Exclusive Interview with BAM! Entertainment
Gamequbed would like to present our first full, exclusive interview (and more to come for that matter!). I (Sonic) spoke with BAM! regarding Crushed Baseball 2004.
Questions are answered by Reid Schneider, Executive Producer of Crushed Baseball 2004, BAM! Entertainment
GQ: First off, thanks for joining us!
BAM!: No problem, I am definitely excited to talk about Crushed Baseball 2004.
GQ: So what is Crushed Baseball 2004 in general?
BAM!: Crushed 2004 is our own unique take on the game of Baseball. We looked at the sports market and determined there was just too much of the same thing out there. Even though some games are starting to do more with power-ups and special abilities we wanted to take it the next level in both artistic direction and more importantly gameplay.
GQ: What makes Crushed Baseball different than other baseball games on the market?
BAM!: The game looks nothing like other sports titles, to gamers who have played other sports games it will feel familiar, but also give them a completely new experience. There are 29 different Mojo abilities in the game. Mojo abilities are the additional boosts, strengths, and power-ups that the player can execute at any time. However, the player needs to watch his “Mojo Meter”. Each move will cost some of his power so he needs to be strategic about how it is used. Of course, you can always get additional Mojo during the game to refill the gauge.
GQ: It seems very unique. Will it be more of a simulation or arcade experience for gamers?
BAM!: Definitely more of an arcade experience. We have incorporated all of the core rules of baseball as well as a pretty advanced AI system. And then we added in all of our “Crushed” signature moves. These include jumping out of the park to save a home run, pitches that can freeze a batter in place, and outfield throws that defy normal speeds. The end result is a Baseball game that can be played just like one of the sim-style games, but the reality is that it is just much more fun to play it “Crushed Style”.
GQ: What influenced you to create Crushed Baseball 2004?
BAM!: Initially we looked at the market and just thought that there was a heap of competition in the Simulation Category and not a lot of differentiation, and we did not just want to make another sim-style game. We thought that by offering players something really different, where the focus was on the “Fun Factor” then we would have a game with a huge appeal.
GQ: How do you like creating the game with the GameCube, and what do you like better/worse about developing on it than the Sony PlayStation 2?
BAM!: The Gamecube definitely has some great strengths. Its texturing ability and built in anti-aliasing make the system quite powerful. The fact that it was based on PowerPC architecture make it a bit simpler for the team to work with then the PS2. However, you can get some great results on both…It just takes time.
GQ: Will there be a multiplayer mode? And if so, what options will there be multiplayer-wise?
BAM!: Of course! Most of the fun of a sports title is being able to beat your friends competitively. The coolest thing about Crushed Baseball is the amount of options that you can set in the game. Not only can you create fantasy teams/players but you can also set the locale(everything from Deserts to Cities to Amusement Parks), weather conditions (play in the rain, sun, overcast days), time of the day, stadium, and more. The game offers a huge amount to the player. All these factors also influence how the game plays as well in terms of the player’s abilities. The development team has done a great job to get all these options integrated into the game.
GQ: Do you have a favorite aspect of Crushed Baseball?
BAM!: My favorite aspect of Crushed Baseball is that you just never know who is going to win in the end. The mojo factor adds a whole new dimension to the game. You could be way up in the score, and then your opponent can come out of nowhere and take you out. Unlike traditional Baseball titles you need to be playing at your best the whole game, you can’t let your guard down.
GQ: Will there be more sports games following the same unique style of Crushed Baseball? For example, Crushed Football or Crushed Basketball?
BAM!: We hope so, we’ll see how this one is received and then go from there. We would love to do it.
GQ: How long has Crushed Baseball been in development?
BAM!: Its been in development for quite awhile. The developer, Adrenium (A division of Amaze) has done a solid job of bringing this vision of Baseball to life.
GQ: How much space will it take up on a GameCube memory card?
BAM!: At this point we are still working on this…We’ll keep you posted.
GQ: About when would you say the game will hit shelves?
BAM!: We hope to release it for opening day of the season.
GQ: Heh, good timing. So, what type of music will be in Crushed Baseball? Any famous groups?
BAM!: We are currently working on this, I hope to have some licensed music in the final product. However, in keeping with the overall theme/trend of the game we will have a lot of originally composed music in the game as well.
GQ: Will there be any connectivity between the Game Boy Advance and GameCube versions?
BAM!: Definitely! This was one of our main reasons for doing the title on the Gamecube and GBA. The cool thing is that you can play the game on your Gamecube and then continue the season on the road with your GBA. Then when you get back, upload the info from the GBA and continue your progress at home! Our GBA development team (Griptonite) and the GameCube team are working on this right now to make it great!
GQ: What will the game commentary be like?
BAM!: The commentary in the game is definitely one of the coolest parts of the game. We have some great stuff planned that we can’t talk about just yet but we’ll have more on that soon!
GQ: Any final words to all the GameCube and GBA owners out there?
BAM!: We think they are going to really like the finished product, it’s definitely fun and fiercely innovative. Adrenium has been working overtime to get this one ready and the results will be great.
GQ: Thanks a lot for joining us today. We wish BAM! Entertainment all the best of luck in the future.
BAM!: Thank you guys!