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In the first place I'd like to thank System3's Chandra Nair for giving me opportunity to make a interview with Eutechnyx team and himself regarding upcoming SuperCar Challenge game.
I'd wrote an extensive article for GamePlay Magazine regarding both SuperCar Challenge game and overall situation in the genre of automotive simulations, but for this time I'll give you just Q&A, final game details and almost final cars & tracks list. Notice that last may change, but it probably will not.
SuperCar Challenge is now scheduled for release in late Q2 2009 (june/july latest).
Notice I didn't make any editing of the material, in order to give you full-overview of all Q&A. However, it produced duplicating of some Q&A which I hope you will not mind. I know it's a lenghty read, but if you're intrested you may find it very useful and intresting.
Format: PS3 (platform exclusive)
Publisher: System 3 Software Ltd
Developer: Eutechnyx
Multiplayer: 1-16 LAN & Online
Release: Q2 2009
Official site: www.system3.com/index.jsp?i=175&s=1111
SuperCar Challenge
The Facts
- High Resolution: full 1080p graphical display.
- Affective Weather: realistic rain results in slippery curbs, increased braking distances, slippery grass, standing water, back spray from opponent cars, increased opponent errors and of course, it looks very pretty!
- Over 40 different cars ranging from the Lamborghini Murcielago RGT, to the Aston Martin DB9, to the McLaren F1, to our previous favourite the Ferrari FXX.
- Over 20 tracks, from favourites such as Silverstone and Nürburgring to less well known greats such as Mugello Italy.
- Challenge Mode: this career mode allows you to tour the globe taking on the various racing challenges that are thrown at you. Whether that means simply taking pole, completing a race with no damage or simply staying on the track in wet conditions, you’ll be scored on every aspect of your race. This score will then translate into Race Points, which you can use to buy new cars for your showroom, test drive new cars or buy one of the many livery packs and vinyl elements intended for car decoration.
- Other Modes: Tournament mode, Arcade mode, Quick Race and 16-player online/LAN multiplayer.
- Vinyl Shop: Ferrari Challenge’s praised livery creation tool has been taken and improved considerably, allowing you to design and place your own logos on any car in your showroom.
- Expert Tutorials: Top Gear and 5th Gear’s Tiff Needell will be recording full voiceovers for the game, including tutorials for 16 of the toughest racks in the game.
- Dynamic AI: rival drivers will get better or worse depending on how you race so you’ll always have a decent challenge going on around you. Of course, should you wish to have consistent AI you can switch this mode off. Drivers will also have their own battles with or without your influence and will make mistakes even if they’re half a lap ahead or behind you.
- Graphical Overhaul: in terms of textures, poly counts, scenery, backdrops, particle effects and (perhaps most importantly) framerate, everything has been improved.
- Improved sound: every engine rev, screech and impact has been tirelessly recorded and re-recorded on the field.
SuperCar Challenge Special Interview
Dave Thompson, Executive Producer
Eutechnyx
1. With many years of experience in the racing genre, can you describe the difference between developing Le Mans 24 Hours (PSone) and the imminent SuperCar Challenge?
In the past we may have been all in the same area of the office, the SCC team is not just vastly larger we are also spread out across different time zones. The amount of effort going in to producing photo-realistic accurately modeled tracks and cars, the online experience, the depth of game play required, the audio, etc, etc. is phenomenal compared to the PSone days. Besides the people wanting to make the best racing game, I don’t think any one thing is the same.
2. You were one of the rare developers that started to work on PS3 hardware early on. With the experience of FCTP behind you, what are the areas that you think SCC will improve on the most?
SCC has vastly improved upon FCTP, but not only improved, many new features have been implemented into the game which is specific to the style of SCC. We always wanted SCC to be much more than sequel to FCTP, reaching out to a wider audience, offering a host of new elements and ways to play the game.
The immediate aim for SCC was to include more vehicle manufacturers adding some of the finest Supercars from around the world to join the prancing horse stable. The new vehicle line up presents a huge collection of some of the most desirable, powerful and aspirational Supercars from past and present.
The game also introduces a range of new circuits each with additional track configurations for the player to unlock. Circuits include some of the most acclaimed and challenging courses from around the world, each modelled, textured and lit to the highest level of detail allowing for races to be run in dry or wet conditions, on or offline.
A new immersive Race Setup feature has been included which allows players to choose and modify their handling profile for the game to adopt. The more casual gamers for example, may opt for an ‘Arcade’ Race Setup which utilizes a number of racing assists and our new dynamic IBS system. Experienced drivers who desire a true, competitive, racing experience can choose a ‘Simulation’ Race Setup which presents the ultra-realistic braking and handling which FCTP was praised for. Players still have the option to further customize assist settings, in affect creating their own preferred Race Setup.
We feel the Race Setup feature broadens the audience to the game offering something for drivers to come in at any skill level and for casual gamers to quickly pick-up and play the game without being dominated by the pros, an area that many other driving game’s do not address.
SCC offers very smooth and fun online racing and, as well as the new lobby features, we have squeezed many other elements into the experience for the hosts and racers alike. Other notable features include, wet weather racing, two internal ‘driver’s-eye’ camera viewpoints, vehicle damage from paint trading to panel crumpling, HUD elements which help player’s keep track of the best drivers, an online driver skill rating system, new leaderboards and the ability to style and show off player vehicle designs to friends and other racers around the world.
In regards to the visual styling area in SCC, players can create masterpieces with hundreds of cool new decals, racing stripes, tribal designs or create their own decal with our text entry feature. Applying and manipulating decals is now easier than ever, as is the ability to re-edit a design over and over.
Players can then save their creations with ease and send to friends or other players around the world to add to their own cars in the game. As we’ve already found from FCTP, using the showroom and in-game photo option, players also love to post their designs on the forums to show-off and swap ideas. A lot of these designs were so good that we recently held a competition where the best designs from FCTP will get pride of place in SCC as selectable liveries.
3. Can you describe the look and art style of SCC and any notable enhancements from FCTP?
SCC has undergone a complete interface revamp introducing an entirely new style which we are confident players will love. The approach is contemporary, stylish and slick with a very polished feel to it. The art team have worked very hard on a new menu system and front end which we are very proud of. Players will find the interface easy to navigate and understand. The player’s car collection, namely the Showroom Area looks amazing and it’s really easy to browse through the new Supercars available, style the ones you own, tune, sell, photograph, and of course - race.
From a functionality stand point there are much fewer loading screens, it’s quicker and smoother to get around, and easy to setup or get straight into the area we are most proud of, the online racing experience.
The lighting and texturing of the track has also undergone improvements. As well as more detail and new effects systems in place, the tracks present a more de-saturated and realistic look. From the screenshots posted online and in the new Eutechnyx SCC Forums it is clear to see that player’s and fans of FCTP have embraced the dynamic new art style to the tracks and interface.
To elaborate a little more on the in-game effects, virtually every visual effect system has been redone with many new systems introduced. The grass, dirt and smoke look and acts ultra-realistic. New damage effects on high-speed collisions with debris, glass and sparks scattering out provide an additional visual element and enhance the drama of a crash.
4. Both the single-player and multiplayer structure is important in order for a game to succeed. Can you describe to us what are the most important fields of single-player in SCC, and what are the fields you place the most emphasis on in multiplayer programming?
The career mode in SCC is engaging allowing the player to compete all over the world in any of the 40 plus vehicles of their choice. Tutorial is another great feature where Tiff Needell will guide you round all of the tracks featured in SCC, helping you to improve your lines, braking and throttle control and then score you at the end. In Time Trial it’s also great to now be able to compare your track times with your friends.
With multiplayer, we’ve tried to give the gamers plenty of options so they can create their own games. For instance we’ve allowed the host to specify how the grid order is arranged, such as basing the order on the last race or the person with the quickest lap time in the previous race. This allows people to run multi race events or qualifying sessions…
Players can now inspect one another to view the kind of driver they are, their stats, online wins, and general race etiquette. The invite system which was added in as patch in FCTP is another area we have had an opportunity to spend time on and improve. It’s now even easier to view your invites, delete, and join the race, from in game as well as on the Sony PS3 XMB. Hosts can also create invites, adding and removing friends with ease and without the need to exit the lobby or open the XMB.
Another notable new feature allows players to setup and join races where a specified maximum number of penalties are aloud; going over this results in disqualification. Players receive penalties for cutting corners or disruptive driving so this optional addition creates some really respectful and professional online racing. It’s also fun to see your mates punished for attempting to cut a corner or ram you straight off the track on the approach to a hairpin for example. In SCC online racing players can now see on the HUD when players ahead and behind receive a penalty as well as other indicators, such as the player holding the current fastest lap in the race.
It’s also worth noting that SCC will support a much larger range of steering wheels, we are trying to support as many of the popular ones and those offering the most realistic racing experience as possible.
5. Even though it is oriented towards helping casual players, I find SCC to be mainly targeted to a hard-core racing population. "Serious" racers often asked for features such as G25 clutch-support, multi-screen support, tyre and fuel wear, mandatory pit-stops, mechanical damage and such. What are the areas you've improved over FCTP in SCC regarding hard-core public?
We’ve tried to not stray too far to the hard-core side of things and mass market is where the focus of the game is aimed at.
As you mentioned the G25, we’ve improved the Force Feedback system and we now fully support a lot more wheels than in FC. As with the previous question, we’ve allow the guys the ability to run their own types of online race by given them the freedom to host races with many different rule sets.
7. What do you see as a next great step that the genre will take? Technical and hardware improvements of platforms were important, but the greatest "jump" so far for the genre was the introduction of Force Feedback technology. What do you see beyond it? What will "next-next-gen" platforms provide in next 2-3 years?
There’s still plenty of scope for improvements to the physics side of things, this is simply a case of needing more power or dedicated hardware support. We also need to see an advance in online capabilities. At 16 players we’re pushing things quite hard. I’d also like to see more community initiatives making it easier to play, chat and exchange items with your friends.
Interview copyright GamePlay Magazine 2009, published in March issue. Appearance on GTPlanet.net in accordance with publisher, as an online-only special
SuperCar Challenge Special Interview
Chandra Nair
System 3 Brand Manager
1. Although your previous title - Ferrari Challenge - was released less than a year ago, you're already preparing for a next big title. Why is Supercars Challenge released so soon after FC:TP game?
I think it’s fair to say that Ferrari Challenge was a labour of love, especially for System 3’s Mark Cale. We always knew that, however good the handling in the game was, it was only ever going to attract a certain type of person. And I think it was really important that we used the momentum gained with Ferrari Challenge to introduce that’s game’s way of thinking to a much larger audience.
So for the people who bought Ferrari Challenge they’re getting access to new tracks, new cars, new modes and other improvements much sooner than usual. And for the people who didn’t because they want to drive cars other than a Ferrari, this should be right up their street.
2. FC:TP gained serious praise among hard-core drivers on PlayStation 3, with driving model, force feedback support and AI being hailed most. In which way did you expand those 3, probably most important aspects of modern racing games in SCC?
Driving Model: I played GT Prologue the other day for about three hours and can safely say that SuperCar Challenge is leagues ahead. The handling in FC was great but it’s even better in SuperCar Challenge. We’ve added two other modes so that ‘normal’ people can still enjoy the game but, of course, full Simulation mode is what the ideals of the game are based upon. Just wait until you get behind the wheel of the DBR-9 or the Murcielago R-GT in full simulation mode with all the assists turned down. It’s such an invigorating experience trying to come out of the low gears with that much power under your seat! I can’t wait for racing sim fans to play it.
Force Feedback: we’re supporting the G25 as expected. There were a few issues with the G25 support in FC and these have been addressed. Hopefully you’ll all approve.
AI: Simply put, I reckon it’s the best racing AI out there. We’ve got various different settings in terms of difficulty but when it comes to Challenge or Tournament mode, you really need to be playing with Dynamic AI. Over the space of two or three races the opponent cars will learn and adapt to provide the best challenge possible. And for those of you who are great racers this will result in the ultimate challenge. But of course, other drivers are still prone to mistakes and you’ll see small packs of cars hustling each other and mistakes will be made, whether that’s right in front of you or half a lap ahead.
3. With online racing being extremly important today, and with experience built on FC:TP, can you tell us more about online game-structure, lobby system and community features that we can expect in SCC?
You’ll be able to experience some of this yourselves when the online Beta Trial goes live towards the end of February.
4. Despite rumors that System 3 had some problems regarding Ferrari
licence, it is clear that FXX model will be in the new game. Can you tell us more about what did Ferrari said about previous game, and will there be other cars from Maranello in SCC? Also, can you tell us are there any surprises in manufacturer's rooster? And what about famous british TVR models that certanly should be in game like this?
Any issues with the Ferrari license are news to me! Ferrari loved the game and we’re working with them very closely on several projects, both game related and non-game related. SuperCar Challenge does play host to the FXX as well as some of the favourites from FC. We’ll be announcing various other models over the coming weeks but unfortunately TVR will not be amongst them. At one stage we were looking at the TVR Typhoon, as really this is the only TVR that fits into the ethos behind SuperCar Challenge but it’s not going to be in this game.
5. What do you see as the future of racing genre development? Is it community, is it mainstream, is it staying faithfull to hard-core drivers and building yourself a recignizable niche?
I worry about the hardcore racing simulation because, sadly, there is a relatively small market for such a pure experience. In a world where the majority of today’s games console owners want succinct gaming experiences such as party game mini-games, a racing game only be massively successful if it incorporates enough different play modes to cater to all these different people. Of course you can argue that games like GT are very successful but only a publishing giant such as Sony could achieve that kind of penetration. Sorry, I’m rambling! What I’m trying to say it, I hope the racing simulation genre doesn’t get diluted. I think it just means that any pure racing sim will have to have a completely different ‘arcade’ mode in order to be successful enough to warrant the sim side.
6. FC:TP almost pioneered in output of advanced 1080p resolution, which unfortunately caused some graphical lowdowns in other fields. Seeing how much SCC looks better than FC:TP can you tell us did you choose to go 720p this time, while using processing resources to make game looks this better that it's predecessor? Also, since FC:TP was also a pioneer in usage of advanced full DTS audio-mix, an you give some insights on other visual-audio tech used for SCC?
We’re still running at full 1080p although we have optimised the renderer to improve performance. From an audio point of view SCC has been completely re-worked. For instance, as well as having the extra engines, the way we process them has been refined to give a more natural feel between the different views. Skids sounds have more subtlety so you can tell when you’re reaching the limit. The observant people out there will notice that the screens we’re handing out at the moment are 720p but that’s only because a number of assets (such as dials) haven’t been recreated at full resolution just yet!
7. One of the features that driving fans are looking for in simulation
is tyre-wear and pit-stops. Can we finally expect them in SCC in any
way?
Ultimately you have to look at SuperCar Challenge as an evolution and refinement of FC. Obviously the development period reflects this so extras that require a massive amount of time, such as those you mentioned, will not be in SuperCar Challenge. We were talking earlier about the future of the racing sim and I think tyre-wear and pit stops are a must for the next round of racing sims.
8. FCTP introduced us with astonishing rain-simulation, which looked and felt gorgeous. Are there any surprises regarding weather options in general, or something like that?
I’m glad you liked the rain — it’s even better this time around. Handling aside it’s the thing I’m most proud of. I’m afraid there are no other surprises in terms of the weather though!
9. Almost year ago there was a rumor that you're already planing (making?) Ferrari Challenge: TP sequel based on street racing - as opposite to track-racing "nature" of previous games. Is something like that really in plans?
Obviously we’re always thinking about the next big thing. Ferrari Challenge Street Racing would be pretty cool wouldn’t it? Sadly I can’t say anything about what we’ll be working on next.
10. I can predict there is going to be Trophy support, but what are the plans regarding DLC content, when can we expect it and can you give us any insight regarding its content and pricing?
DLC is something that’s going to be come more and more common as the year progresses. Right now though we’re still trying to resolve a few issues with the original DLC we had planned for FC. Obviously I don’t want to promise something that we can’t 100% deliver on but when I can give you concrete information about DLC I will.
11. System 3 are celebrating over quarter of the century, lasting from the days of Atari 2600 consoles. The industry has changed dramatically since then, and you've also changed the S3's business path from full-priced to mid-priced games, and than back to full-priced titles like Ferrari Challenge. As a producer, what is the "next-gen" perspective for small-and-mid-sized
3rd party publishers as System 3?
Of course the biggest difference is the sheer amount of man-power and cost associated with modern day projects. Creating a competitive racing game for either PS3 or Xbox 360 is a vast undertaking and, no matter how big the company’s bank balance, it can make or break you. It’s every developer’s dream to work on a a high-budget title (such as SuperCar Challenge) but these you simply have to have the mid-range games there to support you while the game progresses through a lengthly development schedule. That doesn’t mean churning out rubbish but games such as Williams Pinball Classics and PowerPlay Pool allow us to release great games without dedicated a team of 50 people to one project for a year or so.
12. Can you describe us what does the licensing process looks like? How
was for you to negotiate with Ferrari, worldwide known as probably the "hardest" company to negotiate with about licensing? Also, now with SuperCar Challenge in the works, can you compare the licensing of different companies - for instance differences between Ferrari Spa, Lamborghini and Aston Martin? And why is Porsche impossible to find in any game but few selected on X360 consoles?
Understandably Ferrari is very protective over its IP. It upholds the highest standards and that’s one of the reasons why it’s where it is today. But that’s fine — we also maintain extremely high standards when it comes to the accuracy of our car models so working with Ferrari was a joy. It was amazing to share our passion with them and they appreciated our dedication to making their cars look and handle great in the game.
With SuperCar Challenge it was still very time consuming talking to all those manufacturers but when you have a product like Ferrari Challenge to go to these people with half the job is done already. The game speaks for itself and there wasn’t one manufacturer who looked at that and wasn’t impressed.
13. Even without major advertising and appearance, FC:TP gained nice sales and created an army of devoted fans. Even though game had its downfalls, overall quality and important details made players now waiting for SCC very impatiently. From your point of view can you comment us of what are the most important fields you've wanted to be fixed from FCTP to SCC, and what are the plans for introducing SCC to the larger audience?
It was always going to be a case of slowly building the System 3 racing brand. There’s no way around that unless you throw €50 million at TV advertising. With Ferrari Challenge we proved the point that there’s more to the racing world than Gran Turismo, Forza and PGR. There are other options and, actually, when it comes to the car handing we think we have the superior game.
So when it came to SCC we wanted to take FC and make it appeal to a wider audience. We’ve done that by adding a wider variety of cars, a Career mode that actually gives you a sense of progression, more tracks and of course we added driving options that allow ‘normal’ people to enjoy racing.
14. FCTP was multiplatform title. While EU sales are hard to collect, from USA sales is visible that game performed very well on both PS2 and Wii. Why did you decide to go with SCC as exclusive PS3 title?
The Wii version of FC is actually a great technical achievement but with SCC we wanted to show what we can do when we really start pushing the engine. With the damage, 16 cars on screen, weather effects, a stable framerate, enhanced smoke and enhanced water spray we think we’ve done that. That kind of stuff just isn’t possible on the Wii while maintaining a respectable framerate and there’s also the fact that we wanted the team to concentrate on just one type of game.
Interview copyright GamePlay Magazine 2009, published in March issue. Appearance on GTPlanet.net in accordance with publisher, as an online-only special
***ENDS***
SuperCar Chalenge Car List
Ferrari Cars:
250 LM
550 Maranello GT
550 Maranello
360 GT
360 Moderna
F355 Berlinetta
512 S
512 M
F355 Challenge
F430 GT2
348 Challenge
F40
F50
GTO
F330 P4
F365 GTS4
430 Scuderia
F430 Spider
F512M 94
599 GTB Fiorano
612 Scaglietti
612 System 3
Ferrari California
Ferrari F50 GT
Enzo Ferrari
F430 Challenge
250 GTO
FXX
575 GTC
575M Maranello
F333 SP
365 GTB / 4 Comp
348 TB
250 Testa Rossa
non-Ferrari Cars:
Lamborghini Murcialago RGT
Aston Martin DBR9
Lamborghini Gallardo GT
Koenigsegg CCX
Maserati MC12
McLaren F1
Mercedes SLR
Pagani Zonda F
Bugatti Veyron EB
Chevrolet Corvette C6R
SuperCar Chalenge Track List
Spa, Belgium
Infinion Sprint, USA
Vallelunga, Italy
Homestead Oval, USA
Mugello Sports, Italy
Hockenheim, Germany
Silverstone Southern, GB
Virginia, USA
Homestead Infield, USA
Monza, Italy
Mont Tremblant, Canada
Paul Ricard, France
California, USA
Misano, Italy
Redwood Park, Canada
Infinion, USA
Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit, GB
Mugello Internazionale, Italy
Nürburgring, Germany
Riviera, France
California Oval, USA
Silverstone National, GB
This concludes the first post inside this official thread, if any admin/mod would like to move it outside the Ferrari Challenge section in order to avoid further confusion it would be great.
Thanx everybody and regards.
I'd wrote an extensive article for GamePlay Magazine regarding both SuperCar Challenge game and overall situation in the genre of automotive simulations, but for this time I'll give you just Q&A, final game details and almost final cars & tracks list. Notice that last may change, but it probably will not.
SuperCar Challenge is now scheduled for release in late Q2 2009 (june/july latest).
Notice I didn't make any editing of the material, in order to give you full-overview of all Q&A. However, it produced duplicating of some Q&A which I hope you will not mind. I know it's a lenghty read, but if you're intrested you may find it very useful and intresting.
Format: PS3 (platform exclusive)
Publisher: System 3 Software Ltd
Developer: Eutechnyx
Multiplayer: 1-16 LAN & Online
Release: Q2 2009
Official site: www.system3.com/index.jsp?i=175&s=1111
SuperCar Challenge
The Facts
- High Resolution: full 1080p graphical display.
- Affective Weather: realistic rain results in slippery curbs, increased braking distances, slippery grass, standing water, back spray from opponent cars, increased opponent errors and of course, it looks very pretty!
- Over 40 different cars ranging from the Lamborghini Murcielago RGT, to the Aston Martin DB9, to the McLaren F1, to our previous favourite the Ferrari FXX.
- Over 20 tracks, from favourites such as Silverstone and Nürburgring to less well known greats such as Mugello Italy.
- Challenge Mode: this career mode allows you to tour the globe taking on the various racing challenges that are thrown at you. Whether that means simply taking pole, completing a race with no damage or simply staying on the track in wet conditions, you’ll be scored on every aspect of your race. This score will then translate into Race Points, which you can use to buy new cars for your showroom, test drive new cars or buy one of the many livery packs and vinyl elements intended for car decoration.
- Other Modes: Tournament mode, Arcade mode, Quick Race and 16-player online/LAN multiplayer.
- Vinyl Shop: Ferrari Challenge’s praised livery creation tool has been taken and improved considerably, allowing you to design and place your own logos on any car in your showroom.
- Expert Tutorials: Top Gear and 5th Gear’s Tiff Needell will be recording full voiceovers for the game, including tutorials for 16 of the toughest racks in the game.
- Dynamic AI: rival drivers will get better or worse depending on how you race so you’ll always have a decent challenge going on around you. Of course, should you wish to have consistent AI you can switch this mode off. Drivers will also have their own battles with or without your influence and will make mistakes even if they’re half a lap ahead or behind you.
- Graphical Overhaul: in terms of textures, poly counts, scenery, backdrops, particle effects and (perhaps most importantly) framerate, everything has been improved.
- Improved sound: every engine rev, screech and impact has been tirelessly recorded and re-recorded on the field.
SuperCar Challenge Special Interview
Dave Thompson, Executive Producer
Eutechnyx
1. With many years of experience in the racing genre, can you describe the difference between developing Le Mans 24 Hours (PSone) and the imminent SuperCar Challenge?
In the past we may have been all in the same area of the office, the SCC team is not just vastly larger we are also spread out across different time zones. The amount of effort going in to producing photo-realistic accurately modeled tracks and cars, the online experience, the depth of game play required, the audio, etc, etc. is phenomenal compared to the PSone days. Besides the people wanting to make the best racing game, I don’t think any one thing is the same.
2. You were one of the rare developers that started to work on PS3 hardware early on. With the experience of FCTP behind you, what are the areas that you think SCC will improve on the most?
SCC has vastly improved upon FCTP, but not only improved, many new features have been implemented into the game which is specific to the style of SCC. We always wanted SCC to be much more than sequel to FCTP, reaching out to a wider audience, offering a host of new elements and ways to play the game.
The immediate aim for SCC was to include more vehicle manufacturers adding some of the finest Supercars from around the world to join the prancing horse stable. The new vehicle line up presents a huge collection of some of the most desirable, powerful and aspirational Supercars from past and present.
The game also introduces a range of new circuits each with additional track configurations for the player to unlock. Circuits include some of the most acclaimed and challenging courses from around the world, each modelled, textured and lit to the highest level of detail allowing for races to be run in dry or wet conditions, on or offline.
A new immersive Race Setup feature has been included which allows players to choose and modify their handling profile for the game to adopt. The more casual gamers for example, may opt for an ‘Arcade’ Race Setup which utilizes a number of racing assists and our new dynamic IBS system. Experienced drivers who desire a true, competitive, racing experience can choose a ‘Simulation’ Race Setup which presents the ultra-realistic braking and handling which FCTP was praised for. Players still have the option to further customize assist settings, in affect creating their own preferred Race Setup.
We feel the Race Setup feature broadens the audience to the game offering something for drivers to come in at any skill level and for casual gamers to quickly pick-up and play the game without being dominated by the pros, an area that many other driving game’s do not address.
SCC offers very smooth and fun online racing and, as well as the new lobby features, we have squeezed many other elements into the experience for the hosts and racers alike. Other notable features include, wet weather racing, two internal ‘driver’s-eye’ camera viewpoints, vehicle damage from paint trading to panel crumpling, HUD elements which help player’s keep track of the best drivers, an online driver skill rating system, new leaderboards and the ability to style and show off player vehicle designs to friends and other racers around the world.
In regards to the visual styling area in SCC, players can create masterpieces with hundreds of cool new decals, racing stripes, tribal designs or create their own decal with our text entry feature. Applying and manipulating decals is now easier than ever, as is the ability to re-edit a design over and over.
Players can then save their creations with ease and send to friends or other players around the world to add to their own cars in the game. As we’ve already found from FCTP, using the showroom and in-game photo option, players also love to post their designs on the forums to show-off and swap ideas. A lot of these designs were so good that we recently held a competition where the best designs from FCTP will get pride of place in SCC as selectable liveries.
3. Can you describe the look and art style of SCC and any notable enhancements from FCTP?
SCC has undergone a complete interface revamp introducing an entirely new style which we are confident players will love. The approach is contemporary, stylish and slick with a very polished feel to it. The art team have worked very hard on a new menu system and front end which we are very proud of. Players will find the interface easy to navigate and understand. The player’s car collection, namely the Showroom Area looks amazing and it’s really easy to browse through the new Supercars available, style the ones you own, tune, sell, photograph, and of course - race.
From a functionality stand point there are much fewer loading screens, it’s quicker and smoother to get around, and easy to setup or get straight into the area we are most proud of, the online racing experience.
The lighting and texturing of the track has also undergone improvements. As well as more detail and new effects systems in place, the tracks present a more de-saturated and realistic look. From the screenshots posted online and in the new Eutechnyx SCC Forums it is clear to see that player’s and fans of FCTP have embraced the dynamic new art style to the tracks and interface.
To elaborate a little more on the in-game effects, virtually every visual effect system has been redone with many new systems introduced. The grass, dirt and smoke look and acts ultra-realistic. New damage effects on high-speed collisions with debris, glass and sparks scattering out provide an additional visual element and enhance the drama of a crash.
4. Both the single-player and multiplayer structure is important in order for a game to succeed. Can you describe to us what are the most important fields of single-player in SCC, and what are the fields you place the most emphasis on in multiplayer programming?
The career mode in SCC is engaging allowing the player to compete all over the world in any of the 40 plus vehicles of their choice. Tutorial is another great feature where Tiff Needell will guide you round all of the tracks featured in SCC, helping you to improve your lines, braking and throttle control and then score you at the end. In Time Trial it’s also great to now be able to compare your track times with your friends.
With multiplayer, we’ve tried to give the gamers plenty of options so they can create their own games. For instance we’ve allowed the host to specify how the grid order is arranged, such as basing the order on the last race or the person with the quickest lap time in the previous race. This allows people to run multi race events or qualifying sessions…
Players can now inspect one another to view the kind of driver they are, their stats, online wins, and general race etiquette. The invite system which was added in as patch in FCTP is another area we have had an opportunity to spend time on and improve. It’s now even easier to view your invites, delete, and join the race, from in game as well as on the Sony PS3 XMB. Hosts can also create invites, adding and removing friends with ease and without the need to exit the lobby or open the XMB.
Another notable new feature allows players to setup and join races where a specified maximum number of penalties are aloud; going over this results in disqualification. Players receive penalties for cutting corners or disruptive driving so this optional addition creates some really respectful and professional online racing. It’s also fun to see your mates punished for attempting to cut a corner or ram you straight off the track on the approach to a hairpin for example. In SCC online racing players can now see on the HUD when players ahead and behind receive a penalty as well as other indicators, such as the player holding the current fastest lap in the race.
It’s also worth noting that SCC will support a much larger range of steering wheels, we are trying to support as many of the popular ones and those offering the most realistic racing experience as possible.
5. Even though it is oriented towards helping casual players, I find SCC to be mainly targeted to a hard-core racing population. "Serious" racers often asked for features such as G25 clutch-support, multi-screen support, tyre and fuel wear, mandatory pit-stops, mechanical damage and such. What are the areas you've improved over FCTP in SCC regarding hard-core public?
We’ve tried to not stray too far to the hard-core side of things and mass market is where the focus of the game is aimed at.
As you mentioned the G25, we’ve improved the Force Feedback system and we now fully support a lot more wheels than in FC. As with the previous question, we’ve allow the guys the ability to run their own types of online race by given them the freedom to host races with many different rule sets.
7. What do you see as a next great step that the genre will take? Technical and hardware improvements of platforms were important, but the greatest "jump" so far for the genre was the introduction of Force Feedback technology. What do you see beyond it? What will "next-next-gen" platforms provide in next 2-3 years?
There’s still plenty of scope for improvements to the physics side of things, this is simply a case of needing more power or dedicated hardware support. We also need to see an advance in online capabilities. At 16 players we’re pushing things quite hard. I’d also like to see more community initiatives making it easier to play, chat and exchange items with your friends.
Interview copyright GamePlay Magazine 2009, published in March issue. Appearance on GTPlanet.net in accordance with publisher, as an online-only special
SuperCar Challenge Special Interview
Chandra Nair
System 3 Brand Manager
1. Although your previous title - Ferrari Challenge - was released less than a year ago, you're already preparing for a next big title. Why is Supercars Challenge released so soon after FC:TP game?
I think it’s fair to say that Ferrari Challenge was a labour of love, especially for System 3’s Mark Cale. We always knew that, however good the handling in the game was, it was only ever going to attract a certain type of person. And I think it was really important that we used the momentum gained with Ferrari Challenge to introduce that’s game’s way of thinking to a much larger audience.
So for the people who bought Ferrari Challenge they’re getting access to new tracks, new cars, new modes and other improvements much sooner than usual. And for the people who didn’t because they want to drive cars other than a Ferrari, this should be right up their street.
2. FC:TP gained serious praise among hard-core drivers on PlayStation 3, with driving model, force feedback support and AI being hailed most. In which way did you expand those 3, probably most important aspects of modern racing games in SCC?
Driving Model: I played GT Prologue the other day for about three hours and can safely say that SuperCar Challenge is leagues ahead. The handling in FC was great but it’s even better in SuperCar Challenge. We’ve added two other modes so that ‘normal’ people can still enjoy the game but, of course, full Simulation mode is what the ideals of the game are based upon. Just wait until you get behind the wheel of the DBR-9 or the Murcielago R-GT in full simulation mode with all the assists turned down. It’s such an invigorating experience trying to come out of the low gears with that much power under your seat! I can’t wait for racing sim fans to play it.
Force Feedback: we’re supporting the G25 as expected. There were a few issues with the G25 support in FC and these have been addressed. Hopefully you’ll all approve.
AI: Simply put, I reckon it’s the best racing AI out there. We’ve got various different settings in terms of difficulty but when it comes to Challenge or Tournament mode, you really need to be playing with Dynamic AI. Over the space of two or three races the opponent cars will learn and adapt to provide the best challenge possible. And for those of you who are great racers this will result in the ultimate challenge. But of course, other drivers are still prone to mistakes and you’ll see small packs of cars hustling each other and mistakes will be made, whether that’s right in front of you or half a lap ahead.
3. With online racing being extremly important today, and with experience built on FC:TP, can you tell us more about online game-structure, lobby system and community features that we can expect in SCC?
You’ll be able to experience some of this yourselves when the online Beta Trial goes live towards the end of February.
4. Despite rumors that System 3 had some problems regarding Ferrari
licence, it is clear that FXX model will be in the new game. Can you tell us more about what did Ferrari said about previous game, and will there be other cars from Maranello in SCC? Also, can you tell us are there any surprises in manufacturer's rooster? And what about famous british TVR models that certanly should be in game like this?
Any issues with the Ferrari license are news to me! Ferrari loved the game and we’re working with them very closely on several projects, both game related and non-game related. SuperCar Challenge does play host to the FXX as well as some of the favourites from FC. We’ll be announcing various other models over the coming weeks but unfortunately TVR will not be amongst them. At one stage we were looking at the TVR Typhoon, as really this is the only TVR that fits into the ethos behind SuperCar Challenge but it’s not going to be in this game.
5. What do you see as the future of racing genre development? Is it community, is it mainstream, is it staying faithfull to hard-core drivers and building yourself a recignizable niche?
I worry about the hardcore racing simulation because, sadly, there is a relatively small market for such a pure experience. In a world where the majority of today’s games console owners want succinct gaming experiences such as party game mini-games, a racing game only be massively successful if it incorporates enough different play modes to cater to all these different people. Of course you can argue that games like GT are very successful but only a publishing giant such as Sony could achieve that kind of penetration. Sorry, I’m rambling! What I’m trying to say it, I hope the racing simulation genre doesn’t get diluted. I think it just means that any pure racing sim will have to have a completely different ‘arcade’ mode in order to be successful enough to warrant the sim side.
6. FC:TP almost pioneered in output of advanced 1080p resolution, which unfortunately caused some graphical lowdowns in other fields. Seeing how much SCC looks better than FC:TP can you tell us did you choose to go 720p this time, while using processing resources to make game looks this better that it's predecessor? Also, since FC:TP was also a pioneer in usage of advanced full DTS audio-mix, an you give some insights on other visual-audio tech used for SCC?
We’re still running at full 1080p although we have optimised the renderer to improve performance. From an audio point of view SCC has been completely re-worked. For instance, as well as having the extra engines, the way we process them has been refined to give a more natural feel between the different views. Skids sounds have more subtlety so you can tell when you’re reaching the limit. The observant people out there will notice that the screens we’re handing out at the moment are 720p but that’s only because a number of assets (such as dials) haven’t been recreated at full resolution just yet!
7. One of the features that driving fans are looking for in simulation
is tyre-wear and pit-stops. Can we finally expect them in SCC in any
way?
Ultimately you have to look at SuperCar Challenge as an evolution and refinement of FC. Obviously the development period reflects this so extras that require a massive amount of time, such as those you mentioned, will not be in SuperCar Challenge. We were talking earlier about the future of the racing sim and I think tyre-wear and pit stops are a must for the next round of racing sims.
8. FCTP introduced us with astonishing rain-simulation, which looked and felt gorgeous. Are there any surprises regarding weather options in general, or something like that?
I’m glad you liked the rain — it’s even better this time around. Handling aside it’s the thing I’m most proud of. I’m afraid there are no other surprises in terms of the weather though!
9. Almost year ago there was a rumor that you're already planing (making?) Ferrari Challenge: TP sequel based on street racing - as opposite to track-racing "nature" of previous games. Is something like that really in plans?
Obviously we’re always thinking about the next big thing. Ferrari Challenge Street Racing would be pretty cool wouldn’t it? Sadly I can’t say anything about what we’ll be working on next.
10. I can predict there is going to be Trophy support, but what are the plans regarding DLC content, when can we expect it and can you give us any insight regarding its content and pricing?
DLC is something that’s going to be come more and more common as the year progresses. Right now though we’re still trying to resolve a few issues with the original DLC we had planned for FC. Obviously I don’t want to promise something that we can’t 100% deliver on but when I can give you concrete information about DLC I will.
11. System 3 are celebrating over quarter of the century, lasting from the days of Atari 2600 consoles. The industry has changed dramatically since then, and you've also changed the S3's business path from full-priced to mid-priced games, and than back to full-priced titles like Ferrari Challenge. As a producer, what is the "next-gen" perspective for small-and-mid-sized
3rd party publishers as System 3?
Of course the biggest difference is the sheer amount of man-power and cost associated with modern day projects. Creating a competitive racing game for either PS3 or Xbox 360 is a vast undertaking and, no matter how big the company’s bank balance, it can make or break you. It’s every developer’s dream to work on a a high-budget title (such as SuperCar Challenge) but these you simply have to have the mid-range games there to support you while the game progresses through a lengthly development schedule. That doesn’t mean churning out rubbish but games such as Williams Pinball Classics and PowerPlay Pool allow us to release great games without dedicated a team of 50 people to one project for a year or so.
12. Can you describe us what does the licensing process looks like? How
was for you to negotiate with Ferrari, worldwide known as probably the "hardest" company to negotiate with about licensing? Also, now with SuperCar Challenge in the works, can you compare the licensing of different companies - for instance differences between Ferrari Spa, Lamborghini and Aston Martin? And why is Porsche impossible to find in any game but few selected on X360 consoles?
Understandably Ferrari is very protective over its IP. It upholds the highest standards and that’s one of the reasons why it’s where it is today. But that’s fine — we also maintain extremely high standards when it comes to the accuracy of our car models so working with Ferrari was a joy. It was amazing to share our passion with them and they appreciated our dedication to making their cars look and handle great in the game.
With SuperCar Challenge it was still very time consuming talking to all those manufacturers but when you have a product like Ferrari Challenge to go to these people with half the job is done already. The game speaks for itself and there wasn’t one manufacturer who looked at that and wasn’t impressed.
13. Even without major advertising and appearance, FC:TP gained nice sales and created an army of devoted fans. Even though game had its downfalls, overall quality and important details made players now waiting for SCC very impatiently. From your point of view can you comment us of what are the most important fields you've wanted to be fixed from FCTP to SCC, and what are the plans for introducing SCC to the larger audience?
It was always going to be a case of slowly building the System 3 racing brand. There’s no way around that unless you throw €50 million at TV advertising. With Ferrari Challenge we proved the point that there’s more to the racing world than Gran Turismo, Forza and PGR. There are other options and, actually, when it comes to the car handing we think we have the superior game.
So when it came to SCC we wanted to take FC and make it appeal to a wider audience. We’ve done that by adding a wider variety of cars, a Career mode that actually gives you a sense of progression, more tracks and of course we added driving options that allow ‘normal’ people to enjoy racing.
14. FCTP was multiplatform title. While EU sales are hard to collect, from USA sales is visible that game performed very well on both PS2 and Wii. Why did you decide to go with SCC as exclusive PS3 title?
The Wii version of FC is actually a great technical achievement but with SCC we wanted to show what we can do when we really start pushing the engine. With the damage, 16 cars on screen, weather effects, a stable framerate, enhanced smoke and enhanced water spray we think we’ve done that. That kind of stuff just isn’t possible on the Wii while maintaining a respectable framerate and there’s also the fact that we wanted the team to concentrate on just one type of game.
Interview copyright GamePlay Magazine 2009, published in March issue. Appearance on GTPlanet.net in accordance with publisher, as an online-only special
***ENDS***
SuperCar Chalenge Car List
Ferrari Cars:
250 LM
550 Maranello GT
550 Maranello
360 GT
360 Moderna
F355 Berlinetta
512 S
512 M
F355 Challenge
F430 GT2
348 Challenge
F40
F50
GTO
F330 P4
F365 GTS4
430 Scuderia
F430 Spider
F512M 94
599 GTB Fiorano
612 Scaglietti
612 System 3
Ferrari California
Ferrari F50 GT
Enzo Ferrari
F430 Challenge
250 GTO
FXX
575 GTC
575M Maranello
F333 SP
365 GTB / 4 Comp
348 TB
250 Testa Rossa
non-Ferrari Cars:
Lamborghini Murcialago RGT
Aston Martin DBR9
Lamborghini Gallardo GT
Koenigsegg CCX
Maserati MC12
McLaren F1
Mercedes SLR
Pagani Zonda F
Bugatti Veyron EB
Chevrolet Corvette C6R
SuperCar Chalenge Track List
Spa, Belgium
Infinion Sprint, USA
Vallelunga, Italy
Homestead Oval, USA
Mugello Sports, Italy
Hockenheim, Germany
Silverstone Southern, GB
Virginia, USA
Homestead Infield, USA
Monza, Italy
Mont Tremblant, Canada
Paul Ricard, France
California, USA
Misano, Italy
Redwood Park, Canada
Infinion, USA
Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit, GB
Mugello Internazionale, Italy
Nürburgring, Germany
Riviera, France
California Oval, USA
Silverstone National, GB
This concludes the first post inside this official thread, if any admin/mod would like to move it outside the Ferrari Challenge section in order to avoid further confusion it would be great.
Thanx everybody and regards.
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I will be getting this for sure 
