Taken from Codemasters\' Europe site;
"Codemasters mixes fact and fiction in TOCA Race Driver - a dramatic new edition of the best-selling real racing experience Codemasters is promising the most immersive racing experience ever by enveloping gamers in the heart of a global racing championship with the announcement of TOCA Race Driver*.
The TOCA series is one of the games industry\'s most successful entertainment brands. The advent of TOCA Race Driver marks a true convergence of racing gaming and cinematic experience as the title becomes the first licence based racer to introduce a character and plot-driven narrative with both on and off-circuit developments.
Due in 2002 for PlayStation 2, PC CD-ROM and other next-generation platforms, TOCA Race Driver is the evolution of Codemasters\' critically acclaimed TOCA Touring Car series, which has shipped over 3.5 million copies.
Says Gavin Raeburn, Codemasters\' Studio Head and Producer of the TOCA series: "It\'s no longer sufficient or exciting to deliver a new edition of a best-selling franchise that just recreates previous editions on a new format. "We have got to move on from the expectation that a sequel can be justified by simply adding more cars and tracks. With TOCA Race Driver we want to move the whole racing genre forward by delivering a very personal experience that the gamer can passionately connect with."
Retaining the series\' core values of close-contact racing with real cars, real teams, real track, real drivers and an astounding damage engine, TOCA Race Driver introduces a character-based narrative and episodic storyline. The game blends real world global championships with a fictional cast; the player takes the central role of aspiring driver Ryan McKane.
The heart of the game sees the player advancing Ryan\'s career from a test driver to a potential world champion. Ryan\'s races form part of the evolving narrative which involve his racing colleagues and his fiercely competitive family who have a rich heritage in motor racing.
From the outset, TOCA Race Driver will draw the player in by doing away with standard game furniture such as front ends, option screens and the standard game-opening periphery.
The meat of the TOCA Race Driver experience is the sublime racing action, provided by an all new physics and AI system that takes full advantage of the power of the next generation platforms. Complete with its unique FEM (Finite Element Modelling) damage system (see Notes), the high impact collisions form an exciting part of the whole experience.
Building on the international aspect of the game, so well received in TOCA World Touring Cars, Codemasters will also be featuring some of the world\'s flagship Racing Car Championships in the game. Adding to the British Touring Car Championship licence, rights have also been secured to additional overseas series including Germany\'s DTM Championship and Australia\'s AVESCO V8 Supercar Shell Championship Series.
The additional licenses will be utilised for headline titling in specific territories. In Australia and New Zealand, the game will be launched as V8 Supercar Race Driver, in Germany it will be titled DTM Race Driver and in the USA, the game will be marketed as Pro Race Driver. The TOCA Race Driver brand will be used in the UK and all other remaining territories.
Says Michael Hayes, Codemasters\' Marketing Director: "The character element to the game is a real way for the player to connect with the racing experience. It doesn\'t take over the game, it enhances the atmosphere, building tension and settings for each race. "While the racing game category is hugely competitive, Codemasters\' reputation as one of the world\'s leading driving game developers ensures that TOCA Race Driver will be one of the most anticipated and successful multi-format racing titles of next year."
TOCA Race Driver is currently in development at Codemasters with a team of 45 working on it. The title will launch on PlayStation 2, PC and other platforms in 2002.
* Important - Game branding in International territories:
UK / remaining RoW - TOCA Race Driver
Germany - DTM Race Driver
Australia / New Zealand - V8 Supercar Race Driver
USA - Pro Race Driver
FEM (Finite Element Modelling) Damage System
The FEM damage model simulates the deformation of cars structure over the duration of an impact, calculating how both the internal structure and outer bodywork of the cars twist and break. This physics based approach gives unparalleled realism with different impact results every time depending on the exact conditions of the crash."
I\'m not too keen on this whole story thing, but I\'m just glad the game will be comming to North America - the AI, racind and damage models in Jarret and Labonte Stock Car Racing were the best I\'ve seen in a racing game, and if Codemasters are improving on that this game could likely be the best RACING game in a long time.
Topic: Toca becomes Pro Race Driver ( Pics ) (Read 1280 times)