LEGO Racers. So, what was the relationship between High Voltage Software and ATD? Was ATD given more than just textures?
• Do you have any more information on the canceled >LEGO Racers 4?
• Not sure if this is a question to ask Kevin, but: What/when/why was Rocket Racer's design altered in LEGO Racers 2? An early trailer for the game has FMV clips featuring the original design, concept art for the game's box shows the original design, and the ice statue of him in the Arctic foyer in-game even uses his original design... It seems to suggest the redesign didn't come until later in the game's development.
• What happened with the Xbox port for Drome Racers? Either it was never released, or it's incredibly rare.
• Besides LEGO Racers 4, were there any other LEGO projects that didn't happen?
• Were there any substantial features cut from the games?
• Any other interesting stories from the development of the games?

[KevinVG207]

<p>

1) Were there any other planned areas/worlds for the game?

2) Why the change in weapon system from LR1? I realise it was a different company, but surely you would have analysed LR1 for inspiration.

3) Who was Nod?

I second these.

My own questions:

• We've heard that ATD's first collaboration with LEGO was >Rocket Racers, an attraction at LEGOLAND Windsor. Rocket Racers is obviously based directly on the original LEGO Racers, and going by video footage, it seems that it may even use some of LEGO Racers' textures. LEGO Racers 2 also recycles some minifigure face textures from the original LEGO Racers. So, what was the relationship between High Voltage Software and ATD? Was ATD given more than just textures?
• Do you have any more information on the canceled >LEGO Racers 4?
• Not sure if this is a question to ask Kevin, but: What/when/why was Rocket Racer's design altered in LEGO Racers 2? An early trailer for the game has FMV clips featuring the original design, concept art for the game's box shows the original design, and the ice statue of him in the Arctic foyer in-game even uses his original design... It seems to suggest the redesign didn't come until later in the game's development.
• What happened with the Xbox port for Drome Racers? Either it was never released, or it's incredibly rare.
• Besides LEGO Racers 4, were there any other LEGO projects that didn't happen?
• Were there any substantial features cut from the games?
• Any other interesting stories from the development of the games?

I'm going to include all these questions for sure! I will make a 'community questions' section there, with all questions mentioned here.

It's a bummer he's on holiday, but it allows us to make some questions.

And, if anyone wants to know, I got into contacting him after doing some research. I mailed some companies old ATD developers are supposed to work. And I got to Fred after I noticed he worked for Titanfall, and I contacted the developers.

[Fluffy Cupcake]

Questions:

• The >mirror mode and overhead view cheats never had the key combinations released for them. Do you know what they are?
• Why was Professor Voltage replaced by Sparky?
• In certain versions/languages of the game MPH is used, and others KPH. Was this simply just a text edit, or did the speedometer actually change between versions? If it is just a text edit, which speed measurement is most accurate to follow?
• There is a unused fanfare called CARUP which sounds similar to the fanfare when you get a car bonus. What's the story behind this fanfare?
• Going by certain developer comments in the scripts, I take it you guys had a fun time making this game?

Why did you use visible objects like curbs for ambient sounds and not an invisible one?

[Quisoves Potoo]

Hmm... Most of the good questions have already been asked, but I'll try.

1. As indicated by an unused piece of dialogue, the character of Captain Geoff was originally intended to be a regular in Sandy Bay, as opposed to merely a passenger in a mini-game. Furthermore, he is named in the files as "Lighthouse Keeper." No lighthouse appears in the final game, however. Can you elucidate us concerning this scrapped building?

 

2. While most of the AI racers are extant minifigs with ties to one of the in-game worlds, a few are entirely original. They are, I believe, the wild-orange-haired, red-suited, Barron Rosso and the bald, tuxedo-wearing Franky-Solido. What was the reason for their existence?

 

3. How were parts chosen for the character creator?

 

 

I'll add any more questions if I think of them.

[Fluffy Cupcake]

No lighthouse appears in the final game, however. Can you elucidate us concerning this scrapped building?

I never played it, or watched an LP, but I think the lighthouse appears in the GBA version.

[lol username]

4. If I recall correctly, another company had been contracted to develop LEGO Racers 2, prior to ATD being hired. How far did this company get in developing LEGO Racers 2? Are there any vestiges of that development phase in the final game?

Where'd this come from? Are you confusing it with LEGO Island 2 (which was passed from Krisalis to Silicon Dreams)?

[KevinVG207]

Oh my, the email is going to be long!

And I'm not even sure if he can answer them all, but I'll try putting them all in a mail begin September.

[Fush]

No lighthouse appears in the final game, however. Can you elucidate us concerning this scrapped building?

I never played it, or watched an LP, but I think the lighthouse appears in the GBA version.

The character creator contains, for no apparent reason, parts for the character Barney from LEGO Stunt Rally. Was there any particular reason for this, or was it simply a fun little nod?

I don't understand what you mean by "no apparent reason." What is the reason for including any of the parts? Does there have to be a reason to include them?

It's worth noting that in the GBA version, your character will look like Barney during races and on the map screen regardless of which parts you chose in the charater creator.

[lol username]

I am somewhat concerned that we're including a ton of questions on weird, specific details that he likely wasn't directly involved with. Stuff on the speedometer, some unused sound effect, why Barney is in the character creator (hey, so is Axle from Rock Raiders for that matter)... Is this seriously what we're asking one of the founders of ATD? I included that question on Rocket's redesign for the heck of it (and prefaced it by saying he might not be the best guy to ask about it), but since we've got a metric crapton of questions now, you can probably just leave it out.

Remember that a short question can lead to a very long answer. Write an entire essay's worth of questions, and you're either asking for a book's worth of replies, or short vague replies - assuming the guy can answer most of these in the first place. Prioritize things.

 

It's worth noting that in the GBA version, your character will look like Barney during races and on the map screen regardless of which parts you chose in the charater creator.

Not quite, he has a standard smile face and blank white torso, as seen in some of the pre-rendered screens - particularly when you warp to Xalax. I've always wondered what the point of creating a custom character was in that game when said custom character was hardly ever used in the game itself...

[KevinVG207]

Fred Gill did say he still has contact to a part of the atd team, but for the email I might take the most important questions he (and maybe some other people) might be able to answer.

[Quisoves Potoo]

I am somewhat concerned that we're including a ton of questions on weird, specific details that he likely wasn't directly involved with. Stuff on the speedometer, some unused sound effect, why Barney is in the character creator (hey, so is Axle from Rock Raiders for that matter)... Is this seriously what we're asking one of the founders of ATD?

As I said, most of the good questions have already been asked. I agree that it's unlikely that he'll know the answer to my first three questions. Nonetheless, there's always a possibility that he'll know, and I don't think it will hurt to ask him. All of these questions hinge on him having some coherent memory of the LR2 development process, anyway.

That said, you have far more experience in these matters than I do, and if you absolutely think that any of my questions should go, I will remove them.

[lol username]

The question about Barney is the only one of your questions I don't really see much of a point to - I'd broaden it to ask how the minifigure builder parts were chosen in general, but that's still a rather oddly specific question that I wouldn't expect much of a reply to after well over a decade. Questions 1 and 2... Eh, still seem a bit oddly specific to me.

As for the fourth question:

 

Where'd this come from? Are you confusing it with LEGO Island 2 (which was passed from Krisalis to Silicon Dreams)?

Because if you are, and we ask him about something that perhaps never even happened, that's gonna look pretty weird.

[mumboking]

Fred Gill, one of the founders of atd

Workman Fred?

[Quisoves Potoo]

Because if you are, and we ask him about something that perhaps never even happened, that's gonna look pretty weird.

 

Come to think it, you're right. I'll remove that (and alter the Barney question.)
Thanks for catching that.

[Fluffy Cupcake]

I am somewhat concerned that we're including a ton of questions on weird, specific details that he likely wasn't directly involved with.

Yeah, some are pretty far fetched I must admit, but it's worth a try, considering he was a technical director for LR2. He'd know why certain things were cut and left the way they were.

[lol username]

As said - once everybody's got their questions in here - I think we should prioritize things. Based not only on what we want to know the most, but also what he's most likely to know about - for example, did he even work on Drome Racers, or was it just LR2? If he wasn't involved with Drome Racers then perhaps related questions should be omitted, or we could just ask what he does know about it, etc. I'd prioritize stuff about ATD's overall work with LEGO/High Voltage Software/the series first.

Edit - Also, do we know what team members he's still in contact with? I get the sense we don't.

Basically, start with general stuff he's more likely to be able to answer, get into specifics and other games later in the list.

[KevinVG207]

did he even work on Drome Racers, or was it just LR2? If he wasn't involved with Drome Racers then perhaps related questions should be omitted, or we could just ask what he does know about it, etc.

Also, do we know what team members he's still in contact with? I get the sense we don't.

It seems like he only worked on LR2. No other game in this community I think, according to this website: http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/by_year/developerId,41631/

And yes, we don't know who of ATD he's still in contact with. We only know he does have contact.

[I Am Not Here]

Question: Why you leave out Veronica out of the game?!

[MaelstromIslander]

Question: Why you leave out Veronica out of the game?!

 

Thats the same exact thing i always was wondering about LR2. Maybe she finally got hit by a car and her grandfather took over but he was thrown in a meatgrinder and replaced by sparky.

 

I think that it was because Veronica Voltage was probably a reference to the original company, High Voltage, but because LEGO racers was being developed by another company, it didn't make sense to keep the character.

[KevinVG207]

I'm very sorry guys! I accidentally marked Fred's mail as read. He sent me a mail september 5th.

 

I have all questions filtered, but he says in his mail, that if he can not answer a question, for legal reasons or another, he'll say that.

 

So, I will put some questions at the end, that are not important/will probably give not a good answer.

 

I'll send the mail in like 2 minutes!

 

EDIT

I sent the questions! Hopefully we'll be able to get some good answers!

[KevinVG207]

Guys! I got an email back!

I guess posting the whole email is the best idea!

Hi Kevin,

I’ve collected together answers (they are in answered order rather than asked order) – we struggled with some as it was a long time ago, and slightly humbled that people are still playing and modding!

I am trying to get you source code to some of the tools to fill in any gaps in your knowledge; it’s proving tricky!

Here are my own recollections / additions:

Why did ATD go out of business? Partly due to the cancellation of LR4 - we never really reached agreement as to what the vision for LR4 should be with the Lego Digital team, impossible to achieve milestones when you can’t agree what it should be (we were aiming for something where you could design your own vehicle and then race it - Banjo & Kazooie did something similar with Nuts & Bolts).

Were there any other Lego games that were cancelled; yes, several in various stages of production (more Lego Soccer, etc.) – I think the cancellations were a result of less-than-stellar sales of the games, leading to the closure of the digital group that handled them. The break-out title was TT’s Lego Star Wars in 2005…

Cheers

Fred

Were there any other planned areas/worlds for the game?

Not that I can remember, sorry - we were led pretty strongly by the toy ranges LEGO wanted to feature, so I think we settled on those pretty early.

Why the change in weapon system from LR1? I realise it was a different company, but surely you would have analysed LR1 for inspiration.

It was mostly due to wanting to build on lessons learned about power-ups on Rollcage and Rollcage Stage II.

Who was Nod?

Lyndon Sharp, nicknamed Nod - biggest petrol-head on the team!

jamesster

We've heard that ATD's first collaboration with LEGO was Rocket Racers, an attraction at LEGOLAND Windsor. Rocket Racers is obviously based directly on the original LEGO Racers, and going by video footage, it seems that it may even use some of LEGO Racers' textures. LEGO Racers 2 also recycles some minifigure face textures from the original LEGO Racers. So, what was the relationship between High Voltage Software and ATD? Was ATD given more than just textures?

Honestly unknown. I doubt ATD got more than the textures - the game was built very much on the Rollcage engine, so it's unlikely that we took much in the way of code. But I could be wrong.

In certain versions/languages of the game MPH is used, and others KPH. Was this simply just a text edit, or did the speedometer actually change between versions? If it is just a text edit, which speed measurement is most accurate to follow?

(My note (Kevin): The MPH/KPH is probably a region/language specific thing)

Almost certainly - the number had no world relevance, so we probably just changed the KPH/MPH tag.

Not sure if this is a question to ask Kevin, but: What/when/why was Rocket Racer's design altered in LEGO Racers 2? An early trailer for the game has FMV clips featuring the original design, concept art for the game's box shows the original design, and the ice statue of him in the Arctic foyer in-game even uses his original design... It seems to suggest the redesign didn't come until later in the game's development.

I seem to remember the new Rocket Racer look being connected to Xalax, so the old design being used to represent his previous incarnation in Lego Racers. (a looong time ago so memory's a bit fuzzy)

What happened with the Xbox port for Drome Racers? Either it was never released, or it's incredibly rare.

I'm fairly sure that Drome Racers was our first X-box Lego game.

Why was Professor Voltage replaced by Sparky?

Sparky was seen as being easy for children to associate with.

Going by certain developer comments in the scripts, I take it you guys had a fun time making this game?

Certainly did. It was the first game made with a new game-engine and proprietary tools. Loads of challenges but loads of those magic moments. I remember the first time Rob came out with his water effects. I had an absolute hoot scripting the conversations on Sandy Bay.. suffice to say that most had to be shelved.

(Why did you use visible objects like curbs for ambient sounds and not an invisible one? )

We assigned different sounds, grip and drag to different textures on the worlds.

We needed ways of defining tracks in certain areas, without those paths confusing the route in other races using the same world. Rather than change the whole world, it was much more efficient to mark them out with a few separate objects.

Quisoves Pugnat

1. As indicated by an unused piece of dialogue, the character of Captain Geoff was originally intended to be a regular in Sandy Bay, as opposed to merely a passenger in a mini-game. Furthermore, he is named in the files as "Lighthouse Keeper." No lighthouse appears in the final game, however. Can you elucidate us concerning this scrapped building?

I based all the characters in Sandy Bay on members of the dev team (Geoff was our AI guru, amongst other areas). Some of those minifigs didn't make it into the final game and others had to be relocated to fit the game's flow. I remember us having a lighthouse but it not being close to Captain Geoff's location; I thought it was near the caves but I guess I need to go and look at the game.

2. While most of the AI racers are extant minifigs with ties to one of the in-game worlds, a few are entirely original. They are, I believe, the wild-orange-haired, red-suited, Barron Rosso and the bald, tuxedo-wearing Franky-Solido. What was the reason for their existence?

I seem to remember us being given those boss characters by Lego Digital.

3. How were parts chosen for the character creator?

Good question. I think that was down to Captain Geoff (see above)

I completed the Xbox port of Drome Racers after Rob had laid the groundwork, and we delivered it to EA unlocalized. It was my understanding that EA had decided to take on the cost of localization themselves. I don't know why EA didn't proceed to full production, my guess would be the untimely demise of ATD probably caused licensing and ownership issues with LEGO and the liquidators.

Were there any substantial features cut from the games?

Yes, network multiplayer. I believe there were issues with determinism and syncing everything up. Not sure if the code stayed in or was never committed.

---

Wow!

The fact that he wants to give us some source tools...

And cut out network multiplayer!

:o

[Quisoves Potoo]

Well, this was definitely worth the wait! I'm glad that he remembers as much as he does. Here's my fingers crossed for us getting source tools.

 

A hearty gratias tibi, Kevin!

[lol username]

We finally know who the glorious Nod is. Hail Nod.

We've already found bits of networked multiplayer stuff lurking in the game, so it's not really new news - still, a shame it was cut.

Thanks, this is interesting.