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...
Papyrus today announced that SODA Off-Road Racing is now available. The software includes Rendition hardware acceleration and has an amazing revolutionary new physics engine.
Press release:
PAPYRUS SHIPS SODA OFF-ROAD RACING
Watertown, MA, October 27, 1997 — Papyrus Design Group, a division of Sierra On-Line, Inc., announces that its first off-road driving program, SODA Off-Road Racing, ships to stores this week.
“We had a terrific time creating the most realistic off-road racing simulator,” said Steven Travers, producer of SODA Off-Road Racing, “and with three different driving environments, three different vehicle classes and the Track Designer tool, we have provided a long-term challenge with tons of gameplay.”
The product includes out-of-the-box Rendition support, an Internet World Wide Ranking System, advanced damage models, several multiplayer options, and twelve pre-constructed tracks for competition. In addition, SODA Off-Road Racing includes an easy-to-use track designer, the first of its kind for off-road driving products.
A demo of the product is available at http://www.sierra.com/motorsports. SODA Off-Road Racing, on CD-ROM for Windows 95, carries a suggested retail price of $49.95. The product can be purchased at computer stores everywhere or by calling Sierra direct at (800) 757-7707.
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Papyrus Design Group is a software development division of Sierra On-Line, Inc. Developers of the most compelling software-based racing experiences possible, Papyrus’ best-selling products include the NASCAR Racing and CART Racing lines. Upcoming titles include the NASCAR Grand National Series Expansion Pack and Grand Prix Legends. Winners of four Software Publishers Association CODIE awards, Papyrus has a ten-year reputation for superior use of physics and realism. Located in Watertown, Massachusetts, Papyrus employs 75 artists, engineers and marketing staff.
Sierra, located in Bellevue, WA, is one of the original developers and largest worldwide publishers of interactive entertainment and productivity software. In July 1996, Sierra was acquired by CUC International, Inc. (NYSE: CU), a technology-driven retail and membership services company that provides access to travel, shopping, auto, dining, home improvement, financial and other services to more than 70 million consumers worldwide. Sierra is part of CUC Software, an operating unit that consolidates the sales, manufacturing, finance, accounting and management of CUC International’s software divisions.
SODA is a simulation based on the Short Course Off-Road Drivers series, but did not contain any officially licensed cars or real-world tracks.
