Today developer KT Racing provided an update about the upcoming open-world racing game Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown.
First of all, the update shares some new screenshots, which you can enjoy below, showcasing the dealership experience that you'll encounter when you want to purchase a new car.
There will be 14 specialist dealerships focusing on different brands scattered all over Hong Kong island.
Below you can read a comment from creative director Alain Jarniou.
“Buying a car in TDU is always a special moment. It's a core part of the game for fans of beautiful cars.
In TDUSC we have created special places that showcase our cars. You'll discover them in real locations throughout Hong Kong Island as you progress and level up in the game.
Before buying a new car, we make sure you can take time to make the right choice. You can move around freely within the dealership, interact with the cars to choose the model you want, admire the exterior in detail, and get inside after opening the door to appreciate the comfort, try out the horn, and even start the engine, which is not always possible in real life!
All this interaction happens with other players around in what we are calling "social hubs". Like all areas where you can move your avatar around, it's a meeting place for chatting with other players and other car enthusiasts like yourself. We think it's essential that players can meet and communicate with each other. You can then decide to play together and greatly increase the fun of driving around in amazing cars (and earning bonuses at the same time).
Before making your final choice, you can obviously test drive the car to make sure the handling and drive meet your expectations.
When you've made your decision, you can then choose the exact model you want. The game offers the official options from manufacturers: paint, interior colours and rims, so you can purchase your dream car.
If you want to take the customization further, we have created special places for that: Workshops.
Finally, to make the experience as authentic as possible, the transaction concludes by you receiving the keys. That's all in the spirit of Test Drive Unlimited".
We also read about the Solar Crown Workshops, which are the establishments where you'll be able to customize your cars. Each car has 13 customizable parts across 6 categories for combustion cars and 12, still across 6 categories for EVs. A livery editor will also be available, supporting metallic, matte, pearlescent and chrome paint jobs, on top of hundreds of stickers and decals to let players create unique liveries.
Again, we hear directly from Jarniou.
“The ability to customize your car is an essential part of an MMO like TDU. Whether it's to express your creativity to show off your style to other players or to tune your car to match the race conditions or explore off the beaten track, the Workshops are there to give you as many options as possible.
Like our other social hubs, Workshops are large community spaces. You can customize your cars and see what other players have done to their own vehicles. It's a chance to look at the most beautiful liveries and discuss the best configurations with other players.
Based on your level, you gain access to increasingly precise tuning options, which means you can create configurations for use in races later on.
TDUSC offers a driving simulation that is accessible for those who want an experience you can just pick up and play, yet challenging for those who enjoy spending time tweaking configurations and adapting their cars to match their driving style and for optimal performance in the various race conditions.”
Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown was announced back in 2020 and is slated for a 2023 release for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
