Colin McRae DIRT (56K)

[Loke]

Link.

Colin McRae DIRT has been skidding around behind closed doors since E3 earlier this year, but Codemasters' has revealed little about it's next-gen off-road racer - until now. Speaking exclusively with IGN, Alex Grimbley, producer on Colin McRae DIRT, lifts the lid on the game and the Neon technology that promises to make it one of the most realistic driving experiences on PlayStation 3.

IGN: What has the Neon engine allowed you to achieve with DIRT that wasn't possible on current-gen technology?

Alex Grimbley: All the benefits of the Neon engine are too numerous to list. There are however some obvious highlights, such as the real-time soft body car damage. In more simple terms, you will literally be able to wrap your car round a tree. Track and environment damage will surpass anything that has been seen before in a racing title, with Armco bending, wire snapping and wood splintering. All these effects will create a sense of realism that hasn't been seen previously.

A further highlight of Neon is that it will allow us to stream in unique car engine audio sets and have the most realistic crash sounds ever, with no two crashes ever sounding the same. Our truly next-gen engine has allowed us to enhance every aspect of the game.

IGN: Dakar-style trucks are included in the game - does that mean open, sprawling tracks will also feature, as well as the traditional rally legs? What other course types will feature in DIRT?

Alex Grimbley: DIRT will feature more tracks, events and head-to-head racing than any previous Colin McRae game, including Dakar-style desert environments sprawling across hostile terrain. In addition to Dakar we also have off-road racing in the form of the CORR desert series. Other events include all 12 miles of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, featuring 800bhp cars racing on crazy mountain roads and winner-takes-all racing on purpose-built multi-route crossover stages. All in all there will be something to appeal to any fan of off-road motor sport.

 

[PriNcE oF SpAcE]

they've gone a bit psycho with the motion blur and depth of field IMO, but other than that I guess it sounds interesting.

 

[lePobz]

It's on the 360 too ... why dont they mention that?

 

[Dalamari]

I want, no wait, I NEED that in my life, right now, I usually hate rally games but that looks like 20 kinds of awesome

 

[Shamrock]

they've gone a bit psycho with the motion blur and depth of field IMO, but other than that I guess it sounds interesting.

I noticed that, too. Especially on this picture. Can someone name me a time where you have been driving and everything in front of you was blurry? Excluding the obvious, "I just snorted 10 kilos of crack and took 32 shots of Jack."

 

[Drackard]

Have to say that looks bloody amazing !... Played a few of the other Colin Macrae's and they wern't too bad but this really takes me fancy

 

[Anthraxxx]

I noticed that, too. Especially on this picture. Can someone name me a time where you have been driving and everything in front of you was blurry? Excluding the obvious, "I just snorted 10 kilos of crack and took 32 shots of Jack."

There have been times when I've been out driving for pleasure on a few twisty roads, and when I really push it, i'll get tunnel vision because I'm concentrating on the road ahead. The motion blur really isn't that unrealistic. Many rally drivers will tell you that they get tunnel vision and would have crashed without their co-driver giving them input on what's coming on the road ahead.

edit: Oh, and this game looks great. I <3 rally almost as much as I <3 Dorifto!

 

[Shamrock]

There have been times when I've been out driving for pleasure on a few twisty roads, and when I really push it, i'll get tunnel vision because I'm concentrating on the road ahead. The motion blur really isn't that unrealistic. Many rally drivers will tell you that they get tunnel vision and would have crashed without their co-driver giving them input on what's coming on the road ahead.

edit: Oh, and this game looks great. I <3 rally almost as much as I <3 Dorifto!

I just noticed that the guy was only traveling at 73 MPH, and he was able to get tunnel vision from that? I never got such vision at 70, not even 80.

 

[Anthraxxx]

Sure, not on a highway. It's completely different when you're taking corner after corner as fast as you can. It's a concentration thing that causes the tunnel vision. Lose concentration on your driving and you might end up driving over a cliff, which is why rally drivers have a co-driver to keep them posted on what's up ahead.

 

[Warbie]

Looks awesome

 

[Shamrock]

Sure, not on a highway. It's completely different when you're taking corner after corner as fast as you can. It's a concentration thing that causes the tunnel vision. Lose concentration on your driving and you might end up driving over a cliff, which is why rally drivers have a co-driver to keep them posted on what's up ahead.

You know what, I don't even know why I am complaining about that. When I play racing games, I never drive in that view. I always drive in the standard back view.

 

[Drackard]

You know what, I don't even know why I am complaining about that. When I play racing games, I never drive in that view. I always drive in the standard back view.

Same, however i think this game could change that for me

 

[Baal]

That's all I see.

But in all seriousness, it DOES look pretty good, but the blur is overdone; at least from what the screenshots present.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Shit yeah. Been waiting for a new Colin Mcrae game to pop up. One of my favourite racing series, and this one looks like the best yet

Edit - Also, I can see the blur looking alot better in motion.

 

[Loke]

I would still like to see it in motion before I get all hyped up. It could look fantastic in screenshots but look complete shit in motion.

 

[Naudian]

http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/a...ae-gets-dirty-with-neon-20061115074927123.jpg

WTF! The only thing in-focus in that pic is the car/fence/trees in the top right of the pic!

Heh, yea it will look awesome while actually playing, but really...god damn. Blurring the shit out of the environment doesn't make it more realistic!

 

[B_MAN]

yes!
ive been waiting/hoping for a next gen rally game
yet another reason for me to get a ps3

 

[3ssence]

All driving games (which are at least making an attempt at realism) should be played from the in car or bonnet view.... end of ! Part of what makes PGR3 so great is that the in car view is so detailed and immersive. You see what you would see from inside a real car, and as far as racing games go that's as good as it's going to get. Last time i checked, when i drive i can't see my car from an elevated position behind my car !!

This looks great, very detailed and pretty realistic (ignoring the "omg motion blur" that people seem to be complaining about) and being a mcrae game they are bound to have the driving physics down pretty well (by far the most important aspect), so all in all i look forward to this being a great game.

 

[Gargantou]

B_MAN, well, to be fair, this game is coming to the 360 too.
Heck, it's even coming to PC afaik.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Yep, 360 PS3 and PC according to IGN, so take your pick.

Also, I always played Colin Mcrae and TOCA from the bonnet view. The in-car looks cool, but it's too obstructive and I can't really concentrate on driving.

 

[3ssence]

Yep, 360 PS3 and PC according to IGN, so take your pick.

Also, I always played Colin Mcrae and TOCA from the bonnet view. The in-car looks cool, but it's too obstructive and I can't really concentrate on driving.

I don't disagree with you, it's harder to drive from the in car view, but i figure that they have to put up with the same when they're actually driving the real thing so i should as well !

 

[Dekstar]

What I don't get is with all these supposedly next-gen consoles which can 'supposedly' support HEEEYUUUUGE textures for stuff like, oh I dunno, everything. Why are the developers ruining everything by blurring those 'amazing' textures. I just think they're trying to cover up for only having 64x64 textures, and they just hope you won't notice.

 

[VictimOfScience]

No thanks--I'll wait for the next V-Rally or WRC thanks.

 

[StardogChampion]

as far as racing games go that's as good as it's going to get.

*cough* http://www.liveforspeed.net *cough*

 

[Bad^Hat]

I don't disagree with you, it's harder to drive from the in car view, but i figure that they have to put up with the same when they're actually driving the real thing so i should as well !

The actual drivers have a much wider field of vision than a TV set allows for, so they can focus on what's on the other side of the windscreen without always having the wheel/dashboard obscuring it. But then again, with widescreen and HDTVs now, you'd probably be able to simulate it a bit closer to the real thing...

 

[3ssence]

*cough* http://www.liveforspeed.net *cough*

You know what, i've never tried that out, And shame on me tbh !!! Now that you've bought it up i may have to look into it.

:thumbs:

Bad^Hat: You make a good point there, whilst you can see forward through the windscreen from an in car view, you usually can't see an apex or turn-in due to the pillars around the windscreen, whilst in a normal car you'd be able to see the apex or turn-in through the side windows to an extent.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Um... yeah, those things.

 

[3ssence]

Lol