Fantasy Racing Games: Test Drive Unlimited 3

"carcrasher88" (carcrasher88)
09/12/2014 at 17:44 • Filed to: Fantasy Racing Games, Test Drive Unlimited 3, Gaming

Time for another FRG.

This time, we're talking Test Drive.

With Forza Horizon 2 and The Crew on the way, the at least semi-realistic social open-world racing game...game...appears to be really taking off.

This could be a great opportunity to bring back a familiar title: Test Drive Unlimited.

The original TDU was a fantastic game, and though the sequel introduced some very neat ideas, it was bogged down by a broken online system, annoying characters, and the consistent online dominance of the Bugatti Veyron and it's variants.

To bring TDU back to it's former glory, there's many things that should be done.

- Vehicle variety AND quantity. Test Drive Unlimited 2 had variety, but not enough quantity when it comes to most vehicles.

The Veyron's dominance was due in part to the fact that they had only one car that could compete, the Koenigsegg CCXR Edition, but everyone preferred the faster Bugatti.

The only places that there was some good variety were off-road vehicles, whether it be the SUVs (Q7, RR, Touraeg, D12) or rally vehicles (Delta, STi, Stratos), or sports cars (which there were plenty of).

The game didn't have much else for variety, and motorcycles, which played a big role in the original, were treated as an afterthought. Only 3 motorcycles ever appeared in the game (Diavel, Desmosedici, and Fatboy Lo).

Another thing that hindered vehicle selection, was the almost complete removal of individual brand dealerships.

Only Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Ferrari showrooms appeared, with every other vehicle being sold in themed dealerships.

A third TDU would benefit from more manufacturer specific dealerships, bringing a more realistic feel that was missing from TDU2.

And more vehicles with the same or more variety than TDU2 had.

- Club exclusive cars need to go, or be revised.

The Club cars were rather annoying. If you didn't have online or many friends that played the game, you couldn't get to use the Club vehicles.

Either drop them altogether, or make some changes. Like not making the Club cars exclusive to clubs.

Instead, allow the leaders of the club to choose which of the game's more expensive cars are the club cars, and let the club's members unlock them to use if they don't wanna grind to get their hands on the most expensive vehicles in the game, and would rather take a more social approach to getting them.

- Online needs to actually function properly!

Test Drive Unlimited 2's online was very broken. Leaderboards that ended up favoring the Veyron over anything else, allowing them to make challenges that were impossible for players who didn't have them.

Even simple online racing was messed up. Players lag out, even if they have an excellent connection.

Buggy situations that would randomly slam players into each other unexpectedly because they thought a car was in one place when it was actually somewhere else.

- Lose the annoying characters.

The whole story mode was ridiculous, with the only characters that seemed tolerable were the driving school instructors.

- Make sure the product doesn't screw players over.

In it's time, TDU2 became known for a few bugs.

One involved the Exploration Pack. It added the 1969 Dodge Charger and Lancia Stratos to the game. A bug ended up wiping them out when the Bike Pack was released.

Then, there were some even more infamous bugs involving a certain pink !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

A quick Google search of 'TDU2 Pink Mustang Bug' will come up with tons of pages about them.

Many times, replacing players cars, or randomly adding duplicates to their garages that couldn't be painted or sold.

There were some really cool bits about the game, though.

One, the Casino DLC. Although it was broken, it was a really cool idea that, if it functioned properly, could score you some good cash. I actually was lucky enough to make some money there.

Second, adding a new location while retaining an old one. I really liked Oahu in TDU, and was happy that they kept it in the sequel AND added Ibiza, allowing players to fly back and forth. There's probably some more really neat places a new TDU could go to.

Of course, the big thing in the game is the cars.

Other than ones seen in TDU and/or TDU2, what vehicles would you like to see appear in a third TDU, if they could find a studio capable of making one that redeems the title and the Test Drive series as a whole?

DISCUSSION (20)

djmt1 > carcrasher88
09/12/2014 at 17:50

I hate it when this topic comes up because I know it ain't gonna happen. So do me a favour, win the lottery, buy the Atari brand (it is worthless, relatively speaking) and kickstart this because I love TDU 1 and saw potential in TDU 2. The Crew and Horzion 2 are way too different to be TDU successors.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > carcrasher88
09/12/2014 at 17:51

TDU3 can use one extra island.

And maybe realistic fuel consumption like Euro Truck Simulator 2. Seriously ETS2 fuel economy is quite sophisticated, plus each gas station has different fuel prices.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > carcrasher88
09/12/2014 at 17:53

If we are doing Test Drive, please make a new openworld Test Drive Offroad with the customization abilities of the old one.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > djmt1
09/12/2014 at 17:53

Or better: Let's set up a kickstarter!

Come on, everybody seems to do kickstarter these days.

carcrasher88 > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
09/12/2014 at 17:55

That's a fantastic idea.

Perhaps co-development is in order, have SCS Software help out by implementing it.

djmt1 > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
09/12/2014 at 17:55

I don't want to be sued by the ghost of Atari because for some reason it is possible to be sued by dead video game companies.

carcrasher88 > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
09/12/2014 at 17:56

That would be pretty awesome, too.

It appears they tried implementing that idea with TDU2, but it wasn't the same with just a handful of SUVs, some rally cars, and a buggy.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > carcrasher88
09/12/2014 at 18:00

Yeah!

But seriously ETS2 has one of the finest interior view and simulation from any other game i ever played. You can play with the stalks (Wiper, lights, hazards, etc), you can play with the small display between the gauges , There's adjustable cruise control, plus each thing has it's own animation. It's brilliant.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > djmt1
09/12/2014 at 18:01

Yeah. But all we need is their approval of using the "Test Drive" name..

carcrasher88 > djmt1
09/12/2014 at 18:01

Well, technically the REAL Atari died well before TDU was even thought of, and the company's successor is still around.

Maybe someone should convince THEM to start a kickstarter, allow the community to give their input for the game, and have a well known studio make it based on what the community wants?

djmt1 > carcrasher88
09/12/2014 at 18:06

I wonder who could do it though. Making TDU 3 would be a big effort just look at the amount of resources that have been allocated to The Crew and considering TDU's gimmick is world size, I'm not sure how they can one up The USA. Maybe a Crew version of Europe or Australia.

Blondude > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
09/12/2014 at 18:09

TDU2 actually had fuel consumption early in development but it was cut for some unknown reason. (link to image because it would be massive if I embedded it)

Check the gauge next to the tachometer.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > Blondude
09/12/2014 at 18:14

Yeah, i've write about it a few weeks ago, along with the 3rd island (Dubai) and Lamborghini.

Other than hat, TDU2 also almost have an extra 2 bikes (MV Agusta and Triumph), some extra lotus (Exige ang Elise), Drag mode, Hummer H1, and many more.

Blondude > carcrasher88
09/12/2014 at 18:23

I would destroy several pairs of pants if TDU3 was ever announced. TDU1 really turned my love of cars into an obsession (and started my love of Shelby Cobras. It had three different models!) and I put tons of hours into it. Of course I pre-ordered TDU2 when I heard about it and got it the day it released. Yeah, back then it was kinda buggy (online challenges were disabled for the first few weeks because of an exploit and I got my save "corrupted" twice) but as I stuck with it the game got significantly better through patches. Even with all of the bugs and delays it's still by far the best game I've ever played and I think at last count I had a little over 50 days worth of play time in it. I would leap at the chance to experience it again.

Fun fact: David Nadal, Eden Games' head honcho, supposedly bought the Test Drive franchise rights from Atari when they went under, so if Eden can find a publisher (and, as such, the funds) a TDU3 isn't out of the question. Woo!

carcrasher88 > djmt1
09/12/2014 at 18:26

Not Australia, but all of Oceania .

djmt1 > carcrasher88
09/12/2014 at 18:28

Is Papa New Guinea known for it's driving roads. New Zealand would be so good. In fact FH3 will be set in New Zealand, I bet my Afro on it.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > carcrasher88
09/12/2014 at 18:28

There was nearly Forza levels of modification on TD Offroad, it was awesome. There were so many different vehicles to choose from as well.

Blondude > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
09/12/2014 at 18:32

How did I miss that post?!?

But yeah, with the proper funding TDU2 could have been an even better game than it was.

http://tdudrivetime.com/viewtopic.php?… So much potential...

carcrasher88 > Blondude
09/12/2014 at 18:33

That would be spectacular!

carcrasher88 > djmt1
09/12/2014 at 18:42

Most of the country's roads aren't paved. Would make for some great rally action, though.

I'd love to see a game set in New Zealand. Especially if they can get the entire Rally New Zealand within an open world game.