Makc86 wrote:ManiaPlanet: TrackMania + ShootMania + QuestMania - is the idea of ​​the developer or publisher?
ManiaPlanet was Nadeo's idea. Ubisoft made it possible with the acquisition of the studio. Ubisoft have supplied the resources (both money and employees - some current Nadeo employees are past Ubisoft employees) to make ManiaPlanet possible.
People keep blaming Ubisoft. Can someone who's blamed Ubisoft, give me one good reason why they are to blame?
ManiaPlanet is an old project of Nadeo but when they're with Focus, they can't make this because it's so ambitious and need more money to developed this. Nadeo decided to make Trackmania² with 3 environments, after ShootMania with 3 environments (maybe 3 years after), and QuestMania with 3 environments (3 years after ShootMania). When Ubisoft bought Nadeo, Ubisoft has accepted to developed ManiaPlanet.
And stop blame Ubisoft here, Nadeo is winner with Ubisoft, they are a little independent. To make simple, Nadeo take all decisions and Ubisoft give money and publish the game.
Makc86 wrote:Thank you for your answers.
I think that money for the development of the project - it is only part of the problem. Developers need people - such big projects as a ManiaPlanet not only require big investments, but also considerable human resources.
Nadeo prefer work like now because they want to be a small studio and not a big studio with departure and arrivals all the time.
- Any sort of interesting transition you could make with the GP pieces is cockblocked by the railings around these blocks. And the few blocks without railings have lightposts instead. There is a reason why no one really uses the bay highways for transitional purposes except at very low speed. At least provide an alternate version of these blocks with no obstacles around the edge.
- On the subject of pretty looking but useless blocks, the hill that goes between both levels of cliffside roads is only usable uphill because there's an overhang DIRECTLY above the road which you crash into if you attempt a downhill transition and go 5kph too fast.
- The fact that the blue-to-red GP corners are asymmetric is endlessly annoying and makes banked blocks virtually useless.
- Stadium had 3 platform blocks with a ramp on them. Canyon has one, and it causes the car to flip.
- A lot of nice things are impossible because you can't put the blocks together. Both the platform ramp and the GP block with the brown ramp would be a great transition to an uphill GP or tunnel block, but you can't because there are connectors in the way. Why do we even have those connectors when the game works just fine if you use TM Unlimiter to get rid of them?
- There are obviously missing blocks. For instance, there are few ways to get off a platform and while cliffside roads are actually pretty neat and underrated you can't leave them without some sort of long straight.
- Many blocks are simply misshapen and have no flow out of the box. The only ones that really flow well are the GP blocks and some platform blocks. Other block types (both tunnels in particular) have the issue that the corners are really sharp, the grades are really steep but the straight blocks and especially the ones to connect them to other block types are very long. Due to the car's acceleration, any sort of straight causes you to build up an enormous head of speed, way too fast for the actual blocks that follow. This means either you start with these block types or you can't use them at all.
- Useless blocks. All of the 1x1 corners are crap unless they are a type that can be built 1-2 blocks after the start line. There exists an undriveable 2x2 roadmain S corner that unlike the regular version has humps in it so you just sail off the road. And the 2x2 uphill tunnel corner sends you into the wall even if you accelerate from a dead start at the preceeding block. It seems Nadeo took a page from island, which does have narrow roads. Unfortunately 1/ noone uses them and 2/ in island you don't go all over the place when you drift.
- While platform is very versatile, it has no way to induce drifts. In stadium you could use the low ramps, but not here.
- The banked GP blocks and the lower grade of banked platforms have the exact same angle. Any way to connect them? Nah.
- The 1x1 block that connects a road to the concrete banked edge (which itself does not connect to anything btw) is extremely rough and nearly undriveable. Nadeo said this is intentional. What the hell. On a related note, what is the point of the deathloop again? If this was stadium and the car wouldn't swerve all over the place after a jump you could transition onto the bottom part of them, like the silver arches in stadium. But no. And of course if you try there's a signpost directly in your way.
- Loops, enough said. They are driveable at about 800 kph, anything less and you do a burnout on your way up and fishtail off if you touch the wheel at all. If the physics don't allow for huge loops, at least implement smaller loops. Bay has 1x1 loop bottoms and tops, this should generate enough G-forces for even the canyon car to stick to the road. Alas... Wallrides have the same problem, they are simply far too big (and everything else is too small, only the GP blocks are suited for normal speeds. See the problem?).
- The platform tunnel block that goes uphill and has no roof would be incredibly useful if it wasn't so steep. Why not make one like that but that only goes up one level instead of two?
Nadeo said new blocks are forthcoming but they will be a new road type and not transitional and from the looks of it it's something similar to the island two lane roads no one uses because (guess what) they're too narrow. Yet what we desperately need is more transitional blocks. At least one useful platform ramp. GP blocks without all the clutter. A transition from GP to a platform above it. Some blocks to to connect cliffside roads to anything at all. A transition from banked platform to identically banked GP.
enaiSiaion, I agree with some of your points. Especially that we need more connectors.
But others make me feel like you only build and play fullspeed tracks. For example, the roadmain s-corner you mention. It is not useless at all, but very flowy on a slower techtrack. I like those s-corners a lot, if they are used well.
EnaiSiaion wrote:
Yet what we desperately need is more transitional blocks.
Very interesting post Enai, that sums up some of my frustrations.
Some blocks are only here for variety/scenery, and they have not such a great value as "gameplay blocks".
Without unlimiter, it's still possible to create very interesting tracks.
The main challenge when mapping in Canyon is to consider the overall size of the blocks.
Mainroads (or narrow roads) are some of the most interesting blocks in the game, however, they lack diveristy to be really used heavily.
Last thing : it's also the challenge of the map creator to deal with the restrictions/blocks of an environment. No doubt Canyon could be easier to build/more loaded with transitions if the right blocks had been present from the start. But it's still quite good as it is now.
PapyChampy wrote:
Without unlimiter, it's still possible to create very interesting tracks.
Yup, using a hex editor.
PapyChampy wrote:
The main challenge when mapping in Canyon is to consider the overall size of the blocks.
Mainroads (or narrow roads) are some of the most interesting blocks in the game, however, they lack diveristy to be really used heavily.
Last thing : it's also the challenge of the map creator to deal with the restrictions/blocks of an environment. No doubt Canyon could be easier to build/more loaded with transitions if the right blocks had been present from the start. But it's still quite good as it is now.
I'll never understand how some of you keep up with "but canyon is still very good" while many normal players whine about it being not-so-good.
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As far as I know building tracks should be enjoyable. Not a pain in the *** because of some random misdesigned ramp or hop.
Challenge should be there, but it's somewhat overkill at the moment. I like transitional tracks, but they are severely limited in canyon thanks to 48927348 fences, poles, random terrain hops, some construction at the side of gp roads, too steep blocks, too huge blocks, too tight blocks, too blabla.
Yeah, the "transitional freedom" offered by Bay, Stadium or Rally, is a bit lost in Canyon. I can agree on this point. But if all blocks were easy to use/place, the game would "loose its soul", so to speak. I'll develop that later today.
