14 DAY TRIAL // Our Incoming 2015 series focuses on the most important game launches of the next 12 months, and next up we talk about one of the most anticipated racing simulation games of 2015, Slightly Mad Studios' Project Cars.
What we know
The game has been in production for quite a while, with former Need for Speed and Test Drive developer Slightly Mad Studios securing the necessary funds to keep working on it mainly through crowdfunding.
If that's not impressive enough, the studio didn't even go the usual route of making a Kickstarter pitch, but instead used its own forums to attract people. And attract them it did.
Project Cars aims to deliver a realistic racing simulation and a wealth of variety. So far, there are a great lineup of vehicles and a ton of different motorsports to select from, the team opting for a more sandbox approach to racing, allowing access to all tracks and vehicles right from the get-go.
In order to make sure that the simulation aspect is as faithful as possible, Slightly Mad Studios even acquired the services of various famous racing drivers, such as Top Gear's Stig.
Why it matters
The game will definitely require a multiple-monitor system with several peripherals in order to truly shine, but the developers seem poised to offer one of the most in-depth and immersive racing simulation experiences to date.
So far, the game looks great, both from a visual standpoint and as far as its physics engine goes. Speaking of which, the developer has just revealed that the engine performs physics computations up to 600 times per second, in order to ensure that the simulation portion of the experience is top-notch.
In addition to this, the racer also checks for input up to 250 times per second, which means that the controls are going to be smooth and responsive, especially if you own a wheel.
With dynamic tire simulations and dynamic weather, and even torque calculations that also take into account track temperature, Project Cars looks unbeatable on paper.
The fact that the devs also promised Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus support down the road only serves to make everyone even more excited. It remains to be seen whether or not the final product can live up to the hype though.
Project Cars is due out this March, coming to the Windows PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One platforms.
