NASCAR Heat Evolution Hands-On Preview: Mechanical Failures, Dynamic AI

Very interesting details involving Monster Games’ upcoming NASCAR Heat Evolution driving game were revealed during the last “Develop Diary” video episode, which focused on important elements of driving game development: accessibility to a wide range of players and the overall handling model.

We’re glad to share more comprehensive details on the matter, as journalist Robert Kollars shared his personal experience with the game over at of Operation Sports. It seems that the developer worked very hard to present the game to both casual and hard-core oriented players:

“You can choose the normal, more forgiving settings, or simply go for it and dive head first into simulation mode. I can tell you from hours of personal experience that there is a drastic difference between the two, and while simulation mode can still classified as accessible to all, it was designed with those who are looking for a deeper, more challenging experience.”

Kollars also praised the precision of the controls. The stability allowed him to focus on multiple things during the race while keeping his current position intact, something that he personally couldn’t achieve in earlier NASCAR titles so easily:

“Because of the stable and precise control the game offers, I had the chance to watch the AI ahead of me race each other for position, all while using multiple strategies to do so.”

One factor that can quickly separate good from great racing games is AI competitiveness. Kollars reports that the game is going to let players adjust toughness of AI drivers, according to their skills and preferences. Opponents will also crash regardless of your interaction with them, forcing flags to come out and interrupt the race.

“I witnessed pack racing take place at plate tracks, and even more exciting was seeing the AI break into different packs at the 1.5 mile tracks.”

That all seems to indicate that AI drivers will run on their own as they do in real life, which is certainly going to please the player. The game is also said to introduce mechanical failures and blown engines. Although these will not appear randomly, they will certainly add more unforeseen occurrences to watch out for.

NASCAR Heat Evolution is scheduled to appear September 13 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Stay tuned for more news on the game.

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