Hey, Washers! Jess from FuturLab here to give you the low-down on PowerWash Simulator’s heaviest collaboration yet — the Back to the Future Special Pack! We’ve teamed up with the folks at Universal Games and Digital Platforms to transport you back in time onto various sets from the iconic “Back to the Future” trilogy from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment.
And, when given the chance to visit the past, you do what any person with a superior knowledge of future technology would do… powerwash! Well, introducing the world to rock ‘n’ roll was already taken!
As well as saving the Hill Valley Clocktower (from muck, this time), you will also get to spray down Doc Brown’s Van, the Time Machine, the Holomax Theater and Doc’s Time Train. Plus, you can collect 10 electrifying new achievements.
This Special Pack features some of our coolest animations to date, so to learn more about how we brought the timelessness of “Back to the Future” to life, I was joined by FuturLab Junior Animator Alannah Meek to share some of her secrets here with you all.
Bringing the Back to the Future Special Pack to Life
Environmental storytelling has always been a core aspect of PowerWash Simulator. From early on, clues were scattered like breadcrumbs throughout each map, adding to the narrative and breathing life into the setting.
The Back to the Future Special Pack represents the next evolution of animation in PowerWash Simulator. Fittingly, alongside this celebration of cinema, we’re bringing you our most cinematic animations yet. From ticking cogs to flying trains, this Special Pack has it all.
“The Back to the Future Special Pack has more animation than its predecessors,” explains Meek. “Being able to interact with and wash all these moving parts brings so much more life and interactivity to the pack, allowing you to experience the world of Back to the Future to a greater extent and appreciate the finer details from the films,”
Creating the Hill Valley Clocktower
The Hill Valley Clocktower played a pivotal role in the first “Back to the Future” movie. You’ll find it nestled in a fully explorable Hill Valley Town Square. Although 30 years has passed since the place was struck by lightning, it sure looks like it still needs some major TLC!
“Animating the clock mechanism involved a lot of research into how clock towers work and finding reference videos of the moving parts as the room in the film is only shown for a short time and dimly lit,” says Meek. “I also had to work closely with the artist to make sure the models would be functional and understand how all the individual pieces interact with one another. We made sure that the clock tower mechanism is broken as the clock tower has been struck by lightning, so eagle-eyed players will notice the cogs attached to the hands on the clock are failing to interact properly.”
Building The Holomax Theater
In “Back to the Future Part II,” the Holomax Theater captured the imaginations of viewers as a futuristic way to sink your teeth into a movie. Players can put themselves in Marty McFly’s sneakers to get up close and really personal with the holographic shark from the fictional “Jaws 19!” If you are looking for how to trigger this interaction, we’ll leave you with this timeless clue: X marks the spot.
“It was a unique challenge to imitate CGI from the 1980s with pixelated textures and interesting quirks in the animation! I studied the clip from the film and partnered with the team at Universal Games and Digital Platforms very closely to try to get the model and animation of the shark to feel as close as possible to the film,” recalls Meek.
Constructing Doc’s Time Train
Who can forget Doc Brown’s explosive entrance on a time travelling train in “Back to the Future Part III?” Players can experience the epic take-off of Doc’s Time Train in the new Special Pack, just remember: the future is what you make it, so make it a clean one!
“My personal favourite animation in this special pack is the animation on the Doc’s Time Train,” Meek remarks, “Working out how all the parts of the train work from film footage was a real challenge, but I love the end result and being able to wash the train while all the parts are moving and watching it fly away is a great end to the level.”
You might be wondering: “Why aren’t they talking about the Time Machine?!” Well, we wanted you to experience that magical moment for yourselves! Once you reach 100% on the Time Machine level, you’ll see some serious…ly cool animation!
“I hope everyone enjoys the Back to the Future Special Pack and look out for the shark!” Meek says.