PCGamer first look at gp4
Posted by LS.
i recieved PCGamer this morning via subscription, so its gonna be a few days till it hits the shops.
the photo's that accompany the pre realease review are the first ones we've seen, so nothing new i'm afraid.
we know about the stuff like T&L enviroment mapping and full screen anti aliasing, so heres the good bits from the review
t-cam in external views
virtual cockpit in default view
gps data to make the circuits as real as poss, "it was at the suzuka circuit in japan, just after the pit straight and the first right hander where theres a sequence of fast sweeping corners that zig zag left and right.
on most f1 sims this sequence appears quite flat, and even on tv with the effect that the camera lense has of foreshortening the field of vision, it does'nt look much of a slope. But in gp4 you find that your steadily climbing up a hill through each of these bends.
Even this tiny detail adds a whole new dimension to the experience, as well causing a significant change to your normal driving style and carsetup.
the mass of gps info has had to be cleverly handled.
the data often had a lot of background noise which has to filtered out, and crammond created programs which allowed the basic layout of the track to be imported into 3d studio.
the whole process works beautifully and the tracks are incredibily accurate thanks to painstaking work.
the sound too seems more realistic, with pit to car radio, enviromental sound effects including other car engines, plus a new development of your own engine.
as for the car handleing, its still right on the money, you can really feel your tyres struggling for traction, the wings pressing the car onto the tarmac and the mechanical grip which still has to be tweaked to get the best performance.
pitstops which have generally regarded as the most amusing and dissapointing aspects of the gp series, have finally recieved a radical makeover, gone are the statuesque like bit mapped pitcrew which glided in and out of your view as if on castors.
and in comes a fully 3d motion captured team of men who dance a technical ballet around your car.
the difference is startling and its now fun to just drive in and out of the pits to witness your crew rushing around and working on your own (and other CC) cars,
this new system is also being used on the trackside marshalls, but don't think you'll be able to run them over, they'll always dive or ruin out of your way.
now for some Q&A
pcg) your well known for your AI routines, what changes should we look forward to in gp4?
GC) well. we've been making small refinements in this area, the sort of thing you would'nt normally notice.
for example if a driver becomes pressurised because someones behind him, its quite subtle how it affects him, and you may not notice straight away.
those kind of refinements, the subtle stuff have been fun.
we have brainstorm session where some people might say "why don't you get this driver and that driver, we all know they're completely mad and driver into other cars every other race, why don't you do something like that?"
which might sound like a good idea, but i think theres a problem making some drivers inherently flakier than others.
we've had to conciously resist the temptation to act on suggestions that driver X is clearly the worst, and that we need to make him drive badly.
thats perhaps taking it a little too far and i don't think they'd like it veryu much if we did.
pcg) which element of gp4 are you most proud of?
GC) i think its the GPS data; its good to know that every corner, every chicane and every curve is exactly as it should be.
And the corners are no longer constant width curves, they change shape if the real ones change shape, they're all individual.
pcg) so when will you start work on gp5?
GC) were not going to talk about gp5, because were still a couple of months away from going final on gp4- it would be a bit premature to say anything.
the whole philosphy behind each version of grand prix is that its an evolution and each time its a significant evolution.
this time i think, people are going to blown away by the graphics.
in terms of the intensity and realism of the drive i think were now confident as anyone can be that the tracks are absolutely right, and we know that our simulation is solid.
the experience people are going to get playing gp4 is actualy as close as you can get to the real thing, without risking your neck and 2 million quids worth of kit.
LS's Tip of the week
ESSENTIAL OILS aren't essential unless you're an engine, a gearbox or a twat
the photo's that accompany the pre realease review are the first ones we've seen, so nothing new i'm afraid.
we know about the stuff like T&L enviroment mapping and full screen anti aliasing, so heres the good bits from the review
t-cam in external views
virtual cockpit in default view
gps data to make the circuits as real as poss, "it was at the suzuka circuit in japan, just after the pit straight and the first right hander where theres a sequence of fast sweeping corners that zig zag left and right.
on most f1 sims this sequence appears quite flat, and even on tv with the effect that the camera lense has of foreshortening the field of vision, it does'nt look much of a slope. But in gp4 you find that your steadily climbing up a hill through each of these bends.
Even this tiny detail adds a whole new dimension to the experience, as well causing a significant change to your normal driving style and carsetup.
the mass of gps info has had to be cleverly handled.
the data often had a lot of background noise which has to filtered out, and crammond created programs which allowed the basic layout of the track to be imported into 3d studio.
the whole process works beautifully and the tracks are incredibily accurate thanks to painstaking work.
the sound too seems more realistic, with pit to car radio, enviromental sound effects including other car engines, plus a new development of your own engine.
as for the car handleing, its still right on the money, you can really feel your tyres struggling for traction, the wings pressing the car onto the tarmac and the mechanical grip which still has to be tweaked to get the best performance.
pitstops which have generally regarded as the most amusing and dissapointing aspects of the gp series, have finally recieved a radical makeover, gone are the statuesque like bit mapped pitcrew which glided in and out of your view as if on castors.
and in comes a fully 3d motion captured team of men who dance a technical ballet around your car.
the difference is startling and its now fun to just drive in and out of the pits to witness your crew rushing around and working on your own (and other CC) cars,
this new system is also being used on the trackside marshalls, but don't think you'll be able to run them over, they'll always dive or ruin out of your way.
now for some Q&A
pcg) your well known for your AI routines, what changes should we look forward to in gp4?
GC) well. we've been making small refinements in this area, the sort of thing you would'nt normally notice.
for example if a driver becomes pressurised because someones behind him, its quite subtle how it affects him, and you may not notice straight away.
those kind of refinements, the subtle stuff have been fun.
we have brainstorm session where some people might say "why don't you get this driver and that driver, we all know they're completely mad and driver into other cars every other race, why don't you do something like that?"
which might sound like a good idea, but i think theres a problem making some drivers inherently flakier than others.
we've had to conciously resist the temptation to act on suggestions that driver X is clearly the worst, and that we need to make him drive badly.
thats perhaps taking it a little too far and i don't think they'd like it veryu much if we did.
pcg) which element of gp4 are you most proud of?
GC) i think its the GPS data; its good to know that every corner, every chicane and every curve is exactly as it should be.
And the corners are no longer constant width curves, they change shape if the real ones change shape, they're all individual.
pcg) so when will you start work on gp5?
GC) were not going to talk about gp5, because were still a couple of months away from going final on gp4- it would be a bit premature to say anything.
the whole philosphy behind each version of grand prix is that its an evolution and each time its a significant evolution.
this time i think, people are going to blown away by the graphics.
in terms of the intensity and realism of the drive i think were now confident as anyone can be that the tracks are absolutely right, and we know that our simulation is solid.
the experience people are going to get playing gp4 is actualy as close as you can get to the real thing, without risking your neck and 2 million quids worth of kit.
LS's Tip of the week
ESSENTIAL OILS aren't essential unless you're an engine, a gearbox or a twat
and yeah i did type all that @!#$, fingers are nearly as worn out as my keyboard 
LS's Tip of the week
ESSENTIAL OILS aren't essential unless you're an engine, a gearbox or a twat
LS's Tip of the week
ESSENTIAL OILS aren't essential unless you're an engine, a gearbox or a twat
Thank you so much L.S 
we appricaite it. Wow i cant wait.............*goes to d/l video*
we appricaite it. Wow i cant wait.............*goes to d/l video*[...] because were still a couple of months away from going final on gp4[ ...]
how much exactly is a couple months? And will be it meassured in standard earth time or Crammond time?
REHAB IS FOR QUITTERS
how much exactly is a couple months? And will be it meassured in standard earth time or Crammond time?
REHAB IS FOR QUITTERS
Yo Sup
IF its Crammond time then 2 months equals 6-8 months
Racing Is Life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting
Jesus may be able to heal the sick and bring the dead back to life, but he can't do shît for low fps
IF its Crammond time then 2 months equals 6-8 months
Racing Is Life. Anything that happens before or after is just waiting
Jesus may be able to heal the sick and bring the dead back to life, but he can't do shît for low fps
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