First SSX 'Massive World' trailer explains 'Mountain Man' tech

A new trailer for EA Canada's upcoming extreme snowboarding game SSX has hit the slopes, detailing a few of the game's exotic locales and explaining how the game's mountains have been created using a combination of NASA topographical data and the developer's proprietary 'Mountain Man' technology. According to creative director Todd Batty, 'Mountain Man' allows the team to input the latitude and longitude of any real-life mountain range, and the software will render a 3D topographical model of the location in less than 30 seconds.

SSX

For those worried that this means that over-the-top design ethos the series has used in the past has been eschewed for a more sim-like experience, fear not. The trailer also shows off footage of three of the game's locations, and they all incorporate some extreme elements.

SSX will feature nine different regions, each with multiple mountains, as well as multiple drop-points for each mountain. The Himalayas will allow players to grind down the Great Wall of China, or race down from the topmost peaks before a limited oxygen supply depletes. The Alaskan region lets players do tricks off the Alaskan Pipeline while contending with avalanches, and the Siberian region is more ice than snow, complete with an abandoned nuclear power plant.

SSX is due out for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in January 2012.