New Dirt Track Racing Game being created by Big Ant Studios hits Kickstarter – They’ve Raised $10,000 so far
The makers of previous dirt track games have created a Kickstarter campaign to help create a new dirt track racing game. They say interest from the big game development community are no longer interested in creating dirt racing games. So, the people of Big Ant Studios are trying to find funding themselves. Below is the information that have provided.
Ever since we dipped our toes in the mud with Road to Knoxville, Road to Eldora and World of Outlaws Sprintcars for PlayStation2, XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3, Big Ant Studios have received a ton of positive feedback and encouragement from all over the dirt racing community in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Now it’s time to follow it up by creating the next generation dirt oval racing videogame. We know there is a huge base of dedicated fans who deserve an updated dirt racing platform. But no publisher in the world will back us with the resources that we need to do this genre justice with the levels of polish and features that it deserves. This has to be a community project and it’s up to YOU. We bring the tech, you bring the knowledge and enthusiasm.
Big Ant Dirt Track Racing will be a toolbox of customization for all racing equipment, venues, vehicles and characters. Every backer can grab the wheel to control the direction of the game through our Dirt Community. Once on board, you will be able to play pre-release features of the game through regular Steam PC updates. Community polls and discussions will drive design decisions, vehicle handling choices and tool features so the game is just how you want it to be.
We are already invested in the new dirt track racing game project, check out our announcement at the track during the World Series Sprintcars round 4:
Not only are we directly working with the fans, we’ve partnered up with some of the biggest and best names on dirt. Key groups in the virtual dirt racing community are also on board to make sure that we get the features of the game correct:
- Mark Bracken and others from Ratbag Games, creators of the famed Dirt Track Racing series on PC are acting as consultants, advising on the physics and handling which are so crucial to the sport.
- TeamVLR will oversee the Multiplayer and Online Career feature sets with their vast knowledge of online dirt racing competition.
- DirtworksDesigns, creators of the most up-to-date and accurate PC dirt racing mods, are contributing expertise and assets.
- Many more real-world partners are to be announced, check out some of the official organisations already involved:
And we’re looking to add more! Please get in contact if you are the owner of a dirt racing company interested in working with us to ensure the most authentic experience on dirt.
Funding and Feature Unlocks
We’ve set the bar low at $266,000 where this dirt track racing game can become a reality. But that won’t cut it for the most sought after features like late models and 30 player online racing. For those stretch goals, we need as many dirt racing fans to get involved, so we can see how far we can take this!
Base Package, the “Short Block” $266,000
- Shipping on PC Steam, PlayStation4 & Xbox One
- Driver Academy – Create, yourself or your favorite driver, edit, rate and share your creation with the community
- Race Control – Setup the events, series, teams and graphics that will feature in the career and casual modes of the game
- Promotions – Export forum banners, avatars and wallpaper using your drivers and a current 410 sprint car
- Venue Editor – Create the atmosphere of your local dirt track by using the stadium builder and prop library to set the scene for the race of your dreams
- Track Editor – All aspects of the racing surface are configurable. Change cushion, berm, moisture and clay content, turns, banking, geometry, it’s all up to you
- Vehicle Dynamics – Take to the track in a 410ci current model sprintcar for test laps. Create, share and choose physics so the car handles how you want it.
- Livery Editor – Take a base coat of paint and add up to 256 layers of patterns and downloadable details to get your rig looking just right
- Race Suit and Helmet Editor – Place decals, badges, patches and sponsors for the perfect team uniform. Share your creations online with other racers
- Casual Fun – Customize your venue, track and vehicle dynamics in a single event. Race against a field of AI, up to four multiplayer opponents
- Single Player Career Opportunity – Start your career with a brand new race team. Assume driver, manager or crew roles across championship series to take your team to the big leagues over multiple years. Manage your sponsors, chassis, parts and skill to maximize your earning potential
- Dynamic Racing – Full time-of-day and weather transitions, simulated tire wear, dynamic track conditions from tacky to slick, wind and aerodynamics modelling bring out the true nature of the sport
- Virtual Dirt – Support for sim racing peripherals, 900 degree steering wheel support and virtual reality hardware integration on PC including the Oculus Rift and Steam VR
Racing Essentials $392,500
- 30 Player Online Multiplayer – ‘Nuff said. Full console and PC support for a track full of real competitors via high quality dedicated servers
- Spectator Sport – Spectate in online events, have control over camera angles and record replays. Rate and comment in real time on the performance of drivers and teams online
- All Inclusive – Create, edit, share and download female drivers, crew and officials
- Multi-monitor surround support for PC Steam releases
Connected Career $510,000
- Play cooperatively and competitively with friends and rivals throughout your career in 5 different and dynamic roles:
- Team Owners build the race team, set budgets for the season, negotiating contracts with sponsors, drivers and crew
- Drivers are in the hotseat, every thought and action will make you responsible for earning or burning the time, effort and cash put in by your team
- Car Chiefs are responsible for working with the driver during a race to dial in the perfect setup for dynamic track conditions
- Crew Chiefs set the schedule for race teams, assign testing sessions, buy and sell all parts for the race team
- Crew perform interactive mechanical maintenance throughout the race weekend. Tire siping, part maintenance and engine tuning all have nuanced interactions that will ensure or destroy the reliability of your race car
Late Models $570,000
- Licensed Dirt Late Model Chassis – Provided with multiple engine and chassis makes, real world manufacturers and customizable bodywork panels that support livery and setup editing
- Divisions – Author and share late model rules to create custom modified racing divisions. Choose tire, wing and engine limitations or put it all on the table with Late Model Unlimited racing
- Late Model Series and Events – Unlocked for career, online and casual play. Additional chassis create more varied options for casual, career and multiplayer modes
Midgets & Specials $650,000
- Special Features – Support for special events that fall outside of a race series, included as options in career and casual seasons. Choose from a specific race formats, music and special effects
- Midget and Quarter Midget Sprint – Two separate Chassis for the price of one with differing pick up points and tire sizes
- Divisions – Separate midgets into limited, super and unlimited by various engine and chassis specifications
- Midget Series and Events – Unlocked for career, online and casual play. Applies to special events, make your own superbowl!
- Additional Chassis – Utilize midget and special events to create a more dynamic career mode. Race teams are able to start from humble beginnings, climbing from the bottom all the way to big purse competition
Stock and Wingless $830,000
- Street Stock – Pick from two similar manufacturers, chassis and engine choices for stock racing
- Customizable Divisions – Set up the rules and parameters for Super Stocks and Sportsman type competitions
- Wingless Chassis – Create options for racing the 410ci chassis without the aluminum courage
- Limited 350ci Class – For Open Wheel Sprintcars supported in career and online modes
Running Commentary $887,000
- Live Commentary – An officially sanctioned race caller giving the full rundown before, during and after each race. Commentators react to all race events, provide historical data about official tracks and events and competition on the track
- Online Race Calling – Supported on dedicated servers. Have a real expert just for your race series make the calls, live
- Your Name Here – All backer reward tiers involving custom commentary names for drivers and race teams will be recorded in relaxed and excited tones for official calling
Companion App $1,150,000
- Manage your race team anywhere with an official Android and iPhone/iPad app. Schedule your participation in multiplayer and connected career races at any time
- Perform all actions in the Connected Career stretch goal from your phone in the lead-up to each race or during the race weekend
- Change your setup in response to dynamic weather and track conditions reported in the app
Tractor Pull $1,200,000
- Full Pull – Race over the straightaways of any dirt oval against AI or multiplayer opponents
- Beast Mode – Choose from stock or multi-engined tractor competition, matching the conditions of the sled and track
- Test and Tune – Tweak and control fuel injection maps, ignition curves and drive setups before each pull to gain the advantage over your competitors
- Light Show – Push too hard and watch the fireworks with massive explosions as head bolts let go, drivelines explode and conrods fly while the crowd goes wild
Dirt Track Mogul $1,500,000
- Ultimate Immersion – Start by building your own dirt track, create a series, invite teams, compete and build your backyard dirt bowl into the next Knoxville!
- Manage It All – Ticket prices, concessions and promotional budgets with a full simulation of crowd attendance, driver and team popularity across race events
- Race Director – Spend your profits on bigger stadiums, officials, staff and equipment to create the most profitable dirt racing organisation you can
- Party Time – Host and commentate multiplayer events with real team nominations at your own track for bonus income
Risks and challenges
As Big Ant Studios are a professional videogame company with a long history of developing authentic racing and sports simulation titles, the risks are low. We will deliver the best dirt oval racing game for PC, PlayStation4 and Xbox One we can.
Collectively creating the next great dirt racing game is no mean feat, especially as we are involving our fans. The following elements of communication will be a challenge:
Expectation Management: It’s hard to please everyone, all of the time. We will use polls hosted on our Dirt Track community forums to condense everyone’s opinion to final decisions. We will offer access to daily PC builds so the game’s direction can be scrutinized and controlled.
Scope Creep: Your crowd funding effort will determine just how many programming and art hours are available. These will be reported on the forum, with any new requests or changes reflected to ensure we hit the milestones.
Down Under, Over and Out: What good is designing a game if you can’t get in touch with the developers? The Australian time zone difference means that we will available Tuesday to Saturday, from 2pm EST / 5pm PST all through the night on Twitch, Skype and the Development Forums. We get to work when you guys get home!
Link: Dirt Racing Game Kickstarter
Link: Big Ant Studios
