Asobo, known today as the Microsoft Flight Simulator developer, created groundbreaking technology for large scale maps that was intended to be used in a high quality rally raid title. It was never released and ended up as FUEL, a post-apocalyptic open-world racing game. What happened?
RSC contains a database of 153 developers, 468 software titles, 374 cars, 42 bikes, 242 tracks and more...Originally working in military simulator design, this Michigan-based studio developed Zone Raiders for Virgin Interactive before moving to Electronic Arts for publishing their second PC title, Sports Car GT, when Westwood Studios (their SCGT development partner) was acquired by the software giant.
Known primarily for their mod-friendly SCGT and rFactor racing platforms, ISI also developed Formula One and NASCAR titles on PC for Electronic Arts, but perhaps their lasting contribution to the genre was the licensing of the isiMotor engine that allowed studios such as 2Pez, Blimey! Games, KW Studios, Motorsport Games, Reiza Studios, SIMBIN Studios, Slightly Mad Studios, The Sim Factory, Tiburon and rFactor 2‘s ongoing developer Studio 397 to begin with or release on an evolution of their software.
Another fork of the isiMotor engine, rFpro, continues to be developed and is used by a wide array of automotive companies for both road and motorsport simulation.
RSC Podcast Episode 7 – Management Simulations, F1 Managers, Always Used To Be Better?Join Jon Denton, Tim Wheatley, Simon Croft and guest(s) as they discuss sim racing and racing games past, present and future.
RSC contains a database of news items. Our #OnThisDay page shows current day and current week of years past...
RSC contains a database of videos back to the 1980s catalogued as intros, laps, trailers, unboxings and more...
RSC contains a database of emulated software you can play in your browser...
Shortly before Christmas Studio 397 previewed the Ferrari 499P Hypercar with thirty-six screenshots around Monza at various times of day and night, a video teaser featuring real-world footage, and then some in-game footage showing off both the cockpit and external viewpoints as two cars battled their way around the track.
Various social media posts featured the images and video, along with commentary that suggests Studio 397 worked very closely with Ferrari in building the car:
Dom Duhan, Head of Studio 397: “Our technical collaboration with Ferrari has allowed us to replicate the intricacies of the real-world car and without Ferrari’s engineering and dedicated input it would undoubtedly have been a bigger challenge to bring the 499P to life.”
The in-game videos, edited into a single one below (past the screenshots), state that they were driven with a gamepad. This will, in my opinion, have been done purposefully to show off a level of accessibility.
On track:
Sunset:
Night:
Videos:
View this video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qCVDwcrXBhQ and please consider subscribing to RSC’s main channel.
Announced with the mention of a “24 Hours of Le Mans” title in the press release announcing the acquisition of Studio 397 and rFactor 2. This title is expected to use rFactor 2’s physics.
