Supercar Challenge announced for PS3

msmalls74

msmalls74

msmalls74

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The people who did the Ferrari Challenge game are releasing supercar challenge for the PS3 next spring. I tried the ferrari one thought it was pretty good, nothing amazing but was fun to play, hopefully this will be a deent improvement.
More info and pics from IGN, http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/937/937603p1.html
UK, December 12, 2008 - System 3 and Eutechnyx's Ferrari Challenge was perhaps a victim of its own focus . A love letter to both Yu Suzuki's revered F355 Challenge arcade title and to the many fruits of the Scuderia's factory, its dedication to all things scarlet left many players wanting, and its proximity to the release of a certain other PlayStation 3 exclusive racer meant the game was sadly overlooked. Those who took the dive were met with a game that although rough around the edges, offered up one of the finer driving experiences of this generation. Its driving model managed to successfully toe the line between arcade and simulation while its A.I provided some impressively believable opposition.

The vehicle roster has been seriously boosted.
Having lent an attendant ear to critics of Ferrari Challenge, Eutechnyx is back for a second crack of the whip with SuperCar Challenge, an extension of the original that's shaping up to be more than a mere refit. Firstly, the car roster has been expanded; the previously exclusive club has now opened up to encompass the cream of contemporary supercars. Some 40 vehicles are to be featured in the final build, and joining returning favourites such as the Ferrari FXX and 430 will be the McLaren F1, Aston Martin DB9 and Lamborghini Murcielago.

There's been a selection of tweaks under the bonnet as well; complaints that Ferrari Challenge wasn't successful enough have led to three distinct difficulty settings, each catering for different ability levels. Assist, as the name suggests, applies the likes of traction control and auto braking to the maximum, making for an easier ride intended for those looking for a more casual experience. Arcade employs a more liberal set of assists, the resultant drive demanding skill without proving too punishing. Finally, Simulation sees the driving mode at its rawest, with delicate application of throttle and brake required to keep the nose pointing in the right direction. These will all play part in an improved career mode that remains under wraps, but promises to be more engaging than the minimal progression offered by Ferrari Challenge.

Another aspect that's benefited from some much needed fine-tuning is the dynamic A.I. Although the on-track behaviour of other drivers was peerless in Ferrari Challenge, the game suffered somewhat from an exaggerated difficulty curve; many skilled players found themselves in a lonely first place throughout their first few races, only to find the opposition sharply improve. This incline has been smoothed, the adaptive A.I now having a keener awareness of what the player is doing and behaving accordingly.

And naturally for a sequel, the audio and visual sides of the package have been given a hearty buffing, polygon counts and texture details increasing. The feeble crisp packet sound that greeted a crash in the last game has been removed, with a significant amount of time being afforded the sound design to create a more convincing experience this time out.

SuperCar Challenge looks to right the wrongs of its predecessor.
Our hands-on time with the game was brief, confined to a handful of laps at the wheel of an Aston Martin DB9 around the Nurburgring (appearing in its more modern neutered configuration rather than the monstrous Nordshcleife that's become a racing game staple over the past few years). Even at this early state it's considerably more handsome than its predecessor, with track detail enhanced and lighting more assured. The genes of Ferrari Challenge run strong throughout the driving model – though given how impressed we were with them earlier this year that's no bad thing.

There's still much work to do over the next few months to distinguish SuperCar Challenge from its peers, but with such a solid foundation to build on and Eutechnyx's genuine desire to fix some of Ferrari Challenge's perceived problems, there's no reason this will be anything but a first class proposition when it launches this spring.
Click to expand...
 
Thread revival time, CVG are giving away beta keys for this game, follow this link
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=220493
You only have to sign up to get in.

More info
Cars: Enzo Ferrari, Aston Martin DBR9, Mclaren F1
Tracks: Nürburgring GP Circuit, Spa
Weather Conditions: Dry, Wet
Racing Options: 1-16 player Online (yes, you can race on your own if you want)
Car Liveries: Various liveries available

Racing Controls
There will be many options in the final game but for the purposes of this trial the controls are:

L Steer
L1 Look Left
L2 Brake
L3 Headlights On/Off
R Gear Shift Up/Down (in manual gear mode)
R1 Look right
R2 Accelerate
X Accelerate
O Handbrake
Tri Look Back
Sq Brake
Start Options (DOES NOT PAUSE GAME)
Select Change View

Steering Wheel: Logitech and Thrustmaster wheels are catered for.

PSN Compatibility
PSN accounts from the US, Australia, New Zealand, Portugal and Belgium may not be compatible with this Sony Europe beta. You will know because you will get an ERROR message when you try to use the code. If this happens you need to set up a UK PSN account.

Penalties
There are many options available to race hosts, ranging from no penalties, to full penalties and you can also set the game up so that players are disqualified after a set number of penalties. Players will be penalised for cutting corners and overly aggressive behaviour.

Assists
All three racing modes are in this Beta. These are Assisted, Arcade and Simulation, the latter of which is fully customisable.

Limitations Of This Trial
Please understand that this trial is designed to give you a taster of what we're doing. Please also understand that the code this trial is based is now several weeks old. (that's how long it takes to get it all approved and on the store).

There are only three cars and two tracks available. Controller configuration is also limited and you don't have access to the Showroom (where you buy and sell cars and design your liveries). The Damage meter is also off for this trial, so while there is visible damage you won't have to retire through excessive damage.

General Tips
Don't underestimate how much of a difference there is between the handling of the cars and the way they handle in the rain.

We'd recommend jumping into the DBR9 and racing in the dry for a few races, just to get the feel of the game and the car, and to get used to the controls. Driving in the rain is a real challenge, especially in Simulation mode. Curbs are slippery, braking distances are vastly extended and braking while turning is a recipe for disaster.

And here's the small print:

By participating in the SuperCar Challenge Beta Trial you are bound by the following conditions:

* Participants must not capture screenshots or footage of any part of the trial, whether it be for personal use or public use.

* Participants must not receive any financial gain from this Beta Trial.

* Times, achievements and ratings will not be carried over from the Beta Trial to the full game experience.

* System 3 Software Ltd cannot take any responsibility for language used over Voice Over IP.
 
Played the beta round my mates house last night. It pretty much follows exactly the same formula as Ferrari Challenge. The sound, again is absolutely gorgeous and the visuals are pretty much identical whilst being nice, are by no means stunning.

Another problem i found with the original was slowdown, more often than not when racing as some of the faster cars. I hope they sort this out as it made things quite frustrating at times. It also goes to show just how much of a technical marvel GT5/Forza 3 are! You cannot beat 60fps :)

Another gripe i had with Ferrari Challenge was the career structure, although accurate made it fairly dull with a race weekend consisting of basically the same race but 2x 15min sessions. Like i said it's accurate, but can be dull!

Also need to mention that playing this game with a wheel will provide much more fun with all the aids switched off! This can be done on a pad but it does prove to be massively challenging as the steering can be twitchy and controlling can be very unforgiving with the naff PS3 triggers.
 
I've also been playing the beta for a week now and the 16 player online works really well . the graphics are spot on and the framerate seems improved from their last game .

the game's presentation seems old hat which will put most gamers off, does not have the same polish as the bigger games like gt or need for speed franchises ,but it makes up for it in the way the car handles on track .

this is a must buy for all sim fans out there
 
Just saw thread now and got a key straightaway. Had seen some people laying this Beta in last few days.

Unlikely to buy game, no matter how good the Beta is, but this will pass a few hours for FREE :) (I hope).

ta smallios.


rp2000
 
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