[Pooon]

Oh yeah, its on its way, launch date title I love PGR.

Under the Hood of PGR 3

Martin Chudley, managing director and designer at Bizarre Creations, let us play pit crew for the day when he gave us some background info on his company's upcoming game, Project Gotham Racing® 3.

Xbox.com: Was Project Gotham Racing 3 conceived originally with the successor to the Xbox® in mind? If so, how did it change your outlook on what you could accomplish?

Chudley: Yes, we started out knowing that Xenon was the platform we were aiming for, and that was really exciting for the team. Looking at the specs, we realized we could push PGR 3 into new directions and add loads more realism. And, of course, everyone on the team was buzzing that we were getting to work with the new hardware, and that we'd been chosen to be one of the launch titles!

Knowing that you're aiming for Xenon does help in the design. But obviously, when you're writing for a machine that doesn't exist yet, there are problems that you can encounter on the way. You end up developing the game alongside the hardware—which is great in some ways, as you work out problems together with the hardware people. But it can also be stressful, too, especially at the start, as there's nothing powerful enough to run your code and graphics in their full glory!

At the beginning, we started designing the game based on the hardware specs and a bit of inspired guesswork, and as the hardware firmed up in design, it got easier all the way. We started off hoping that it would cope with the artwork and programming effects we were all optimistically developing, and it's gotten more and more exciting as it becomes apparent that it can do all that was promised!

Obviously, things like the graphics have taken a big step forward. The artists have been able to add in all the polygon detail that they've just had to fake in the past. And the texturing has taken leaps forward, with massive resolutions being used now. The programmers can smoothly push around many times more polygons, and can add fantastic programming effects such as post-processing, full-screen anti-aliasing and high definition to make the graphics even more realistic.

The sound engine has been completely rewritten too, and it's amazing how good the Xenon can make a game sound!

When you have a huge leap forward in technology, you can really push the game forward like this. There have been things that we've wanted to do in the past, but have never had the chance, as the hardware wasn't up to it. But now we can really let our imaginations take us where we want to go. And as we get more familiar with Xenon over the years, I'm sure it can take us even further.

Xbox.com: Aside from graphic and sound design, what game design elements does the new system let you implement that were not possible with the first Xbox?

Chudley: I think our biggest design element that has really made the difference to how the game feels is the whole atmosphere we can achieve with Xenon. With Xbox, although we could get something close to reality, it always felt a bit clinical, as we hadn't got enough graphics or processing power to make the worlds feel real. For example, it wasn't possible for many reasons to include any "life" in our cities in the former two games, and so they always seemed barren and lifeless.

But now, with the power of Xenon, we can finally take the cities that final step forward, and can make them feel like real, living, breathing cities! We have (at last!) got crowds—but not 2-D flat people or angular stick figures with the odd arm waving here or there that you're used to in games. We have a whole throng of people in the game, all motion-captured to produce realistic crowd movements. And it's not just the same few models dotted here and there, but literally thousands of different people!

It's not only the crowds that make the racing experience come alive. There's a whole host of atmospheric effects such as litter and leaves, and dramatic weather and time-of-day effects. The lighting and effects that you can achieve with Xenon are amazing—light that glints off movement and reflects off anything shiny, with amazing light-blooming effects. Our worlds have finally come alive!

Xbox.com: If you had to choose one feature to call out for PGR 3, what would it be?

Chudley: The main thing we're most proud of is the way that the entire package seamlessly works together, with the online and offline modes all encapsulated within what we call GothamTV. It's all much more user-friendly—it's almost non-game-like in its style and simplicity.

But if there was one particular feature to pick out, then that would be the … well … we can't talk about that yet! Let's just say it's a whole new way to play racing games! And we're not just talking about letting the A.I. do the driving for you!

Xbox.com: What has the crunch time leading up to E3 this year been like, and what have you prepared for the show?

Chudley: Ahhh, the wonderful time leading up to E3! The smell of sweaty developers! The bins full of empty Coke cans! The stacks of congealing pizza boxes! The grey shadows under everyone's eyes! It's been busy, as usual, but this time it's been made even more complex by the fact that we're trying to get a game ready for launch, and E3 has come at just the wrong time in our development cycle. Now if they'd postpone E3 until Christmas, we'd be just fine!

With a new hardware launch, especially one timed when Xenon is, it's always a stressful time juggling marketing and PR commitments and the game development. Just as you've got to the stage when it's starting to come together, but full of bugs and looking ropey, you need to show off what you're doing!

So, unfortunately, you might not see as much as we would have liked for E3, as there just isn't enough time to get everything we would have wanted together and working in time. But hopefully there's enough to give a nice little taster of what the finished game is going to offer.

Xbox.com: Has the basic structure of the offline career mode changed, and if so, how?

Chudley: It's changed quite dramatically, as our ambition for PGR 3 has always been to really drive forward the whole idea of style, speed, daring, and Kudos. The premise of this advance is to make sure that everyone is catered for, whatever their skill and however they want to race and progress. There are so many different ways that gamers want to take on a racing game that we needed to make sure that everyone can pick up and play the game, and enjoy it the way that they want, whatever their preferences.

PGR 2 was focused around car groups, as the player raced through one set of cars and then progressed onto the next group. The major change this time round is the game is split into unique championships—sets of themed events that the player will be able to race in any car he owns. He can complete the entire game in his favorite car, or choose a different car for every race—it's totally up to him. There's also much more choice over what sort of races the player wants to enter, based around different racing disciplines.

Ultimately, the player's main goal is still to reach the top rank. But in PGR 3, they can now do that however they wish—whatever their driving style—buying whatever cars they like and racing them in whatever championships they like along the way.

Obviously, the old favorite elements like Kudos and the Garage are still there, but with the whole experience now tuned to make PGR 3 a personal experience, however you want to race.

Xbox.com: Damage modeling on cars has always been a popular feature. Can you go into detail on how the damage modeling works in PGR 3?

Chudley: Well, with the power of Xenon, it's all about everything—including the damage—being bigger, better, more realistic, and in your face! The effects will look lifelike, with the actual car mesh being realistically distorted as well as having just simple texturing effects.

And as for when you crash, we've been studying real crashes to make sure the effects and dynamics are spot-on. But with the cars looking so much more detailed than on [the original] Xbox, you're not going to want to damage them, are you?!

14 Second clip of PGR3

[hulkhead]

Originally Posted by PooonTang

Oh yeah, its on its way, launch date title I love PGR.

me too!

[Dogma21]

that looks totally awesome.

launch date can not come soon enough.

[CAS FAN]

That will be superb if they can get that out for launch! 360's will be flying off the shelves! I hope they take the game down a more realistic path so that it plays more like Forza than PGR2 though.

[Tejstar]

I'm a PGR fanboy! Have bought every version of PGR so far (including MSR on the DC ) Will definitely get this on launch!

[Miyazaki]

msr was amazing wasn't it?

For the time it blows away anything I have ever seen.

[CAS FAN]

Yep I agree MSR was and still is a great game! It's amazing that a game released 5 years ago can still look so good! I've just been loocking back over my January 2000 issue of Dreamcast magazine which has a good MSR preview in it and you do have to ask - what development has taken place over the last 5 years? OK so the X-Box games have much better lighting effects but the detail (including fully animated drivers, good car models and superb scenery) is fantastic in MSR. It just goes to show how good the DC was for it's time.

[Tejstar]

MSR was one of my favourite games for the DC (apart from a slightly iffy kudos system). Very few games these days make me feel as amazed as when I first powered up MSR…

OMG this looks awesome. I loved MSR, Gotham and Gotham 2.
this looks like it will be the dogs
I will definitely get a launch console if this comes out as well.

[Pooon]

E3 Trailer

And Off Topic, a 455mb trailer for DOA4 here

[inzaman]

Are those pictures of the actual cars as you are playing as they do look amazing.

[scrapbook]

Originally Posted by inzaman

Are those pictures of the actual cars as you are playing as they do look amazing.

Possibly FMV, or so the rumour goes that I have just read

[Tejstar]

I'm sick of seeing FMV - I want to see real time in-game graphics, that’s the least we should expect. All these movies that I’ve seen are just meaningless. I want to see what I’ll be playing when I get an X360/PS3/N-Revolution etc.

[CAS FAN]

Originally Posted by Tejstar

I'm sick of seeing FMV - I want to see real time in-game graphics, that’s the least we should expect. All these movies that I’ve seen are just meaningless. I want to see what I’ll be playing when I get an X360/PS3/N-Revolution etc.

A lot of the stuff (especially when I watched the PS3 conference yesterday) was real time in that they were moving around the worlds independently and the PS3 was generating the graphics in real time. Whether it was from the games viewpoint or not wasn't that important, more the fact that it was generating almost movie quality graphics in real time.

[inzaman]

especially when I watched the PS3 conference yesterday

I saw the graphics of the PS3 on the news last night and they did look stunning.

[Pooon]

Some more PGR3 info:

You've heard of Gotham TV, the revolutionary new feature which we're introducing to the world through PGR3. Everyone that's heard about it is talking about it. It's hard to explain without actually seeing it, but we'll try and give you a little more info to whet your appetite...

PGR3 is a massive step forward in all areas of gaming, from gameplay to graphics, from audio to atmosphere, but we wanted to go further than that. PGR's unique style of street racing is now a televised sport! Tune into Gotham TV for all the racing news, features, and updates from around the world; straight to your Xbox 360.

A sports-style news ticker runs along on the bottom of most screens in PGR3, keeping you updated on what's happening in the Gotham community. Did somebody just break the world record in NYC? Did your friend just fight off a bunch of other racers to take the gold? Is the PGR3 all-time world champion about to race some of their rivals? All of this will be available to view at your fingertips through the Gotham TV sports ticker.

So you think you're a pretty good racer? Now it's your time to prove it! The rewards have never been greater... Gotham TV will broadcast your successes (or your losses) to the world - anybody can tune in to watch you race live on air. You'll feel the pressure of a car on your tail even more than before, knowing that hundreds of fans hang on your every move. You'll even be told how many people are watching!

Tune in to your favourite racing channel, and view live racing with hundreds of other Gotham fans. If you're lucky, you'll see some Gotham Heroes (all-star PGR3 players) decimate everyone else on the track. Make sure you study their racing style and spot their weaknesses, and send a game invite if you're up to the challenge.

What are the best things about Gotham TV for us? It's fun, informative and smart. The system looks at your friends list and filters the news for you, keeping you up to date with the people you care about, as well as hearing about the record breaking news from the world's best players. It's great to flick your eyes down to the ticker when you're in the menus and see what's going on live, online, as you're playing. And if something catches your attention, hop over and watch, then return to your game.

Gotham TV - it's channel surfing for gamers!

[CAS FAN]

This is sounding superb! I love the plans for Gotham TV and the fact that you can watch important races live as spectators. I think what they have done in Forza is great but the whole community aspect of PGR3 sounds amazing!

[oxygenuk]

the screenshots you see are pre rendered and not in-game, so if you think thats what your getting in-game, prepear to be dissapointed

[Pooon]

Quite interesting stuff in the latest Update from bizarre creations

Once upon a time at Bizarre Creations, Ben came to a startling realisation. All he had shown from PGR3 so far in his updates was pretty screenshots. So, this week, time for something slightly different...

It's been raining in Bizarre-land this week... the sunny weather we've been enjoying over the last month or so is finally being tarnished with big ol' clouds. It's not so bad though, as many of the team don't get to go outside now! Chained to their desks working feverishly to finish PGR3, things like company BBQs and footy matches are put on the backburner. Looks like the weather is working to the same schedule now though! Anyways, down to business...

If you haven't heard the news, brace yourself. Every Xbox 360 sold will come with Xbox Live. That means that potentially everybody with an Xbox 360 can get online, and get a piece of the action. There's a free subscription level ("Silver") which will allow you to access the basic features of Live, including the Xbox Live Marketplace, and you can choose if you want to upgrade to the all-singing all-dancing "Gold" level. It's all very exciting stuff.

With all of these next-generation web services kicking about, we felt it only fitting that we should really push the boat out with PGR3 Xbox Live functionality. You've already been told about Gotham TV, the television style broadcast service which turns Gotham racing into a real sport. You'll be able to watch your friend's race as if you were watching motor sport on TV - yes, you can choose which of your friends you want to watch, whenever they're online! You can also tune in to watch world-famous "Gotham Heroes" (the world's best players) live as they race. Gotham TV also takes the most exciting events in the PGR3 universe, and creates "Highlights", so you can stay up to date without ever putting down the controller.

On its own, Gotham TV is cool. Combined with the rest of the features we're planning... well, you're never going to want to leave your house! I've been given clearance to tell you about one such original feature - PGR 3 Online Tournaments!

Every month, we will run several tournaments over Xbox Live for PGR players who are in the PGR Live community. The tournaments themselves will take place in two parts... The idea is this:

The first two weeks of the month is the qualifying period. Race on the predefined track and car, and set the fastest lap you can muster. If you've played the weekly challenges in Project Gotham 2, you'll know what to expect here. Make sure you check the tournament leader board and see where you rank in the world.

Half way through the month, qualifying will close and the knockout phase will begin. For every tournament a set number of players with the best lap times will be split into groups (platinum, gold, silver etc.), and then organised into different seedings. Gotham TV will inform you if you've qualified, and tell you when your next race is scheduled to take place. You'll also get reminders when your race is about to start.

The knockout matches (12 player online races between seeded players), will take place at a regular scheduled times each week. The important rounds will be televised live on Gotham TV, and advertised around the world. If you're one of the winners, you get through to the next round. If you lose, you're knocked out. Simple as that.

We're not talking small tournaments for the top few players either. In the main tournaments, tens of thousands of players can qualify to the knockout stage each month. Thousands will make it through to the second round. Hundreds will get through to the third round. Eventually there will only be twelve left. There will also be a big mix of tournaments, ranging from events where tens of thousands can qualify, down to elite events where only the top 32 best qualifiers get through to the knockout stage.
The grand finals will be given prime time viewing on Gotham TV - you can support your favourite racer, or watch in the hope that your arch rival is taken down. There can be only one winner though, and that person will be known as the ultimate Gotham Hero. Who knows, there might be prizes on offer?

The nicest thing about all of these tournaments is that we can set up exactly what their contents are and how they are run. Do we want a cone challenge instead of a hot lap for qualification? Do we want 1,000 people to qualify, or 10,000? How many players can get through each knockout round? How many people are in each race? We can fine tune it all, so you always know you're getting the best gaming experience.

There's still tonnes more I can't tell you (including a couple of REALLY important announcements), so I'm afraid you'll have to stay tuned to bizarreonline.net for more PGR3 info. Oh, you want a new picture this week? Ok, I'm proud to present... a bunny with a controller on its head!

Mods:Can this thread be moved to the xbox forum please.

[-Jay-]

Done i've moved as many threads as i can see that are in the wrong forum, if you see anymore let me know and i'll move to the right place.

[CAS FAN]

OMG that sounds absolutely amazing Pooon!! That's basically what I was describing in another thread as my dream Pro Evo experience!

This game is going to be absolutely awesome, if you get to a final you could have 1000's of people tune in to watch you race!

I also think that if they charged everyone say just £1 entry into each tourney and then used that money for a prize fund then you could start to get some real pro gamers! If online gaming becomes popular enough (say 1,000,000 + people playing/watching) then surely that would also attract even more sponsorship into the games which could also go towards prize funds. Just think, the best drivers could actually attract real life sponsorship for their cars and generate real income through that!

I know the above sounds far fetched on the surface, but why not? If companies can get their name & products infront of large amounts of people then they will pay to advertise just like they do through other media.

I know that pro gaming exists already on a limited level but with mainstream online gaming/viewing then it could become HUGE! Just think - people could start making a living out of playing PGR or Pro Evo online. Cheating would also be stamped out (if not completly then virtually)if there are huge amounts of people watching events and if a lot of money is injected into online gaming.

I personally think that it will take some time (perhaps another generation or two of consoles) to reach the levels described above, but it's definately heading that way IMO!

[Kopite4Ever]

CAS fan while that sounds a good idea here is my 2 cents worth. no matter what game in history that has an online mode comes cheating and bad sportsmanship. at the end of the day it is 99% down to some sort of ranking / competition mode. ive seen it in the past, present and i will see it in the future. bringing out any form of competition to a world public brings out the worst in gamers. yes while this is a minority it spoils it for the rest. you only have to look at the halo 2 fiasco its an absolute joke, its that bad. farscial if you will. the mode sounds cool if you can set up like a mini AVF one for eg and it will be competitive but good natured. im sorry but i dont have trust/faith in half the gamers in the world now in what ever game i play. they are cheating scumbag childish people who bring the whole tone to a new low. its in all online gaming of some sort. ive found the best online gaming to be non competitive with likeminded people who just want to have some casual, mature games !

this games does sound as if it will be amazing but i feel while your idea is good its will no doubtably bring angst to the proceedings. not as much as total cheating as you could have umpteem people watching but dirty tatics ie bumping corners on purpose . these people do anything to gain a mm over the opponent and it spoils it.

WOW rant off now i promise

[CAS FAN]

Yes but if you cheat whilst everyone is watching then your gamertag becomes hated by 1000's and you'll definately get banned.

[Kopite4Ever]

i can sort of dig that. id like to state there would be no one happier if it all worked out rosey red but it never does. they need to look at the live service as a whole before 360 launch and sort it. playing with the guys off this forum will do just nicely for me i will get to see how good some of you really are, i heard pooney is abit of a racer

[CAS FAN]

Originally Posted by Kopite4Ever

i can sort of dig that. id like to state there would be no one happier if it all worked out rosey red but it never does. they need to look at the live service as a whole before 360 launch and sort it. playing with the guys off this forum will do just nicely for me i will get to see how good some of you really are, i heard pooney is abit of a racer

Yes the Pooonster tends to lock himself away in a dark room for a month or two, with just an X-Box and a constant supply of beer & pizza, until he has successfully posted top 10 ranking times on every track!

I've played him a fair bit on forza and also on PGR2 and he is indeed a formidable opponent.

[Kopite4Ever]

racing games arnt generally my thing but i will still get this. pes and splinter cell Spy V Merc are my games that i lock myself away with. if force feedback is officially supported for 360/PGR3 i may as well get the full kit and enjoy the experience properly

only just found out bizzarre are doing the game right by me i may sneak down the office and see if i can obtain some info

[CAS FAN]

Originally Posted by Kopite4Ever

only just found out bizzarre are doing the game right by me i may sneak down the office and see if i can obtain some info

Indeed - I feel that you should become Jack Bauer for the afternoon and infiltrate BZ with a digicam to being us the latest updates .

[inzaman]

Indeed - I feel that you should become Jack Bauer for the afternoon and infiltrate BZ with a digicam to being us the latest updates .

Yes you need to do that, any info would be excellent

[Pooon]

Originally Posted by CAS FAN

Yes the Pooonster tends to lock himself away in a dark room for a month or two, with just an X-Box and a constant supply of beer & pizza, until he has successfully posted top 10 ranking times on every track!

I've played him a fair bit on forza and also on PGR2 and he is indeed a formidable opponent.

I'm even better now mate!!! On the Forza time trials i'm ranked #50(last night anyway) with 2 Top 10's and 5 top 20's!

[CAS FAN]

Originally Posted by PooonTang

I'm even better now mate!!! On the Forza time trials i'm ranked #50(last night anyway) with 2 Top 10's and 5 top 20's!

I'm really going to have to get back into this, sadly i've not been gaming as much as I should of late - too many new DVD's to watch. Superb times though - very impressed!