Brainstorming : bonuses and weapons

[Funto]

I like the TNT crate, it's clear what effect it has even for a newbie player.

As for the anchor, I just tried again TuxKart and the anchor was already there, so that explains the reason for this item
In the set of things I would like to see removed is the penalty at the start, as it just frustrates the player without any advantage, reason and it's unfair for newcomers...

[Kinsu]

As for the anchor, I just tried again TuxKart and the anchor was already there, so that explains the reason for this item

Of course there's a reason, but it's just not obvious enough : a banana peel really has nothing to do with an anchor or a TNT... that's only confusing

In the set of things I would like to see removed is the penalty at the start, as it just frustrates the player without any advantage, reason and it's unfair for newcomers...

+1
I am thinking of something easy to finally get my hands in the code. I might have a try to implement what we thought about for this

[Turtle]

I like the TNT crate, it's clear what effect it has even for a newbie player.

As for the anchor, I just tried again TuxKart and the anchor was already there, so that explains the reason for this item
In the set of things I would like to see removed is the penalty at the start, as it just frustrates the player without any advantage, reason and it's unfair for newcomers...

Agreed. I think it should just give players a speed boost if they get it right. No penalty for getting it wrong (normal startup).

[Arthur]

As for the anchor, I just tried again TuxKart and the anchor was already there, so that explains the reason for this item

Of course there's a reason, but it's just not obvious enough : a banana peel really has nothing to do with an anchor or a TNT... that's only confusing

I don't see the confusion. If banana peels are confusing, then so is a gift box, with all its different bonuses.

When I see a blue swirling box, I instantly think "bonus" (because bonus boxes are present in virtually all arcade racing games). When I then see a banana, I automatically presume it must be bad, since the blue ones must be the good stuff. So the important thing to recognize is that box = good, banana = bad. Sure, getting a bomb from a banana is somewhat odd, but so is the fact that Egyptians and Scotsmen are so fond of bananas they put them everywhere.

TL;DR version: I think the bananas are just fine the way they are.

[Kinsu]

If banana peels are confusing, then so is a gift box, with all its different bonuses.

I don't think so : you can expect to find anything in a giftbox... whereas from a banana peel, it's a little harder

Sure, getting a bomb from a banana is somewhat odd

That's why, with the fact that the bananas really feel like coming from MK, I don't like them. I think they should be replaced by something less odd & more "made in STK".

[Turtle]

Why not replace the banana with a TNT crate? It will still be visible from a distance to give players a little hint to avoid it.

[Arthur]

If it was a TNT crate, I would either expect it to be highly explosive on impact, or just give me the bomb to carry around. I think that would be even more confusing.

[bovineuniversity]

I don't understand the need to change the bananas. I didn't realize they were from Mario Kart as I've never seen or played it. In fact, my kids call STK "no bananas" because you don't want to hit the bananas. But if you're looking for alternatives, why not a different colored present? Red maybe? Or make it ugly and tattered... like a present you don't want.

Make it look like one of these

[Arthur]

Same here, I never played Mario Kart myself, so I don't see the trouble.

As for your replacement idea, it's certainly... umm... interesting.

[code-breaker]

I don't understand the need to change the bananas. I didn't realize they were from Mario Kart as I've never seen or played it. In fact, my kids call STK "no bananas" because you don't want to hit the bananas. But if you're looking for alternatives, why not a different colored present? Red maybe? Or make it ugly and tattered... like a present you don't want.

This might be a bit derivative, but what about a crate with the word 'ACME' on the side? This is from the old roadrunner cartoon, where coyote always had an acme box with some crazy thing inside that would blow up, etc.

[Funto]

The fact that bananas are known with Mario Kart is not really a problem for me, what worries me is that it's total nonsense to have it turn into a bomb or whatever other thing.

ACME box and Windows box are indeed good ideas But even for the ACME box, I'm not sure it would be compliant with the DFSG :/

[Auria]

Actually I don't like the idea of the ACME box, because it could look like a bonus (goodie)

[mr_Spoon]

Sorry if this has been suggested already for a banana replacement, one thing I quickly though of was those yellow triangular signs. They can have various things in them but the generic one is an exclamation mark, but that may be a bit too boring for STK unless they rotated & bounced a little bit (like a Quake3 item). There is also a version with a cross rather than an exclamation mark in it which is quite clear.

Edit, this is probably a rubbish idea, it not exactly an exciting/fun thing to have.

[code-breaker]

Actually I don't like the idea of the ACME box, because it could look like a bonus (goodie)

I first thought the exact same thing about the banana.

[hiker]

Hi,

since we have a replacement for the anchor now, I can actually see that the bananas (or whatever model we use) will become a plain penalty. Perhaps bananas = spin out, we still can have the bomb lying on the track as well, or make the bomb an item (you arm it, then you crash into a kart), ...

So I think the current banana behaviour will be changed soon anyway.

Cheers,
Joerg

[Turtle]

Why not just make the TNT crate make you explode? I understand the game needs to be balanced for giving players nitro on the track, but I think a random obligatory downside doesn't match it.

How can people think TNT crate would be a good thing to crash into? It says, "TNT" and doesn't look like something you would want to crash into either, even for those who don't know what the TNT stands for.

My 2 cents why the banana doesn't feel right:
1. Mario Kart popular item
2. A banana that gives you a bad random downside.

The windows logo would be hilarious, but not to sure if there will be license problems (especially for the message it sends). How about a metal container with a Danger label?


The metal container could look similar to those yellow water containers you see on the road to slow down cars in a crash.

[Funto]

+1 for the idea of a banana that makes you spin and lose control.

As for the TNT crate seeming like a bonus for some people ("hey maybe I can get this crate and throw it at opponents?), if it directly explode, you can be sure the player will know what they are for immediately ^^

[STKRudy85]

+1 for the idea of a banana that makes you spin and lose control.

We speak about banana replacement in battle mode
I'm not sure it will be a good item




Infection could be an idea

[STKRudy85]

I glanced through the subjects concerning bonuses without reading them too much.
So I let there my ideas, I copy ideas from other topics ...

From the most useful for the 1st player (rank) to the last :

[*] Sliding bananas: Duration 1 lap (even if someone zip on it). Small speed up in aleatory direction from left to right

[*] Shield: (seem like a rainbow coloured bubble with alpha and moving UV) Protect from one hit (or any bad event)

[*] To yourself too: If player be hit, enemy who have hit be shouted too

[*] You smell bad !: An toxic smoke area around player is displayed, enemies in this area be braked down

[*] Bored: Enemies placed before player can't (stop ) take bonus and nitro

[*] This is mine : Player steal bonus from player ranked before, then he choose the most interesting

[*] Mirror: left and right controls are inverted

[*] Chemical solution: Nitro capacity is fulled and burn, additive component increase nitro

[*] Teleportation Rank and position with enemy ranked before exchanged (constraint must be created to avoid the player which stay behind specially to get this bonus rule can be never gived to the last player )

[*] Take my hand Player is drived by the AI, Nitro is fulled



All these suggestion can be moderate by the duration of the effect

Personal opinion about bonus, about is your choice it seem exist a rule in every action course game, Inescapable bonus are :

direct shoot
guided shoot
something like mines (rear shoot)
shield
boost

It's kind like high kick, low kick, high punch and low punch in a fighting game
or gun, shootgun, sniping riffle, grenade,knife, medikit in a FPS

Players need marks

[Turtle]

+1 for the idea of a banana that makes you spin and lose control.

As for the TNT crate seeming like a bonus for some people ("hey maybe I can get this crate and throw it at opponents?), if it directly explode, you can be sure the player will know what they are for immediately ^^

-1 for banana that makes you spin and lose control. This is a copy a copy and paste of Mario Kart. At least make it spilled paint on the road surface, so the model is different.

For TNT crate, I agree with you funto. If players are not clever enough to figure out it is bad, then let them find out by crashing it. I didn't know gift-boxes were good till I was hit with a plunger, and couldn't see where I was going.

@STKRUDY
Replace the toxic sign with a danger one, and I think that would work great (toxic doesn't look as deterring as danger sign).

[samuncle]

We can use chrismas cracker instead of banana

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPDli2gzyro