Interview with the developers of pCars3.
I just found this in a danish gaming magazine.
Translated via google trans:
We talked to the developers and got a little look at Project Cars 3
Project Cars was a wonderful racing game. Project Cars 2 was even better. Slightly Mad Studios took all the earned experience from their work on titles such as GTR 2, Need for Speed: Shift and Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends and asked fans for money to realize the simulator dream, Project Cars, and since that day the studio has competed in the top of the sub-genre against big titles like Assetto Corsa and iRacing.
With the final game, a passionate team from the outskirts of London managed to challenge giants such as Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo, not to mention PC-exclusive simulator guns such as Raceroom and Rfactor.
And when we heard that Slightly Mad was getting ready to announce the third game of the series, we grabbed the chance to grab the studio and find out more.
Before producer Pete Morrish and esports manager Joe Barron of Slightly Mad jumped into an online meeting with us on Monday, I got the opportunity to see a roughly 20-minute presentation of Project Cars 3.
During this brief hands-off demo, the game was shown from several different angles, and although Ian Bell and his racing team currently do not discuss the selection of cars, the number of lanes and the included racing disciplines, it was clear that the studio aims to spread market and hit more players - something it has already done successfully with Project Cars 2.
"One of the most important aspects for us this time has been trying to create a racing game that never compromises on the fact that it simulates absolute reality when it comes to conditions on the track, how the cars behave and so on, but at the same time don't scare beginner players away. We want to make Project Cars 3 easier to get into. Easier, in the beginning, with a smaller threshold. Part of this has been about creating a better and more rewarding feeling when you drive a gamepad, "Morrish told us.
The presentation we get to see is more similar to Forza Horizon than Assetto Corsa, with neon yellow arrows, pink name tags, flashing icons and heavily italicized HUD typography.
I'm honestly a little surprised at how "arcade-like" it looks in terms of the presentation itself.
Early in the interview, I asked, more generally, whether the focus had shifted to a more easily accessible experience.
But Pete Morrish assures me that this is a misunderstanding.
"This is a pure simulator and we have built the game on the same engine with the same physics system on the stable foundation we created in Project Cars 2," the manufacturer explained.
"The car physics are finely polished and the driving is now even sharper, more intense.
At the same time, as I said, we aim to expand our target audience further, attract new players and be inclusive rather than exclusive, which I think some games in this sub-genre can actually be.
It's quickly becoming a bit boring in the racing simulator genre, I feel, a bit elitist, and we'll definitely try to counter that with Project Cars 3. "
The idea is, of course, a good one. With Project Cars 2, I think Slightly Mad succeeded better than many of its competitors, and continuing to build on this successful concept is smart.
But at the same time, the video presentation gave me the mood of, for example, Forza Motorsport 7, where Turn 10 tried to do exactly the same thing, but went a little too far.
That game was too easily accessible and too inviting when it came to new players, and in doing so, it scared away a portion of the racially-fixated hardcore audience who had adored Microsoft's Gran Turismo challenger since its Xbox premiere. Of course, there is a risk in everything, and although the user interface can be turned off in Project Cars, it feels at first glance as if it might be a bit too silly for my liking.
In addition, however much I loved Project Cars 2, there is a major problem that still plagues parts of the game, and I would ask Slightly Mad if they perceived the problem the same way I (and large parts of the gaming community) did and still does. Project Cars 2 was packed with content. A little too much, I would say. Parts of the game felt like they were overflowing. About 50 of the 170 cars never held the same high standard as the rest of the content, and this is something that Morrish is very conscious of.
"We know. We prayed for more than we could chew, and it got a little packed there, in certain sections and in certain places.
Some cars were much better made in terms of car physics than others, and there were also lanes that were less detailed than others.
We've been working hard on it this time. I can't promise other than that I really think Project Cars 3 will feel a lot smoother, tight. We are more focused this time. "
Can Project Cars 3 improve on top of an already brilliant recipe and offer a racing experience that keeps the most engaged fans engaged and at the same time attracting new blood?
When asked about the rallycross and whether it will be included or not, the study's representatives said they had no comment on it right now.
I get the same answer as I ask about the number of cars being included and whether the game is being released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
By now, all mouths are closed, at least a few more months.
