Santa Ragione
Wheels of Aurelia is launching on Nintendo Switch on November 2! Embark on an immersive road trip through the gritty western coast of Italy during the roarin.
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- Wheels of Aurelia is a visual novel and adventure video game that was developed and published by Santa Ragione, and was released worldwide on 20 September 2016 for Linux, Microsoft Windows and OS X, and later released on 4 October 2016 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and a mobile version on 19 October 2017 for iOS.
In most racing games, the ethos is pretty clear: Drive fast, pass the checkered flag first, and bask in the glory. In Santa Ragione’s recently released driving game Wheels of Aurelia, it’s a little more complicated than that. Sure, you can race in it, but you don’t have to; Heck, you don’t even have to drive, as the game will follow the road for you, albeit at a snail’s pace. No, what Wheels is really about is road-tripping, the sense of going nowhere specific at no particular speed, and the conversations that can result from that.
To get a better sense of how this self-proclaimed “narrative driving game” approaches this unique mission, Inverse met up with the designer, producer, and programmer of Wheels, Pietro Righi Riva, at this year’s IndieCade in Los Angeles.
Yu Suzuki, the much-acclaimed developer of Shenmue and many other titles, once noted that his Outrun series was all driving games, not racing games. How would you say that dichotomy applies to Wheels?
Wheels is the natural evolution of that thought in that it abandons the typical format of a racing game in the competitiveness that is still present in Outrun. It’s all about the setting and the story, which are background elements in Outrun — what a Japanese developer thinks about fictional America — whereas in Wheels, it’s real Italy. Although, we did take some techniques from Outrun and that generation of games. For example, the road in Wheels of Aurelia isn’t the road in real life, and it looks like more like an arcade racer.
Games often struggle to come up with unique settings, but Wheels’s post-fascist Italy certainly gives it a striking atmosphere. As a developer, how did you work with this to give it a unique sense of place?
This “post-fascist” quality is something that’s debated in the context of Wheels. The game argues that it’s still fascist, and you could say the same about today. The idea about making a game in the ‘70s was ultimately to make a game about Italy today. We were looking at the generation in which our parents grew up, and we really want to understand the political climate at the time and make it emerge through the characters that populate the world.
Despite their prevalence in other forms of media, such as Easy Rider, the “road trip” is a concept that few games attempt. Why do you think that is, and how did you work to embody that in Wheels?
Video games really struggle to blend gameplay and story, and this is not new — I’m not the first person to say this. Go to any GDC [Game Developers Conference] and you’ll see this topic being discussed. One of the reasons is that the ways storytelling takes place, it’s hard to make those interactive, and integrate them in traditional forms of gameplay that we’ve been learning to make for thirty years. There are strong limitations. One of those is, of course, how do you make a character that’s playable when your political opinions don’t align with those of the character you’re playing. Everything in Wheels is an experiment, an attempt to make this happen. The reason that there aren’t more games like Wheels is that it’s very risky and there’s no frame of reference for doing this. Some people even say it’s impossible.
Sounds like they’re wrong.
Well, they might be wrong, they might be right. Until there’s a pop success, itll be debated. Maybe you could argue [Inkle Studio’s] 80 Days was that success. It’s a very difficult problem.
What would you say is Wheel’s ethos?
I don’t think it really has one. It doesn’t really take any of the character’s motivations and history as its own. Even though Lella (the protagonist) thinks that racing and driving fast are part of her ideals in life, the game makes fun of it. I don’t think I ever really thought about the game in that sense. I’m more, how do we make it feel natural, fun, not too boring or serious. How do we represent travel itself? That’s the objective of the game: How can travel be an expression of a country?
Are there any particular works of media that influenced the development of Wheels?
I would say Il Sorpasso was the movie that single-handedly inspired it — the main reference.
Can’t say I’m familiar.
It’s basically about a road trip that takes place ten years before Wheels. Two men go on a trip. One is a very extroverted man, and one is very shy, and they clash and influence each other.
Naturally, as a narrative game, it features a constellation of different endings. Did that present problems during development?
I didn’t write the story behind the game, but I did tell the writers what I wanted regarding the variety of input, so that the player felt that their full breadth of actions were being reflected in the story. We wanted every dialogue choice to be meaningful on a story level, which ended up producing many, many endings. But the storyline isn’t written in a traditional branching path — it’s based on topics that the characters have brought up in the past.
Some of the response to Wheels has focused on the educational qualities of the game. People just don’t know that much about Italy, me included. Did that influence your design?
We always knew that we were making a game that would be perceived differently depending on where you grew up — the Italian public especially. The farther you get from Italy, the more exotic it seems. The French can sort of understand it, the Germans too. But when you come to the U.S., people usually freak out when they learn that our ex-Prime Minister was kidnapped and murdered.
We knew that this was going to happen, and we wanted the game to be a sparkle for renewed interest in the time period, so they would do their own research. We 50% succeeded in doing that — half of players would read into it, and the other half would just give up. So in a new update, we’re planning to include an in-game encyclopedia.
You mentioned the narrative structure is non-traditional. Do you mind speaking more to that?
Each line in the game is represented as a topic in the coding language, and each topic is tied to every other topic. And certain topics won’t come up if other ones haven’t come up, and vice versa. And each line has a priority, so if we’re chit-chatting, and we pass by a monument in the road, then that topic will become available, because it has higher priority than the existing topic.
That’s a really cool system. It must have been really hard to implement.
It was designed by us with Anna Kipnis, who works at Double Fine. She designs narrative systems for them, and she’s extremely capable. Not something we would have done without her.
What was the hardest part of the game to get right?
For sure, the blending of talking and driving. When we released the beta last year, we got a lot of critiques that called it a “texting while driving” simulator, meaning while they were choosing dialogue, they were hitting guard rails. Though the game doesn’t penalize you for this, it was unnerving and stressful to see your car go off the road. So in the current version, the car auto-drives, except when you accelerate. It was just a lot of design, but I think we were partly successful.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Aurelia
Aurelia B20 parts for sale
1 transaxle
1 rear suspension
1 front suspension
1 cylinder head
2 cylinder head lids
1 sump
4 wheel covers complete
1 drive shaft
2 jack cricks
2 suspension springs
1 coupling disk
2 doors
1 front hood
1 rear hood
1 steering wheel emblem
Location: Paris area France
1 rear suspension
1 front suspension
1 cylinder head
2 cylinder head lids
1 sump
4 wheel covers complete
1 drive shaft
2 jack cricks
2 suspension springs
1 coupling disk
2 doors
1 front hood
1 rear hood
1 steering wheel emblem
Location: Paris area France
George Zosim, [email protected]
Aurelia B20 glass
I have available in Sunningdale:
One pair of tinted rear side glasses
One pair of clear polycarbonate rear side glasses (spares for my race car)
One rear 3rd series glass
Two front toughened screens for 3rd series B20 both with metal surround (both parts)
One tinted 4th series rear screen
Several tinted door glasses
One pair of tinted rear side glasses
One pair of clear polycarbonate rear side glasses (spares for my race car)
One rear 3rd series glass
Two front toughened screens for 3rd series B20 both with metal surround (both parts)
One tinted 4th series rear screen
Several tinted door glasses
I am in the UK till March 17th at least ( depends upon coronavirus).
Chris Gawne, [email protected]
Mar20
Aurelia Parts For Sale
I need to make space and so have many Aurelia parts for sale from engines, rebuilt or for rebuild, transaxles which have been opened and checked, steering boxes, rebuilt pot joints with new rollers and rubbers, B20 bumpers, good Weber 40DC carbs to instruments, dashboard switches and lights.
Location: UK/Sunningdale & Italy/Padova
Location: UK/Sunningdale & Italy/Padova
Chris Gawne, [email protected]
B24 parts
Bertrand Leseur, [email protected]
Nov17
Wheels Of Aurelia Metacritic
Aurelia handbooks
B20S6 English suppliment to driver's handbook
Aurelia 2nd series (B12) English instruction book
Aurelia 2nd serie B12 uso e manutenzione, seconda edizione
Aurelia B10,B21,B22 uso e manutenzione
Location: Wales
Aurelia 2nd series (B12) English instruction book
Aurelia 2nd serie B12 uso e manutenzione, seconda edizione
Aurelia B10,B21,B22 uso e manutenzione
Location: Wales
Nigel Trow, [email protected],
tel. (44) 01291420317
tel. (44) 01291420317
B 24 - direction light switch
Direction light switch for the dashboard plus switch for the turn signal reset. Both are new - never used.
Location: Austria/Vienna
Location: Austria/Vienna
Florian Krenn, [email protected]
Jul17
Aurelia parts for sale
Aurelia B12/B20 transaxle with clutch and brakes
Aurelia B20 S20 transaxle, stripped for inspection,
Aurelia B12/B20 front axle and suspension
Aurelia IRS wishbones and hubs
B20 S3 transaxle case (perfect) with clutch
B20 S3 bell housing complete with clutch
B10 transaxle, incomplete
B20 S2/3 Veglia rev counter and speedo (kms)
B20 Interior trim and door furniture, various, please enquire
B20 S4 liners and pistons, rocker gear etc
Location: Wales
Aurelia B20 S20 transaxle, stripped for inspection,
Aurelia B12/B20 front axle and suspension
Aurelia IRS wishbones and hubs
B20 S3 transaxle case (perfect) with clutch
B20 S3 bell housing complete with clutch
B10 transaxle, incomplete
B20 S2/3 Veglia rev counter and speedo (kms)
B20 Interior trim and door furniture, various, please enquire
B20 S4 liners and pistons, rocker gear etc
Location: Wales
Nigel Trow, [email protected], tel. 01291 420317
Lancia Aurelia B24S Convertibile
1956 full matching very knowed history
Location: Montecarlo
Location: Montecarlo
Maximilian Cappa, [email protected], tel. 3356631550
Jan17
Aurelia B20
Vends 2 culasses pour Aurelia 6ème série éprouvées et surfacées (facture) 2 pipes d'admission 2 pipes d'échappement
prix des 2 culasses 6000 eu
prix des 2 pipes d'admission 500 eu
prix des 2 pipes d'échappement 1500 eu
Location: France
prix des 2 culasses 6000 eu
prix des 2 pipes d'admission 500 eu
prix des 2 pipes d'échappement 1500 eu
Location: France
Phil, [email protected], tel. 0687375823
Aurelia B/10 1950
Click on picture to enlarge.
Aurelia B10 of 1950. Superlative conditions both mechanical and bodywork. Original upholstery untouched. Provided from birth of a Radio Condor still working perfectly. Registered in the Lancia Register, revised, with accessories of the time. Bright and quiet performance in the march. Car of a secure short-term revaluation thanks to its innovative mechanics for those times and also for the few remaining models of this prestigious car.
Location: Italy, Tuscany
Location: Italy, Tuscany
Irene Morfini, [email protected]
Oct16
Aurelia 1951-52-53-54 steering-wheels new.
I manufacture completly new steering-wheels with resin two components and horn included and tested. It has needed 20 parts and 12 companies. They are painted in a 'bianco avorio' 1/3 and pure white 2/3, and three coats of varnish. They are manufactured by serials of six pieces, and I have 2 for sale in the first serial. Price ex-works 2 376 € vat included.
Location: Merxheim France
Location: Merxheim France
Levallois Jean-Marie, [email protected],
tel. +33 3 89 76 28 99
tel. +33 3 89 76 28 99
B20 exhaust manifold, upper water manifold plus..
As per title and photos, please ensure this is the correct part for your B20, part number - B20.755114A and tap part number - B10 - 75557, do verify part numbers with me before buying.NB. Although this is part is complete, both upper outlets have been welded/repaired, these would need work to get an acceptable fit....see final photos.Lancia Aurelia B20 4th Series, Exhaust manifold, As per title and photos, please ensure this is the correct part for your B20, do verify part number with me before buying.
I also have a few more parts, new 3rd series rear screen seal, propshaft mounting, gear box mounting, used but good pair of cylinder head gaskets, petrol pump by Fispa
Location: UK
Location: UK
Frank Gallagher, [email protected]
Aug16
1958 Lancia Aurelia B24s GT Convertible
6th-Series Aurelia B24s Convertible. <8,000 original miles. Unrestored and driving example. $375kUSD.
More info: B24S Convertible
Location: San Jose, CA
More info: B24S Convertible
Location: San Jose, CA
Larry B, [email protected]
Aurelia Spyder Motor
Very complete Aurelia B24 spider motor MOT B24 12** . All numbers match, heads, sump and block. Date stamp on heads of 1955. I have owned this motor since 1972, when it was acquired with an Aurelia convertible. It has little wear in the bores, turns freely, and comes with many hard to find pieces including water manifolds, Weber carb and air cleaner, water pump and fan, oil filter housing and piping,fuel pump, carb linkage, exhaust manifolds, starter, etc. If you are lucky enough to own a B24 spyder, with no or the incorrect motor, this is the one you want.
Location: USA California
Location: USA California
Gary Dowling, [email protected]
Wheels Of Aurelia Trophy Guide
New Aurelia B20/24 pistons
Set of new Aurelia pistons with piston rings - diameter 77.92mm. US$575.00. Email for pictures and details
Location: Atlanta, USA
Location: Atlanta, USA
Michael Gue, [email protected]
Aug15
Aurelia B20/24 turn signal switch
Aurelia B20/24 dashboard turn signal switch, that appears to be brand new. US$350.00 Email for pictures and details
Location: Atlanta, USA
Location: Atlanta, USA
Michael Gue, [email protected]
Lancia B24 Aurelia V6 engine block
This is a used original LANCIA V6 2451 CC ENGINE BLOCK. It is correct for B 24 AURELIA Spider America & Convertible models. The block has number MOT. B24 No * 1303* and is dated 5-1-56. The cylinder head has markings III Serie 56 Lancia. See close up photos for close ups of markings on the engine block and the cylinder head. There is only one cylinder head that is currently attached to the block. The cylinder head has some damage: a crack on side and a section broken off. These can be welded and repaired by a capable engine builder who can weld aluminum. Only able to post twelve photos on the listing, I will be happy to email you additional and more specific photographs upon request. This is a rare piece if you own or are restoring one of these priceless Lancia models, especially if you do not have a block from the correct year of your Aurelia. If you look at the August PEBBLE BEACH GOODING AUCTION results and such models surpassing the million dollar range, a correct motor will enhance the value of your car! It is too heavy to ship by conventional methods. It can be picked up locally in the Northwest Corner of Connecticut or it can be delivered to NYC area with some consideration for fuel and tolls. Buyer can also arrange for freight pick up. Thanks for looking.
Location: Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut USA
Location: Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut USA
Alex Gouras, [email protected],
tel. 917-838-6007
tel. 917-838-6007
Mar15
Ventilatore motore per Lancia Aurelia B24
Vendo ventilatore motore per Lancia Aurelia B 24 completo di staffe e supporti
Wheels Of Aurelia Crack Filler
Wheels Of Aurelia Ost
Marco, [email protected]