I got my copy of NASCAR 21: Ignition (Champions Edition/Day 1 Edition) last week and have put in a couple of races this since. I basically got it because the Champions Edition allows you to play as Bill Elliott in the Race Now Mode.
I won’t go into a full review of the game, except to say that NASCAR 21: Ignition doesn’t knock NASCAR Heat 5 off its perch as my current go-to NASCAR game. For one thing, Heat includes all three national series plus a dirt track series. There’s also definitely a lot more widgets and info to be had, regarding practice and qualifying. You can also become friends (and rivals) with other NASCAR drivers.
Meanwhile, over the last couple of years, I’ve been considering how to make what I feel would be the perfect NASCAR video game. (I will say that Papyrus’s NASCAR Racing 2003 definitely has some elements of what I am envisioning, especially with the online community that supported it. I had a version of it but it finally gave up the ghost. Maybe some day I will see about reinstalling it.)
If some multi-million-dollar gaming company came to me and asked me to help them design a NASCAR video game, here’s where I’d start:
- Include NASCAR legends – First of all, I’d want all the series regulars for all three NASCAR series. That’s a given, everyone from Jennifer Jo Cobb to Chase Elliott. But from there, I’d want to see legendary drivers from the past. Give me the Earnhardts, the Allisons, the Waltrips, the Pettys, Cale Yarborough, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, drivers like that. And not just as playable characters in the “Race Now” modes. Put them in the game and let players line up against them. How cool would it be to be racing Dale Earnhardt Sr. at Talladega or Richard Petty at Daytona? You could even make it interactive with fans. Let them decide, via online voting, a list of 25, 30 or 50 drivers that should be included.
- Of course, for every driver on that list of legends to be included, every fan will say “Why wasn’t this driver included?” There will be lesser-known drivers from the past that couldn’t get the votes, local drivers at the area short track that fans will want to include, even friends who would be cool to include. That’s one of the things I love to do in baseball and wrestling games: create characters not to play as, but to play against. MLB The Show and the WWE 2K series even have online boards where you can upload your best creations and download others’ creations. Believe me, I have made ample use of such resources.
- First of all, give fans a “Create A Driver” option. Let them create Harry Gant or Tim Richmond or someone from the Pinty’s Series, the ARCA Series or their local track’s champion. Again, drivers who might not make it in on a fan vote but players would love to have as part of their universe. Also – establish an online resource where players can upload and download created drivers.
- Again, It’s one thing to have a “Create A Driver” feature so you can drive as that driver, but allow players to select a certain driver to race as, and other drivers to race against.
- Obviously, if you have all the regulars from three series, plus 25-50 Legends plus who knows how many created drivers…well, that’s a lot of drivers, and I doubt any game is going to have the capacity to handle 100-plus drivers in a race. The game would need to give the player the option of designating 38-40 drivers for the Cup Series, another 35-40 drivers in Xfinity and 32-35 drivers for the Truck Series. At the start of a Career Mode or a Season Mode, the player could set the lineups for the three series, then have the option of adding or subtracting drivers at the end of every season.
- Just to piggyback a little off that last bullet point there: the game should have a Silly Season.
- Let drivers leave teams, be promoted from Trucks to Xfinity and from Xfinity to Cup, and be demoted from Cup to Xfinity, etc. Of course, there would need to be some sort of mechanism where promotions and demotions are based on performance. For example, if Kyle Larson wins 11 races and the championship, he shouldn’t be demoted back to Trucks. At the same time, if Austin Hill can only net a handful of Top 10s in the Truck Series, he shouldn’t get a full-time Xfinity ride.
- Have drivers retire after a certain number of seasons. Not necessarily the same number of seasons but based on age and competitiveness. For example, if a driver is in his 40s is still competitive, maybe they stick around for a while longer than someone who is struggling.
- Meanwhile, have “NASCAR Silly Season Updates” (you could have a digital Bob Pockrass show up with news) with rumours that Kyle Busch may sign with Rick Hendrick Motorsports or Matt Crafton may be leaving Thorsports at the end of the season, and then announcements about Chase Elliott signing with Penske or Sheldon Creed going to Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series. NASCAR changes from season to season, why not have a game that reflects it? It would be a lot more realistic that playing 10 seasons and still seeing the same drivers in the same rides in the same season.
- For the player’s career mode, let the player be in the same boat. If the player is running in the Top 10 consistently throughout the season and makes the playoffs, have them be recruited by Xfinity teams. If he’s running in Cup but is running in the late 20s, have them lose their ride and maybe have to drop down a level.
- I always liked the team owner mode in MLB games and I definitely think there are possibilities for a fun Team Owner mode in NASCAR games. Yes, Heat gives players the opportunity to start their own team but you’re the only driver you can sign. With an extended Team Owner mode, the player could start their own team. Start with one mid-level driver and crew chief and use team funds to improve your equipment or expand your R&D efforts. With good finishes, wins and even playoff runs would come increased funds to expand your team to more experienced and skilled drivers and second or third or even fourth cars. At the same time, you might deal with unhappy drivers and crew chiefs, even rivalries with other teams.
Okay, now I will be the first to tell you that, due to technical limitations, I’m not sure if all or even any of these ideas would be able to be incorporated into a NASCAR video game (although as mentioned I have seen most included in games of other genres). All I am saying is that, if someone came to me and asked me to help design the perfect NASCAR video game, these would be my suggestions.
johnmilner.ca 