Review and Reflection

 

This project initially started much bigger than it actually ended. Simplifying ideas is, however, a normal aspect of a creative process. Initial idea to create a printed strategy guide was reduced to the creation of six pamphlets. I realized the need to simplify the project shortly after the mid-term critique. There are many areas that can be covered in Death Rally game but as far as it is a racing arcade game, description of cars would create the most important section of the strategy guide. I, therefore, decided to take this path, stick with cars and create a pamphlet for each of the car.

These pamphlets contain plenty of information and details about every car from the Death Rally game. Plenty of game data have been collected throughout the time, which resulted in creation of nine, well thought, tables. It took a lot of time to gather the data and create the final tables. It was definitely worth the time because it helped me during the final stages of my work. Information from eight tables was directly used within the pamphlets. In the end, many different kinds of information can be found on the pamphlets. Technical information, strategy information and also recommendations are present in the final texts.  

Writing was the most difficult part of this project. It required a very good knowledge about the subject as well as good writing and interpretative skills. Even though, I have known the game for 15 years, I still had to start it several times during my writing sessions in order to check if the information, I was about to use, is correct. I split writing into three weeks in order to be able to read it again and correct mistakes. I have written more than 2000 words in total.

I have spent many days taking screenshots from the game in order to get some visuals. Thanks to that I became more familiar with the Fraps software, which allowed me to take as many screenshots as I wanted without the need to exist the game every time a screenshot was taken. I also broadened my Adobe Photoshop skills while adjusting, manipulating and combining images from the game. There are several images on each pamphlet. The one closest to the tile, the name of the car, is the best image that could be taken from the game. Image, containing four different views on the car, was created by combining four separate screenshots. Small images showing different levels of damage had to be taken right during the race, as far they indicate the damage status.

I have spent last three weeks putting all the pictures, articles and data together, using Photoshop, in order to create the final pamphlet design. I spent a lot of time searching for the most suitable font for each one of the cars. Titles, in combination with images of the cars, create six unique identities. I am quite happy about the final result. I believe I managed to find fonts that, in different ways, represent the characteristics of the car. I also spontaneously discovered some design elements I like to use more than others.

WEEK 10

WEEK 9

WEEK 8

Extra money

There are many ways how to earn extra money in DR.

1. Collecting money during the race. Money icons appear randomly throughout the tracks, shortly after the start. The money icon lasts for 27.7 seconds from the moment it appeared. After 20 seconds it starts to blink, indicating that it is going to disappear soon. There are two different kinds of money icons. Big ones and small ones. They do not act the same and they do not have the same value. While the small ones always appear in an unspecified number on the track the big one may or may not be present on the track. But if it is present, there is only one and it is visible for the entire length of the race or until picked by one of the cars. The 27.7 second rule does not apply to the big one. It is always located on the side of the road and it is worth ten times more than the small one. Worth of the small one depends on two aspects. On the type of the race (easy-medium-hard) and your actual ranking.
2. If you finish the race better than fourth and your car is not damaged more than 2% you get a bonus from a sponsor. The bonus worth depends on the car you are racing with. It ranges from $350 to $6000.
3. If all three opponents are eliminated in the race and you are the only survivor you get a bonus from a sponsor, a reaper. You may even be more than a lap behind and you still get the reward.
4. If you win the race three times in the row you get a bonus for winning streak from you major sponsor. You do not necessarily have to finish the race, eliminating all opponents counts as well.
5. Sponsor, looking for a hitman driver, sometimes appears, after you have selected the race, and offers you money for eliminating specific opponent. If you succeed and that driver will not finish the race you will get your money. However, be careful, if you will not do the job, sponsor will take money from you. 
6. Steroid dealer appears the same way the previous sponsor does. Not often, but if he does it is just after you have picked the race. He wants you to collect steroids, which are represented by a set of pills and located somewhere on the track. It is a single item you need to collect and you have to finish first in order to get the money. If you fail to pick the pills or be the first one to cross the finish line you will be hurt. Dealer will take, half of what he has promised you, from you. The amount of money depends again on the car you are racing. Steroid dealer offers the most extra money out of all previous options.

 I created the layout for the pages describing the cars. I managed to finalize pages for first two cars. I was trying to maintain a unified look of the car section but still having some unique aspects of each car. I ended up using different font for the titles on each page for each car. I also wrote another article, which talks about ways how to earn extra money.

WEEK 7

Wraith

Its name is Wraith, but it is hard to stop thinking about it as of a Porsche 911. There is no doubt that the 911 was the model for Wraith. It is the most beautiful car in the game and Deliverator’s only real opponent. It is a deadly racer ready to tear other cars apart with its two strong machine guns. Mad Mac, Nasty Nick, Motor Mary and Matt Miler, they all know how to use advantages of this car. It costs $25,000 but it is definitely worth the price. Even though it is just little over half of what you would pay for Deliverator, you are still able to compete against it. Getting all the upgrades as soon as possible is, however, strongly recommended in order to get the maximum out of this beast. There are four tire upgrades available which, if purchased, help keep the car firmly on the road at high speeds. Stock speed is 115mph. 130mph is what you get after applying three engine upgrades. The biggest disadvantage is the cost of additional weapons, rocket fuel and sabotage. All of that costs $7,375 while for Shrieker it is just $2,245. That is 229 % growth. Such cost growth cannot be seen anywhere else in the game. Complex and Utopia are the most suitable tracks for Wraith.

 

Deliverator

It is the very best car you can buy and race in the game. Every single aspect of this car points out that it is a supercar. There are no compromises. Design strictly follows the purpose of this racer. Full range of 12 upgrades is available. Two machine guns with brutal fire power want to destroy everything in front of them. Stock speed of 140mph. Initial cost of $45,000 may not be that of a supercar but you are going to need additional $135,105 for the upgrades. Tire upgrades, as for any other car in DR, are the most crucial. No tire upgrades, no proper grip. It is as simple as that. Superiority of Deliverator also depends on the difficulty level on which the game played. Higher the difficulty, less superior the Deliverator is. Maximum speed of 160mph is reachable after applying four engine upgrades. Deliverator’s stock armor is considerably stronger than those of other cars. One mine causes 5-6% of damage while fully upgraded armor can absorb up to 4% and therefore, leaving only a 2-3% damage. Items at the underground market are very expensive for this car. You can borrow $12,000 from the Loanshark but you have to pay $18,000 back. There are actually three versions of Deliverator in the game. The 1^st one is the regular Deliverator you can purchase. Second is the Deliverator of Duke Nukem. His Deliverator has additional armor and therefore it is twice as hard to eliminate Duke. The 3^rd version belongs to Adversary, the final boss, whom you need to defend in order to become the King of Death Rally. Adversary’s Deliverator has a jet engine with visible turbine and pair of gatling guns. You cannot drive the two latter mentioned versions.

 

 

WEEK 6

Sentinel

This sedan is the third of six cars in the game and it is driven by Mori Sato, Suzy Srock, Iron John and Cher Stone. One more tire upgrade, stronger machine gun and a stock speed of 80mph, which can be further raised to 90mph by two engine upgrades, make this car superior to Dervish. Sentinel, costing $6,500, has the best price/value ratio because of several reasons. It is an apparent king of the easy race but it is also the best choice when racing in medium race. Why Sentinel and not Shrieker? The answer is easy. Shrieker is better, but, if you decide to race it in the medium race, you are risking the chance of encountering Wraiths, which often appear in medium race when a player is racing Shrieker. This will not happen if racing Sentinel. The performance gap between Shrieker and Wraith is more significant than the one between Sentinel and Shrieker. If you win the medium race twice with Sentinel, earning some extra money, you have your money back. Beating Wraith is difficult and severe damage is often inflicted by its two deadly machineguns. Tracks available in medium race should be considered as well. Tracks like Desert Run and Rock Zone are quite narrow and there are many sharp turns. They are not designed for rough, high speed battles of Shriekers and Wraiths. Mines, spikes, rocket fuel and sabotage are almost twice as expensive as they are for Dervish. 

 

 

 

Shrieker

Similar to the real world Pontiac Firebird, Shrieker is the first car equipped with two machine guns. Lee Vice, Dark Ryder, Clint West and Greg Peck drive this car. 9 upgrades are available in total, three for each category. Stock speed of 95mph can be increased by three engine upgrades up to 110mph. All these things make the car look good but in fact it’s racing value is the lowest of all the cars in the game. It is not recommended to race Shrieker in the hard race and the recommendation is really in place. Wraiths are fierce opponents but the real threat is the chance of being overlapped by much faster Deliverators. Another cause of its low value is that when you have this car purchased, Wraith drivers start to enter medium races. Why would you spend $11,500 on Shrieker in order to struggle against Wraith in medium race for a $3,000 reward? Considering also the higher cost of repairs, it is clear that Sentinel is a better choice. However, if you play DR for fun, and you do not care about points, standings or number of races needed to finish the game, get Shrieker and and enjoy it. It is definitely fun to drive. There is one interesting aspect about Shrieker. The entire game follows a pattern where costs of weapons, rocket fuel and sabotage are higher for more expensive cars. There is only one single exception. Rocket fuel for Shrieker cost $625 while for Sentinel it is $675. In general, the cost of all items for Shrieker from the underground market is higher by only 3% in comparison to Sentinel.

 

I have written two more articles for next two cars. At this time I am starting to realize that there is way to little time to complete everything I initially wanted to. The main goal now is to finish the design of the pages which are describing separate cars. I also decided that I a going to use photoshop instead of indesign.