Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Gran Turismo 5 demo coming to PSN on Dec 17, GT Academy returns [w/VIDEO]]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/gran-turismo-5-demo-coming-to-psn-on-dec-17-gt-academy-returns/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/gran-turismo-5-demo-coming-to-psn-on-dec-17-gt-academy-returns/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/07/gran-turismo-5-demo-coming-to-psn-on-dec-17-gt-academy-returns/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Click above to watch the video after the jump

Just when we thought we were going to wait until the end of March to get our hands on Gran Turismo 5, our friends at Joystiq tell us that Polyphony Digital will release a demo version of hotly anticipated racing game on December 17. The demo will be available on the Playstation Network for download both in Europe and North America, giving long-patient fans a taste of what the full game will be like when it finally arrives in stores.

And as cool as it is that the demo arrives within two weeks time, even cooler is the fact that gamers will be given the opportunity to compete for some nifty prizes. All you have to do is post your best time trial by January 24, 2010. The best time from the U.S. and Canada wins a trip to the Indianapolis 500. A sweet prize, no doubt, but it doesn't come close to the top Euro prize. The best driver from select European countries gets to enter the GT Academy. After completing training the lucky skilled gamer will race in the European GT4 Cup in a non-virtual race-spec Nissan 370Z. How amazing is that?

It would be even better if GT5 actually shipped on December 17, but it looks like we won't be racing one of the world's best driving simulators until March at the earliest. Hit the jump to view a slick video that contains more information about the GT Academy.


Gallery: Gran Turismo 5 screen shots

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Gallery: Gran Turismo 5


[Source: Joystiq]

Continue reading Gran Turismo 5 demo coming to PSN on Dec 17, GT Academy returns [w/VIDEO]

Gran Turismo 5 demo coming to PSN on Dec 17, GT Academy returns [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>370Zcontestdriving gameDrivingGameEuropean GT4EuropeanGt4gran turismoGrand TurismoGrandTurismoGranTurismoGT AcademyGT4 CupGt4Cupgt5GtAcademyindianapolis 500Indianapolis500Indy 500Indy500nissan 370ZNissan370zPolyphonyPolyphony digitalPolyphonyDigitalMon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT track guides for Road America, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/03/videos-need-for-speed-shift-track-guides-for-road-america-will/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/03/videos-need-for-speed-shift-track-guides-for-road-america-will/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/03/videos-need-for-speed-shift-track-guides-for-road-america-will/#commentsFiled under: ,

Click above to watch the videos after the jump

Make no mistake about it: the racing games are coming. But while it may be all to easy to get lost in all the hype over the latest from Microsoft's Forza or Sony's Gran Turismo franchises, Electronic Arts has a trick of its own up its sleeve. (We're just kidding, everyone knows gamers don't wear sleeves.) And they've just given us a glimpse of what to expect. Three of them, actually.

The benchmark of any good racing game is how faithfully it reproduces some of our most favorite race tracks. And if that's the gold standard, then Need for Speed SHIFT is shaping up to be a great one. If you'll follow us after the jump, you can enjoy three new videos outlining EA's take on three of America's best circuits: Laguna Seca, Willow Springs and Road America - complete with run-downs of each track's histories and intricacies. The game launches in North America on September 15, but you can check out the videos now.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT track guides for Road America, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca

VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT track guides for Road America, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>driving gamedriving simulatorDrivingGameDrivingSimulatoreaelectronic artsElectronicArtsgamelaguna secaLagunaSecaneed for speedneed for speed shiftNeedForSpeedNeedForSpeedShiftracing gameRacingGameroad americaRoadAmericawillow springsWillowSpringsThu, 03 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Autoblog Video Exclusive: Bugatti Veyron joins Forza Motorsport 3]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/02/autoblog-video-exclusive-the-bugatti-veyron-joins-forza-motorsp/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/02/autoblog-video-exclusive-the-bugatti-veyron-joins-forza-motorsp/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/02/autoblog-video-exclusive-the-bugatti-veyron-joins-forza-motorsp/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Exclusive footage of the Bugatti Veyron in Forza Motorsport 3 -- Click above to watch video

Forza Motorsport 3 developer Turn 10 Studios has decided to share some exclusive video footage with Autoblog (and our sister site Joystiq) that features one of our favorite cars: the Bugatti Veyron. When the game is released, you'll be able to take the wheel of the world's most expensive 'bug' without having to drop $1.6 million large. And of course, you'll get to customize it all you like. Take that, Sang Bleu...

Said Turn 10 head Dan Greenawalt, "Including the Veyron allows our fans and community to experience one of the world's rarest supercars at an unparalleled level of realism. Few people will ever get to see this car in person, let alone race or drive one, so the fact that we have it in Forza Motorsport 3 where it's fully drivable, tunable, paintable and even damageable is a very exciting concept to us. We hope our community shares that passion and enthusiasm!"

Damaging the Veyron in the game wouldn't be as bad as overcooking the real thing into the Armco, but we still recommend against it. However, having driven the thing twice, we can say that if you can get the actual Veyron to lay down rubber or drift through corners, then please give us a call - we have a trophy for you... Check out the video footage after the jump.

[Source: Turn 10 Studios, Joystiq]

Continue reading Autoblog Video Exclusive: Bugatti Veyron joins Forza Motorsport 3

Autoblog Video Exclusive: Bugatti Veyron joins Forza Motorsport 3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Does a three-hour marathon session of Burnout Revenge on the Xbox 360 give you the urge to go wreak automotive havoc on an unsuspecting public? Perhaps not, but you might be more inclined to run a red light or wantonly speed according to a new study that confirms the correlation between racing games and risky behavior behind the wheels. While surveys have been done to establish this correlation in the past, this is one of the first hardcore studies conducted to back up this theory.

Conducted by Peter Fischer at Ludwig-Maximilians University and the Allianz Center for Technology in Germany (Allianz is one of the largest insurance companies in the world), the study took a very scientific approach. Published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, it began with interviewing a number of subjects on their driving habits and how often they played video games that featured driving in a real-world setting. Next, researchers actually compared the effect of playing games like Burnout, Midnight Racer and Need for Speed on the brain. It was found that such games did increase cognitions that relate to risk taking and arousal/excitement. Finally, the study gauged whether these types of driving games actually translated into risk-taking behavior by using the widely accepted Vienna Test System. Sure enough, it was found that men (though not women) were more likely to take risks in traffic after playing these games.

The linked article from Arstechnica makes the good point that the study steered clear of driving games like Project Gotham Racing, Forza and Gran Turismo that take place on virtual tracks in controlled environments. Such games, if studied, might be found to promote increased motor skills and concentration since the goal is to get the best lap time and not run over granny in your Gremlin.

What's worrisome, however, is if the correlation between these types of driving games might eventually give the insurance industry cause to increase rates for gamers that like to indulge in a little Grand Theft Auto.

[Source: Arstechnica]

STUDY: Video driving games promote risky behavior in real life originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>driving gameDrivingGamepsychologyracing gameRacingGamereportrisky behaviorRiskyBehaviorstudyvideo gameVideoGameviolentThu, 15 Mar 2007 15:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Forbes ranks Top 10 video games for drivers]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/06/forbes-ranks-top-10-video-games-for-drivers/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/06/forbes-ranks-top-10-video-games-for-drivers/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/06/forbes-ranks-top-10-video-games-for-drivers/#commentsFiled under: ,

We may not be able to afford exotic cars in real life, but for decades gearheads the world over have embraced video games as a way to unleash their inner Schumacher. Jeremy Rosenberg at ForbesAutos.com (OK, Forbes isn't an obvious choice for a video game survey, but what the heck, at least some Forbes readers can actually afford to buy these cars...) has examined the historical spectrum of driving games, ranging from arcade classics to the current state of the art, and come up with an all-time Top Ten list:
  1. Gran Turismo 4
  2. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
  3. OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast
  4. Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed
  5. Spy Hunter
  6. Project Gotham Racing 3
  7. Sega GT 2002
  8. Test Drive Unlimited
  9. Pole Position
  10. The Fast and the Furious
GT4, not surprisingly, hits the top of the chart for its uncompromising approach to realism in the driving simulator genre. (Of course, as with most games sponsored by automakers, that realism doesn't extend to crash damage.)

You may not agree with Forbes' choices and ranking, but with Sony's much-anticipated PlayStation 3 launching next month, the list might get you thinking about a new driving game to showcase the next-gen platform. Or maybe you'll just grab a roll of quarters and head for the arcade.

[Source: ForbesAutos.com]

Forbes ranks Top 10 video games for drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Oct 2006 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>driving gamedriving simulatorDrivingGamevideo gameFri, 06 Oct 2006 14:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Ford Bold Moves: the video game]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/08/ford-bold-moves-the-video-game/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/08/ford-bold-moves-the-video-game/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/09/08/ford-bold-moves-the-video-game/#commentsFiled under: , ,



If you're a video game freak and a Mustang fan, chances are you're going to pick up Ford Bold Moves: Street Racing for the PS2, XBox 360 or PC no matter what kind of reviews it gets. Manufacturer specific driving games are not a new thing, even for Ford who is now on its third version of the Ford Racing series. Still, they can often devolve into extended digital test drives when there's only one brand to race.

Perhaps Ford Bold Moves: Street Racing is a cut above the rest, as it has some interesting features beyond the obvious draw of driving 18 of the greatest Ford vehicles of all time (see complete list of available vehicles after the jump). Gameplay is structured around short challenges, competitions and league play that takes place on 24 tracks based on the streets of L.A. Why video game makers insist on having us race the streets of the most congested city in the U.S. is beyond us, but we digress. In addition to winning cash to modify your Ford of choice, the game also goes the extra step to simulate real damage. The real hook, however, is a Maximum Team Control Racing mode in which players can control a team of up to three cars at once and can switch which car they're controlling on the fly.

With a name like Ford Bold Moves, we were hoping there'd be a management mode where we could swap out CEOs, bargain with teamsters and close plants, but it looks like game developer Razorworks is saving those features for its follow up, The Way Forward: Turnaround Xtreem.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford Bold Moves: the video game

Ford Bold Moves: the video game originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Sep 2006 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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