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[Has Gran Turismo 5 been postponed?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/08/has-gran-turismo-5-been-postponed/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/08/has-gran-turismo-5-been-postponed/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/08/has-gran-turismo-5-been-postponed/#comments
We don't know if the marketing folks at Polyphony Digital are messing with us or if building one of the most impressive racing simulators of all time is just really, really hard. For some reason, the rumored release date of the hotly anticipated Gran Turismo 5 is jumping around like the rear axle of a gen one Cadillac CTS-V. We've heard December 29, 2009, late 2009 and even a March 2010 Japan release. Now comes word on the Amazon website that GT5 is going to be released on March 31, 2010. Frankly, we liked "late 2009" a lot more, but it appears we have little say in the matter.

Who knows, the constant date-shifting could be a heartless attempt by Kazunori Yamauchi and his minions to keep their perpetually forthcoming release in the news. We're thinking it's time to stop with the tomfoolery and get this thing launched. Five years and an all-new gaming console is long enough to wait for the answer to GT4.

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5 screen shots

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[Source: Gran Turismo]

Has Gran Turismo 5 been postponed? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gran turismogran turismo 5GranTurismoGranTurismo5gt5Kazunori YamauchiKazunoriYamauchips3racing gameRacingGameThu, 08 Oct 2009 16:57:00 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[VIDEOS: <i>Need for Speed SHIFT</i> includes Lexus LF-A, BMW M3 GT2, lots of awesome]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/05/videos-i-need-for-speed-shift-i-includes-lexus-lf-a-bmw-m3/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/05/videos-i-need-for-speed-shift-i-includes-lexus-lf-a-bmw-m3/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/05/videos-i-need-for-speed-shift-i-includes-lexus-lf-a-bmw-m3/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click above to watch videos after the jump

The holidays come for auto freaks several times a year, and we call those times auto shows. But with the motor show calendar on break for the summer, we got an unexpected injection of octane from this year's E3 video game expo. As if it weren't enough to catch a glimpse at such promising upcoming releases as Forza Motorosport 3, Gran Turismo 5 and Codemasters' FUEL, we've now got another one to add to our shopping lists: Need for Speed SHIFT.

Although previous installments of the NFS franchise focused on outrunning the po-po and tricking out imports, as our thumb-cramped compatriots over at Joystiq found out just this past March, SHIFT promises to deliver a pure racing simulator. EA has now released the full list of cars (including such highlights as the Lexus LF-A, Pagani Zonda R, Nissan GT-R SpecV, BMW M3 GT2 and Audi R8 LMS) and tracks (including the Nürburgring, Laguna Seca and Willow Springs) that'll be included in the game, along with a pair of videos that we've posted after the jump. Check 'em out, and prepare to lose sleep.


Gallery: Need for Speed SHIFT

Continue reading VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT includes Lexus LF-A, BMW M3 GT2, lots of awesome

VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT includes Lexus LF-A, BMW M3 GT2, lots of awesome originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bmw m3 gt2BmwM3Gt2eaelectronic artelectronic artsElectronicArtElectronicArtsgamegameslexus lf-aLexusLf-aneed for speedneed for speed shiftNeedForSpeedNeedForSpeedShiftnfsnfs shiftNfsShiftracing gameracing simulatorRacingGameRacingSimulatorshiftvideo gameVideoGameFri, 05 Jun 2009 11:27:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Codemasters' <i>FUEL</i> features 5,000+ square miles of drivable terrain]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/04/video-codemasters-i-fuel-i-features-5-000-square-miles-of/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/04/video-codemasters-i-fuel-i-features-5-000-square-miles-of/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/04/video-codemasters-i-fuel-i-features-5-000-square-miles-of/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Codemasters Fuel - Click above to watch the video

Getting tired of driving over the same virtual circuits over and over again? Sure, it's a good way to get to know a track, but if can get tiresome. That's why Codemasters - the game studio behind DiRT, Grid and the upcoming F1 series - is releasing Fuel.

The arcade-style racing game boasts a Guinness World Record for the most virtual terrain in any video game: a whopping 5,560 square miles of drivable turf. To design the digital turf layout, developers took the entire Western United States and put the best into the game, encompassing everything from city streets and desert highways to switchback country roads and snowy mountain passes, in all manner of weather conditions.

The paddock of vehicles includes motorbikes, race cars and trucks, but they're all fictitious, so if you're looking for a realistic racing simulator, look elsewhere. If, on the other hand, you're looking for an old-school arcade game with a virtually endless array of tracks, this game's got your name written all over it. Check out the video after the jump and the high-res screencaps in the gallery below. Fuel releases for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Windows on June 5.


Gallery: Codemasters Fuel


[Source: Codemasters]

Continue reading VIDEO: Codemasters' FUEL features 5,000+ square miles of drivable terrain

VIDEO: Codemasters' FUEL features 5,000+ square miles of drivable terrain originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Raging Thunder on the iPhoneThe iPhone has been a hit since its release and Apple has ratcheted up the excitement the last couple of months, as the recently-released software development kit for the phone is already bearing fruit. In a short period of time and on what we'd guess is a very limited budget, one group of developers has designed a cool racing game called Raging Thunder that features quality graphics, a number of cars, and steering that utilizes the iPhone's revolutionary accelerometer. While the game isn't exactly groundbreaking, it demonstrates that we should see some very cool racing games when big-time developers really start to focus on the iPhone. Follow the jump to see the sweet-looking Raging Thunder in action.

[Source: Kotaku]

Continue reading VIDEO: Driving games begin to land on iPhone

VIDEO: Driving games begin to land on iPhone originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 10 May 2008 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleiphoneracing gameRacingGameraging thunderRagingThunderSat, 10 May 2008 14:54:00 EST<![CDATA[2007 AB Gift Guide: VRX Mach 4]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/03/2008-ab-gift-guide-vrx-mach-4/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/03/2008-ab-gift-guide-vrx-mach-4/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/12/03/2008-ab-gift-guide-vrx-mach-4/#commentsFiled under: , ,

There are racing simulators, and then there's VRX Industries simulators. Their VRX Mach 4 is the Bugatti Veyron of sims. It takes four Xbox 360s to run the Mach 4's three 37" high-def LCD screens and 7" LCD rear view mirror. Realistic sound is provided by a Bose Acoustimass system with a Harmon Kardon surround sound receiver. A Sparco Monza racing seat holds you tight as the 1500 watt tactile feedback system and 1900 watt tactile power amp simulate ever bump and crash. And if all that isn't enough to make you feel like a racecar driver, there's even a virtual wind system, people. With all that realism, you're gonna work up a thirst, and you're taken care of there, too, with, a "beverage containment system." Not even Mr. Räikkönen gets one of those.
VRX Mach 4 Racing Simulator - $24,995

Next up: Custom-built and only 100 made!

Gallery: 2008 AB Gift Guide

Jeff Gordon Dental FlossHaynes playing cardsThree Pedal Club t-shirt

2007 AB Gift Guide: VRX Mach 4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>racing gameracing simulatorRacingGameRacingSimulatorvirtual racer xVirtualRacerXVRX Mach 4VRX simulatorVrxMach4VrxSimulatorMon, 03 Dec 2007 15:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Today's time-waster: BMW puts you in control of the M3]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/16/todays-time-waster-bmw-puts-you-in-control-of-the-m3/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/16/todays-time-waster-bmw-puts-you-in-control-of-the-m3/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/16/todays-time-waster-bmw-puts-you-in-control-of-the-m3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



BMW is serious about its M3 coupe, so much so that the German automaker is willing to invest big bucks to show potential buyers just how great the M driving experience is. To give you control of the M3, BMW created a video game where you get to dance around the Nürburgring. The file is a mega-load at 345 MB, and BMW suggests having a steering controller for the PC to get the best possible experience. We didn't have the wheel, so we stuck with the keyboard controls. The interface seems like it was designed by the architects of iDrive, and trying to exit the game almost crashed our fortified quad-core gamer machine, but the graphics were pretty sweet. That said, if the M3 handles as poorly as it did for us in this video game, most of us would rather have a Crown Victoria rolling on DUBs (Readers, be advised: "Most of us" refers to Chris and the other voices in his head. Just a clarification. - Ed). It took us 20 minutes to get to the point where we could keep the virtual 414 HP on the track, and steering was too sensitive on pavement and flat-lined on anything else. Let us know how you do if you take the time to try it. Heck, it's a time waster, but it's free.

[Source: BMW]

Today's time-waster: BMW puts you in control of the M3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Home racing games have come a long way since Pole Position, with controllers providing feedback to virtual drivers, while true to life graphics and vehicle driving dynamics making the action feel much more real. Microsoft has even engineered some real-life smoke from their official steering wheel, even though the software giant from Redmond, Washington really wishes the problem didn't exist.

The pneumatic experts at Festo have taken a big step towards making the most real-life racing game experience, and the extent of on-road feel of their new contraption looks very impressive. Festo uses Fluidic Muscles and mechatronic systems to give users a true sensation of either driving or flying, depending on the software being used. It's really more of an industrial simulator than a game, and we're pretty sure it costs a bit more than a Playstation 3. Either way, we'll need to come up with a business case to AOL for buying one for the Autoblog team. You can check out a video of the Festo system after the jump.

Thanks for the tip, thesawzall!

Continue reading Greatest video game accessory EVAR

Greatest video game accessory EVAR originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 25 Aug 2007 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AirmotionFestoGamingMicrosoftRacing gameRacingGameSat, 25 Aug 2007 18:27:00 EST<![CDATA[STUDY: Video driving games promote risky behavior in real life]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/15/study-video-driving-games-promote-risky-behavior-in-real-life/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/15/study-video-driving-games-promote-risky-behavior-in-real-life/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/15/study-video-driving-games-promote-risky-behavior-in-real-life/#commentsFiled under:



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.

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Cadillac announced Monday that it is offering the first free downloadable content pack for the Xbox 360 version of Project Gotham Racing 3. The free Caddys cover the high-performance V-Series: the CTS-V, STS-V and XLR-V models.

Gamers who are quick enough to put a Caddy in the top 100 on the Full F1 Ciruit version of the Nurburgring via Xbox Live will gain "Cadillac Elite" status, part of a Cadillac game-player's ranking system that will eventually encompass multiple console gaming titles. Elite-class Xbox Live gamers gain access to exclusive events, customized downloadable content and are eligible to win prizes. No word on whether or not the prizes include a real-world V-car...

[Source: GM]

Cadillac launches virtual V-Series models for Xbox 360 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 23 May 2006 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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