Hi everyone!
In our first devblog for Tour de France 2024, we want to talk about the biggest update in this edition: Criterium mode. This mode features online races between a maximum of 6 players. The aim is simple: the first to finish wins the race! But it's important to remember that conditions can completely change between races.
Random chance
Different settings will be chosen randomly at the start to create varied conditions that players will need to adapt to each time. After the stage is chosen (selected randomly from all stages available except for time trials), the game selects a distance (between 30km and 50km) and the type of team that players will need to control. The game will also change a game setting such as whether a team-mate is in the race or the ability to take a feed. This randomness creates a variety of situations that will need to be understood and evaluated if you want to gain the upper hand and claim victory at the finish line.
Teams
The teams used in Criterium mode are not the same as Pro Team or World Tour teams from the game's single-player mode. In Criterium mode, each player controls a team of two riders: a leader and a team-mate. And each player has four types of teams: a "flat" team, a "hill" team, a "mountain" team and one called "versatile". As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the game selects a type of team that all players must use, and it's entirely possible that players will need to compete on a mountain stage with a "flat" team! Some scenarios would be unlikely in real life, but that's deliberate. We want to break away from traditional conventions, and we can't wait to see how you cope on the cobbled streets of Paris-Roubaix with the "mountain" team 😉.
The composition of each type of team is the same. For example, the leader of the "flat" team must be a sprinter while the team-mate must be a versatile rider. You can choose to put any sprinter as the leader from the ones you have available (certain riders need to be unlocked, more on this later). I know what you're going to ask, and the answer is no! If you use Philipsen as the leader of your "flat" team, you won't gain an advantage. All the "flat" team leaders have the same ratings. Whether you use Philipsen, Merlier, Ewan or Viviani, they all have the same ratings. We want all players to be on an equal footing and that their strategies and choices during the race are what make the difference.
Rewards
Not all riders will be available when you start the game. The more prestigious riders can be unlocked with Criterium Points. You can unlock them simply by playing. You gain points for every kilometre raced, and then these points are multiplied at the end of the race based on your ranking. There are no other ways to obtain points, and only Criterium Points can unlock rewards – you can't purchase anything!
Rewards are refreshed every week and are specific to each player. This means that you might unlock Tadej Pogacar as a reward and the Visma | Lease a Bike jersey (to customize your teams' appearance), while another player might unlock Jonas Vingegaard and the UAE Team Emirates team jersey.
Criterium mode joins Race of the Moment and Downhill of the Moment in the dedicated online section of Tour de France. We hope lots of you will enjoy this new mode and that the variety of situations will provide an all-new experience for you.
Wishlist the game now:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2494340/Tour_de_France_2024/
The Tour de France game team.
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