Touhou Kart!

[Hoeloe]

Hey, I'm new to this site, but I thought I'd share a project I'm working on at the moment. I've been a fan of kart racing games (like Mario Kart and Crash Team Racing) for a while, and a little while ago speculated on what a Touhou themed kart racer would be like. Eventually, one thing lead to another, and I ended up making this. This is Touhou Kart! I've been working on this for a couple of months, and I have the basic engine working. I'll start you off with a video, then go into some details:

Touhou Kart Alpha Demo Video

The controls are quite similar to Crash Team Racing. Obviously you can drive and turn, but you also have your drifting, which allows you to turn more sharply, and, if you time it right, get a boost. If you drift for too long, though, you'll spin out of control, and lose a lot of speed. You can also use the drift button to jump, which you can use off ramps and such to boost when you land. There is also the brake button, which allows you to stop very quickly, but also gives you a very fast turn, for more precise driving. In the game, you will collect "Power" points. The more power you have, the faster you'll drive, and also, if you reach MAX power, you'll get a slightly better version of your spellcards. Spellcards are gained from "Bomb" boxes, and you'll be able to use these in much the same way as items in other kart racers.

There is a story mode and a versus mode planned. Versus mode will hopefully be online, and allow up to 8 players to race either other. Story mode is a little more interesting. The story mode will be segmented into 4 worlds, each with 3 tracks and a boss. If you come first in all 3 tracks, you can then race the boss. Beating the boss will open up the next world. There is also, in each world, the Sakuya Challenge. These are optional, but will allow you to unlock extra characters for use in versus mode. The Sakuya Challenge involves racing Sakuya on all 3 tracks in that world in a row. If you beat her in all 3, then you win the challenge.

Here is the list of characters that will be playable racers in the game. I know some people will be disappointed that their favourite character didn't make the cut, but I know I can't please everyone, and there are just far too many Touhou characters to fit them all into one game, at least with the time/budget (no budget, by the way) that I have.

Starting characters (also the only characters playable in story mode):

• Reimu Hakurei
• Marisa Kirisame
• Tewi Inaba
• Youmu Konpaku
• Nitori Kawashiro
• Suwako Moriya
• Remilia Scarlet
• Patchouli Knowledge

And the following are unlockable characters:

• Cirno
• Reisen Udongein Inaba
• Aya Shameimaru
• Flandre Scarlet
• Sakuya Izayoi
• Renko Usami
• Maribel Han

There is one stage planned for each character, and also hopefully one spell card associated with each character, too.

There is a Facebook page for this game, which hopefully will have updates, screenshots and the like.

That's more or less it for now! I hope you enjoy this project when I'm finished with it! Happy racing!

[Helepolis]

Welcome welcome!

I am not quite sure but there was a japanese Cirno Racing which has never left the alpha development if I am not mistaking.

Quite amazing to see you're working on this and hope you get to finish it. You definitely caught my interest for future releases, especially as there is netplay involved. I shall be watching patiently while you prepare the game.

[Hoeloe]

Thanks! I did see Cirno Racing, but it looks like it hasn't been updated since 2010, so it seems like it's been cancelled. Thanks for expressing interest! I'm hoping to have netplay involved, though I'm not entirely sure exactly how it will work yet.

[Ciel]

Oooh, hi!

It looks awesome so far! The models look really great for starters too! It looks like a lot of hard work, how long did you take to do this?

Good luck! I'll be watching from here! 8D

[Helepolis]

Cirno racing apparently was a joke/lolproject/april fool's if I am not mistaking. Which made a lot of people quite sad. I think the owner had released the alpha at Comiket if I am not mistaking but it never was finished.

Good to see you're all fired up :V just focus on the importance of a working game first before diving into models/textures.

[Dark Kitsune]

I really, really like the physics and feel of the game, at least in that video. Please finish this

[Lavalake]

I was going to make a Touhou Kart game based off of Mario Kart, but seeing as someone has already started a Touhou racing game, looks like I'll hold off on it for a while.
This looks really nice, and the concept is really nice.
I'm interested and I want to see more.

[Shikieiki]

This looks amazing, keep up the good work. 

[Imosa]

I was going to make a Touhou Kart game based off of Mario Kart, but seeing as someone has already started a Touhou racing game, looks like I'll hold off on it for a while.
This looks really nice, and the concept is really nice.
I'm interested and I want to see more.

You should see if you can help out. Looks like there's still plenty of work to do and this stuff can't be easy.

It'd be cool to see this come to fruition. I don't play racing games but this would be an easy excuse to try one.

[Hoeloe]

You should see if you can help out. Looks like there's still plenty of work to do and this stuff can't be easy.

Absolutely! We really need people to help out, not so much on the programming front, but with environment models and music, mostly. If you feel you can help out at all, don't hesitate to drop me a message!

[Lavalake]

Thing is, it takes a really long time to make music and graphics.
These graphics are also 3D so it will take really really long. I don't think I can help out in art.
If anyone has a music creating program that they like to point out to me, I might be able to make the music.

[Hoeloe]

Thing is, it takes a really long time to make music and graphics.

Yeah, you're right there. This is the main reason I need help with it! I would do it all myself, but there's just not enough time!

[MewMewHeart]

Yes! Finally a Mario Kart X Touhou crossover. I would looooove to play this game.  :*
Don't give up on it if you can't help it.

[KrackoCloud]

This looks wonderful. I can't wait to see the tracks and attacks.

Just out of curiosity, what're you using to make this? Is it from scratch?

[FamilyTeam]

Add Hong Meiling to it or I'll rip our throat open while you are sleeping
This looks genuinely good, I'm surprised! You need to be aware of some of ZUN'S policies tough, you can't use anything from the oficial games, from text to music. Also, do you have an approximate realese date, or at least a extimated realese date for a public demo for us?
I'm really looking forward to this. Keep it up. If you want you can contact me for some ideas for cheats *winkwink*

[Eric]

The controls are quite similar to Crash Team Racing

Yesssssssssssss


Overall looks really cool, can't wait till it's finished!

[Hoeloe]

This looks wonderful. I can't wait to see the tracks and attacks.

Just out of curiosity, what're you using to make this? Is it from scratch?

I'm using Unity3D to make this, though I'm having to program a lot of it from scratch.

This looks genuinely good, I'm surprised! You need to be aware of some of ZUN'S policies tough, you can't use anything from the oficial games, from text to music. Also, do you have an approximate realese date, or at least a extimated realese date for a public demo for us?

Yeah, I tracked down ZUNs policies, and I'm trying my best to make sure all resources are original. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about sound effects (since it would be awesome to have a few recognisable ones in places), but I'm sure I'll work it out. I don't really have a release date, as it vastly depends on how quickly things can get done and/or how quickly I can do them, it's extremely dependent on that.

[Imosa]

Thing is, it takes a really long time to make music and graphics.
These graphics are also 3D so it will take really really long. I don't think I can help out in art.
If anyone has a music creating program that they like to point out to me, I might be able to make the music.

If you're interested you could check out Alice's Art Atelier to see if they have anything.

[HyperGumba]

Damn, this looks pretty neat. It seems like the usual popular characters are playable... though seeing Renko and Maribel (who I have to wonder about, what is their excuse of being in Gensokyo?) playable makes me wonder:

Will there be any more characters other than the ones in the OP in the future? I mean, not in the full release, but more patched in afterwards as DLC?

Will look out for that project, in any case. Need any test drivers anytime soon?

[Lavalake]

There can be DLC.
When you release the full game, you'll only have these characters. And you can slowly work on the other characters and stages.
That can be a plan to get every character in the game.
And did you plan every map out? I can help with that if you want.
Reimu - Hakurei Shrine
Marisa - Forest of Magic
Tewi - Entrance to Eientei
Etc... I consider planning the map out the fun part of making a racing game.

Do you have any progress yet?

[SatorKoi57]

>"similar to Crash Team Racing"
  MY FREAKIN' CHILDHOOD RIGHT HERE! IT WAS NITRO KART, BUT IT WAS CRASH RACING NONE THE LESS!
(Sorry for the fanboy comment)

Edit: I also had ideas for a Touhou racing game witch combined the weight and type classes from Mario Kart 7 and Sonic Riders respectively. Probably going to make a thread about full detail, but that's for another time.

[Hoeloe]

There can be DLC.
When you release the full game, you'll only have these characters. And you can slowly work on the other characters and stages.
That can be a plan to get every character in the game.
And did you plan every map out? I can help with that if you want.
Reimu - Hakurei Shrine
Marisa - Forest of Magic
Tewi - Entrance to Eientei
Etc... I consider planning the map out the fun part of making a racing game.

Do you have any progress yet?

I have done some planning of stages, and those three are basically what I had in mind (except Tewi's is called Bamboo Forest). I have ideas for the locations of all the stages, but perhaps not details for some of them.

[Hoeloe]

Here are some new screenshots! The area is still temporary testing, I just made it a little less painful to look at. These are some of the Spell Cards I've been working on! Shown here are about half of them that will be available in the final game. I have most of them done, but I'll make a demo video at some point to demonstrate them better. Enjoy!

[Helepolis]

Did that sword just cut the kart in two, leaving the wheels? Also I love the drill.

[Hoeloe]

Did that sword just cut the kart in two, leaving the wheels? Also I love the drill.

Not quite - each of those images is demonstrating a different Spell Card, the vanished kart being one of them. Thanks!

[KLH]

please make Fegelein a playable character

Wow, it's about time someone has really decided to push this crossover idea forward. I'm surprised it hadn't already been done sooner given the nature of the fanbase, but great that it's actually being done now.

Looks like you got some awesome work going - also, very nice that you have a proof of concept to show. Approximately how long have you been working on this?

[Helepolis]

I'm surprised it hadn't already been done sooner given the nature of the fanbase,

There was Cirno Racing (as posted earlier), but that was a hoax/joke/show off.

There are indeed quite some excited people around. Not sure if Hoeloe plans on promoting his video on Niconico as well once it is finished.

[Hoeloe]

please make Fegelein a playable character

Wow, it's about time someone has really decided to push this crossover idea forward. I'm surprised it hadn't already been done sooner given the nature of the fanbase, but great that it's actually being done now.

Looks like you got some awesome work going - also, very nice that you have a proof of concept to show. Approximately how long have you been working on this?

Thanks! I've been working on it for 2 or 3 months, but there's still a long way to go! I'm hoping to get at least the majority done before October, though it does depend on how fast assets such as stages and characters can be made.

There was Cirno Racing (as posted earlier), but that was a hoax/joke/show off.

There are indeed quite some excited people around. Not sure if Hoeloe plans on promoting his video on Niconico as well once it is finished.

I hadn't really considered it, but it does sound like a very good idea. I may just do that once I have something a little more complete to show...

[Helepolis]

As far as I know, no Touhou kart exists in the Japanese communities, unless I've missed something. It would draw attention definitely. Who knows. I'll do some Ayaya search in the background.

[Lawlium]

If possible and within the range of your abilities, Would you ever consider custom special unlockable Karts as well? Instead of just the standard kart, there could be other choices with stats that could be different, or they could just be Kart Skins.  For example you could Have Genjii as a Kart or Marisa's Broomstick, or Komachi's Boat.