Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged: Creating the Backyard

One of the biggest novelties for Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged – available today for Xbox Series X|S — is the introduction of five brand-new environments for players to race their favorite toy cars. Many of our Hot Wheels fans will recognize one in particular. The development team, while researching online, found that Hot Wheels owners enjoy making the weirdest tracks at home and posting videos to YouTube. That’s the inspiration behind the creation of the Backyard: offering players an iconic environment where they can imagine themselves, thus triggering the nostalgia effect, especially among adults.

In addition to the need to introduce new game dynamics, we also wanted to build a relationship with our fans. In our video trailers we demonstrated that the two actions Boost and Drift will now be combined with Single and Double Jumps. This will revolutionize the experience.

Race First and Track Later

These enhanced gameplay mechanics have also affected our view of spaces. It is true that when developing a racing video game, you usually start by designing the tracks and work your way outwards. Milestone took the complete opposite approach: We began with the surrounding environment and made sure that it was flexible enough to accommodate as many types of racing tracks as possible. The goal of our project was to provide a more diverse environment, both within and outside the race track. Players will be able to compete in the entire area, as well.

As an example, we have created a track in Backyard that starts at the front of the house and goes into the garden. It then enters the living room, going through the windows. When leaving the orange tracks, players may encounter new terrains such as gravel or grass, which will affect the performance and behavior of the vehicles. With this mindset we can also give players more strategic freedom; we didn’t want them to follow a predetermined set of actions to win and we tried to offer them multiple approaches to the same scenario they might encounter. It is important to consider the strategic implications of whether you want to use an obstacle to slow down an opponent or jump over it.

The Backyard was created for two reasons: to provide our players with an experience that is as close as possible to that of their Hot Wheels real life experiences, and to expand the limits of our game.

Backyard Building

It took 10 months for the Backyard to be developed. First, our team drew inspiration from Los Angeles houses. A SketchA first draft was created in order to get a feel for the intended result.

The Backyard presented a unique challenge in replicating correct lighting based on sun position in a specific geographical region at the exact moment in the day. The Backyard features not only grass but also trees. Our team needed to use both static and dynamic lighting to reproduce the changing shadows on vehicles as they moved. As a result, we updated the sketch to include 11:00am as our reference. 

After the first step, we began to produce what is known as white-boxingIt is possible to create a track by combining the 3D environment and some of its details.

The final textures and 3D models are created after the rough shapes have been defined in white-boxing. They are then assembled into the final scene using ISO sketchBy using the Models and placing them in their environment, you can create a realistic simulation. Beautiful cornersTo do this, we use the “materials direction”, a guidance document that helps us understand how to physically compose what is visually represented in the beautiful corner. To do that we use the “materials direction”, a guidance document that helps us understand how to physically compose what is visually represented in the beautiful corner.

The final environment is now ready to be produced. The production of each element of the environment is completed. (Structures, 3D Models, Textures, etc.) We then move to the technical performance optimization phase, to ensure that the environments work well across all platforms. During this time, designers are also refining the track layout to maximize the capabilities of their environment.

Thanks for reading. I hope that I conveyed the dedication and passion behind the creation of this chapter. It’s going to be a lot of fun, and we can’t wait to see you join the family, as Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – TurbochargedS already has the game.|S.

HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED™ 2 – Turbocharged

Milestone S.r.l.

☆☆☆☆☆
6

★★★★★

$49.99

We did it again!
You will be blown away by the new features in this chapter!

Enjoy More Wheels For Your Fun
You can choose from more than 130 different vehicles and still more variations! Yes, not only Hot Wheels™ Originals, but also Hot Wheels™ Monster Trucks and vehicles from the entertainment world. You can now ride ATVs and motorbikes with different racing styles to conquer every track!
A brand new system will define the vehicles’ category, which can be upgraded with the dedicated skill tree that will directly affect their performance. Your car will become unstoppable.

New Places to Call Home
You can choose to play in the backyard of your house or on a course located in an isolated village in Wild West.
Learn the secrets of 5 different locations and feel at home on both the podium and in these new areas.
Your races will be even more challenging and exciting with the addition of new surfaces. Grass, sand and more will directly affect the handling of the vehicle: something to keep in mind when you’ll choose your ride. Now, strategy is even more important!

Show off your moves
Be sure to impress your opponent with a new move before you win! Now you can also show off your Lateral Dash or Single/Double Jump. Use them wisely and at the right time to bump into your rivals and kick them off the track… or simply to avoid those barriers!
With the Jumps, you’ll be able to skip traffic and find secret shortcuts.

Just the way you like it
You’re a true daredevil, who makes every race a pure rush of adrenaline. Maybe you like to challenge yourself? Did you say “fan of huge crashes”? Well, HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED™ 2 – Turbocharged brings to the table all of that and much more. Different game modes for whatever “fun” means to you, off and online.

FIND YOUR CREATIVE POWER!
Back by popular demand are the most highly acclaimed editors! Use the Track Editor to make the song of your dreams, or take inspiration from other users’ creations!
Beautiful tracks require awesome cars. With the improved Livery Editor, you’ll be able to design your masterpiece using tools such as Stickers Editor. Your imagination will surely produce the most creative one!

IT’S A WHOLE NEW STORY
Literally. New campaign mode offers a new, original adventure with a story! You are the only one who can stop this attack on your city. How? It’s easy, just win exciting races and challenges dedicated to your interests! Ok, it won’t actually be that easy… but it will surely be exciting! Prepare to not only be a champion, but also a true hero!