Rush 2049
Rush 2049 is an Arcade racing game released by Atari Games in 1999. Up to 8 machines could be linked locally for multiplayer races, and players could save their stats and mileage by creating a local account with a payphone keypad.
Core team: ~14
Time on project: ~18 months
Contributions
Designed layout of 4 new tracks including stunts and shortcuts
Modeled all drivable and collision surfaces in Multigen
Helped prototype dynamic culling system, allowing the game to run at 60Hz when racing down the track. Driving backwards relied only on built in Levels Of Detail (LODs)
Implemented a simple and effective 'coin hunting' system, hiding 100 gold Rush2049 coins on each track
Modeled and textured ancillary buildings like the Conservatory of Flowers (Track 2) and Washington Square Church (Track 5)
Trained and managed another Level Designer
Maintained track production schedule, coordinating with Art
Helped develop and debug a real-time arcade tournament network with locations in the SF Bay Area and Chicago
Co-authored U.S. Patent 6,416,412: "System for remotely activating a sound in a game unit"
LinkedIn Recommendations
"Working with Steve on Rush2049 was a fantastic experience on every level. Steve's passion for the game really showed in his track and stunt designs, he was always experimenting creating playgrounds filled with stunts before implementing into the track. He is always open minded, loved input and feedback and never settled until the experience felt perfect. Steve also helped with art related tasks when needed and also taught me the design tools. He was always approachable and helpful and willing to go the extra mile. Thanks Steve for making my first arcade game a pleasure to make. The only way to play is '8-Way!'" - Adrian Ludley
"Actually, I have the unique honor being the only non-coworker that Mr. Riesenberger asked to write a recommendation for. He and the Atari Games crew released San Francisco Rush 2049 back when I was in college, and it almost immediately became my all-time favourite arcade game. I sent a glowing review of the game to the general Rush e-mail address and got a few responses- including one from STV. Since then, we've been in contact fairly regularly. He has been a consummate professional in the 8 years I've known him. Whenever I wrote an e-mail to the Atari guys on a specific question about Rush or the arcade industry, usually Steve would write a definitive answer in response. He was my main contact at Atari Games until the company disbanded in 2003. Since then, he has offered a unique perspective into the game business and has assisted me heavily in rebroadcasting the original Rush 2049 page. I highly recommend Mr. Riesenberger for his excellent communication with customers like me. He doesn't ignore the impact that fans have on the games he develops, and makes them feel like they're almost part of the team." - Fard Muhammad
"Steve Riesenberger and I worked very closely together on Rush 2049 Coin-Op. Steve has a very strong work ethic and is very motivated to create the highest quality game experience possible. Also being an expert and top-notch player as well makes Steve keen and aware of the finer details of game design. On Rush 2049, Steve was key to understanding all of the gameplay, artwork, and the technical details necessary in order to help the team get the game running at 60Hz. This was no small task, and Steve stepped up to the plate like no other. I highly recommend Steve." - Aaron Hightower
Track Design Planning
These four original layouts were modeled and tested for time, then large chunks were lopped off and the courses tuned from there.
Track 1 - Morning - is visible in light blue and covers the Marina, the classic Lombard jump, Embarcadero, Market, Van Ness
Track 2 - Noon - is orange and hits Haight, Golden Gate Park, Sunset, I-280 and Fillmore
Track 3 - Sunset - is almost invisible in green but covers Geary, Market to Twin Peaks and 19th Ave in a triangle
Track 5 - Night - (Track 4 in the arcade was The Rock) is clear in black
Rush 2049 compilation video
I recorded and collected a bunch of Rush VHS tapes over the years - from location-tests, lab gameplay, and copyright footage. The compilation video is a result of transferring the low-quality VHS footage to a Macintosh Quadra and stitching the clips together with Adobe Premiere. As such, please excuse the very low quality!
You can see the profile evolution of each of the tracks - a lot of the extraneous (and boring) parts were trimmed.
I'm driving as "STV" in each of the clips, and mainly against other devs in the lab.
Coin Hunting
Seeing players actively finding and seeking these hidden spinning coins was a mind-blowingly simple way to provide replay value.
Each track held 100 collectible coins (and one slowly-backspinning unreachable red herring)
Collecting all 100 coins on a track would reset them, and allow the Golden Rush Coin Hunter car to be driven on that track
The 900' Fuji
I instinctively knew that the gently-sloping legs of the Atari "Fuji" logo were somehow perfect for some kind of insane driving experience. It was easy to model and throw the new company logo treatment on it but finding a suitable place for the piece as a shortcut proved difficult so it was retired to 'coin hunting' duty.
A simplified version can be found on the last half of Track 5. Check the "Rush 2049 Compilation Video" for footage of all the craziness!
Modeling Help
Here are some tiny snapshots of other 3D models I created and textured for Rush2049. The good news was that, at 150mph, you had little time to scrutinize my work!
San Francisco Rush 2049 was the first project I worked on from concept to ship back in 1999 at Atari Games Corp. in Milpitas CA. I was the Lead Designer (only Designer!) at the start of the project coming off the successful completion of Rush The Rock and quickly started prototyping jumps, stunts, and shortcuts during those first few months.
Read the full post HERE
Track Ribbons
T1 Morning
Track Ribbons
T3 Sunset
Track Ribbons
T5 Night