How Playground Games Built Forza Horizon 5’s Mexico Map5 min read
When Playground Games began work on the Mexico map for Forza Horizon 5, they were clear that they had to design something extraordinary.
They were constructing the most ambitious open world in the franchise’s history. They have a goal in mind which is, a map which is extensive as well as offers unique culture and connection to the real world. And, that’s exactly what they did.
Why Mexico For The Map?
The designers whittled their options down from five countries they could have potentially used.
Mexico was the one that jumped out from those options. Not just for its scenery, but for its richness and deep cultural roots.
The Mexico map allowed them to add deserts, jungles, fields, beaches, and a volcano in one continuous world.
Lead designer David Orton and art director Don Arceta put it into simple words. They said that they did not want to just have nice roads and beautiful scenes. They needed a living, breathing environment that players could really enjoy.
Yes, They Got It Right
Success of the Mexico map resulted from its emphasis on reality. They designed the map through satellite imagery and GPS readings. They even traveled to the actual locations when COVID would permit. These all things are used by the team.
They wanted to capture the sensation of Mexico’s roads and cities, not merely the appearance. The team rendered the city of Guanajuato complete with its actual underground tunnels. They reproduced its lively streets and terrain changes. It was more than just for decoration. You could tell the difference in the driving physics between cobblestone alleys and open freeways.
Biomes
One drive across the map of Mexico can see you traverse ten biomes. There’s a rain-soaked jungle where roads are slick with rain. Then there are arid deserts where dust storms sweep in.
The volcano La Gran Caldera is the tallest point in any Horizon game. These transitions were made with gameplay consideration.
Playground wanted to have each biome influence how you raced. Mud would slow you down. Dust would reduce visibility. Elevation changes would challenge car handling. That was all part of their plan.
Culturally Rich
Forza Horizon 5 did something previous entries didn’t. It went into real-world culture.
The Mexico map features hand-painted murals made by Mexican artists. It also plays local music as well as narrates local stories.
Take the “Vocho” missions as an example, challenges made around the fabled Volkswagen Beetle. Why a Beetle? Because it’s symbolic in Mexico.
When it was built within the nation, it represented family and endurance. Playground Games used that as a narrative device.
Exploration That Never Ends
Horizon’s always been about freedom and the open world. With Horizon 5, that ethos was applied to how you move around the map.
Campaigns were constructed around expeditions while you go to new areas to unlock festival outposts as well as discover secrets along the way.
Wandering is inspired by the map design and there’s no pressure to rush. Sometimes the best enjoyment would be free-roaming and stumbling upon secret roads. That was how the team defined success, if players drove around randomly because they enjoyed the world.
Concept to Code – An Amazing Journey
Building this world involved pushing the limits of what is technically possible. Volumetric lighting and particle effects were greatly improved.
These upgrades enabled the team to render realistic weather, such as sandstorms and lighting fluctuation.
Shadows moved on top of automobiles and the sun blazed differently for every biome. It did not happen without effort. Pandemic lockdowns made trips into the field challenging. Nevertheless, developers managed to get real reference material. Some traveled to Mexico. Others employed local consultants and artists to get inspiration for the design.
However, Not Everything Was Perfect
No matter how ambitious it was, the map was not without its detractors. Some players complained it had too few small towns or compact road systems and some complained that the middle area felt underdeveloped in relation to the coasts.
But even that criticism came respectfully. The scale and detailings of the Mexico map definitely set a new standard. No prior Horizon game had fit this much onto a single map.
Playground Games Built A Map to Last
After four years, the Mexico map remains solid and gets revisited by thousands of players on a daily basis. It is still one of the most viewed driving worlds on Twitch and YouTube.
Its design is equally conducive to arcade-style drifting and sim-style cruising.
For Playground Games, all this wasn’t possible until it’s done. It was the result of thoughtful design decisions and extensive fieldwork important to the culture.
Conclusion
The Mexico map of Forza Horizon 5 is a map that connects to the racing fans on a personal level. Thanks to the Playground games and designers for their efforts in bringing this real world map into this open world racing game.
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