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Posted By	Discussion Topic: F1 2001 Preview
NYR2119935	posted on 06-14-2001 @ 6:23 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	http://www.gamespot.co.uk/stories/previews/0,2160,2088707,00.html With David Coulthard and Michael Schumacher currently providing a fascinating contest in the quest for the Formula One World championship, there couldn't be a better time for EA's F1 2001 to come careering onto our desktops. Producer James Hawkins dropped into the GameSpot UK offices recently with a pre-alpha build of the game and here are our hands-on impressions of what he had to show us. EA's F1 series is a relative newcomer on the PC Formula One grid and although last season's contender F1 2000 had a creditable debut season, hardened F1 veterans reckoned there was still some room for improvement. Developer Image Space Incorporated seems to have taken this on board and this year's version has been given a thorough strip down and tune-up to enable it to both challenge big names like Geoff Crammond's GP3 and put some clean air between it and fellow new boys like Ubi's F1 Racing Championship. Image Space's stated aims are to go for all out "raw speed" from the graphics, improved multiplayer stability, real-time variable weather and a heightened sensation of "on the edge" racing. It's an ambitious feature set, but there's certainly no disgrace in aiming high and based on what we've seen so far, they seem to have a very good chance of delivering. Principally of course the main attraction is a chance to recreate all the action from what looks to be a compelling 2001 racing season. With the official Formula One licence secured, F1 2001 will feature all the authentic teams, tracks, cars and liveries from this year's championship clash as well as new drivers like Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and William's exciting Brazilian prospect Juan Pablo Montoya. Full TV-style presentation is also promised in the final version, with ITV's Jim Rosenthal providing pre- and post-race analysis and a former F1 TV producer calling the shots for camera placement and coverage. The most immediately noticeable difference in this year's incarnation though, is a totally rewritten graphics engine with a core brief to "pump those polygons" and the on-screen results certainly seem to have borne some fruit. Although some slight problems with our own test machines meant we couldn't push them to their full degree, there's already a marked improvement over last year's model and the F1 2001 team is aiming to have four times the frame rate and poly count of their nearest rivals. Watching Eddie Irvine push a solitary Jaguar around the corners and straights of Silverstone was a fine experience to behold and promises big things for the finished article. But this season's version hasn't been confined to a simple graphical overhaul and a new car and driving model has also been implemented, focussing on factors like weight distribution, tyre and chassis modelling and the cockpit viewpoint. Although James and the Image Space team were remarkably coy about the involvement of F1 teams in the game in our accompanying interview (see link to the right), we can reveal that British American Racing have been involved in testing the drive model, while new features like the motion-captured pit crew have been developed in conjunction with the Benetton racing team. Out on the track, F1 2001 is also looking to address one of the crucial problems facing any F1 game: modelling the aggression, intelligence and driving style of some of the most successful and skilful drivers on the planet. Rather than opt for CPU enhanced "cheats" to artificially inflate the degree of challenge, the F1 2001 AI drivers will react in exactly the same way as real players, deciding how much throttle, brake or steering lock to use as they negotiate different circuits. The hope is that combined with scaleable levels of intelligence and aggression, this method will provide a much more realistic confrontation for the player and replicate the intensity of daring overtaking manoeuvres and fighting for track position out on the circuit. One factor that can dramatically affect any racing weekend is the local course conditions and F1 2001 is certainly aiming to duplicate the uncertainty of that favourite national British pastime, predicting the weather that can result in so many tactical games of cat and mouse out on the track. Drivers will be able to see storms roll in and roll out, with variable rainfall, surface water and even the rate as which the surface dries, dramatically affecting driving conditions, race, fuel and even tyre strategy. Post release, Image Space is hoping to provide data so that you can recreate the authentic conditions at all this season's circuits, so if a flash flood suddenly sweeps the Malaysian Grand Prix half an hour into the race, you can expect the storm clouds to gather with equal ferocity in your own F1 2001 season. But what if you're an F1 novice who fancies their chances but is daunted by the sheer speed and technical demands of this most exacting of sports? Well you'll also be able to sharpen up your basic skills in F1 2001's Driving School where resident F1 gurus will take you from basic drills to dramatic Schumacher-style overtaking and passing manoeuvres and there'll even be a chance to take a spin in the rather unique two-seater Orange Arrows training car. If you're a full-on petrol head who likes nothing better than tinkering with wing settings and every degree of drive and ride option, a full raft of customisable setup options have been included to feed your addiction. However, a series of easy to use filters will also allow F1 novices to set general car options from a single screen without forfeiting too much of a technical advantage, so F1 2001 will cater for exactly as much depth and technical complexity as you care to implement. On the multiplayer score, F1 2001 also looks set to deliver with full multiplayer seasons available and fully customisable grids, so you'll be able to recreate any of this season's one-off races or pose some intriguing "What if" questions of your own. As we take the chequered flag and head for the Winners' Enclosure to take our deserved laurels, we can report that F1 2001 has built a solid launch platform to build on an increasingly impressive series. With the full F1 feature set, some splendid graphics and most importantly of all perhaps, the kudos of securing the authentic names, cars, teams and data from the current season, F1 2001 looks like it's already shaping up to mount a serious challenge to the established F1 order. CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
mikeWOW I got a staple in my ass and all I got was this status	posted on 06-17-2001 @ 4:33 PM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Sep. 00	wow that looks great! "i hate people that dont get it!"
NYR2119935	posted on 07-07-2001 @ 7:03 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	yes it does :) This could be the best modern F1 sem yet! :) CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
CrackSweat	posted on 07-09-2001 @ 9:56 AM
Psychopath Registered: Oct. 00	Graphics look great... I just bought Superbike 2001 from EA, graphics and game play are great in that also..
NYR2119935	posted on 07-13-2001 @ 3:03 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	more F1 2001 screenshots here http://www.gamespot.co.uk/stories/screenindex/0,2160,2091286,00.html CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
NYR2119935	posted on 07-13-2001 @ 3:15 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	http://www.gamespot.co.uk/stories/news/0,2160,2091287,00.html We visit EA Sports for the latest news on this all-weather racing simulation. It's fitting, that with the British Grand Prix only days away, the development team at EA Sports is working on perfecting the dynamic weather system for F1 2001. What this means is that, perhaps, for the first time, you'll be able to play a Formula One title with changing weather conditions that are just as unpredictable as those in real life. On a recent visit to EA Sports we took a Williams for a test drive, in variable conditions, and were very impressed with the way in which the wet weather moved in. The transition from clear blue sky to cloudy grey was barely noticeable, and when the rain started falling - initially only a few drops - the monsoon-like conditions that Silverstone fans are used to, took a couple of laps to really kick in. The grip on the circuit also lessened over a period of time, and the track definitely seemed to take a while to dry out - once the rain stopped - although the dry line created by other cars became apparent much sooner. The team are also still working on recreating all of the different cockpits. And following on from those we exclusively revealed to coincide with the French Grand Prix, a couple of weeks ago, we now have screens taken from behind the steering wheels of Jordan, BAR, Sauber and Benetton. Expect more news on F1 2001 before the German Grand Prix on July 29th. CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
NYR2119935	posted on 07-17-2001 @ 6:11 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
NYR2119935	posted on 07-17-2001 @ 6:15 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
NYR2119935	posted on 09-02-2001 @ 5:04 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	Any new info?? CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
rageparty 123...Not so bare anymore since I got a number underneath my name again I also have an imaginary girlfriend.	posted on 09-04-2001 @ 11:42 PM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Aug. 01	sweet shit, those r some nice screens, that up close cock-pit shot is amazing
NYR2119935	posted on 09-06-2001 @ 8:17 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	hehe :) I can't wait for its release!!! :) CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
NYR2119935	posted on 09-07-2001 @ 12:08 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
NYR2119935	posted on 09-07-2001 @ 12:16 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
NYR2119935	posted on 09-22-2001 @ 1:04 AM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
NYR2119935	posted on 10-04-2001 @ 6:43 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	This game is great!!! Has anyone else got it yet??? :) CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA

Displaying 1-15 of 15 messages in this thread.