Motor Duels: Outcast

Motor Duels: Outcast is a J2ME mobile game combining racing and combat, with a setting influenced by the Mad Max films — individuals roam the wilderness in armed cars and fight each other.

The player takes the role of Ian, driven from his home city by a gang led by Necro and his two deputies. Early levels are set in the wilderness as the player gains experience and upgrades weapons; later levels move to the city outskirts where the player fights Necro’s deputies and ultimately Necro himself.

The game is built around duels: two opponents race on a road towards the centre, where a prize awaits. On reaching the centre each does a U-turn and heads back. During the run, each side can shoot to hit the opponent — a missed shot leaves a hole in the road that slows down the car if not avoided. A duel can be won by destroying the opponent’s car or by arriving back at the starting line first. Between duels the player can repair the car, buy new weapons, or practice (without earning experience).

The game shipped with a relatively advanced AI system that allowed computer opponents to switch techniques mid-duel — singled out by reviewers as one of the title’s strongest features.

My role: Game Design and Programming, with Samuel Moradoff. Art by Ian MacLean. Released by Deepmist Studios in 2004.

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