Looks stunningly good... and apparently the entire engine could mean big changes for their games http://www.simbin.se/main/technology.htm (Read the bits on the right)
Nicest looking racing game I've seen to date. Has features you could always dream of LFS having
I have my fingers crossed for this one. I'm relieved that they have chosen to move away from ISI's dynamics and graphics engines which I feel crippled their previous titles. However, SimBin's most recent title, Race:WTCC, which they did in-house after the Blimey! Games team split away, makes me question whether SimBin are capable of producing high-quality, high-fidelity products by themselves or whether all of the worthwhile aspects of GTR/GTL/GTR2 were actually the work of the Blimey! Games team.
The new technology sounds great (doesn't it always?); whether it delivers, we'll have to wait and see. I hope so. Racing sims have been languishing in the ISI doldrums for too long; it'll be nice for there to be some competition on the scene.
The biggest problem with that, is its from simbin. And they always use starforce on their games. I hate Starforce! I have too many problems with the starforce drivers to even talk about. I must say, it looks good though!
Apparently that upcoming RACE '07 (EA business model, anyone?) is not based on this new engine... I remember reading this from somewhere rscnet. If it was it had be still based on ISI stuff so that gives hope
one pic that might have been rendered tells me nothing, and judging by their games i wont bet much on it. i hope im wrong but ive yet to see something really good come out of there.
When i saw the screenshot i went like "sh***t" someone has been in my head. But when you actually look at the screen, it doesn't look all that good. I just have my fingers crossed that they get the tyres right on that engine.
Aslong as they dont distribute it via steam again then i'll take a look at it when the program is released. Otherwise I wont. If they ask me to check it out and I go to the installer and find it's steam i'll just throw the thing away and scream at them for at least 75 minutes before even remotely listening to a word they say. Then i'll do absolutely squat about it, before burning the DVD and sending them back the molten plastic and a rude note.
Steam is NOT getting back on my bloody computer. I dont care how good a game is.
don't notice anything that stands out differently? what they are saying is that this is a global engine which can be easily adapted into different kind of games easily, however just looking at the list of features that relates to sim racing, there's nothing new?
I don't think that looks particularly nice, maybe better in motion with dynamic shadow and all that but the pic isn't outstanding.
I think it still looks quite good (the car). And to say it looks like a render is kind of an oversight looking at how nice games are starting to look these days... it is very possible it could be an in-game shot. How playable it is with such graphic settings I don't know, but I think they've got a particularly good look to the game versus their previous titles that were somewhat saturated and flat while trying to show too much detail. rFactor doesn't look that good to me, but Simbin have always worked on making their games look quite detailed and sane, and this is a step up in improvements. Just look at a similar shot from RACE -- http://www.simbin.se/games/screens/race/race_shot8.jpg
WTCC looks a tad better,but not without a rather large performance tradeoff. And the difference is rather minute..it doesn't make me go wow and keep staring at replays.
Well, a pretty picture got to say. But I'd say they are planning go to multi platform as they mention PS3 and X360 so often, and simulations on consoles? I really have to doubt that.
To me their plans on the physics engine side of things sound marginally more complete than LFS's, it will be interesting to see how well they actually implement those properties.
The rendering engine looks comprehensive and I have no doubt it will look very good. As you said Tweaker, SimBin usually make their games look good so I expect this to be another. They dont really mention the efficiency or speed of the engine, but I suppose thats the payoff for looking good.
As for mentioning the sound code is written in C++, ok? So what lol. I'll be interested to see how that turns out though.
O/T: I dont like steam myself but for some games (CS:S) you just have to use it and get on with it. I thought GTR2 didnt need steam to play, it was just a distribtion method?
Race needed it, even if you got the box product all that was on there was the steam installer and a licence code. I was shocked and apalled. GTR2 didn't require steam.
EDIT: Although since installing GTR2 with it's starforce CD protection I can no longer burn DVD's. Great isn't it!
Have to agree there with Blackout, going multi platform usually spells the end to any hope of it being simulation. As soon as you try to appeal to console audiences this usually means arcade, pick-up and play gameplay something that Toca Race Driver did really well!
If on the other hand they are hoping to introduce a more hardcore sim onto consoles which will be aimed higher than at the average noob then I it may be good. But I have my hopes very low, I just cannot see a hardcore simulation appealing to console audiences, first everyone will need a wheel, a desk to mount it on, proper chair (not sofa) to sin on and a nice tv monitor to play on which will be high up on their desk ( not the usual small tv livingroom stands ) and if they are planning to introduce controller control then ........ well that is it really...... the end to simulation as the physics and the way you control the car will be totally screwed up.
But.... i shall not be too critical at this stage, I just prefer to be pessimistic so that when it is released I shall be either pleasantly surprised at the outcome or just be proven to what I already expected hence no disappointment. We shall see!
Place you bets people!!!
edit: I forgot to add, i suppose their engine can be used for PC only and CONSOLE only games if they are willing to do what isi did.
It still doesn't mean there can't be several divisions in the game development with console and PC... Just because they will support a console and PC doesn't mean you will get console physics :rolleyes:. Look at any other games that have hit both platforms, they are largely different in many ways.
I am sure Simbin won't scrap their knowledge of a good PC simulation with something that feels like a console game for kids. Come on, GET REAL guys
I'm far from an expert about the ISI engine, but isn't all that (or most) already in the current engine? I mean, "simulating" all these factors is nice and all, but if your simulation of them is still crap and produces unrealistic results, what is the point?
They can have the best screenshots in the world and the best physics a game can get but what is the point if you can not feel the car underneath you and how it reacts, it is the totally opposite to what a racing sim is about.
Yeah, but if they want to cover up the expenses from the development of that new engine, they need to sell plenty of copies. The most effective way to make that is to appeal to a wider audience. Of course if they stick with the simulator way, I would expect several titles with small differences because when they have a game and just start to build stuff around it (like GTR) it will be cheaper than building one from scratch every time and it can become profitable.
Forza does a fairly good job of making it appeal to all audiences of a driving sim.
The beginner versus the actual simulation mode in Forza have a lot of differences. And just like Simbin/ISI have always done, they will have those modes too (And stated for this new engine).
Is it really financially viable though for them to use a different or modified physics engine in the console variant of the game? I really cant see that happening
