Project Gotham Racing 3 hands-on preview

[Ventura_DK]

Boomtown (http://xbox.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=9524) is the latest site to feature a hands-on preview of Project Gotham Racing 3. Despite its sim-lite credentials, the PGR franchise is increasingly one of the most immersive racers around.

Bizarre Creations has sent sound technicians out to all the different car makers, and have recorded audio from half a dozen different angles, including inside the cockpit. The result is guaranteed to produce goosebumps, especially when you employ the cockpit view. Hook your X360 up to a decent surround system, pump the volume to the maximum setting, and you’re sure to see the back of the missus and her annoying Chihuahua after just a single round with a hysteric Ferrari engine on the Las Vegas track.
Check out the full preview here (http://xbox.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=9524).

[NoName]

Those screens are showing some amazing graphics. I wonder how it would look on my regular ol' 27 inch TV, considering I can't afford a decent sized HD one.

Then again, as far as racing games go, the only one that has ever been able to keep my attention was Mario Kart...

[Spiffae]

as someone who has an hdtv + home theater setup, loves racing, and is on the fence about the X360, this could very well be the dealbreaker.

[Murtaug]

This game gives me goosebumps, I enjoyed the first two plenty enough, and I have steadily become a huge racer fan. Racing games allow me to endulge and become a graphics whore. These shots look fantastic. I am sure that on my regular old 27" SDTV they'll not be quite so mind blowing.. but fantastical is a word I have been using.

Now if only I had the cash for a 360..

[The Iron Weasel]

Yeah i was soposed to save for one, then i bought 6 games and pre-ordered F.E.A.R. I just couldnt resist. PGR3 will be sooooo very good.

[bumgut]

Such a shame they couldn't get it to 60fps for the launch.

[bapenguin]

Such a shame they couldn't get it to 60fps for the launch.

you'll never notice.

[Busted_Astromech]

If you're interested in the pictures, IGN has the same shots at full resolution (1280x720).

Damn.

Bap, from when you played it, can you recall if all the cars have full reflections, or only your car, or are there different reflection levels based on distance (ie simpler reflection map for farther away cars)?

[Ventura_DK]

Busted_Astromech: I don't really recall the other cars, I was busy trying to look at my own, but I noticed a severe problem with car details popping up when you got close. So I assume the other cars weren't done in the version I played (can't speak for Bapenguin of course). I played it at X05 in Amsterdam two weeks ago.

bumgut: It really doesn't matter. Take a look at this: http://bf1942.boomtown.net/en_uk/articles/art.view.php?id=8643

[Busted_Astromech]

From the article's closing:
My claim is that 70-100 FPS is satisfactory to 80 percent of gamers. The remaining 20 percent game at high level and are more dependant on the extra updates on their screen.

So, besides the fact that his conclusion is nuts, that article seems to indicate that it does matter, Ventura_DK. Personally I'd always take image quality over a jump from 30 to 60fps, but it can affect the sensation of speed in a racing game, which is the concern.

So how fast was it?

[bapenguin]

Bap, from when you played it, can you recall if all the cars have full reflections, or only your car, or are there different reflection levels based on distance (ie simpler reflection map for farther away cars)?

Hmm...from what I remember all cars have similar reflection schemes. Of course theres' a difference and limitation on how far away it actually is reflecting, but I'm fairly positive it reflects pretty much the entire enviornment.

My previous comment, I'm not sure if the game was running at 30FPS. It might have been running at 60FPS. And the fact that I couldn't tell was probably a good thing.

[The Iron Weasel]

I'm pretty good at most FPS's i think and i usually dont have a 100 fps on BF2 and i do just fine (usually in the top 5)...

[MasterKwan]

I'm not happy with the cut down car choices. Unlike many I guess, I prefer to drive real world cars, something I can afford like Evo's, STI's and S2000's. Anyone seen a real car list yet?

[EGO]

Once again, you DO notice the difference between 60fps and 30fps, unless you've got some sort of tumor or something.

You CAN'T see 100fps, so getting 100fps on Battlefield will do you no good (I get 90fps on Q3A and can't see the difference between 60fps and 90fps, except the nasty tearing of the screen, but I CAN see a CLEAR difference between 30fps and 60fps.)

Don't believe me? Play Burnout and play Forza. They're both beautiful and are great racers, but Burnout's faster, period.

Anyway, this game IS THE KILLER AP for X360. It's the only reason to own the thing, 30fps or 60fps, period.

[The Iron Weasel]

Nah i get like a 50+ in battlefield.
And its true burnout is insanely fast.

[Busted_Astromech]

Once again, you DO notice the difference between 60fps and 30fps, unless you've got some sort of tumor or something.

Well, if I play two games right next to each other, like F-Zero GX and...something else, I can notice the smoothness in 60fps. But picking up a game and judging the framerate is not something I can do. Besides, I usually don't play many games at 60fps, and any FPS's where it should be noticable I play on my computer, on which I get around 25fps on most games with visual quality settings I like.

I'll even accept 15-20fps in certain games on my PC, like Splinter Cell 3-for whatever reason it doesn't really bug me.

Although I did play Rare's N64 games, so maybe I've been desensitized to bad frame rates.

[ezzkmo]

this game better look good on my shitty tv. i'm kinda on the fence about spending the money on this system and buying games with kickass graphics when all i have is a regular 27" tv that doesn't even have s-video. this still gonna look good?

[Thenetcase]

Hook your X360 up to a decent surround system, pump the volume to the maximum setting, and you’re sure to see the back of the missus and her annoying Chihuahua after just a single round with a hysteric Ferrari engine on the Las Vegas track.

WTF is that supposed to mean? I hate vauge reviewers. Get a clue and speak English instead of cryptic sayings about the missus and some freakin' dog.

-TNC-

[Busted_Astromech]

It's a joke about living in an apartment, having the sound too loud, and annoying your neighbors. Unless 'missus' refers to wife, in which case, it's about...your wife.

[Morratut]

Excellent....from the article...'But every round is a joy to experience, and the game is not as sterile as in previous instalments.'

This is what i wanted to hear. Can't wait to play this and try it out.

[Syrinx]

Don't believe me? Play Burnout and play Forza. They're both beautiful and are great racers, but Burnout's faster, period.

How about comparing two similar games instead? Forza is meant to be a simulation of real cars, Burnout is not.

[tp1up]

Oh, I wish I could afford an Xbox 360. But, maybe the price will be cut down when this game is out, since it may miss the launch of the 360. I could just be a cheap bastard and wait a year or two, though :p