What happened to Need for Speed World? Is it a real thing yet?
Next gen racing games...
- Thread starter saladine1
- Start date
What happened to Need for Speed World? Is it a real thing yet?
Not much room for "totally different" really.
For instance, Gran Turismo series have very unique feature of "ownership/maintenance" from the first 1997 game, drastically expanded into what GT5 offers today. It is basically an territory that no other developer in the genre have tackled. As an *owner* of the vehicle, you are faced with the consequences of the ownership: your car adds mileage, that mileage influences the engine-power and state of chassis that need to be *refreshed* or *rebuilt*, driving adds "dirt" on car which progressively downgrades aerodynamics until car is *washed*, oil in the engine needs to be replaced because it wears-out, etc.
It is really a groundbreaking feature, but in the same time, majority of players have no understanding for it at all, since it calls for constant *care* of the cars. Of course, whole ownership/maintenance" aspect is by no way obligatory - every player can decide for himself does he want to be careless or good owner (something along the lines of Paragon/Renegade concept for example) and he really does not need to give a damn about it.
Of course, everybody wants to have their cars in best condition available, so there is the foundation of the criticism of the concept, since in the same time those critiques are not ready to take the responsibility of the prospect of the actual ownership.
Also, the whole idea of B-Spec mode (known as Drivatar in the first Forza game) is also very intriguing. It is a shame that Turn10 didn't develop it further, but the way it could be developed is great. I am aware how many players are not fans of the B-Spec mode, but I also see it as a very unique and groundbreaking feature for creating an interesting concept of Management. At this point only thing it lacks is the ability to run B-Spec races in multiplayer in real-time, where all players would guide their B-Spec drivers in the real-time. It is definitely a field for further expand of the RPG element in the driving genre.
For example, ability to switch yourself and your B-Spec driver during pit-stop for online races (we could already do that in offline races in GT4) in order to run Endurances against your Freinds and their B-Spec drivers. Possibilities are endless.
Additionally, as Solal also recently said in the GT5 topic, it would be great if games focused on collecting (GT, Forza, Shift..console games mainly, although Shift will not exist anymore) would offer a cars in their "original" state, something I call "Authentic Vehicle". To have old cars without electronic aids, automatic-gearbox cars to drive as ones, etc.
Autolog feature (Rivals mode in Forza) should also become an genre-standard.
I can also see overall movement towards "platform" approach, and I presume how many driving games of the nextgen will utilise such approach.
From technical terms, not much is left to be tackled. Maybe the development of the G-simulators for home-use and such, but on the software-side it already exist for years. Same with FFB support, multiscreens, haed-tracking, multi-source audio, etc.
As I said, genre have already developed foundations for covering every aspect of the genre on both consoles/PC, it just remains to see which game will be able to take as much of the options into its single umbrella.
It sucks.
NinjaBoiX
Member
And you emulate it so well. Suspiciously well in fact...
They have Mario Kart, F-Zero and the Excite series, but they don't really have any "realistic" racers.
Was in beta for a few years, came out a year or two ago.
It's the best NFS game ever.
Out of Working Order
Member
Car of your choice to come free with every game. I'll have the new Mini, please. Always wanted one of those.
CouchMaster
Member
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
As long as the feature can be turned off completely (so your car's performance does not degrade over time just because you're not taking care of it; it's assumed that those tedious things are taken care of automatically after each race), I'm fine with it being included. In my opinion, that's taking things a bit too far, like having to eat food and sleep lest you want to die in RPGs, or, for instance, having to scrape barnacles off ships' hulls in naval simulations. In racing games I usually want to play the role of a car driver, not necessarily its owner.
Again, something that should be entirely optional and have little bearing on the main career. Tycoon aspects have nothing to do with playing the role of a race driver so they should exist only for those who want them. I understand that some people want their sims to cover all things automotive, and that's fine, but there's always the question of where best to spend your development resources.
- Racing sims should care more about the racing, I have had it with careers structured around 2/3 lap (+ gold/silver/etc) races and poorly matched AIs.
- A race track is a "living" thing, not a same grip everywhere all the time (time/weather/temp/rubber build up/oil/dust/sand/etc.), still a huge room for improvement and added immersion factor in that department.
- A race track is a "living" thing, not a same grip everywhere all the time (time/weather/temp/rubber build up/oil/dust/sand/etc.), still a huge room for improvement and added immersion factor in that department.
As I said, it is very debatable subject, but.
It is the logic behind the game design. Since we're talking about the improvements of the genre, I just used some examples. Both of them are somewhat unique and special and tied to one particular game.
Notice how those are actually two "improvements" in the genre - despite what anybody can subjectively think about them, both displays new design-logic and new way of presenting things tied to the genre - which could show the way for the nextgen, which is the question from the OP.
However, I am also almost 100% certain how no other developer will try to walk by any of those two paths. First reason for it is complexity of development of such feature (ownership is developed in GT series for more than 15 years now and probably incorporated into very foundation of the code, while B-Spec is like 10 years old too) and second is fear of reception by the public. Third would be how they just don't want to fiddle with such approach, probably most realistic one.
But subjective thoughts aside, I really think how development of both of those options are very beneficial to the overall development of the series. Ownership/maintenance aspect had to *force* PD to create an "evolving" car-code, where both engine, suspension and aerodynamics of the vehicle are getting the inputs in real-time and change the vehicle according to those inputs. So it is not just tire/fuel depletion, it is a much more complex management of the data. In the future it will probably allow them to enhance that aspect into creating a more refined feel of connection with the cars.
Also - and this one is very important - having such an feature, where you have consequences for your actions, especially for bumping your car in obstacles and such, which is transferred to the "chassis-data" and affects the handling characteristics in long-term - results with need to drive more careful. I can totally understand the logic behind this and personally I would love to see more developers encouraging such praxis.
On the other hand, B-Spec development is clearly a great project related to the development of the AI. Every minute spent in developing a B-Spec is a minute spent in AI development and showcase of another very complex path into developing a truly foundational feature from perspective of the genre.
So I think how spending resources on any of above is really welcomed.
retroBrand
Member
MORE TRACKS
-More real tracks, more fake tracks, just more tracks. There is no reason why a game should ship with only three or four more tracks than its predecessor. That's unacceptable.
-Night racing for every track. Shift 2 showed it was possible, now the industry should run with it.
COMMENTARY
-I haven't played a racing game with commentary since F1CE. Even if the announcers are just telling me what the running order is for the top ten, or describing a wreck that happened ahead of me, or behind me, it would be better than what we currently get: Nothing.
FINISHED GAMES ON RELEASE
-C'mon Codemasters.
CUSTOMIZATION
-Inside and out; livery editors, and visual interior upgrades should be genre standards. Works conversions are nice also.
And stop throwing your DLC in my face (Codemasters), and stop holding back content for DLC (Turn 10). Just rambling here...
-More real tracks, more fake tracks, just more tracks. There is no reason why a game should ship with only three or four more tracks than its predecessor. That's unacceptable.
-Night racing for every track. Shift 2 showed it was possible, now the industry should run with it.
COMMENTARY
-I haven't played a racing game with commentary since F1CE. Even if the announcers are just telling me what the running order is for the top ten, or describing a wreck that happened ahead of me, or behind me, it would be better than what we currently get: Nothing.
FINISHED GAMES ON RELEASE
-C'mon Codemasters.
CUSTOMIZATION
-Inside and out; livery editors, and visual interior upgrades should be genre standards. Works conversions are nice also.
And stop throwing your DLC in my face (Codemasters), and stop holding back content for DLC (Turn 10). Just rambling here...
Salacious Crumb
Junior Member
A good race engineer would work better for what you're describing. The recent f1 games have race engineers, but they're terrible in both.
Metalmurphy
Member
No.
24 car grid, online and off
Online leagues with team support
Improved career mode
All standards improved to premiums.
That's why I love SHIFT. It's a game which comes closest to conveying that 'authentic racing experience' imo.
The question is, will PD or T10 risk their working formula in favour of a more 'true' motor racing experience?
Can the collection and customizing of hundreds of cars coincide with a frantic,fast paced, in your face racing action as well?
retroBrand
Member
Right, all they seem to talk about is your worthless teammate, at least for F12010. Just useless.
AlphaTwo00
Member
It did come out:I just have one simple wish:
gimme that in HD and maybe different highways (German Autobahn and French Alps would be sick) just for the sake of variation and scenery.
slidewinder
Banned
I just have one simple wish:
gimme that in HD and maybe different highways (German Autobahn and French Alps would be sick) just for the sake of variation and scenery.
Yeah, I miss those games. They were a simple, mind-numbing pleasure.
mclaren777
Member
AlphaTwo00
Member
My only hope for next gen racers: that they aren't dead. I don't want just the mainstays of each subgenre (GT, Forza, NFS, Motorstorm, Dirt, Ridge Racer, Mario Kart), nor do I want just revivals of somewhat dormant franchise either (F-Zero, PGR, Wipeout), and I hope we seen the last closing of racing dedicated studios.
gutterboy44
Member
I would like to see the "ownership" features that Amar hit on explored more. We can do custom liveries and such but I want to feel like I own my cars more. Since I long ago purchases all the cars in GT5 I have taken to trying to get 0 miles versions of every car and keeping "trophy cars" cars that I win online races or NGL events with. Once I win a special race or have a great race, I retire the car and never use it again, except for the occasional joy ride.
I want to be able to have a Jay Leno style garage to put my favorite cars in, to walk around and see or have others take a quick tour. I like the idea of cars aging and getting worse or breaking in and getting better. They become more alive and build a history. The more they flush that out the better.
I would also like to see the online areas to come to life. Have track days really feel like a track day, not just some sterile leader board. For example it would be amazing if Suzuka lived as a persistent track online and to set times you had to "go there" and there would always be other people there sharing the track. The day and night cycle would always be pinned to the real life track location and ideally even the weather. Of course at anytime you could do a normal leader board time trial with an empty track but I would love to see a track have life to it. Not just a generic "lounge" where it feels no different than launching a game of Battlefield. Basically what Home was supposed to do for game meetups but solely within the world of a racing sim, where you are already in the game.
Basically throw a little MMO into some aspects of online racing.
I want to be able to have a Jay Leno style garage to put my favorite cars in, to walk around and see or have others take a quick tour. I like the idea of cars aging and getting worse or breaking in and getting better. They become more alive and build a history. The more they flush that out the better.
I would also like to see the online areas to come to life. Have track days really feel like a track day, not just some sterile leader board. For example it would be amazing if Suzuka lived as a persistent track online and to set times you had to "go there" and there would always be other people there sharing the track. The day and night cycle would always be pinned to the real life track location and ideally even the weather. Of course at anytime you could do a normal leader board time trial with an empty track but I would love to see a track have life to it. Not just a generic "lounge" where it feels no different than launching a game of Battlefield. Basically what Home was supposed to do for game meetups but solely within the world of a racing sim, where you are already in the game.
Basically throw a little MMO into some aspects of online racing.
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
But relationships between elements such as AI and B-Spec, and performance degradation over time and car ownership are not those of logical equivalence, the implications only go one way. In other words, although the existence of the B-Spec mode or its equivalent in other games may imply more resources put into AI development, that's not necessarily true. Some games have advanced damage and performance degradation modelling (albeit not necessarily transferable between races) even though they don't have an elaborate car ownership component built into their structure, and the same can be said for AI. In fact, some games were ahead of GT4 in those areas, and GT4 had both the B-Spec mode and the car ownership concept.
It's obvious that all developers put considerable resources into those areas because they're integral to the core driving experience - building separate game elements such as B-Spec and car ownership on top of that requires additional resources which could perhaps be better spent elsewhere (that, of course, depends on whether you personally care about those features or not, but advancements in the core driving experience benefit everyone).
I want a AAA, story-based driving game. Give me the over-played, post-apocalyptic setting, and put me on the East Coast, then tell me I need to get cross-country. I don't have any means of transportation, so I have to salvage parts to make my vehicle, and distill my own fuel. The game is then a mix of driving down these old, classic highways, maintaining my vehicle, scouting for parts and fuel, while making my way towards my destination...a la The Road.
I would play the shit out of that game.
I would play the shit out of that game.
how about racing dudes for the rights to their cars along the way? then you get to salvage parts from 'em.
I could deal with that.
You're not going to drop a thread bomb on me and tell me this game already exists, are you?
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
How about a proper new Interstate game instead?
How about we swap the boring car maintenance parts for Christina Hendricks?
I could deal with that.
You're not going to drop a thread bomb on me and tell me this game already exists, are you?
sadly, i don't have such good news. it's a great idea, though.
Oh, I could definitely live with that.
What's this either/or stuff all about? Why don't we make Christina Hendricks your NPC sidekick that you send out to collect parts/fuel? WIN-WIN!!!
See Devs?! That's two...count 'em...two guaranteed sales! Get on this!
Well, if you take out the car parts/fuel business and put Christina Hendricks in as your sidekick. And set it today rather than post-apocalypse you can play the game of the future, today.
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
What we really need is next-gen Wacky Races.
Mister Zimbu
Member
I hope there's a minigame in F1 2012 where you have to identify birds that land on the track during rain delays.
Neuromancer
Member
I'd like to see online modes where you can race with friends against the computer, as a team. That'd be awesome. Imagine a racing game where the entire career can be played, basically, as a co-op game. Not sure if that's ever been done before but I think it'd be awesome.
Salacious Crumb
Junior Member
F1 2011 does exactly that.
Foliorum Viridum
Banned
In games like Forza and GT I have no idea what would make me interested. It's always the same cars, same tracks, same boring progression in career mode... I've just done it all so many fucking times I don't want to ever do it again, to be honest.
I want Motorstorm to be taken to next level and for other arcade racers to follow it. Apocalypse was fucking nuts and one of the best arcade racers ever made. Absolutely amazing. More destruction, variety in the events that happen when you race a circuit (think Split Second) etc etc.
Project CARS is the most interesting thing happening at the moment. I can't wait to see where they are 6, 12, 18 months from now. That's the future of racing games, I think.
I want the F1 license to stay with Codemasters but I want them to sort their shit out for launch better.
I want Motorstorm to be taken to next level and for other arcade racers to follow it. Apocalypse was fucking nuts and one of the best arcade racers ever made. Absolutely amazing. More destruction, variety in the events that happen when you race a circuit (think Split Second) etc etc.
Project CARS is the most interesting thing happening at the moment. I can't wait to see where they are 6, 12, 18 months from now. That's the future of racing games, I think.
I want the F1 license to stay with Codemasters but I want them to sort their shit out for launch better.
blu
Wants the largest console games publisher to avoid Nintendo's platforms.
So nextgen racing sims will come as source code? Now that's what I'd call a paradigm shift ; )
Amar has spoken my mind.
Here are some of my wildest ideas:
Online race/league management tools
- Having the ability to create a racing league with points, leaderboards, regulations, etc
- Being able to form racing teams for those leagues, multiple cars under a same team
- Race manager (similar to Battlefield 2's commander) that can speak with you, manage your strategy, tell you to push harder, pace yourself, or pit all in real time. The groundwork for this is already laid down by B-Spec for example in GT5
- Spectator/commentator slots with better viewing tools that could propel the sim racing genre into the esport vein if serious racing leagues form (a la iRacing)
Improvements on racing regulations
- Realistic flag system is missing in titles that have the proper licenses
Basically, anything that will make the game a more accurate representation of motorsports. F1 2011 does some of these things, but it's severely lacking in other games.
Here are some of my wildest ideas:
Online race/league management tools
- Having the ability to create a racing league with points, leaderboards, regulations, etc
- Being able to form racing teams for those leagues, multiple cars under a same team
- Race manager (similar to Battlefield 2's commander) that can speak with you, manage your strategy, tell you to push harder, pace yourself, or pit all in real time. The groundwork for this is already laid down by B-Spec for example in GT5
- Spectator/commentator slots with better viewing tools that could propel the sim racing genre into the esport vein if serious racing leagues form (a la iRacing)
Improvements on racing regulations
- Realistic flag system is missing in titles that have the proper licenses
Basically, anything that will make the game a more accurate representation of motorsports. F1 2011 does some of these things, but it's severely lacking in other games.
You know what I would love most of all?
For developers to post an official "suggestions/ideas/feature requests" thread(or even a dedicated site/page) before deep development commences, and I mean a constructive thread and not just for the sake of it.
It's useless to have fan made wishlists months out from game completion when most ideas are too late to be implemented.
I realize that these games belong to the devs and they have their own visions, but it would be great to see devs actually getting the community involved right from the beginning.
For developers to post an official "suggestions/ideas/feature requests" thread(or even a dedicated site/page) before deep development commences, and I mean a constructive thread and not just for the sake of it.
It's useless to have fan made wishlists months out from game completion when most ideas are too late to be implemented.
I realize that these games belong to the devs and they have their own visions, but it would be great to see devs actually getting the community involved right from the beginning.
CouchMaster
Member
This..
but in real time at 60fps.
but in real time at 60fps.
To improve gameplay wise (As in car handling and such), we don't really need to wait next generation for I'd think. Just tack on features that weren't possible, expand the game, add details.
All I want is Burnout with destructible environments, even crazier car deformations, and as MUCH attention to detail as possible in all of these. Also improve on the drop in and drop out online experience that they had in Paradise if they plan on going open world again. If not....
Bring on Burnout Revenge 2!
All I want is Burnout with destructible environments, even crazier car deformations, and as MUCH attention to detail as possible in all of these. Also improve on the drop in and drop out online experience that they had in Paradise if they plan on going open world again. If not....
Bring on Burnout Revenge 2!
It was an ok idea, but its never been done in any fun, meaningful way. I've always thought it was a tedious feature of the game more than anything. You just go and press a button to bring your car back to its original state. Forza has nothing like this, yet I still feel way more attached to my cars than in any GT I've ever played.
Aside from digging around in an engine bay with your own bare hands or being out on a nice day washing and waxing your car, car maintenance is a hassle. Its something we should be GLAD to not have to do in a video game.
Unless they turn this sort of thing into some kind of optional hardcore, realistic feature that didn't involve just clicking a button to 'restore' your car back to normal, I'd say its something that could be dropped in order to put focus on other aspects of the game.
I'm certainly not a creative person in general, so I cant imagine what they'd do or how they'd do it, but I'm sure somebody could think of some better solution if they insist on keeping it.
But that's exactly what I was asking for
I know, but while it looks promising it won't be a "gonna catch 'em all" Autovista / car porn game.
Also not the biggest fan of Formula racing games.
PjotrStroganov
Member
Audio. GTR3 seems to be the first to really get it right. And let me tell you.....it's overdue.
gutterboy44
Member
I like a lot of your points as well. The online environment hasn't been explored nearly enough in racing sims. The general meetup and race in a single stand alone entity is as old as time. Well managed and implemented leagues and racing series would be amazing.