INTRODUCTION
Xpand Rally is the newest racing game with complex economical plot. It shows riders� copings in the Xpand Rally Championship leagues. Xpand Rally Championship (XRC) was created by a group of young car owners, who can not afford to have the professional rally driver�s license for different reasons. The first races took place in the States and Germany. Nowadays, drivers wanting to participate in the XRC races make appointments via internet in different parts of the world. The races are semi-illegal and there are no limits to the engine power and technical car modifications. XRC started to be considered an extreme sport. In Xpand Rally the player gets into the car, whose engine power is about 800 Horse Power, and races around the world. Thanks to the newest technology it is the first time that we can have such a realistic game. The implemented Chrome engine, used in Xpand Rally, lets us create picturesque and extensive terrains. The player can feel freedom of movements and he does not have to move only in narrow channel. It is the first time that the race line will be sourrounded by luxuriant and naturalistic flora. It is also the first time, when you can feel dynamic weather conditions. Rain will turn a dry land into mud (causing sliding) and wind will slightly push the car off the track. You can choose one of over 60 different tracks in different parts of the world. You can race in the deserts� heat, on the frozed lakes or in greenwoods and mountains. One of the game�s main features is over 20 realistic world cars. Each of the machine has its own technical and driving parameters. Each car can be tuned-up from factory level to high-performance racing machines. In the Xpand Rally you can choose some of the dozens of tuning parts. Thanks to the realistic driving model cars will behave differently depending on the weather conditions and the surface (sand, gravel, snow, ice or asphalt).
INTERVIEW - PART 1
BHMS - Do you have licensed cars in the sim and if yes, which makes are featured in the sim?
XR TEAM - The cars in Xpand Rally are not fully licensed. However, they are extremely realistic. Their models have been based on original technical specifications and photographs. Of course, due to a wide variety of tuning possibilities, the cars will look differently than the real ones. We have not licensed our tuned cars since we would have to give up using of the wide range of tuning options.
BHMS - The team who made this sim, have they been involved in racing sims before or was this their first go at it?
XR TEAM - Of course, we have some experience in this field, for example we have worked out a dynamic model of vehicle physics. Besides we are fans of rally games. However, we have never developed a game that would involve such detailed designing techniques.
BHMS - Did the team meet up with real-life race teams and/or drivers to get input to the sim?
XR TEAM - We have seen a lot of races on video. Also, one of our designers is a professional racing pilot and he is a member of a professional racing team. As soon as we have completed the Beta version of the game, we are going to invite a few professional drivers to sit behind the steering wheel and test the realism of Xpand Rally.
BHMS - Are there any special stages which would have been modeled from the real special stage in a certain rally-event?
XR TEAM - No, there aren�t.
BHMS - How are the special stages divided; do you follow the real-life rules for when the cars are allowed to be serviced, how many spare tires in the car, etc?
XR TEAM - The tracks are not divided into special stages as it is in case of WRC. Xpand Rally has its own system of races. The performance of the car parts is similar to what�s in real life. However, they have not been designed to be the top quality simulations.
BHMS - How many world locations are featured and approximately how many special stages are there for one location?
XR TEAM - There will be around 60 tracks available in the game. They will be located on all continents and in all climatic zones. The player will be able to race in Africa (Kenya to be exact), in North America: the USA (Colorado, Nevada), Canada, in Scotland, in some colder parts of Europe with severe climate (Sweden, Norway) as well as on the tracks we are most familiar with - in Poland, Slovak or Germany.
BHMS - Is there a career mode in the game?
XR TEAM - Of course there is. First, you are a beginner and you drive the car that is most easily handled. As you go on wining next races you earn money that you can use then to buy some new parts. In this way your car gets more enhanced and you have more chances of wining the following races. Your career progresses until you become the world champion.
BHMS - Can you enhance and develop your car as the rally-event progresses and if yes, will these enhancements carry over to the next rally-event?
XR TEAM - Of course, you can enhance your car and use it in all subsequent races. It is a part of competition among the drivers. The tuning can be both mechanical (improving the car�s parameters) and visual - for example the changing of spoilers, bumpers, both front and rear, rims, etc.
BHMS - What kind of setup options do you have for the hardcore sim driver, or is the setting up of the cars aimed more towards the casual rally driver?
XR TEAM - Car setup has been designed for casual drivers. It is not fully an arcade type of setup, though. We hope it suits all rally fans.
BHMS - Is the physics model in the game a brand new creation or is it based on some other product?
XR TEAM - In Xpand Rally we use our own original physics model. It is realistic but quite user-friendly too, so the player can drive the car without too much difficulty.
BHMS - Is the weather dynamically modeled so that it can change during the special stage? For example in a special stage with mountainous terrain it would be dry at the lower parts of the track and wet or rainy/snowy while climbing up the mountain during the special stage?
XR TEAM - The weather in the game changes and reflects different climatic conditions on a particular area. For example a strong wind and rain may set in over the track and then it may turn into a downpour and even a storm. The wind may begin to push the car off the road and, because of the heavy rain, some puddles may appear. Visual effects of the changing weather conditions are not everything. You will need to follow the weather forecast to choose the best tires and make good settings of your car. Otherwise, the wining of the race will be much more difficult. In addition, for example a frosty surface will make the driving far more difficult than it is on any other surface.
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