APB Drunk-Driving Footage Released

So after wowing us with their footage of the most gorgeous character creator ever known to man (or woman—it kicks the arse of The Sims 3), Realtime Worlds have finally let us see some real people playing the real game.

 Now, I should preface this by saying that I’m generally not a fan of MMOs. I played World of Warcraft for three hours once and wanted them back. However, I was genuinely looking forward to APB. By stripping the server-size down to 100 players, it removes the ridiculously contrived everyone-in-the-world-is-a-hero setup of WoW and its many clones, to create a world that (presumably) feels more believable. Who wouldn’t want to play GTA4 with 99 other real humans wandering around the city?

So yes, I was relatively excited about this. Someone genuinely innovating in the massive-multiplayer space, talking the talk like they meant it.

I’m not excited any more.

Watch the video. Ignore the four minutes or so of them ranting to random Dutchmen. Skip to the gameplay itself. Watch them demonstrate that yes, you can jump and crouch, yes it does look a lot like Grand Theft Auto. We knew all that. Then watch them get in the car and watch them drive, if you can call it that.

Keep in mind that this is one of the game’s designers playing his own game. He is driving quite slowly. The vehicle is slaloming so much that he can’t even stay in his lane. GTA IV had its driving-physics issues, but they’re NOTHING compared to what we’re seeing here. This is like someone drunk AND blindfolded driving across a skating rink.

Notice that when he does clip the opposing car, his vehicle rolls, ever so gently and slowly (and completely out of his control), until it connects with a building with a soft “thunk”. Then he has to go and get it repaired.

For a game designed by the creator of the original GTA, a game that is clearly designed for fans of that series, this will not do. If Realtime Worlds want any of those people to play this game, they’re going to have to do some serious work on their driving model before release.

Are there any reasons why the driving has turned out so badly? Difficulty in synchronising 100 fast cars on a single server could be one. Nothing in WoW ever moved beyond a trot. But if something so fundamental to the game can’t be done well, perhaps it shouldn’t be done at all.

Here’s hoping that they sort this mess before release, and my fears turn out to be ungrounded. Everyone cross your fingers.