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Greetings and Happy MNR Monday everyone. Ramone Russell here with another ModNation Monday update!

Kratos Mod and Kart coming next week!

Previously only available via special pre-order offers! Next week, the Kratos Mod and Kart will finally be available. They can be purchased separately or as a bundle from the PSN.

Don’t Forget: Double XP

Double XP week starts on Tuesday! Also, in celebration of Halloween, the Vampy Mod will be free for a week starting October 26th.

We also told you about Parts Packs last week. Remember that the Stunt Pack is FREE FOR TWO WEEKS from October 26th through November 9th.

ModNation Halloween-themed creations contest

Submit your original Halloween themed Karts, Mods, and Tracks here for a chance to win a free Mod and Kart. The winner’s creations will be showcased in November’s first ModNation Monday blog.

ModNation Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handiwork on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mod of the Week

Mod Name: Royal Racer
Creator: Icandy55

Decked in flames from head to toe, this Mod looks ready to bring some heat to any track the Kart is on. The color scheme is simple, and the decals are detailed but subtle. The Royal Racing team definitely has the look. Now, if there were only a matching Kart….

Kart of the Week

Kart Name: Royal Racer
Creator: Icandy55

The perfect complement to this week’s Mod of the Week, the Royal Racer Kart carries over the same classy design and simple but effective color scheme as its Mod counterpart. Unfortunately, using both the Royal Racer Mod and kart didn’t improve my skills, but MAN I looked cool coming in last!

Track of the Week

If you have a video(s) of your track submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel by emailing ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: The Elephants Graveyard
Created by: Laidbackcat

Laidbackcat says: “Race through a track dominated by these majestic creatures!”

Laidbackcat is a true ModNation Artist. As good as his track designs are, Laidbackcat goes the extra mile and makes some of the most interesting props I’ve seen in ModNation. This track in particular features some really impressive sculpted elephants.

Track Name: Creepy Crawlie Garden
Created by: Laidbackcat

Laidbackcat says: “These gardens have been taken over by insects and arachnids! Featuring a phenomenally large tarantula as the centerpiece attraction! Not for the squeamish…”

I’ve never been especially fond of spiders, and thanks to this track, I have a full on case of arachnophobia. That giant tarantula is amazing, but it’s a bit scary, and so is the big loop around it. In addition to my new hatred of spiders, I think I also hate water now (stupid difficult fountain shortcut!).

Track Name: Calamity Falls G.C.
Created by: Laidbackcat

Laidbackcat says: “Annoy the upper classes as you interrupt their afternoon game of golf with a race! Enjoy the tour of this majestic country club’s splendid grounds, but watch out for bunkers!”

It was just coincidence that I happened to be driving Gopher in the Golf Kart when I raced on this track for the first time, and it turned out to be the perfect combination. Much to my pleasant surprise, this track actually feels like racing on a golf course. Every time I’m actually playing golf and I get behind the wheel of a golf cart, I dream of mashing that thing all over the course and driving like a maniac. Thanks to Laidbackcat for making my dream come true. This is brilliant.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

Monday: Mountains of Madness, by voicefarm
Tuesday: Gobi’s Valley, by vikin4
Wednesday: Snake Food, by CIV_BOSS
Thursday: Miami Nice? by atheistsw
Friday: Pine Mountain Gorge, by Its2l84that
Saturday: Mystery Track
Sunday: Mystery Track

More news next week, until then… see you in the ModSpot!

We like our ModNation tracks short and sweet, but we're sure you'll have your own ideas for next week's "Stunt Pack" DLC -- free for two weeks. The pack's complete contents, including all the parts we didn't use, are posted after the break.

Greetings and Happy MNR, um, Thursday everyone!

First off, as you may have already seen, the long-awaited Gopher hit the PlayStation Store yesterday. If you’re ready to hit the track with the flavor of the links, check him out. The Gopher Mod comes with a Golf Hat, Gopher Nose, and a Sweater Vest, and his Kart includes the Golf Kart Body and Golf Kart Seat.

Free MNR Stunt Parts Pack for two weeks!

As we mentioned last week, there are lots more good things coming to ModNation Racers. On October 26th, we’re going to be giving you the first taste of some track-enhancing goodness with a FREE parts pack. The Stunt Pack is the first of more Packs to come, and each one features a group of new parts to make the already amazing tracks out there even better. If you’ve ever wondered how we can add to and improve upon the hundreds of thousands of amazing tracks that are already out there, these Packs are the answer, and the first one is free for TWO WEEKS!

Included in the Stunt Pack are 14 parts listed below.

Stunt Pack

Scene Props

• Double Decker Bus
• Interactive Truck
• Interactive Truck Trailer Mini Ramp

Dynamic Props

• K-Wrecks
• Wide Stunt Ramp
• Thin Stunt Ramp
• Thin Rail Stunt Ramp
• Tilting Platform
• Flaming Skull Ring
• Flaming Pendulum Chopper

Track Props

• Stunt Trailer
• Tire Stack
• Glass Plate
• Flaming Fence

New bus prop.

A long ramp for all the creators out there who like catching some serious air.

This platform can be used in a variety of ways to help enhance your track creations.

A new dynamic prop for all you devastator lovers out there. Beware!!!!

We can’t wait to see what you can do with these new parts. Everyone at UFG and SCEA San Diego would like to thank you all for supporting MNR since its launch in May. Thanks again for sticking with us through the long haul.

MNR Double XP Week

Finally, while we’re taking care of our dedicated community, let’s keep piling it on. We’re going to be having another Double XP week! That’s right – From Tuesday, October 26th through Monday, November 1st, put the pedal to the metal and double your rewards. See you on the track!

MNR Halloween themed creations contest

Submit your original Halloween themed Karts, Mods, and Tracks here for a chance to win a free Mod and Kart. The winner’s creations will be showcased in November’s first ModNation Monday blog.

MNR Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handy work on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mod of the Week

Mod Name: Badimo
Creator: Stitchless

If there is life on other planets and they are cage fighters, this guy is one of them. The lifeless black eyes and spiraling of razor wire make it pretty clear that he’s not to be messed with. If you download him, I suggest that you don’t lose. I don’t think he’ll like it….

Kart of the Week

Kart Name: Meltdown
Creator: Icandy55

Apparently demons can be gangsta rappers. One look at this Kart, and you’ll understand why. From the anguished airbrushed face on the hood front to the beating heart engine in the back, this ride is all freaky. Throw in that wood grain finish for a touch of class, and you’ve got a whip that’s fit for even the most discerning demonic taste.

Track of the Week

If you have a video(s) of your track submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel by emailing ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: Alphorma
Created by: Adie23

Adie23 says “This once peaceful coastal city is now home to jumps, traps, tight turns and barrels of doom”

This track isn’t hyper-populated with props all over the place and it isn’t super long, and I think those are the reasons it shines. There are turns that have to be carefully negotiated, there are boost pads that may or may not be worth going for (Adie23 was sneaky about that in a couple of spots), and there’s enough air, drift opportunities, and pods to keep you boosting and competitive in some quick and dirty races.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

Monday: Gobi Desert, by C_Smith
Tuesday: Spring Water Falls, by Yika
Wednesday: Twin Mountain Rally v2, by blizzardmx-5
Thursday: Kingdom Of The 4th Dragon, by Generic_Oval
Friday: Marketcrash, by Flamestalker-NL
Saturday: Mystery Track
Sunday: Mystery Track

More news next week, until then… see you in the ModSpot!

Greetings and happy ModNation Monday everyone. Ramone Russell here with another ModNation Monday update!

Family Guy Drives ModNation!

As we announced last week, today we are honored to have some of the great talent behind the hit show Family Guy on the Artist Spotlight! Director Dominic Polcino, Assistant Director Joe Vaux, and Storyboard Artist Raul Guerra make sure we are all rolling in our seats with every new episode — not a bad gig at all, right? Each of these guys are artists within their own right as well, and they have a lot to say not just about the amazing show they work on, but on their own work and “making it” in their industry. It was an honor to see what they could do once they had a chance to play ModNation Racers, and have them on the PlayStation.Blog today to answer your questions!

Check out the video below to see how much fun they had, then read on below to learn their personal stories.

Dominic Polcino

Has been one of the directorial hands behind such hits as The Simpsons, King of the Hill, and Family Guy – including the Star Wars spoofs “Blue Harvest” and “Something Something Something Dark Side.” “Lovesick Fool” is his first foray into doing animation his way. This time it’s personal. Lovesick Fool is a short animated film following the ongoing frustrations and disappointments of its creator in the area of love. At times funny, poetic, profound. Or just sad? You be the judge. The genesis of the idea was a series of personal underground comic books which Dominic wrote and drew. Those are available at his website and in most comic book stores in LA, and a few in New York. Polcino studied animation at the UCLA Animation Workshop. See a sample on www.funnyordie.com.

Joe Vaux

I’ve been working on Family Guy since it’s rebirth in 2004. I’ve worked my way up through the ranks from being a Storyboard revisionist to one of the assistant directors. My director, Dominic Bianchi, and I were responsible for “Brian and Stewie,” “The Big Man on Hippocampus,” and “The Man with Two Brians” to name a few.

Outside of the office, my creative juices get sprayed all over paintings. I’ve shown my crazy work in several galleries across the country and even a few around the world. You can see my work here.

Raul Guerra

After graduating in 2002, I’ve been working steadily in animation and illustration. It was in 2006 that I joined the Family Guy team, working as a storyboard revisionist and storyboarder. Here I get to work with some of the most creative and wacky people ever, which serves as fuel and inspiration for my own stuff when I get home. I enjoy painting, sculpting and screen printing. Oh, and dinosaurs!!! Check out my site here.

More Goodies On The Way

As we mentioned last week, there are lots more good things coming to ModNation. Tomorrow, we’ll have everyone’s favorite insurance Mod, Flo, joining us from the ModNation Progressive office. On October 26th, we’re going to be giving you the first taste of some track-enhancing goodness with a FREE parts pack for a week! I’ll fill you in with more details next week, but needless to say, you will be pleased. Also, since the MNR community is so great, we think it’s about time for another Double XP week. It’s also going to start on October 26th, so get your Karts tuned and ready.

Also, since Halloween is coming and you’re all going to be dressing up as your favorite Mods (right?), it seems like the perfect time to have a ModNation Halloween contest.

ModNation Halloween creations contest

Submit your original Halloween-themed Karts, Mods, and Tracks here for a chance to win a free Mod and Kart. The winner’s creations will be showcased in November’s first ModNation Monday blog.

Clearly, it’s going to be a killer October in ModNation, and it just keeps getting better. Now let’s jump into the cool stuff you’ve all been creating:

ModNation Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your Mod, Kart or Track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handiwork on the PlayStation.Blog.

MOD OF THE WEEK

Mod Name: Yin
Creator: Stitchless

This guy makes me want to beat down the pack in a race, and then have him jump out of the Kart and directly into a martial arts competition. Cool from head to toe, and his abs are almost as ripped as mine….

KART OF THE WEEK

Kart Name: Bug-A-Boo
Creator: Icandy55

As cool as this Kart is, it’s weird to have that bug face looking back at me while I race. Very creative…..but a little creepy.

TRACKS OF THE WEEK

If you have a video(s) of your track submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel and email ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: Peruvian Shakedown
Created by: Corliss

Peruvian Shakedown says: “Here we have a hand-built Mayan temple with surrounding villages. Maxed out props, lots of detail in this map. Light dirt at the sides of the track will lead to alternative routes, and there are several.”

This track has one of the most evil uses of the rotating platform that I’ve seen. To succeed on this track, you pretty much have to remember this one mantra: “No Mistakes.” This is a wicked-looking track and technically exciting too. A true test of skill here, and the jumps to the pyramid from the shortcuts are amazing.

Track Name: Wild Wild West
Created by: CIV_BOSS

CIV_BOSS says: “Race past the old church and cemetery, through a couple farms towards the outskirts of town where the animals are grazing. You will notice the awesome layout of this track makes for a very fun and exciting race: the more racers there are, the more fun it is. Oh and watch out for them barrels partner!”

Learn the blind corners as quickly as you can with this one if you want to have any hope at all. Also be sure you take advantage of the opportunities to get some extra air by hopping off the jumps because a lot of the Item Pods are up pretty high. This track is intense, and it makes me dream of the day when sheep will be invisible.

Track Name: Graveyard
Created by: Stitchless

Stitchless says: “This track is the first part of a series I will be releasing, The Pits of Darkness. The course features a vast cemetery… Those dreading the graves can choose to take the waterway, but be forewarned the current is strong. Maybe you’ll find your preferred pace along the inner walls, where you’ll boost all the way around.

You can get some serious air on this track, but that depends on which route you take. One of the two main paths has some wicked jump and spin opportunities, and the other has one of the best back-to-back-to-back drift opportunities I’ve seen. With Halloween right around the corner, this track is perfect for adding a little spookiness to your racing.

HOT LAP ROSTER FOR THE WEEK

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

Monday: Caribbean Retreat, by grey_jeep
Tuesday: Continental Estates, by IndustrialSavior
Wednesday: Celestial Obelisk Eden, by IndustrialSavior
Thursday: Adventurous Jungle, by StealthReborn–
Friday: Jebediah City, by atheistsw
Saturday: Mystery Track
Sunday: Mystery Track

More news next week, until then… see you in the ModSpot!

Hello everybody. Jason Coker here, proud citizen of ModNation. There’s a lot going on at the moment, so let’s get right to it:

Guess Who’s Coming to the Nation…

We’ve got a special guest coming to ModNation Racers next Tuesday courtesy of the good folks at Progressive Insurance. Every Racer in ModNation has at least a couple of Karts that they’ve grown to know and love, and who better to watch your back than Progressive Insurance’s lovely spokesMod, Flo?

In addition to handling all your Kart insurance needs, the Flo Mod comes with:

• Flo’s Blouse
• Flo’s Hair with Headband
• Flo’s Apron
• Flo’s Button and Nametag

Absolutely for free!

Oh, and that’s not all that Progressive Insurance has in store for ModNation — stay tuned for more goodies to come.

Next Week: Family Guy meets ModNation!

Giggity giggity goo! If Kazunori wasn’t enough for you, we got a special treat next week. The next MNR Artist Spotlight takes us behind the scenes of one of the funniest shows on television today, Family Guy!

We meet some of the creative minds that bring Family Guy to your sets including Joe Vaux (Assistant Director), Raul Guerra (Storyboard Artist), and Dominic Polcino (Director) and see how they get their Mod on.

Best of all, these guys will be online to answer any fan questions on how the show is made and how they got their sweet gigs.

Tune in next week for an EPIC ModNation Monday!

ModNation Creations of the Week
Please keep your creation submissions coming, folks. You can submit your Mods, Karts, and Tracks on the official ModNation community website and your work may be highlighted as one of our weekly picks. Let’s take a look at this week’s selections.

MOD OF THE WEEK
Creator : nofriendo1
Mod: “Baboon”

I apologize now for the terrible pun, but this Mod is bananas. It’s truly a special feeling to blast somebody in front of you with a straight shot and then breeze by them with a trash talking ape. Imagine how much better driving would be in the real world if you could have a baboon in your car… Well, this is probably about as close as you’re ever going to get, so enjoy!

KART OF THE WEEK
Creator: Icandy55
Kart: “Pink Frost”

OK, I admit it – I like bling. You can’t hate on the attention to detail here. This may not be everyone’s favorite color, but the airbrushed look and the shine can’t be ignored. This is impressive work.

TRACKS OF THE WEEK
Track Name: “Central Park Drive-Thru”
PSN ID: atheistsw

Yes, yes, YES!!! Giant track in a park that’s surrnounded by a city? Check! Ridiculous amount of forks, shortcuts, and even a hidden route? Check! A freaking HEDGE MAZE? Check! This track has all the elements of great design. It’s perfect for Action racing, Pure racing….whatever. This is extremely well done.

Track Name: “Biffonium Empire”
PSN ID: pikminenco

I hate the fact that I love this track so much. There are tons of ways to excel on this track, and there are tons of ways to screw up royally as well. It’s got that great mix of skill and luck factors that make it hard to perfect. Several races in, I still don’t have it down, and that’s what makes it so awesome.

Name of the Track: Jungle Survivor
PSN ID: NyghtHawk

No doubt, this is the hotness. And I mean that literally. Placing Flame Vents just before Boost Pads really makes me think more about strategy on this track. Depending on where I am in the pack, I may have to consider the trade off between shielding my way through them or taking a little more time and weaving through. There are also some killer drift opportunities in this one, and a word of warning – some Item Pods just are NOT worth getting! Love it!

Hot Lap Roster for this week
As many of you probably know, there were some issues in getting the Hot Lap Tracks updated early last week, so we’re bringing back the ones that didn’t get put up on time. For you speed demons, here’s a look at this week’s killer tracks:

Monday: BOSS Gardens, by CIV_BOSS
Tuesday: The Megaplex, by OakBiscuits
Wednesday: da ghetto masta (v4), by daaa57150
Thursday: Central Park Drive-Thru, by athiestsw
Friday: Biffonium Empire, by pikminenco
Saturday: Jungle Survivor, by NyghtHawk
Sunday: Alpine Sprint Series, by TBomber

Believe it or not, we’ve still got TONS of stuff coming for ModNation Racers, so keep checking in here and on modnation.com/ for the latest info on the best race, create, share experience in the (Mod) Nation!

It's a big day for officially-sanctioned discounts on Sony games. First the new Greatest Hits, then the Uncharted 2 Game of the Year Edition, and now United Front's cheerful DIY kart game ModNation Racers. The publisher has announced a price drop for both the PS3 and PSP versions of Racers, to $40 and $20 respectively.

And if that's not exciting enough, Sony is also releasing a set of ModNation PSN avatars today! Wait, the price drop thing was much more exciting. We really should have led with that if we wanted to build up.

Today we are happy to announce we are offering ModNation Racers PS3 and PSP to the masses at new lower price points!

With over 1.5 million track, kart and mod creations available to everyone, ModNation Racers already offers one of the best values on ANY platform. ModNation Racers PS3 will now be available at $39.99 (MSRP), and ModNation Racers PSP will be available for $19.99 (MSRP) at both retail and on the PlayStation Network!

For the low cost of $39.99, there are over 300,000 tracks to race against friends via split-screen, online against players around the globe, or with AI in single-player. You never have to worry about players memorizing tracks–you can make each race a unique experience that levels the playing field. And if you want to race on the go, you have over 15,000 tracks to choose from on your PSP for $19.99!

ModNation Racers has changed the racing genre forever by allowing the users to quickly and easily make as many new and unique tracks as they want. Players can create a track in just three minutes by simply driving your track to life. The track is paved behind your kart and PRESTO–instant race track. Have your PS3 “Auto Populate” your track if you are feeling lazy, or make your dream track with the incredibly easy and deep Track Studio.

For those who just want to race and not create, no worries!

Just download any of the ever-growing number of tracks available for free from ModNation community. This is a Play, Create, SHARE game after all.

In five months, over 600,000 players have logged in, RACED, and have created over 1.5 Million Creations. That’s a testament to just how easy it is to create in ModNation Racers. Don’t believe me? Just ask folks like Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi (Twisted Metal and God of War creator Dave Jaffe, or our friend Kevin Butler (the man) and they’ll tell you. Just check out the trailer below and see for yourself, it’s so easy!

With basically unlimited content to download and play, along with the addictive kart racing action of offline four-player split-screen and online multiplayer modes, there is no better time to join the Nation than this holiday season!

Big week for ModNation! It’s not everyday that the creator of the biggest racing franchise EVER takes another racing game for a spin … and has a good time doing it! On top of that Air Raid is available to all tomorrow on the PSN!

Be on a look out for more great MNR news tomorrow right here on the PS.Blog!

Artist Spotlight: Kazunori Yamauchi, Creator/Producer of Gran Turismo

Kazunori Yamauchi, the legend behind the Gran Turismo franchise, has a passion for racing, a passion that has led to over 56 Million copies of Gran Turismo shipped to date. As he prepares to launch his greatest creation yet (Gran Turismo 5 hits shelves November 2nd!) he took a moment to tell us what drives him and his team, shares memories of creating his first game, and what he thinks about racing … ModNation style!

Take Flight with Air Raid this week!

Whether he’s soaring through the skies off jumps or shooting Hydra missiles at his latest opponent, Air Raid will not stop at nothing to win the race. Once in the crosshairs of his one-of-a-kind Fighter Plane Kart, you better say your prayers! Available as a separate Mod ($.99), Kart ($.99), or as a bundle ($1.75). Get several parts and accessories for you to create with in the Mod and Kart Studios.

Mod of the Week

Mod Name: Geisha Kokeshi Autumn
Creator: cherryrae

I’ve been to Japan and I own a few kokeshi dolls. This Mod definitely captures that spirit, and the Autumn colors are gorgeous. Nicely done!

Kart of the Week

Kart Name: True Lowrider
Creator: Joker_Six_T_Nine

This truck is pimp-a-licious. Old school flavor with excellent attention to detail on the paint job. All win.

Tracks of the Week

Track Name: BOSS Gardens
Created by: CIV_BOSS

I liked this track after just looking at a few of the screen shots. Once I downloaded and raced it, I fell in love. It’s lush and green, and it’s designed really well. CIV_BOSS used narrow segments of track very well, and the item pod placement is really clever. A few laps in, I learned how a few key drifting lines, and it was all good after that. Good work, BOSS.

Track Name: The Megaplex
Created by: OakBiscuits

OakBiscuits says that this track was a go at an indoor warehouse racetrack, and this track absolutely hit the mark. It REALLY feels like an indoor Karting track. Well, it’s quite a bit ore exciting than any indoor Karting track I’ve ever seen, but you get the idea, right? I give this track a two word review: Awe. Some.

Hot Lap Roster For This Week

We keep it coming with some nice Community tracks for Hot Lap this week:

Monday: BOSS Gardens, by CIV_BOSS
Tuesday: The Megaplex, by OakBiscuits
Wednesday: City Underwater Ruin, by PH1LThy31
Thursday: Lost Ruins Run, by PH1LThy31
Friday: Mount In & Out v2, by Freewill001
Saturday: Paradise Fortress, by PH1LThy31
Sunday: Caverns Run, by PH1LThy31

See you at the ModSpot!

Today’s edition kicks off the with some love from our friends from Naughty Dog. Their Artist Spotlight hit PSN a bit ago, but we wanted to feature it on the PlayStation.Blog to commemorate the release of the official Nathan Drake Mod and Kart AND the release of the Artist Spotlight content you saw in previous videos. Be sure to tune into ModNation Monday next week as a “very special” guest gets The Spotlight!

‘Till then, read on and keep on racing!

Artist Spotlight: Naughty Dog

The team at Naughty Dog are no strangers to blockbuster franchises. They’ve been responsible for some of the biggest titles on every PlayStation console including the Crash Bandicoot series, Jak and Daxter, and most recently Uncharted. They are no strangers to racing either, Crash Team Racing defined Kart racing on the PlayStation and Jak X Combat Racing (PS2) was an adrenaline ride for all Jak fans. We were excited to see what Naughty Dog’s top designers thought once they got their hands on ModNation Races and see them work their magic and get “Un-Karted”.

Download Artist Spotlight Content Today!

Visit PSN ID: ArtistSpotlight1 and get some of the great creations you’ve seen on past Artist Spotlight videos!

Remember Sucker Punch’s Empire City Track?

How about those sick Mods and Karts designed by Huck Gee and Jessie Hernandez?

You want drive as Sully in the track that Naughty Dog made?

Collect them all!

Sucker Punch Creations

Cole (Mod)
Ray Sphere (Kart)
Return to Empire City (Track)

Naughty Dog Creations

Victor Sullivan (Mod)
Sully’s Sweet Ride (Kart)
Uncarted (Track)

Huck Gee Creations

Skullhead Final (Mod)
Chief2 (Mod)
Tagg (Mod)
Skullburner Final (Kart)
Skullbagged V1 (Kart)

Jesse Hernandez Creations

Dragon Kid (Mod)
Minotaur2 (Mod)
Chief3 (Mod)
Dragon Kid Ride (Kart)

Drive as Drake or Woody today!

The wait is over! The Nathan Drake Mod and Kart pack ($1.99) will have you racing through ModNation Racers on a mission to find “uncharted” paths on your way to the checkered flag!

Woody joins the race today as well as either a stand alone Mod, Kart or bundle. Complete with different accessories you can use for your own custom creations! Don’t mess with Woody and his souped up Golf Kart. Whether on the fairway or on the race track, this guy likes to “drive”!

RACE THE WORLD! (aka Region Lock Removed)

If you haven’t heard yet, we have removed the region lock in the 1.04 update that is available now. That means you can invite friends to race all around the world to a Casual Race or XP Race! Now find out who the best kart racer is in the world!

ModNation Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week, be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handy work on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mod of the Week

Mod Name: GrimReaper
Creator: F1re_Fli3

Kart of the Week

Kart Name: Electro
Creator: F1re_Fli3

Tracks of the Week

If you have a video(s) of your track submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel (ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com) and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: Burning Track
Created by: Stitchless

Stitchless says “These farms used to be lush and productive, but now thanks to the infamous Crop Demon, they are dangerously close to being caught a blaze. Be careful as you race around this track…”

Track Name: Alien All Star (v2)
Created by: daaa57150

daaa57150 says “In an alternate future, humans started colonizing other planets and built a space base. Hearing about this, the ModNation officials decided to organize a championship. The track is relatively easy to comprehend, being of medium-long size. It took me 52s for a lap in a time trial race.”

Track Name: University Challenge
Created by: atheistsw

atheistsw says “The ModNation comes to the picturesque European town of Zetterberg, home of one of the region’s leading universities. The university, to celebrate its 250th anniversary, graciously allowed a race through the grounds of the historic site. The race organizers extended the route along the lakeside and through the neighboring village. Just for kicks, they opted to race along the old rooftops as well!”

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago, this week’s Hot Lap roster features all-new community created tracks.

Monday: The Greek Isles, by Vincent-Maurice
Tuesday: Pyramid Rift, by C_Smith
Wednesday: Burning Track, by Stitchless
Thursday: The Italian Job, by atheistsw
Friday: city hopper, by pikminenco
Saturday: Mystery Track
Sunday: Mystery Track

Greetings everyone, Ramone Russell here with another ModNation Monday update!

ModNation Monday: The Artist Spotlight Returns!

We’ve featured some of the top game developers in the game industry, vinyl artists, and even the mighty Kevin Butler. Now imagine putting a copy of ModNation Racers in the hands of two of the most talented professional drivers racing and drifting today.

X Games Gold Medalist, Tanner Foust and drift-master, Tyler McQuarrie do things with cars we can only dream of.

So what happens when they are given the ability to create their own tracks, drivers, and karts?

They race each other of course!

Gopher and Kart available tomorrow!

Previously only available via special pre-order offers, this week’s DLC Gopher and Kart is finally available. They can be purchased separately or as a bundle from the PSN.

MNR Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handy work on the PS.Blog.

Mod of the Week

Mod Name: Help me! I’m being eaten
Creator: BPatches701 Freewill001

Kart of the Week

Kart Name: Awesome Face plane
Creator: BPatches701

Tracks of the Week

If you have a video(s) of your track submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: Tri-Oval
Created by: OveReAction

OveReAction says “It’s small, but BIG on weaponry. For 9 laps, this may be the death match track i ever created.

Track Name: PTY City
Created by: Blind-Rush

Blind-Rush says “A short description of the Track: A track inspired by the beautiful city and country of Panama. Panama city is a seaside city surrounded by jungle so is this track. You can enter the jungle part of the track by tacking the hyper jump to the right or you can continue your road thought the city by tacking the hyper jump to the left. The track features several shortcuts in the jungle and the city. It also features some big jumps and traps, but it is still easy for the new players. I’ve got great feedback from other players about this track.

Track Name: Tunnel Bridge Castle
Created by: Pikminenco

Pikminenco says “A race through a large castle and a tiki village. The track’s main features are the specially designed bridges shaped like a tunnel which you will drive through and on top of. Because of the special bridges you will visit each local twice per lap, from low perspective and from high perspective. The track is tested and well rated so far.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

Monday: S: Desert Burst, by Tecnoboy1
Tuesday: Port Royal Resort – MNRC, by TheMaddMerlin
Wednesday: Quarry, by Vincent-Maurice
Thursday: Kingdom of The 4th Dragon, by Generic_Oval
Friday: Uphill Drive, by Nuclearfish
Saturday: V: Jungle Rumble, by Tecnoboy1
Sunday: Mystery Track by, Theshowsleague11

More news next week, until then… see you in the ModSpot!

Greetings everyone! Ramone Russell here with another ModNation Monday Tuesday update!

Double XP week ends Thursday!

Remember to take advantage while you can, it only lasts through Wednesday. By the way, some of you have asked so I wanted to clarify — the multiplier is not applied at the end of a race so you won’t see it there, but when you get back to the ModSpot and check your stats you’ll see that you’re getting Double XP. Enjoy!

ModNation Racers Dynamic Theme available on PSN

For those who can’t get enough ModNation Racers, the Dynamic Theme is available on the PSN for $2.99 putting you right on the racetrack.

ModNation Racers Dynamic Theme available on PSN for $2.99

ModNation Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation Racers get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handiwork on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mod of the Week

Mod Name: ”Biff Tradwell”
Creator: tjperez123

Kart of the Week

Kart Name: ”Gary and Biff Kart!”
Creator: tjperez123

Tracks of the Week

If you have videos of your track, submit them to ModNation Racer’s YouTube channel (ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com) and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: ”Forgotten Ruins Mountain”
Created by: Blind-Rush

Blind-Rush says: “Forgotten Ruins Mountain is a former battle zone of a war held by three civilizations; desert, jungle and alpine civilizations. After the war, all was left in ruins making one of the best tracks in the ModNation world. To make this track, I used props from three themes, the ones mentioned earlier. I took advantage of this feature to make various passages, each one with a different theme.”

Track Name: ”Switchbacks and Stairs”
Created by: Harbringer

Harbringer says: “A simple, yet not so simple track that takes you up a mountain through a series of switchbacks then flying back down a crate staircase. This is a unique track you don’t want to miss!”)

Track Name: ”Evolution City”
Created by: Stitchless

Stitchless says: “This is Evolution City. After several people began gaining powers, the city was given to this population so they would have a place to call home. Heroes and villains roam these streets, and some even the sky. Even after the recent attack by Toxic, the city sprang back quickly. Be forewarned: there are many paths to chose from. Will you follow the sewer line like the crazed cyborg? Will you take a detour through town? Or do your powers take you to the top, soaring above all?”

YouTube “Show us Yours” Creation Contest!

Remember we are having a “Show us Yours” contest on YouTube. Contest rules are simple: submit a video or picture of your very best Track (original creations only) to ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com. Also, be sure to subscribe for all the latest updates to ModNation Racer’s YouTube Channel.

The winners will be announced in an ModNation Racers blog post in September. For more information including prizes and complete rules and details, visit the News and Updates section of the ModNation Racers community site at http://community.modnation.com/en-us/.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago, this week’s Hot Lap roster features all-new community created tracks.

Monday: S: Desert Burst, by Tecnoboy1
Tuesday: Juggernaut Cliff, by Harbringer
Wednesday: Panama Canal, by Blind-Rush
Thursday: Gobi Desert, by C_Smith
Friday: Sewer Surfin’ [BWB], by Barberian912
Saturday: Mirage Canyon, by Harbringer
Sunday: Hurghada Morning [DJTX], by DjTechnics

More news next week! Until then… see you in the ModSpot!

Greetings everyone! I’m here with another ModNation Monday update.

Double XP Week

Starting this Wednesday, everyone will receive double XP for creations and XP/XP Series races. Double XP week ends on September 8th, 2010. Have fun!

Lil’ Tinker and Kart available tomorrow!

Previously only available via special pre-order offers, this week’s DLC is Lil’ Tinker and Kart is finally available. They can be purchased separately or as a bundle from the PSN.

MNR Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation are shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handy work on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mods of the Week

Mod Name: Dog of War
Creator: nygyg

Mod Name: S.V.E.R soldier – MAG
Creator: Argetlam350

Karts of the Week

Kart Name: Sewer Buggy
Creator: Stitchless

Kart Name: Sidwinder
Creator: Star-WB

Tracks of the Week

If you have a video(s) of your track, submit them to MNR’s YouTube channel ModNation@PlayStation.Sony.com and we will include them in the blog if your track is showcased.

Track Name: Shipwreck Cove
Created by: pikminenco

pikminenco says “a powerful hurricane “devastated” most of the ships but that doesn’t stop the MRC to make a racetrack of it. There are 3 ways to cross the lake, through the shipwrecks, through the shallow water and a hidden route that you will have to find yourself.”

Track Name: Desert Island Dash
Created by: atheistsw

atheistsw says “This is a pretty challenging course, but also very rewarding. There are multiple routes to take which offer up their own pros and cons and should make for varied, thoughtful racing strategies. I do believe this is my most fun and most balanced track to date featuring a bit of everything. Fast straights, drifty hairpins, big air jumps, devastating devastators, some roly poly barrels and a few nifty shortcuts for good measure, this event has it all and a bit more thrown in at that.”

Track Name: Shortcut City
Created by: Flamestalker-NL

Flamestalker-NL says “Go between those trucks, check that alleyway and what’s behind the market stalls? As the name implies this track is littered with shortcuts. There are more then 15 shortcuts to find, some even combine or split up. The combinations you can make are almost endless.”

YouTube “Show us yours” Creation Contest!

Remember we are having a “Show us yours” contest. Contest rules are simple. Just submit a video or picture of your very best Track (original IP’s only) to ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com. One last note, be sure to subscribe for all the latest updates to MNR’s Youtube Channel.

The winners will be announced in an MNR blog in September. For more information including prizes and complete rules details visit the News and Updates section of the MNR community site at http://community.modnation.com/en-us/.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.
Monday: Shipwreck Cove, by pikminenco
Tuesday: outer space station, by Obcodis
Wednesday: Bayside Blitz, by atheistsw
Thursday: Emerald City, by finaler
Friday: The Full Metal Jacket, by GodlyFatality
Saturday: Evolution City, by Stitchless
Sunday: Ancient Rome, by freeham

More news next week, until then… see you in the ModSpot!

Today’s post is our first Community Artist Spotlight. Every other week or so, ModNation Monday will spotlight a community creator who is producing outstanding original content. We’re happy to introduce Myles Gordon our first ModNation “Super Creator!” Myles specializes in making unique-looking and technically sound tracks. Game Informer’s August issue features a piece on Mr. Gordon and the amazing tracks he’s created. Our focus on Myles starts with some of his tracks and a short Q&A.

MylesG Tracks

Here is an overview of some of the highlight tracks among the Tours. There are eight Tours total with four tracks each. To find them just do a text search under tracks for “P Tour”, “M Tour”, “G Tour”, “O Tour”, “N Tour”, “R Tour”, “Q Tour” or “W Tour.”

Track Name: M Tour 3: Aquatica

MylesG says: “Water and fire mix in this ocean-based Stunt Park. Aquatica is all about big air, big stunts and big speed. Skilled racers will be able to maintain max boost throughout most of this course due to long drifts and huge air time.”

Track Name: O Tour 4: Sky Fleet

MylesG says: “Take to the skies above Tek City and join the battle that rages above. Help the city’s defense airships take down the Overlord’s Dreadnought and declare yourself the Omega Champion.”

Track Name: O Tour 2: Armagna’s Forest

MylesG says: “The picturesque race through Armagna’s Forest begins with a tour of the forest floor; drifting fans are sure to be at home here. Should you not get lost once heck of a roller coaster ride through the treetops awaits you on the way to the finish.”

Track Name: G Tour 4: Tek Cityscape

Q&A with “Super Creator” Myles Gordon

How do you like creating with ModNation?

“It’s great! The tools are fun and easy to use, and you’re really given a lot of freedom with what you can make. One thing that really surprised me with the track editor is how much variety people have been able to do with only four themes.”

What do you enjoy the most about the game?

“The Track Editor is my favorite part, but gameplay wise, I love the addition of the shield — it really gets rid of the random frustration of being slammed by items that you see in other kart racers. It makes the game more skill based where you aren’t punished for being in first place.”

What would you like to see in DLC or for a possible sequel?

“Some new themes would be great (Snow, Futuristic, or Lava) as well as more props to work with, such as waterfalls, more building blocks, and a thin object with a large surface area to be used as a roof with the building blocks)”

What inspires you?

“Well I was a big fan of Mario Kart, Wipeout and F-Zero so there are probably some influences there in some of my tracks. However, when I’m planning my tracks out, I usually just sit down in front of a white board and write down any ideas that come to mind. Really all I try and do is build something fun that plays well, feels unique and looks cool.”

Who are your favorite creators and creations?

“My favorite track creators are: ArgorokX, WilsonPhillips-X and VintageOctopus. All of their tracks are unique and fun to race on.”

What advice would you give to other ModNation creators?

“1. Plan it out beforehand. Just hopping into the editor without a solid plan will probably result in something that feels generic. I usually start by writing down some ideas with the goal being to have a least 3 unique moments on the course that make it stand out. I’ll then draw out a rough plan on paper and then go into the editor and try and build it.

2. Build the track first and decorate second. Get a your layout as final as possible before starting to decorate your course with props. Its much more difficult to change the course layout after you’ve filled it with props. Also ensure your layout is fun to race on and not frustrating – keep in mind it will only get more difficult as you add in the props.

3. Test before publishing. One of the best ways to do this is to have some people that have never played your track give it a try in front of you. Watch them play and get their feedback and you’ll be able to see parts that are confusing or frustrating. Also be sure to try resetting yourself (with select) during some of the more complicated sections of your course (especially jumps) to make sure you don’t reset in weird places or get stuck.”

ModNation Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day! If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site, and who knows? You might see your handiwork on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mods of the Week

Mod Name: Eek

Creator: Stitchless

Karts of the Week

Kart Name: True Lowrider

Creator: Joker_Six_T_Nine

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks from Super Creator MylesG.

Monday: O Tour 2: Armagna’s Forest, by MylesG

Tuesday: M Tour 3: Aquatica, by MylesG

Wednesday: P Tour 4: Murky Mine, by MylesG

Thursday: O Tour 4: Sky Fleet, by MylesG

Friday: G Tour 4: Tek Cityscape, by MylesG

Saturday: M Tour 4: Overlook Castle, by MylesG

Sunday: P Tour 1: City Circuit, by MylesG

YouTube “Show us yours” Creation Contest!

Remember we are having a “Show us yours” contest. Contest rules are simple submit a video or picture of your very best Track (original IP’s only) to ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com. One last note: be sure to subscribe for all the latest updates to ModNation’s YouTube Channel.

The winners will be announced in an ModNation Blog post in September. For more information, including prizes and complete rules, visit the News and Updates section of the ModNation community site.

More news next week! Until then… see you in the ModSpot!

In less than three months, the ModNation Racers community has created and published over 1.1 million unique creations. This means there were roughly 633 karts, mods, and tracks published per hour, which equates to roughly 15,000 creations published per day. We are filing this one under “Awesome!” Congratulations, guys. The team at United Front Games and PlayStation are extremely impressed by your creativity.

Interested in checking out some of the creations featured on our video above? Visit our Community Site where we will be listing out the creations and creators who’ve helped us reach this amazing milestone.

The “OFFICIAL” ModNation YouTube Channel

Today we officially launch ModNation Racers Channel on YouTube! The ModNation channel is the place to see the most creative tracks, mods, and karts. To make ModNation’s YouTube channel truly awesome, we need your help. We want to see your videos!

Submit all your videos and pictures to ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com. Once approved, we will publish them on the site: Tutorials, a track fly-by, pictures, anything ModNation Racers with a video or picture we want to see. We have also uploaded HD versions of ModNation Racer’s tutorial videos for easy access when you’re away from the game. One last note, be sure to subscribe for all the latest updates to ModNation Racer’s YouTube Channel.

YouTube Track Creation Contest!

To properly launch the YouTube channel, we are having a “Show us your Creations” contest. Contest rules are simple submit a video or picture of your very best Track (original intellectual property only; no copycats allowed) to ModNation@Playstation.Sony.com. The winners will be announced in a ModNation Racers blog post in September. For more information, including prizes and complete rule details, visit the News and Updates section of the ModNation Racers Community Site.

YouTube ModNation Channel DLC Giveaway

Check the comments section on our YouTube Channel we will be giving away some DLC vouchers for Kratos, Nathan Drake, Nukular, and Ratchet and Clank.

MouseTrap and Kart Available Tomorrow

Previously only available via special pre-order offers, this week’s DLC is MouseTrap and Kart. They can be purchased separately or as a bundle from the PSN.

ModNation Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day, and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site, and who knows? You might see your handiwork on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mods of the Week

Mod Name: ”Zylneth”
Creator: Stitchless

Karts of the Week

Kart Name: ”Digital Remix”
Creator: StargamerX

Tracks of the Week

Track Name: “ModNation Gardens”
Created by: Devin93

Devin93 says: “This track takes you through the beautiful Modnation Gardens. There is a ton of scenery to look at. There are also a few shortcuts.”

Track Name: “Spagonia: Rooftop Run”
Created by: IvoYaridovich

IvoYaridovich says: “This track has you rushing through a European-style city. This track boasts swooping turns, tight alleyways, an uphill section with oncoming barrels, and a rooftop section to race upon.”

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago, this week’s Hot Lap roster features all-new community created tracks.
Monday: Lake Side View, by paradise132
Tuesday: Summer Beach Circuit, by dragon_Bremen
Wednesday: Mystery Track
Thursday: Downhill Mountain [OFRD], by VintageOctopus
Friday: Beware of High Tide, by ck2875
Saturday: Coastal Climb, by atheistsw
Sunday: Mystery Track

More news next week, until then… see you in the ModSpot!

Greetings from Vancouver, Canada! My name is Scott Nielsen, a producer at UFG and I’m happy to report some good news.

Last week an issue was introduced with the release of Title Update 1.02 that affected XP Races and XP Series resulting in situations where players were unable to load into the respective XP Races. This issue has been addressed in Title Update 1.03 which we are currently scheduled to release during our regular maintenance window tomorrow morning (Tuesday, August 10th).

I’d also like to take a moment to try and provide some insight into our game and hopefully some clarity surrounding the load times in ModNation Racers. This is a subject that both our fans and the team are very sensitive about and we want to assure you that a lot of work has been done in order to address these issues. We have made some significant strides to improving the user experience in ModNation Racers with the release of the Title Update.

Custom Creations means A LOT of Data
As you know, ModNation Racers can’t be compared to most racing games as it lets you create your own experience. That means we have races where each Mod and Kart are all different. Each of these creations are made up of hundreds of individual textures that are fed into our compositing system to create the final creation. As there are up to 12 players in a race, each with a Mod and Kart, we need to do this 24 times for a single race. That’s a lot of data!

Making Tracks
In regular racing games, track data is packed onto the disc for loading, but ModNation is not a regular game. One of our focuses on ModNation Racers was to make it incredibly quick and easy to share your tracks online. To enable this, we store tracks as blueprints for rebuilding, which are very small on disc. To build a track in the code, we have to first load up this blueprint, then we need to generate all of the additional data for the track and then start compositing. Both these steps are not simple, but they are necessary to bring our tracks to life.

So as you can see, there were a lot of tradeoffs involved in creating a game that allows creating and sharing. We tried to strike the best balance we could between all of the competing priorities. Creativity is so important to us, and the ModNation community, that we didn’t want to sacrifice the amazing flexibility that we have made available.

Breaking Down Load Time Improvements
It’s important to note that we made a number of significant changes to the game flow in order to improve the user experience in ModNation Racers. We focused our efforts on making improvements to high-impact areas of the game; specifically when doing Career Races and Online Races. In fact, the biggest improvements you will see are when doing multiple Career Races or Online Races.

You should see a reduction in time when loading from Career Central into a Race, plus significant improvements when returning from a Career Race to Career Central. What used to be around 30 seconds now takes about 6 or 7 seconds. Online Racing sees very similar benefits when returning from a race to the Gameroom. Changes made to the flow of XP Races have significantly reduced load times when returning to the Gameroom from an XP Race. What makes this great now is that when you find a group of people that you are enjoying XP Racing with, you are able to stay matched with them as opposed to returning to the ModSpot and having to get matched into another XP Race with different people.

We’re confident these changes provide a more positive user experience for the ModNation community. With a game like ModNation Racers, we thrive on the strength of our community and we want to do everything to make sure you have a great time with our game.

A big thanks from all of us here at UFG for supporting our game!

#ps3 This week's patch to PlayStation 3 game ModNation Racers was supposed to make load times in that otherwise-delightful, customizable racing game as much as 50 percent shorter. I tested the patch today. It made my load times longer. More »

As noted in our review, ModNation Racers' load times were unbearably long upon release. When Sony promised that today's 1.02 patch would improve this issue, we busted out the stopwatches to find out for ourselves. Does the patch significantly improve the load times for races?

The answer appears to be a definitive "yes." We used the first five tracks in the Quick Race mode and calculated the average load time to begin a race before and after the patch was installed. Based on our calculations, it took an average of 45.6 seconds to load a single race before implementing the 1.02 patch. Additionally, returning to the Mod Spot after the race took an average of 24.3 seconds of loading.

With 1.02 installed, however, the load time to begin a race decreased drastically. Starting a race took an average of 32.7 seconds, which is about 28 percent faster than the pre-patch time! The loading time it took to return to the Mod Spot after a race also improved with the patch, but not significantly: It still took an average of 22.4 seconds.

Even after the patch, we're still looking at nearly a full minute of combined load times for each race. Still, the improved speediness of launching a race must come as good news for fans of the game.

United Front Games has updated its title, but it's not all good news.

Tomorrow, ModNation Racers, uh, racers can download Title Update 1.02, which addresses long load times, squashes some bugs, improves server stability and adds a new "casual" difficulty level. The update will go live at 2:00 a.m. PDT and also brings with it a bunch of changes to the community site including race logs, tracking systems for monitoring your favorite creators (and their favorite creators), plus friend and rep search utilities, according to the PlayStation Blog.

Speed demons looking to expand their roster of racers can also download Nukular and Kart this week, a new ride and driver who look like they just leapt out of Mad Max or something. All we can say is we'd definitely steer clear of the guy on the track with the huge plow on the front of his ride. Just saying!

This Wednesday, August 4th at 2:00am (Pacific Time), the ModNation Racers Title Update 1.02 goes live improving many of the issues the community has been concerned about. On behalf of UFG, we want to thank everyone for supporting ModNation and being patient as we’ve worked hard to make it the best experience possible. If you didn’t see the patch details on the IGN last Friday, here is a run down:

Load Time Improvements
While there are still loads, you will see decreases in load times throughout the game.

New “Casual” Difficulty Mode
We’ve added a “casual” difficulty setting in the options screen.

Challenge friends in XP Series
We’ve added the ability to invite your friends to XP Races & Series.

No more “Hot Lap” Cheaters
We fixed a bug that allowed players to cut the track and post unbeatable times in Hot Lap.

Get into Online Races Quicker
Along with improved load times, we’ve removed the online game room from the ModSpot so you can get into the race faster.

Improved Server Stability
We’ve addressed issues to improve intermittent disconnects that players were experiencing.

Three Challenges now more attainable
We wanted to provide you challenges, but didn’t want to sacrifice fun. We found 3 challenges that proved extremely difficult and changed the conditions to complete them. This includes:

• Devastator takedown on Wild Run
• Devastator takedown on Modobahn
• Sideswipe 3 opponents on the cliff side on Fracture

The Tin Bucket Unlocked!
Finally this is an item is unlocked and available to everyone by default.

Collector Card Improvement
Now see all player creations in their entirety.

Improvements to ModNation Racers don’t stop here, we are still constantly listening to the community and are committed to making ModNation Racers one of the most enjoyable experiences you’ll have on your PS3.

New features on Community.ModNation.com

We added features to the Community site Community.ModNation.com to make the experience better too, including:

Race Logs
Check out your series and XP race stats here.

See your Favorites
Now view your favorite creators as well as others’ favorite creators.

Search for Friends
Search for other players using the new icon next to login.

Rep Check
Check out you reputation under each creation type.

DLC Voucher Codes giveaway!!

Stay tuned, I’ll be giving away some voucher codes for Nathan Drake, Ratchet & Clank, and Kratos DLC in the comments section.

Nukular and Kart available tomorrow!

Previously only available via special pre-order offers, this week’s DLC is Nukular and Kart is finally available. They can be purchased separately or as a bundle from the PSN.

ModNation Racers: Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handy work on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mods of the Week

Mod Name: PlayStation Move
Creator: TapDatApp

Mod Name: MNR Policeman
Creator: Adr3nalin-e

Karts of the Week

Kart Name: MNR Police District
Creator: Adr3nalin-e

Kart Name: Green monster van
Creator: Donor

Tracks of the Week

Track Name: Arctic GP
Created by: dragon_Bremen

dragon_Bremen says: “This track is based on Arctic mountains. It goes from ice-cold seaside to a high mountain peak. From the mountain peak, a big, nasty switchback goes to the finish. Be prepared to have a full action track with mean obstacles and jumps.”

Track Name: New York
Created by: Adie23

Aldie says Inspired by New York, this track has several jumps, traps and sights to see!”

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started week’s ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

• Monday: Mountain Madness by dragon_Bremen
• Tuesday: Once A Scenic Drive… by StealthReborn–
• Wednesday: Dawn Patrol, by maverick—07–
• Thursday: Broken Paradise by lneon_Inoodle
• Friday: Mystery Track of the Week
• Saturday: Hurghada Morning by DjTechnics
• Sunday: Gardens of Deception by ArgorokX

More news next week, until then… see you in the ModSpot!

#ps3 In late May, ModNations Racers producer Dan Sochan told Kotaku a patch was in the works that would shorten the game's lengthy load times. Today, IGN reports that such a patch will be out next week. More »

Start saving your boost...

Greetings everyone Ramone Russell here with another ModNation Monday update!

MNR Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handy work on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mods of the Week

Mod Name: Break Time
Creator: coltsandcubsfan

Mod Name: Ike(Remaster)
Creator: paradise131

Karts of the Week

Kart Name: Buggy O’Hare
Creator: SuperSpecs

Kart Name: DualShock
Creator: cros1625

Tracks of the Week

Track Name: The Desert Kingdom
Created by: StealthReborn–

StealthReborn—says “This is another map that’s well suited for the beginners and a very fascinating map for the advanced players. There’s a lot to see in this map, and a couple of minor surprises. You think you’re going to be going through that hoop in the air? Think again, you might just find yourself on the same road heading straight for a devastator if you’re not careful. This map is has tons of scenery, nice twists and turns to satisfy everyone.”

Track Name: Alpine Stadium
Created by: dragon_Bremen

dragon_Bremen says “Blast up (or over!) Winding mountain roads, through dangerous caves and BLAST OFF the peak at maximum altitude and velocity! Pods are easy pickings at the base, but become harder to grab toward the top. Can you find all the shortcuts?”

Track Name: Roma
Created by: CIV_BOSS

CIV_BOSS says “This is a trip through ancient Rome. When you play this track you’ll have a choice of whether to focus on the track and win or just be absolutely amazed at how beautiful this map is, and probably hit a wall staring off into the scenery. You will blast off over the Pantheon through the roman city and market, around or through the coliseum, across the aqueduct and through the Circus Maximus. Have fun playing or just enjoy the beauty.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago, this week’s Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

• Monday: The Desert Kingdom, by StealthReborn–
• Tuesday: Mount St. Salad Climb, by SaladSnacksSTD
• Wednesday: Morning Sprint, by Crashdance23
• Thursday: Roma, by CIV_BOSS
• Friday: Festival Circuit, by dragon_Bremen
• Saturday: Crimson Valley 1.6, by BorrelnootjeNL
• Sunday: La Lotte, by INeon_INoodle

What’s up with the PATCH?

We know everyone has been extremely patient with this patch and it’s much appreciated. We are happy to say that we hope to have a solid release date next ModNation Monday.

Until then… see you in the ModSpot!

Greetings everyone Ramone Russell here with another ModNation Monday update!

MNR Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handy work on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mods of the Week

Mod Name: Al Bundy (Detailed)
Creator: masongoliver

Karts of the Week

Kart Name: Trixmobile v1.0
Creator: LastChance1985

Tracks of the Week

Track Name: Spectacular Village
Created by: StealthReborn–

StealthReborn—says “I just wanted something simple and not too complex so it would suit the casual type gamers, yet be entertaining for the advanced racers. There’s allot to see, and it’s very detailed. When you leap off one of the jumps towards the end of the track, it gives you a spectacular view of the entire map before you cross the finish line. No parts of the track are boring, there are plenty of things to avoid and see.”

Track Name: Castle Crashin’ [BWB]
Created by: Barberian912

Barberian912 says “Loosely inspired by Tolkein’s citadel city Minas Tirith, race through this multi-tiered city to the top of the tallest tower (there are 6 different routes to the top). Hit the ramp at the end of the stone walkway and fly out over the town into the farmlands beyond! Many different shortcuts but all are balanced well.”

Hot Lap Roster for this week

Continuing with the trend we started weeks ago this weeks Hot Lap roster features all new community created tracks.

• Monday: The Farmer’s Daughter, by Coty4803
• Tuesday: Spectacular Village, by StealthReborn–
• Wednesday: Castle Crashin’ [BWB], by Barberian912
• Thursday: Toucan Valley [OFRD], by VintageOctopus
• Friday: Maverick Mountain, by Devin93
• Saturday: Pyramids of Giza, by TheMaddMerlin
• Sunday: Just Deserts, by Shox121

Sheriff Sirloin and Kart available tomorrow!

Previously only available via special pre-order offers, this week’s DLC is Sheriff Sirloin and Kart is finally available. They can be purchased separately or as a bundle from the PSN.

More Patch Details

On top of optimizing load times, one of the things a lot of you have asked for is the ability to play with your friends in XP races. Well, I am very pleased to share with you that UFG has added this feature and it will be available in the upcoming patch as well. The patch is nearing the final development stages with UFG working hard to iron out some bugs before it will be ready for release.

ModNation Podcast

The creators of LittleBigPodcast Daniel and Austin have been huge Play, Create, and Share supporters from the start. Now they have continued their support with ModNation with the ModNation Podcast! They are up to 5 episodes already and cover topics from creation basics to videos of the hottest tracks online.

More news next week, until then… see you in the ModSpot!

Have you been the recipient of more than a fair share of victory-denying rocket bombardments while playing through the career mode in ModNation Racers? The odds are about to tilt back in your favor -- in a recent post on PlayStation.Blog, SCEA San Diego community manager Ramone Russell announced that United Front Games is currently putting the finishing touches on a Casual difficulty mode for the game's single-player campaign.

The post doesn't specify as to when we can expect the new difficulty. It also doesn't specify whether switching to Casual mode automatically generates and broadcasts a message to your PSN friends, informing them of what a tremendous sissy you are.

United Front Games will make playing its DIY kart racer ModNation Racers a little easier with its next update. The PS3 game is getting a less-challenging career mode option, according to the PlayStation.blog. More »

Greetings everyone! Ramone Russell here with another ModNation Monday update!

ModNation Racers Creations of the Week

Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handy work on the PlayStation.Blog.

Mods of the Week

Mod Name: ”Billiard Bob”
Creator: Deadsire

Karts of the Week

Kart Name: ”Transilvania Vehicle”
Creator: santagun

Tracks of the Week

Track Name: ”Bay Island Final”
Created by: Yika

Yika says: ”This track was originally intended to be a tribute to my favorite Studio Ghibli Film, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, but the more I worked on it, the more it took on a life of its own! And I am glad it did! I feel I made a track which is simply beautiful. Open it up in the editor to see how unique and detailed it is. The track itself runs fairly well, offering multiple routes with advantages and disadvantages. The road never gets boring, but there is never too much going on either.”

Track Name: ”The Farmer’s Daughter”
Created by: Coty4803

Coty4803 says: “An intricately farm themed track featuring one great shortcut through the farm’s barn. You can choose to take the main path over the barn which features two jumps; one over the barn and another over a dump truck. Drifting skill and precise driving are necessary to achieve fast lap times.”

Hot Lap Roster for This Week

Not only will we feature the tracks above this week, but we are giving tribute to Crash Team Racing on the Hot Lap. Try out some of the best fan tracks we’ve seen so far and see how you do.

• Monday: Crazy Crater
• Tuesday: The Farmer’s Daughter, Creator: Coty4803
• Wednesday: Bay Island Final, Creator: Yika
• Thursday: CTR Dingo Canyon Track, Creator: ComposerRyan
• Friday: CTR Papu’s Pyramid Track, Creator: ComposerRyan
• Saturday: CTR Tiger Temple, Creator: ComposerRyan
• Sunday: Landfill Island, Creator: VintageOctopus

Patch Info

I know everybody wants to know more about the patch that’s in development. We appreciate your patience as UFG places the final touches on it. There’s been a lot of community feedback and I think UFG has done a good job trying to include a lot of the improvements you’ve asked for. One of the improvements is the addition of a “casual” career difficulty that has less “aggressive” computer-controlled racers. I was able to spend some time last week playing the new build. Let me just say that I had a blast playing through the casual career difficulty and I think those that have been asking for this will be very pleased when you can get your hands on it!

Looking forward to sharing more ModNation Racers news next week!

The best nerd-worthy user-creations are all in one place.

#twistedmetal Irrationally excited for the return of Twisted Metal to the PlayStation? The PS3 sequel won't be out until some time in 2011, but United Front Games' ModNation Racers is going to make the wait slightly easier. More »

Greetings everyone! Ramone here with another ModNation Monday update.

Ice Cream Anyone?

You already know that Sweet Tooth is hitting the PS3 in 2011. But before he causes havoc in the next Twisted Metal, he’s going to warm up in ModNation Racers. Who wants to drive as the original crazy clown of car combat?

The “official” Sweet Tooth Mod and his deliciously deadly Ice Cream Kart hit PSN together this week for $1.99.

Mods of the Week

Mod Name: Eye of the World
Creator: Fire_Crazed

Mod Name: Sleeperwolf
Creator: sleeperwolf

Karts of the Week

Kart Name: Hydra Proof Van
Creator: holliday50

Kart Name: Rave GET!
Creator: SuperSpecs

Tracks of the Week

Track Name: Yacht Hop
Creator Name: MrMoustache

Track Name: Coliseum Climb
Creator Name: MrMoustache

MNR Creations of the Week
Amazing creations in ModNation get shared every day and we are playing a ton of them. If you are interested in submitting your mod, kart or track to be a future “creation” of the week be sure to visit up on the official ModNation Community site and who knows? You might see your handiwork on the PlayStation.Blog.

Hot Lap Roster for this week

• Monday: Alpine Drop
• Tuesday: Rumble Island
• Wednesday: Crazy Crater
• Thursday: Island Dash
• Friday: Sinkhole
• Saturday: Citadel Heights
• Sunday: Breakwater

More news to come on the next ModNation Monday. See you in the ModSpot!