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...
SMS have announced that via WMD the Project CARS project has passed more than $0.5M in funding so far.
Press release:
Crowd Funding Development Platform “World Of Mass Development” Successfully Underway
More than half a million Euros raised for racing project C.A.R.S. since launch in October 2011London, March 23, 2012: Slightly Mad Studios today announced that its innovative crowd funded development platform “World Of Mass Development” is running successfully. The first title, with a working title of Project C.A.R.S., has raised already more than half a million Euros since launch in October 2011.
The WMD platform, hosted at www.wmdportal.com, enables gamers to contribute directly to the development of upcoming titles, as well as giving them an in depth appreciation of the game creation process. As well as enjoying the game as it is being built, they are also rewarded for their contribution by earning a share of any profit each game makes.
More than forty thousand members have already signed up for Project C.A.R.S. at WMD, becoming part of the game development process and helping to make it the best racing simulation ever created.
“It’s great to see our WMP portal performing well. It’s nothing less than a revolutionary new approach to game development and funding. It allows developers to make the game they want to make, without undue publisher pressure. The concept of WMD allows developers to submit design ideas to an active gaming community, raise the funds needed to develop them, and get continual feedback from community team members that test work-in-progress builds. They can also use the WMD Portal to promote their project, get help from other developers, and ultimately successfully launch their game,” said Ian Bell, CEO of Slightly Mad Studios.
SMS Development Director Andy Garton continued: “The new platform allows players to browse available projects and join those they are interested in. They then get to download and play regular builds of each game, as well as participating in game design discussions and the decision making process. They speak directly to the developers, and eventually earn financial rewards for their contribution when the game is released. WMD is therefore a unique prospect for both developers looking to raise funds for their projects and gamers that want to get involved in the exciting process of game development.”
About Slightly Mad Studios Ltd
Slightly Mad Studios is an independent, award-winning developer known most recently for its work on Electronic Arts’ Need For Speed franchise with the successful SHIFT series. The company has a core studio located near Tower Bridge, London but predominantly uses a unique distributed development system that allows the team to attract worldwide talent, be cost-effective and ultra-efficient.
