The world of motorsports is full of innovative ideas. Engineers are always developing new technologies to go faster. If you are a racing fan, it is time to take the role of a mechanic, in order to push engineering to its limits.
Dream Car Racing 3D will allow you to do that.
Developed by Roman Konyukhov, the game is in Steam Early Access and presents to players the same challenges designers must face when building a car in real life, including weight distribution, suspension geometry, ideal ride height and more.
Designing your car; however, is only the tip of the iceberg, as the experience consists of many elements to hook a racing aficionado, including:
An intuitive user interface:
The idea of a playing a realistic simulator to design a car may seem intimidating at first, but the developer made a good job to ensure that the process is understandable.
With a user-friendly interface, it is easy to comprehend how the game works as you start toying with its alternatives, which creates a compelling experience.
The only negative aspect of the user experience is its tutorial. With a lot of reading, it can demotivate players. Perhaps the developer could introduce the mechanics of the game in a less intrusive manner, but exactly how this could be done is complicated — making a car isn’t easy.
The user-friendly interface; however, compensates for this, as complicated concepts from engineering are made much simpler, and this allows for the next feature in the game.
Innovation:
The game presents players with a seemingly endless universe of possibilities. Who says a car needs to have four wheels? You can replicate the 6-wheel Tyrrel P34 from 1976 (left) and innovate in the design of your car, if you want.
Players can also design parts for the specific purpose of what they imagined in their minds, and they can develop nearly any concept they want.
This leads to a process of trial and error, in which the car may not always work as expected, but every time players discover something new that makes the car better, is a rewarding experience. An element of experimentation weighs heavily in this game.
The innovation that drives this game is made possible by the next topic.
Physics:
In order to do justice to the idea of simulating the development of a car, this is the most important element. The game features realistic physics that accurately shows to players how each decision they make, during the development of the car, influence its handling.
Most importantly, the game simulates with mastery the “chain effect” you get when developing a system as complex as a car. Each one of the thousands parts that compose the vehicle work in conjunction; therefore, if the mechanic alters one piece, this change reflects on many others — a change affects other parts as they are all linked in the chain.
With this said, as players progress in Dream Car Racing 3D and start to design more complex cars, the challenge increases, because more parts mean a greater chance of one of them not functioning in the way the player intended. Players must think carefully, for each decision matters.
The element of the physics that stands out the most is the contortion of the chassis, and the lateral movement on the body of the car, while applying lateral load when cornering. This means that, due to the centrifugal force exerted upon the car, its weight is being transferred. This is a difficult element to simulate in a virtual environment. The Gran Turismo franchise, for instance, only implemented this feature in its fifth installment.
Once players master the physics, and finish developing their creations, it will be time test them on the track:
On track car tests:
Why test a car on a flat surface when you can take it for a ride on a bumpy landscape? This is the premise behind the tracks in this game — driving as fast as possible on bumpy roads and climbing mountains with your car. Dream Car Racing 3D allows to test the design of your vehicle to its limits.
It is not solely about the car; however. The driver must be up to the task as well, because the game features a detailed damage system — if players make a mistake, the test drive will come to an abrupt end.
Once players finish developing and testing their concepts, they can try something different and attempt to use the creations of other users.
A call to action:
The game plans to engage its community by allowing players to share designs. If you are proud of what you have accomplished, be sure to upload your car, so other players may enjoy your design and learn from it.
It is always entertaining to see the different concepts players developed, ranging from a Baja Buggy to a Lamborghini, but above all, this has potential to create a community. It is true that this game aims at a very specific niche, but it has potential to gather a following that, while it may not be numerous, will be very passionate about their creations.
Conclusion:
While still in its Early Access stage, Dream Car Racing 3D offers a solid product for racing enthusiasts. The only negative aspect of the experience is that, in order to fully enjoy it, the player must have, at least, a basic understanding of engineering to master the mechanics presented therein.
Dream Car Racing 3D will continue on Steam Early Access for the next months, and it needs the feedback of a community in order to develop to its fullest potential.
Gear up and climb aboard, to build the ride of your life.
