STACK Magazine December Issue 122

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GAMES
DECEMBER 2014 JB Hi-Fi
FEATURE
034
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Ubisoft are not generally associated with
driving games. Is The Crew the missing link?
STEPHANE BELEY: Not really. The Crew
actually is quite in line with Ubisoft’s editorial
direction regarding open-world systemic games.
Where did the idea for a car-based MMO
originate?
This is a vision we’ve always had for The
Crew. In fact it’s a vision the team behind the
game has had since working on Test Drive
Unlimited [some of the members of Ivory Tower
previously worked on Test Drive Unlimited].
The base concept was already there back
then, but with new hardware came the ability to
develop that on a whole new level, letting it take
place in an open-world of unprecedented scope
while allowing every player to be on the same
server.
You have a room full of gamers who have
never played a racer: How would you
describe The Crew to them?
The Crew is an open-world driving RPG.
Imagine an MMORPG with cars: You’re free to
explore the world at your convenience and your
own pace, exploring, competing or collaborating.
Your car will be your avatar, allowing you
to customise it deeply and impacting your
gameplay experience.
You’ll be playing on an online sever where
every encounter you make could be with another
player.
What were your primary influences behind
the game?
Most of the team at the heart of the project
has been working on driving games for quite
some time. This is a genre we’ve always been
very dedicated to. At the same time, we’re all
gamers and many of us shared some amazing
moments in games like World of Warcraft,
so just as we initiated this concept with Test
Drive Unlimited, we wanted to further develop
the idea of an online open-world driving game
where players would be able to enjoy all the
experiences of driving.
Is the entire map driveable? How long will it
take to navigate across the US?
Yes, the entire map is driveable,
which means not only the 10,000 km
of road network but everything in between as
well. That’s the full 5,000 square km of the world
players will be able to explore. And those who
do will be greatly rewarded.
Navigating across the country from, let’s say
NewYork to LA, will take you approximately one
hour depending on the quality of the vehicle
you’re using and whether you choose to go on-
road or off-road.
What challenges are involved building a game
with an extensive and seamless gameplay
area like this?
The first and most obvious challenge we
faced was technical: offering the ability for every
player to be on the same server, in a vast open-
world and without ever having to go through
any lobby. That’s the transparent experience we
wanted to create.
Secondly, we had to fill the world with enough
activities to keep players entertained for a very
long time, but also with enough variety in those
Customisation is really deep; we
wanted players to make meaningful
choices between car parts
Ubisoft’s ambitious online-only racer is at the starting line. STACK speaks
with IvoryTower’s Stephane Beley, game director on The Crew.