Features

With the arrival of their latest title, Red Bull Air Race World Championship on both Java phones and iPhone, Artificial Life Inc. Are flying high. Mobile Games Unlimited had the chance to interview their CEO and Chairman, Eberhard Schoneburg, who formed the company back in 1994, about the game and some of Artificial Life's plans for the future.

Mobile Games Unlimited (MGU): You're currently promoting the Red Bull Air Race game. How did you come about securing the license, and is it something you've been wanting to make a game of for a while?

Eberhard Schoneburg (ES): Since the launch of iPhone as a new gaming platform, our production team has been studying all sorts of different types of game play to see which best fully utilize the device. We feel the air race, with its steering and navigation features, is a great fit. The Red Bull Air Race brand is associated with an exciting and cutting edge sport - that is appealing to iPhone users. Not only that, as it is such an interesting title we knew it would be a lot of fun to learn more about the Red Bull Air Races and to work on this project.

MGU: When creating a licensed game, does the emphasis tend to go more on pleasing the fans of the subject matter or ensuring that the finished product has universal appeal?

Red Bull Air Race

ES: A bit of both.

Frankly, of course we do aim to please the air race fans with our title because they are exactly the market that we are targeting - we want to be true to the sport that they love because they are expecting that. As well, Air Race fans love the sport for a good reason - it's awesome, so we want to be true to the already amazing sport - but to bring it to another arena - the mobile space. We hope with this game to reach both devoted and loyal Air Race fans and also to attract new fans who may be gamers who will discover the Air Race sport in the mobile space and then become fans of the "real" sport later - so it works both ways.

MGU: So, what can fans expect from the game?

ES: Fans can expect an exciting and realistic flying experience with all kinds of reactions and balance coordination challenges. Fans will be happy to see the famous pilots from the real Air Races featured in the game, as well as the actual race course locations, configurations, race rules, and even the announcer's voice from real Air Race events is featured in the game to add a further element of authenticity. Players can participate in an air race career, competing in races in areas all across the world including: San Diego, Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, Monument Valley, and more.

MGU: How will the iPhone version differ from its other mobile counterparts?

ES: The touch screen and motion-sensitivity features of the iPhone enable multiple-control which requires gamers to touch and steer when navigating the airplane. The high graphic processing capability of the iPhone allows for a much higher quality of 3D graphics presentation of landscape and model planes, as well as a higher frequency of frame rate which gives smooth and fine animations.

RBAR is available on both iPhone and other JAVA handsets. The JAVA version of the game will use key press controls and not touch screen and/or motion sensitivity features and will vary slightly in appearance on different handsets.