FW Editor: How did you decide to make a game about parking trucks based on real physics and not like the other developers do it, on pure fiction?
Peter Soltesz: I have been a fan of physics engines since 2001, when none of the free middle-wares were good enough. Since I had my physics engine ready, it was easier to integrate with my own API, than to come up with a fake solution. It was also necessary to use in-house physics, because others do not support the kind of wheel suspension and elastic tires, that I wanted to test.
FW Editor: Are you planning on still updating the game? Or you are happy like the way it is at this moment?
Peter Soltesz: I'm currently working on a much better, multi-player game, but bug fixes and small updates are planned.
FW Editor: At the moment, the game is available only for the English speakers. Planning on translating the game for people around the world?
Peter Soltesz: You don't need to speak too much in this game. And also its good for people to practice English in real life. Though, the forum community has a Russian speaking corner too.
FW Editor: You say the game is fully based on physics. Every truck is measured for weight and length? The trucks have ABS for advanced users?
Peter Soltesz: Even though, its physics based, the truck parameters, such as weight, weight distribution, center of mass, dampening, spring constant, anti-roll, stabilizer, tire pressure, mass of wheels, steering characteristics and much more have been tuned by hand to achieve the best playability rather than realism. Realistic trucks were not fun to drive due to the huge jumps and bumps which level makers always create. The 6 trucks are tuned very differently, and it takes time to learn driving each. The usage of ABS is not common in real-life racing either. The brake force division is also fixed ratio.
FW Editor: Do you think this game can prepare people who train for getting a truck driving permit?
Peter Soltesz: Reverse parking with cabin and mirror view is a big help for people who want to park real trucks, or cars with a caravan connected to it. The drivers will also learn to estimate the trailers wheels path and cornering with it.
Certainly, jumping down from bridges to make a shortcut, or unloading the cargo by (almost) rolling over won't help with getting a drivers license.
FW Editor: Do you want to share with our readers something more about the game? Or about something else from your work, because if all your work is as good as this game, then you have to mention it.
Peter Soltesz: Another physics based game is Sumotori Dreams.
About this interview
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