Would you play a version of Dirt that had no licensed content?

[enamel]

Fantasy time.

What if CM developed a Dirt game that had no licensed content whatsoever. Instead, focusing on the core engine and simulation, and robust modding tools that would allow the community to supply car, stage, and perhaps physics (arcade vs sim) content. Think of a product like Skyrim where it ships with some fantasy content, but it is the modding scene that keeps the game in the top of the sales and played charts for years after it's release. The game would ship with some amount of fantasy cars and stages as an example to modders, and to provide some content at release, but otherwise focuses on community created content.

Would you buy Dirt as an extensible platform with no licensed content?

[Operator1]

Sure, as long as it played well on its own (without the need for additional modded content). Same would hold true (for me) for other motorsport genres as well (GT racing, open-wheel racing, etc.). Quality game-play takes precedence over everything else (for me). It would help (me), though, if "fantasy" content had a very authentic feel - not exact replicas/copies of real-world items, but made of elements that would be easily believable in a real-world motorsport context. If the fictitious cars/tracks/events/etc. were too outlandish, it wouldn't feel connected enough to motorsport to catch or hold my interest. For example: I always thought the design/look of most of the unlicensed/fantasy cars in the BurnOut series was well done - though I wasn't much of a fan of the game-play since it wasn't geared towards motorsport.

[SkiddyMcCrash]

Quick answer. Yes.

Long wordy answer. Yes.

[JZStudios]

You mean like Live For Speed? Or GTA?   

[PJTierney]

As a console player: No.

I like having a game that is "complete" out of the box and to be honest, driving a Subaru, Quattro or Stratos appeals more to me than Generic WRC Car, Generic Group B Car etc.

Licensing is a complicated and expensive business, but the immersion factor and the fact that you can replicate what your heroes do is a big draw. There's a reason FIFA is the bigger of the 2 well-known football franchises, when on paper PES does some things better. 

[Kakkela]

PJTierney said:

As a console player: No.

I like having a game that is "complete" out of the box and to be honest, driving a Subaru, Quattro or Stratos appeals more to me than Generic WRC Car, Generic Group B Car etc.

Licensing is a complicated and expensive business, but the immersion factor and the fact that you can replicate what your heroes do is a big draw. There's a reason FIFA is the bigger of the 2 well-known football franchises, when on paper PES does some things better. 

Not having licenses doesn't instantly mean it's going to be "Generic WRC Car". Just take a look at Automobilista (ex-Stock Car Extreme), they have licenses for few Brasilian touring car series, but lack many other licenses while still having loads of Formula cars, Australian V8 and Stadium Super Trucks.
Some may argue that they are bending the rules quite a lot and that probably higher profile developer can't get away as much as they can. But I'd say it's possible to make it feel authentic even without licenses.

[Lagoa86]

No thanks. Not interested.. At all......

[enamel]

JZStudios said:

You mean like Live For Speed? Or GTA?   

Exactly, GTA is a great example of a game that has much loved loved fictional cars (i.e. Ballista Compact), and a very strong modding community that provides "replicas" of real world cars.

Really just curious as to how many people play the game because it has the likenesses of specific cars vs. playing the game because of the gameplay / underlying platform.

[JZStudios]

enamel said:

JZStudios said:

You mean like Live For Speed? Or GTA?   

Exactly, GTA is a great example of a game that has much loved loved fictional cars (i.e. Ballista Compact), and a very strong modding community that provides "replicas" of real world cars.

Really just curious as to how many people play the game because it has the likenesses of specific cars vs. playing the game because of the gameplay / underlying platform.

Well I for one pretty well hate the handling in it. Frankly I don't see why they would need to be unlicensed. Sure it's cheaper to come up with your own cars, but the limitation to licensing cars I can tell is the damage model, of which based on the previous DiRT games Codies doesn't have a problem with. I don't really need anything like BeamNG.

[iNoTroN]

no i dont want to drive fictional cars in dirt rally

[enamel]

iNoTroN said:

no i dont want to drive fictional cars in dirt rally

Nor would you ever have to with an extensible platform. In fact the "real car" count would likely and up being several magnitudes greater than what Dirt Rally shipped with, just look at the current livery modding community as an example.

[iNoTroN]

enamel said:

iNoTroN said:

no i dont want to drive fictional cars in dirt rally

Nor would you ever have to with an extensible platform. In fact the "real car" count would likely and up being several magnitudes greater than what Dirt Rally shipped with, just look at the current livery modding community as an example.

fictional livery ok but i realy not want a fictional car.

[shadow118]

JZStudios said:

enamel said:

JZStudios said:

You mean like Live For Speed? Or GTA?   

Exactly, GTA is a great example of a game that has much loved loved fictional cars (i.e. Ballista Compact), and a very strong modding community that provides "replicas" of real world cars.

Really just curious as to how many people play the game because it has the likenesses of specific cars vs. playing the game because of the gameplay / underlying platform.

Well I for one pretty well hate the handling in it. Frankly I don't see why they would need to be unlicensed. Sure it's cheaper to come up with your own cars, but the limitation to licensing cars I can tell is the damage model, of which based on the previous DiRT games Codies doesn't have a problem with. I don't really need anything like BeamNG.

It's "Blista Compact" and GTA isn't really a good example, because it's a bit different genre. The cars are generally less detailed than in racing games and the handling is arcade, to be accessible by more people. Something like Live for Speed would be a better example. But I'd rather have licenced content, the game feels more authentic that way. And now with DiRT getting more noticed Codeis should have it a bit easier acquiring more licences

[KingOfCoins]

That reminds me. There was an Offbrand Delta in Motorstorm. And honestly it looked quite good

[Kakkela]

I don't understand how some people still think licensing restricts damage model. It hasn't been the case for long (or even ever, there are few interviews backing "ever").




This is one example of non-licensed content in racing simulators. I wouldn't have any problem with these kind of cars in rally games if it would allow money to go somewhere more important. I have Automobilista and iRacing Holden (licensed car with guaranteed quality physics wise) and they behave pretty close to each other.

[BadD0g]

To me the history of the sport is what I'm most interested in, so in short I probably wouldn't buy it right away like I did with DR, I'd have to give it some consideration. 

When you say 'rally game with no licensed content' I immediately think of Xpand Rally. I played Xpand Rally and enjoyed it at the time even though none of the cars were real, but I don't know if that's the kind of game I would want to play today. Something feels missing to me when I can't recreate moments in rally history. Sometimes I see a photo of  a past event, for example Richard Burns' Subaru in Wales, and it will make me want to drive that car in that place in DR. I don't know how much of my enjoyment of the game would be lost without that but I'm thinking it would probably be a lot.

[dgeesi0]

wasnt automoblistia pulled from steam for those very reasons not long ago  :#

[Kakkela]

dgeesi0 said:

wasnt automoblistia pulled from steam for those very reasons not long ago  :#

FOM was behind that and they resolved it by changing paints for their version of current gen Formula 1 car.

[Benja190782]

Yes if it was with the BeamNG crash physics!

[JZStudios]

Kakkela said:

I don't understand how some people still think licensing restricts damage model. It hasn't been the case for long (or even ever, there are few interviews backing "ever").

I remember an interview with the Forza guys and they have to sculpt the damage because due to licensing it can't look like someone died. It's a weird restriction, and I'm not sure where that line is drawn.

[DocStrangelove]

Partially yes. But I want to be able to drive those actual, real cars. Like the Quattro. (and then I end up never driving it because it's s**t)

[Subiesauce]

I want Dirt rally to be moddable, look at rbr, the only thing that kept that alive was the big modding community..