Motor City Online Preview

Since we last spoke with producer Michael Waite back in early February, development on Motor City online has steadily progressed to the point at which Electronic Arts has decided to display a playable form of the persistent multiplayer game on the show floor at E3. One of the many features available in the E3 build will be the racing club option in which you can choose to join a group of other drivers, and there should be plenty groups that appeal to individual tastes, like clubs, which allow only Mustang or Corvette owners. The ability to form clubs not only strengthens the sense of community, but it also increases the chance to form fierce rivalries. Just to raise the competition level even further, Motor City Online also lets racing clubs challenge each other to gain control of individual tracks, and when you enter the lobby for a specific track, the menu displays the name of the club that rules that track. Of course, clubs can lose control of their tracks in weekly challenges from opposing clubs, but the ultimate goal for any club is to rule as many tracks as possible.

Another crucial aspect of gameplay in Motor City Online is the economy, and surprisingly, it's more dynamic than you might initially expect, since it's partially based on the principle of supply and demand. The E3 build will showcase many aspects of Motor City Online's economic features, including the auction mode, in which you can buy, sell, and swap parts and cars with other players. The supply-and-demand method comes into play if you're looking for a specific car part that only one other driver has--other players can charge as much as they want for the part, and there's not much you can do about it unless another driver offers the same part for a lower price. Motor City Online's economy has also been set up in such a way that a player that races often and saves money can actually set up a shop that sells customized cars to other players. This might divert attention from personal customization aspects of the game, but the fact that a secondary occupation is even possible speaks volumes of how much effort the development team has put forth to make something other than a simple parts shop. If you're not particularly interested in forming a side business, it's also possible to make money the easy way by winning pro races or just wagering against other drivers.

As far as actual gameplay is concerned, the E3 build of Motor City Online will let drivers race against each other, but it's not clear at this point which of the race types will be available. In addition to the two main modes--arcade and simulation--there are several other different modes of racing that you can compete in. Ordinary street races are present, but there's also drag racing, where two drivers sprint straight to the finish line, as well as a stunt mode in which drivers have to perform odd maneuvers like jumping over gaps in the road or through flaming hoops.

While all the parts are in place, it remains to be seen if all these features will be embraced and used to the extent that Electronic Arts hopes. The E3 demonstration will give some indication of this, but the real test will be the upcoming public beta, starting on May 18, where 500 people will be given access to the game initially, with more people to be added over a span of a few months. Motor City Online is scheduled for a September release.