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Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled |OT| Start Your Engines!
- Thread starter Aurc
- Start date
Indeed. CTR:NF is almost everything I could have wanted in an update to CTR... but for its own hardware limitations. It's so close to being ideal, so close to getting across that final finish line. But the 30fps cap and those brutal loading times...
Granted, if they were to do a full user experience pass, there's plenty more I could bring up. But the core is so good, I'd be content with just the speed bump.
Yeah, at this point I'd rather get a 60fps, maybe even 4K boost, to the copy I own, than have to buy a new copy on the PC to get that along with the drawback of the 6 month wumpa coin grind again lol.
As a Switch player, the wait for the pc version has been too long. Wouldn't mind restarting from scratch either as a empty shop leaves little incentive to keep playing online either. But yeah, A PC version alongside a 60fps update for next-gen consoles would be optimal.
I loved this on switch but being able to play with my friends on PC would make this a damn instant buy. I have no idea why they haven't released it on PC either, they released the other two remasters even if we had to wait forever.
No way to turn it off. Agreed that it is very excessive, there needs to be something there to smooth out the 30fps but its extreme
I think you can turn it off in Spyro? And Spyro is also a very fast game at times and I think that looks great even at 30 fps. I think it just takes a little getting used to but I prefer it because you get to enjoy all the detail on the track that way.
Hey folks, no announcements no surprises, sorry. Just wanted to share a little project I'm trying to do with the CTR community
www.reddit.com
I thought it'd be fun and/or depressing to brainstorm a next gen + pc version and the variety of UX improvements, content updates, etc. it could theoretically bring. I made a neat graphic for it too. Meant to do this for CTR's 22nd anniversary last week, but I was busy last week. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Here's what I've got going so far.
Feel free to add any suggestions.
Reddit - Dive into anything
www.reddit.com
I thought it'd be fun and/or depressing to brainstorm a next gen + pc version and the variety of UX improvements, content updates, etc. it could theoretically bring. I made a neat graphic for it too. Meant to do this for CTR's 22nd anniversary last week, but I was busy last week. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Here's what I've got going so far.
Feel free to add any suggestions.
I've always wished there was a create-a-cup.
Also adding wumpa time multiplier to single player for folks who play couch co-op as I had with my fam for several months but acquired very little coins compared to others. Hated being deemed inferior for not playing online.
Having themed boosters in the challenges that would have folks favor certain themed skins or items for added coin multipliers (similar to how they worked during each grandprix) and have it last for the length of the challenge and not get checked off after meeting x requirement. Example: Weekly Challenge - Use items from Nina's Nightmare Grand Prix for a 5% coin bonus for each item equipped (stackable).
Also adding wumpa time multiplier to single player for folks who play couch co-op as I had with my fam for several months but acquired very little coins compared to others. Hated being deemed inferior for not playing online.
Having themed boosters in the challenges that would have folks favor certain themed skins or items for added coin multipliers (similar to how they worked during each grandprix) and have it last for the length of the challenge and not get checked off after meeting x requirement. Example: Weekly Challenge - Use items from Nina's Nightmare Grand Prix for a 5% coin bonus for each item equipped (stackable).
There really needs to be a lot more content that gives rewards to less skilled players, in my opinion. Like literally all those guys have is Adventure on normal, and maybe the paints for easy and normal cups. Plus, those players are probably the least likely to play online, so even just getting coins to clear the store must be miserable as well.
Everything else in the game is 'clear a hard task', followed by 'clear the same hard task but harder'.
And on that note, if you beat a ghost above what you're currently on, just let that count. If someone beats Oxide time on a track on their first attempt, don't make them do it 2 more times.
Everything else in the game is 'clear a hard task', followed by 'clear the same hard task but harder'.
And on that note, if you beat a ghost above what you're currently on, just let that count. If someone beats Oxide time on a track on their first attempt, don't make them do it 2 more times.
Yeah, already got create-a-cup. Weird that it never made it in.
Added the others to the doc, with credit to you.
Hmm, any specific ideas for what that content might look like? I've already got an entry for a Nitro Kart Adventure mode, which could fit the bill to an extent. Plus entries for tutorials that actually explain the higher level mechanics.
edit: added your time trial suggestion, with credit.
Not even to do with skill, literally just playing playing online and coming in last can seemingly grant you more coins than playing with family and friends and/or AI and it seems silly. There's no skill needed to just play online yet that's where the majority of coins are earned. Playing single player vs AI could be even more difficult yet less rewarding.
Ooh. Another one for me would be the ability to earn the Champion decals (if not already mentioned, haven't clicked yet honestly).
I used to defend the Wumpa Time online exclusivity, as it's clearly a tactic to get players to keep playing online, and a pretty clever one at that. But... like, there are better ways to accomplish that. Such as making a more feature-complete online mode to begin with, with dedicated servers or at least host migration.
And yeah, someone on reddit contributed the idea of having old Grand Prixes cycle back in to give players an opportunity to earn those champion decals they missed. (Aw man, you're missing out on my cool mockup graphic. I spent entirely too long making it.)
A CNK Adventure is obviously the best new idea for casual content, but I'm not really sure what else to suggest. Tutorials are good, but you run the risk of immediately putting newcomers off when they find out that accelerating and the odd drift isn't gonna cut it. As someone who loves the racing series, I genuinely think it's super unapproachable for newcomers once you get past the initial fun mascot kart racer aesthetic, and while I don't want to see it dumbed down (patch the nonsense tech like where you map left to down or whatever it is out though), I feel like any new update or sequel needs to focus on bringing in players who were either put off completely from even trying it, be that due to difficulty, lack of content, grinding, MTX etc., or players who dropped it due to that stuff.
I don't really think it's in the spirit of this discussion, but I think CNK tying Fake Crash and Pura to consecutive drifts/boosts was a really organic way to showcase just how important they are to do. On that note though, CNK boost gauge should be an option, even if it is just an obstructive nitro wheels taking up screen estate haha.
Obviously hardcore fans deserve stuff too, but they're the people who'd upgrade no matter what. I'm in the 'I'll be happy with short loading times and 60fps' group lol.
Yeah, online VS local payouts are silly. Also, they should really award 1/3 or 2/3 of a tracks Wumpa Coin value on time trial if you restart after a lap or two.
I think just tying Champion decals to the corresponding tracks Tropy or Oxide time is the best way to sort them. They were never difficult to get, so they shouldn't be locked behind dev times or anything silly, but they should be tough enough to feel rewarding to earn for players of all skill levels. Rotating GPs is a cool idea, but that's still like a 6 or 7 month wait if you happen to miss the one you want.
I like the create-a-cup idea. I personally just want a mode that after starting your first race just goes through all the tracks in a random order without ever having to return to the menu, just back-to-back racing. I guess create-a-cup could work for that if I can make the cup 40 tracks long and randomized.
Adding the CNK campaign makes obvious sense if they wanted to do a proper expansion, though I'd be down for a completely new campaign as well if that could involve all the tracks available. Maybe retell the CNK story in a different way. More singleplayer stuff would be cool in any form though.
Here's probably a controversial opinion, but perhaps remove or change the blue fire mechanic. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed my time absolutely smooving on everyone online, but overall I feel like the blue fire mechanic kinda ruined the multiplayer for most of the casual audience. Once you get to holding blue flame none of the regular kart mechanics really work anymore. Items become mostly irrelevant during blue flame and you really just time trialing once you get away with it. Gaps between the backline and frontrunners just become ridiculous and there really isn't that much interaction at all anymore between players, which is just a weird feeling in a haha funny kart game. Don't get me wrong, I did love smooving with blue flame and it can make for some tense racing when you're surrounded by other no-lives in the lobby. But I feel in the end it definitely hurt the player base more to have such an insane skill gap between the good and bad players and really restricted with what friends you can actually enjoy the game with, where other kart games do a better job keeping the backline engaged with a race. Like I said before, it doesn't need to be removed completely, perhaps a hard cap of ten seconds on the blue flame where it turns back to regular sacred flame, or perhaps a global speed increase to the base speed of the game but make the differences between types of flames smaller. Just something that avoids just completely lapping players and make all other kart mechanics apart from driving irrelevant. As cool as blue flame is, I definitely feel like the multiplayer was way more fun anytime you're on a track that didn't have blue flame, as you actually have interactions with other players on those tracks. I've definitely wondered if perhaps NF would even been a better game if blue flame didn't get turned into a proper mechanic at all in this remake, it's hard to say at this point as it's such a love/hate relationship I had with it.
Adding the CNK campaign makes obvious sense if they wanted to do a proper expansion, though I'd be down for a completely new campaign as well if that could involve all the tracks available. Maybe retell the CNK story in a different way. More singleplayer stuff would be cool in any form though.
Here's probably a controversial opinion, but perhaps remove or change the blue fire mechanic. Don't get me wrong, I've enjoyed my time absolutely smooving on everyone online, but overall I feel like the blue fire mechanic kinda ruined the multiplayer for most of the casual audience. Once you get to holding blue flame none of the regular kart mechanics really work anymore. Items become mostly irrelevant during blue flame and you really just time trialing once you get away with it. Gaps between the backline and frontrunners just become ridiculous and there really isn't that much interaction at all anymore between players, which is just a weird feeling in a haha funny kart game. Don't get me wrong, I did love smooving with blue flame and it can make for some tense racing when you're surrounded by other no-lives in the lobby. But I feel in the end it definitely hurt the player base more to have such an insane skill gap between the good and bad players and really restricted with what friends you can actually enjoy the game with, where other kart games do a better job keeping the backline engaged with a race. Like I said before, it doesn't need to be removed completely, perhaps a hard cap of ten seconds on the blue flame where it turns back to regular sacred flame, or perhaps a global speed increase to the base speed of the game but make the differences between types of flames smaller. Just something that avoids just completely lapping players and make all other kart mechanics apart from driving irrelevant. As cool as blue flame is, I definitely feel like the multiplayer was way more fun anytime you're on a track that didn't have blue flame, as you actually have interactions with other players on those tracks. I've definitely wondered if perhaps NF would even been a better game if blue flame didn't get turned into a proper mechanic at all in this remake, it's hard to say at this point as it's such a love/hate relationship I had with it.
I don't really have an issue with online having a higher coin payout. If that's going to keep people playing online and make sure the lobbies remain populated, by all means allow it.
The offline mode payouts could be better, but I do feel most of my issues with offline payouts were resolved with the Golden Wumpa being added (200 coins every 7 or so races does help you get a lot unlocked fairly quickly). Even coming last you get 75% of the coins you would have gotten if you came first so the coins aren't supremely hard to get.
If you want to see a game that's not got it's economy sorted, go look at the new Hot Wheels Unleashed which has an active Idling Problem with it's online servers at the moment. Never recall that being an issue with Crash.
The patching in buying coins with real money is still the worst thing about the game though by far. At least it wasn't super tedious and every update after that one made it easier to get coins.
Anyway, features I would like to see added... More Items I feel is a big one, outside of general stuff like smarter AI on the rockets so they hit more, I feel there's a lot more fun item types that could be added in the game. The Freeze Trap from CNK I wouldn't mind seeing back. There is amusement to have to see someone slide straight off and edge just because they got frozen. It would be cool if they could figure out a way to make the Fruit Bazooka work out. You could add some of the Quantum Masks from Crash 4 and give them unique abilities like Lani-Loli allowing you to flip into another dimension to avoid attacks, or launching Ika-Ika at an opponent to reverse their steering controls for a set while.
Crash 4 content feels like a logical inclusion, add new skins for Crash, Coco, Cortex, Dingodile, Tawna and N. Tropy based on Crash 4, 4 tracks based of the game. I'm thinking N.Sanity Peak, Hook, Line and Sinker, Off Beat and Food Rush would be the best ones to go with level wise to represent the game. (Though Draggin On would be pretty neat too as we never really got a Feudal Track in CTR) The masks as powerups, as previously mentioned. Maybe even a new character if you played the game and know about that certain spoiler...
I wouldn't mind more Party Race options online as well. I recall Team Sonic Racing having a lot of variety race types online that players could vote for in lobbies (You'd always have a standard race option to vote on or two, and then beside it on another course there would be like Boost Race where the only items you get are boosts, King of the Hill races where you get points by being in First Place and you want to reach a set level, whilst everyone else is aiming all their items at you to knock you off first place. You could do Team Races as well where the lobby is split between Red and Blue, red can't hit another red and blue can't hit another blue. Points awarded based on rankings, team with highest score wins, etc). Online Ring Races would be an amazing thing to see, who can last the longest in these super high speed survival races.
And final suggestion for now. I would probably make it easier to get Blue Speed. I love how there is this super high skill thing this game has that allows you to really go fast if you master it. But I don't like how many courses you can only get it from 1, maybe 2, specific speed boosts (Prehistoric Playground being the absolute worst because of this). Espicially when you have whole race hitting items like the clock that you can use to target a specific player and completely ruin a race because of it. This is probably why Electron Avenue is my favourite course in the game. It lets you go nuts on the Blue Fire boosts since every panel activates it. If there was a way to build up charge and trigger Blue Fire yourself (With drifts and jumps perhaps, as well as successful item hits to help the less experienced players get boosts with the stronger items in the lower placements) I think that would be really beneficial to the game. Allow for newer players to catch up faster, and also let skilled players continue to compete without it being all decided on one item.
The offline mode payouts could be better, but I do feel most of my issues with offline payouts were resolved with the Golden Wumpa being added (200 coins every 7 or so races does help you get a lot unlocked fairly quickly). Even coming last you get 75% of the coins you would have gotten if you came first so the coins aren't supremely hard to get.
If you want to see a game that's not got it's economy sorted, go look at the new Hot Wheels Unleashed which has an active Idling Problem with it's online servers at the moment. Never recall that being an issue with Crash.
The patching in buying coins with real money is still the worst thing about the game though by far. At least it wasn't super tedious and every update after that one made it easier to get coins.
Anyway, features I would like to see added... More Items I feel is a big one, outside of general stuff like smarter AI on the rockets so they hit more, I feel there's a lot more fun item types that could be added in the game. The Freeze Trap from CNK I wouldn't mind seeing back. There is amusement to have to see someone slide straight off and edge just because they got frozen. It would be cool if they could figure out a way to make the Fruit Bazooka work out. You could add some of the Quantum Masks from Crash 4 and give them unique abilities like Lani-Loli allowing you to flip into another dimension to avoid attacks, or launching Ika-Ika at an opponent to reverse their steering controls for a set while.
Crash 4 content feels like a logical inclusion, add new skins for Crash, Coco, Cortex, Dingodile, Tawna and N. Tropy based on Crash 4, 4 tracks based of the game. I'm thinking N.Sanity Peak, Hook, Line and Sinker, Off Beat and Food Rush would be the best ones to go with level wise to represent the game. (Though Draggin On would be pretty neat too as we never really got a Feudal Track in CTR) The masks as powerups, as previously mentioned. Maybe even a new character if you played the game and know about that certain spoiler...
I wouldn't mind more Party Race options online as well. I recall Team Sonic Racing having a lot of variety race types online that players could vote for in lobbies (You'd always have a standard race option to vote on or two, and then beside it on another course there would be like Boost Race where the only items you get are boosts, King of the Hill races where you get points by being in First Place and you want to reach a set level, whilst everyone else is aiming all their items at you to knock you off first place. You could do Team Races as well where the lobby is split between Red and Blue, red can't hit another red and blue can't hit another blue. Points awarded based on rankings, team with highest score wins, etc). Online Ring Races would be an amazing thing to see, who can last the longest in these super high speed survival races.
And final suggestion for now. I would probably make it easier to get Blue Speed. I love how there is this super high skill thing this game has that allows you to really go fast if you master it. But I don't like how many courses you can only get it from 1, maybe 2, specific speed boosts (Prehistoric Playground being the absolute worst because of this). Espicially when you have whole race hitting items like the clock that you can use to target a specific player and completely ruin a race because of it. This is probably why Electron Avenue is my favourite course in the game. It lets you go nuts on the Blue Fire boosts since every panel activates it. If there was a way to build up charge and trigger Blue Fire yourself (With drifts and jumps perhaps, as well as successful item hits to help the less experienced players get boosts with the stronger items in the lower placements) I think that would be really beneficial to the game. Allow for newer players to catch up faster, and also let skilled players continue to compete without it being all decided on one item.
Thanks for all the ideas! I opened this to about four different communities so it's getting a little difficult to keep up, and I'm going to need to take a break soon. If you don't mind Google, you can edit your suggestions into the document directly wherever you think is appropriate. Just remember to credit yourself as you see fit.
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I think my issue with online having a higher payout is it meant me choosing between playing with my wife and kids or online for more coins. We all wanted new stuff, but we'd only be able to afford one item at the end of a play session vs getting the same amount in 3 or so races online. I think I once argued to at least let couch-up folks play online.
But you know, that's what pay for wumpa coins were for....
But you know, that's what pay for wumpa coins were for....
Oh yeah, I forgot you can't do split-screen online. That's bunk. I'll add that as a suggestion.
Yeah, blue fire is a weird one for me. I don't necessarily dislike it, but it's never really fun to use in races with items unless you're like the sole person who breaks away from the starting cluster f and manages to reach a blue fire pad with full reserves. As a mechanic it's fine, but I just don't think it works in races with items (no items lobbies would be great), and I genuinely can't remember anytime I've played an online race where two or more people have managed to hold blue fire for the whole thing- it's always just one person gets lucky.
They should definitely do a no blue fire track online playlist though, and if they add more tracks, I'd love them to do more tracks without it. Some of the strongest tracks in the base game imo are ones without it.
Also, I don't know if it was always a thing, but I've only started getting it these past few months after I picked the game up again after the final update, but getting hit on the big ramp on Oxide Station causing me to fall off, being classed as 'Wrong Way' when I respawn, and having to finish the lap and then complete a WHOLE other lap before it puts me back on course, is such a frustrating glitch, and it's the only one like that which I've come across.
I liked the idea someone here once had where a sequel should incorporate a ring rally-like mechanic into actual races so that racers of all abilities and skill levels could zip around with blue fire without relying on some extra, "hidden" mechanic.
I definitely got a lot of suggestions from people wanting options for how turbo is handled, and I included some of the arguments given here in their own section at the bottom of the document.
I think I've added most all suggestions to date. If there's anything missing, give me a heads up!
docs.google.com
I think I've added most all suggestions to date. If there's anything missing, give me a heads up!
CTR: NF: BFE
docs.google.com
Seeing the Crash Team Rumble announcement today reminded me of the good times I had with this game back at release. Think the last time I played it was the last update in March 2020? Anyways, it's amazing how long muscle memory sticks with you, was able to get re-acquainted with the drifting controls today after years of Mario Kart and do my old route on Hot Air Skyway! :D
View: https://imgur.com/a/sEIeXxe
View: https://imgur.com/a/sEIeXxe
I still crave the PC release. If only for that sweet 60 FPS upgrade.
Maybe release a PS5/XSX release with it, even though I know it's likely not to happen at this stage now.
Maybe release a PS5/XSX release with it, even though I know it's likely not to happen at this stage now.
I can't maintain blue fire as long as many here, but this is still the best kart racer I've played. Dripping with character and everything else feels so empty by comparison.
I just played it again a couple of days ago for the first time in maybe over a year. That 30fps lock hurts, but man it still plays so good. I only hope there are at least plans for a Beenox helmed sequel.
I think I last played the game in June of 2020 before Crash 4 was formally revealed. It's the last game where I can play as Crunch unless Team Rumble lasts long enough to add him in.
A glimpse of beauty, just waiting for a(n official) patch
View: https://twitter.com/i/status/1690507376430870529
This stuff is really so frustrating...
(also, drift you fool!)
View: https://twitter.com/i/status/1690507376430870529
This stuff is really so frustrating...
(also, drift you fool!)
Now imagine if they had put it on PC 😢
I don't usually get frustrated watching people play other games but it is always really funny/frustrating watching people play CTR and never drift.
emulate the switch version. works at high framerates.
on PC too
