Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown Discussion Thread

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So much for those who said that the franchise is dead. Thank goodness this game is being done properly with some actual points of difference from Forza Horizon, Need For Speed and The Crew. It doesn't try to be edgy with stupid characters and a jarring visual style that doesn't make any sense; nor does it try to be comedic with horrible puns from insufferable people. It's soo refreshing to see a "street" racing game that takes itself seriously for once.
 
It doesn't try to be edgy with stupid characters and a jarring visual style that doesn't make any sense; nor does it try to be comedic with horrible puns from insufferable people. It's soo refreshing to see a "street" racing game that takes itself seriously for once.
I know, right? In The Crew 2, Forza Horizon games and most likely Motorfest I play without the voices and subtitles. I Especially do in The Crew 2 which makes fun of the player when they're not doing well.
 
OMG, we can actually turn off Scott Tyler and keep the music? :eek:
Yep, check out the audio tab and go down until you find Radio DJ and you can turn it off. I also turned off subtitles in accessibility. Since I listen to radios on TuneIn I turned off the music to 0% which FH5 finally lets you do.
 
Finally got round to seeing this trailer and it's a little on the clean but sterile side of things.

Definitely needs DLC like this to give it the authentic experience.

(the drivers of these are fearless madmen with little regard for passenger safety lol)

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Dear Solar Club members,

As you saw in our last video, The Cruiser, the driving experience - and not just for racing - is key to our approach to Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. Lots of Test Drive Unlimited fans still remember the first time they got behind the wheel of the car of their dreams in the previous version, whether they were going for a spin in town or meeting up with friends on the streets of Ibiza or Oahu in TDU and TDU 2. One of our objectives is to give you the same sensations with Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, on the streets of Hong Kong Island. In this latest Solar Club Newsletter, we take a look at how the driving experience will be shifting up a gear in TDUSC.

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EACH CAR HAS ITS OWN PHYSICS.

Car physics is a critical aspect of development. For some people, TDU2 did not meet all of its objectives in this respect: they felt the physics were too arcade-like, even unpredictable. As you already know, TDUSC integrates different car categories, from Classics to the Hypercar, Off-roads to Supercars, the Citroën 2CV to the Bugatti Chiron Sport.

Within each category, of course, each car has its own attributes: combustion, hybrid or electric engines, traction, propulsion or 4-wheel drive, turbocharger, 6, 8, and 12 cylinders… All the details that make each model unique. For each car, realism was the order of the day. The perfect mix so you get the best sensations whether using a wheel or a controller. Don't try to pull off a perfect drift with traction: you just might end up pulling all your hair out before you pull it off. In the same way, very few Supercars are adapted to off-road driving, even if some people insist on trying! But rest assured, even if the car isn't adapted to it, it still won't go up in smoke! Each car provides you with a unique driving experience, and that’s why you pick the car! In an upcoming letter, we'll be going into more detail about tuning and customization options.

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ACOUSTIC IMMERSION.

When we think about “going for a ride", the music we listen to springs to mind. As we have previously mentioned, we have been working with a wide range of music to go along with the best trips and to match your mood. There are 6 themed radio stations in TDUSC: Hip Hop Planet, Absolut Club, Indie Rock, Classic Era, World Music and Retro FM. They each have their own DJs and jingles. Each radio station has over 10 hours of music, which you will soon be able to check out on our social networks. Aurélien Baguerre, Audio Director at KT Racing, explains the philosophy behind each radio station and how each playlist was constructed:

Note from Aurélien Baguerre, Audio Director:

“Our six radio stations let players escape by listening to a large number of musical styles. We've worked on a musical selection that ranges from classic songs to modern tracks by lesser-known independent artists that players can discover while driving. In the car, the radio is like another passenger who is riding along with us and is part of the trip. When we think about cars and music, a track that we like to listen to while driving always comes to mind. The objective of TDUSC is to use a great, varied playlist to be right there with you and match your mood. Whether your taste is traditional and you're more of a Sharp, enjoying calm classical music while admiring the countryside, or Indie Rock, for more exciting trips along the docks or in town, or Hip Hop, if you’re into Street style, you'll find something you like. The Absolute Club (EDM), Retro FM and World Music radio stations add additional variety so you never get bored while driving. In TDUSC, the radio adds extra identity to your journeys.”


Not to worry, though, if you're a purist and only want to hear the soft purr of the engine while driving: you can also turn the radio off. That's when all the work spent developing the precision of the engine sounds becomes evident. Because it is a major factor in immersing yourself in a car game, especially when it comes to driving and cruising, a lot of R&D work went into the KT Engine so we could reproduce the specific sounds of each car model as faithfully as possible. Starting from real recordings, made in different conditions, the sounds were then integrated and linked to the car physics, so they react perfectly to what the player does and are spatialized. Basically, the sound rendering adapts to the camera in use and to the environment the player is in. Players seeking maximum immersion with the interior view can even hear the hazard and indicator lights while driving (they automatically go off once you've changed direction!), just like turning the car engine on or off.


THE GAME CAMERAS.

Our latest The Cruiser video also generated some reaction concerning the game cameras, and in particular about the dynamism of the rear camera. The video was completely made using the static Chase camera, as it's more suited for jaunts and makes it easier to see the environments.

A lot of people asked about the camera's dynamism. We would like to reassure everyone that TDUSC has 2 Chase cameras, one of which is “Dynamic”. This camera is a favourite of players and has a certain elasticity, relative to the car, that matches the driving rhythm (speed, turns, etc). You will get the chance to see more of this in an upcoming video! As for the other cameras, there's also an interior view for total immersion, the dashboard view appreciated by players at the wheel (it is located on the steering wheel, which therefore disappears), the traditional bonnet view and the bumper view, closer to the road, that enhances the effect of speed.

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F.R.I.M. IS BACK

The F.R.I.M. (Free Ride Instant Money) system is back! Making money by completing different activities is one thing, making it by driving with style and skill is another!

Initially introduced in Test Drive Unlimited 2, this feature lets you earn cash in the open world by adopting a more player-oriented way of driving. Your control and agility enable you to continually earn credits: ideal for when you're starting out on Hong Kong Island or to fatten your wallet when you want to buy your next car!

The principle is simple: complete a series of different achievements to raise your F.R.I.M. bar and add to the jackpot you can win. Once you think your score is high enough, you can cash it in. These are a few of the achievements you can complete:

● High speed
● Overtaking in extremis
● Wrong way
● Drift
● Good driving
● And many more!

Completing the different achievements increases your F.R.I.M., so the potential jackpot increases also! But mind you cash in at the right time! An accident or stopped car halts your F.R.I.M. gauge and sends your potential earnings back down to zero. So don't get greedy!
 
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I lost all my hype for this game after reading its pvp only, no single player career, why are they doing this guess its just a sad state we live in now
That's been the intention since TDU1. It's an MMO-based car game populated by other players.

You can race by yourself if you want.
Alternatively, you can ignore other players and play the campaign solo, but KT Racing emphasises that the social aspects are the most fun and authentic way to experience Solar Crown.
 
The entire point of TDU was that it was M.O.O.R. - Massively Open Online Racing.

Yes it had some career races, but the whole point was to go fully online. So even though others are saying it isn't the case (which I do hope it isn't to be fair), I wouldn't be entirely surprised.
 
If you read the blogpost they made, the races is pvp you cant do them with just ai like other racing games, the only time you get ai is if the game dont find enough players to fill the race,
This was stated by the devs them self, i dont like this at all
 
If you read the blogpost they made, the races is pvp you cant do them with just ai like other racing games, the only time you get ai is if the game dont find enough players to fill the race,
This was stated by the devs them self, i dont like this at all
Wow, that would really be BS if true. I loved the original TDU. Even the sequel was entertaining, albeit with more flaws. I personally hate racing against human opponents on Horizon 5 because of dirty racing tactics. People deliberately try to ram you off the road. Not what I call fun. Plus, I'm pretty antisocial anyway 😉
 
Where is this blogpost. Can you send a link?
I’d be interested as well bc I literally posted an article from Sept. that says you can campaign solo, only that the devs encourage to play with others.
This means all the races are primarily multiplayer events, so you will face other players in each of them. If there aren't enough players in an event, AI drivers will fill out the starting grid. Each Solar Crown race has certain restrictions on participation.
 
Trailer looks good. But I'm slightly surprised it doesn't show cockpit view, unless I missed it? I hope it wasn't canned.
 
I must admit, it's very disappointing if it's only multiplayer. I also didn't notice cockpit view in the trailer. You'd think it's something they would try to showcase with the game being released relatively soon.
 
Yes its very dissapointing, dont know what they was thinking about, i go from being hyped to the game, to not want to buy it all,
In many other aspects i think it has some cool features rolling down windows toggle lights off and on, turning signals, progression seems like it will be good to, but nothing of that matters to me if the game is just basicly multiplayer, i am not to bothered With graphics that some people complaining about,
I think its fine and would not be a deal breaker for me
 
I have to concur with folks disappointed with it being multiplayer races only, really bad decision from the design team. The gambling in game currency in races wont encourage fair racing, for me this game is DOA, which is a shame as Hong Kong sounded like a fun place to drive around (loved sleeping dogs map back in the day). Speaking of gambling (both in races/casino's too no doubt) why should this be normalised / acceptable in a game for young people is this really an aspirational lifestyle?
 
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