Posted on May 26th, 2009 in Other Sim Racing
Following today’s release of Volvo – The Game, the Swedish car maker has released another promo video on their free driving title, giving us a look behind the scenes at Simbin.
The video includes interviews with Simbin’s Henrik Roos & Jay Ekkel, make sure to check it out if you always wanted to take a backstage peek at the Swedish developer.
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Gabkicks
May 26th, 2009 at 23:31
LOL
UncleChuckle
May 27th, 2009 at 00:22
Apparently two tracks and six cars constitute a full game now. HAHAHA!
I got 41 seconds in before I found it too embarrassing to continue.
TheSTIG
May 27th, 2009 at 00:27
Too mutch talk about quality and how it is at the level of their other titles. Well it isn’t and I really hope that this is not what they call quality. Sure for a free game it is good but come on…
paupau
May 27th, 2009 at 00:56
I find that Volvo Concept embarasing. It doesn’t even have a working dashboard and they dare to say its top job, “spot on quality”. Other than that i find the S40 enjoyable, would love to see it in a full touring season.
I think they are over using “quality” to describe the game, or have SimBin lost it?
idlejimbo
May 27th, 2009 at 00:57
I think, in context, it’s actually pretty groundbreaking.
Technically speaking, it must’ve been so simple for Simbin to produce – use the same old game engine, make 6 similar cars and have 2 tracks, no damage model, let Volvo pay for it all, etc. Nothing too amazing there, but having a major car manufacturer effectively creating it’s own mod (albeit a standalone one!) to sell cars is something new.
I’ll ignore Ford Racing.
So come on Audi, give us “Le Mans: Peugeot pwnage The Game”.
UncleChuckle
May 27th, 2009 at 01:06
The 850 is a fun drive.
And I agree with idlejimbo, it’s a bloody good idea.
Though saying it’s “free” is a bit of a misnomer given it’s plastered with adverts on loading screens etc…
Just wish we could get Evo tracks into the game so we can race the Volvo’s elsewhere. (Given that it seems we can’t get the content going into Evo.)
Still, overall it’s great I think. The cars are fun. The tracks are fun. Just wish I was able to race against more than 11 opponents, and that we didn’t wind up with a grid of duplicate cars.
modbaraban
May 27th, 2009 at 02:15
The good thing about ‘Volvo the game’ is that it’s the title from where my local track Chayka will be converted to rFactor wuahahaha! whuahahahahaha! wuuuuahahahah!
LOL! I’ll pay for that one if it has beautifully modelled full LM09 grid!
F1Racer
May 27th, 2009 at 17:19
Well I’m not going to be one of those sim racers who slags off a free game because I think it should be developed and given to me with my personal wants and needs fulfilled.
For what it is and what its aimed at, which Im guessing is not the hardcore sim racer but more of a marketing technique, it does its job. It drives fine for what it is and the cars look good as do the two tracks.
6 cars and 2 tracks can constitute a full game as much as 1 car and 1 track would.
To top it all off, its free of charge, so I wouldnt have the audacity to criticise it. If Im ever in the mood for a bit of fun racing and not have to play around with setups and such like, this fills that gap very well.
Thanks for the freebie Simbin.
xilix
May 27th, 2009 at 17:55
Where’s the part where they explain why they made the S60 AWD? Because to me, having a car AWD when it’s suppose to be FWD is a serious flaw in realism. I honestly don’t understand how anyone can overlook something like this as being “not a big deal”. If a mod team got the wheel drive wrong on a mod (for instance, if someone made an F1 mod with AWD cars) they’d be castrated for it, but Simbin gets it wrong and everyone seems to just look the other way.
F1Racer
May 27th, 2009 at 18:19
Probably because its not a big deal really. We make it serious because we are sticklers for details like that. As its more a marketing tool rather than a free mod for hardcore sim racers, I think we can let it slide this time.
Especially as its not costing you anything.
Gotta get a little perspective, I feel.
If I was paying for it, yeah I`d expect them to get it right. For free, they can get away with some artistic licence.
Also to reply to a comment above about it not being free when it has adverts in it…. hmmm… well you still didn’t pay a penny for it and adverts or not, no-one is forcing you to buy anything.
Man, complaints on a free gift. Unreal. Do you do the same at Christmas ?
stabiz
May 27th, 2009 at 22:14
I have not tried it yet, but I disagree one have to like something simply because its free.
F1Racer
May 27th, 2009 at 22:36
No-one is saying you have to like it.
I’m saying, as its free, don’t complain if it isn’t tailored for a sim-racers requirements with balls-accurate realism. It’s meant as a marketing tool and therefore to appeal to a wider audience.
You don’t have to download it if its not your thing and you can always uninstall afterwards for the same reason.
No point getting annoyed just because it might not be a worthwhile addition to your sims collection.
I’ve been having quite some fun with it. The penultimate corner in that Chakra track is great in a C30 :)
UncleChuckle
May 27th, 2009 at 23:01
Chayka is an awesome track.
If I had one complaint it’s the mirrors seem a bit screwed. The view isn’t quite right. Low-res and stretched, at least in one of the cars. (The concept one I think.)
Wonder if there’s any chance they can release templates so we can at least get 11 different cars on the grid?
idlejimbo
May 28th, 2009 at 00:27
When I crashed that concept car, none of the airbags went off. I’ve got impact simulation rams all over my rig, and without those airbags I really smashed my face in. Bloody creative license taking away my airbags just because it’s called “The Game”!
F1Racer
May 28th, 2009 at 00:43
Yeah, you might notice the windows don’t go up or down, the in-car radio doesn’t work and you can’t get your stuff out of the boot either.
In fact you cant even get in and out of the car via the door !
So much for realism :)
RJC_pt
May 28th, 2009 at 01:10
To who ever said its newm remenber m3 challenge? Lexus ISF game? and yet, some 10/11 years ago volvo s40 racing? i do…
UncleChuckle
May 28th, 2009 at 05:26
As I’ve always said to people who crow on about realism, until such time as you’ll allow me to come round to your house and, when you have a big accident, let me smash your legs with a sledgehammer, shut up about realism:)
F1Racer
May 28th, 2009 at 10:26
I assume thats only in the event of a particular kind of crash. Most drivers are walking away these days ;)
Y’know its wierd that an arcade game, that being GTA IV, has more realistic car entry/exit than any sim we have. NKPro is closest.
Hell if its locked Nico even smashes the windows. If its a convertible, he jumps over the door :)
To be fair, Nico doesn’t always exit via the door either. Sometimes he prefers the windscreen.
How cool to be able to walk around the pit garage, say to go study your telemtry or whatever. Then get back in the car when the mechanics have re-setup your car. Just materialising there in the car, we accept that :)
I guess realism only counts when its car behaviour, circuit accuracy or car liveries.
stabiz
May 28th, 2009 at 12:45
Yep, give us more realistic car entry, screw tire physics!
idlejimbo
May 28th, 2009 at 13:32
Yeah, that was me. I’m perfectly prepared to accept that this isn’t really a first, but it just seems to me like Volvo have recognised the potential of the sim-racing community in particular, rather than merely just releasing a ‘fun’ game.
I’m living in hope that the FIA begin to engage with this community and start to bring about officially mandated mods or even game engines.
F1Racer
May 28th, 2009 at 14:08
heh, where do you get your logic ?
Sorry did I somehow insinuate that an important feature should go at the expense of one that isn’t ?
It was nothing more than a light observation regarding GTA IV.
No one even mentioned tyre physics, let alone forgetting about them at the expense of opening a door to get in.
In the future, if they do decide to throw in more features, how about lets have both ? You think thats possible ?
Rhetorical question btw.
stabiz
May 28th, 2009 at 14:44
Maaaaaybe. As long as a completely different team works on it, ensuring nothing else is downplayed.
Sensekhmet
May 28th, 2009 at 15:15
Developers, just give us a (semi)realistic career mode finally!
F1Racer
May 28th, 2009 at 16:29
Definately. Would hate to compromise on physics for the sake of an animated driver (like Rig of Rods hehe) and a couple of door handles.