PC3 Project CARS 3 to Change Focus?

[Paul Jeffrey]

Slightly Mad Studios Head Ian Bell recently revealed PCARS 3 is in development, and now hints have been dropped that the direction of the title might change for the next release.

The Project CARS series of games have, up until this point, been heavily focussed on a wide selection or road and race cars from a wide variety of different disciplines of motorsport - giving players the opportunity to drive such varied machines as top tier open wheel cars, to stockcar, touring cars, GTs, historic and road going performance machines.

Although the scope of the previous two versions of the game are indeed admirable, some could argue that potentially Slightly Mad Studios looked to become a jack of all trades with their game content, and as a result became the master of none.

This appears to have been noted by the decision makers back at SMS, as Ian Bell once again took to the internet to drop a few hints about the next release - suggesting that maybe Slightly Mad Studios would look to return to their roots somewhat, and produce an experience more akin to the earlier Need for Speed Shift release of 2009.

“I’ll let you know that pCARS3 will be more ‘focused’… More ‘fun’…" said Bell over on the GT Plant forums. "We went to insane lengths with variation in pCARS2 and with that comes infinite balancing issues. We’ve learned a lesson here and although we have no intention of reducing content, we know what we need to fix, where we made design decisions that were, let’s call it, ‘sub-optimal’…​

“pCARS3 will be more of a spiritual successor to Shift, but with all of the sim goodness everyone appreciates… The key focus though is on fun and not biting off more than we can properly chew and digest.”
​

Ian Bell does refer to the desire to retain the "sim goodness" of PCARS 1 & 2, however the shift (ha ha) towards an experience more closely aligned to the Need for Speed series does suggest that the new title could take itself a little less seriously than has been the case in the past, and leads one to wonder if a more arcade slant is to be applied to the title than has been the case in the past.

With PCARS 1 & 2 failing to match the quality of other sim racing titles the likes of rFactor 2, Assetto Corsa, RaceRoom and AMS, and with new games from Reiza Studios and the Early Access Assetto Corsa Competizione from Kunos in the works, a move towards a more fun and light hearted experience is probably not a bad idea for PCARS and the new title - quite how the end result will pan out remains to be seen.

One thing is for sure, however SMS pitch the new title, it will be very interesting to hear and read what is said on the build up to release of what is surely going to be another very interesting piece of software from the prolific game studio.

Check out the Project CARS 3 sub forum here at RaceDepartment for more news, discussion and features on this sequel release to the hugely popular Project CARS franchise of games.

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[OzzyNeil]

I guess SMS (and Simbin) are just following the decline of IQ around the globe. Dumb people want dumb games.
As long as the money's rolling in why should they care about a proper simulation.

 

[ATGinCT]

They stopped being relevant when they started bribing people with blogs so that they would stop spreading negativity towards them.

Ian Bell hired his loudest detractor on the internet to help make his sim better, I've raced against him and was a huge fan of his insights and snark, he's just a kid but he seems to have a clue and if his being on the inside pushing the devs to make a better product then I see it as money well spent for the genre.

 

[Emerson Meyer]

I guess SMS (and Simbin) are just following the decline of IQ around the globe. Dumb people want dumb games.
As long as the money's rolling in why should they care about a proper simulation.

What a lovely post...

A little respect is good, you know?

How old are you? 6?

 

[Mr Deap]

For me, Mario Kart is a simulator.

All racing videogame feel more or less the same. Although sometime I feel there's some downright stupid setting like setting up the match tire pressure based on air temp.

If I play a freaking toy & want to have a entertaining for the value out of. It simulate how it feel like to drive at cold temp, but don't make peeps toy with the setting to even start to play & be a no lifer niche thing.

There are smart stuff I have seen:
-Automatic setting tire pressure at the pit
-Forced setting for paddle or H-shifter

 

[ATGinCT]

“pCARS3 will be more of a spiritual successor to Shift, but with all of the sim goodness everyone appreciates…"

So basically take the base of pCars 2, and add these things from Shift back into it:

• Driver XP
• Corner/Track Mastering
• Car buying/selling/upgrading
• Maybe an in-game livery editor if we're lucky
  
• Forza Motorsport 2-style Career Mode

This is the exact progression taken by Codemasters when they went from DiRT Rally to DiRT 4.

Oh sure what would you know about simracing, damn kids pretending to know stuff.

 

[OzzyNeil]

What a lovely post...

A little respect is good, you know?

How old are you? 6?

Ha, yeah like SMS respect the wishes of their customers.
And no I'm not 6 I act my shoe size, 10.

 

[Austin Ogonoski]

I guess SMS (and Simbin) are just following the decline of IQ around the globe. Dumb people want dumb games.
As long as the money's rolling in why should they care about a proper simulation.

I wouldn't call it a decline in IQ, but you're on the right track.

The reality is that there is almost no audience for hardcore simulators anymore. These games aren't "fun" in a traditional sense, everybody knows it, and people have had the better part of two decades to figure out whether they enjoy the concept of a hardcore sim or not. Spoiler alert: An overwhelming majority don't.

This doesn't mean every car game should be a clone of Need for Speed, but for devs it's going to make them prioritize game-y elements like Driver XP and Car Customization over a 12th tire model revision.

 

[Leonardo Chaves]

• Would be a good call ... They might not excel on sim playing field but they can do solid content ritch simcade for sure .. for night TV fun with controller when wheel it too loud... Forza, Forza horizon style

Focus on road cars, semi believable handling, a lot of fake tracks, a bit more "actiony" game modes and you have a winner imho.


It's better than being the drunk inconvenient uncle of hardcore simracing.

 

[InsaneOzzie]

No matter what SMS produce into the future, I'll be staying away regardless.
Considering PC2 is only 14mths old and is still full of bugs and issues when Mr Bell announced they were already working on their next title smacks of "we don't give a **** what the community believes", we think PC2 is complete so we're moving on.

SMS have already created a bad taste in the mouths of many simracing community members imho, hence the constant ridicule and backlash they cop over PC2, for sms to basically ignore many of the complaints and requests for fixes in PC2 just amplifies their true regard for the community that puts wages in their pockets, to ban players from their forums for complaining about game issues is just a childish act, sure there not the only Dev to take that action, and sadly, won't be the last either.

If a return to a SHIFT style game is SMS's aim then the console players will be in there element, shift was awesome if you liked being able to drive flat out around any corner as long as you had the right gear, or if battling for the podium just slam your opponent out the way for the win. For me SHIFT/SHIFT2 was very much the arcade racer and I treated it as such, it was fun for what it was, but it was no simulator.

I would love to see SMS open PC2 up to community modders, only then would the title get the fixes it needs/deserves to make it all that Mr Bell claimed it was going to be on release.....but wasn't.

 

[JDougNY]

I know for a fact that SMS was paying people monthly to influence what they were writing on their personal blogs. One of those people was asking for info from me, regarding physics issues I was finding in pCars series.

I think that the public thought that the first installment of Project cars (PC1) was a spiritual successor to the "Shift" series. Sales for PC1 topped 1 million units on the PC side. When Project Cars 2 released, sales were just a fraction of PC1. Just over 100,000 units on the PC side (only 10% of PC1 sales) for quite some time. A demo released later to get the sales up a bit more. So, people thought they had a game where cars could be upgraded for performance, a game where there was paint/decal customization. After installing PC1, they realized it wasn't another "Shift" or "Forza" style of game. Most of the general public couldn't be tricked into buying into the second installment of pcars.
If Project Cars 3 follows the "Shift" formula, then something like this could occur....
- Race spec cars that are not upgrade-able driving on sim style physics
- Road spec cars that can be upgraded driving on questionable physics
- lots of balancing issues, due to power variations in how cars are upgrading
- paint/livery editor for all cars

Now, the issue here is that even if the Race spec cars had spectacular physics, having a group of upgrade-able Road cars would make everyone write off the game as arcade. The reason being that, there's no way to have believable physics on an upgraded 800hp Mini Cooper (as an example of upgrading).
In the end, SMS, just needs to be honest about the type of game they are putting out.

 

[M-Bimmer]

No way jose....
Really a third title?

 

[Troy Barman]

Thanks for letting me know to scratch this off the buy list.

 

[Kurupt CDN]

I guess SMS (and Simbin) are just following the decline of IQ around the globe. Dumb people want dumb games.
As long as the money's rolling in why should they care about a proper simulation.

So only smart people play sims, and all other games makes you dumb

Fact:
Using steam charts avg daily user.

Hard core sim racing community= a few thousand at best.
Casual racing community = millions

Forza Horizon 4 had over 2.2 million players online in the opening week.
Rocket league is still in the top 10 most played games on steam with an avg. daily user of 35k
Assetto Corsa the number #1 played sim on steam avg. User is 2000
https://steamcharts.com/app/244210

Personally, having been a Forza fan back in the day I feel SMS have produced a better product driving wise than T10 has.
Stealing some of those fans and competing budget wise is another question.

Dumb from a buisness stand point would be trying to win over the few thousand that want a pure simulation in an allready saturated niche market.

Reiza and AMS is a prime example, an excellent all round sim, that I am sure the majority can agree on.
Avg daily user. 120
https://steamcharts.com/app/431600
How they continue to afford licenses and feed there families is beyond me, but I am glad they keep doing it!

 

[Austin Ogonoski]

Dumb from a buisness stand point would be trying to win over the few thousand that want a pure simulation in an already saturated niche market.

Reiza and AMS is a prime example, an excellent all round sim!
Avg daily user. 120
https://steamcharts.com/app/431600
How they continue to afford licenses and feed there families is beyond me, but I am glad they keep doing it!

Now you understand.

 

[Boby Kim]

I hope SMS will add WSAD ffb! It feels so flat...

 

[E304LIFE]

Considering the experience and reach of this studio, I think it would be crazy and premature to paint them into a corner, or assume their efforts will be wasted. I think one could dream that they might build the ultimate simulator for ME....Which is driving and street racing through a city at night (also driving like Steve Mqueen in Bullit) on my way to Salinas, CA for some track time at Laguna or wherever... (of course getting to choose my weapon of choice when I get there) With the upmost accuracy in the physics dept

Please make this happen for me SMS!

 

[OzzyNeil]

So only smart people play sims, and all other games makes you dumb

Fact:
Using steam charts avg daily user.

Hard core sim racing community= a few thousand at best.
Casual racing community = millions

Forza Horizon 4 had over 2.2 million players online in the opening week.
Rocket league is still in the top 10 most played games on steam with an avg. daily user of 35k
Assetto Corsa the number #1 played sim on steam avg. User is 2000
https://steamcharts.com/app/244210

Personally, having been a Forza fan back in the day I feel SMS have produced a better product driving wise than T10 has.
Stealing some of those fans and competing budget wise is another question.

Dumb from a buisness stand point would be trying to win over the few thousand that want a pure simulation in an allready saturated niche market.

Reiza and AMS is a prime example, an excellent all round sim, that I am sure the majority can agree on.
Avg daily user. 120
https://steamcharts.com/app/431600
How they continue to afford licenses and feed there families is beyond me, but I am glad they keep doing it!

It's lucky for us then that not all Devs are obsessed with greed and actually take pride in their work.

 

[Dobermann92]

Just my opinion but I don't think they could make it that much better.
I had some fun in VR using the caterhams as rally cars, overall though i just prefer other sims.
As a one player game it was disappointing, the ai was only useful in the dry. I think it was an impossible task for them to get the Ai right in this game with all the weather & the given hw limitations.
The physics wasn't bad but it was rare you didn't have to change the setup.
They ruined the historic cars with putting modern tyres on them & using a clutch system for game pad users.
The replay system was so lame in vr i wanted to cry.
The FFB always felt a division lower than every other sim i have despite spending way too many hours trying to fix it & some cars felt worse than some of the crappiest AC mods i have tried.
I'm not interested in shift/pcars3 as it doesn't sound like my type of game but i hope its a good game either way.

The AI balancing was off, so you had to fiddle with it, I grant you that.
The base setups was also a bit off (especially the stable one which is too compromising), but with the loose setup you could have fun in most of the cars in my opinion and in the end you always have to change them according to your driving style.
You can change the tyres back to historic in the setup menu. I've never used clutch in the game so I can't comment on that but I've experienced no problem with shifting.
I've never played this game in VR, in normal mode the replay system was a bit buggy, but not too bad for the task.
The FFB is worse than in Assetto Corsa in some ways, but it isn't that bad for me at least.
It looks like you are more likely into the physics and settings other sims offer, I'm pleased with the graphics and the car and track selection, there is no problem with that.

 

[TuElite]

So if anyone has any tips on how to setup a TS-PC, coming from a T300, please let me know.

Check this out https://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/ffb-project-cars2-v5-1.20240/updates

 

[mopro]

Ian finally said it in public. "....and not biting off more than we can properly chew and digest.” While I can enjoy pCars2 (it is at the bottom of my list though), it often felt unfinished and unsatisfying.

I think SMS is moving to right direction with pCars3. Instead of tried to be everything like with pC and pC2, they are now more focusing on the FUN.
Hopefully, this new focus will allows SMS to produce a more refined racing/driving games, so less people who bought their games will feels cheated.