It's interesting watching this. I'd love to see it with another car on there, and see if it reflects nicely in the wet road too.
But for now, what is it doing that Racer can't do?
The main ones I can see are multiple light sources with regards to shadow mapping and illumination. I wonder how that is done. Within the scope of what Racer could do with the current engine or not. Maybe a hint towards the idea that PD have decoupled lighting from sun/sky to what are essentially light sources?! Hmmmm.
Also, the softened distorted reflection on the tarmac.
I've had the envmap working nicely here, and it will reflect emissive objects too, but the bump map doesn't influence reflections nicely (though I think I saw Ruud mention that would change shortly!?)
So that is possible too.
Then we have the rain on the windscreen. Ruud has mentioned wipers too I think, so it'd just be a normal map of a rain blob, pasted on the screen area, and blown around?
Hmmm, just all interesting stuff. I'll be buying GT5 and looking closely at these effects, but all said and done it's funny how not that far ahead they are really in gfx terms, considering the years in development and money they have had!
The lighting is the thing that interests me the most.
Dave