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A futuristic racing game for the Rift

SSJKamui
Honored Guest
I am currently in the early development stage of a futuristic racing game in style of WipeOut, F Zero or Extreme G for the rift. I don't have a good name yet. (I am terrible at finding names.)

I also know it's risky because of motion sickness, but I really think the Rift is perfect for this type of racing games.

In the game, the player chooses a space ship like racing car and drives over a rollercoaster like racing track. I already have a prototype model of the glider and the racetrack, but the racetrack lacks detail.
4 REPLIES 4

steveGambit
Honored Guest
How about Rift-Racer or Tokyo Rift

cybereality
Grand Champion
@steveGambit: Tokyo Rift. That's a good one.

@SSJKamui: Good luck man! I really love those futuristic racers.
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ScorpyX
Explorer
-> SSJKamui: like your passion and this genre of games - i will try follow this project
here some of my thoughts on the subject - maybe some will be helpful

=== About Speed
i think If people (players) will not be afraid to hit the wall while driving
and the collision will not be very disorienting (the side wall - or front wall)
Then I think people will get used to the speed
(like in high speed train people feel safe)
you can try to adjust the level of - how much people will feel any impact and wrong movement
also it can be a part of difficult level

and adaptation for speed can be smooth learning process (Like in real life)
like tutorial or several levels with more and more faster limit of speed
It may even be part of "management" gameplay
when the player himself will buy a faster vehicle for points derived from wins

=== About Tracks
i think if walls of track will be too close like and environment for highway - it can disorient and annoy
so you can try a huge wider environment with wide track
then the player will be able to see turns from a distance and will have some time to react
and player will can consider road environment (because it will move slowly relative to the eyes)

but narrow road parts like a tunnel or objects near over head
may be awesome elements too in right balance (if they will be shorter - it will be better)
(but it can also be a part of difficult level)(and may become more frequent and longer on harder levles)

i think excellent of environment and track like this can see in "Extream-G 3" game
Video 1 - Video 2

=== About Controls
i think classic arcade controls will not work in Oculus Rift completly.. COMPLETLY!
because in real life simulation experience - need to emulate the feel of a real movement in turns
turn of vehicles cant be instance on high speed - it requires some smooth curve of turn power
maybe Circle-race Car Simulators or super Motobikes or water formula can be nice reference of movements
but also there is good reasons to create helper "magnet" line of track
then vehicle of player (in learning) will be able to turn himself without a player
when you first start the game - it does not immediately crash into the wall of the first turn
then sticking to line of track can be less and less - player will can smoother learn how to turn steering wheel
(power of sticking to line of track also can be a part of difficult level)

=== About Stylistics
trying to reinforce a sense of realism - you can avoid the usual cut-scenes like "flyby show of track at start"
and replace it with a more intelligent and plausible solutions (try think "how it can be made in real world")
for example flyby show of track can be shown on the big viewers screen or monitors
(and record flyby-show camera can have object representation - like helicopter or hover-vtol-vehicle)
player can see it from the perspective of human (pilot) on ground before race-start and etc
(for example like real life Formula 1 racers)
i think also many things can be made "from the perspective of human"
for example choosing of vehicle can be on "in-game" virtual screen
and after confirm choose - vehicle can move to player at turn-table platform like "hi-tech magnet parking"
(examples for inspire - video 1 - video 2)
in real proportional! player will feel size of vehicle - it give nice feel of reality
and many tricks like this can be invented (just try think "how it can be made in real world")

=== About Asset Creation
First of all - for good size feeling game need good realistic proportions (especially in Oculus Rift!)
what's why you need ingame world size standarts on start of development
and you already have 1 size standart - its height of human like 175cm
just human height box model can be exelent size standart for modeling many assets
if almost all asset be modeled in right size proportion - all objects will be felt right and real (not cartoonish)
(for example in "Mirrors Edge" player character have right size and all building and world around too)
(and this is one of the magical elements of "Mirrors Edge" feeling)
if you will be use modular models with grid - you can just model real proportion first and put it in tile element..
for example door height have 200cm(units) but put it in wall piece with 256x256 size and it will be tile perfectly

Tracks! i think you need use some vecter tools in Modeling soft - like spline in 3ds max
it give several possibilities - like constant change by dragging the key points (not vertexes)
may change the width only by changing the value - and etc - (use modificators without collapse - like layers)
OR you can use modular method for track like in Nitronic Rush - it can be good too

Korda
Honored Guest
I'll be keeping an eye on this, I loved XG3, Wipeouts and Podracer.
What engine are you planning on using? A couple of students managed to get pretty good results with Unity http://forum.unity3d.com/threads/165845-De-Ascend-Futuristic-Race-Game-Proof-of-Concept-WIP/page6