KELLY SLATER'S PRO SURFER (PS2, XBOX, GC, GBA)


Tom Carroll talks shop about surfing

By WILLIAM BARKER

Following in the footsteps of what is possibly the most popular game of all time comes Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer. Based on the same O2 extreme sports brand from Activision, KSPS intends to emulate the success seen in titles like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and it's siblings, Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX and Shaun Palmer's Pro Snowboarder.

Just recently the lovely Kristy from Activision asked if we wanted to have a preview of the new game. The words 'hell yeah' came quick and fast.

But not only did they offer to bring some beta code of KSPS to our office for a spot of quality time, they even decided to bring one of the game's premier characters and two-time world surfing champion, Tom Carroll, to the party. As one of Australia's most recognised surfing heros, it was quite a treat being able to talk surfing with such a pro.

Before we get into the interview though, here's our impressions on Activision's upcoming surfer:

Activision has the cookie-cutter Tony Hawk game template thing down to a tee. Some may complain, crying for originality and inventiveness, but we say sod that - we've played it, and we liked what we saw...

Just like Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, the intro sequence is fairly long, yet it will have gamers grinning from ear to ear in no time at all. The quality of the video, too, is exceptional.

The menu screens are similar in effect to Tony Hawk, only this time you're on a rather rustic-looking boat, complete with sleeping quarters, galley, and all that other stuff sailors love.

The idea is that you get mobile phone calls from Mister Slater himself, as well as the other characters from the game, telling you, "It's going off in Teahupoo, Tahiti. Get there quick!" You also get to pick characters, boards and stuff like that and, in general, Treyarch has done a very good job with the interactive menu interface.

So, you head over to a beach, enter a surf comp and see how the game plays. Next to Tony Hawk, this is easily the next best game in the O2 line-up. While snowboarding and BMXing are both good, this is better.

The control method hasn't changed since Tony Hawk. And why not? It works a treat. Your surfer is quite responsive, doing most of what you ask, but what makes the game play well is perhaps the physics and wave modeling.

Paddle for a wave and - just like in real life - if you take off too deep, expect to go over the falls. The way you carve up the face of waves not only looks good, it feels pretty close to the real thing, too. That said, I've never personally taken off on a 24-foot Hawaiian wave on an outer reef…

While the surfers look pretty good, with some really smooth motion captured animations, the digital ocean is really what makes the game a joy to play. Like old King Carroll says in the interview, it's about the way the waves form.

Every single wave is different, but aiding you in anticipating what's next is a little warning system at the bottom of the screen. It tells you when there's a close out section coming up, so you can speed up to avoid it, or if the wave is going to fatten out or pitch over, letting you take action in the form of a massive cut-back.

The way the surfer interacts with the wave is pretty damn spiffy. The general 'feel' is very good, with smooth turns wiping off speed as your edge carves deeper into the face of the wave. Straighten up, set your line and watch as your surfer speeds up. Feeling frisky? Why not use that extra speed to hit the lip and perform an aerial trick.

There are plenty of tricks to bust out too, with each surfer getting a few signature moves just for good measure. While the aerial tricks are a little overdone, floaters, cutties, snaps and pig-dog barrels all come off feeling very authentic.

One word comes to mind when playing KSPS: refinement.

Visually, the water is quite remarkable. The way the waves form is quite inspiring. When you hold back on the control pad to lean back, thus reducing speed, the camera pans around behind you, which is so unbelievably cool when your about to get pitted. Indeed, getting a barrel, a tube, a pit or time in the green room is a seriously enjoyable past-time, and we look forward to getting fully aquainted with the retail game when it's released in late September, this year (2002).

Finally, the surfing genre is about to be done justice…

Who is Tom Carroll?

Arguably Australia's most famous surfer.

He jumped on tour in 1979 - an aggro, nuggety goofy-foot with a penchant for deep tube riding and hard, full rail slashes. He won back-to-back world titles in '83 and '84, both under the influence of brutal training regimens.

In '85 he took a political stance and boycotted the WCT contest in South Africa, in effect sacrificing the opportunity to win a third consecutive title. In '88 he signed surfing's first million-dollar contract and proceeded to take the sport to places it had never been before, for example, a wave pool event in Pennsylvania, of which he won.

The tail end of Tom's career was highlighted by bar-raising performances at Pipeline, Hawaii - he won three times '87, '90 and '91.

Earlier this year Tom surfed as a wild card entry in the Quiksilver Pro Fiji and has been practicing surfing behind a Jetski in larger conditions for a "big wave tow-in" surfing documentary.

Will: Firstly, how did your involvement with Activision and Kelly Slater's Pro Surfer come about?

Tom: Well, actually Kelly told me he was looking at doing a surfing game.

Will: He's a friend of yours?

Tom: Yeah. He's a good friend of mine. Um, I didn't think much of it - that was a few years ago. Because, to be honest, I don't really play many console games and I'm pretty bad in dealing with the controls. But, you know, once I get it going, I get going.

But anyway, I'd say about a year later, he put it to me that he was going to throw a bunch of characters there in with him, and he'd mentioned my name to the company, Activision -- they do this Tony Hawk game. Later I caught up with a friend who had a console at his house and he's just mad about this Tony Hawk game, he's crazy about it.

I was like, going, "Ahhhm, it looks pretty kinda good." Even though I'm not much of a skater, I had a little go and got a buzz from that. From there on, I got contacted to be one of the characters and um, from there it was pretty exciting being involved with the development of the game.

Will: So they obviously took photos and measured you?

Tom: Yeah, yeah... Measured up, did the whole deal. Yeah, and it was pretty strange seeing the actual likeness, you know, you always sort of rate yourself in a critical light.

Will: So how do you feel about your 3D character?

Tom: Surfing wise, yeah, it's great. Yeah-eah! [Laughs] And I never expected them to get it spot on with the facial expressions, when I'm standing there as character being chosen, or setting me up to ride a board or whatever. But everything's pretty much as close as I imagine you're going to get it.

I think the greatest achievement in the game is water. The water formation. Water itself, being what Carl Jung once mentioned - the great psychoanalyst - that water was a symbol of the soul. You control it, it just moves and flows like water. And to get that to work on a digital basis - it's very impressive. The games are just going to get better and better.

Will: How did you get into surfing - did you start from a young age?

Tom: Right, yeah. Eight years old I started surfing, on surfboards. I was in the ocean as soon as my parents could get me in there. I was in the ocean from the time I was pretty much born, really. Surfing itself, it's just part of the beach, you know. It's a surreal feeling being pushed along by a wave. I thought that was extraordinary.

Will: So how did you progress to the ASP tour?

Tom: No, when I started it was the international professional surfing, IPS. I started building my self up in that tour and then the tour changed to ASP and I just worked competitively. I won my first comp when I was 13.

I worked up through the IPS and ASP through my late teens and early 20s and kicked some ass. But I wasn't much of a super-competitive type of person - it was brought out of me at the time.

Will: Was it an opportunity for you? Were you getting paid to surf?

Tom: I was getting paid for it. Started getting pretty good money and I was supported really well throughout my career, with Quiksilver really helping me out a lot. And I still work with them, on special projects and stuff.

Will: I should ask, does Quiksilver have an influence on the game?

Tom: Yeah, Quiksilver is involved in the game. (Kristy: in-game branding.)

Will: As one of Australia's most famous surfers, what's been the highlight of your career. Money trees (an Indonesian wave of great repute)?

Tom: [Laughs] Yeah Money Trees! Just highlights of my career, there's been so many of them, but basically winning world championships and doing all the hard work, and seeing it pay off. That's really high on the list.

Other things include getting around the world so much. Being able to travel and be opened up to so many different cultures and attaining that view, you know - a broader view. It's priceless stuff. Oh, yeah, and definitely surfing Money Trees!! [Laughs] Yeah, surfing the incredible locations.

Will: The scariest place I've ever surfed is Johanna. What's the best and worst breaks you've ever surfed?

Tom: Yeah, well Johanna can be very scary.

Will: Yeah, I shat myself!

Tom: But yeah, I love surfing there. It's an extraordinary part of the world. Pretty wild down the bottom of Victoria (Australia). A lovely place to surf.

Will: Cold too.

Tom: One of the most extraordinary places I've surfed was Tahiti, round there, and in Indonesia and Hawaii. The Pacific Ocean itself turns on a very powerful feel. Very strong.

The islands are young, and the waves come up super powerful on the shallow reefs. In Indonesia, the islands are much older. Different aged reefs form different types of waves.

Will: As far as the new game goes, how realistic is it your eyes?

Tom: This is the most realistic water based game I've seen. The way the waves form and stuff. Yeah. Watching our tech man, Nick, from Activision play it, he actually does some new stuff I reckon you'd never think to be able to do in the water. I'm sure it's gonna push some surfing limits too. You know, and it's going to create some imagination amongst the young surfers.

Will: Do you think they are going to see the game and go "I might try that"?

Tom: For sure. I would. I am at a stage where I'm pushing certain boundaries, but I've got that self-preservation thing involved at the moment. When you're young, you can pretty much smash yourself up. [Laughs]

Will: Gunnamatta. It's a beach in Australia, Victoria, where they pump raw sewerage into the ocean. Great breaks, pity about the slime. Do you think people need to respect the ocean more in today's society?

Tom: I know Gunnamatta, I surfed there when I was like 13 and I loved it, beautiful beach breaks. It's a classic "out of sight, out of mind" issue for most of the community to be able to pump raw sewerage into what is quite a remote area, there. It's very negligent. To be doing such a thing in such a beautiful spot - and I've smelt it too - is quite a bizarre thing.

Will: What are your favourite aspects of the new Kelly Slater surfing game?

Tom: I think the nicest thing, for me, is being able to surf the waves - the views you get inside the barrel. As a surfer, I don't know how non-surfers will view this game, but I love looking from inside the tube. It's one of the most remarkable views you can ever get - anywhere! You know that. So seeing it done quite correctly in the game is kinda nice.

Will: How about the bad points?

Tom: The tight shorts. [Laughs] No, really, I'm very pleased with how it's turned out.

Will: Bit of tribute, I guess. I'd be stoked if I was in a videogame!

Tom: Yeah. I was really honoured.

Will: Do you have a favourite videogame?

Tom: Not really, no. I'm not much of video game player.

Will: So we can put KSPS in there, then?

Tom: [Laughs] Yeah, for sure.

Will: Do you let your two kids play video games?

Tom: I let them play games on the net, and we've got some GameBoys and stuff. We're probably getting a PS2 soon, to play the new game really, and they're pretty excited about it. We'll see how we go.

Will: Another surfing question, have you ever ridden a flow rider (man-made wave shaper)?

Tom: Haven't yet. No. It's very different to riding a wave. Very painful. I wanted to ride it, and I got invited to ride it, but I was out of town at the time.

Every surfer from a highly rated WQS qualifying event came down to Sydney to ride the flowrider and they all got on there and had a go, and some of them were pretty good. But every single one of them who got on there had an injury at the end of it.

Will: They are made of concrete, aren't they?

Tom: Yeah. And its only about six inches deep (water). If it doesn't take you over the falls, it'll spit you off the back.

Will: Maybe it was a good idea you didn't go then?

Tom: Yeah! [Laughs]

Will: Is there any chance of a Tom Carroll's Pro Surfer?

Tom: [Laughter all round] Definitely something for guys like Kelly - a six time world champ. I'm only a two-time world champ...

Will: Any chance of a sequel then?

Tom: I'd say they probably would make a sequel, yeah. It's got a lot of potential. The way it looks, the way it plays, the waves. It's alluring - it's got a lot of appeal.

Will: Do you have any hobbies other than surfing?

Tom: A lot of photography. Other than that, I just enjoy spending time with the family.

Will: So do you still surf a lot?

Tom: As much surfing as I can.

Will: Any advice for budding grommets out there who want in on the ASP?

Tom: I think, um, as far as improving your surfing goes, if you want to get into a competitive career, number one you've got to be good at taking the ups and downs. Winning and losing. Taking it on the chin.

To be honest, Kelly Slater - even though he won a lot - once he got to the top, he also lost a lot. All winners, and all great athletes in any chosen sport have to deal with loss as well, not just the win. And I think that's key.

But as far as just improving your surfing, if you want a tip, go and check out your favourite pro surfer on video and really, really tune in on that.

Will: And play the new Kelly Slater game?

Tom: [Laughs] Yeah, play the game! You know what? Playing the game, it's kind of extraordinary the way you look at the wave, and also there is quite a lot of video in the game. You unlock it as you go through the game.

Will: If you could be any superhero, apart from Tom Carroll pro surfer, who would you be?

Tom: Superhero? Jeez, never thought of that. I reckon Spider-Man would be pretty cool. I've always thought that since I was a little kid. Heh!

Will: Thanks for your time Tom. Best of luck in the future and with the game.

Tom: It was a pleasure.