TrackMania United is a racing video game developed by Nadeo and published by Focus Home Interactive for Windows. The sequel to TrackMania Nations, it amalgamates all previous TrackMania games into a single game that includes all the environments from the earlier games, and subsequently future installments of the series. At the time of its release, the game offered a different approach compared to previous games, with its arcade-style gameplay, level editor, level sharing system, and multiplayer mode.
United generally received a warm welcome from the specialist press upon its release, even though most observers considered the game to be a compilation of previous universes with too few new features. Two expansions, TrackMania United Forever and TrackMania Nations Forever, were released in 2008 which allowed players to play both games together in multiplayer mode.
Gameplay
General TrackMania United is a third-person racing video game. At times, the camera angle shifts briefly to a first-person view or a much wider panoramic view. This game uses the same gameplay system as previous titles, with non-adjustable cars and the same vehicle control system, operated using just four buttons (accelerator, brake, steering). When jumping, players can use the brake or accelerator to influence the depth of the trajectory, as well as the steering just before a jump to achieve slight rotations. Players must achieve the best time and reach the finish line by passing through a certain number of checkpoints. Depending on the race times achieved, the player can win gold, silver, and bronze medals. Artificial intelligence controls some of the opponents, specifically the three fastest racers, who serve as benchmarks for the medals. Two buttons also allow the race to be restarted at any time, either from the start or from the last checkpoint. TrackMania's concept requires a great deal of trial and error in order to discover and master the particularities of each track. United can be played using the keyboard or a gamepad.
TrackMania United brings together the environments featured in the previous games in the series: TrackMania, TrackMania Sunrise, and TrackMania Nations. The studio's aim is to bring together all the online and solo players scattered across the other games in a single game. This is where the title United comes from. The optimized game engine displays improved graphics compared to Nations. In particular, the Stadium universe has been redesigned and now features more realistic visuals. The game includes a new shadow calculation system that launches before the start of each race to improve rendering. The game offers a few new building blocks for tracks, as well as for scenery (water, sand dunes, etc.). For example, a "Freewheel" ground block cuts the car's engine and lets it coast until it eventually passes over another block that reactivates the engine.
United requires the creation of an account in order to manage all multiplayer aspects and rankings. It uses the same friends list system that appeared in the previous game in the series.
Contributions to the basic concept There are no new features in terms of gameplay, but there are three new features designed to strengthen community involvement and interconnection: ManiaZone, copper management, and ManiaLink.
Official mode allows players to choose which race to count, usually their best time. They can practice on a track, but their best time is not automatically recorded. The first attempt is free, but subsequent attempts must be paid for with coppers (except for the first attempt on each track, which remains free). Players should use this official mode when they feel ready to achieve their best race, as in competition. The game is inspired by sports competitions in which participants must achieve results within a given time frame. This new feature adds a certain amount of pressure to players, who can no longer afford to make mistakes during their "official" laps. It is possible to download the races of the best players (or any other ranked player) to compete against the corresponding ghost car. Players can now download replays players to study their races and driving.
The ManiaZone is a zone system combining regionalization and online ranking. It places each player in a geographical zone based on their results. Beginner players therefore start at a level corresponding to their city. As they progress, they can compete against players in their county, then their region, their country, and finally players from around the world. This means the game level adapts to the player's skill. There's a separate ranking for each category. The system also takes into account other groups, like coworkers, friends, etc., who have their own specific ranking. Therefore, servers are no longer sorted by country alone, but by city, county, region, or country. Furthermore, each circuit still has its own specific ranking. The game allows players to organize tournaments or competitions within the game. It is also possible to create a team or club. ManiaZone's system applies to multiplayer mode. To progress in the solo rankings, players must earn skill points by achieving good times in official mode. The points earned vary depending on the ranking and the number of potential opponents. Every environment and game mode has its own ranking. In multiplayer mode, a completely independent system manages the rankings: ladder points. This system, which takes into account the player's progress, awards points to a player based on their results and the level of their opponents.
Coppers, the virtual currency in the game, are undergoing a major evolution. They were previously used only to unlock building blocks in the game editor. Since then, they have been used to purchase ghosts, tracks, new vehicle models created by players, and the right to improve times in the rankings. Coppers cannot be converted into real money. and cannot be purchased with real money. They can be obtained by completing challenges in single-player mode and earning medals, by logging into the game regularly, and by sharing and selling your creations. Players who own other versions of the games in the series have an advantage and earn a few extra coppers.
ManiaLink is a peer-to-peer online platform within the game that provides links to tracks, replays, music, cars, and videos for download, hosted by Nadeo on a personal page that each player can create. A user interface, similar to a web page in a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, provides access to officially published ManiaLinks. Each player's information is stored in an XML file that centralizes the player's personal information. Items can be sold or purchased in coppers. ManiaLink also allows players to stay informed and connected with the community through a messaging system, for example about competitions or game information.
Environment TrackMania United includes the seven environments created to date by Nadeo and featured in previous games in the series: TrackMania, TrackMania Sunrise, and TrackMania Nations.
Each environment, with its unique visuals and atmosphere, offers only one car with specific handling characteristics. Races can take place at different times of the day, resulting in differences in atmosphere and lighting.
The tracks are unusual and feature, for example, banked curves, turns, loops, obstacles, acceleration boosters, and ramps for performing huge jumps.
The "Desert," "Rally," and "Snow" environments are from the first game in the series: TrackMania. "Desert" is the first environment ever created by Nadeo.
Characterized as colorful and sunny, it puts the player behind the wheel of an American car with good brakes but limited handling, and a very soft suspension that regularly lifts it onto two wheels when cornering. It allows for high-speed cornering, huge jumps, and changes of pace.
Visually, it features flat sandy expanses dotted with large canyons and rocky mounds. Paved roads alternate between fast stretches of straights, tricky sections, and exaggerated curves. Potholes regularly litter the road.
The "Rally" environment takes place in lush, bucolic, and melancholic settings. Tracks alternate between wide curves and tight hairpin turns, consisting entirely or partially of paved or dirt roads, dotted with medieval buildings such as castles and ramparts, which can sometimes be driven over. The tracks, which feature numerous elevation changes, sometimes cross rivers, but remain very low to the ground. They include narrow passages and are lined with trees or meadows. The only vehicle available is similar to a Renault 5 Turbo 2. Fast and responsive, it offers simple handling focused on skid control and requires adaptation to surfaces that alternate between asphalt, dirt, and grass.
The "Snow" environment is set in a snow-covered landscape inspired by Asia. Its roads alternate between high-grip and partially or fully icy sections, with tracks featuring jumps, sharp turns and slippery surfaces. The player drives a pickup truck with relatively low speed but strong handling and maneuverability, allowing it to take corners at comparatively high speeds.
The "Island," "Bay," and 'Coast' environments are from the second installment of the series: TrackMania Sunrise. "Island" is an exotic universe, Sunrise's iconic environment and the fastest setting with a sunny atmosphere. The tracks, lined with palm trees, run alongside the sea. Resembling wide highways with numerous jumps, they are the most tortuous and zany in the series (at that time in 2007) thanks to loops, jump ramps, and quarter-pipes. Players drive a Ferrari-like sports car and must negotiate large curves at high speed while mastering long drifts. In terms of driving, it is the most accessible environment, leaving room for improvisation and offering a large margin for error. The "Bay" environment is entirely urban and takes place in a sort of sunny seaside resort. The highly detailed visuals create an urban atmosphere. The tracks are exclusively paved and often lead, thanks to the omnipresent elevation changes, to the quays or the roofs of buildings. They sometimes feature obstacles. The player is at the wheel of a very responsive 4x4 that can reach its top speed very quickly and has highly reactive steering. The driving is fast, flexible, and very energetic, with a marked stunt aspect. Suspensions are extremely dynamic. Changes in pace and direction are commonplace. "Coast" takes place in a sunny Mediterranean setting with a relaxing atmosphere. Visuals are reminiscent of small villages in the south of France or Italy, where the edges of the tracks are dotted with typical cottages. The tracks, bordered by the sea, consist of straight and winding roads, marked sections of circuits, escarpments, and jumps. The player drives a roadster that skids easily and requires careful braking. Driving this vehicle requires a combination of brake-acceleration control and outside-inside-outside trajectories. It requires managing difficulties at low speeds, despite the need for higher speeds in certain turns. This precise and technical driving style is intended to be more simulation-oriented (but still far from the sophisticated simulations of the genre).
"Stadium" is the latest environment created by Nadeo for the release of United. Originally from TrackMania Nations, it features a kind of Formula 1 single-seater that requires fast, technical driving and is easy to handle. Speed management is key on these narrow tracks. There are numerous jumps on the tracks, making mastery of trajectories during jumps an important part of gameplay. The tracks are confined to a large multi-purpose stadium. The weather is always fine, with clear blue skies. The whole thing resembles a motocross or supermoto competition stadium. The ground surfaces are partly or entirely concrete, dirt, or closely cut grass, the latter favoring off-road racing.