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?
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.
Join Jon Denton, Tim Wheatley, Simon Croft and guest(s) as they discuss sim racing and racing games past, present and future.
SIMBIN today released v1.5.0.0, which updates the v1.2, v1.3 retail or updated v1.4 versions and adds a number of important multiplayer features. You can grab it from the downloads page.
GTR 1.5.0.0 Update
This update can be applied to any of the following versions: 1.2.0.0, 1.2.1.0, 1.2.3.0, 1.3.0.0, 1.4.0.0
Changes since 1.4.0.0:
Miscelaneous fixes
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o Eastern European character input updateso Number characters input fix for Czech
o “@” character input fix on German keyboard
o Alt Gr characters input fixed
o Various localisation issues fixed
GTR – FIA GT Racing Game is a sports car racing simulator developed by SimBin Studios for PC. It was the first release for the studio who formed from modders going pro. The game simulates the FIA GT Championship racing series. It uses Image Space Incorporated’s rFactor engine as a codebase.