Project Gotham Racing 4 demo is now available for download on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The demo is available to all Gold members in all Xbox Live regions and weighs in at 1.27 GB.
Right from the starting line, Project Gotham Racing 4 creates an emotionally-charged racing experience, where you become attached to your careers, profiles, and vehicles. There are several new features that embody this emotional experience, the most significant being the new career mode.
Get ready to be rewarded with a growing fanbase that cheers you on, reacts to your every move, and supports you through victory. Just imagine hearing the roar of the crowd as you cross the finish line with your own style and flair.
The Xbox 360 love just keeps flowing today now with the release of some funky new PGR4 gameplay videos. The two videos show off some of the new weather effects and especially the new motorbikes.
Well it maybe just one screenshot, but hey, what a screenshot. The picture is a shot taken from a yet unannounced track from PGR4. The level of detail is much higher the PGR3, apparently when drivers crash into the Armco barriers it will leave behind bits of their paint for the duration of the race.
Lets just hope those rumours of bikes in PGR4 are nothing but rumours…
Continuing my screenshot posting theme this afternoon, Bizarre Creations has just recently unveiled some new PGR4 screenshots which highlight some of the cool weather effects that we will be seeing in the final game.
The guys over at Xboxic have managed to get their hands on some new PGR4 details, apparently taken from a Polish Xbox magazine. Lots of new features are promised for this much anticipated sequel, which include:
In career you choose event from a large map similar to “tree” in Ridge Racer
Driving model doesn’t change fundamentally, but drifting is a little easier
It’s more difficult to spin opponent’s car with hitting his back
You can create online cups
200 courses
Shanghai has the longest straights in MSR/PGR series plus wide roads and loose corners
Puddles on the road while raining, ruts when it snow
Menus aren’t static as in PGR3, now they’re red-white and SSX-style
Intro is short, but very dynamic
After finish cars doing donuts
When you’re doing good drifts on screen appears status like Sweet, Dude, Awesome
720p, 30fps, better textures and dynamic lighting
Every car is build-up with 70k-100k polygons
In-car camera is hanging a bit lower than in PGR3
More polygons on drivers, because of… it’s secret for a while
More spectators on tracks, they’re more interactive, better animated, and waving national flags
All PGR3 Enviroments to Return, joined By Shanghai and Two Other New Cities TBA, and a “Fantasy Track”
Ditched The 170mph and Up. This Time It’s Iconographix.
Cars to feature are: 1960s Mini, ‘63 Corvette Stingray, ‘54 Maserati 250F, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and many more…
Fully developed fog, puddles turning to ice, windshields collecting frost
Fully rejiggered Career Mode totally mapped out a la Tiger Woods. You create a driver, their nationality etc
AI now has character. You know the drivers and they have their own style.
In car view features more active driver (fist pumping) and more shaky craziness.
Online physics improved to cut down on cheesers.
You can check out the full article here, which also includes some scans from the magazine.
This month’s edition of OXM will see the first preview of the forthcoming Project Gotham Racing 4. It’s all sounding very at the moment. Let’s hope that the final game lives up to expectation.
Enhanced Weather Simulation
“One of the slickest new features in PGR is its weather. Bizarre’s using what it likes to call ‘extreme weather’ for more than just making the sky gray. Water beads up on beautifully on all the gorgeous paintjobs, spray jets out from the tires, and in the in-car view, wipers move and windshields ice up.”
Enhanced Raceway Environments
“A TV-style intro sets up each event, with a commentator offering wisdom…Choppers buzz overhead, camera crews and video vans are everywhere, and hordes of fans line the track. They’ll wear gear with your logo, wave your national flag, and react far more obviously to your performance.”
Extended Car Selection
“PGR4 will deliver a much broader set of vehicles, ranging from a vintage’63 Corvette Sting Ray and the ’54 Maserati 250F to the sleek, ultra-modern Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano.”
On the tracks
“You won’t want to miss out on your viewing time with PGR4’s tracks, which tally up to 200-plus in 10 locations.”
On Xbox Live initiatives
“PGR4’s cooking up a mysterious new matchmaking system (like Halo 2’s).”
On in-car view
“Bizarre has two key improvements in the works.You’ll now see drivers moving more- feeding the wheel as they zip through turns or pumping their fist after a win. Special effects will also crank up the tension in key moments: you’ll get a shake effect at high speeds, and your vision will blur after spending some quality time with a a wall.”
In conclusion
“PGR4 feels hugely promising- like a proper sequel with loads of cool new toys.”
Peugeot have just announced the winner of their 2007 Design Contest. The challenge was to design a concept car that is both innovative in the use of technology and expresses the future of car design. The winning design is to be built (full scale) and unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. The winning design will also be included in upcoming Project Gotham Racing 4.
Flux was designed by Mr. Mihai Panaitescu (20) who studies design at the I.E.D. Turin
Peugeot Flux Concept
My intention was to design a vehicle that pleases it’s occupants in every way. It’s versatility combined with it’s sportiness and the ability to use it in different environments are in my opinion some of the vehicle’s strong points.
Either as an explorer of sandy beaches, sweeping mountain roads, or simply commuting in the city, the Flux concept embodies a vehicle that is made to please. It’s dynamic shape and open air cockpit make it lively and fun to drive as the occupants are always in contact with their surroundings.
The name Flux was inspired by the continuous change and flow of our daily lives during work and play. The shape also represents this flow with transitions through hard and smooth lines, between straight and curved all of which are characteristics of Peugeot. A relatively small car (3500cm long by 1650cm wide), it runs on a slim hydrogen power plant hidden in the back along with the tank mounted under the front bonnet. The hood and side body panels are made from plastic, polyurethane for the seats and aluminium for the mechanical parts. The main components such as the chassis and head protection are metal. Made up of simple body work (basic intersected volumes) the car is easily produced and accessible to everyone but most of all, it’s fun to drive.
Adding to this, the car is also a gaming hub thanks to the integrated Xbox 360 so P.L.E.A.S.E. hop in!!!
IGN are reporting that Project Gotham Racing 4 is now in the pipeline. Peugeot have apparently slipped the news out ahead of an official MS announcement. No news of a release date, but the game is apparently on its way…
UK, September 11, 2006 – While news that Bizarre Creations is working on Project Gotham Racing 4 may come as no surprise, the game has recieved a sort-of official announcement over the weekend – but not by Microsoft. Instead, French car maker Peugeot let slip that the game is in development in a press release detailing the company’s fourth design-a-car competition.
In the release – which invites applicants to use their imagination to re-invent the car with six values in mind: Pleasurable (to drive), Lively, Efficient, Accessible, Simple and Ecological, or PLEASE for short – Peugeot announced that the winning design would “be featured in the Project Gotham Racing 4 videogame, only on the Xbox 360.” In addition, the winning idea will made into a full-scale concept car that will shown on Peugeot’s stand at the Frankfurt 2007 Motor Show. The winner will also receive a cheque for 6,000 Euros.
It’s thought Microsoft was planning to announce PGR4 at its X06 event later this month but Peugeot leaked the news first. Microsoft was unavailable for comment at this time.
Note: Please note that this news item has been placed in the Rumours section and as such is probably a load of made up crap. But I like made up crap so am reporting it anyway. Please make up your own minds as to the validity of the story.
