I’ve been weirdly excited for CrossWorlds’s second balance patch. I expect it to fix some issues and cause approximately the same number of issues, because I’m not the target audience and my idea of an “issue” is different than the people who talk about the game on social media.

I decided to write fake patch notes anyway. Please don’t be mean to me!

Rules

• No “fixed desync” type changes; if I’m not reasonably sure I could program it myself (given time and documentation), it can’t go in.¹
• No elaborate new assets or systems. I can barely use MS Paint, much less Blender.
• No “legend only” rulesets, since they would require toggles in custom games and UI conveyance during matchmaking, which I wouldn’t be in charge of. Also theyre slightly less fun.
• No “removed slipstream” type changes. SEGA must sign off on the patch; it can’t be a huge backpedal and must mesh with their overall design goals.²

Rule #0: This is for fun. I think the CrossWorlds devs have probably considered almost all of what I propose here, and my ideas probably have problems that aren’t obvious to me. I would never want to make this kind of patch without first playtesting extensively; these are ideas for a game that might be more fun.

“patch notes”

• While playing online, if you make contact with players multiple times in rapid succession, you’ll temporarily pass through those players.³
• Slipstream angle slightly decreased.
• Slipstream range significantly decreased.
• Slipstream acquisition time significantly increased (takes longer to reach full speed).
• Making wall contact or taking damage disables slipstream for 1.5 seconds.

• All homing items slow down significantly within 2 car lengths of their target.⁴
• Void Wisp: Can be reactivated to cancel it early.
• Void Wisp: Places absorbed projectiles into your item slot.
• Drill Wisp: Remaining duration reduced when passing another player.
• Laser Wisp: Now travels a fixed distance forward. Animation speed increased.
• Slicer: No longer strips items.
• Tornado: No longer deals damage immediately after activation.

• “Speed” Stat: Doubled effect.
• “Acceleration” stat: In addition to its previous effects, now reduces Slipstream delay and lockout.
• “Power” stat: In addition to its previous effects, now reduces speed loss and stun time when taking damage.
• Fixed a bug causing Power-type machines to be affected strangely by Slipstream and “Ring Gain Boost”.

• New Gadget: “Attack Item Zero” (2 slots) - Attack items never appear in item boxes.
• New Gadget: “Inventory Minus” (3 slots) - LOSE your second item slot. +30 ALL stats.
• New Gadget: “Lone Wolf” (3 slots) - You no longer produce a Slipstream trail.
• New Gadget: “Minimum Traction” (1 slot) - Constantly slide as if on ice.

• Ultimate Charge: Speed boost duration moderately reduced. Invincibility unchanged.
• Ultimate Charge: Now burns 20 rings when activating Lv.4 boosts.
• Acceleration Character Kit: Now grants “Slipstream Bounty”, “Mini Ring Thief”, and “Ring Gain Mini Boost” (was “Ring Gain Boost”).⁵
• Extended Slipstream: Effect increased. Changed to 2 slots (was 1).⁶
• Dark Chao Starter: Changed to 2 slots (was 1).

• Friction Drift: Changed to 1 slot (was 2).
• Spin Drift: Changed to 1 slot (was 2).
• Monster Truck Starter: Changed to 2 slots (was 3).⁷
• Collision Boost: Increased boost duration.
• “Tuner” Gadgets: Removed machine type requirement and doubled effect.
• “Chance UP” Gadgets: Increased effect.
• Travel Ring Bounty: Now gains 50 rings (was 15).
• Item Attack Bounty: Now gains 25 rings (was 10).
• Morph Action Bounty: Now gains 6 rings (was 4).

• Legend Competition 4 has begun! All players will be equipped with EX Technical Drift. If you dodge in lobby, we send the yakuza to break your legs.