Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Discussion Thread

[c172fccc]

This was also an Alpha build, it doesn’t contain the entire game, nor all of the graphics. Graphics and optimisation tend to happen late in the dev cycle. So, we’ll come back later.

Sure! All of the things that populate a city and give it life are being worked on. That will be added much later.

Honestly, these kind of things are a bit worrying to me when you think about the fact the game was originally supposed to be out in September 2022 and then was delayed 2 times. They're a small team, they might have bitten off more than they could chew and struggled to push out all the features they intended on time, yet they can't keep delaying the game forever. I don't want to see the same thing that happened with Project Cars, where they kept adding features until last minute and neglected the polishing phase. I don't want to see yet another game released in an Alpha state.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Alex VII interviewed two developers at KT Racing



Some interesting details:

• they have heard the feedback about people wanting houses in game and are coming post launch (2:55)
• the workshop has 8 players and the solar hotel and dealerships can have 16 people (4:00)
• you can instant challenge people anywhere in the game, including the workshop (5:08)
• the hybrid system will work and feel similarly to WRC Generations (6:19)
• there are 6 radio stations with 10 hours of content for each and the radio will be syncs across players in a game (9:23)
  • one of the DJs is also a racer that can be challenged in the game
• you can customize your character's clothes (there are real clothing brands), hair, and facial hair (11:58)

 

[VVV Mars VG]

Honestly, these kind of things are a bit worrying to me when you think about the fact the game was originally supposed to be out in September 2022 and then was delayed 2 times. They're a small team, they might have bitten off more than they could chew and struggled to push out all the features they intended on time, yet they can't keep delaying the game forever. I don't want to see the same thing that happened with Project Cars, where they kept adding features until last minute and neglected the polishing phase. I don't want to see yet another game released in an Alpha state.

These things are not to worry about. They've just been really open as a studio in showing raw gameplay from a dev build gamers would never usually get the chance to see. I guess a lot of gamers don't understand the dev process and see everything as final, which is a shame because the dev process is a wonderfully creative time. But slick trailers are likely the way forward for all studios now.

As for release dates, I don't know where Sept 2022 came from. Perhaps the game was far smaller at that stage, perhaps they decided to increase the ambition and make a better game. Always better to delay than release an unfinished and unpolished game, it will take as long as it takes.

 

[nukleabomb]

These things are not to worry about. They've just been really open as a studio in showing raw gameplay from a dev build gamers would never usually get the chance to see. I guess a lot of gamers don't understand the dev process and see everything as final, which is a shame because the dev process is a wonderfully creative time. But slick trailers are likely the way forward for all studios now.

As for release dates, I don't know where Sept 2022 came from. Perhaps the game was far smaller at that stage, perhaps they decided to increase the ambition and make a better game. Always better to delay than release an unfinished and unpolished game, it will take as long as it takes.

I watched your FM impressions video, and agreed with quite a lot of the things you said. But it is funny seeing you in this thread, saying stuff like:

This was also an Alpha build, it doesn’t contain the entire game, nor all of the graphics. Graphics and optimisation tend to happen late in the dev cycle. So, we’ll come back later.

Again, this demo didn't fully showcase the epic detail, graphics weren't all active yet.

Sure! All of the things that populate a city and give it life are being worked on. That will be added much later.

Which you could definitely also apply to the FM video, considering that they are similar circumstances. But, because you were invited behind the curtains by KT, you are much softer on them.

I don't think you are being disingenuous, because seeing something in person and talking to actual people can have a different impression than just watching a youtube livestream which compresses the footage to bits. Most people have an experience closer to yours (for the FM video), hence they are much more skeptical about TDU, just like you are with FM.

This isn't me pointing fingers, but i am pointing out the contrast that a YT video v/s Hands on demo can have on ones opinion.

Oh and the Sept 22 2022 date came from this trailer:

 

[R55NA]

I was happy and surprised to see Alan there in that video!

My main issue is that gameplay snapshot has done nothing for me to distinguish this game from Horizon, Need for Speed, The Crew, or any other open world racing game.

...other than the first person hotel and club section, which looked janky and awkward.

 

[VVV Mars VG]

I watched your FM impressions video, and agreed with quite a lot of the things you said. But it is funny seeing you in this thread, saying stuff like:






Which you could definitely also apply to the FM video, considering that they are similar circumstances. But, because you were invited behind the curtains by KT, you are much softer on them.

I don't think you are being disingenuous, because seeing something in person and talking to actual people can have a different impression than just watching a youtube livestream which compresses the footage to bits. Most people have an experience closer to yours (for the FM video), hence they are much more skeptical about TDU, just like you are with FM.

This isn't me pointing fingers, but i am pointing out the contrast that a YT video v/s Hands on demo can have on ones opinion.

Oh and the Sept 22 2022 date came from this trailer:

No, the circumstances are not similar. Turn 10 / Microsoft is one of the biggest, most capable software development houses in the world. Huge budgets, they employ the best and as market leaders, we expect the best. Trouble with a lot of games YouTubers and Influencers, they can't tell the different between one studio budget and another. That's another subject for another day.

I'm sceptical with Forza because they say it's been built entirely from the ground up and there is evidence to suggest to the contrary. There were also visible areas for concern on a market leading title of this scale that is mere weeks from launch.

I didn't see pre-alpha or alpha gameplay of Forza, no Forza game has been released this early to my knowledge, Perhaps the E3 2004 demo in Blue Mountains. The footage released last year appeared to be non-playable drivatars in Maple Valley.

Yep, as I mentioned earlier, "I don't know where Sept 2022 came from. Perhaps the game was far smaller at that stage, perhaps they decided to increase the ambition and make a better game. Always better to delay than release an unfinished and unpolished game, it will take as long as it takes."

I can fully understand the concerns some have had with the recent TDUSC demo, I don't produce or direct the video. But I did enjoy playing it and right now everything I've seen behind the scenes looks great. It's a proper TDU game and that's why it's easy to answer community questions, because there are so many unanswered questions that need resolution. We will get there and those questions will be answered in due course.

 

[nukleabomb]

, the circumstances are not similar. Turn 10 / Microsoft is one of the biggest, most capable software development houses in the world. Huge budgets, they employ the best and as market leaders, we expect the best. Trouble with a lot of games YouTubers and Influencers, they can't tell the different between one studio budget and another. That's another subject for another day.

When you are paying the same amount for a game, as a consumer, it shouldn't matter what the budget is. This is just a roundabout way to excuse an unpolished showcase.


Besides, It's not like Kylotonn went out and made a brand new open world IP either. They've gone and resurrected one of the most beloved and ambitious games in Test Drive Unlimited and has none of the flair of the Eden Games products. If this was a brand new IP, expectations would be much lower. There is a good chance they're also hoping that the brand name carries enough goodwill. They're also competing in the same class as The crew, NFS and Forza horizon. TDU's biggest speciality was the largest arcade racer map(1660km² for tdu and 2100km² for tdu 2), all the way till the crew (made up of former Eden Games devs had a map of about 5000km²). Solar crown has a comparatively paltry 78 km², smallest in its class. Almost all of its features aren't unique either. Which is why most are and will see it very negatively.


I will wait for more details from the devs, but nothing so far is good enough to even consider. The name is the only reason people are attentive towards it.

 

[Bilu]

Everything I've seen so far doesn't look any better than FH3, I'll try to get into the beta to evaluate it myself. Unfortunately nowadays you can no longer trust content creators.

 

[VVV Mars VG]

When you are paying the same amount for a game, as a consumer, it shouldn't matter what the budget is. This is just a roundabout way to excuse an unpolished showcase.


Besides, It's not like Kylotonn went out and made a brand new open world IP either. They've gone and resurrected one of the most beloved and ambitious games in Test Drive Unlimited and has none of the flair of the Eden Games products. If this was a brand new IP, expectations would be much lower. There is a good chance they're also hoping that the brand name carries enough goodwill. They're also competing in the same class as The crew, NFS and Forza horizon. TDU's biggest speciality was the largest arcade racer map(1660km² for tdu and 2100km² for tdu 2), all the way till the crew (made up of former Eden Games devs had a map of about 5000km²). Solar crown has a comparatively paltry 78 km², smallest in its class. Almost all of its features aren't unique either. Which is why most are and will see it very negatively.


I will wait for more details from the devs, but nothing so far is good enough to even consider. The name is the only reason people are attentive towards it.

That is a really good question. Indie studios and mid-budget studios, they can't compete as budgets sky rocket with Microsoft, Sony, EA, etc. What is the solution? For me, I start with the gameplay, if the gameplay is solid, we can have fun playing and build from there.

Sure, this is a super ambitious project, expectations are high. The developer 'Alain' knows where he's going, it's developing nicely behind the scenes, but this is a hugely complex production.

In terms of the map size, rather than a huge empty map, they've gone for the complex reconstruction of Hong Kong. The term 'paltry' is I feel harsh and unfair given the magnitude of the task. The map is incredible in terms of detail, hopefully one day people see the achievement for what it is and give credit where it is due.

As for unique features, there's still a lot to be revealed. First you have to tick-box the old features gamers enjoyed, then add new ones. The name of the game is a blessing and curse at this stage, but I'm confident it will answer many of your concerns. Of course at the end of the day, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[whannel]

No, the circumstances are not similar. Turn 10 / Microsoft is one of the biggest, most capable software development houses in the world. Huge budgets, they employ the best and as market leaders, we expect the best. Trouble with a lot of games YouTubers and Influencers, they can't tell the different between one studio budget and another. That's another subject for another day.

I'm sceptical with Forza because they say it's been built entirely from the ground up and there is evidence to suggest to the contrary. There were also visible areas for concern on a market leading title of this scale that is mere weeks from launch.

I didn't see pre-alpha or alpha gameplay of Forza, no Forza game has been released this early to my knowledge, Perhaps the E3 2004 demo in Blue Mountains. The footage released last year appeared to be non-playable drivatars in Maple Valley.

Yep, as I mentioned earlier, "I don't know where Sept 2022 came from. Perhaps the game was far smaller at that stage, perhaps they decided to increase the ambition and make a better game. Always better to delay than release an unfinished and unpolished game, it will take as long as it takes."

I can fully understand the concerns some have had with the recent TDUSC demo, I don't produce or direct the video. But I did enjoy playing it and right now everything I've seen behind the scenes looks great. It's a proper TDU game and that's why it's easy to answer community questions, because there are so many unanswered questions that need resolution. We will get there and those questions will be answered in due course.

This. Forza released multiple trailers for Motorsport that looked great including what looked like gameplay in some parts behind the cars which was nothing like we saw in the latest trailer with actual gameplay. It'll also be out sooner, despite a big delay and years of development and they've gone with using the term 'photorealistic' to advertise it. It probably will be, they're probably just turning things off graphically to get people talking then it'll be fine on launch, maybe even by the time they show whatever they show us tonight.

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

I think a lot of people have been scared of seeing influencers and people getting “inside scoops” ever since DRIV3Rgate. And, yknow, this was an atari franchise…

Anyway, I’m really excited for this. TDU1 has a special place for me. TDU2 frankly was crap but it had its own charm, did its own thing and didn’t care what anyone else did and I still had a lot of hours of fun with it.

I’m holding out a lot of hope. But all I can say is it’s missing some of the essence of TDU. Like, instead of having generic HUD speedometer/revs etc on screen, they went to the effort of recreating the car’s actual clocks. Those little touches made all the difference and gave it its own character.

But still. There’s much to come. They’re clearly taking their time and as people in the YouTube comments are saying - it’s frankly ballsy to have a no-bs outright gameplay reveal. No theatrics, no faked cutscenes, just genuine gameplay. And they did just that, and made it very clear that it’s an alpha build.

Some of the essence is there - menus for wipers and indicators and the rest.

People are complaining about what they aren’t seeing - casinos, all the rest - it doesn’t mean it isn’t coming. It just means it’s not ready to show yet. They can’t put all their cards on the table right away, pardon the pun.

Have faith, everyone. It could still be great.

I'd argue the TDU games were never technical marvels, but very charming as you said, mostly due to their ambition. Their sense of scale was ridiculous, especially in regards to the first one, and I'm amazed Eden Games, constrained by budget and resources they had, managed to make them as good as they did. And no game has ever really come close to the sense of ownership of your car collection than this series has. Every car in Forza and GT feels disposable, but little details like picking out specific trims, wheel choice and even interior made the cars really feel like your car that you picked out.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

They've sent registration forms for the closed beta, which require the signing of an NDA.

Here's the minimum specs for PC for this specific beta:

MINIMUM PC REQUIREMENTS:

• Operating system : Windows 10, 64-bit (22H2 and up)
• Processor: Intel Core i5-10600K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT
• Memory: 12 GB RAM
• GRAPHICS: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070, 8 GB or AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT, 8 GB
• SSD

PS : The above minimum system requirements apply only to this closed playtest, and do not represent the system requirements for the official game launch

 

[gtracedriver1]

The game looks rough but at least they showed the alpha footage gameplay which most devs don't. Hopefully they can improve it with time for the time of release.

 

[Boxerengine4]

Nvm, this game is gonna be garbino.

 

[NLxAROSA]

When you are paying the same amount for a game, as a consumer, it shouldn't matter what the budget is.

Of course it matters. If you spend 150 EUR on dinner at a Michelin Star restaurant, then take the same amount to MacDonalds expecting to get the same thing/same quality then that's a matter of unrealistic expectations. What's more important is where/how that budget is spent, or rather: wasted. E.g. if you take that 150EUR to another Michelin Star restaurant and they serve you MacDonalds quality after taking 2 hours to prepare it, then you've got every right to be angry. Broken promises, such as NMS (though they redeemed themselves very nicely) or PC3, etc. are also valid reasons to be pissed. But expecting your Euro/Dollar/whatever to yield the same result everywhere is not realistic, that's not how the world works (with anyhing you buy/pay for).

That said, my expectations for this one are fairly low at the moment, but I am open to be proven wrong when it launches.

 

[eran0004]

Of course it matters. If you spend 150 EUR on dinner at a Michelin Star restaurant, then take the same amount to MacDonalds expecting to get the same thing/same quality then that's a matter of unrealistic expectations. What's more important is where/how that budget is spent, or rather: wasted. E.g. if you take that 150EUR to another Michelin Star restaurant and they serve you MacDonalds quality after taking 2 hours to prepare it, then you've got every right to be angry. Broken promises, such as NMS (though they redeemed themselves very nicely) or PC3, etc. are also valid reasons to be pissed. But expecting your Euro/Dollar/whatever to yield the same result everywhere is not realistic, that's not how the world works (with anyhing you buy/pay for).

That said, my expectations for this one are fairly low at the moment, but I am open to be proven wrong when it launches.

You’re not paying the same price for a meal at McDonald’s as you do at a Michelin restaurant.

 

[NLxAROSA]

You’re not paying the same price for a meal at McDonald’s as you do at a Michelin restaurant.

Exactly. You shouldn’t expect your euro/dollar to get you the same thing everywhere.

 

[nukleabomb]

Exactly. You shouldn’t expect your euro/dollar to get you the same thing everywhere.

Well, unfortunately they've called it TDU. So I expect a full TDU game that competes with other open world games at the same price. The consumer doesn't set the price, it's the publisher themselves. And in this case all these games are the same price.

These expectations are set because of all the "TDU roots" and "TDU feel" speeches they've been giving at every single info drop. It's quite natural that people have high expectations of it. There's also rose tinted glasses that they'd have to expect, because they're reviving a dead franchise.


Then there is the online sentiment of "racing games are dead/dying", which I personally don't agree with. We have everything from arcade to sim, track to open world. It seems like new players are entering the market every year. Of course, not all of them land.

Either way, this one ain't it, so far.


I'm also surprised nothing has leaked from its closed beta yet. Afaik it should have taken place last have.

 

[eran0004]

Exactly. You shouldn’t expect your euro/dollar to get you the same thing everywhere.

It’s actually very nearly the exact opposite.

You tried to show that customers don’t care about quality since they know that if they spend the same amount of money at McDonald’s and at a Michelin restaurant they won’t get the same quality for their money. The big flaw with that reasoning is that you think in terms of total cost rather than cost per unit. The analogy would work if you compared one expensive AAA title to five cheap mobile games (no sane customer would expect to receive the equivalent of one AAA title by buying five mobile games, just like no sane customer would expect to receive the equivalent of one Michelin restaurant meal by buying five meals at McDonald’s), but it doesn’t work when you compare one expensive game to another expensive game because then the unit costs are the same and the customer expects to receive about the same level of quality.

Nobody would go to McDonald’s if they had the same unit cost as the Michelin restaurant. They wouldn’t happily pay the same price just because they know that McDonald’s has a lower quality.

 

[NLxAROSA]

You tried to show that customers don’t care about quality

Not what I said or implied at all. What I implied is that price is never indicative of quality. If there are 100 games priced 80 EUR, you do not get 100 times the same quality. Some will be great, some will be crap. In adddition, a game priced 80 EUR is not always of higher quality than a game priced 30 EUR. Price is never indicative of quality. There is expensive trash and cheap marvels.

Not saying the dev track for this game is particularly efficient btw, it will likely show in the quality when (or if) it is finally launched.

 

[VVV Mars VG]

Made a video about the Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown showcase, explaining my experience on the game and hopefully answering some of the concerns raised.

 

[BONDMINIS]

Made a video about the Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown showcase, explaining my experience on the game and hopefully answering some of the concerns raised.

Were you under NDA until today?

 

[Dave A]

Made a video about the Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown showcase, explaining my experience on the game and hopefully answering some of the concerns raised.

Great to get your thoughts, it's nice to see someone giving needed context and balance to the state of the game as it was in that video and to hear what some of the plans for the future are. It's funny what people will complain about, usually they complain about change regardless of the change makes sense or not. Nostaligia is a strong pull though.

 

[VVV Mars VG]

Were you under NDA until today?

No, there was a gameplay clip in the video that needed to be reviewed and approved, it seems that half of Europe goes on holiday in the summer. So, despite being uploaded in July, I only got the OK this week. But it's all good, I can get on with other news and hopefully more TDU news soon.

 

[Johnny Caisse]

Just wondering, do they plan on having lots of racing events and most of all... please tell me there are no cop chases planned.

 

[VVV Mars VG]

Just wondering, do they plan on having lots of racing events and most of all... please tell me there are no cop chases planned.

All of that will be revealed later. I guess we'll get the full game mode list along with the eventual road map.

 

[nukleabomb]

Steam :: Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown :: Solar Club Letter #4 - Summer Update

Feedback and perspectives!

steamcommunity.com

Solar Club Letter #4 - Summer Update
Feedback and perspectives!

Dear members,

Last month, you got a very first look at the gameplay for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. The TDU Connect event generated a lot of excitement on all social media platforms. We want to thank you again for all the feedback and suggestions you sent following this fantastic event! As you can imagine, to finally start gathering your feedback on specific aspects of the game is an important step for us. The first playtest we set up in the weeks after TDU Connect was also a new milestone for us. Over 1,000 players had the chance to play the game and give their feedback. Let's take a look at these two events, some of your questions, and some early points to keep in mind.

THE #TDUCONNECT: A SURPRISE GAMEPLAY REVEAL
One week before the event, some of you may have a spotted a previously unidentified figure. This was Vivian Hughes, organizer of the Solar Crown competition. Through various posts and clues, many of you suspected something exciting was being prepared for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. The big question was: would any gameplay be shown?

And via a unique presentation format, the gameplay reveal came in the form of a live co-op session. Three members of the development team were joined by BlackPanthaa, Alex VII, and Alan Boiston (Team VVV), three content creators specializing in online racing games. Together, they got a very first taste of the game on your behalf, while we streamed pure and immersive gameplay from a development version of the game. The format may have been a surprise, but we felt it was crucial to include some well-known members of the community to show content that has been eagerly anticipated for several years.

THE SOCIAL ASPECT
The format highlighted the social aspect of TDUSC, which is an essential and traditional component of the franchise and one of its key innovations. Players race against each other as a member of the Sharps or Streets, two clans whose very different lifestyles affect the in-game experience. However, the TDUSC DNA is not just limited to competitive racing. It's a lifestyle centred on luxury and a passion for cars that you share with others, so you can buy a car from a dealer together or customize your cars at a Workshop as a group, for example.

At TDU Connect, to address a larger audience than just long-standing fans of the franchise, we wanted to show a gaming session that represents the experience that many of you will have when first playing the game: lots of fun, players challenging each other, and exploring a vast world with a wide range of possibilities. But don't worry: cruising around is still an important aspect of TDU for us, and we're confident that exploring the island at a more relaxed pace will also be lots of fun for all the purists out there! TDUSC remains faithful to this vision by retaining what players have always loved about the franchise: chill driving, alone or with others, enjoying landscapes at cruising speed, and using all the various options inside your car.

PHYSICS
Note from Alain Jarniou – Creative Director:

“Car handling and behaviour is key to the TDU experience. Along with our guests, you saw and shared in an early development version during the gameplay reveal. We received excellent feedback from our guests on some crucial aspects, such as the cars' behaviour on asphalt and gravel, the feeling of speed, and the pronounced differences between each vehicle. But this is just a first step towards reaching our goal of implementing the perfect physics for a TDU game.

Thanks to our professional content creators' comments, and those from players of our first playtest, we are refining and cementing our design decisions so that the driving is as enjoyable and realistic as possible.

We want each car to have its own identity, to have authentic behaviour on roads, tracks and off-road, in all the weather conditions available in the game.

We feel it's important that players can have an ideal experience with a controller and all the assists enabled as well as with a wheel, without assists, for a more sim-like experience.

There's a lot of work to achieve that, but thanks to the experience gained developing other games, such as the WRC series, and the many occasions we have had to collect player feedback, we are confident we can create the best driving experience of all games in the TDU series.”

GRAPHICS QUALITY AND PERFORMANCE
You got a first glimpse of the game's graphics during the presentation. The teams are working hard on the overall visual quality to offer the best graphics possible, especially for the environments and vehicles. Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown aims to faithfully recreate Hong Kong Island and the exclusive cars that everyone dreams of driving. This TDU Connect was a chance for us to share with you an unadulterated look at the game experience in its current form, which is a development version (alpha). We are still working on optimization of the network and performance aspects and will continue to do so in the coming months before release.

THE FIRST CLOSED PLAYTEST
To accompany TDU Connect, we soon opened up access to the game so more of you could get your own feel for the gameplay. Because of this, some of you had the chance to try TDUSC in our very first closed playtest. The primary goal of this session was to test the stability of the game and servers, while also offering a chance to collect feedback and suggestions from the first players to try the game. It wasn't a huge surprise, but the number of registrations we received to take part in this first session once again confirmed that TDU holds a special place in many players' hearts, even 12 years after the release of the first game! More proof of your enthusiasm was shown by the impressive participation numbers and certain statistics: more than 2,800 cumulative hours of play and 55,000 kilometres (34,000 miles) driven. One member racked up over 1,000 kilometres (620 miles), while another became the first Solar King after more than 50 races completed. In total, there were over 15,000 races started, 2,500 wrecks discovered, and 8,500 speed traps triggered. Playtest 1 helped us test certain features on a much larger scale, and your feedback has already given us lots of great information! We want to thank the participants once again for spending their valuable time helping us.

We also appreciated the community's huge enthusiasm, and even though many of you didn't have the chance to try the game, rest assured there will be other sessions planned!

WHAT’S NEXT?
As you know, we started sharing more information a few months ago as development gradually moved closer to our beta phase. We still haven't shared all details about the game's content, story, and activities you can do as part of the Sharp and Street clan rivalry so that you will have more to discover in the coming months. More news is coming in the next few days with new gameplay images and reports from the first gaming journalists to have played the game at Gamescom last week.

 

[nukleabomb]

 

[FordGTGuy]

Cruiser trailer is looking really promising, I'm glad they are sticking to the TDU vibe and not trying to copy or imitate other games.

Definitely looking forward to this now.

Hopefully the lighting system will get a bit more work before launch, the lighting is pretty flat in the dealership.

 

[juanffy18]

What a nice video, these is the things i want