G-Cruiser is a hoverboard racing simulator, where checkpoint-style time trials are conducted in various environments. The hoverboards are capable of speeds of over 200 mph, with racers experiencing as much as 10 Gs of acceleration. A progressive array of g-force mitigation equipment can be purchased as upgrades to keep the player upright, and stave off g-induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC). The racer is also equipped with a force field that both protects and serves as an aerodynamic cowl.
The game can be played in first or third person, VR or flat screen, with convincing hover physics based on control system mathematics.
With six purchasable categories of upgrades available, players are offered strategic progression paths through tens of thousands of equipment permutations:
• Chassis serve as a mounting point for all of the other upgrades, and decrease in weight at higher prices
• Force fields offer protection from crashes, with higher priced models offering better aerodynamics for higher top speeds and better acceleration
• G-suits protect against the effects of g-forces, keeping the player upright and staving off G-LOC
• Impulse converters are responsible for pushing the racer through turns, and allow tighter turns (and higher g-forces) at higher levels
• Retrothrusters provide breaking thrust
• Thrusters provide accelerating thrust
G-LOC is simulated by decreasing field of view and image saturation proportional to the Gs being experienced, replicating the real physiological effects of oxygen starvation. The player is forced to restart the race if they lose consciousness completely.
The game keeps track of top times for each course, and awards winnings based on time and any active environmental hazards (night or fog).
