Overview
TrackMania United is a combination of the modes found in the previous TrackMania games including TrackMania, TrackMania Sunrise and TrackMania Nations. It features arcade-style driving in various environments that all offer their own game style and control mechanics but all revolve around the concept of driving a car down a small track over boosts, jumps and around loops. The game comes filled with tons of tracks for the various environments and are spread over different game modes like time attack, platform and stunt. It also features an extensive map editor where you set pieces of track down on a grid to create a custom track that can be sent to and played by other TrackMania United players. It features an extensive online community which has leaderboards for the top players and a method for sharing tracks and replays.
Coppers
Coppers are TrackMania's internal currency which is used to purchase tracks and replays and which is gained either by doing arbitrary things like posting on the official forum or logging in after a two-week or more absence but also from getting good times in official mode. Tracks are played in training mode by default but you can select to play in official mode which is free for the first try, but subsequent attempts costs 10 copper. If you succeed in getting a bronze, silver or gold medal in official mode you are awarded with some coppers relative to your achievement. Another use for coppers that is only available for United User's, is the ability to buy new models or skins for your cars, allowing you to stand out from the pack. also for those proficient in the use of programs used to make skins or models can setup a website with Nadeo and sell their creations for coppers.
Environments
Stadium
The stadium mode is the only mode that has been released for free in the TrackMania Nations downloadable game. It is driven with a car that is a mix of a Formula-1 and a dirty buggy, which comes in a color scheme matching the flag of the country the player controlling it set as his/her home. The environment itself is featured in a football stadium which can be modified to have dirt or water areas and features two sub-modes: the primary one which is driven on asphalt tracks which has boosts, jumps and that can be elevated above the track. It also has a dirt mode which is limited to staying on the ground and has no boosts. This creates a potential dynamic in the various tracks as the asphalt provides good grip while the dirt track has the player sliding around tight corners. Because of this environment being featured in the free versions of TrackMania it is the prominent mode for online play and is featured in the majority of tracks and playthroughs found on the internet.
Desert
The desert environment seems to be set in an area around Texas or Mexico, where you will find cacti, tall plateaus and debris strewn around from the various oil fields. The track is asphalt and features loops and jumps, built for going fast. The car is an extremely sensitive racing car that accelerates and breaks in seconds can cut corners tightly but does have problems gripping the road when going too fast. New in TrackMania United Forever is the inclusion of bridges and water areas.
Rally
Rally is set in a classic Scottish countryside where you drive along tracks that go from dirt to asphalt to wooden bridges and which take you over rivers, between rows of trees and along the wall of a tall castle. The car is ultra light and has incredible horsepower which can be hard to handle so the car tends to swerve around the tracks, picking up lost speed in a second only to lose it as quick turns has it sliding into the roadside ditch.
Snow
The snow environment is set high up in the snowy peaks of Tibet, surrounded by thick forests and jagged peaks dotted with small buildings. The main track is composed of asphalt at ground level and a wooden track as the path elevates itself and the environment is snow which can be modified with icy parts and two different kinds of elevations. The car isn't particularly fast but handles well around tight turns resulting in tracks that are full of boosts to get the gameplay up to the same degree of speed featured in the other environments. Beyond the standard track you have a wide wooden track which can be used to create large drivable areas, underground tunnels, mesh pipes which come with boosts, checkpoints and obstacles and, new in the TrackMania United Forever release, you can have the track merge with a tighter cobblestone track that mimics the great wall of china.
Island
Island is set in a tropical setting where you race above the water or small islands on tracks that spin you through loops and shoot you over great chasms. Your car is a fast racing car which accelerates incredibly fast and provides the most feeling of speed than any other environment in the TrackMania series. The tracks have few quick turns and lots of boosts that ensure that the speed is kept at maximum at all times.
Bay
In the bay environment, you drive a quick and responsive car around quick turns and through obstacles, weaving in and out of tight streets or boosting over the water to perform large jumps or go through loops. This environment feature docks, rooftops and streets that vary between long stretches and tight turns to always keep you on your toes.
Coast
The coast environment is set in the Mediterranean and is the most technically difficult mode in the TrackMania series. Too much speed can cause you to slide into the wall as you attempt a turn and the tight corners ensure that you always have to keep a balance between speed and control.
Game Modes
Race
Race is against the clock or other opponents to get the best time possible. In single player it is possible to win a bronze, silver or gold medal which can award you with coppers if you play in official mode. Racing tracks are the most common tracks and are either done from start to finish or through laps.
Rounds (Multiplayer)
Rounds is a multiplayer variant of Race where the goal is to be the first to reach the point threshold. Each map is driven numerous times in a row, and for each run of the map every player begins driving at exactly the same time. For each round of the map points are handed out based on the goal position (similar to how Formula1 hands out points). New rounds on the same map will continue until someone reaches the point limit.
Time Attack (Multiplayer)
Time Attack is another multiplayer variant of Race. In this mode the winner is determined on who has the fastest lap. Players can begin driving independently of each other and do as many attempt or restarts as the total time limit allows. The winner is the player with the fastest finishing time when the server time limit runs out.
Platform
Platform mode is where you attempt a difficult and confusing track, usually set high above the level, and try to complete it with the least amount of restarts.
Stunt
Stunt mode, which was introduced in TrackMania Sunrise eXtreme evolved from an internet phenomena of showing strange stunts that could be done with the physics engine. It is set on tracks designed specifically for the purpose of flipping, spinning and boosting your car around and you try to get the most amount of points possible. Tricks range from long jumps to classic flips and spins.
Puzzle
Puzzle mode starts out in the level editor where you are given an unfinished track and a few pieces that you place as you see fit. Then you attempt to complete the track in the shortest time possible.
TrackMania United Forever
TrackMania United Forever was released in 2008 as a free update to those who already have TrackMania United and as a replacement on Steam and in store shelves. It features a few new pieces for the different modes, some minor physics modifications and a heavily updated graphics engine. Along with more focus on the online community, Forever also allowed people to play the game without having the CD in the drive, relying on their online accounts for verification.
In addition, the StarTrack expansion to United Forever was released in 2009 as another free update. This expansion included 147 race courses created by the community.
System Requirements
- OS: Windows 2000/XP/XP-x64/Vista
- CPU: Pentium IV 1.6GHz / AthlonXP 1600
- RAM: 256 MB (512 MB with Vista)
- Video card memory: 3D accelerator 16 MB DirectX 9.0c compatible
- Disk space required : 1.5 GB
- DirectX®: 9.0c or more
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