RAGE 2
RAGE 2 – When id Met Avalanche
RAGE 2
RAGE 2 is a match made in heaven.
A very strange, very neon version of heaven where all the angels have pink mohawks and rocket launchers. From the godfathers of the first-person shooter at id Software, and the masters of chaotic open worlds at Avalanche Studios, RAGE 2 is an insane, over-the-top reawakening for the series. But how did this project even come about? How did these two teams decide to work together on such an ambitious project? id Software Studio Director Tim Willits and Avalanche Studios Game Director Magnus Nedfors spoke with us about the relationship between the two powerhouse teams and gave us a behind-the-scenes look at the development of RAGE 2.
How did this project come about?
Magnus: Avalanche and Bethesda had been discussing possible projects over the years, and a few years back the perfect opportunity presented itself. Bethesda and id Software felt like it was the right time to do a sequel to RAGE, and Avalanche had a team that would become available. So, when we got asked if we wanted to make a pitch for the game, we all said “Hell yeah!” We immediately knew that combining id-style combat with an Avalanche open world would be something special. And here we are today, marrying those two things into a fantastic player experience.
Tim: We at id Software have always been open-world fans; we love the freedom and emergent gameplay of this style of game. We’ve always wanted to bring our style of combat to this type of world.
Working with Avalanche has been great! They have a wealth of open-world experience and a like-minded philosophy on game design. Working with their team and learning how to build a true open-world game has been one of the highlights of my career.
How do you make a game together when your studios are basically on opposite sides of the planet?
Tim: The Avalanche team in Sweden is the main developer of the game; they’re developing RAGE 2 with assistance and guidance from us. We work with their team every day, from regular design meetings, to testing, to leveraging specific people and groups to help where needed. We are in constant communication regarding all aspects of the game.
Magnus: Almost all of the actual game development – like programming and asset production – has been done by Avalanche in Stockholm using our Apex engine. As Tim mentioned, he and I are in constant contact about the direction of the game, discussing how we should solve problems and pushing each other to come up with new ideas. id has also helped tremendously with knowledge sharing in their fields of expertise, so they have been a big part of the development in that way.
Nowadays, with the technology we have, distance isn’t really a problem. The most problematic things is perhaps the time difference, but you can actually use that to your advantage in some ways. We’ll do something during the day in Sweden, send it to Tim so he can play it during the day in Texas, and we’ll have comments from him when we come into work the next day.
What are some of the biggest perks of multi-studio development?
Tim: The biggest advantage to working with another studio on a game together is the combination of the various experiences that each team brings to the title. Every development studio is different with different shipped titles, and every shipped game gives the team a wealth of experience. The best thing about RAGE 2 is that it leverages the strengths and skills of both id and Avalanche, giving us a game with amazing first-person combat and crazy open-world action.
Magnus: The knowledge sharing is by far the biggest perk. We at Avalanche have learned a lot about first-person shooters from the inventors of the genre. Thanks to id helping us, we have avoided so many rookie mistakes while working on RAGE 2.
Of course, another huge perk for me, personally, has been the opportunity to go to Texas. It’s something I wanted to do for a while, but I never found the right time.
What’s something you admire about each other’s studios?
Tim: There are many things I admire about Avalanche Studios. The most obvious are the many successful open-world games they have developed, with each being distinctly different. The team is extremely creative in their approach to game design and building systems that all work together. They always think and develop to the “larger picture,” ensuring that every system and component in the game works within that larger system. These are very “one-off” things in any of their games. This type of development allows them to build open-world games where you can go anywhere and do anything and have fun. Their games don’t direct you on how they want you to have fun; instead they give you the tools to have your own fun.
Magnus: We’re talking about id Software, the godfathers of the first-person shooter. They are the reason we have a whole genre of games that so many people love. What’s not to admire? I also really admire the fact that they always strive to deliver over-the-top action with everything they make. That and, of course, the feeling of great first-person combat with heavy, awesome weapons; mind-blowing speed; and memorable, challenging enemies.
What’s your favorite things about each other’s studios?
Tim: I always enjoy visiting Stockholm. It’s so lovely there. The city is heaped in history, culture and amazing restaurants. The people of Sweden are also very nice and inviting. I joke that I’ve never met a Swede I didn’t like. And they’re all so tall in Sweden…
Magnus: I love eating great brisket! I’m a huge fan of Texas-style barbeque. I just love it. I think I had 10 BBQ meals in the 8 days I was there for QuakeCon. It was fabulous. We also went to a bar where the walls were covered with cowboy hats and listened to old school country music before capping the night off with a rodeo. But really it all comes back to the brisket.
