Dakar 18 - The Game

[RomFil]

no terrain deformation ?

 

[Case_]

Team VVV's coverage is a fairly reliable indicator the game will be pretty bad. That channel has a fascinating knack to mostly focus on pretty bad games, with some exceptions here and there obviously. A shame, though, because the game world looks nice, as do certain mechanics and ideas.

 

[JorritVD]

As far i see it, the gameplay on both wheel and controller seems quite ok

SO some interesting things:
- You can get stuck
- You can help others
- There are easter eggs which you can search for (explorer mode) (4 easter eggs for each country)
- The map is HUGE
- Focus is on simulation
- Working windscreen wipers (looks like you can control them yourselves)
- Focus is on navigation, keeping the car alive, having a plan, rather than push it to the limit
- With different types of vehicles it can be you need to take a different route
- Splitscreen possibility (not see much nowadays this functionallity)
- AI can get lost as well
- There is an in credit system, so when you help someone you will get credits
- If you drive on water, the car get spin out

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Team VVV's coverage is a fairly reliable indicator the game will be pretty bad. That channel has a fascinating knack to mostly focus on pretty bad games, with some exceptions here and there obviously. A shame, though, because the game world looks nice, as do certain mechanics and ideas.

There are economic reasons for that focus imo.

I am just slightly amazed they don't seem super positive, which might indicate it's not that good.
And holy crapcake. I need to learn some proper navigating.

 

[Case_]

There are economic reasons for that focus imo.

Oh, I'm absolutely sure there are.

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

With release scheduled for September 11th, Bigmoon Entertainment have just deployed a new batch of preview screens for the upcoming title...

Over the past few months we've experienced a steam stream of image reveals from the upcoming Dakar 18 videogame from Bigmoon Interactive, reaching a head earlier this month with the announcement that the title will be made available to purchase on September 11th (the day before ACC), and now the young development studio over in Portugal have pushed live another set of images from the game - showcasing some admittedly rather impressive graphics from a range of scenery set to be featured in this epic sized open world map.

DAKAR 18 is scheduled to release 2018 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

To keep in touch with all the latest news from this simulation, and to share the excitement with your fellow fans of the great event, be sure to check out the brand new Dakar 18 sub forum right here at RaceDepartment.com!

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Looking forward to Dakar 18? Can the game live up to the expectations of a public looking for an authentic Dakar experience? Let us know in the comments section below!​

 

[MapoUK]

I watched a couple of developer videos this morning and it looks like it *could be* not too bad a game. Stages lasting several hours and realistic pace notes. I'll probably wait for the reviews and feedback after release before considering a purchase, but it's something very different for a change.

 

[Mr Latte]

It just appears to me as free-roaming title but actually less pretty than Horizon 4
Then building a game around that, heck maybe I am wrong....

From what we have seen of this so far it's hard to know if it has much meat on the bone in terms of gameplay and game modes in that after the initial graphics wear off it becomes boring?

As a title will this be baking hot or more like quicksand?

 

[cupra_abf]

I had my doubts regarding this game, but always had a glimpse of hope. By now I'm starting to be pretty sure this game will be fun, at least for me.

It looks good and captures the landscape of the 2018 Dakar pretty well. Having seen the navigation system in first gameplay videos I'm simply amazed - I never thought a (console!) game will ever tackle the roadbook navigation of endurance rallye racing, and implement it so realistically.

At that point, physics kinda become less important for me - as long as they are enjoyable and not broken, it'll be fine. It doesn't have to be a "driving" simulator, it'll be tons of fun as a navigation simulator already. And they seem to have that part spot on.

And even the driving seems alright. I've read comments from the press event that sound promising. It drives "more like Dirt Rally than Dirt 4" was one of them. Another one was that it drives better with a wheel than a gamepad. Most complaints were about the bikes. Oh well, there's plenty of classes to have fun with.

And the idea of a free driving mode with 4 special places to discover per country sounds like a fun mode on the side.

I'm sold, even if just to support the series. They have a 3 year contract and I'm curious to see how it'll develop. I'm happy that someone finally decided to tackle the topic Dakar and instead of a flashy polished game, they actually take the risk of developing something new and unusual, something that captures the spirit of Dakar and endurance rally racing more than anything we've seen so far.

I don't think it'll be perfect, but I do think I want to support such an ambitious project.

 

[LibranRabbit]

I’ve been waiting for a proper Sim Dakar since Dakar started (yes, I’m not young.) This looks set to be the greatest Dakar representation ever. Backed by the Dakar organisation and unbelievably made only by an indie team, the winning formula that has driven (pun) the results is the overwhelming extreme passion for the sport and the players will be of the same caliber. Stated upfront by the main producer, this is not a game for the foot flat players, but a training tool for pre-Dakar entrants and off season trainers. Close to real road book/pacenotes and use of compass is a must.
My sim rig is primed and warmed up! I’m counting down the days.

 

[Damage Inc]

I watched the VVV on YT and it looks and sounds really good, very much niche so will get a load of criticism from people buying it expecting 5 minute rally style stages!! It sounds like the emphasis is on navigation so is intriguing me. It'll be a nice break from GT3 cars

edit oh I really HOPE mid race saves are a thing though!!

 

[JorritVD]

 

[JorritVD]

 

[UnixRoot]

Good lord, that looks horrible. The car is glued to the terrain, no weight transfer, no suspension physics, no nothing.

There goes my hype.

 

[Case_]

Great, another bitchy co-driver.

I like the world and the navigation mechanics, though. Shame about the rest.

 

[JorritVD]

I guess you guys also just check headlines instead of looking at the full text? Not saw previous video that terrain changes, car aquaplanning, car jumping quite realistic (at for example 1:40), getting stuck, helping others, etc.

Yes, a lot of things can be improved or be polished, but overall they seem to have a good base where they can build on. I havent seen any other game where they did simulate in a lot of aspects in such a scale. I think overall most people underestimate this game and will be very positively suprised when they try it.

Glued?

 

[Case_]

I watched the whole thing, just for the record. No idea why you're talking about "reading just the headline" or whatever. I don't see anything close to "quite realistic" nor exciting except the world as a whole and the navigation system (sans the annoying co-driver). Don't really care what was shown in other dev videos (but that 30 second clip of the car driving over sand dunes you just linked doesn't exactly help your case, looks nothing like how a car driving over sand dunes should actually look like), I'm just commenting on what is shown here. Sorry.

Also, as for "having a good base to build on", that's awesome. So two or three annual full price releases later, the game might actually be what it was originally supposed to be...as usual.

 

[Damage Inc]

good vid but the person driving didn't suss that "cap *number*" was a heading? Quite frustrating to watch unless the vid was demonstrating something else! Still overall looking likely I'm getting this for sure now. Not much I havn't done in (wheeled) Motorsport world, TTIOM, Le Mans, Nords, Indy and now soon Dakar!

 

[MapoUK]

That co-driver was driving me nuts in the video, hope there's a choice of 'less agressive' co-drivers

 

[RomFil]

no terrain deformation (