We got an early Christmas present from Santa/Bernard at Pole Position yesterday - more car sound for Power Racing! This time for one of the “American” cars (the design, properties etc is inspired by a variety of cars from over there…)

Sounds fantastic, as always, and I’m still amazed with the impact great sound has on the entire gaming experience.

Completely forgot to tell you, we had our weekly demo yesterday (part of the sprint review: demo, retrospective and impediment backlog) where everyone (external stakeholders, other teams etc) gets to see what’s been worked on during the sprint. Or rather, what’s been worked on and finished = what stories are “done done”. Done done means, according to our definition of done, that the code is deployed to next release environment, comitted to sprint branch, tested and bug free and we’ve not added to the technical dept.

So, there’s been much sound work done lately. As you know we’re working with the Supernaturally Talented guys at Pole Position. Erik and Bernard are working hard to get the tools and program adjusted, tuned and just like Pole want them to be. And at yesterday’s demo  we could “show” some new sounds! Updated curbs, environment and transmission sounds if I’m not mistaking. And there are plenty more to come during the next couple of months.

One don’t always realize the importance of sound, until it’s removed. Sound has a magical impact on our perception of presence. Add that wind, vague noice from the gravel or curbs etc etc and suddenly you’re THERE. You’re actually in the car, on the track, going like a billion km per hour hopefully in the wrong direction (adds that extra sense of recklessness that is SO much fun)

Whether it’s environmental sounds or music, it’s superior when it comes to adding nerve, atmosphere and …well presence. Imagine that tear filled ending in any rom com without the violins, the stabbings in Psycho with the sound muted, Silent Hill with a mix-tape soundtrack consisting of all the greatest hits by Vanilla Ice, 2 Unlimited, Britney Spears and Ace of Base… it simply wouldn’t be the same.

Sound matters. And to sort of prove my point I activate the classic Powerslave album, anno 1984, now transformed into a spotify playlist. I couldn’t be happier if I was twins. 

I don’t know if you remember, but I said something about our great sound guys at Pole Position and their next recording session on an air field… Well, it takes place on Sunday, it’s gonna be great and there will be three seriously cool Japanese cars making some serious noise. And yes, I’m gonna miss out completely.

There is a certain birthday party I have to attend to. My son’s. I guess it would be pretty rotten to just abandon ship and break a 13-year old’s heart. Even though we all know they’re only in it for the presents.

Best of luck to Max, Bernhard and Mats at Pole Position - I hope you’ll have a great day. Don’t forget the snap shots!

/ Linda

Hello you all! I guess you though the Power Challenge Racing Team had disappeared - but no. We’re still here, writing code, making schedules, drawing trees and what have you. Basically trying our very best to make this the best racing experience ever. Things have just been a bit…upside down around here lately. Everybody is still as busy as ever, no doubt about it, our focus is just slightly altered. There are som really important issues being handled, features being built and changes taking place in the soccer department - and of course we’re all joining in, making sure Power Soccer rises to yet another level.

Well not all of us actually. A couple of us are still keeping the racing game alive and kicking, building new tracks, designing more cars, dealing with network puzzles… All those things, give or take a few, that need to be taken care of before the release!

Another Very Important Part of a quality racing game is… the sound! Nothing gives you that illusion of presence and tingling sensation of speed like raw realistic high quality sound. Metal against metal, flying gravel and shrieking breaks. Of course we only want to give you the very best, and to make sure of that we hired the guys at Pole Position to do all of our sound work. They are complete racing AND music/sound freaks, so there couldn’t be anyone else more suited for the job. We just got some nice recordings from a stock car session - very nice. And in a couple of weeks, there will be another recording session with some serious driving: a bunch of japanese cars - on an airstrip… Hopefully closed off! Like I said, these guys are seriously into both cars and sound.

I promise to write again soon. Yes, seriously, I do. Even though we’re slightly behind the original schedule, we’re still destined to rule the racing world…

See ya!

// Linda