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The Evolution of Astro Bot: From Playroom VR to PS5 Stardom
Astro Bot, the endearing character from PlayStation’s virtual reality experiences, is finally ready to take center stage in his own PS5 adventure. Originally introduced in the Playroom VR, Astro Bot has become a beloved mascot for PlayStation fans worldwide. As the spotlight shifts to this charming little robot, we sat down with Nicolas Doucet, the studio director at Team Asobi, to delve into the history and development of Astro Bot.
The Playroom: Birth of Baby Robots
Astro Bot’s journey began with Team Asobi’s experimentation with the DualShock 4 controller and the PS4 camera. This experimentation led to a demo initially called "Little AR Men." The characters were tiny robots that interacted with users on their living room floors. These early prototypes were simple and made up of primitive shapes, with the characters being nothing more than robots consisting of cylinders with small eyes. Eventually, these characters were named AR Bots.
Doucet recalls the early days: “We didn’t have any art initially, so we had to create prototypes with basic shapes. The characters were just robots made up of cylinders with little eyes. We later worked with artists to bring these characters to life, but we only had five months to implement the demo into The Playroom. To make them sci-fi looking within such a short period, we gave them a Sony robotics style. Additionally, it was crucial they were endearing, so we gave them big cute eyes and made them waddle like toddlers, turning them into baby robots.”
The Playroom VR: From AR Bots to Astro Bot
As AR Bots evolved with The Playroom’s transformation into The Playroom VR, Astro Bot emerged as a central character for a VR platformer prototype called Robots Rescue. “We internally called him Captain Astro,” says Doucet. "We added a PlayStation blue livery and more parts to make him stand out from the environment, gave him the ability to hover, and modified his hands to grab things."
Astro Bot needed to feel tangible for VR. The team approached him as if he was a real-life robotics product, ensuring that his joints and movements appeared realistic. It wasn’t until 2018’s solo PS VR platformer, Astro Bot Rescue Mission, that Astro officially claimed his name. His development was aided by animation and art talent from other PlayStation development teams, including those behind Gravity Rush and The Last Guardian.
The Design Evolution of Astro Bot
Ensuring Astro was ready for his full solo adventure in Astro Bot Rescue Mission meant fine-tuning his design from both visual and gameplay perspectives. Astro was gifted with classic platformer design elements, such as a low center of gravity and a compact frame. Here are some distinctive details that contributed to his unique charm:
Eyes: Astro’s blue LED eyes are central to his facial expressions, changing shape to convey a variety of emotions. These eyes also play a crucial role for the VIP Bots in the game.
Jetpack: “In the original design, whenever Astro hovered, two little wings would come out of his back for him to glide,” Doucet explains. The team wanted to create a rationale behind this function, adding a jetpack to make the hovering more believable.
Chrome Dome: Astro Bot’s head features a reflective plate that showcases the power of the PS5. Whether in jungles or oceans, the game’s environments are fully reflected on the back of Astro’s silver headplate during his travels.
Robo Voice: Astro’s high-pitched voice was carefully designed to be universally appealing. His sounds mix English and Japanese, along with universal words and onomatopoeia, all masked into robotic sounds. Doucet notes, “Astro fundamentally does not talk, but his sounds mix English and Japanese, along with universal words and onomatopoeia, masked into robotic sounds. This was important as Astro is played by kids all over the world, so we had to consider sounds and syllables that work for as many languages as possible.”
Expanding Astro’s World
Astro Bot’s world has grown significantly with his transition to the PS5. The increased detail and higher fidelity afforded by 4K resolution make Astro and his companions stand out more than ever. This visual upgrade extends to the game’s flora and fauna, adding a new level of immersion.
“There’s a lot of wildlife – about 70 new animals in this game,” says Doucet. “From frogs and small insects to polar bears and elephants, and they all follow the design language of the bots with LED eyes. Even power-ups like Barkster the bulldog booster have the same traits. The idea of blue LEDs for friends and red LEDs for enemies has become a trademark we’ve built on.”
‘Steeling’ Some Beloved PlayStation Characters
Astro Bot also features in-game versions of popular PlayStation-related characters, known as VIP and Cameo Bots. These robotic tributes to characters like Kratos, Aloy, and Nathan Drake have delighted players. The integration of these characters required careful consideration to maintain their essence while fitting them into Astro’s world.
“They had to be a cool sci-fi design but also have things like fabrics or furry boots, so we sometimes felt we might be going against the original intent of the character,” Doucet explains. “So we substituted more organic materials, like hair, with materials such as vinyl.”
Doucet also highlights the importance of the eyes, “Sometimes LED eyes just didn’t work on certain characters because the original design relies so much on the pupils being a certain size or color. So for more cartoony VIPs like Crash Bandicoot or from Ape Escape, the Bots are wearing a mask to help bridge that problem!”
Ready for the PS5 Adventure
Astro Bot is all set for his PS5 adventure. Fans can look forward to exploring new worlds, encountering familiar faces, and enjoying the enhanced graphics and gameplay that the PS5 offers. With its release set for September 6, Astro Bot promises to be a delightful experience for gamers of all ages.
Stay tuned for more updates and get ready to join Astro on his next big adventure. For more information, you can visit the official Astro Bot page.
This journey of Astro Bot, from a simple demo character to a beloved PlayStation mascot, showcases the creativity and dedication of Team Asobi. Astro Bot’s charm, combined with innovative gameplay, ensures that he will continue to win hearts across the gaming universe.
