Nacon, publisher of the much-anticipated Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown, recently revealed some interesting details about the much-anticipated car game. Kylotonn Creative Director Alain Jarniou shared information about the Solar Hotel lobby and privately announced that it would no longer be possible to purchase homes at the game’s launch. This announcement disappointed many fans who were hoping to find this franchise’s signature feature.
Also Read: Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown shows off its large map environments
A central piece of the TDU saga will be lost when the game is released
In a recent statement on Blog post on Steam From Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown, Alain Garneau emphasized the importance of bringing players together and facilitating their in-game interaction. According to him, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is not just a racing game, but a game aimed at beauty lovers. Cars, allowing the possibility of frantic races or outings with friends. Thus, it was necessary for the development team to provide a virtual meeting place for the players. With this in mind, the lobby of the Solar Hotel was created, offering players the possibility to interact with their avatars and find themselves in a social environment.
The Solar Hotel’s lobby has been designed as a true “village square” within Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown. Players can flaunt the latest exclusive outfits, instantly challenge other players, enjoy their displayed car after winning, buy new outfits, and even customize their personal look. This central location was added to improve the residence concept for the TDU series, previously represented by the homes in Test Drive Unlimited 2.
However, Alain Garneau’s statement also confirmed that the homes will not be available for purchase when Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown launches. This news was a blow to many longtime fans of the franchise, who fondly remember the possibilities presented by the homes in the previous installment. Houses allowed players to expand their garage and customize their personal space, creating a more intimate experience. Although it was possible to invite friends to these houses, it was necessary to make friends beforehand, which is part of the Solar Hotel’s goal of promoting encounters and interactions between players.
Faced with the fans’ disappointment, Alain Garneau wanted to reassure the community by saying that the absence of Homes at the launch of Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown does not mean they will never be part of the game. On the contrary, he confirmed that the development team is already looking into the list of future content features in the medium to long term, hinting at the possibility of seeing homes integrated in a future update or expansion.
One can only hope that Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown’s unique homes and merchants will return, as these elements are integral to the saga’s success in players’ hearts and significantly distinguish the license from its direct competitors. Kylotonn was shooting itself in the foot by omitting this central feature, among other things.
“The lobby of the Solar Hotel embodies our desire to bring players together and help them interact. TDUSC is not just a racing game, it is a game for fans of beautiful cars, to race or drive. With friends, so it was essential for us to provide a place for players to meet. It was the most obvious way to do it is the creation of social hubs where players travel with their avatars instead of 300 km / h on a HKI driving a hypercar In the first letter of the Solar Club, we explained that players gather in dealerships and workshops, but the Solar Hotel is the central meeting place for TDUSC.
Whether it’s walking around with the latest exclusive outfits, instantly challenging other players, seeing their cars on display after their latest victory, buying new outfits, or changing the look of their avatar, the hall is designed as the “village square” in TDUSC.
We added this wonderful place and its rooms to improve the concept of accommodation in the TDU chain. Fans of the franchise will remember the homes in TDU2 where you can expand your garage, but this was a very personal experience. Although you could invite your friends, you had to make friends first, which is the goal of Solar Hotel. We know that homes have impressed TDU players. While this feature was not in the game at the time of TDUSC’s launch, it is part of a long list of features that we have already looked at for future content in the medium to long term.”
