OMG. Micromachines!!! I modelled this game as an RC PRO AM reboot.
Yes! I love your ideas! Here were some features / mechanics on my "wish list" if I had time:
- Hovering and leaning effects
- Drone selection with turrets, guns, and launchers <-- this is what I started with, but I kept it simple to achieve a finished product
- Drone abilities: boost, warp, shield, burst, phasing...etc
- Dynamic radio announcer voice overs <-- I had a whole script about the planet and different race conditions
- Cinemachine panning for start, winning, and big map hazards (such as a mech dropping from a sky and shooting down drones)
- Awesome AI (so they don't just follow waypoints)
- Networking
... The list goes on! I think this could have potential to be something fun, even a platformer.
Re: Bit hard to catch up; I had similar that feedback from another play tester too. The lagging speed boost is a great idea!; the best I think of (with the time constrait) is give the player a tiny bit more speed. I guess that's the challenge when you go solo, your thinking is scoped.