#tracktalk

Overview:

Before RoadBlasters, around 1980, Tally was Turbotime’s announcer and scorekeeper. They were a non-playable character.

During gameplay, Tally appeared in the bottom left corner of the screen, started the countdown for the start of a race and announced when the player got into first place.

(The colors of this gif are incorrect because this is my very first piece of Tally art)

“Are you ready to race?!”

When the race ended Tally’s lively voice could be heard as the scores started to gather on the end screen.

“Let’s tally up those scores!”

At the start of Tally’s story:

They were pretty emotionally closed off. Getting Tally to open up was incredibly difficult and they would usually flee any scenario that started to get personal. Trying to keep relationships professional and purposely isolating themselves. They didn’t like being touched, kept conversations short, and would get frustrated if the TurboTime crew pushed them too hard for conversation.

Important note:

To make sure Tally, working as the game’s scoring system, did not give any character special treatment: when any of the TurboTime racers touched them the area of contact would have a painful sensation, like a mild electric shock for short contact and a mild burn when touched for longer, the feeling could get more intense/painful based on the situation. They didn’t let anyone know this and were unsure if it happened with characters that were not from TurboTime(it did not). If Tally allowed someone to touch them or touched someone else themselves it was a big deal.

The physical pain also happened when they got emotionally close, causing a chest ache or headache in certain situations. The sensation could get more intense depending on the situation. If Tally went out of their way to be close with someone, it was something special.

Lore:

Tally’s announcing stand is close to the screen of the arcade cabinet because of how they sit in the corner of the screen. At the beginning of TurboTime’s time at the arcade Tally didn’t interact with any of the racers. During the arcade’s closing hours, Tally would hide in a little booth just outside of the screen connected to their stand or they’d leave the game for some new scenery. Tally was very much a mystery to the crew and never gave any of them a chance to get to know them.

Since Tally was left lonesome most of the time they had a lot of time to think. Tally began taking note of what players were saying about TurboTime, specifically negative feedback. It worried them a bit, so Tally would hide away in their booth and write everything down.

One day, after collecting enough info from the players, Tally shocked the TurboTime crew by coming down from their stand and actually speaking to them. Though their tone was professional the three finally got to speak to this announcer who avoided them like the plague.

Booster was just interested in getting to know them, Jet felt the same, and Turbo did not like that they came down just to criticize all of them. Turbo and Tally had the most interesting relationship of them all. As previously mentioned, Turbo did not like that Tally only came down to give them criticism, it hurt his ego. The two would bicker in the beginning but steadily started to cool down around each other. Bickering turned into playful banter. Turbo occasionally tried to get buddy-buddy with them for special treatment but Tally was quick to shut it down. But because of how often Tally had to scold Turbo and critique him they talked more. Despite Tally’s programming screaming at them not to.

The crew eventually got into a pattern, every day Tally would descend from their stand and give the crew the feedback they got for that day.

And though it took a long Time the crew won’t ever forget the first time they were given a real smile. And Turbo won’t forget that he was the first one to see it.