Frod Rookie Car Sunday, 7th May 2023

Engine sound seems to not be working. Redownloading didn't help.

Sneaky Semi-Pro Car Sunday, 20th November 2022

It was a pure pleasure to work on it. Nothing more gratifying than getting to mechanically shape a car that looks as good as this one. Officially my favourite clothes iron.

Line-A Pro Car Tuesday, 20th September 2022

This is Super Pro level of performance. Absolutely OP in its current rating. I do love how it looks, though.

The Reactor Standard Track Monday, 12th September 2022

It's one of the most visually appealing tracks out there, no doubt about that. You can really feel like you're in a derelict chemical plant, or indeed a reactor. But that's pretty much where fun ended for me. The track consists of three segments and is very short. All segments are the same, joined on a triangle plane. And that's fine, simple layout tracks can be as nice to race on as more complicated ones - but there'll be barely any racing here if you dare keep pickups on. The track itself is very narrow and offers little to no protection against crashing or falling off - go wide and you'll fall into what appears to be chemicals, but is in fact a flat texture; go tight and you'll be hitting supporting beams. There's barely any room for corrections and passing, so to do well you really need to be lucky from the outset. And I do mean lucky, because not only you won't have space to overtake anybody, you'll also struggle with pickups - if they're on, of course. Every segment's entry point is so narrow that if someone drops oil there, you're dead. If someone hits you hard enough to throw you off balance, you're dead. If you're racing cleanly with no pickups but you get a slight nudge around any of the boxes standing around the racign line, you're dead. It's eye candy, sure, and a nice material for precision driving exercise or time attack. But I wouldn't say it's going to provide good racing.

Jenot Semi-Pro Car Saturday, 21st May 2022

Update: Car folder fixed. Also, I'm a moron.

Jenot Semi-Pro Car Saturday, 21st May 2022

Update: Minor changes to ReadMe and description.

Beatbox Advanced Car Sunday, 8th May 2022

A new music-themed car around. Very nice, not enough of them around! Beatbox fits into its theme with ase as well - everything about it makes you want to listen to some tunes from those subwoofers. Base car choice was spot on, early 00s Escalade may well be iconic in the context at this point. Visually it's easy five stars. The car is much more modern than vanilla ones, and yet it fits the game. Body has nice proportions and well-made textures, with monotonic but still good features. It also has small inlets on the sides, housing what I presume to be shocks - an eye-catching detail when you look at the car in the selection menu. I especially like the pink glow the bodywork has in sunlight, giving it much more depth and ethereal feel. And then there's the backside, oh dear. Modelling and texturing is just as good here as on the rest of the sides, but there's the addition of "aerials" imitating soundwaves. Admittedly, because they're aerials, they behave like one and didn't strike me as very nciely done at first. Then I set off and the idea became clear - they may look like cotton flapping about while driving, but if you're willing to add some imagination to your eyesight, then they become one with the car and make driving all the better. Ah, yes, driving. Beatbox is a good car here as well. Exceptional acceleration is a marketed feature, and it's accurate - it *will* obliterate others at the very start. At 55-56 kph, top speed isn't too shabby either - in fact, those figures would place it at the cutting edge of Advanced rating. But then there's the weight and suspension. And oh boy, you will feel the weight. Not in a bad way, mind you - it's just noticeable. First of all, suspension is very firm and provides literally zero body roll. Coupled with low ride height it gives off a brick-like vibe, but that brick is suspiciously nimble. "Clumsiness in turning" is a bit of an undersell IMO, because as long as you plan your moves and gel with the rigid nature of the car, you'll have no problems navigating most turns. Yes, you will die in very narrow passages, but that's not a problem thanks to raw speed of the car. It sticks to the ground and does what you ask it to, and doesn't even flinch under fire - so you're covered on that front as well. Beatbox is a shoe-in for anyone enjoying those cars that are quirky enough to make driving an interesting experience, without going all-in on the conceptual side of things. Only major flaw I can find in it is the fact that while custom engine sound is less tiring than the usual V8-like growl, I think it still could be better. After a few races I found the sound overwhelming, and I'd prefer something less distinct from vanilla Glow sound. But hey, that's just me. It's still a great, enjoyable vehicle. Pros: - Interesting execution of the soundwave concept - Brick that is technically a brick, but doesn't drive like one - Top-end params for the rating, balanced by quirks in the handling - Very sturdy under fire Cons: - Weight and low steering ratio make navigating the tightest turns a bit of a challenge - Soundwaves only look good when you're moving forwards - Engine sound may be tiring after a while - ... and I do struggle to find a fourth one

Bully Advanced Car Thursday, 28th April 2022

After the update it's still OP. 36 mph/59 kph is high for Semi-Pro, let alone Advanced. If it was coupled with incredibly weak acceleration rate and and a stiff ride to balance high top speed, it'd be fine. But as it stands, beyond the playful name, on track it's a literal bully - and not in a good sense. It's a shame, because it's an otherwise well-done car with a distinctive diecast quality to it.

Turboswing Semi-Pro Car Monday, 18th April 2022

No need to show me the door, I'll leave on my own

Turboswing Semi-Pro Car Monday, 18th April 2022

Electroswing is one hell of a genre to pick when making a musical car. It's rhythmic enough to be technically useful as an engine note substitute, and offers a lot of mixing opportunities when you drive the car. And when you look at Turboswing, you'll instantly want to drive. Both its liveries are very vibrant, and while I'm not a biggest fan of the pastel used in the base one, the alternate seems to fit the theme of the car - it's making parts of the bodywork look like an actual instrument. Model's curves also help with that - whole thing is very sleek. Something I don't like about the visuals are small mistakes in modelling though. Rear lamps are just painted when they could look so much better as protruding objects; front wheels clip a little through the fenders on bumps; and finally, headlamps seem to be misaligned and literally sink into the front collar. On track it's a complete surprise from the very first second. At 2 kilograms kerb weight theoretically it would be either a slug or a hard to control monster, but no - it feels light as a feather. Laughably small top speed of 52kph, theoretically putting it below Semi-Pro window, is countered by lightning fast acceleration. It reaches its peak without slightest problems and has no trouble keeping it. In turn one, another surprise - all that weight was balanced very carefully, and you still don't feel it. She turns in smoothly, goes through the turn at the exact angle you want, and straightens without as much as a wobble. Steering rack works like a charm at any speed. And then there's suspension. Again, smooth - doesn't bounce, doesn't break contact with surface, doesn't make you uncomfortable. Body is kept generally stiff thanks to heavy overall weight, and shocks do all the necessary work to keep the ride stable. And that's why you can without any problems focus on listening to the engine... I mean the tune. It's a nicely picked, upbeat electroswing piece that's way longer than the usual engine sound, so you won't go crazy instantly. Sound's pitch is optimised to play properly at top speed on the ground, and it changes depending on what happens to the car. For example, engaging the battery is basically equivalent to playing 33rpm record on a 78rpm gramophone. It's also complimented by an orchestral break hidden under the horn button. Overall, Turboswing is an honestly good car. It drives very nicely if a bit artificially, and it's got a meme value beyond one-time novelty - especially if you encounter it as an AI car. The music is pleasant and engaging enough for two or three races, but after that you'll probably need a break from the sound so it doesn't become stale - I know I did. But for those few races in a row you'll be having a great amount of fun with it. Pros: - Stylistically interesting piece of a car - Params do their job and don't care if straight line speed is not quite your tempo - Simply awesome weight, steering and suspension balancing effort making the ride very enjoyable Cons: - Modelling does have some flaws,both minor and major - Hard to catch up to rivals if you make mistakes during the race - Tendency to dance around when hit, despite the weight