Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (June 21st, 2019)

[Jango]

13 hours ago, DabigRG said:

he had toggled hard difficulty by complete happenstance

Ah... No wonder why you had such a bad time, hard mode is indeed hard, far more than the original CTR from 1999, actually. This explains literally everything. It wasn't the game's fault in this case. Same thing would've happened if in your first time playing Mario Kart 8 you picked 150cc or 200cc, for example.

 

13 hours ago, DabigRG said:

So then I decided to go to story mode after not being able to find a tutorial mode.

That's your tutorial mode. If you have told us this was going to be your first time playing the game, I would've recommended playing the Adventure Mode first, because...

 

13 hours ago, DabigRG said:

Uka Uka pops up with, "Say, did you know you boost off a hard turn just by tapping the drift." Not, I didn't despite numerous attempts to do so.

Like you said, the masks are your tutorial. It's true that the game doesn't teach you everything you can perform while racing, but you don't need to learn any kind of "advanced techs" to do well in this game, period. I'll say 99% of the game resolves around getting the hang of the drift-boost, which is the primary mechanic. You drift with one shoulder button (R1) and you boost with the other shoulder button (L1). There's no secret. You'll master this mechanic as you play, now that you know how to do. Eventually you'll be able to chain one drift-boost after another, which is the name of the game. You can even toggle the "Nitro Wheels" option (in the gameplay options menu) to know exactly when to boost while drifiting.

If you don't feel like dialogue and text is enough to understand the game, Beenox was even nicer to add VIDEO tutorials if you try to re-listen to Aku-Aku (or Uka-Uka) hints, as you can see:

I think it's less intrusive than the "stop and go, stop and go" tutorials in TSR, but that's just my personal opinion.

 

13 hours ago, DabigRG said:

This game doesn't exactly play like mascot racers typically do and yet it does...? 

It doesn't play exactly like Mario Kart, that's all ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Don't give up, no one is expected to do well on their first try.

[DabigRG]

5 hours ago, Jango said:

Except no. He admitted he was playing on hard mode. Hard mode is bananas, for that you really need to master the game and also have a lucky start.

Easy and normal are fairly doable. My GF never touched a videogame in her life and she wins on easy without even drifiting. The only difficulty setting that's vastly different from the original is hard.

Also, the drift boost isn't an advanced tech, you can beat the whole game with it.

 

26 minutes ago, Jango said:

Ah... No wonder why you had such a bad time, hard mode is indeed hard, far more than the original CTR from 1999, actually. This explains literally everything. It wasn't the game's fault in this case. Same thing would've happened if in your first time playing Mario Kart 8 you picked 150cc or 200cc, for example.

Problem with that assumption though is we were only playing hard on Coco Park because he kept hitting B by accident and also added an nonexistant third player at one point--otherwise, we were playing on Medium.

Which, for what it's worth, I kept getting second in story mode due to Dingodile & Polar either consistently being at least a step ahead or pulling in front in the last couple of feet. Which tells me that I doing okay, but the lack of healthy steering and not understanding the mechanics made it seem unnecessarily difficult.

37 minutes ago, Jango said:

That's your tutorial mode. If you have told us this was going to be your first time playing the game, I would've recommended playing the Adventure Mode first, because...

 

Like you said, the masks are your tutorial. It's true that the game doesn't teach you everything you can perform while racing, but you don't need to learn any kind of "advanced techs" to do well in this game, period.

I did mention considering gettingand then actually playing the game a couple of times, but that's not on ya'll.(The receipt says it was mid July for context)

Anyway, my only further thought after that point was wishing they gave you something like that for at least completing/losing the race a number of times. That hint would've been nice for finally beating the level that doesn't have numerous hops and curves to awkwardly drift around for 2 seconds.

37 minutes ago, Jango said:

I'll say 99% of the game resolves around getting the hang of the drift-boost, which is the primary mechanic.

Yeah, I kinda figured. 

37 minutes ago, Jango said:

You drift with one shoulder button (R1) and you boost with the other shoulder button (L1). There's no secret. You'll master this mechanic as you play, now that you know how to do. Eventually you'll be able to chain one drift-boost after another, which is the name of the game. You can even toggle the "Nitro Wheels" option (in the gameplay options menu) to know exactly when to boost while drifiting.

Now that I didn't know. Explains a fair bit.

37 minutes ago, Jango said:

If you don't feel like dialogue and text is enough to understand the game, Beenox was even nicer to add VIDEO tutorials if you try to re-listen to Aku-Aku (or Uka-Uka) hints, as you can see:

I think it's less intrusive than the "stop and go, stop and go" tutorials in TSR, but that's just my personal opinion.

The keyword there being "re-listen." 

Btw, what's going on with Uka Uka's voice in this?

37 minutes ago, Jango said:

It doesn't play exactly like Mario Kart, that's all ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Don't give up, no one is expected to do well on their first try.

Yeah, that. :lol:  

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

Anyway, courtesy of BetaM, we got a look at Coco's new skin for the upcoming Rustland GP.

Spoiler

 

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Guess it’s Mad Max then.

[MetalSkulkBane]

They adding who?

Am I the only one worried that they run out of characters? Who's left, Evil Twins, Amberly, Willie Wumpa and bloody Vicount? I guess they can find a way to make masks playable (Aku, Uka, Elementals) and add more variation on main cast (Evil Crash, evil Coco, etc) but that's what, 15 characters maybe?

If I were Activision I would make 5 new characters: A Dutiful soldier, guy with Guitar, pro Skater, Watching superhero with gun and WoW player. Homages to biggest franchises they and Blizzard own right now.

Afterwards? Make deal with Sega for Sonic racer before I explode from jealousy...

[Your Vest Friend]

If they scrape the barrel, they could be good for another six months.Aside from the ones you listed (Evil Coco not withstanding - Dark Coco was basically CTR's version of that), there's obscure or low importance but memorable names like The Bearminator, the Lab Assisstant, Rusty Walrus, Farmer Ernest, any number of Titans, other characters cut from games outside of CTR, and that's not even tapping into characters that were datamined but not seen in the GPs and the spring of potential characters that is Spyro. 

[Harkofthewaa]

@MetalSkulkBane We already have WoW and Overwatch skins for the Norms and Liz respectively. As for characters... yeah we really are starting to run out. I hope they at least add Emperor Velo before it's all said and done, but they'll probably butcher his voice anyways.

 

[Jango]

I mean, they can always add a venus fly trap ya know :V

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

5 hours ago, Nina Cortex Jovahexeon said:

Anyway, courtesy of BetaM, we got a look at Coco's new skin for the upcoming Rustland GP.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Courtesy of Cogmonkey, here's said skin in partial colors and more details:

Spoiler

 

[Your Vest Friend]

I wonder if this will sort of cover her regular MOM look, then.

[Your Vest Friend]

By the way, an update; There's now a surge of fans on Reddit asking for a character called Mr Crumb from the Crash Tiger Electronic game. 

I said scraping the barrel, not digging six feet through it. 

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

1 minute ago, Your Vest Friend said:

By the way, an update; There's now a surge of fans on Reddit asking for a character called Mr Crumb from the Crash Tiger Electronic game. 

I said scraping the barrel, not digging six feet through it. 

Oh yeah this guy.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/170600/Tiger-Electronics-Crash-Bandicoot-99-004.html

Not only that, but now we've got fans pulling for cut characters like the Evil Coco herself from Twinsanity, Good Cortex, and even freaking Land Shark.

And of course, other characters like Madame Amberly, Rusty Walrus, Farmer Ernest and yes, even the skunk, ate getting more attention and requests too.

Also, this is a thing:

 

[Jango]

What the hell is a Mr. Crumb? lol I've been a Crash fan since 1999 and I never ever heard about this guy. I kinda feel offended.

I guess everyone I ever wanted is already in Nitro-Fueled at this point. Maybe finally adding Emperor Velo and some lab assistants will be it for me. Already wanting to move foward TBH. 

[Ryannumber1gamer]

https://board.sonicstadium.org/profile/7129-ryannumber1santa/?status=970558&type=status

As a heads up - Crash Team Racing NF is currently up for voting for this week's SSMB Game Night, and is in the lead by a wide margin, meaning it's likely it'll be played this weekend.

The Switch and PS4 versions are currently the ones that can be guaranteed hosting. Unfortunately, since I don't have the Xbox version, nor do I know anyone who could host it, it's off the cards. That said, if anyone wants to get an Xbox One room up as well, and can host, let me know and we can try organise something.

Anyone interested in playing - be sure to let me know so I can add you to the organisation PM. 

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

2 hours ago, Jango said:

What the hell is a Mr. Crumb? lol I've been a Crash fan since 1999 and I never ever heard about this guy. I kinda feel offended.

Well, as someone who's been a fan since 1998 when I was 3 (and whose dad was a Crash fan since 1996), I can tell you that this here

Mr. Crumb, is the leader of a bunch of ghouls who are the enemies in the handheld Crash Bandicoot game made back in 1998.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

Can this be the next grand prix

 

[Harkofthewaa]

@Ryannumber1Santa I have the Xbox One version, although my internet's NAT type is stuck to Moderate so I don't know if I can host or not(by definition Moderate technically can host but is de-prioritized). If someone else here has the Xbox One version I'd be more than willing to try though, my gamertag is Sonic 360 Elite (yes, with the spaces, my teenage self was a grammar nazi and my adult self isn't paying 10 bucks to remove some spaces). Anyone who wants to try just give me a call, either here or on XBL.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

On 12/16/2019 at 10:53 PM, Ryannumber1Santa said:

https://board.sonicstadium.org/profile/7129-ryannumber1santa/?status=970558&type=status

As a heads up - Crash Team Racing NF is currently up for voting for this week's SSMB Game Night, and is in the lead by a wide margin, meaning it's likely it'll be played this weekend.

The Switch and PS4 versions are currently the ones that can be guaranteed hosting. Unfortunately, since I don't have the Xbox version, nor do I know anyone who could host it, it's off the cards. That said, if anyone wants to get an Xbox One room up as well, and can host, let me know and we can try organise something.

Anyone interested in playing - be sure to let me know so I can add you to the organisation PM. 

An update to this - Crash Team Racing NF is the winner! We're playing it tomorrow at 7:30pm EST/12:30am EST, if anyone wants to play, let me know, and I'll add you to the organising PM.

[Sonicka]

Just out of interest does anyone see the outline hitbox around their Kart now? It’s faint but useful, and also a touch distracting. 

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

3 hours ago, Son-icka said:

Just out of interest does anyone see the outline hitbox around their Kart now? It’s faint but useful, and also a touch distracting. 

Oh thank goodness. I thought it was just me.

[DabigRG]

On 12/16/2019 at 8:15 PM, Ryannumber1Santa said:

Can this be the next grand prix

 

When are they gonna add Cortex Bin Laden?

[Ryannumber1gamer]

You know, thinking about it - if they really scraped the bottom of the barrel, you could probably throw in that rich guy from Boom Bang, along with Coco and Tawna’s manga designs from the same game.

[DabigRG]

22 hours ago, Ryannumber1Santa said:

You know, thinking about it - if they really scraped the bottom of the barrel, you could probably throw in that rich guy from Boom Bang, along with Coco and Tawna’s manga designs from the same game.

The Viscount Devil?

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

34 minutes ago, DabigRG said:

The Viscount Devil?

He's a Tasmanian Devil called The Viscount.

[DabigRG]

I guess I should give an update while this thread is in eyesight.

Went back on Christmas to do a race with each character to unlock their first costume(Tiny Doberman is the best one even if I haven't played most of them) and then played more of story mode.

Did the Crystal Mission a couple of times before getting it, got a trophy in all four races, beat the ambusheing Ripper Roo, and then started doing the Time Trials since no other stage unlocked.

I think I eventually beat one or two before hitting the wall that is the one in the cave. I must've done that one 15 times before cutting it off due to my thumb hurting. 

Went back to occasionally playing Attack on Titan 2 and might give this another go after progressing in the story again.