TrickStyle
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TrickStyle is a game released for the Sega Dreamcast and PC, developed by Criterion Games and published by Acclaim. The game is based around the concept of "Hoverboarding" and is set in the future (year 2286). It features future metropolis versions of London, Tokyo, and Manhattan Island. You can race or do stunts through these areas or in the Velodrome, a massive practice area.
The game also features nine boarders to ride on the hoverboards. Each has their own riding style, special moves, and board preference. Different characters have different strengths, and perform better using hoverboards which suit their strengths.
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[edit] Character types
Stunters — Stunters are skilled at performing tricks and accessing hard to reach spots. Stunters may sometimes disappear during a race, and reappear near the end in the lead, after taking various shortcuts which may have been difficult to reach or access. Stunters tend to perform better when they use the stunt board.
Racers — Racers are generally light, and skilled at handling high speeds. Racers tend to perform better when they use the turbo board.
Bullies — Bullies tend to be heavy, and are able to knock other racers off their boards relatively easily. They tend to win by causing other racers to crash. Bullies tend to perform better when they use the combat board.
[edit] Board types
Standard Board — The default board available when a new game starts. It offers a balance between speed, maneuverablity and robustness.
Stunt Board — The stunt board is the slowest board in the game, however it offers the maximum amount of lift and maneuverability. The stunt board is available for selection once the Japan Boss is beaten.
Turbo Board — The turbo board is the fastest board in the game, however it is very light and is a perhaps a poor choice for players who tend to crash their characters often. The turbo board is available for selection once the U.S. Boss is beaten.
Combat Board — The combat board has poor acceleration but has a good top speed. It is the heaviest board in the game, and riders of this board tend to be able to knock other players off their boards easily. The combat board is available for selection once the U.K. Boss is beaten.
[edit] Characters
- Angel
- Brad Silver
- The King
- Kolonal Uri
- Max Proteus
- Mistress Mia
- Nigel Mon
- Precious Rose
- Shin Takamatsu
- Zak T
[edit] Timeline: (2099 - 2286)
2099: The Dominance War begins.
2100: Sosumi begins advanced gravitational research.
2108: The Dominance War ends.
2109: The Reconstructive Age begins.
2171: Sosumi Corp. patents Hover-Tec.
2173: Sosumi markets Hover-Tec to the world.
2177: Sosumi constructs LUNAWATCH.
2179: Lunawatch explodes, creating havoc with gravitational forces.
2180: Certain geographical locations undergo serious ecological changes.
2181: Japan commissions Sosumi to build Aerial Tokyo.
2182: New York City becomes a tropical jungle over the course of a year.
2184: Sosumi completes the Hover-Tec base for Ariel Tokyo.
2185: Pacific Rim population centers are submerged underwater...The global economy collapses overnight.
2186: Sosumi saves the world with Hover-Tec.
2190: The OWC is formed.
2191: London replaces New York as the major metropolis of the world.
2192: The Fettered States are formed.
2200: OWC succeeds, people no longer need to work.
2203: People first hear of hoverboarding.
2208: Discontent surfaces within the OWC.
2209: Hoverboarding begins to catch on with the youth.
2210: Sosumi introduces the TrickStyle Pro Tour.
2211: Regional qualification races are set up throughout the OWC.
2286: The Present. The Tour hits its 75th Pro year.
[edit] Story
TrickStyle - A Future History
Towards the end of the 21st century the world underwent a dramatic change. Many thought it was just a natural process - a consequence of the ecological ignorance of the 20th Century. They couldn't have been more wrong.
The DOMINANCE WAR Threatens the World
In the year 2099, the biblical prophecy of Armageddon began. Hostilities between the nations of the world began to intensify astronomically. World War III (otherwise known as THE DOMINANCE WAR), the war for technological supremacy, would soon begin.
But throughout the bloodshed and carnage of the Dominance War, the real powers of the world - not governmental organizations, but international conglomerates that controlled almost every aspect of society - had a plan to stave off the inevitable genocide of the planet. The plan was to force the world out of its current tailspin and drag it into a new age, THE RECONSTRUCTIVE AGE. And from the ashes of The Dominance War, a new society was born.
The RECONSTRUCTIVE AGE Begins
The Reconstructive Age was formed by the union of most of the Earth's major countries, and more importantly, companies. From the ashes of the Dominance War, a unified group of corporations concentrated their efforts on reconstructing society into a better and brighter place. Countries and their respective governments become little more than cultural figureheads.
The SOSUMI CORPORATION
SOSUMI CORP. was a small company that began researching advanced gravitational technologies in order to profit from the Dominance War. After many years of research, Sosumi developed and patented dozens of new technologies, of which HOVER-TEC was the star. After several hard years of labor, Sosumi completed their development of Hover-Tec and marketed it to the world. Sosumi grew exponentially as a result, and its new operations included overseas expansion, nuclear research and the construction of LUNAWATCH, a Hover-Tec research base on the moon.
Of all the corporations that helped swing society into the Reconstructive Age, the technology-based Sosumi Corp. was the most successful. Run by a mysterious board of executives, Sosumi had (and still has) its fingers in most every aspect of society. One might even say Sosumi ran the Reconstructive Age.
As one of the major corporations that dragged the world from the brink of destruction to a sort of paradise, Sosumi Corp. soon became the leading company in "quality of life" improvements worldwide.
Ironically, it was their "top secret" projects division and its wild innovations that helped Sosumi Corp. slay rival companies. Soon, every household had nuclear driven appliances, from toasters to washers. Sosumi body armor became the rage at underground clubs, real-sized cyber Sosu-pets ruled little kids' wish lists, and when Hover-Tec technology broke and introduced hover cars and boards, there was no doubt which company was on top.
DISASTER Strikes
Soon after the creation of Sosumi and Hover-Tec, however, a series of disasters struck the Earth. It began with the Lunawatch moon base explosion, which caused the moon to shift in its rotation, creating havoc with the Earth's tides and gravitational forces.
Soon thereafter, reports about rapidly rising sea levels were distributed by the UN and Earth's remaining governments, predicting mass flooding around the world. The shift in gravity and tides caused certain geographical locations to undergo serious ecological changes. Japan and the Pacific Rim countries were hit the worst.
The Japanese government, acutely aware of what they stood to lose if the flooding continued, commissioned Sosumi to build a floating platform that would sustain a city. Looking for any way to escape the repercussions of the Lunawatch moon disaster, Sosumi was only too happy to oblige.
Manhattan Island and the rest of New York City underwent the most radical environmental changes, becoming tropical jungles over the short course of a year. Old concrete buildings were literally torn apart by the encroaching undergrowth. The resilient Plas-Steel towers rose up through a jungle canopy that left the streets below dark and humid.
Sosumi completed the Hover-Tec base for Ariel Tokyo, winning back the populace's favor and pulling off the greatest PR stunt of all time. The Japanese population then started work on rebuilding their capital at cloud level. Aerial Tokyo, the star of the east, hung effortlessly above the Pacific Ocean and what was left of the island of Japan. Aerial Tokyo was, of course, the new powerbase for Sosumi Corp.
Across a period of three months the Oceans rose enough to do substantial damage. All of the major Pacific Rim population centers were submerged. Human loss, however, was minimal. But due to the amount of investments across the area, many governments and organizations went bankrupt ... the global economy collapsed virtually overnight. But Japan and Sosumi (practically a single entity by this time) came to the rescue of the stricken areas, first by providing investment but more importantly by providing Hover-Tec.
The UTOPIAN AGE Begins. The Creation of the ONE WORLD CONFEDERACY (OWC)
The Utopian Age saw the formation of the One World Confederacy, with Sosumi chairing the committee. The entire world's remaining governments soon followed in signing up. The Utopian Age brought about the perfect society where no one was a have-not. Everyone could want or have anything if they desired. The OWC was a success, and its members wanted for nothing. Crime was at an all time low. People no longer needed to work, everything became available through the state ... all the OWC asked for in return from the people was total loyalty and obedience. Aerial Tokyo was, of course, the governmental center for the entire OWC, and London replaced New York as the major metropolis of the world. The crowded high rise metropolis that London had become mixed shiny new Plas-steel buildings with old and crumbling landmarks like Big Ben, St. Paul's and Tower Bridge.
The FETTERED STATES
Not all of Earth fell under the "peaceful aura" of the OWC and its Utopian Age, however. There existed several areas of roving bandits and mercenaries, loose societies where men made their own laws. These areas were (and still are) called THE FETTERED STATES, and included such cities as New Orleans, Bangkok, Belfast, Moscow, Olde Bayside and Amsterdam, among others.
The OWC's Problems Begin. HOVERBOARDING Appears.
Nearly one hundred years after the threat of the Dominance War, the OWC had its share of problems. There were only a chosen few that were allowed to work on a full time basis, but even still, all of the income they received from this work was 100% taxable. So the majority of the world suffered from a giant malaise of boredom. With nothing to do, and no way to make themselves useful in society, they sought ways to find worth in the world as they knew it. The young people of this age suffered the most from this boredom. So to find amusement and worth in this Utopian Age, they became enamored with hoverboarding, a dangerous sport that residents of the Fettered States had taken up. Hoverboard technology was based on Sosumi's Hover-Tec products.
Sosumi Corp.'s Creation of THE TrickStyle TOURNAMENT
Sosumi saw the stirrings of rebellion and picked up on the new sport, deciding to capitalize on it. Proclaiming the sport a "gift" to the loyal citizens of the OWC, they introduced the TrickStyle Pro Tournament. Sosumi provided the tournament, the prizes, and later, its first champion - Shin Takamatsu.
Aerial Tokyo was the home of the TrickStyle Pro Tour for the first year. Each and every year following, the city became packed as thousands of citizens made a pilgrimage to their sporting Mecca - the Tokyo Velodrome - to watch the final race of the season. However, before any Pro Tour competitor even got to the Velodrome they had to race through the city itself, which was no easy feat. With many wall-ride turns, loops, tunnels and other obstacles, only an experienced or highly skilled surfer stood a chance of coming through unscathed.
The Pro Tour became an immediate success, giving the population a focus for their passions and heroes for their adoration. Regional qualification races were set up throughout the OWC. The TrickStyle Pro Tour was such an immediate smash that it forced every major city worldwide to build Velodromes similar to Aerial Tokyo's so that the world's populace could always attend a live competition nearby. With Sosumi Corporation as its main sponsor, the goal of placing Sosumi Corporation as the world's "quality of life" leader was once again secure.
Hoverboarders struggled to become good enough to acquire a sponsorship from a company and get themselves into the TrickStyle Pro Tour, where fame, cult-status, and recognition could be achieved by becoming the champion.
The TrickStyle Tournament has been running successfully for 75 years now, with the enigmatic SHIN TAKAMATSU as its steady champion. The rewards of winning have increased to such a degree that a TrickStyle Pro Tour champion is now given a lifetime mayorship of the OWC city of their choice, effectively being given their own little kingdom.
Sosumi Corp.'s champion, SHIN TAKAMATSU
Many people from all walks of life entered the competition for their shot at becoming a glorious pop star with super-celebrity status. Even a few of Sosumi Corp.'s remaining rivals entered and sponsored hover athletes in the Tournament. It was when some of these rival entrants started to win Tournaments that Sosumi Corp. executives began to worry and decided to take action. Sosumi Corp.'s executive board gathered and voted overwhelmingly that they needed to field a champion to represent Sosumi at the Tournament. After many grueling tryouts, with thousands of hopeful hoverboarders, a speedy teenager named Shin Takamatsu won the Sosumi Corp. sponsorship and quickly went on to become the only athlete to win the major Tournament 5 years in a row. Shin remained Sosumi's only sponsored athlete and rewarded his parent company with many years of #1 contention in the Tournament.
[edit] Environments
This year's Pro-Tour will take you through the toughest city-courses on the globe: London, Manhattan and Tokyo. Each of the cities will feature 5 races taking in the sights, sounds and historical locations of these sprawling cities:
London
The crowded high rise metropolis that London has become mixes shiny new Plas-Steel buildings with old and crumbling landmarks like Big Ben, St. Paul's and Tower Bridge. Being the first city in the Pro-Tour does not mean it is a walkover; its towering buildings and traffic-jammed streets hide many shortcuts for the keen-eyed surfer and many dangers for those new to the tour.
Manhattan
A climate shift has turned Manhattan Island and the rest of New York tropical. Old concrete buildings have been literally torn apart by the encroaching undergrowth and now the resilient Plas-Steel towers rise up through a jungle canopy that leaves the streets below dark and humid. Yet the city has not lost any of its bustle or vibrancy. As far as the Pro-Tour goes, the sheer density of the city always makes for interesting and dangerous competitions. Be warned!
Tokyo
Ariel Tokyo, the star of the east, hangs effortlessly above the Pacific Ocean and what is left of the island of Japan. The powerbase for Jugaku, Tokyo is of course the governmental center for the entire OWC. More importantly (at least for the general public), Tokyo is the home of the Pro-Tour. Every year the city becomes packed as citizens make a pilgrimage to Tokyo Velodrome, their sporting Mecca, to watch the final race of the season. But before any Pro-Tour competitor even gets to the Velodrome, they must race through the city itself, and that is one mean feat! With many wall-ride turns, loops, tunnels and other obstacles, only an experienced or highly skilled surfer stands a chance of coming through unscathed.
