Hideo Teramoto, designer on Ridge Racer 7, chats about the newest entry in the ultimate racing franchise.

Ridge Racer 7, the latest instalment in the super-fast, drift 'em up racing series is set to redefine racing games when it is released along with PLAYSTATION 3 on March 23rd. Read on to find out the thoughts of the game's designer, Hideo Teramoto, on what is sure to be a truly next generation racing experience.

Ridge Racer has been a launch title for every PlayStation console, what do you think is most exciting about this one and what have been the biggest challenges in working with PLAYSTATION 3?

Everything was a challenge in a sense; however, one area we worked particularly hard on was the 1080p, 60 frames per second graphics and also the introduction of the online capabilities of the PLAYSTATION Network. These were the two major challenges the team had in working towards the PLAYSTATION 3 launch, but two of the areas we feel really make the game excel.

What can you tell us about car customisation in Ridge Racer 7?

The customisation section has been split into two aspects - one is external design and the other is the actual performance of the car itself. There are over 370,000 external design changes and modifications that you make along with over 10,000 modifications to the performance of the car itself. By keeping things simple we feel that everyone will be able to use the customisation a lot more easily than ever before.

With the level of graphical detail, what's the process now for creating a track for Ridge Racer 7?

We start to think about the layout of the course first and then we build the scenery around it. Up and down inclines and side hairpin corners are one of the key aspects for Ridge racing so that's one of the areas that we have to take into consideration quite seriously. The graphics come later, but the key concern is always the layout of the course, and making it fun and challenging to drive.

How will Ridge Racer 7 utilise the SIXAXIS Wireless Controller?

One of the functions for the SIXAXIS is using it to drive the car, using the controller to steer. Another will be changing your view angles from the wheel of the car, using the controller to look around you.

Will there be downloadable content?

There will be three main aspects for the downloadable content. Decals [stickers you can stick on the cars], new racing events and background music will all be available through the PLAYSTATION Store.

What can you tell us about the online features of Ridge Racer 7?

For the online aspects there will be a couple of concepts. The first is basic one-on-one racing and team tag racing. Compared to the other titles available for online racing the development team feels that being able to incorporate with other players within the online environment is something new and exciting for the Ridge Racer series and we feel that everyone should try it once to see how far things have come. The other concept is the world hub concept. This takes away the barrier between the online game and the offline game and the ranking system is changed so that every time you play the game there are different ways you gain.

Can you shed any more light on the news ticker that scrolls along the bottom of the screen in online play?
Just like a regular news bulletin, you get updated information coming through that area in two main categories. One is the updated rankings and time records for the different courses - if a course record is broken it will come through on the ticker. On the other hand player interviews will come through the ticker system. That's the message individual players will be able to upload to the system when they win grand prix's and win against high end rival cars.

What are you most proud of in Ridge Racer 7?

The pure speed experience and the total next generation experience.

Check back with playstation.com for more Ridge Racer 7 news and features coming soon