PC3 Project CARS 3 | Latest Screenshot Previews And Gameplay Mechanic Insights

[Paul Jeffrey]

Slightly Mad Studios have dropped a few more content teasers from Project CARS 3 in the last few days, revealing some interesting motors set to feature in the new game.

• New images feature mix of road and race cars.
• Accolades system revealed

We are well aware that the current feeling amongst the community about Project CARS 3 is rather split at the moment, with some of us interested to see how the proposed new direction of the series pans out, while others are less keen on the potential shift towards a more arcade focus for the franchise.

With Slightly Mad Studios taking the opportunity to drop a few more (rather admittedly pretty) screenshot teasers from the game, we get the chance to have a look at some of the content that will be heading our way on release day, and get a little teaser about some further gameplay features within the title.

Alongside the images revealed on Social Media, Slightly Mad Studios included the following informative captions, which gives players some idea of the gameplay mechanics that will form part of the Project CARS 3 experience.

• Chase that perfect lap, win that one race everyone wants to win, make history for consecutive race wins. Your driver’s journey in #ProjectCARS3 is tracked by the Accolades system, so you have the data to back up your bragging rights. Collect them all!
• In #ProjectCARS3, you have a wide selection of motorsport and community-inspired liveries and stickers that will guarantee your racing machine stands out on the grid—make your mark!
• Your garage is your home away from the track. Access the showroom, customise your cars, personalise your drivers, and admire your career achievements.

Love it or loathe it, it looks like Project CARS 3 is certainly heading a more 'gameplay' style direction than previous iterations into the franchise, but it remains to be seen if this will suitably detract from the simulation aspects of the title to turn off current fans, or if SMS will be able to tread that fine line between appealing to arcade fans, whilst still satisfying those wishing to engage in a simulation experience.

Only time will tell...

Project CARS 3 will release on Xbox One, PS4 and PC this summer.

Want to discuss this new game with fellow sim racing fans? No worries, head over to the Project CARS 3 sub forum here at RaceDepartment and start up a new thread!

 

[Mike Smith]

it remains to be seen if this will suitably detract from the simulation aspects of the title to turn off current fans

I think this could be the crux of why this game is going to be successful. I think the much of the current fanbase that held hope for PC2 being a pure racing sim was let down. It seemed like SMS was trying to straddle the line between game and sim. Some of the car / track combos on offer in PC2 gave incredibly good driving experiences (Aston Martin DBS 59 at classic Monza, Group C cars at Le Mans, by example), but they never got the title consistent enough to appease the sim racing community.

If I'm reading their press correctly, it looks like their aim is to take the best experiences of PC2 and add some of the gaming goodies that keep people coming back to titles like Gran Turismo and Forza. I think this is a good approach. Not all, but most non-league sim racers I've observed prefer hotlapping or sprint races, so SMS is focusing on that. It just might work...

 

[James Nance]

I think this could be the crux of why this game is going to be successful. I think the much of the current fanbase that held hope for PC2 being a pure racing sim was let down. It seemed like SMS was trying to straddle the line between game and sim. Some of the car / track combos on offer in PC2 gave incredibly good driving experiences (Aston Martin DBS 59 at classic Monza, Group C cars at Le Mans, by example), but they never got the title consistent enough to appease the sim racing community.

If I'm reading their press correctly, it looks like their aim is to take the best experiences of PC2 and add some of the gaming goodies that keep people coming back to titles like Gran Turismo and Forza. I think this is a good approach. Not all, but most non-league sim racers I've observed prefer hotlapping or sprint races, so SMS is focusing on that. It just might work...

This is why I would purchase it, its something that looks amazing of course but can definitely have a huge fun factor, if I want seriousness ill go to my ACC or iRacing. I do have GT sport for my couch fun but PC3 could be the in between of all this.

 

[DKOliver]

I can completely understand and respect the decision from SMS to move in this direction. Personally i am well tired of lifeless simulators that hasn't innovated anything in terms of gameplay features since well the beginning. SMS is the only company in the market that has ever put any effort into their career mode.

 

[GTR233]

When I read "Accolade" that reminds me of the Amiga/pc dos games era with a bit of nostalgia

Agree that PC3 could be a real success if they mimic GranTurismo (especially GT1/2/3/4) because many of us are sad that Sony never intended to make a pc variant : so please SMS redo a driving school as you did in GTR2 14 years ago and mimic driving license as GranTurismo for a real career mode but also for online to sort drivers by licenses (and so driving skills) : races only available for license A, B, C, PRO

 

[turbo86]

We're serious simracers here. Don't bother us with this dogpoo.

 

[RA98]

Even loving a simulator i must say that i also love some carrer modes, like forza or pc1/2.
The felling of unlocking stuff and going higher in the motorsport world is really good, give you some goals and objectives while playing the game, just fun nothing too serious.
i really appreciate what sms is doing, since they apparently are the few ones in the marked doing that.
My favorite feature to ever be in a game was Le Mans in the first Grid, maybe they can make something similar.

 

[DKOliver]

We're serious simracers here. Don't bother us with this dogpoo.

Nice gatekeeping, and you people wonder why simracing is a niche

 

[turbo86]

If I'm reading their press correctly, it looks like their aim is to take the best experiences of PC2 and add some of the gaming goodies that keep people coming back to titles like Gran Turismo and Forza. I think this is a good approach. Not all, but most non-league sim racers I've observed prefer hotlapping or sprint races, so SMS is focusing on that. It just might work...

I'm a collector. I always liked collecting all the cars in GT games and Ride games as well. And that's the most appealing feature of GT,Forza,Ride. The huge number of vehicles and the challenges you have to get through to get them.
If PC3 has at least double the amount of cars in SHIFT 2 or PCars 2 (let's say around 400) and challenges to get them or to BUY them, then yes it will be a success. At least for those who like this kind of thing.

SHIFT 2 was like that, but when it got released there was no Forza on PC. PCars 3 has some serious competition, at least in terms of CONTENT.

 

[turbo86]

Nice gatekeeping, and you people wonder why simracing is a niche

It's called Sarcasm.

 

[pcraenme]

I think this could work and be a succes, if the fun factor will be high enough and you don’t want this to be a sim. But I still think they should not have called it Project Cars 3 though.

 

[JPL083]

So it turning out to be just another Need For Speed..

 

[randomcallsign]

So it turning out to be just another Need For Speed..

If its a nf:shift, there's nothing wrong with that
the issue is the lack of clarity and not being as straightforward as they need to be. but then again they arent the only ones in simracing with that problem.

 

[Dave Thayer]

Gameplay??? How many laps max can we do on PC3 tracks? I hope it is more than 10.

 

[BrightCandle]

Given the choice between an arcade game with a career mode and a simulator with a career mode, I'll take the simulator every darn time. Having driving physics and force feedback for controlling the car is what I ultimately car about and I would be more than happy to do that in a setting like Forza Horizons, F1 and in entire multi-discipline sports racing. I would love Assetto Corsa's driving model combined with F1's game. I loved many aspects of PC2, just not its driving physics and especially its FFB although I have a pretty detailed post of all the other things I would love to see improved. But as they chase the wrong end of that interest in the franchise, and as an original backer of PC1, I have to say so far all the news on this game is screaming no to me.

 

[grocam3]

Not all, but most non-league sim racers I've observed prefer hotlapping or sprint races, so SMS is focusing on that. It just might work...

15 years or so of simracing, and most of time.. just hotlapping watching the scenery, engine sounds and when Im in a mood a race of 10 or 15 laps vs AI, for decades Ive always wanted to do a full championship, but since its so time consuming, Im just focusing on something else and just enjoying the pleasure of driving.

Im not exploiting the full potential of those game but thats the beauty of it... knowing that you hold something complex, polished, as for PC3 well.. it's aiming towards my style of play but knowing that it's somewat limited breaks the mood a little ! ... that's not a real deal breaker tho.

 

[blot]

Just wait for the game to drop, Watch/Read the reviews then make your mind up, How hard is that? Seriously.

 

[Mike Smith]

I would love Assetto Corsa's driving model combined with F1's game

That's the dream! In May Formula 1 said publicly that they're open to the idea of having a simulator alternative to the official game, and I think Kunos would do an amazing job with that.

 

[Edison5do]

All this talk about achievement and stuf sound like "Sense of Pride and Accomplishment" and I dislike it. The Marketing team is dogfeces in SMS.

Edit: Meanwhile in Forza Land (If True)

Forza Motorsport 8 details leak - 120 FPS, rally racing, cinematic storyline and more

Forza Horizon 8 is one of the games that Xbox fans hope to see on the upcoming Xbox event and according to the latest leaked details, it will be well worth the wait.

www.altchar.com

 

[Slapped]

I can see why people are somewhat miffed by this PC3 affair - me too, especially when SMS (or Codemasters as they are today) are trying to trade on the the name of Project Cars, when the game isn't actually Project Cars

That said, SMS have released more than enough "marketing" around PC3 to actually inform us hardcores that this is not the sim we are looking for. We can be disappointed of course, but we're not being scammed - they've given us all the info that we need to enable us to decide.