Support NeoGAF

[PriitV]

Source: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2...loper-announces-new-racing-mmo-world-of-speed

Slightly Mad Studios has announced that it's working on World of Speed, a free-to-play racing game alongside My.com that's to receive a closed beta this Spring.

World of Speed takes real-world locations and carves tracks out of them, Project Gotham-style, as well as featuring real-world circuits such as Kent's Brands Hatch. It's a multiplayer-based experience, with a strong emphasis on social features.

"At the heart of World of Speed lies a unique massive multiplayer online experience which incorporates a dynamic social elements and entirely new ways to compete in a racing video game - from an individual to a team level," Slightly Mad's Ian Bell said in the official blurb. "World of Speed is an online game and will be continuously supported with innovative and fresh content to keep the competition furious well after its launch."

 

[EvilKatarn]

The mere mention of Project Gotham gets me excited for this.

 

[luffeN]

Trailer looks awesome!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kXPH441Hvc

 

[op_ivy]

alongside project cars?

 

[Zeth]

WHAT?! I'm so confused and excited at the same time.

Is this a f2p arcade racing version of PCars? Looks so good!

 

[Witchfinder General]

World of Speed takes real-world locations and carves tracks out of them, Project Gotham-style

I'm in.

free-to-play

I'm out.

 

[Betta Lines]

Looks.... completely uninteresting? Need more info.

 

[op_ivy]

just watched the trailer, definite PGR vibes. looks great. any console announcements? hope that if they are going a more slightly arcade route with their handling it wont feel like shift though.

 

[Vanillalite]

Like this idea and I love the PGR reference.

I wish they'd just put all their energy into Project Cars though.

 

[glaurung]

Great trailer and interesting concept with those tracks.

Also, the cars are dry now. The true 8th generation graphics are here at last!

 

[luffeN]

just watched the trailer, definite PGR vibes. looks great. any console announcements? hope that if they are going a more slightly arcade route with their handling it wont feel like shift though.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=766511

Seems that it will be an arcade racer for PC only.

 

[Ramenman]

I'm out.

F2P can be done right (especially in "core" games), but moreso if it's been thought as so from the beginning of the game.

There's more chance of it not sucking balls if they design and launch as free to play than if they design and launch as subscription-based, then find out they don't make money and servers are empty, and thus switch to F2P three months later, by shoehorning microtransactions in a hurry on a system that wasn't designed for it.

Because yes, subscription MMOs don't work anymore, aside from specific cases like WoW or more niche games like Eve.

Hell, even the Star Wars IP isn't enough to make people come to a subscription-based game.

 

[thehypocrite]

F2P can be done right (especially in "core" games), but moreso if it's been thought as so from the beginning of the game.

There's more chance of it not sucking balls if they design and launch as free to play than if they design and launch as subscription-based, then find out they don't make money and servers are empty, and thus switch to F2P three months later, by shoehorning microtransactions in a hurry on a system that wasn't designed for it.

Because yes, subscription MMOs don't work anymore, aside from specific cases like WoW or more niche games like Eve.

Hell, even the Star Wars IP isn't enough to make people come to a subscription-based game.

Like the new dungeon keeper? That game shows what a F2P from the beginning approach can produce.

 

[Black Door]

Like the new dungeon keeper? That game shows what a F2P from the beginning approach can produce.

Dungeon Keeper is representative of all F2P games now?

 

[Sylverstone14]

It'll be interesting to see where this goes.

Though free-to-play has been quite the poisonous term lately...

 

[syko de4d]

Though free-to-play has been quite the poisonous term lately...

I think on PC f2p games have become better and better over the years. The problem at the moment are the mobile f2p games.

 

[thehypocrite]

Dungeon Keeper is representative of all F2P games now?

No, and that wasn't what I said. However, it's representative of a game conceived as F2P from the start.

 

[scitek]

The mere mention of Project Gotham gets me excited for this.

The only comparison made to Project Gotham is how the tracks are taken from real world locations. Nothing to do with gameplay.

 

[kulapik]

No, and that wasn't what I said. However, it's representative of a game conceived as F2P from the start.

The article says that microtransactions don't affect gameplay, so I guess it will be paintings and such.

 

[amar212]

Something strange is going on.

And it gets stranger every month.

 

[tbm24]

No, and that wasn't what I said. However, it's representative of a game conceived as F2P from the start.

There are numerous examples of f2p games made with it in mind from the start that maintain a healthy balance. Dungeon Keeper isn't the first to have a bad balance between the two, it just so happens to be published by EA.

 

[Elitro]

No, and that wasn't what I said. However, it's representative of a game conceived as F2P from the start.

So is Dota2 and it works just fine! i think we need more info before predicting a grim outcome.

I'm still waiting to play PCARS and i'm not really sure on how a MMO could prove to be better than simple iterations... especially since immersion in racing games are dependant on physics and graphics.

 

[Banjo-Kazooie]

Did someone say PGR??

 

[Big Takeover]

So Ian Bell took a big bag of Russian cash to make a f2p racing game using the pCARS engine and assets. OK, I'm not saying that's a bad business move in the slightest, but I worry this guy gets a little too cute being an investment playa. Is the endgame still great games, or is it something else. I've never been quite sure.

 

[Always-honest]

Doesn't look that great imo..

 

[ironcreed]

Racing game and free to play? Yeah... no thanks.

 

[thehypocrite]

The article says that microtransactions don't affect gameplay, so I guess it will be paintings and such.

That sounds good. But then, would it make enough bank?

There are numerous examples of f2p games made with it in mind from the start that maintain a healthy balance. Dungeon Keeper isn't the first to have a bad balance between the two, it just so happens to be published by EA.

True. However, the majority of F2P games are scams posing as a game.

So is Dota2 and it works just fine! i think we need more info before predicting a grim outcome.

I'm still waiting to play PCARS and i'm not really sure on how a MMO could prove to be better than simple iterations... especially since immersion in racing games are dependant on physics and graphics.

Dota2 is a great example, however Valve has different objectives when building a game than this developer.

 

[Chiaroscuro]

The trailer is amazing, but... F2P? No thanks.