Better known today as the developer of Skyrim and Fallout, Bethesda once had a well-respected racing game franchise and were deep into development of a licensed Skip Barber Racing title that never released.
Originally known as Papyrus Design, the legendary Massachusetts-based software studio developed highly-regarded simulation titles and published with Electronic Arts, Virgin Interactive and Sierra before their shutdown by Vivendi, owners of Sierra, in 2004.
Co-founded by arguably the father of the modern racing simulation, David Kaemmer, the studio created NASCAR and IndyCar titles that consistently pushed the genre forwards.
Their groundbreaking Grand Prix Legends game engine was used in three NASCAR titles between 2001-2003, evolving to become iRacing after Kaemmer re-acquired former Papyrus assets for his new company.
Join Jon Denton, Tim Wheatley, Simon Croft and guest(s) as they discuss sim racing and racing games past, present and future.
Kunos Simulazioni today deployed three new cars and three new laser scanned tracks to the Ferrari Virtual Academy simulation.
Official screenshots:
Tracks:
– Fiorano laser scanned track. Official Ferrari test track.
– Mugello laser scanned track.
– Nuerburgring GP laser scanned track.
Cars
– Ferrari F10 2010 Formula 1 car
– Ferrari 150° Italia 2011 Formula 1 car, with DRS and KERS technology
– Ferrari 458 Challenge car, with ABS and Traction Control.
Here is the text of their announcement:
One year after its official presentation at Monza, at the Italian GP weekend, the Ferrari Virtual Academy has now brought out a new and exclusive update, called the “Adrenaline Pack” giving fans the chance to test their reflexes with two new cars. The 150° Italia is this year’s current Scuderia Ferrari Formula 1 car, while the 458 Challenge is the latest and fifth car that Ferrari has used in its one-make Championship, which delivers extreme performance and a thrilling drive.
Starting with real data from the cars, the new package reproduces the aerodynamic effects, tyre characteristics, the suspension and handling, while particular attention has been paid to engine noise. Another major novelty is the faithful reproduction of F1-Trac, the most sophisticated traction control system in the world, which assures continuous high levels of grip, which is a big performance aid. And when it comes to the Formula 1 car, it includes this season’s tweaks, the KERS and the DRS.
Official screenshots: