In this deep-dive tech interview, Digital Foundry quizzes the developers at Evolution Studios on a wide range of topics, from its first impressions of the PS3 hardware back in the MotorStorm 1 period, through to tech enhancements made to the sequels, plus the introduction of set-piece Events in Apocalypse - and of course the studios' firm commitment to stereoscopic 3D. We also get some answers about the game's support for 1080p, a feat that hasn't been especially prominent in the game's marketing to date.
The depth and level of insight provided by the studio's responses is only made possible by the range of development talent that was drafted in to answer our questions, so many thanks to each of the following Evolution staff members who took part.
Digital Foundry : Evolution Studios' Motorstorm is one of the first, finest and most fondly remembered of launch titles for PlayStation 3. It's a release designed to answer the question posed by each new console generation: what makes a game 'next-gen'? With its robust physics engine and massive tracks, Motorstorm serves up a bold affirmative answer to this question, delivering an experience that could never have existed on prior console hardware. At the same time, the path to release was fraught with challenges that almost serve as a microcosm of the PlayStation 3 release situation itself. It was a success, however, with a trilogy of PS3 releases, plus PSP, Vita and even PS2 off-shoots.
After Driveclub and Onrush, the dev team will now contribute to and assist with the development of the upcoming NFS.
I would give anything to have a full compilation of the series remastered to play on PS5 with full DS support. Feeling the deformation of the tracks as you race in pacific rift or the snow laden tracks in arctic edge... that would be sweet.
Yes MotorStorm World Tour for PS5 damn it Sony make it. The Desert, Pacific Islands, The Arctic and City races.
Motorstorm Pacific rift was awesome! I think MotorStorm: Apocalypse was what killed the franchise due to its change of direction...
Pacific rift is the best (IMO) but apocalypse wasnt what killed it. At least it was still somewhat of a MS game. The RC one is really a departure from the norm. None of which were bad as they were all fun in their own ways.
RC was a blast to play on Vita.
Apocalypse had unfortunate timing due to the 3/11 earthquake in Japan. I never got around to playing that one.
Evolution had some harsh experiences. I had Driveclub from launch and the server issues weren't that bad and certainly didn't prevent you from enjoying the game.
Agree Apocalypse didn't kill it, it's just racing games in general just became less popular nearing the end of the PS360 generation as it was flooded with medicore racers and the extremely niche but enjoyable ones like Motorstorm, Blur, Spilt Second, and Forza Horizon (still going strong, but actual sales have been decent fro a racer, and often expanded by console bundles and now GamePass)
But since the PS4/XBO generation had a lack of arcade racers, it's a prime time for games like this to come back.
I've said for the longest, the additional income of PS+ Premium should be used for, Remastering, Remaking, or recreating sequels / spinoffs of classic PS franchises to launch into the service. Many PS3 games fit this mold of looking good enough that a quick remaster to 4K@60 with better texture maps would give them near PS4 quality.
Remasters: A game like Motorstorm look good enough where it can simply be remastered in 4K @ 60fps, and have better textures for mud, mountains/rock structures, and vehicles and it would hold up WELL.
Remakes: Games like Legend of Dragoon, Warhawk (could be a simple remaster also), and so many others could get remakes like FF7.
Recreates: Shorter sequels/prequels/spin-offs to other classic PS IPs like how Infamous First Light / Blood Festival (BF was a highly underrated vampire game) and Uncharted Lost Legacy. Give spin-offs to things like Heavenly Sword, The Order 1886 (1786 or 1986), Puppeteer, Tokyo Jungle, and more.
This is also why Sone NEEDS to get PS3 emulation up and running. It gets rid of all the PS3 server farms and replaces it with software that can work on EVERY future PS console with updated coding.
At bare minimum emulation could double the resolution and framerates of all PS3 games making many of them 1440p@60fps without any real work, and a few 4k@60fps.
As for full-on remakes again updating to 4K@60fps with completely revamped textures, and an option for 1440p@60fps with global illumination can make these games shine with a new lease on life.
Also I'm still waiting on my DriveClub 1440p@60fps update 😭
Apocalypse was actually pretty good i don't think that's what killed the series. PR was the best though.
I was late to PS3 and Pacific Rift was the first game I picked up on it... huge miss to not have one on PS4, hope it gets some love on PS5 (as well as Ridge Racer and Wipeout).
Never really got into it myself I remember getting it with ps3 and being a bit underwhelmed I preferred the RC version they did for vita 🙌🏻🤣
Going from ps2 to ps3 was not underwhelming when I first played motorstorm, it was like nothing we'd ever seen before ?
Each to their own didn’t like it myself. 🤷🏻♂️✌🏻 ;I didn’t say going from ps2/3 was underwhelming just the launch game motorstorm, bit different but hey ho.
PS3 was a slow burner for me it’s my least favourite Sony console, maybe as I had my 360 as my main at that point but yeah wasn’t impressed with first couple of years to be honest but that’s just me. Once uncharted MGS4 GT5 Last of us GTA4/5 dropped sure but launch games weren’t all that imo. Resistance was alright wasn’t as big a change as ps4 or even now ps5 for me. PS3 took out rumble and basically went HD it’s wasn’t exactly a revolutionary start. 🤷🏻♂️✌🏻 ;
Paul Rustchynsky, who was additionally lead designer on several MotorStorm titles at Sony‘s Evolution Studios, is currently working on an unannounced project as part of Avalanche Studios’ new Liverpool development team, which was formed last summer.
We're working on another new IP that's yet to be announced. There are more projects being worked on at Avalanche than most people would expect!
— Paul Rustchynsky (@Rushy33) January 1, 2022
Nice. I really like Avalanche's Apex system, it can make some pretty stunning environments. Hopefully it'll translate well into a racing game! (assuming that's what he's working on)
Yea, I see he posted a different tweet clarifying that now, but that was not posted in this original tweet or any of the replies. I apologize for not scrolling through all of his Twitter account.Thanks.
Motorstorm 2 deserves a remaster.
The balanced monster trucks vs dirt bikes.
I would be happy with just that at 60fps... but... if it were a new game with course maker, 50 cars racing at the same time, focusing on Pacific Rift and Monument Valley... I would feel way better
That sounds like alotta extra work for content nobody is clamoring for.
Classic maps for me please. I actually want the game to release.
"To set some expectations, I'm not working on a racing game.
So sorry, no DRIVECLUB sequel, MotorStorm successor or ONRUSH offshoot.
This is something very different to anything I've worked on before"
So it will not be a racing game. That's a shame. :(
Agreed. Driveclub and Motorstorm were great games and deserve sequels. Onrush was fun for me as well. I wonder what type of game he will unveil when the time comes.
Damn, i hoped a DC or Motorstorm sequel... :( let's see what they can pull out from the hat.
While Evolution is no more, its spirit lives on at UK racing game developer Codemasters, who snapped up the Driveclub team just a month after Evo shut down and set them to work on a new racing game that would become OnRush.
Are they going to continue the same development style of releasing a game before it's finished (or even well underway) and then developing it through patches for the next two years like they did with Driveclub?
Driveclub is my 2nd favorite racing game. Only the Midnight Club games (all of them) top it. I may get GT Sport later this summer. I can't wait for a sequel if they somehow get the rights to it. This makes me want to reinstall it even though I have the platinum.
I only have the 500 GB hard drive. I have to delete games to make space for the newer games. I need to get a portable hard drive so I can have space for all my games.
Don't take it like that. I just meant Driveclub is a personal favourite of mine and I would never ever uninstall it myself. But I totally understand the lack of space.
Now I have 2 TB HDD internal in my PS4 Pro and a 3 TB external and the internal is full since waaaay back and I even need to uninstall games on a regular basis on my external so: more space = more games = same problem hehe ;)
Game on !! ;)
And buy a 2 TB internal, you'll thank me later ;)
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someone pasted it here -
http://www2.psu.com/forums/...
Ooohh very interested. I wanted them to do a tech analysis on this graphically amazing game. :)
Edit: oh wait it's just an interview. Very interesting either way. :)
Wow... 1280 x 1080p with MLAA in 2D mode, while 1280 x 1470p in 3D.
Im not going to create an account to read this article.
Edit: Thks to poster above i was able to read it. Very interesting especially with the part about dynamic detail scaling just shows what really good devs will do if they run into an obstacle with the hardware.