Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater turns 20: “Our first demo featured Bruce Willis on a skateboard”
As if you were fascinated by what was to come, there were speared eyeballs inside staring around your TV screen. “Police Truck,” a song by anti-corporate punk rocker Dead Kennedys, blasts through the speakers. Legendary skater Tony Hawk completes a fade-in, full loop and nails backsmith, then cuts to Bob Burnquist who sends a 1-foot backside 360, fake 5-0, method air. Start one of the most famous series in video game history and take you to the main menu of the game where you change the face of your skateboard and make it happy to find a glowing videotape floating in an unusual place. The game is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (THPS), and the official PlayStation Magazine told developer Neversoft co-founder Mick West how the skateboard game became one of PlayStation’s defining titles.
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Yes, it’s been 20 years since Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (THPS) was released on PlayStation on August 31, 1999. Few people realize that it is surprising. Developer Neversoft has been around long enough to make it a reality. The company was founded in 1994 by Mick West, Joel Jewett and Chris Ward. They had some minor successes after their founding, but were nearly out of business at launch when Activision approached them to work on Apocalypse, a third-person shooter starring Bruce Willis.
pipe depth
me west
“It was suggested by Aaron Cammarata, one of the designers. He suggested placing points in the waiting area. And then if you land the trick correctly you will have all the points, otherwise you will lose all the points. Before that, tricks would only score points. Multipliers and making long combos to get points have become a fundamental part of the game. One of my favorite tracks is the rail loop on Tony Hawk 3’s ‘Los Angeles’ level that can be continued.”
Tony Hawk first approached the series in 1998. The first demo of a game he played showed Bruce Willis of Apocalypse riding downhill on a skateboard. “We used all our Apocalypse resources to throw something together,” West says with a laugh. But it’s not just Hawks who brought authenticity to the game. Neversoft co-founder Joel Jewitt urged employees to delve deeper into the skating culture.
congratulations roses
“It was a lot easier to get music because video game soundtracks weren’t a big deal back then,” West recalls. “The Activision producers came up with a few tracks and we came up with a few. It has a very diverse track collection. It’s part of skate culture, that kind of alternative music. And that meant you got a lot of music with the game. In 1999, a CD cost a lot of money, and there were two or three pieces of music equivalent to that CD.”
The original 13-song soundtrack was the beginning of a legacy that included AC/DC, Sex Pistols, Iron Maiden, NWA, Run-DMC and more. The franchise will solidify its status with the release of THPS2, a game still widely regarded as the best sports action video game of all time. The franchise has had its ups and downs since then, at least for a while. while inviolable. West joined the franchise with his fifth game, Tony Hawk Underground, before leaving Neversoft to fully retire from his industry. Neversoft itself will retire from the franchise a few years after Proving Ground.
“My favorite is four,” West says. “I liked the level and I really liked the design. We also made a really good multiplayer. Tony Hawk 3 was the first PlayStation game to be played online. We only got about 300 people playing online, but it was the first game we’ve ever had that experience and it led to Tony Hawk 4. Everything was gathered there. “I am very proud of what we have achieved. You can see the impact on the wider gaming market and the skateboard itself. Even a small part was good,” he said.
See everything we know for more skate 4Or watch the dialogue options episode below to learn how open world games trick us into making us look bigger than they seem.
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Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater turns 20: “Our first demo featured Bruce Willis on a skateboard”
There is a severed eyeball with a spear through it looking around your television screen, as intrigued about what’s about to happen next as you are. The song Police Truck by anti-corporate punk rockers Dead Kennedys starts to pummel through your speakers. Legendary skater Tony Hawk fades in, completes a full loop, nails a back smith, then cuts to Bob Burnquist sending a one-foot backside 360, a fakie 5-0 and a method air. You are brought to the main menu of a game that will launch one of the most famous series in video game history, change the face of skateboarding, and make you happy about finding glowing videotapes hovering in unlikely places. That game is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (THPS) and Official PlayStation Magazine talked to developer Neversoft’s co-founder Mick West for the unlikely story of how a skateboarding game became one of PlayStation’s defining titles.
Save up to 51% on an Official PlayStation Magazine subscription
Yes, it’s now 20 years since the launch of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (THPS), on August 31 1999, on PlayStation. Few realise that it’s a miracle developer Neversoft stayed afloat long enough to make it happen. The company was founded by Mick West, Joel Jewett, and Chris Ward in 1994. They had a few minor successes after starting up, but when Activision approached them to collaborate on Apocalypse, a third-person shooter starring Bruce Willis, they were on the brink of going out of business.
Plumbing depths
Mick West
“One of the designers, Aaron Cammarata, came up with it. He suggested the points go into a holding area and then if you landed the trick correctly you got them all and if you didn’t, you’d lose them all. Before that we just had you getting points every time you did a trick. That became a fundamental part of the game, doing these long combos to get multipliers and points. One of my favourite lines is a rail loop in the ‘Los Angeles’ level on Tony Hawk 3, where you could keep going round.”
Tony Hawk was initially approached about the series in 1998. The first demo he played of the game featured Bruce Willis from Apocalypse on a skateboard, riding around a downhill level. “We just used all the Apocalypse assets to throw something together,” laughs West. It wasn’t just Hawk that brought authenticity to the game, though. Neversoft co-founder Joel Jewitt pushed the staff to take a deep dive into skate culture.
Axle rose
“Back then video game soundtracks weren’t the big deal they became, so it was a lot easier for us to get music,” West recalls. “Activision producers came up with some tracks and then we suggested some. We got this very eclectic collection of tracks. It goes along with skate culture, that type of alternative music. And it meant you got a whole bunch of music with the game, too. A CD cost a bunch of money in ’99 and there was the equivalent of two or three CD’s worth of music on there.”
The original 13-song soundtrack would be the start of a legacy which would go on to induct AC/ DC, the Sex Pistols, Iron Maiden, NWA, Run-DMC, and hundreds more into its ranks. The franchise would cement its status with the release of THPS2, a game still widely considered the best sports action video game ever, and though the franchise has since gone through its ups and downs, for a while at least it was completely untouchable. West would work on the franchise up until Tony Hawk Underground, the fifth game, before leaving Neversoft and retiring from the industry altogether. Neversoft itself would depart from the franchise after Proving Ground a few years later.
“I would say that four is my favourite,” West says. “I liked the levels, the designs are really good. We did a really good multiplayer too. Tony Hawk 3 was the first PlayStation game to have online play. It ended up we only had like 300 people playing online but it was the first game to have that experience and it carried over to Tony Hawk 4. That was where it all came together. “I’m very proud of what we did. I can see the influence it’s had on the broader game market and on skateboarding itself. It was good to be a small part of that.”
For more, check out everything we know about Skate 4, or watch the Dialogue Options episode below to see how open world games trick us into looking bigger than they appear.
#Tony #Hawks #Pro #Skater #turns #demo #featured #Bruce #Willis #skateboard
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater turns 20: “Our first demo featured Bruce Willis on a skateboard”
There is a severed eyeball with a spear through it looking around your television screen, as intrigued about what’s about to happen next as you are. The song Police Truck by anti-corporate punk rockers Dead Kennedys starts to pummel through your speakers. Legendary skater Tony Hawk fades in, completes a full loop, nails a back smith, then cuts to Bob Burnquist sending a one-foot backside 360, a fakie 5-0 and a method air. You are brought to the main menu of a game that will launch one of the most famous series in video game history, change the face of skateboarding, and make you happy about finding glowing videotapes hovering in unlikely places. That game is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (THPS) and Official PlayStation Magazine talked to developer Neversoft’s co-founder Mick West for the unlikely story of how a skateboarding game became one of PlayStation’s defining titles.
Save up to 51% on an Official PlayStation Magazine subscription
Yes, it’s now 20 years since the launch of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (THPS), on August 31 1999, on PlayStation. Few realise that it’s a miracle developer Neversoft stayed afloat long enough to make it happen. The company was founded by Mick West, Joel Jewett, and Chris Ward in 1994. They had a few minor successes after starting up, but when Activision approached them to collaborate on Apocalypse, a third-person shooter starring Bruce Willis, they were on the brink of going out of business.
Plumbing depths
Mick West
“One of the designers, Aaron Cammarata, came up with it. He suggested the points go into a holding area and then if you landed the trick correctly you got them all and if you didn’t, you’d lose them all. Before that we just had you getting points every time you did a trick. That became a fundamental part of the game, doing these long combos to get multipliers and points. One of my favourite lines is a rail loop in the ‘Los Angeles’ level on Tony Hawk 3, where you could keep going round.”
Tony Hawk was initially approached about the series in 1998. The first demo he played of the game featured Bruce Willis from Apocalypse on a skateboard, riding around a downhill level. “We just used all the Apocalypse assets to throw something together,” laughs West. It wasn’t just Hawk that brought authenticity to the game, though. Neversoft co-founder Joel Jewitt pushed the staff to take a deep dive into skate culture.
Axle rose
“Back then video game soundtracks weren’t the big deal they became, so it was a lot easier for us to get music,” West recalls. “Activision producers came up with some tracks and then we suggested some. We got this very eclectic collection of tracks. It goes along with skate culture, that type of alternative music. And it meant you got a whole bunch of music with the game, too. A CD cost a bunch of money in ’99 and there was the equivalent of two or three CD’s worth of music on there.”
The original 13-song soundtrack would be the start of a legacy which would go on to induct AC/ DC, the Sex Pistols, Iron Maiden, NWA, Run-DMC, and hundreds more into its ranks. The franchise would cement its status with the release of THPS2, a game still widely considered the best sports action video game ever, and though the franchise has since gone through its ups and downs, for a while at least it was completely untouchable. West would work on the franchise up until Tony Hawk Underground, the fifth game, before leaving Neversoft and retiring from the industry altogether. Neversoft itself would depart from the franchise after Proving Ground a few years later.
“I would say that four is my favourite,” West says. “I liked the levels, the designs are really good. We did a really good multiplayer too. Tony Hawk 3 was the first PlayStation game to have online play. It ended up we only had like 300 people playing online but it was the first game to have that experience and it carried over to Tony Hawk 4. That was where it all came together. “I’m very proud of what we did. I can see the influence it’s had on the broader game market and on skateboarding itself. It was good to be a small part of that.”
For more, check out everything we know about Skate 4, or watch the Dialogue Options episode below to see how open world games trick us into looking bigger than they appear.
#Tony #Hawks #Pro #Skater #turns #demo #featured #Bruce #Willis #skateboard
Synthetic: Vik News
