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An Interview With Mark Randel, President of Terminal Reality
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markran.jpg (10679 bytes)Racing games used to be nothing special. You know the drill: A few sporty cars, a wad of racing tracks, and a dash of obstacles on the course were the perfect recipe for instant sales in the early 90s. However, as of late the racing simulation market has moved more towards the realism of Flight Simulators, while trying to keep the gameplay quick and immersive. For years, developers have struggled to balance realism with real enjoyment. With CART Precision Racing and Monster Truck Madness, Lewisville, Texas based Terminal Reality has made their mark and upped the ante on racing games on the PC.

Perhaps no better example of their game design philosophy is their latest game, the sequel to Monster Truck Madness, due out in early May. The aptly titled Monster Truck Madness 2 sports a totally new 3D engine, dubbed Photex2, which makes the game a visual tour de force, with lens flares, reflective water, volumetric headlights on the trucks, and a fully interactive racing environment. Users with 3D accelerator cards will be dazzled by the visual pumped out by the game, making even the Instant Replay mode a treat to play with for hours on end.

With the graphics blowing away any of the competition, Terminal Reality has also concentrated on making the racing game more fun to play. Using a license from the WCW, there are trucks to drive with Hollywood Hogan and Sting decals plastered all over them, as well as a new Wrestling inspired multiplayer mode entitled "Summit Rumble." Toss in interactive elements of the environment including the ability to go underwater and destroy pylons and other obstacles, and all of the sudden Monster Truck Madness 2 feels more like a realistic action game than a complicated simulation product.

We recently had a chance to catch up with TRI’s Mark Randel, who told us about what to expect in the game, and what Terminal Reality has planned for the immediate future with the Gathering of Developers, their new publisher.



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G A M E S L I C E : Behind the Scenes of the Game Industry