Info about Riff Racer - Race Your Music!:

Official game description:
Full Release!
=============
Riff Racer (known as Drive Any Track during Early Access) is now in full release!  
We'd like to thank all the community who have helped us so far during development of the game.  
We'll continue to experiment with features as we go!
About the Game
==============
Update August 2020: Our servers are up and running, however a few returning players have been affected by an issue that makes them unable to connect to the servers, please visit the Riff Racer forum on Steam where a simple fix is available if this affects you.  
**Includes 25 fantastic bundled tracks!! Or, race your own music...**  
**Inspired by some of our favourite games like Wipeout, Trackmania, Vib-Ribbon and Audiosurf…**  
Riff Racer is a high-octane music based racing game where we create racetracks from the songs in your music library.  
Not a rhythm game, but a fresh twist on music-powered game creation. Action on track is synced to the audio, you literally have to race the music to stay in time and score points.  
You've seen other music powered games, Riff Racer takes the concept to the next level with our innovative MEGA engine. It takes any audio file, analyses it down to its core components and creates a unique racing experience from the structure of the song.  
Verses, choruses and drops become checkpoints, and the environment and cars are styled to the genre of music you're playing.  
Experiment with your music collection and find out which songs make the best racetracks!  
*   Be the first to 'create' a race-track from a song and have your name forever enshrined on the track’s leaderboard.  
*   Multiplayer features - Challenge your friends' ghosts to your favourite tunes and beat their high-scores on the track!  
    *   \*\*Please note Riff Racer does not support live multiplayer\*\*\*
*   Score big for staying in sync, whilst performing stunts, jumps, drifts and rolls!
Riff Racer has unique environment styles based on different music genres, and a selection of genre based cars and liveries (and some secret cars you have to work out how to unlock!).  
Riff Racer currently supports MP3, FLAC, and OGG file formats.  
Riff Racer has full controller support in that you don't need a mouse and keyboard to play the game, but we only support newer xinput devices such as the X-Box 360 and X-Box One controllers. Older directinput controllers such as the Logitech Dual Action are not currently supported.

Release date: May 12, 2016

Categories: Music-based Gameplay, Arcade Racing, Procedural Generation, Custom Music Support, Drifting Gameplay, Leaderboards and Achievements, Ghost Racing


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $20.00
  - Reasoning: The reviewer rates the game about 5 on a scale where 6 is 'worth the full price' and 4/5 are linked to discounted purchases. This indicates the community sees it as a good but price-sensitive title: not a full-price must-buy, but worth buying at a lower price. With no explicit USD amounts, the implied fair base-game range is a modest budget tier, approximately $10-$20.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 4.5h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 0.3h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The first quote directly states that after 4 or 5 hours of play and racing favorite tracks, the player has seen the whole tour, supporting a gameCompletion estimate of about 4.5 hours. The second quote describes a typical recurring session as 'generally a fun fifteen minutes,' supporting a sessionLength estimate of about 0.25 hours; the third quote shows a half-hour initial session, but the more typical recurring session quote anchors the metric. No evidence describes a story or a distinct post-completion endgame duration, so storyCompletion and endgame are null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Many players report immediate, addictive fun in this music-driven racer, especially with high-BPM songs, though early annoyances like tedious song selection and missing tutorial guidance can get in the way.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: First play
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Tedious song selection with no search, sort, or drag-and-drop; No in-game tutorial; No obvious way to slow down; no speed meter; Lower BPM songs can feel boring
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: High BPM songs; Using your own music library; Interest in following a growing game; Racing against ghost cars or leaderboards; Low BPM songs can reduce enjoyment
- Player Archetypes:
  - Music-Synced Arcade Racing Fan (buy)
    - Motivation: Combining a personal music library with arcade racing and rhythm-based track generation.
    - Playstyle: Imports favorite songs, races generated tracks, drifts and jumps to musical cues, and plays for score or enjoyment.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: big fan of music games
    - Reference games: Audiosurf; Beat Hazard; Wipeout XL; Burnout Paradise
  - Relaxed Anti-Idle Music Listener (buy)
    - Motivation: Listening to favorite songs without feeling idle or wasting time.
    - Playstyle: Casual driving while listening to own music, avoiding pressure and enjoying cathartic, low-stakes sessions.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Leaderboard and Score-Chasing Racer (buy)
    - Motivation: Competing against ghosts and leaderboards for high scores on favorite songs.
    - Playstyle: Races generated tracks repeatedly, chases ghost cars and personal bests, grinds achievements, and wants default tracks or multiplayer for competition.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Critical Rhythm-Racing Veteran (no buy)
    - Motivation: Finding a mechanically sound rhythm racer where music meaningfully drives scoring and varied race modes.
    - Playstyle: Evaluates beat-sync mechanics, scoring incentives, track hazards, and mode variety, then compares the game against established rhythm and racing titles.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Overall positive game reception (weight 0.3): General feedback is very positive, with players calling it fantastic, great, and a good game overall. The gameplay is often described as wonderful and entertaining.
- Music-generated racing tracks praised (weight 0.26): Players love that the game creates racing tracks from music, with elevation from bass and curves from tempo changes. This unique core idea is considered excellent and rare.
- Excellent music and soundtrack (weight 0.25): The music and soundtrack are highly praised, with some calling it the best ever. Bundled songs cover various genres and difficulties.
- Drifting is highly enjoyable (weight 0.22): Drifting around corners is frequently highlighted as fun and excellent. Players feel like pro racers on twisted tracks.
- Easy to pick up and addictive (weight 0.22): The game is simple to understand and play within minutes. Its addictive nature keeps players coming back.
- Good graphics and visuals (weight 0.2): Graphics are considered pretty and very good, with neon aesthetics fitting the genre. Abstract environments and vibrant color palettes are noted.
- Fun arcade driving mechanics (weight 0.15): Arcade-style driving with boost meters and DDR-like elements is well-received. Hitting objects builds a boost meter for manual boosts, with free boosts on tracks.
- Great way to enjoy music (weight 0.15): The game serves as a fun tool for listening to favorite songs while playing. It combines music enjoyment with racing.
- Among best music games (weight 0.11): Players consider it one of the best music-driven games played to date. It stands out in the rhythm-racing genre.
- Relaxing and fun experience (weight 0.1): The game is described as relaxing and fun, true to its title. It offers a chill yet engaging experience.
- Wide choice of vehicles (weight 0.1): Multiple cars are available to race with, providing variety. Players appreciate the selection.
- Driving characteristics are okay (weight 0.09): Handling and overall feeling while driving are described as not bad. They are acceptable but not standout.

Common complaints:
- Server Shutdown Breaks Game (weight 0.41): Official servers have been taken down, making the game nonfunctional and unplayable. This affects core features and leaves the game abandoned.
- Track Generation No Longer Works (weight 0.38): The ability to generate tracks from your own music is completely lost due to server shutdowns. Custom song auto-generation is no longer available.
- Track Generation Quality Poor (weight 0.19): Generated tracks often do not reflect the tempo or feel of the music, making the experience hit or miss. Many songs produce disappointing results that bore little resemblance to the music.
- Unsuccessful Audiosurf Clone (weight 0.17): The game is seen as an exceptionally unsuccessful Audiosurf clone that won't replace it without significant work. It fails to stand out in the genre.
- Game Delisted From Steam (weight 0.15): The game has been delisted from Steam and official servers are no longer available. This prevents new purchases and access to online features.
- Difficulty Rating Inaccurate (weight 0.14): The song difficulty rating system needs work as some songs and genres are given wrong difficulties. The algorithm sometimes labels songs incorrectly.
- Limited Built-in Songs (weight 0.11): Only about 25 basic bundled songs are available to play. This severely limits the content without custom track generation.
- M4A File Support Removed (weight 0.11): Support for M4A files was quietly removed, affecting users whose libraries are primarily in that format. The developer removed it from the store page without notice.
- Poor Song Selection Interface (weight 0.1): The song selection process is tedious due to the lack of a pop-out window, drag-and-drop, or search function. This makes navigating large libraries cumbersome.
- Language Recognition Issues (weight 0.1): Only English paths and song names are recognized; other languages must be renamed to arbitrary English names. This can cause tracks to be misidentified as new.

Gameplay feedback:
- Music-based procedural track generation (weight 0.81): The game generates racing tracks based on the music being played, with tracks corresponding to the beat and flow of the song. It uses the player's own music files or bundled songs to create unique levels.
- Racing and drifting gameplay (weight 0.56): The core gameplay involves racing cars and drifting, with drifting being a key mechanic for scoring points. Players drive to the rhythm of the music.
- Custom music support (weight 0.49): Players can add their own music from local files or the in-game library, and the game uses these songs to generate tracks. This includes support for MP3 files and custom playlists.
- Sync-based scoring system (weight 0.38): Scoring and rating are based on how well the player synchronizes with the music, with bonuses for staying in sync and penalties for being late. Players earn points for super-sync, jumps, and drifts.
- Car and paint job unlocks (weight 0.34): Players can use points or tokens to unlock and customize cars, including purchasing paint jobs. Unlockable cars and paint jobs are cosmetic only.
- Ghost racing feature (weight 0.28): Players can race against ghosts of other players, including top scorers, friends, or their own high scores. Ghost selection is available from a list of players who have beaten the high score.
- Leaderboards and competition (weight 0.24): Players compete for high scores on global and friend leaderboards. Each track has its own leaderboard, and scores are uploaded if the song has an ID3 tag.
- Online connection required (weight 0.24): The game requires an online connection to function and relies on official servers. Track creation previously required a server connection.
- Song-based difficulty levels (weight 0.18): Each song has a different difficulty rating from one to five stars based on its rhythm and variation. The gameplay difficulty depends on the selected song.
- Obstacles and hazards (weight 0.17): Players must avoid barriers and other hazards on the track. Hitting obstacles slows the car and deducts points at the end of the race.
- Achievements and track creator credit (weight 0.17): Achievements require finding suitable tracks and performing specific actions. The first player to use a sound becomes the credited creator of that track.
- Game elements and collectibles (weight 0.1): The game features six elements: rhythm lines, jump pads, obstacles, boost pads, boosters, and coins. Players can collect coins and use boost pads.
- Automatic acceleration (weight 0.1): The car accelerates automatically by default, with an option to switch to manual acceleration. This simplifies the controls for players.
- Sync penalties and re-sync (weight 0.1): Falling behind results in getting out of sync and losing the chance for a 100% synchronization bonus. Players are automatically re-synced if they fall behind.

Performance notes:
- Strong performance and optimization (weight 0.26): Players report smooth performance, constant 60 fps, no lags, and good scaling up to 4k+ on a single GTX 970. The game runs well across various systems, including older computers.
- Runs well on older hardware (weight 0.19): The game maintains playable frames on a meager laptop and astonishes with graphic details even on older computers. It uses low system resources and has low recommended requirements.
- Fast loading times (weight 0.1): Players note that tracks load in about 10 seconds and that the game runs with low loading times. This contributes to a smooth overall experience.
- Game crashes and closes unexpectedly (weight 0.05): One player reported that the game crashes and closes unexpectedly. This is a potential stability issue that could affect gameplay.
- Music continuity during crashes (weight 0.05): Even if the game crashes, the music keeps playing without disruption. This ensures a seamless audio experience.

Recommendations:
- Fun with own music (weight 0.52): The core appeal is racing while listening to your own music playlist. Many recommend it to those who enjoy music and driving games.
- Mixed recommendation sentiment (weight 0.32): Reviews are split between strong recommendations and clear not-recommended warnings. Many positive reviews come with caveats about price or niche appeal, while negative reviews cite abandonment and poor value.
- Positive recommendation overall (weight 0.25): Many reviewers simply recommend the game, often with enthusiasm. They encourage others to buy it, especially on sale.
- Not worth full price (weight 0.22): Several reviewers advise against buying at full price and suggest waiting for a sale. The game is often seen as worth it only when discounted.
- For fans of racing games (weight 0.22): The game is recommended to lovers of racing games, particularly arcade racers like Ridge Racer, RUSH, Burnout, Daytona, or Outrun. It fits well within that genre.
- Abandoned by developer (weight 0.15): Multiple reviewers state the game has been abandoned by the developer, leading to lost support and server shutdowns. This is a major reason for not recommending the game.
- Recommended for relaxation (weight 0.14): The game is recommended for those who want relaxation rather than a challenge. It appeals to players seeking a casual music-racing experience.
- Lacks game modes (weight 0.11): Reviewers note the game has fewer modes than competitors, missing career, time attack, and versus modes. This makes it hard to recommend over other racing games.
- Refunded by reviewers (weight 0.11): Several reviewers refunded the game because it did not meet expectations or was not what they paid for. This suggests misleading marketing or poor quality.
- Fraudulent listing claim (weight 0.1): Some reviews demand the game be removed from Steam as fraudulent due to its current state. This reflects strong dissatisfaction with misleading store page or trailer.
- Better alternatives exist (weight 0.1): Some reviewers suggest playing other games like Distance instead, as they offer more content or better gameplay. This implies the game is not the best in its genre.
- Try before you buy (weight 0.1): One reviewer suggests watching trailer videos closely to understand the game, as it may not be a true rhythm game. Another says it's recommended if you figure out how to play it.
- Great for Initial D fans (weight 0.06): Fans of Initial D and similar racing anime are specifically recommended to try this game. It captures the spirit of high-speed driving with music.
- Server issues prevent purchase (weight 0.06): At least one reviewer reports being unable to buy the game because servers are down. This indicates online functionality or store issues.
- Replay value praised (weight 0.06): Some reviewers mention lots of replay value, especially for those who enjoy the music-racing combination. This adds to the game's longevity.
- Soundtrack included in price (weight 0.06): The price includes a 25-song soundtrack, adding value for music lovers. This is a positive point for potential buyers.
- Encourage gifting to friends (weight 0.06): One reviewer suggests buying the game for a friend or two if you already own it. This indicates social appeal and confidence in the game.
- Support growing games (weight 0.06): One reviewer recommends the game 100% if you like to follow growing games and be part of the community. This appeals to players who enjoy early access or evolving titles.
- Use a controller (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends using a controller for better control. This is a practical tip for new players.

Other player notes:
- Frequent comparisons to Audiosurf (weight 0.67): Reviews often compare Riff Racer to Audiosurf, noting similarities in music-driven gameplay. Some consider it a better or more fun alternative, while others see it as an inferior clone.
- Miscellaneous game details (weight 0.61): The game is distributed on Steam, uses the MEGA engine, and has Steam cards and achievements. It was previously called 'Drive Any Track'.
- Community workarounds exist for offline play (weight 0.45): Players have developed workarounds such as hosting local servers, using community mock servers, or following guides to patch the game. These solutions require technical knowledge and are not officially supported.
- Servers shut down, breaking core functionality (weight 0.44): Official servers were shut down in late 2022, rendering the game largely unplayable for generating new tracks. Many reviewers note that the game requires these servers for track generation and that no offline mode exists.
- Early Access release and history (weight 0.36): The game was in Early Access for about a year under the name 'Drive Any Track' before full release. Some reviews mention its Early Access status and subsequent changes.
- Supports local music files for track generation (weight 0.34): The game allows importing local music files (MP3, FLAC) to automatically generate tracks. This is a core feature that many reviewers highlight.
- Mixed reviews on gameplay and features (weight 0.29): Opinions vary on the game's track generation algorithm, car handling, and overall fun. Some find it repetitive, while others enjoy the speed sensation.
- Inspired by racing and music games (weight 0.28): The game draws inspiration from Initial D, eurobeat, and arcade racers like Ridge Racer, Burnout, and F-Zero. It also compares to music games like Guitar Hero and Beat Hazard.
- Game delisted from Steam store (weight 0.25): Riff Racer was removed from sale on Steam, though some store pages remain. This prevents new players from purchasing the game directly.
- Developer FOAM Entertainment and responsiveness (weight 0.22): The game is developed by British indie team FOAM Entertainment, who were responsive to feedback during development. Some question the studio's treatment of the game after abandonment.
- Price and value (weight 0.21): Many reviewers purchased the game at a low price or during sales. Some note that the low price likely contributed to server maintenance issues.
- Bundled soundtrack included (weight 0.2): The game includes a pre-bundled soundtrack with several tracks. Some reviewers appreciate these tracks, while others find them uninteresting.
- Controller support and recommendations (weight 0.18): The game supports XInput controllers, and many reviewers recommend playing with a controller. Specific controllers like Xbox 360 and Xbox One work well.
- Insufficient in-game currency and rewards (weight 0.14): Reviewers complain that currency rewards are too low compared to car prices, making unlocks grindy. Popular songs are often already claimed by other players.
- Missing online multiplayer and leaderboards (weight 0.14): The game lacks online multiplayer and has an inactive leaderboard system due to low player base. This reduces long-term engagement.
- Car customization and unlock limitations (weight 0.13): Only car models and color schemes can be unlocked, with no upgrade parts. Some reviewers suggest adding unique traits and reworking car physics.
- Technical issues and limitations (weight 0.13): The game only supports English file paths, requires PCM conversion, and had bugs like characters displaying incorrectly. Some issues have been fixed.
- Visual and audio style (weight 0.1): The game features simple, abstract graphics with vibrant colors for an arcade feel. Audio quality depends on the imported files, with higher quality files sounding better.
- Community remains active (weight 0.1): Despite server shutdowns, a community of players still exists, sharing guides and solutions on Steam discussions and other platforms.

Emotions:
- Disappointment (weight 0.28): The core disappointment stems from the shutdown of servers, which rendered the game's central feature—generating tracks from custom music—unplayable. This made the game a shell of its former self, with players losing the ability to enjoy the main appeal of racing to their own songs. Additionally, the gameplay itself failed to meet expectations, with poor track generation, lack of variety, and slow development contributing to the letdown.
- Frustration (weight 0.13): Frustration arises from the game becoming unplayable after server shutdowns, with no offline alternative provided, leaving players unable to access content they paid for. Technical issues such as broken achievements, unclickable options, connection problems, and poor controls further exacerbate the experience. The design choice of server-side track generation is widely criticized, as it forces reliance on non-functional online services.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.06): Players enjoy the game's unique concept of racing to music, with its engaging gameplay, colorful visuals, and satisfying drifting mechanics. The music-driven map generation and the ability to experience songs in a new way provide a fun and addictive experience, especially on high BPM tracks. The game offers a relaxing yet thrilling way to interact with favorite music.
- Excitement (weight 0.05): Excitement is driven by the ability to create tracks from any music file and race at high speeds to favorite songs, with synchronized boost pickups and drifts that match the beat. The dynamic generation of racing maps from music creates a thrilling and mesmerizing experience, especially when combined with energetic genres like Eurobeat. Discovering a music racing game that supports local songs adds to the excitement.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.04): Satisfaction comes from the game successfully fulfilling the need for a relaxing music-driving experience, with excellent drifting, music synchronization, and a good progression system. The game works well with a controller, feels like a real racing game based on Audiosurf, and has present and passionate developers. It provides a wonderful and relaxing gameplay experience that replaces tired genre games.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.03): Nostalgia is evoked by memories of the game's enjoyable past when it was online years ago, with players thanking developers for the pleasant experiences. It reminds some of childhood moments, such as turning a gamepad and moving their head, and the fun times had while the game lasted.
- Anger (weight 0.02): Anger is directed at the developers for abandoning the game and shutting down servers without implementing client-side generation, which screwed over buyers. Players feel the company should be ashamed and that the game should be taken off listings for fraud, as it was left in an unplayable state.
- Appreciation (weight 0.02): Appreciation is expressed for the game's creative concept of racing to a song and its high playability, which allowed actual driving and drifting rather than limited choice-based movement. Players loved the game and had good times with friends, valuing the unique experience it provided.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom sets in due to repetitive and uninspired racing, where tracks become boring quickly and lack variety. The promised interaction with music is missing, making racing feel bland and not matching the music, leading to eventual disinterest after several hours.
- Confusion (weight 0.02): Confusion arises from the game's lack of clear instructions on scoring points and how it analyzes tracks, resulting in poor track analysis and confusing multiplier calculations that leave players unsure of the mechanics.
- Relaxation (weight 0.02): Relaxation is achieved through casual, easy races on music-generated tracks, allowing players to chill and enjoy music without feeling idle. The simple and interesting gameplay helps players unwind and think about life while drifting to sick tunes.
- Sadness (weight 0.02): Sadness is felt because the game can no longer be used to chill under favorite music in Riff Racer, and a good game with an active community was abandoned, leaving players without a beloved pastime.
- Cheated (weight 0.02): Players feel cheated after buying an online-only game that became unplayable when servers shut down, despite it initially feeling worth the money. The game became useless after the official server shutdown, leaving buyers with a non-functional product.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Enthusiasm is fueled by the game being incredible, with awesome music, very good graphics, sublime controls, and a thrilling racing experience that players find fantastic.
- Annoyance (weight 0.02): Annoyance is caused by blinding light effects, lack of an in-game tutorial forcing players to search for controls, and audio issues like currency pickup sounds being drowned out by music without visual feedback. Additionally, changes to car skins resulted in players no longer owning any.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.02): Mild frustration occurs when some songs have timing offsets in generated courses, and when the game gives inappropriate achievements, such as a Hip-Hop/Urban achievement for Mozart's Rondo alla Turca.
- Impressed (weight 0.02): Players are impressed by the game's quality relative to its low price, fast track loading, and its ability to make rock tracks feel satisfying by capturing the energy of songs.
- Amazement (weight 0.02): Amazement is sparked by specific tracks like 'Anamanaguchi - MEOW' being insane, and the game matching the music without relying on ridiculous reflexes, creating a seamless experience.
- Hope (weight 0.02): Hope is held for the game's potential despite incomplete content, as it is seen as a good start and recommended for those who enjoy following growing games.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): Gratitude is expressed for Rebane's mock server, which allows the game to still be played offline, providing a way to enjoy it despite official server shutdowns.}