As Table Top Racing hits Vita, WipEout co-creator turns attention to PS4

Table Top Racing launches on Vita today, and its developer, the co-creator of seminal PlayStation racing game WipEout, looks set to turn his attention to the PlayStation 4 next.

That developer is Nick Burcombe, who dreamed up the idea of futuristic racer WipEout with Psygnosis colleague Jim Bowers over a few drinks at the Shrewsbury Arms in Oxton, Merseyside.

Burcombe spent 10 years at Psygnosis after joining as a game tester in 1988. He was the lead designer on the first WipEout game, which launched alongside the PSone in Europe in 1995, as well as its sequel Wipeout 2097/XL, and experienced the developer's transitional period after it was bought by Sony and renamed Studio Liverpool.

But what's next? "Playrise is now working in next generation console development via PlayStation 4," Burcombe told Eurogamer.

"We feel like PlayStation is our spiritual home and the best place for us to express our creativity and vision. We are very excited and we can't wait to share more news with your readers very soon!"


If Burcombe manages to make a PS4 game, it'll be the first time the co-creator of WipEout has worked directly on a PlayStation home console title since 2007 PlayStation 3 game Formula One Championship Edition.

Explaining the move, Burcombe pointed to the ease with which small developers are able to self-publish their games on the PS4.

"The change is absolutely a positive for us," he said. "We're excited by that. It's our spiritual home. It's where we can attract real gamers who don't mind paying for stuff."

Nick also touched on the layoffs in 2010 which affected Sony Liverpool.

"I can't imagine what the costs of running Liverpool Studio and Evo were like," he said. "The fact they took 50 per cent of the studio, everyone knew what that meant: longer term that was going to be a problem for the studio. They still had a couple of things in the pipeline.

They tried to make the merger of Evolution and Liverpool work. It didn't really work in my view, although there are quite a few Liverpool staff still working at Runcorn now making DriveClub and they're doing a great job."

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-08-06-as-table-top-racing-his-vita-wipeout-co-creator-turns-attention-to-ps4

I look forward to what Nick is up to next. Maybe we will hear news at Gamescom?
 
I'm interested in Table Top Racing impressions, what game does it resemble more and how's the 'sense of speed' in it?
 
Wipeout would make me buy a PS4 yesterday. I doubt there are many like me for Sony to consider a new one.

I wouldn't say no to a Wipeout-like game from its original creator, though.
 
I'm interested in Table Top Racing impressions, what game does it resemble more and how's the 'sense of speed' in it?

I played the mobile version and wasn't impressed. Hopefully they've made things better for the PSN release.
 
Hey there folks - just checking in and happy to answer any questions.

Nick

Congrats for Table Top Racing release, I hope it will work well, I just bought it, couldn't resist to this -20% PS+ discount ;-)

Do you already know if you're gonna stay in the racing category for your next game or if you want try other things?
 
Nice price for Table Top Racing, especially with the 20 % Plus discount. Will definitely pick it up today as the PS4 sale was disappointing anyway.

Congratulations on the release!
 
I'm interested in Table Top Racing impressions, what game does it resemble more and how's the 'sense of speed' in it?

The mobile version is impressive and touch controls are finely tuned. It reminds me a little bit of Re-Volt (these aren't RC cars, though) but with simpler physics/handling, there are few power ups but what's there is good. Amazingly, it runs at 60 frames per second on my iPhone 4 (yes, 4, not 4s) and still manages to look great.
 
I hope that if there is a WipEout PS4, they return to the aesthetic of Wip3out instead of the gaudier, tacky post-Fusion visual design.
 
Hi Nick, thank you very much for inventing WipEout :^) I have enjoyed it tremendously (especially paired with a neGcon).

Table Top Racing looks interesting, reminds me of Micro Machines.

Well it was a great team that made it and I have to pay hommage to Jim Bower in particular who was my co-conceptor
 
Well it was a great team that made it and I have to pay hommage to Jim Bower in particular who was my co-conceptor

A great team indeed and such a shame that Team Liverpool is no more :^(
Even if Sony released a new WipEout it would probably not be as good, being made by another team.

I see you can buy credits for Table Top Racing, how much do these credits affect the game?
 
Heh, never heard of Table Top Racing, but its concept reminds me of the absolute worst game I ever absolutely loved, Hot Wheels Stunt Track Driver:

WFRVWmNSMWFrcE0x_o_hot-wheels-stunt-track-driver-tow-jam.jpg
 
Hey there folks - just checking in and happy to answer any questions.

Nick
Hello, Nick! So, here's my opportunity, ha :)

I just want to thank you and all your colleagues (past and present) for creating the WipEout series and other great games which shaped the PlayStation for me. Keep it up, guys!

See you on PS4 ;)
 
Hey there folks - just checking in and happy to answer any questions.

Nick

Just throwing a crazy thought out there, but how realistic a possibility would it be for you guys to do something like Harmonix did with Amplitude and get Sony to let you make use of the Wipeout IP seeing as they've seemingly abandoned it?

Sorry to go off topic a bit, but it would be nice if Wipeout didn't just die in a cupboard somewhere.

Congrats on the game launch by the way.
 
I see you can buy credits for Table Top Racing, how much do these credits affect the game?

Think of the coin packs more like a donation - in this version the price of all the cars and the upgrade and the weapon wheels and the paint schemes have all been halved so there's no grind - you guys will be able to completely finish the game without the need for buying coins. We only left them in there as a option for people if they wanted to contribute more.
 
Wipeout spiritual successor?

Give it! Give it to us now! Don't even bother answering our questions if this is 15 minutes you could be working on the game instead :P
 
Just read the article about Curly Games :( Now I need to get N-Gen Racing and Quantum Redshift...

I hope you guys go back making a futuristic racer again, for PS4, if Firesprite isn't doing already. Doesn't have to be realistic, more like the 90s look of Wipeout PSX games with pastel colors.

psx_wipeout3_2huiiv.jpg
 
surely you jest. fusion had the ugliest racers in all of wipeoutdom.

I don't see what you think I'm disagreeing about
Just read the article about Curly Games :( Now I need to get N-Gen Racing and Quantum Redshift...

I hope you guys go back making a futuristic racer again, for PS4, if Firesprite isn't doing already. Doesn't have to be realistic, more like the 90s look of Wipeout PSX games with pastel colors.

psx_wipeout3_2huiiv.jpg

Yep, this. Whenever I see people raving about the art design of WipEout HD I cringe a bit, it's so bright and gaudy compared with the muted tones of 3.
 
Well it was a great team that made it and I have to pay hommage to Jim Bower in particular who was my co-conceptor

I just wanted to say thank you for creating that franchise and the amazing games you made. Here's hoping you'll work on a spiritual successor of some sort to Wipeout on PS4 ;)
 
Think of the coin packs more like a donation - in this version the price of all the cars and the upgrade and the weapon wheels and the paint schemes have all been halved so there's no grind - you guys will be able to completely finish the game without the need for buying coins. We only left them in there as a option for people if they wanted to contribute more.

Sounds good, the game has a really nice price, I hope it will sell well.
 
Hi Nick!

This is off-topic since it's about you transitioning to the ps4, but I was wondering if this means you're leaving psvita development all together?

I would really like to see more of your games on it as well as on ps4!!
 
Hi Nick!

This is off-topic since it's about you transitioning to the ps4, but I was wondering if this means you're leaving psvita development all together?

I would really like to see more of your games on it as well as on ps4!!

We are basically an Indie looking for the right place for our ideas. We've been down the mobile route and at least I understand what the business is all about now - particularly the trappings of F2P. Its not good and we think our work is worth buying. We could of course spend our time refining the "funnel" to "monetize" better, but that's not why we do this. We know that gamers don't mind paying for good game and so we're confident of reaching the right people. With mobile is all about getting millions of downloads and finding those that will pay and trying to push them through to pay a lot. You need to take that side of the business seriously in your game design and we COULD do it ....but at a what price? We become a company driven by analytics rather than creating great gaming experiences? Nope. We want to make great quality games for a sensible budget and for the real gaming audience - you guys know what you are playing and appreciate the effort it took to make it. Mobile isn't that - its a numbers game. There are, of course, some real gaming customers on mobile and without their support we could never have stay afloat over this last 18 month, so we won't be foresaking them, but at the moment we want to launch our games to their fullest potential.

Nick
 
We are basically an Indie looking for the right place for our ideas. We've been down the mobile route and at least I understand what the business is all about now - particularly the trappings of F2P. Its not good and we think our work is worth buying. We could of course spend our time refining the "funnel" to "monetize" better, but that's not why we do this. We know that gamers don't mind paying for good game and so we're confident of reaching the right people. With mobile is all about getting millions of downloads and finding those that will pay and trying to push them through to pay a lot. You need to take that side of the business seriously in your game design and we COULD do it ....but at a what price? We become a company driven by analytics rather than creating great gaming experiences? Nope. We want to make great quality games for a sensible budget and for the real gaming audience - you guys know what you are playing and appreciate the effort it took to make it. Mobile isn't that - its a numbers game. There are, of course, some real gaming customers on mobile and without their support we could never have stay afloat over this last 18 month, so we won't be foresaking them, but at the moment we want to launch our games to their fullest potential.

Nick

This is like reading an erotic novel.
 
Hey there folks - just checking in and happy to answer any questions.

Nick

Hi Nick! Congrats on your new release and I wanted to say thank you so much for making Wipeout. I'm going to echo the sentiments already in the thread about hoping for a Wipeout spiritual successor on PS4. I'd buy it in a heartbeat :D Good luck for the future.
 
Just throwing a crazy thought out there, but how realistic a possibility would it be for you guys to do something like Harmonix did with Amplitude and get Sony to let you make use of the Wipeout IP seeing as they've seemingly abandoned it?

Sorry to go off topic a bit, but it would be nice if Wipeout didn't just die in a cupboard somewhere.

Congrats on the game launch by the way.

My money is ready for the kick starter. Even if some one wants to start with just super-HD version of the all the wipeouts on PS4.

Add some new trophies and tweak the vehicles.
 
We are basically an Indie looking for the right place for our ideas. We've been down the mobile route and at least I understand what the business is all about now - particularly the trappings of F2P. Its not good and we think our work is worth buying. We could of course spend our time refining the "funnel" to "monetize" better, but that's not why we do this. We know that gamers don't mind paying for good game and so we're confident of reaching the right people. With mobile is all about getting millions of downloads and finding those that will pay and trying to push them through to pay a lot. You need to take that side of the business seriously in your game design and we COULD do it ....but at a what price? We become a company driven by analytics rather than creating great gaming experiences? Nope. We want to make great quality games for a sensible budget and for the real gaming audience - you guys know what you are playing and appreciate the effort it took to make it. Mobile isn't that - its a numbers game. There are, of course, some real gaming customers on mobile and without their support we could never have stay afloat over this last 18 month, so we won't be foresaking them, but at the moment we want to launch our games to their fullest potential.

Nick

Hm, I guess I never really saw the Vita as a mobile platform like that. Well I wish you the best on PS4 and hope you'll reconsider developing on the Vita some time in the future!
 
I don't see an actual Table Top Racing thread on GAF (maybe because it was originally a mobile game so it's not a big hype draw,) so I think it's appropriate to add in info about the game while we're talking about "whatever else is next" from the team.

Here's Table Top Racing:

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2014/08/05/table-top-racing-launches-on-ps-vita-today/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeLiiTe-PSM


And two reviews, one from TheSixAxis and one from PushSquare:
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2014/08/05/table-top-racing-review-ps-vita/
http://www.pushsquare.com/reviews/psnvita/table_top_racing
 
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