Suggestions of ideas for STK

[STKFanLowerRhine]

Hi everyone!

First of all, thanks to all who have worked on STk and those who still do. This game was the first racing game I ever enjoyed - it still is. So I want to make some suggestions for new features to the game. These ideas came to me while I was playing the game an hour ago. This is what I thought of:

- Challenges to upgrade kart (own mode):
> 1 challenge per driver
> personal greeting like "Hello, [player] and welcome to [challenge]. Your goal is to [goal]. Have fun!"
> possible upgrades for success:
>> increase max. speed of kart
>> increase time to use nitro
>> increase duration of specific powerups like Bubblegum Shield
>> more projectiles for powerups like Muffin
>> decrease karts' weight
>> increase acceleration
>> remove bmombs or
>> making kart immune to bombs (but not explosive projectiles)

- More triggers of vibration function (controller):
> when hitting obstacles
> when getting hit by opponent's projectiles (like bowling ball)
> at triggered explosion (i. e. of bomb)
> when landing on the ground after jump over ramp
> when getting flattened by Squasher

- New powerups as an addition:
> Joystick: invert all drviers' (except own, of course) movement controls for short time (like in LEGO Soccer Mania)
> Homing Missle: like Muffin, but targeting closest driver
> Powerup Stealer: steals the powerup of a random opponent (similiar to the one in LEGO Soccer Mania)
> Penalty Round: decreases the number of laps already completed (either random kart or all opponents' karts)

- Warning of approaching projectiles

- Pointer to closest driver
> green for back
> red for front (if existing)

- Re-work lightnings in several tracks, like Ravenbridge Mansion (can get a bit too realistic and thus bright)

- Option to switch on / off karts' lights via menu (XML config files do have this option already)

- Option to change a tracks' music file

- Option to chance a tracks' default number of laps (also in a Grand Prix)

*** Optional additions ***

- Maybe bring back the flattening effect of Basketball powerup

- Maybe more tracks in Story Mode

- Maybe a bit more story, like Nolok imprisoning other drivers
> after freeing imprisoned driver by completing a track: driver gets unlocked
> or some cutscenes showing Nolok either torturing Gnu or just taunting the player

- If possible: adjust names of buttons to connected controller (i. e. triangle button on a Sony device rather than Y

What do you think about this?

[kimden]

To be honest, some of suggestions are very very subjective. You should know that the game has its own character and balance, removing bombs or changing characteristics like speed or item duration completely will not do a good job for the game. It sounds a bit like you don't like something and want to change it for yourself - but are those really objective drawbacks of the game? Also, with enough config changes, you can remove bombs or change speed for yourself, and with code changes, you can do almost everything.

Some other require much work by artists (expanding story mode) or programmers (adding new items - by the way, for 3 lap races, which are the majority in the game, the item decreasing laps makes negative sense to me), and thus, to implement them STK would need a bigger consensus that the change is really needed.

I don't want to sound harsh (but seems like I always do). I like people who try to improve something, and some other suggestions are nice. But I'm sure any of us could make a long list of what we want to see in the game, and we all could comment each others' lists for ages . The best way to make something good is to start getting involved.

If you like coding, you can start with learning C++ and adding small improvements to the game, with much experience comes something bigger too.
If you like art, you can start with making something cool. Learn how to use Blender, Krita or anything else.
If you already can do something - that's very cool, I'm happy that there are enthusiastic people who actually can do something!

Cheers