Return of the pilots ?

[kaori]

Since I saw Miss Ami Nakajima at Eurogamer Expo, I wonder if we'll see the return of the pilots in the ships.
From Wipe'Out" to Fusion, the teams had two pilots, but since WipEout Pure, the teams don't have pilot, or shortly discussed on the former website http://www.wipeout-game.com

In Pure, Pulse and HD Fury, each team engaged one ship in the races, if they can because they are more teams than a grid can contain !

With WipEout 2048, only 4 or 5 teams will take the start of this season 1, (Pir-hana may be unlockable later), so it's possible we have different named pilots in each team. Or the distinction will be noticeable with the name of the ships ? 4 different ship per team, we've just seen the Feisar "Agility (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AXiLAs7ynE&feature=youtu.be)"...

I'd rather my first idea, return of the pilots, you can see a card for Ami Nakajima on this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H58gbdpaoG8) at 0.30

[Sausehuhn]

Actually there only were pilots in the original WipEout and then again in Fusion, as they tried to go back to the roots with that game (you see that „back to the roots“ was interpreted very differently to what the game is seen as today). Studio Liverpool certainly tries to give WO2048 a new – or „updated“ – WipEout experience with ships having craft-specific stats, splitted weapon pads and re-interpretation of Fusion’s open areas etc.

But I doubt they make the same „mistakes“ that they did with Fusion. So it’s questionable if we will see pilots in a WO2048 again. But actually that’s the only concern I have right now: That WO2048 may become a really great future racer but not what WipEout once stood for; just as Fusion did for most people.

[blackwiggle]

So are you suspecting to complete Campaign, it might involve you having to play as two different team members [Like FUSION did], each with their own stat's, and each with their own "Unique" tasks to perform on each track at each speed class?
I think that's sort of what SL has been trying to tell us without giving away specifics.

It would certainly make Campaign as interesting as the older PS1 & 2 titles in that regard.

From the brief videos I've seen, it seems that the positions of the speed & weapons pads have been placed rather Ad-Hoc on purpose.
Almost like there is no real "Best Line"....make a mistake and depending on your track position you still have equivalent options sort of thing.
Maybe it's just because of the extreme width of the tracks in comparison to nearly all tracks before them [SL did emphasise the wide tracks, I'm suspecting were purposely designed to shake gameplay up a bit]

It could be great, or NOooo!
Depends on how and how much they have changed it from what we all know and love.

[amplificated]

I don't really like the idea of selecting a pilot, so I hope not.

[CHEE5E2EE]

When I was speaking to Ami I jokingly asked about her being in the game and in the ship lol she said no but she will be on billboards within the game :)

[Mad-Ice]

So are you suspecting to complete Campaign, it might involve you having to play as two different team members [Like FUSION did], each with their own stat's, and each with their own "Unique" tasks to perform on each track at each speed class?
I think that's sort of what SL has been trying to tell us without giving away specifics.

It would certainly make Campaign as interesting as the older PS1 & 2 titles in that regard.

Plus 1. I really like the idea of more pilots per team and having to do each Single race with every pilot to unlock everything in the game.

However, I don't like Detonator and Eliminator, so I don't hope we have to do them too with every pilot to unlock everything. Those two game modes made sure I didn't complete the Fury campaign.

[Temet]

I have to disagree with Mad-Ice.
For me, Wipeout is no RPG. I don't want pilots, I don't want customisation.
That's just my personal point of view ;)

[leungbok]

Wipeout is an universe, a futuristic fiction of violent and adrenaline based sport. I liked the story behind the gameplay. Fusion campaign was fun to do and pilots story gave some deep to the background. But know with multiplayer options, a career mode would be cool to play, with some customisation (as for the ship) ! :D

[kaori]

I just thought the return of the pilots like a way to distinguish the ships in races offline.

Imagine in a tournament, 2 Feisar, 2 Qirex, 2 AG-Systems, 2 Auricom will compete. After first races, you are second. Before the last race, you need to know which ship Auricom you have to beat or eliminate (I'd rather this solution :g).

It's why we'll maybe see pilots with name in the game.

No thoughts RPG or customisation, but I like the idea to have, in one team, several ships with different statistics. eg a first AG-S 7.9.9.8 and an other 8.9.8.7. (Feisar.AGILITY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AXiLAs7ynE&feature=youtu.be) ?)

I just hope, if this idea will be present in the game, there are not ships or pilots actually lower than other. Like in Fusion, in which first pilot have a better ship than his teammate or like in Fury, where Fury ships have better stats than HD ships.

[amplificated]

It just seems like a cheap way of offering different ships (they don't have to build a new model, just chuck a sprite in and call it a character with its own stats), and aesthetically I find characters uniformly unappealing in pretty much any game, let alone a racer.

I'm absolutely the kind of person that thinks it's moronic to feel like you're the actual person in the game when you're playing an FPS or whatever, but a racing game like GT or WipEout? The car or craft I'm using really, really should have its own stats and what I can do with it is what I should be able to do with it and not be dictated by an arbitrary factor that doesn't make logical sense, i.e., a "character".
That may technically be the wrong stance given it's all just a game, but it doesn't flow well with me.

There's absolutely nothing stopping SL from making the campaign more interesting from an objective viewpoint whilst using just ships and teams. There is no need for characters or even characterisation at all.

[MiguelSkywalker]

Pilots with popularity ranks to call the attention of sponsors so their teams can afford to customize their ships, invest in new technology, crew, and even hire pilots. Team management, different competitions and events, drivers chanpionship, constructors championship... an RPG racing game, it would be cool, but not WipeOut at all.

That said, WipeOut background always seemed to me rich and cool enough to be brought a bit to the forefront without ruining the experience, and I don't see how a Story Mode Campaign with pilots could be so harmful.

[Darkdrium777]

Feisar pilot found! (http://aminakajima.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d42887x) (No really, she was hired by SL for some of the live shows)
Thanks to RITHsv on Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/12/playstation-vita-touring-the-uk-next-month/) (It's full of inappropriate comments, as the internet usually goes...)

[kaori]

leungbok found that video where you can see some pilots, mechanics and team managers !

http://youtu.be/FBkNKkngJyc

Can't wait to challenge the famous Stu Tillé with his Pir-hana :D

[Sch@dows]

The WipEout team seems to had fun shooting thoses videos >__<
Well done Stu !