Today we received this community letter from SimBin. RaceDepartment.com will discuss the headlines in our staff forum also because of some parts regarding Modding. Feel free to start discussing in public while the staff is forming its own vision for RaceDepartment.
Hi there
It has not been long since my last mail, but things are happening at a frantic pace in SimBin at the moment.
Here is an update on all that’s going on….
STCC – THE GAME
We have announced the “Swedish Touring Car Championship” game which should add even more drama and excitement to simulated touring car racing with the new car models which will slot in perfectly with your RACE 07. The addition of another rear wheel driven car should provide for some epic battles with the BMW’s, and the tight and undulating Swedish tracks are the perfect venue for it.
To answer the main question regarding STCC, it is not just for Swedish simracers! It will be available to everyone via Steam and will also be available in shops in some territories. Release date is yet to be determined. Like with all other expansions to RACE 07, you will get it at a very favorable price if you already own RACE 07… if not, then it’s a great package to get you started
GTR EVOLUTION
As you all probably know by now GTR Evolution has been released worldwide on Steam, I hope many of you will have dedicated servers ready and I know quite a number of your communities have planned special events to celebrate. We are extremely happy with the feedback from you so far and we hope GTR Evolution will indeed become the platform of choice for your leagues in the future.
Our data and our physics engine is more precise than ever and as many of you have already experienced the tire model in GTR Evolution is far more advanced than in previous titles.
We are aware that those of you into endurance events are missing some features, but it’s impossible to cram every cool feature into a game and ever have it released, that’s a simple fact of life. Even if we would love to get everything into the final release we have to make very hard choices regarding features constantly, and adding endurance features is so much more than just slapping in a new tire compound and some dark skies. We only do things if we have the time to do them right!
One review called GTR Evolution a “Best of SimBin release” and we like to think that line hits the nail on the head. It has all the best content from previous titles, the best physics, the best graphics and the best gameplay all rolled up into one neat package.
Yup we are proud of the results as you can see, and our only problem is how we are going to top this one… but we have a few ideas
RACE Pro
Also this past week we showed off our first ever console title at the European Games Convention in Germany.
So far the reviews have been extremely positive, and we are ready to take on the big titles like Forza and Project Gotham and show that true simracing CAN be done on a console. Believe me, RACE Pro is no simple arcade title and it will turn heads in the console world when a title with focus on simulation hits the shelves. That being said I think it is important to underline that we are still developing for PC as our core business and of course we are as dedicated to true simulations as we have ever been. RACE Pro should be interesting to you PC racers as well since it gives the first view of our multi platform “Lizard” engine.
MODDING
In the past SimBin have applauded serious modding groups and have even employed the help of some as well as recruit new employees from the groups of talented individuals. We have every intention of supporting quality mods, customs skins and all the other changes that make our games come alive with the help of dedicated modding communities across the globe. GTR Evolution underlines this statement by being relatively easy to add new and unique content for.
But… SimBin can no longer afford pouring funds into creating unique quality content for competing titles. Lately the mutual respect that used to exist seems to have vanished and now straight conversions between competing titles are done in a matter of minutes after we release a new game. Our Nürburgring and Macau are prime examples. Unless something is done to stop this we will no longer be able to afford creating quality content and with 10Tacle fresh in memory I think it is clear that some individuals in the simracing community are effectively ruining it for everyone by their actions and that there will be no more new titles unless this behavior is stopped.
Straight conversions require little skill, no imagination and it is nothing but petty theft. True mod making is the addition of NEW, fresh and unique content to a title… not stealing content for use elsewhere. I hope all of you will consider this and take matters into your own hands by not allowing these conversions in your own community.
This is a wake-up call. Things must change now if SimBin are to deliver any new titles on PC, and the change can only start with you dedicated simracers saying “enough” !
If you have ideas on how to change the way things are at the moment or what can be done to ensure a more “fair” way of modding in the future then let us know, we are interested in solutions much more than in assigning blame. The alternatives are either lawsuits which we really don’t want to resort to, moving all developments to consoles where things are not stolen, or you guys taking up the challenge and create an environment in YOUR community where conversions are not accepted. If you agree with our stance in this, then let your concern be heard in those forums and gathering points where piracy seems to be an accepted standard.
We hope you can make a difference in the battle against theft and piracy while allowing the true modders to create their works of art adding to the fun and enjoyment of everyone
FINAL THOUGHTS
With GTR Evolution released, STCC around the corner and RACE Pro not too far away this has been a furious ride for SimBin the past months, but we have more in the pipeline and we expect to deliver more quality content in the times to come. We have some extremely interesting licenses lined up and you will be the first to know when we are ready to unveil our next project.
Finally we are happy to see this family of fansites, communities and racing leagues grow along with us and we are proud to see the passion and dedication our titles inspire… so keep up the good work!
