RAGE 2's director on crafting a wasteland of guns, mutants, and monster trucks

RAGE 2 is poised to exist Bethesda'south side by side big shooter, refreshing its post-apocalyptic series with an all-new identity. The neon-tinted world now accommodates crazy armaments and otherworldly foes, setting a fresh tone for an anticipated sequel. Pairing the gunplay foundations of 2022's DOOM reboot, with physics talent from Just Cause's Avalanche Studios, it packs the best of open up-world action.

While set for a May 2022 debut, nosotros saturday downwardly with id Software studio director, Tim Willits, discussing what went into RAGE two's wasteland.

Related: RAGE 2 is a shooter sequel that looks downright WILD

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Matt Brown, Windows Central staff writer: Getting started, what did you set out to primarily amend in RAGE 2 over the original game?

Tim Willits, id Software studio managing director: Oh, lots of things. In its simplest form, RAGE 2 delivers on the promise of RAGE. We had a lot of great things in the original RAGE, but they were all separated by level loads, and you had to switch discs, and all that stuff.

Just as you saw, this yous simply... play. [In] the original yous kind of had to play how we wanted you to play, but this now, you tin play how y'all want to play. And we have been watching journalists over the by few days, everyone does something dissimilar, which is very encouraging. But besides bringing colour into the game, the in-style combat. When you play [DOOM 2022] you're like "Oh I meet this, it feels like id [Software]." So bringing those kinds of elements into this true open world.

RAGE 2 brings a whole new direction between its themes, visuals, and overall identity. What was the thought process behind this vibrant switch up?

Well both us and Avalanche [Studios] really wanted to ensure that RAGE 2 stood on its own and we didn't want people that hadn't played the original to feel similar "Well, it's function two, I didn't play the first 1, so I'grand not going to play it." So we actually went out of our fashion to make certain it had a unique identity, that stood on its own. From the colour, to the action, to the technology, to the pink; to really allow it exist its own game.

We saw a similar shift for DOOM, dropping its at present-canned more realistic tone, that went on to be DOOM's 2022 reboot. Between RAGE and DOOM, what value have you lot found in taking a self-aware approach to an IP?

Specifically, in RAGE two, we do attempt to be a little scrap humorous, because games are supposed to exist fun. Sometimes people forget that. And we make amusement. Nosotros likewise wanted RAGE 2 being unique and to get away from your normal mail service-apocalyptic, depressing, sad, lone games. So here y'all have something that doesn't have itself besides seriously. Simply information technology'due south still fun.

And so why exercise you think the post-apocalyptic setting is so popular?

Because it'due south really easy to be fun in it and be artistic. Considering information technology's a setting that people can relate to. It's a setting that allows us to science fiction weapons, monster trucks, mutants, and have cool fantasy elements, but still have to ground information technology.

It'due south a really nice playground to play in and it gives u.s.a. a lot of creative freedom. And the Avalanche guys, they worked on [Mad] Max earlier this, but it was a very tight IP and franchise. And this allows them to do whatever they want to.

Sculpting a crazy sandbox in a barren wasteland

With Avalanche's previous piece of work on the Mad Max game, has that helped during the development process?

Yeah, both Mad Max and RAGE were very good at chocolate-brown. But their work, especially with non-linear storytelling, their experience with vehicles, their experience with dynamic systems. All those heads brought a lot to the table.

And y'all've adopted Avalanche's Apex Engine, correct? Physics was such a cadre aspect of previous Apex titles, similar Just Cause. Has that come into play during RAGE 2'south design?

Aye definitely. Similar the Grav Dart, even the way the agile abilities work, pushing people around, and knocking things over. It's very Avalanche-y. We definitely wanted to steer into that, plus it'due south just fun to… blow stuff upwards. Just wing around, yous know what I'thou proverb?

And so was there any reason for a move away from your ain id Tech engine?

It's a smashing engine, it does a ton of things really well. We accept brilliant programmers. Merely it'southward more of an engine where everything is admittedly pixel-perfect downwardly to the minute details. But as an open world, wide-based engine, we accept some room to improve.

But working with the Avalanche guys, they accept an engine, they know how it works. You don't have to redo everything while we brand the game. So it's been very dainty. And it looks good.

That'due south something that myself and Jez, our senior editor, have obsessed over. There'south something about RAGE 2'south shotgun and its crazy [blowback] physics that stuck with us after Gamescom.

Yeah, and when you [aim down sights], it actually does more blowback. He probably did not realize that. And it'southward the sound. We worked a long time to make sure that sound was right.

Were in that location any general design challenges that came upwardly during evolution?

Non really, because the very starting time affair I wrote on the whiteboard when I met with Avalanche [was] "more than crazy than RAGE." At that place was never a time when an idea was pitched, where nosotros'd get "Oh, that's a picayune too far." Usually, nosotros push things, because it's e'er easier to go too far and pull back, than to not go far plenty. The engineering science has been corking, the pattern has been great, the characters are kind of cool, [and] interesting to talk to. And nosotros still polish, we've got to prepare bugs on the menus and stuff, merely overall, it's been good development.

So was there whatever point during development where yous had to describe a line for the craziness? Every bit you accept to consider the existing RAGE franchise and the gameplay.

No, nosotros take some silly stuff. And some really goofy things. Which is fun. I don't think anyone volition be similar "Oh, that's likewise much."

Y'all merely went all out crazy?

Well, we have pink everywhere.

And you lot said you wanted to hitting a solid 60 FPS on consoles, correct?

On PS4 Pro and Xbox One Ten, yous're threescore [FPS]. Only on the vanilla [PS4 and Xbox One] yous're 30. But when you lot're on the PC, then you lot're as fast every bit you can go.

Is that going to be at 4K on Xbox One X every bit well?

No, we wanted speed over performance. For that type of game, you need speed, more than you need 4K. Plus it still looks pretty adept!

I assume you accept some post-launch plans for RAGE 2 and then?

Yeah, so we'll have some paid mail service-launch content, nosotros'll have some gratuitous content. We have some community things, not like multiplayer. And then we'll accept some more than regular updates [that] stretch out the tale of the games.

Is that going to build on the base of operations game? Or are those carve up experiences?

Yes, that volition build on the base game. Considering of the open up-world nature of the game and the manner the engineering science works, it's so squeamish to add things in. Because everything is streamed, we tin can add things much easier than in other traditional engines.

Enter the 'post-post-apocalypse'

Our hands-on only granted time to briefly experiment with RAGE 2's underlying foundations, withal information technology already corrects various flaws of its predecessor. id Software's shooter expertise hits the open up globe, sculpting what might be a fresh face up for the franchise. It'southward i to watch as May approaches, shaping upwards as a fitting addition to Bethesda'south top shooters.

In the concurrently, the game is slated to launch on May xiv, 2022, on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Windows PCs. Preorders are at present alive, priced at $59.99 in the U.S.

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