February 3rd, 2017 by Michael Leary
I don't know about you, but I feel quite relaxed right now. Image courtesy of Francocosta02.
We're just going to cut to the chase here: the Weekly Rewind has returned! A lot has changed since we last spoke in 2014, and we're going to tackle all of it over the coming weeks in some form or fashion. 2017 is shaping up to be one of the best yet for the racing game genre for one particular reason that we'll gladly highlight again later on, and the news is all the more exciting when the revival of a particular PC (now multi-platform) racing franchise is announced.
It's been a long time and we have a lot of catching up to do, so without further ado let's get this party started!
GTPlanet Picture of the Week
This week's featured image is a unique one; like something ripped straight from a neo-noir graphic novel. Brought to us by Chikane, Driveclub's Wombat Typhoon looks like it went head-to-head with the elements and lost in a spectacular fashion.
I have the strangest desire to watch Mad Max now…
Get Real: GTR 3 is Coming in 2018!
This deserves another mention after yesterday's report: GTR is coming back and will hopefully be better than ever. Fans of the series will no doubt be aware this isn't the first time the name "GTR 3" has been uttered. Back in 2010 the original SimBin Studios (now Sector3) announced that work had begun on the game.
While the original GTR 3 never came to, it is interesting to note that a teaser website was put together that showcased the direction the game would be taking in terms of audio. With R3E (Raceroom Racing Experience) becoming the spiritual successor of that project, it will be very interesting to see where the rejuvenated studio can take the game with so much talent at its disposal.
Now focusing on multi-platform efforts, whether you're an Xbox One, PC, or PlayStation 4 racer, GTR 3 can be yours when it releases in 2018. Though we may see a playable demo of some kind before year's end, so stay tuned!
You Get a Porsche, Everyone Gets a Porsche!
Finally. No, let me say that again: Finally! No longer shackled to what seemed like a lifetime exclusivity deal, Porsche AG can now be featured in other games. What began in Assetto Corsa with a unique arrangement last year now extends to every racing game under the sun. The good news is vehicles from the German marque have already begun being teased for inclusion in other games.
One such game is the upcoming Project Cars 2 which, by the looks of things, will feature the manufacturer at launch—no strings attached. While nothing has been officially confirmed just yet, we're willing to bet Porsche will be a part of the game's vehicle roster. If this all still sounds surreal being read out loud, you can read the original report from last year for all the happiness you could ever want for the genre.
The sky is the limit now; imagine any (or all) of your favorite racing titles, all packed with a variety of Porsche ingenuity: the 917K, 918 Sypder, 911 GT1 Strassenversion, any car you can think of from Porsche's stable is now fair game.
3D Scanning The Next Generation Scania
Oh yes, the trucks have also returned. Late last year a small group from SCS Software were invited to the Scania Demo Centre in Södertälje, Sweden to acquire detailed reference material for Scania's new S and R series trucks. The above video is a short documentary showing the process of scanning the trucks using photogrammetry—needed for replicating surface materials and textures—and a handheld 3D scanner.
The sole intention of the trip was to capture the following trucks for the team to then recreate for future inclusion in ETS2:
With the work all said and done for, the team are hard at work creating the new models for Euro Truck Simulator 2 but estimate the work will take 12 man-months. While the team haven't announced a release time frame, refusing to promise and then under-deliver, it's confident in bringing the new vehicles to the game as soon as possible.
You can take a look at the original blog post, including the diary entries that accompany the documentary on the SCS Software blog.
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Exclusive to Gran Turismo
Rumors at the end of January suggested the renowned 12-mile hill climb would be exclusive to Gran Turismo, and just a day later the rumors were confirmed to be true. Interestingly enough, the news isn't coming from Polyphony itself but from Codemasters, with Paul Coleman stating "yes, we signed it for DiRT Rally before it went exclusive but we can't use it anymore."
Last seen in Gran Turismo 2 albeit on a smaller scale, the hill climb is now an exclusive staple of the franchise. The decision will undoubtedly come across as questionable, especially in the face of the Porsche exclusivity deal recently coming to an end after more than a decade.
Making matters worse is there's currently no timeline set for its inclusion in the franchise, and while many may suspect GT Sport as the likely target, Pikes Peak wouldn't exactly fit in with the games eSport-oriented focus.
GTPlanet Vehicle of the Week
It's a Porsche. It's topical. There's an angry-sounding flat-12 propelling it forward: do you need more reasons than that?
The Last Lap
I haven't done this in quite a while so forgive me if something, whatever it may be, seems "off." It's proving a little more difficult than I expected to get back into this particular state of mind, but looking through older entries for the twenty-seventh time allowed to pick up on a few things that I did in the past that I'd like to re-implement moving forward.
So there's likely to be some questions about what the return of the Rewind means, and before any confusion begins to settle in here's how things are going to work: on alternating weekends you'll strap yourself to your favorite chair and tune in to either the Community Spotlight or the Rewind.
Until next time, keep racing.
Trucks.
