Hey. Now that I’ve got friends to play this with I’ve been able to play this game out to its extent, so now I’ve finally found issues I’d like to share:
In the wing angle/pit stop strategy window, the GUI always auto cycles (regardless of whether or not the function is on in Options). I didn’t think much of it before, but it can mess you up if you’re thinking about your settings and you end up pressing your button just after the GUI makes you hover over something else.
Out of curiosity, why does the Quick Race mode not allow weather changes? I know you can just play 1 minute custom races for quick races in the rain, but using that option you get anything from 2-5 laps, depending on the size of the track. Personally I think the Quick Race option that ensures 5 laps on any track is a better option.
Been tinkering with the Bambi on Ice mode lately, and found that some of the tracks with jumps are actually unfinishable, due to jumps being put shortly before turns. Even if you drive very slowly at the jumps, cars speed up to take them, which guarantees crashes on most of these tracks, and in some cases DNFs. I made a list of the tracks where crashes are guaranteed, and the end result of the car in scenarios where you drive “perfectly” (hitting no other walls and crawling at the jumps to take them as slowly as possible):
Auto cycling for strategy etc was deliberate as it stays with the one button theme once you've set up the rounds. Not sure what could be done differently but maybe don't press the button when thinking about your strategy. 😀 Also, you can restart a race to redo the strategy if required.
I think Quickrace has no weather, laps, strategy settings to reduce the menus required. Makes it quicker to start a race.
I don't think the newer tracks were ever tested for bambi on ice. Even if you explode without finishing you'll still get points I'm sure. If I was even to revisit it'd probably be easiest to just exclude all tracks with ramps.
Strangely, my latest project 'Gass Gladiators is along the same lines with one button racing but more rally style with retro low res wasteland/mad max aesthetic. Theres more variation in track composition and less off track restriction too as not tile based. Also has pickups and dynamic weather. Good fun and still 100% focused on timing. I'll post a shot at some point and if you fancy giving it a try when I get to alpha shoot me an email.
Thanks for explaining. Although, to clarify on a few things:
Apologies in advance, but I don't think I follow completely on the one button theme, only 'cause the strategy menu is the only place where auto cycling happens. You're saying that to follow the theme any menu you have to go through after setting the rounds needs to auto cycle, right? But wouldn't that mean auto cycling should be happening in places like the pause menu and possibly the victory screen (after all rounds are completed)? If so, this game currently doesn't do that unless you have the auto cycle option enabled.
The counterpoint I'd make to your Quick Race explanation would be that the mode could just have random weather as the mandatory feature instead of always clear, as this way you still wouldn't need an extra menu for weather.
That aside, I think your new project sounds very interesting. Definitely look forward to that email.
The strategy menu is player specific, the others are generic and controlled by player 1 so it makes sense to me. Never a problem when we play multiplayer, especially when you know it auto cycles.
Sure it would be easy to add random or selectable weather in Quickrace but I didn't. I might revisit but no plans at the moment.
Admittedly, the only things I'd love to see that the game doesn't have would be the ability to rename cpu racers, and maybe make the spectator camera work better in terms of switching from vehicle to vehicle.
I could easily add the cpu names editable in the options file but I'm busy with other stuff now. I might revisit as I did spend a lot of time during testing watching in spectator mode. Found it quite hypnotic.. What would work better in terms of switching between vehicles?
Well, I don't know what the swapping is, but currently it seems to jump to random vehicles when I hit the next vehicle button. I mean it is fun to see battles, but the main issue is, you don't know where you are until cars finish a lap to see their placement. I'd like some way to just shuffle down the line. From 1st to 2nd to 3rd, or perhaps an ability to just hit like CTRL+1 or whatever and shift to that place car(up to the top 9/10), of course.
I thought of a few other ideas, but they'd be harder to implement. Live placement grid and the like, though I might also be playing another top-down racing game on the side of this one, haha.
I wanted to give this amazing racing game it's own official Grand Prix, but I went about it the wrong way the first time around. Now I'm remaking the Micro Marathon so that it doesn't have 4-hour long videos. Hopefully I didn't discourage anyone out of taking an interest to this game... Anyway, now it's improved all around, with slightly more commentary, a new DRS system, and some epic news that you absolutely must hear about if this game interests you at all.
(I don't want the comments section to be filled with just my videos, so you'll have to go to my YouTube channel for the rest of the Marathon.) This Micro Marathon may very well be more intense than the original! Also, I'm considering a change in persona. Divine may be too kind and too neutral for what I wish my channel to accomplish. Perhaps... it's time to stop holding back my true feelings on the state of the gaming world.
The tracks were created using my own simple editor which was written in the same language as the game - Blitz3d. There are approx 1000 different 3d tiles which are placed on a 9x9 (2 layer) game grid to form the track. I don't think a video would help.
I m making a 2d top-down racing game in unity but I don't know how to create tracks in it. So can you help me with. Can I import tracks created in Blitz 3d in unity??
Gotta start a new post since the old one's getting long to the point comments (and possibly new videos) don't show up. Here's my very 1st attempt at the Championship.
Had a couple of hiccups making this, but here it is - my final video for the game showing off the last 2 party games. (I re-uploaded to edit out typing errors I saw.)
Haha, I was wondering what it would be like to race you, and with a lap time like that, now I see myself being left in the dust. I've got my fingers crossed hoping for something to become of this. I did manage to net another subscriber doing this, so at least 1 other person seemed to really enjoy my amateur videos.
It's unreal that there are no YouTube videos for this game aside from the trailer after 6 years. So I'm going to try to raise awareness for the game by making some videos myself. Here's my very first one that I just finished:
Looks like you may have found a bug if the CPU is forced to go through the pit lane - cheers. Will look into this and sort in a future build - may be hard to replicate right enough.
Also, in Monsoon conditions, going through a tornado knocks you off course randomly which explains why you swerved @ 5:25 and why Blue was naff in the cat and mouse.
I get the impression you are no longer challenged by the AI. You seem to be racing in wet conditions most of the time and I think the AI is probably a little bit too cautious. I'm sure it can be improved so will look into this also.
Oh, those things are tornados? All this time I thought they were some kind of extra cloud cover for some reason. Good to know.
It's tough putting my finger on how difficult the AI actually is for me, since I can be pretty hit and miss in races myself. I'll stick to dry conditions in the future to see if that changes anything. I didn't even realize I've been racing in the rain so much.
I still can't believe that pit lane incident found its way into my video. I consider myself lucky to have recorded that.
I have my own level editor but it would not be worth the effort to incorporate into the game I'm afraid. I have been building new ones regularly to play with friends so have about 200 tracks now. I haven't added any of the new ones to the download. Maybe at some stage in the future if there's enough interest.
ONJ, I just posted an updated version yesterday which includes the new Kryptonite track pack and a few other enhancements. The game now stores the top 5 lap times. The editor isn't user friendly I'm afraid .. maybe some day.
Anyone remembering Slot car racing from their youth will instantly recognize the simplicity of pushing down on a button to watch a car race down a track. Microsprint is that, combined with the top-down view and tracks reminiscent of Super Sprint (from Atari) and similar games, just much more refined and greater variety. On top of an already great A.I. - there is also the option to play with up to 7 other people on one computer/screen - and due to the zoomed out nature of the tracks, there is never any issue of keeping track of your car. The fast-paced gameplay and arcade-y roots makes this game quick to pick up, easy to learn and it doesn't 'get boring', in the sense that many other racing-games tend to. A race doesn't have to take more than a minute, or two - and you can always just put it down and go do something else, without the sensation that you have 'lost' any time, nor does it ever feel as if though you've been 'cheated' by your opponents.
Between each race you get to customize your car's wing-angle (top-speed/ability to take corners) and how many pit-stops (if any) needed be done during that race, apart from that, it's all about learning how to maneuver using just that one button on your controller. It may seem simple at first, but there is a great layer of strategy bundled into this game and since there's a scoreboard keeping track of your (or your peers) records, there's always that feeling that you can shave off a couple of milli-seconds on each track, always trying to outbest yourself (and/or your peers) The graphics and sound-design are simple, yet very pleasing and never distracts you from the experience, but rather everything falls seamlessly together in a non-intrusive audio-visual experience that doesn't require any more than what is presented to you.
This is a game suitable, literally for all ages and kinds of people, 'gamers' or not and it is an experience that will last you a long time
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Hey. Now that I’ve got friends to play this with I’ve been able to play this game out to its extent, so now I’ve finally found issues I’d like to share:
In the wing angle/pit stop strategy window, the GUI always auto cycles (regardless of whether or not the function is on in Options). I didn’t think much of it before, but it can mess you up if you’re thinking about your settings and you end up pressing your button just after the GUI makes you hover over something else.
Out of curiosity, why does the Quick Race mode not allow weather changes? I know you can just play 1 minute custom races for quick races in the rain, but using that option you get anything from 2-5 laps, depending on the size of the track. Personally I think the Quick Race option that ensures 5 laps on any track is a better option.
Been tinkering with the Bambi on Ice mode lately, and found that some of the tracks with jumps are actually unfinishable, due to jumps being put shortly before turns. Even if you drive very slowly at the jumps, cars speed up to take them, which guarantees crashes on most of these tracks, and in some cases DNFs. I made a list of the tracks where crashes are guaranteed, and the end result of the car in scenarios where you drive “perfectly” (hitting no other walls and crawling at the jumps to take them as slowly as possible):
Unfinishable
Finishable
Auto cycling for strategy etc was deliberate as it stays with the one button theme once you've set up the rounds. Not sure what could be done differently but maybe don't press the button when thinking about your strategy. 😀 Also, you can restart a race to redo the strategy if required.
I think Quickrace has no weather, laps, strategy settings to reduce the menus required. Makes it quicker to start a race.
I don't think the newer tracks were ever tested for bambi on ice. Even if you explode without finishing you'll still get points I'm sure. If I was even to revisit it'd probably be easiest to just exclude all tracks with ramps.
Strangely, my latest project 'Gass Gladiators is along the same lines with one button racing but more rally style with retro low res wasteland/mad max aesthetic. Theres more variation in track composition and less off track restriction too as not tile based. Also has pickups and dynamic weather. Good fun and still 100% focused on timing. I'll post a shot at some point and if you fancy giving it a try when I get to alpha shoot me an email.
Thanks for explaining. Although, to clarify on a few things:
Apologies in advance, but I don't think I follow completely on the one button theme, only 'cause the strategy menu is the only place where auto cycling happens. You're saying that to follow the theme any menu you have to go through after setting the rounds needs to auto cycle, right? But wouldn't that mean auto cycling should be happening in places like the pause menu and possibly the victory screen (after all rounds are completed)? If so, this game currently doesn't do that unless you have the auto cycle option enabled.
The counterpoint I'd make to your Quick Race explanation would be that the mode could just have random weather as the mandatory feature instead of always clear, as this way you still wouldn't need an extra menu for weather.
That aside, I think your new project sounds very interesting. Definitely look forward to that email.
The strategy menu is player specific, the others are generic and controlled by player 1 so it makes sense to me. Never a problem when we play multiplayer, especially when you know it auto cycles.
Sure it would be easy to add random or selectable weather in Quickrace but I didn't. I might revisit but no plans at the moment.
Cheers for the feedback.
pity
Multiplayer is local offline only.
Admittedly, the only things I'd love to see that the game doesn't have would be the ability to rename cpu racers, and maybe make the spectator camera work better in terms of switching from vehicle to vehicle.
I could easily add the cpu names editable in the options file but I'm busy with other stuff now. I might revisit as I did spend a lot of time during testing watching in spectator mode. Found it quite hypnotic.. What would work better in terms of switching between vehicles?
Well, I don't know what the swapping is, but currently it seems to jump to random vehicles when I hit the next vehicle button. I mean it is fun to see battles, but the main issue is, you don't know where you are until cars finish a lap to see their placement. I'd like some way to just shuffle down the line. From 1st to 2nd to 3rd, or perhaps an ability to just hit like CTRL+1 or whatever and shift to that place car(up to the top 9/10), of course.
I thought of a few other ideas, but they'd be harder to implement. Live placement grid and the like, though I might also be playing another top-down racing game on the side of this one, haha.
Does this game have AI drivers for single player mode?
Of course - there are 5 levels of difficulty. You can race against 21 cars in custom mode.
i loved playing this. “just one more go”…is the common word when playing it!
great bit of fun for several people to play at the same time, too.
i could never get it to full screen tho for some reason.
Cheers. Email me at stevie@steviegoodwin.plus.com with more info about your setup and we'll get the full screen working for you.
I put a new gfx card in (not just for this game lol), and it was then fine.
we really enjoyed it…4 of us at once!
I wanted to give this amazing racing game it's own official Grand Prix, but I went about it the wrong way the first time around. Now I'm remaking the Micro Marathon so that it doesn't have 4-hour long videos. Hopefully I didn't discourage anyone out of taking an interest to this game... Anyway, now it's improved all around, with slightly more commentary, a new DRS system, and some epic news that you absolutely must hear about if this game interests you at all.
(I don't want the comments section to be filled with just my videos, so you'll have to go to my YouTube channel for the rest of the Marathon.) This Micro Marathon may very well be more intense than the original! Also, I'm considering a change in persona. Divine may be too kind and too neutral for what I wish my channel to accomplish. Perhaps... it's time to stop holding back my true feelings on the state of the gaming world.
hi can you make a video on how you created these tracks and on which software
Thanks
The tracks were created using my own simple editor which was written in the same language as the game - Blitz3d. There are approx 1000 different 3d tiles which are placed on a 9x9 (2 layer) game grid to form the track. I don't think a video would help.
thanks
I m making a 2d top-down racing game in unity but I don't know how to create tracks in it. So can you help me with. Can I import tracks created in Blitz 3d in unity??
Sorry, I don't use unity so this question is better asked on their forums.
CheersStevie
Gotta start a new post since the old one's getting long to the point comments (and possibly new videos) don't show up. Here's my very 1st attempt at the Championship.
Had a couple of hiccups making this, but here it is - my final video for the game showing off the last 2 party games. (I re-uploaded to edit out typing errors I saw.)
Great vids, thanks for taking the time to do them - much appreciated! p.s. My record for Stockland is 11.253 :)
Haha, I was wondering what it would be like to race you, and with a lap time like that, now I see myself being left in the dust. I've got my fingers crossed hoping for something to become of this. I did manage to net another subscriber doing this, so at least 1 other person seemed to really enjoy my amateur videos.
Reminds me a bit of Super Off Road for the NES.
It's unreal that there are no YouTube videos for this game aside from the trailer after 6 years. So I'm going to try to raise awareness for the game by making some videos myself. Here's my very first one that I just finished:
Got a 2nd video now. I guess I'll share all the links to my videos here as I make more and more videos. This one looks at the game's Elimination mode.
Finished with my technical difficulties, so here's a 3rd video focusing on 2 party games this time.
Great vid - cheers! Looks like there is a wee bug in the scores being displayed for 'Snowball' mode. I'll see about getting that fixed.
Cheers
Stevie
2 more party games to add to the post.
Looks like you may have found a bug if the CPU is forced to go through the pit lane - cheers. Will look into this and sort in a future build - may be hard to replicate right enough.
Also, in Monsoon conditions, going through a tornado knocks you off course randomly which explains why you swerved @ 5:25 and why Blue was naff in the cat and mouse.
I get the impression you are no longer challenged by the AI. You seem to be racing in wet conditions most of the time and I think the AI is probably a little bit too cautious. I'm sure it can be improved so will look into this also.
Cheers
Stevie
Oh, those things are tornados? All this time I thought they were some kind of extra cloud cover for some reason. Good to know.
It's tough putting my finger on how difficult the AI actually is for me, since I can be pretty hit and miss in races myself. I'll stick to dry conditions in the future to see if that changes anything. I didn't even realize I've been racing in the rain so much.
I still can't believe that pit lane incident found its way into my video. I consider myself lucky to have recorded that.
Did you incorporate upgrades, level editor to this game? Thank you
I have my own level editor but it would not be worth the effort to incorporate into the game I'm afraid. I have been building new ones regularly to play with friends so have about 200 tracks now. I haven't added any of the new ones to the download. Maybe at some stage in the future if there's enough interest.
Any plans for upgrades - Like super sprint? Nice work on the game btw
I've no plans to work on this game again I'm afraid.
Just downloading Van Turismo aswell. I wanted to ask if you are taking programming work?
E-mail me at stevie@steviegoodwin.plus.com.
I would love to have more tracks with this... Shame you don't release the level editor though :(
ONJ, I just posted an updated version yesterday which includes the new Kryptonite track pack and a few other enhancements. The game now stores the top 5 lap times. The editor isn't user friendly I'm afraid .. maybe some day.
Well you need to get on that then ;^) I love all your games BTW. I need to somehow get you more buyers. I'll think of something.
When I can make more selling indie game than I make in my day job I'll sort out the editor .... until then :)
p.s. Any exposure is very welcome and much appreciated!
Hmm, crashes on launch for me...
Launched from itch.io launcher, windows 10 64 bit
Have you tried just downloading and running without the launcher?
Anyone remembering Slot car racing from their youth will instantly recognize the simplicity of pushing down on a button to watch a car race down a track.
Microsprint is that, combined with the top-down view and tracks reminiscent of Super Sprint (from Atari) and similar games, just much more refined and greater variety.
On top of an already great A.I. - there is also the option to play with up to 7 other people on one computer/screen - and due to the zoomed out nature of the tracks, there is never any issue of keeping track of your car.
The fast-paced gameplay and arcade-y roots makes this game quick to pick up, easy to learn and it doesn't 'get boring', in the sense that many other racing-games tend to.
A race doesn't have to take more than a minute, or two - and you can always just put it down and go do something else, without the sensation that you have 'lost' any time, nor does it ever feel as if though you've been 'cheated' by your opponents.
Between each race you get to customize your car's wing-angle (top-speed/ability to take corners) and how many pit-stops (if any) needed be done during that race, apart from that, it's all about learning how to maneuver using just that one button on your controller.
It may seem simple at first, but there is a great layer of strategy bundled into this game and since there's a scoreboard keeping track of your (or your peers) records, there's always that feeling that you can shave off a couple of milli-seconds on each track, always trying to outbest yourself (and/or your peers)
The graphics and sound-design are simple, yet very pleasing and never distracts you from the experience, but rather everything falls seamlessly together in a non-intrusive audio-visual experience that doesn't require any more than what is presented to you.
This is a game suitable, literally for all ages and kinds of people, 'gamers' or not and it is an experience that will last you a long time