Support NeoGAF

[CamHostage]

Honestly... im a little worried. I mean I hope i am wrong as I like Kart games, but the whole world shifting mechanic really means that well crafted tracks are out the window and replaced by track "bits"

Like I never imagined when driving "oh I wish part of the course is randomised" it just feels off to me.

I don't have the beta, but it sounds like it could be doable the way they're doing it. (Remember that this is still on Switch and past-gen, so it's not a crazy concept where any stage could slam into any world at any time. There are limitations, both technologically and just gameplay sensibility wise.

As I understand the mechanic, the crossworlds themselves are 15 micro-levels that you warp into at a bridgepoint of a main map. There are always two choices (and both of those choices would have been loaded long before you get to them; they might even be specific to certain levels rather than always randomized?) and everybody goes into the same crossworld when they cross that threshold plus everbody comes out at the same spot when they finish a crossworld. The starts and stops of every cross point is locked in, and everybody runs the same stretch of route once a crossworld is chosen; crossworlds are also probably a specific length and expectation of how long to traverse them.

So it's kind of just a fun expansion of the A/B branching path mechanic. Think of it like there was a tunnel with switching gates, where you get directed to one of two different routes which both lead to the meetup point on the other side where you exit the tunnel.



...If you are worried about this affecting the precision of masterfully designed track design from previous Sonic All-Star Racing games, however, you may be in for a rough surprise: this isn't exactly a Sonic Racing sequel. New developer, new concept, new gameplay.

Watching videos and reading impressions, I've seen this game compared more to Cruisin' Blast than Mario Kart, which makes sense. It's more of a "linear", narrow slotracer-style arcade karting game, without some of the control elements that the games by Sumo offered. That slat track design would make a level-switching mechanic work without much complication because levels are designed for twitch play rather than nuance and racing line. (It's a little silly talking about racing line in a Kart game, but there are strategies if a track is designed for that kind of depth and space.) Press the gas, drift for boost, steer straight, and watch out for attacks. Arcade fun, but a different thing. The difference seems pretty significant to me when seen side by side on similar levels.

 

[cireza]

I don't have the beta, but it sounds like it could be doable the way they're doing it. (Remember that this is still on Switch and past-gen, so it's not a crazy concept where any stage could slam into any world at any time. There are limitations, both technologically and just gameplay sensibility wise.

As I understand the mechanic, the crossworlds themselves are 15 micro-levels that you warp into at a bridgepoint of a main map. There are always two choices (and both of those choices would have been loaded long before you get to them; they might even be specific to certain levels rather than always randomized?) and everybody goes into the same crossworld when they cross that threshold plus everbody comes out at the same spot when they finish a crossworld. The starts and stops of every cross point is locked in, and everybody runs the same stretch of route once a crossworld is chosen; crossworlds are also probably a specific length and expectation of how long to traverse them.

So it's kind of just a fun expansion of the A/B branching path mechanic. Think of it like there was a tunnel with switching gates, where you get directed to one of two different routes which both lead to the meetup point on the other side where you exit the tunnel.



...If you are worried about this affecting the precision of masterfully designed track design from previous Sonic All-Star Racing games, however, you may be in for a rough surprise: this isn't exactly a Sonic Racing sequel. New developer, new concept, new gameplay.

Watching videos and reading impressions, I've seen this game compared more to Cruisin' Blast than Mario Kart, which makes sense. It's more of a "linear", narrow slotracer-style arcade karting game, without some of the control elements that the games by Sumo offered. That slat track design would make a level-switching mechanic work without much complication because levels are designed for twitch play rather than nuance and racing line. (It's a little silly talking about racing line in a Kart game, but there are strategies if a track is designed for that kind of depth and space.) Press the gas, drift for boost, steer straight, and watch out for attacks. Arcade fun, but a different thing. The difference seems pretty significant to me when seen side by side on similar levels.

Awful gameplay as far as I am concerned.

Boosts have no energy
Fucking snaking
Effects are way too large and take the entire screen
Poor visibility
No control over the race, you can't avoid the attacks
Random player wins

This is Mario Kart in all its glory. Gameplay designed so that "everyone has fun" and "everyone can win". Disappointed.

Positive note : I like the tracks and environments.

 

[Gambit2483]

Awful gameplay as far as I am concerned.

Boosts have no energy
Fucking snaking
Effects are way too large and take the entire screen
Poor visibility
No control over the race, you can't avoid the attacks
Random player wins

This is Mario Kart in all its glory. Gameplay designed so that "everyone has fun" and "everyone can win". Disappointed.

Positive note : I like the tracks and environments.

Hopefully they take a lot of the feedback from the Beta and improve on these issues.

 

[Fat Frog]

Hopefully they take a lot of the feedback from the Beta and improve on these issues.

They will.
The Initial D team is always do that on the arcades.

 

[SmokedMeat]

That looked pretty damn good.

 

[Hookshot]

I know it's for kids but you'd think a Sonic racing game would have more sense of speed.

 

[Branded]

I'll pick this up for a fiver in a few years.

Sonic All-Stars Transformed it ain't.

 

[Fermbiz]

So apparently, I signed up for the beta in the wrong region....

I dont what region this code belongs too, but enjoy.

Spoiler

X9AT-3DRM-D3D3

 

[DeVeAn]

The transition to different vehicles has almost no animation. The old game it was like a full on transformer.

Sega fucked this up man. Gotta wait 6 years to see if they get sumo digital again. Fucken wheels fold and there’s a plane lol.

Granted the game itself is ok. The game it’s trying to copy is the superior game.

 

[Fat Frog]

The transition to different vehicles has almost no animation. The old game it was like a full on transformer.

Sega fucked this up man. Gotta wait 6 years to see if they get sumo digital again. Fucken wheels fold and there’s a plane lol.

Granted the game itself is ok. The game it’s trying to copy is the superior game.

It's still a beta.
There will be improvements, updates, new content, gears.
So who knows ?

Did the Initial D really fucked up a game after an arcade beta ?

 

[Portugeezer]

So apparently, I signed up for the beta in the wrong region....

I dont what region this code belongs too, but enjoy.

Spoiler

X9AT-3DRM-D3D3

I'll assume Asia as I almost signed up for Asia somehow.

Didn't get in, but I enjoyed the previous Sonic kart games.