The cat is finally out of the bag as Microsoft and Turn 10 have officially announced Forza Motorsport 3 today, the third installment of the Forza series on the Microsoft Xbox 360.
As leaked before, Forza Motorsport 3 will include over 400 cars and 100 tracks. No car or track list is available yet, mentioned tracks include the Nürburgring Nordschleife, Sebring and Suzuka.
Turn 10 claims that Forza 3 will be a title that will appeal to all audiences, from casual console gamers to simulation enthusiasts thanks to a variety of adjustable assists. Futhermore, Turn 10 claims that the newest Forza title will be powered by the most advanced physics model, artificial intelligence and damage calculations. While damage is something that already sets Forza apart from their Playstation rival Gran Turismo, Forza 3 closes one of the gaps to GT by introducing a cockpit mode.
Cockpits aren’t the only improvement in terms of graphics as the cars in Forza 3 have been built with more than ten times the polygons as in Forza 2.
Forza 3 is planned to be released in October, below are the first preview shots showing various sports cars racing on a very scenic fictional track. Furthermore, a first video trailer is available. It can be seen as Youtube version below, a high-resolution download is also provided.
Download Forza Motorsport E3 Trailer High Resolution Version Here
tezuka_18
June 1st, 2009 at 22:33
Official site is up
http://forzamotorsport.net/en-us/game/default.htm
One of my XBL buddies, Landin Williams A.K.A. SideFX is in the second trailer
UncleChuckle
June 1st, 2009 at 22:50
Have to say the actual segment on the keynote absolutely slaughtered my interest. Was psyched to see it and highlighting crashes (which were frankly absurd) and that stupid stunt video… It just left me cold. All sizzle and no steak.
Hopefully the official site and you guys, Inside Sim Racing etc… Can win me back. I’ve been a Gran Turismo fan for years. This generation I’ve jumped ship to the Xbox and just 24 hours ago said to my wife I hoped Forza 3 was covered at the keynote, but all the beardy guy did was make me concerned that the game is not what I was hoping for.
WIN ME BACK! PLEASE!
On a postive note, they should have stuck the knife and said “We have damage!” Yes, Polyphony have claimed GT5 will have damage. They also claimed the online version of GT4 would be out “Later this year” in 2005.
Montoya
June 1st, 2009 at 22:53
I think they´re just advertising the stuff that’s more interesting to the general audience such as all this drifting and whatnot.
The “real” qualities it might have such as real life race tracks, race cars and realistic physics aren’t what the masses want to see I guess.
We just have to wait for new preview material and the game itself to see what Forza will be capable of in that field. They´ve made quite a bold statement about their physcis engine though.
Personally, I´m still wondering what will be announced on Friday before the Le Mans 24 Hour race…maybe they have something neat in store for fans of realistic racing.
UncleChuckle
June 1st, 2009 at 22:56
I figured they were probably pimping to the masses, but when GT4 was pimped at E3 I remember being excited. But then I knew the GT series. I guess it’s the fact that for me Forza is an unknown quantity.
And yes, I had forgotten the Le Mans announcement!
UncleChuckle
June 1st, 2009 at 22:59
Actually, in Forza is there anything like GT’s Photo Mode? Loved playing with that.
mbeast
June 1st, 2009 at 23:05
Played the first one to death. Just about the only game I’ve really got into on the 360. Certainly looks much nicer than Forza 2 and dashboard is a huge addition in terms of immersion.
Too bad you’ll only be “allowed” to use a horrible official microsoft wheel with it
UncleChuckle
June 1st, 2009 at 23:10
Just read the link below and my faith is partly restored.
http://forzamotorsport.net/en-us/fm3_factsheet.htm
Of course that might all be old news, but I only decided on getting an Xbox in the last couple of weeks.
100 tracks is cool, but is this the usual “Let’s count the reverse ones too”? Regardless, that’s a lot of tracks.
Even with my scepticism, being the junkie I am, I will most likely be buying it. Sucks about being forced to use the official wheel, but oh well.
ermax18
June 1st, 2009 at 23:12
Now that the 360 has the Fanatec wheels it is finally capable of having a true sim. Before that the 360 was just a toy with a toy wheel and a gamepad. Lets hope the 360 turns into a real sim.
Sodapop
June 2nd, 2009 at 00:22
I’m sorta used to flipping cars ,due to driving in some insane rfactor races, but it’s still nice seeing the console guys finally getting this feature. Looks like GT5 better step up it’s game. Flipping cars and damage with GT’s graphics would be just too frakkin cool for words.
Sodapop out.
JimmyB
June 2nd, 2009 at 02:01
Looks ace.
I enjoyed Forza 2, but the career mode tended to get very old very quickly. I’m hoping for some proper AI this time more than anything. The graphics almost look GT5-esque, and 400+ cars with cockpits like that is almost unthinkable!
GeraArg
June 2nd, 2009 at 03:21
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95FBSmSems8
Sodapop
June 2nd, 2009 at 04:07
That’s the trailer for the video editor. Some people only bought forza 2 to make “movies” like this. Other’s only bought it to paint as many cars as possible and then trade them… I don’t understand it either.
tezuka_18
June 2nd, 2009 at 05:38
Actual Gameplay footage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDlE4s0X4so
I’ll post more when i find it
HOBBS77
June 2nd, 2009 at 06:01
My concern is like all the rest of the racing games on the 360. Lack of force feedback due to the fact that MS won’t allow it to be turned up because they’re afraid of their inferior wheel not being able to handle it.
Mr. A
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:01
Looks like this game have evolved very nicely since Forza 2. I was hoping we would see bigger grids though. Only 8 cars in a race can get boring quite fast imo.
Octavarium
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:14
Larger grids would have been nice.
Also hoping for:
- Some sort of qualifying
- Better AI
- More realistic race cars (developers of Forza 2 grouped the race cars into 4 categories, based seemingly on looks rather than real life performance)
- Customising arcade races, don’t want to be restricted to a handful of laps in exhibition mode.
Looks sweet though and seeing as I only play Forza 2 with a gamepad for casual fun I’m not as worried about wheel implementation.
Octavarium
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:18
Hmmm just watched the stunting video… that was a bit silly but the crash physics look great nonetheless.
Mr. A
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:19
Oh yeah, I forgot about customisable single player races. That would be a much needed addition. Also, replays when playing splitscreen multiplayer.
mikem
June 2nd, 2009 at 22:30
Polyphony Digital finally showed the GT5 teaser at the end of Sony’s Press Conference and yes there will be damage and like Kazunori has always stated, he wanted it to be as realistic as possible and the damage they showed on the Subaru WRX looked a hell of a lot better than what’s shown on Forza 3 trailer. Sorry, but as of now Forza 3 is no longer the definitive racing game. Here: http://www.gtplanet.net/first-gran-turismo-5-damage-screenshot/
And from the trailer, it seems that the car grid has been increased from the 16 (in GT5 Prologue) to 18.
And now the GT5 trailer: http://www.gran-turismo.com/en/movie/d3284.html
dadada1
June 3rd, 2009 at 01:08
No Forza 3 is the definitive crashing game, or is that Shift?
erale
June 3rd, 2009 at 15:20
@mikem: you realized that the GT5 trailer didn’t show any ingame footage?
mikem
June 3rd, 2009 at 18:41
Yes, I do and I wasn’t expecting it to be any different from when Prologue was announced at 2007 E3. When the game was finally released in December of that year in Japan, it has all the features that was shown in the first teaser and following trailers. While it is not in game footage- Polyphony Digital seldom if ever show in game footage even in game screenshot releases are “enhanced” gameplay footage. The only time you actually get to see the actual game is when it’s finally released.
erale:
@mikem: you realized that the GT5 trailer didn’t show any ingame footage?