Forza Horizon 5 Early Access has begun and players start to discover how cinematically and epic the opening train of the game is. As we highlighted in our Forza Horizon 5 test, this first drive creates a great atmosphere and looks stunning – so stunning that we think it s the best-looking script sequence we have ever seen in a video game.
This opening sequence is clearly an important event in Forza Horizon games – it determines the stage, the sound and the atmosphere for the rest of your adventure. It is even so important that it was one of the very first things that the team of Playground Games has worked for Forza Horizon 5.
In response to a question of our friends under PCGamesn, on behalf of The PC Player 24, reveals the creative director of Forza Horizon 5, Mike Brown, that Playground Games starts with the concept of the first steps before we start production at all.
It s certainly one of the biggest factory groups we have, he says. We take into account it in our initial world design because we want to have an idea of how it will look while we formulate how the open world will fit together our world from the beginning.
The Technical Art Director of Forza Horizon 5, Gareth Harwood, also explains the manufacturing process of these exciting opening sequences, in which many moment-to-moment concepts are created, which last about 15-20 seconds. And if you have already experienced the ride, you will notice this approach because the race is divided into sections with different vehicles and plays in different bioden in Mexico.
From there, the places where the first ride takes place are initially the focus of Playground Games and will be prioritized by the design team compared to other sections of the map earlier prioritized. Harwood continues to say that even in the basic white box phase (internal tests to ensure that the game works like intends), playground games will put together a video and cut these concepts and build up. Once the team has reached the point where the drive is playable, start with weekly and then daily checks of the Drive.
Despite so many internal tests, Brown reveals that the original concept comes very close to what we deliver.
As much as we play, optimize, polish and play around until the end with different cars and their positions, at the core did not change much, he adds. It s really a lot of work that runs from the beginning in our concept phase.
Brown also says that every team [At the Studio] has a lot of input because everyone is very proud of Playground Games. Through the combination of art, leveldesign, cinematics and more every team has something in it.
It is clear that the first drive is an important start-up block for every Forza horizon title and will remain, and the attention and high priority he receives is reflected in the polish in the stunning opening torques of Forza Horizon 5.
To experience it yourself, Forza Horizon 5 comes to matchport on 9.11.
