A racing game is driven by its handling. Here designer Olly tells us how he tinkered under the hood of each car to ensure that they all drive like paradise on wheels.

How does the car handling in Burnout Paradise compare to previous Burnout games?

Olly: It still has that same Burnout feel. That was absolutely imperative. You can still drive flat out everywhere, drifting round all the corners. What we've done is add extra depth. Realism is probably the wrong word to use to describe what goes on in Burnout, but I think the handling is now more believable. It feels more like a car. Also, from a development perspective, the underlying controls are far more detailed than they were in previous games. Each car has literally hundreds of interacting variables that subtly alter and control the way the car handles - in weird and complex ways. It's quite difficult to describe exactly what it is that I do with them. I have been described as a Physics Artist, which I like very much. Making art out of physical forces.

A dream to drive.

Burnout Revenge was occasionally criticized for the lack of difference in handling between some vehicles. Are we likely to see a repeat of these claims?

Olly: Who said that? The very nerve!

No, I'd have to hold my hands up and say that I agree. Variety was a major priority for me when I came onto the car handling and there really had to be more to the cars than just unlocking the same again with a slightly higher top speed. I wanted them to have character. I wanted people to remember them and care about them. I wanted people to have favourites, but it was absolutely key that everyone's favourites weren't the same. I really think we have achieved that. We have an enormous variety of cars in terms of size, weight, age, power and so on; and almost all of the cars are someone I know's favourite.

I think it's very telling that this time round I see people going back and playing with some of the earliest cars in the game again just because they like them so much. That's something I think we've never really had before in Burnout, and something that you don't often see in driving games in general. Normally once you unlock something faster, your old car becomes obsolete and you never go back to it again.

The cars also have proper names for the first time in a Burnout game. I think that's another real indication of how much more character and individuality they have. People are now starting to form brand loyalties. I know I for one would rather be seen pushing a Carson than driving a Hunter.

How much did the open world impact on the way you setup the handling for the vehicles?

Olly: With the open world setting, it was very important to make the handling much more versatile than in previous games - as the player gets to make up their own route and we can't really predict what shape corners they're going to try and get the cars round. We invested a lot of effort in the drifting behaviour, which was fun in the old games, but we've really built on it in Paradise and added more layers of control. You can still do your basic drift as easily as ever, but now if you experiment with the brake and throttle, and steering in and out of the drift at the right time, you'll find that you can control the shape of the drift far more than ever before. This means that you can cope with the variety of manoeuvres that you need to navigate the world, and also just makes freeburning round Paradise City hugely fun and rewarding on its own. I still love it even after playing it for thousands of hours.

The other big new handling feature that really developed out of the open world is the handbrake. We've never had a handbrake in Burnout before, but then you've never really had cause to use one before. All you did was drive round a circuit, and there were big green chevrons to stop you taking a wrong turn. In an open world, you can take whatever route you wish, but that also means you can go the wrong way and who has time to perform a three-point turn? Putting in a handbrake seemed like a natural solution to the open world making you perform emergency manoeuvres, but the more we toyed with it the more fun we found we could have with it. What happens if you do it off a ramp? Can you use it to power park into tiny spaces?

Raw power on wheels!

How do you research the handling of particular types of vehicles?

Olly: I watch videos, read reviews and write-ups, and pore over the technical specifications. Then I make it up as I go along. One of the best things about working on a game like Burnout, as opposed to a simulation, is that the cars don't have any real-life counterparts that I have to adhere to. I can make a Rossolini Tempesta handle however I think will be most fun, and there are no reality police telling me I've got it wrong. In reality, it might be nearly impossible to drift a GT track car, but if I think life would be more fun if you could, then that's what I can do.

How do you know when you have got the handling right?

Olly: It's mostly gut feeling. I have a sort of mental 'image' of what I want a car to be like when I start. Sometimes you arrive at that very quickly and you have a real 'Eureka!' moment, sometimes it's a dragged out struggle, and sometimes you find your whole concept is bogus and just isn't any fun. Then it's back to the drawing board. Generally, if you are reviewing the handling on a car and you realise you've been bombing round the world in it for half an hour just having fun, then that's a pretty good sign. Then the most crucial step is seeing if anyone else likes it. Players use a lot of different driving styles when they play Burnout and it's really important that all of them are catered for, not just mine. I have had to learn to drive in lots of styles, and the cars I'm most proud of are the ones that other people love but I care less for, as they don't really fit my driving style when I'm just being myself.

Which vehicle did you have find was the hardest to get the final handling model for?

Olly: Probably the Hunter Takedown 4x4, which is a massive great pickup truck. We've never really had a car like that in Burnout before, so it was new territory and it took a few iterations to get it to feel as engaging as the sports cars.

Which is your favorite car in Burnout Paradise?

Olly: I have a lot of favourite cars in Burnout Paradise. Most of the time, my favourite car is just the last one I drove, and then whenever I get in a new one I think "No, wait! This one's my favourite!". The one I come back to most though is probably the Montgomery Hawker. It's one of the new Stunt Boost cars, and it's very drifty and great for doing tricks and stunts in. I also love taking the Watson Revenge Racer or the Jansen X12 out for a spin when I feel like scaring myself silly in something with a load more power than grip. And the Jansen P12 because it's just so damn manoeuvrable. Or the Carson Annihilator and Carson Fastback - nothing beats drifting a big, classic muscle car through country roads with a roaring V8 ringing in your ears. Oh, I forgot the the Carson Thunder Custom! That's just fantastic on every level. Seriously, wait until you see it. It rocks. Words cannot begin to describe.

Actually, I have also recently developed a soft spot for the Carson Grand Marais - which is a classic 1930s car. I like old cars generally, and this thing is just so much fun for Road Rage events. It can't corner for cocoa, but it goes like stink and is damn near unstoppable once you get it rolling!

There's too many to mention, really. I have a little voice at the back of my head screaming "Ohh, ohh! What about the Carson 500 GT! And the Krieger 616 Sport!" but I'm going to leave it at that.

"I watch videos, read reviews and write-ups, and pore over the technical specifications. Then I make it up as I go along."

Does Burnout Paradise have any vehicles that will achieve cult status like Burnout Revenge's Revenge Racer and if so what car is it?

Olly: Was the Revenge Racer a cult favourite, or was it just hands down the fastest car in the game so everyone used it? We've got a lot more variety in the handling this time round, so I don't think we'll see any one car emerge as everyone's favourite. Everyone on the team here seems to prefer a different car, so I think we'll see several cars elevated to cult status depending on different peoples' personal driving styles. The all new Watson Revenge Racer is a great example of this, as frankly it's as mental as a sackful of wolverines. I know people who think it's the best car in the game, and I know other people who just can't handle it. In Paradise the car you choose will be a statement of intent and a reflection of your personality. If you're driving in the Watson Revenge Racer then people will know that you're a high-risk, low-braking, boost-chaining nutbar.

Also, we've got a whole bunch of great looking new cars, as well as a load of Burnout favourites that have been given a makeover. Our car team have done an amazing job designing and building these cars, and they look sensational. They're by far the best looking cars we've ever had, and so that will probably influence the 'cult favourites' decision as well. Look out for me online cruising around in a Carson Thunder Shadow. It looks so badass I'd drive it even if it wasn't a 200 mph street racing monster.

Finally do you have any advice for our readers on how to get the most out of the cars in Burnout Paradise?

Olly: Keep trying different ones. They all have something going for them. The best advice I can give is to pick the right tool for the job at hand. For example, if you're struggling in a Road Rage event, go and get a heavier car that packs more of a punch - like the Grand Marais I was talking about earlier. It might not look like much at first, but take it into a problem Road Rage and try not to smile when you start smacking rivals from pillar to post! Just don't try and do a Stunt Run in it. Or do, if you think you're that good!

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