One of the most important points with the physics in MTM is that the tires only get traction on their driving surfaces. In reality, a truck with locked differentials, a feature I would very much like to see, can do far better donuts and, most importantly, save itself from a rollover. In Ratbag's Dirt Track Racing: Sprint Cars game, the tires have proper traction on both the tread and sidewall surfaces. When the cars get on their sides, they can in extreme cases "get back up again". Though a real sprint car would have fallen apart long before that would happen, their solid (without differential) axles allow them to do that. Though it isn't common, and most engines wouldn't take it for long, monster trucks can do that too. Going hand in hand with the locked axles, a great mode of play would be rock crawling. In rock crawling, the trucks have to drive over rocks, carefully planning where each tire goes. Trucks with longer suspension travel keep their tires planted better. With limited travel, you can get a tire up on a rock, and the opposite tire leaves the ground. Without a locked differential, that axle becomes useless. I'd be more than happy to provide an MPEG video of rock crawling. Even if rock crawling doesn't make it in, lockable axles are an absolute necessity.
Another feature that has been largely overlooked is the "rebound wheelie". When a truck goes over a jump and lands it just right, the front end will bounce up. A well timed burst of the throttle can turn that into a great wheelie. Again, I'd gladly provide an MPEG video.
The suspension on the trucks is one of the biggest errors in MTM. Most trucks use a 4-link setup to control the location of the axles, but TRI simply put in leaf-spring type traction bars. For proper 4-link bars, there need to be 4 bars, with the top 2 meeting quite close to each other at the axle. At the frame, all 4 bars form a rectangle or square. More information on the 4-link bars and suspension information can be found at
http://truckworld.com/Monster-Trucks/Monsters-Monthly/2000-august/monster-tech1.htmlDespite what Paul curtis said, the tires in Monster Truck Madness are indeed scaled properly.
As for the independent rear steering, it'd be a major selling point for me, so make it an option! In the MTM series, it was limited to about 40% of the front wheel angle, which is terribly unrealistic.
-Angus
Keep on truckin!
http://angus.karf.net/[img]http://angus.karf.net/splat.gif"%20width=75%20height=75%20alt="Angus's%20Smiley%20Splatter[/img]
). I guess if they have enough sense to come ask opinions on the forum, they can't be half bad =)