More and better dynamic obstacles

[Alayan-stk-2]

Currently, STK features 3 dynamic obstacle (which are also known as "cannons" for some reason). They are : the kart mine in the Old Mine, the big golf ball in Minigolf, the cannon ball in Fort Magma.

Having dynamic elements in tracks is good, and can significantly enhance gameplay if done right. It allows to introduce skill in a track portion which could otherwise be somewhat boring. It should however not be overdone as to avoid it becoming too luck based (at which point it is somewhat frustrating in some normal races, and very frustrating when trying to do a good time-trial).

The cannon ball in Fort Magma is not very threatening. It lands in a single spot and can be avoided without much effort. Not very useful, but nothing bad either, it adds to the track.

The two others are somewhat problematic. They go across the track quite quickly, so they are unavoidable if you are in their path at the wrong time, and punish you with a very big (long) explosion. Bubble gums also are a liability, as they don't protect and at the end of the explosion, you get glued and can't move away fast enough to not have your kart hit again (though immunity avoids the worse). However, in the majority of situations you can just drive as if they didn't exist.

These dynamic obstacles don't require the player to dynamically find the optimal trajectory amidst moving obstacles, they are more like random punishment which make you lose a few seconds if you happen to cross their path at the wrong time - or one second or two if you slow down to avoid the hit. This is poor gameplay.

Great dynamic obstacles :

• Can be seen soon enough for the player to adapt his trajectory.
• Move slowly, or have such a path that you can avoid them without having to slow down. If the movement is (apparently) random, it needs to be slower, if the movement follow simple predictable patterns it can be faster. For networking, it's probably easier if position depends only on time.
• Are not trivial to avoid (a beginner should often hit one, an average player sometimes, a good player rarely).
• And of course make sense in the track's theme, blending in rather than looking like a random addition.

Using several small obstacles scattered across a road wider than usual in STK is one good way to have dynamic obstacles.

[Wuzzy2]

I am not sure, but might the big moving things a bit too brutal for beginners? Especially the big golf ball in Minigolf.

What do you think about disabling some of these death traps in Novice difficulty?