Video game development is rarely about one man, but if it was, then Terence Groening should certainly get a mention for his contributions to the genre as the man responsible for the physics of Sportscar GT, EA’s PC F1 and NASCAR games of the early 2000’s, rFactor, rFactor 2 and every title and rFpro simulator that spawned from ISI’s engine.
This interview with RSC details his early life and career, through to him joining iRacing in 2021.
RSC contains a database of 153 developers, 467 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...
Here is the full press release:
F1 2012™ TO INTRODUCE YOUNG DRIVER TEST AND LAUNCH WORLDWIDE IN SEPTEMBER
The official game of the 2012 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP™ coming to HD consoles and PC in SeptemberLondon, UK – Friday 16th March 2012, 4pm – Ahead of the first race of the 2012 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP in Melbourne this weekend, Codemasters today announced that F1 2012 will launch worldwide in September for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and PC. F1 2012 is the next game in the award-winning, multi-million selling series from Codemasters as part of an exclusive multi-year deal with Formula One World Championship Limited. To mark the announcement and introduce one of F1 2012’s new headline features, Codemasters has released a video following F1 2012 Creative Director, Stephen Hood, as he meets the next generation of drivers at the Young Driver Test. Filmed at the Yas Marina Circuit, home of the FORMULA 1 ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX, Stephen asks if their experience with Codemasters’ FORMULA ONE™ games has been of benefit as they prepare for a career in the world’s most exciting motorsport in real life. The video is now playing at www.youtube.com/codemastersgames. F1 2012 will introduce a new Young Driver Test mode as one of the headline additions to the series that will take players even closer to the experience of becoming a FORMULA ONE driver. Players will be introduced to the world of FORMULA ONE through a range of tutorials explaining how to handle racing’s most exciting and responsive cars, and challenged to earn a drive from a team for the 2012 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. In the video, rising star Sam Bird, testing for Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, says, “I think Codemasters have done a super job of giving regular people a proper insight into what a FORMULA ONE car is like.” Stefano Coletti, representing Scuderia Toro Rosso added, “When I came to Abu Dhabi I couldn’t go to the simulator so I switched on the videogame and started to play. It actually worked because when I got here I felt like I’d already driven [the circuit]. It was my first race in GP2, first ever time in GP2, and I won in my first race so it actually helped.” In F1 2012 players will feel the unparalleled thrill of becoming a FORMULA ONE driver with a host of new features, wide-ranging technical and gameplay advancements and extensive competitive and co-operative multiplayer components. F1 2012 will feature all of the official teams, drivers and circuits from the 2012 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, including the debut of the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX at Austin, Texas and the return of Germany’s famous Hockenheim circuit to the calendar. F1 2012 is set to deliver the most accessible and immersive FORMULA ONE game for fans of all abilities. F1 2012 is in development at Codemasters Birmingham for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft®, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system and PC and is available for pre-order ahead of its September worldwide release. To get all the news straight from the studio, race over to www.facebook.com/formula1game or follow the team on twitter at www.twitter.com/formula1game.
