Street Kart

[Ross Jones]

Hi guys, we're the developers of Street Kart, a brand new multiplayer racing game for iOS.

We invite you to truly test your racing skills against other players from around the world PvP, racing from 50 mph Cadets to Pro Karts 90 mph+ and inch from the ground. Awesome features include real time weather (if it's raining in Rio, it's raining in Rio in the game - and affects tire choice, engine power curves etc.), and live real time championships, and kart physics that have been tested, and improved by 20 pro kart racers around the world. (Full info available on our website).

We're seeking beta testers to join us for our 3rd beta, next month and because it's PvP we can take up to 2,000 real players to help us tune the action. We're at over 450 currently.

Here's the trailer:

So if you think you can race, and are in with a chance to become beta champion, we want to hear from you.

Go to www.streetkart.me for more details.

Thanks from all the team,
Ross Jones, co-founder, Street Kart
www.facebook.com/streetkart

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

Independent game developers Fat Cigar Productions Ltd are currently running a closed beta testing programme for new multiplayer kart racing title Street Kart, a high performance game for use on iOS devices.

UPDATE: Beta places are still available until Sunday 20th March - 23:59 GMT. Please PM @Ross Jones with your email address to apply.

The team behind Street Kart aim for 1000 mobile gamers to take part in a closed beta testing programme for the new iOS karting simulation, sadly the deadline on Monday March 14th has now closed while the game is given a final rigorous test and polish before launching to the general public.

As can be seen from the introductory video at the top of this article, Street Kart promises to be a step above the usual mobile game in offering a realistic racing experience developed and supported by real kart racing drivers allowing players to race head to head in a real time championship environment against friends and rivals across the world.

Ross Grayle Jones, Director of Fat Cigar Productions had the following to say about the upcoming title:

"Street Kart is a multiplayer racing game for iOS, which is all in real time. Real time weather (if it’s raining in Rio it’s raining in the Rio track in the game), Real time championship racing with finite finish dates to determine championship winners and finally a game on iOS that allows you to truly test yourself again racers all around the world in PvP and synchronous action. We literally drop you in against real players from the get go and we don’t hand hold you around corners.

The game has been tested by tens of real kart racers from around the world who do this professionally seeking to make it to F1 or touring cars."

With the ultimate aim of becoming World Champion, Street Kart will have several racing classes to choose from, beginning with 50 mph Cadet Karts to 90 mph Pro Karts in 4 different classes all featuring leading brands. All racing is aimed at person to person online multiplayer, and users can notify friends when they are online or alternatively join in racers against other players 24 hours a day, without scheduled start times to ensure the maximum possibility of racing against a sizable field of your fellow rivals.

The game will feature free voice chat in game, and allow you to notify all your Facebook contacts so you can create your very own league to race against your friends.

As mentioned above by Ross, the game also features real time weather at the circuits, with air pressures affecting engine performance and upgrade options such as branded tyre choices available in the garage section of the game.

Several real life kart racers have been involved in the testing and development of this title and share the opinion that the game physics are as close to a simulation as has yet been seen on a mobile device. 2016 Rotax Winter Cup Champion Adam Smalley, who also helps with testing the game feels Street Kart is a close representation of his real life machine:

"It is the closest game I have played to the real thing, the physics are amazing. It is so good how you are able to race online players and move up in the rankings and move up classes. It gives you a big adrenaline rush when you win."

With a lack of any serious racing titles to entertain the sim racing enthusiast when we are away from our usual racing rigs, Street Kart could be a very interesting option to keep an eye on in 2016. RaceDepartment.com will bring you all the latest news and information on this new iOS title when it becomes available.

If you managed to get signed up for the beta program let us know what you think of the game!



Interested in a karting game for iOS? Will you be intending to play the title on release? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[ThatRacingGuy]

Well... At least you're going in the right direction @Paul Jeffrey

 

[Andrew Harper]

For an iOS game this looks surprisingly good!

Will be interesting to see how it "drives" but I would imagine the whole marketing campaign is going to be more about "race with your friends" rather than altering your tyres pressures

 

[Glen Orpheus]

i hope the implement some good force feedback into this title

 

[Cote Dazur]

game physics are as close to a simulation as has yet been seen on a mobile device

I have to admit that I never attempt to play a racing SIM on my iPhone, but I have a hard time imagining it to be more than a mild amusement, so when I read "game physics are as close to a simulation" I cannot refrain from smiling and wondering what we are really talking about here. Like we often discuss on what is SIM and what is arcade, seems to me we just entered a new dimension when trying to race pixels on a phone.

 

[Colin Knowles]

When is it coming to consoles ?

 

[Radu Oros]

I have to admit that I never attempt to play a racing SIM on my iPhone, but I have a hard time imagining it to be more than a mild amusement, so when I read "game physics are as close to a simulation" I cannot refrain from smiling and wondering what we are really talking about here. Like we often discuss on what is SIM and what is arcade, seems to me we just entered a new dimension when trying to race pixels on a phone.

Realistic vehicle dynamics can be seen in simulators, arcade, simcade. But then depends how many car components you simulate, how well and how much the aerodynamics, tires, suspensions, road surface are made. And how all that translate to controlling the vehicle with realistic force steering wheel.
And beyond game physics, there's also the car behaving 1:1 in several situations, when a driver sits behind the real life car and behind the simulated car. So here the difference between sim and non-sim or almost sim, is how realistically each vehicle is simulated, or if just great vehicle physics but generic individual car simulation.

 

[Ross Jones]

When is it coming to consoles ?

Sadly no time soon Colin - there's plenty of titles out there for consoles, but not many great racing titles for iOS. We CAN port it to console, but the game design would have to change to do so.

 

[Mitja Bonca]

Why not for PC?

 

[Ross Jones]

For an iOS game this looks surprisingly good!

Will be interesting to see how it "drives" but I would imagine the whole marketing campaign is going to be more about "race with your friends" rather than altering your tyres pressures

Hey Andrew, so yes you're quite right, there's definitely the race with your friends element as we're trying to get more people into racing and it's a great way to do that but...

The weather really does impact on kart set up and karts can be modified and set up appropriately. So, for example air pressure affects the power to the engine; Humidity affects grip levels; you can adjust tyre pressures, seat position, camber etc. but the karts really do handle like karts.

We've had 20 or so real karters testing the game since Christmas to nail the physics down, and these include British Champions, as well as guys from all around the world, NZ and Australian state champions and national champions.

So while there's no 'wheel' and direct feedback, we're trying to get as close as there has been to a sim game on a mobile device, while still proving accessible.

 

[Ross Jones]

Why not for PC?

There's quite a lot of PC games coming - such as Kart Kraft which looks excellent.

 

[Greg Latty]

Im guessing us Android users get the shaft

 

[Ross Jones]

Im guessing us Android users get the shaft

Sadly at the moment yes, but it is possible to port across at a later stage.

 

[Cote Dazur]

And how all that translate to controlling the vehicle with realistic force steering wheel

But Radu, there is no steering wheel, not even a controller, you play by tilting the phone! so what ever is there, is communicated on a brand new level and realistic takes the meaning to a totally new perspective.
Granted, some player, play using a keyboard, so in that perspective tilting a phone is not that much worse, but can we still talk about simulation?
I think playing a game is the right way to describe it and it does not matter so much what the shape of the object your are trying to move, advance, win a race with is so important in that case. Might as well play Mario Cart!

 

[Ian Navarro]

And what about android devices? Will they have support for it?

 

[Ian Navarro]

Sorry i just read it

 

[Ian Navarro]

Sadly at the moment yes, but it is possible to port across at a later stage.

Fingers crossed

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

Well... At least you're going in the right direction

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

The game does look great, I think this could be a very interesting addition to our racing options... especially considering its for iOS it looks brilliant.

I'm just sorry we failed to get this article out before the beta closed back on the 14th March (my fault, sorry folks). Keep an eye on it though everyone, it will be exciting to see everyone's feedback once it does go public...