Dakar 21 - The Game

[Paul Jeffrey]

Bigmoon Studios have rather quietly slipped the first handful of preview images for their new Dakar game onto the internet in recent days... and it looks wonderful.

The real deal is over and done with for another year, so what better time than for Portuguese development team Big Moon Studios to start sharing with the world a few early teaser images from the new, official, Dakar game?

Having been away from our steam stores for a little while since the original Dakar released back in September 2018, the developers are well on the way to getting things in line for the new game - and it already looks like a very impressive addition to this potentially exciting series of games.

Although still early days, we have yet to hear anything about how the physics will be represented within the game, or any potential release date - however stay tuned as I'm sure more information will be revealed in the coming weeks and months?

Original Source: Dakar Game Facebook

Dakar 21 is schedule for release later this year.

For more information on the current progress of the new Dakar 21 game, head over to the Other Racing Games sub forum and get involved with the community today!

 

[ZeldaACFan17]

I didn't really like the first Dakar game... No MPH units for people who use them irl?

 

[Mike Smith]

It's a fascinating race that deserves a good game. I wish them the best with this

 

[Hailstorm BLX]

Was the first one any good or just a good concept ruined by poor execution?

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Was the first one any good or just a good concept ruined by poor execution?

Yes.


I mean. Any Dakar-game concept is good, but it lacked bits here, there and everywhere. Let's hope the mudrunner-help is a big benefit!

Arguably they should've focused on some classes as well, not add in everything in the first game. Jack of all trade, master of none etc.

 

[BP]

From what I recall playing the last one (some years ago so recollection is fuzzy), you had to be dead-on accurate with the path or it would think you're off course...granted I got it shortly after release and only played it for a little while before getting distracted by other titles. Also I don't recall being wowed by the car handling, so that could always be improved (I don't expect top flight sim levels of FFB, but somewhere in the middle would be nice).

Maybe they made updates to improve that in Dakar 18 but I think it's a great concept...hopefully they'll improve with 21 as I always thought this series has massive potential if executed properly.

 

[Nico]

The team is now owned by Saber Interactive, the same people behind MudRunner and SnowRunner, so I have my hopes up for this one after avoiding the 2018 game. The only downside I see for now is that Saber = Epic Store, but for this it might be worth it. I'm gonna wait until release and see.

 

[ziogzzz]

I’m 100 % sure it will be poop like first one dont understand what is purpose to produce such bad games...

 

[Sigwolf]

The physics of the first were pretty wonky, but it was still an amazingly immersive experience. Very punishing in difficulty at times, but that made it more rewarding when things went right. The roadbook was awesome and very usable, while the co-driver could be frustrating at times being off in timing with a little too much frequency. I still play the first, because there is nothing else out there that simulates the whole Dakar experience, and I've recently lamented that there was no follow ups to reflect the current course used.

Needless to say, I am excited for this release!

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

The only downside I see for now is that Saber = Epic Store, but for this it might be worth it. I'm gonna wait until release and see.

Oh. Didn't think of that. Well. Money saved

 

[BP]

Oh. Didn't think of that. Well. Money saved

Hope it's not too big of a topic detour, but what makes Epic so bad compared to Steam (or what makes Steam more trustworthy than Epic)? I ask because I use both services, but I only auto-launch Steam at startup since nearly all of my games are there. is it just distrust of anything connected to China or something more?

EDIT: OK Guys let's drop the Steam/Epic comparison please lol...almost half the thread has been posts about that and not Dakar.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Hope it's not too big of a topic detour, but what makes Epic so bad compared to Steam (or what makes Steam more trustworthy than Epic)? I ask because I use both services, but I only auto-launch Steam at startup since nearly all of my games are there. is it just distrust of anything connected to China or something more?

It's generally worse than Steam. A tiiiny bit Chinese ownership, but meh. Mainly it's me being stubborn. I hate exclusivity-deals. I hate the "we try to make things better for gamers" buy basically "buying" a userbase with free games, when they don't actually do things better. I have no issues with developers with their own launchers having them exclusive (like battle.net, or Epic games on Epic etc.). However buying exclusivity from 3rd party games. No-go. There's enough games elsewhere.

 

[G-Slev]

Well worth revisiting Charlie Boorman's series "Race to Dakar" if you like this sort of thing.

 

[thepharcyde]

The team is now owned by Saber Interactive, the same people behind MudRunner and SnowRunner, so I have my hopes up for this one after avoiding the 2018 game. The only downside I see for now is that Saber = Epic Store, but for this it might be worth it. I'm gonna wait until release and see.

Free in a couple of years then will wait

 

[Ruy Horta]

To each his way but the anti Epic rant is mostly BS.
Why turn Steam into a Pc gaming monopoly that takes a big cut?

Epic gives Unreal Engine devs and publishers in general a good/better deal, why can’t they take it?

I have games on many PC platforms, Epic is just one.
You can only have a choice if there are multiple platforms, not only Steam.
The exclusive part with Epic is a timed exclusive.
Epic is not the only platform with exclusives.

Why even bring in China, I’m far more likely to be under the cloud of some US Big IT / Corporation, Government Agency or Intelligence Agency than a Chinese one. As an non American this is pot meet kettle 9 out of 10 times - and I have just seen the inauguration of 46 to last me another 5 years of hysteria.

OT - but the staff is stirring, so I guess that deserves an answer

Back to Dakar 21
...labor of love, but unless it gets raving reviews I’d stay MILES away.

Fire away.

 

[eco2006]

To each his way but the anti Epic rant is mostly BS.
Why turn Steam into a Pc gaming monopoly that takes a big cut?

100% with you, it was the same when Steam was released, everybody hated and ranted about it.
What about i dont get about games like Dakar, is there even a market for them, sim racing is already a "niche".

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

OT - but the staff is stirring, so I guess that deserves an answer

Staff is not stirring. I am.

To each his way but the anti Epic rant is mostly BS.
Why turn Steam into a Pc gaming monopoly that takes a big cut?

Epic gives Unreal Engine devs and publishers in general a good/better deal, why can’t they take it?

I have games on many PC platforms, Epic is just one.
You can only have a choice if there are multiple platforms, not only Steam.
The exclusive part with Epic is a timed exclusive.
Epic is not the only platform with exclusives.

Why even bring in China, I’m far more likely to be under the cloud of some US Big IT / Corporation, Government Agency or Intelligence Agency than a Chinese one. As an non American this is pot meet kettle 9 out of 10 times - and I have just seen the inauguration of 46 to last me another 5 years of hysteria.

Turn Steam into a gaming monopoly that takes a big cut? GOG, uPlay, Origin, Battle.net, itch.io. I am not saying "all on Steam".

The devs, or rather, publishers can take a bigger cut, that's not an issue either.

You have load of choices, my choice is to only use the platforms that don't buy exclusivity from 3rd party devs. Other can choose different, that's not my, or any other people's issue. I answered why I stay away.
Didn't like the way WRC8 got released on Steam the same moment WRC9 got released on Epic, that's a double whammy for the ones that actually think the Steam version was the newest.

China was because I answered a question. I think all big country have stored data on me and others. But that's the reason why I don't even have an Epic account for getting free games. But it doesn't count towards anything else.

I even wrote "Mainly it's because I am stubborn".

Back to Dakar 21
...labor of love, but unless it gets raving reviews I’d stay MILES away.

As long as they can make the driving more... engaging, I see no reason why the game won't be fun. It was the driving that let me down on the 18 game.

 

[Nico]

Steam allows me to pay games in my local currency at much lower prices than the base USD price. Epic does not, it forces me into USD which is expensive for our standards right now. Although they say they will try to expand their range of currencies, but one can never know. Steam has the Workshop for games with modding possibilities, and Epic does not have anything remotely similar. Steam allows me to review games, and Epic doesn't.

 

[BP]

Oh boy, really didn't want to start anything up, but thanks for both viewpoints guys

 

[BP]

What about i dont get about games like Dakar, is there even a market for them, sim racing is already a "niche".

Sometimes you have to create a market...but in this case I don't think that it's a sidestep...it has sim elements and it doesn't go hardcore so casual racers might find it appealing as well.