The Full Catalog

The Full Catalog

With Summer more than halfway over and Fall quickly heading our way, it's time for another major update to ProtoDrive! This time, it's all about  the final part of the core book's line-up.

With these final four chassis the goal we made for the main catalog is complete. 17 different cars and a total of 66 parts to choose from means that no two drivers will be behind the exact same set of wheels. We spent a bit of extra time with this update to make sure the numbers felt right, so read on to get the details!

What's new?

Bold McKinney

"Always Deliver, Every Time."

Like many other Bold designs, the McKinney was made to be a work vehicle first and foremost. Its expansive rear compartment makes it perfect for transporting anything that needs protection from the elements or climate control. Glass companies, news stations, and even “van life” influencers love it! And if an extra mod or two happen to fit alongside the cargo, only a foolish driver wouldn’t take advantage of that.

This transport van might look ho-hum in the stats department, but the parts it comes with are incredibly powerful, and its core power is no joke. Plus, who doesn't want to take the kids to camp in an armored vehicle? It's an oddball for Bold because it has a focus on mods, and even includes a way to get extra mod slots, plus the first mod in the game that takes up two slots in order to give a very powerful +1 Structure. On the other hand, it's a van, so it can offload cargo mods in the middle of a race to literally lighten its load and change its weight class.

MHI Oji

"Reliably Fun."

Combining top-level safety with convenience on city streets and a fun form factor was the philosophy behind the Oji, and most commentators agree that the team succeeded. Its short wheelbase and compact design mean it can squeeze into places other vehicles simply can’t go, all while being the epitome of the “marshmallow car” body type. Racers have, of course, found a way to abuse these features to give themselves an edge, particularly when passing.

The Oji is a fun and friendly-looking compact that wants to go fast, but has some nice safety features that racers can misuse to boost their agility. This is the most mod-able of the MHI vehicles, and is no slouch in most of the other departments, though it is a bit more fragile than the rest of the line. With a lowered suspension to reduce drag, an intake system specially tuned to handle sudden increases in speed, and all-wheel steering, this zippy little car can do it all. Just don't go over any particularly tall speed bumps.

WCMC Formula 87

"When the cost-per-litre matters as much as the revs…Formula 87"

Created for those who missed their chance to make it on the professional racing circuit, but still want to live the thrill of it, the Formula 87 is the kind of kit car that always turns heads and makes traffic enforcement check their rulebooks. While it stays within the bounds of road legality (just barely), its dangerously overpowered engine, road-hugging spoilers, and featherweight body mods make this car useless for any task other than looking cool and going fast.

The Formula 87 is a car that's just barely street legal. It emulates the style and function of Formula 1 vehicles, but without the need for whole teams of people to keep them tuned. Though it's the least mod-able WCMC chassis, it features powerful systems that let it compete with even some De Falco cars for speed while maintaining that signature customizability that Wright-Clarke are known for.

DF Aplomado

"No Matter Where You Are, Take the Lead"

A sleek, modern design meant to be seen just as much as driven, the Aplomado is the kind of car many people dream of owning once they’ve “made it” in life. This isn’t to say it slacks in the speed department, though. In fact, a quirk in the chassis’ floorboard and firewall design makes it fairly easy to intentionally jam the accelerator, allowing drivers to focus on other aspects of the race while they speed towards victory.

For a company so based around speed, it may seem strange that this the only chassis in De Falco's portfolio with an engine that they designed in-house and that that engine looks so weak at first glance. However, seasoned mechanics will see the genius in marrying this more fuel and heat efficient design with De Falco's classic combination of precision engineering and artistic bodywork. The computer-assisted steering and "definitely intentional" clutch interlock brakes help, too.

Coming Soon

Just because all of the chassis we planned for are now available doesn't mean we're out of ideas! Future design will have to wait for expansions, though, because there are a few more important details to hammer down before this core book is finished, like Upgrades for every company and the whole GM section.

Here's our current list of upcoming updates:

• Character Sheet updates
• Map Tile updates
• Continued attention to how roleplay and racing mechanics are interacting
• Experimentation with a “Critical” tag and special effects on parts that happen on criticals
• Add Upgrades for all companies
• Add all GM sections
• Add Index

That said, because we're heading into a new season, schedules are changing and we need a break to boot. While my new schedule for the Fall shouldn't be as restrictive as last year's, it is kicking in soon, and Will's (the game's visual artist) been busy non-stop with helping run a game store. On top of that, though creating this game is fun, it's also starting to feel like a bit of a rut, so to ensure I don't burn out on the project, I'm going to take the next couple of weeks to a month to work on something else.

The first project I'm pulling forward from the back burner is, Return of the Dawnbringers, a dungeon crawler TTRPG inspired by Hideo Kojima's Boktai series for the GBA & DS. This system, which runs on Caltrops Core, is already in a great place from the last time I was dallying on it a year or so ago, but my goal is to get its first dungeon, "Twilight Station," up and running so I can put it out in the world for people to try out. I'll be posting more about it soon, so if you've enjoyed my other work, keep an eye out for it!