Houses won’t be a feature in TDU3 for now | FOS Future Lab | GRR
The latest update for Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown has dropped, going into detail on where players will be living during the game. The news isn’t great initially, for fans of the franchise who were particularly fond of the real estate system in the last two games. Houses will not be a thing, at least initially, in Test Drive Unlimited: Solar Crown.
Instead, all players will be based at the 120-floor Solar Hotel, a fictional building located in-game in Hong Kong Island’s Victoria Park. As you progress through the game, you’ll be invited to move further and further up the tower, into increasingly luxurious rooms. The so-called ‘Solar Club Letter’ reads: "The Solar Crown Organisation also stipulates that its most distinguished members will be offered increasingly prestigious suites as they move up through the ranks and gain more reputation."
Needless to say, the Solar Hotel will serve as the main location among a number – which are expected to include everything from night clubs to casinos – where players will be able to interact with each other outside of their cars. There will also be shops for clothes, a hair stylist and even a cosmetic surgery service, basically confirming extensive character customisation. There is also a valet service that delivers your chosen car to the front of the hotel ready for you to go out and drive.
Houses are coming
While some will be disappointed that players will be ‘restricted’ to the Solar Hotel, by all accounts, that won’t be for long. The letter goes on to explain that Radiant (the fictional company behind the hotel) is going to be looking at real-estate projects, with the implication that these could be coming after the first year of the game.
“We know that houses made an impression on TDU players,” Creative Director and franchise veteran Alain Jarniou wrote. “While this feature is not in the game when TDUSC launches, it is part of a long list of features we have already researched for future content in the medium and long term."
No harm no foul, then. Dedicated fans of the franchise would certainly rather KT and Nacon take their time to get it right, than rush out unfinished features at launch.