Murr Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 one for @Retro_Link Codemasters has unveiled its family-friendly official F1 racer, and announced that the game's coming to Xbox 360, PS3 and PC this November. Called F1 Race Stars, the game is being developer by Codemasters' Birmingham studio - the same outfit that develops Codemasters' mainline F1 series. Since acquiring the F1 license in 2008, Codemasters has produced a series of serious-minded games across various formats. They've gone on to receive critical and commercial success, and the first HD installment F1 2010 went on to win a BAFTA last year. F1 Race Stars is a more light-hearted take on the sport, rendering the grid in cartoon style and promising a Mario Kart-esque experience that's bolstered by power-ups. Tracks will have some foundation on their real-life counterparts but will spin off in outlandish directions: Spa's Eau Rouge corner, for example, gives way to a loop-the-loop section, while players can leap across Monaco's famous swimming pool. All the drivers have been given the cartoon treatment, and F1 Race Stars supports four player splitscreen as well as 12 players online. It's also really, really cute. We're currently enquiring whether Codemasters will be producing tie-in merchandise so we can have a Fernando Alonso plushie we can love and hold and call our own. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...-f1-race-stars more info here - http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2012/07/13/preview-f1-race-stars-xbox-360-ps3/
gaggle64 Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 Huh. I am actually sort of curious to see what Codemasters does with a cartoon kart racing game.
CoolFunkMan Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 Glad they've finally announced this, I've known about it for ages (I work for Codemasters.) It is an amazing looking game though, can't wait to see what peeps think.
Retro_Link Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 Really like the look and sound of this! Teaser Trailer was good... though I wish it had had a full grid. It's probably a definate purchase for me; also got to get F1 2012 when it comes out in September as well.
Will Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 I'm just not sure what to make of this. On one hand I'm kind of interested by it but on the other I'm just thinking what the...? Seems to suggest it's just PS3, 360 and PC - I'm surprised there's no Wii U version at least, 360/PS3 are not the best places for these cartoon racers.
Retro_Link Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 I'm just not sure what to make of this. On one hand I'm kind of interested by it but on the other I'm just thinking what the...? Seems to suggest it's just PS3' date=' 360 and PC - I'm surprised there's no Wii U version at least, 360/PS3 are not the best places for these cartoon racers.[/quote']Hmm that's a good point! Although as I start typing this I've just realised that this game is out in November, which is when the Wii U should be coming out, so it seems likely to me they just haven't confirmed the Wii U version yet as with a number of third party games. Also Codemasters have mentioned they're working on Wii U haven't they.
Hero-of-Time Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 I'm just not sure what to make of this. On one hand I'm kind of interested by it but on the other I'm just thinking what the...? Seems to suggest it's just PS3' date=' 360 and PC - I'm surprised there's no Wii U version at least, 360/PS3 are not the best places for these cartoon racers.[/quote'] I'm sure the Wii U version was on that blockbuster leaked list a while back. If that was the case then it could be legit seeing as the game just got announced today. I'll have to have a snoop around.... EDIT: Yup it was. HERE
Konfucius Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 This looks quite promising. If they make the racing a tad more serious than in recent Mario Karts and weapons less important this could be the fun-racer I'm hoping for.
Retro_Link Posted August 13, 2012 Posted August 13, 2012 (edited) Pit Stops, Wet Weather Power-Ups... Sounds great! It's great they've done they've kept the F1 elements, making it it's own thing and not made it a Mario Kart clone. F1 Race Stars: A Threat to Mario Kart's Crown? Hamilton vs Mario? How Codemasters’ new racer might beat the plumber at his own game. When Codemasters unveiled a cutesy take on the F1 license in July, it took many by surprise. A super-deformed Jenson Button? A chibi Lewis Hamilton? Madness, surely! Not an unreasonable thought, and one that Chris Gray, Race Star’s Senior Producer, had himself. “When we went to the Formula 1 management team with this idea we genuinely were expecting to get ejected from the building.” Look a little closer at Codemasters’ portfolio though, especially since shifting gears to being an exclusively racing-focused developer, and F1 Race Stars makes a lot of sense. With DiRT, it has an over-the-top rally series, one taken into almost super-powered territory with the recent Showdown; in Grid, it has a realistic street racer; and the prime F1 series is an authentic recreation of the sport on every level. A fun-for-all kart racer was the missing element, and luckily Gray’s pitch wasn’t laughed out of the building. Having spent some time with the game, it’s actually a little bit brilliant. “It’s that classic board-game thing of ‘ages six to sixty’,” says Gray. “I definitely think that compared to our F1 games, which are a little intimidating to younger players and families to play together, we’re offering something that’s a little more accessible. But I think it’s as much of a post-pub game as many of these party games are. There’s skill there - depth to be found in the game - but it doesn’t exclude people who aren’t that good at this sort of game.” The elephant in the room – a certain plumber’s automotive adventures – isn’t missed by the developers either: “Most karting games, I think it would be fair to say, are an imitation of Mario Kart [but] we think it plays pretty different,” says Gray. He’s not lying. While Race Stars plays similarly to many karting games – dashing through cartoonish levels collecting power-ups and finding hidden shortcuts dotted around – it has several tweaks that help evoke the spirit of Formula One. For example, take too much damage from collisions or rivals’ power-ups and you’ll need to nip through a pit stop to get back to full speed. Another difference to most karting games will be no power-sliding through corners. “It wouldn’t suit the sport; it’s not just a matter of doing something different to be different,” explained Gray. “F1 cars don’t powerslide. If we made our F1 Race Stars cars do that it would look silly. It wouldn’t be right. It’s still very much a matter of braking into corners and boosting down the straights.” As well as getting the drivers involved in designing their avatars in-game (Schumacher asked for more of a tan, while Hamilton wanted smaller ears, incidentally), the various F1 teams factor into Race Stars, and whichever one you choose has an impact on how the game plays. “Obviously people are going to have their favourite team and favourite driver, but we wanted the selection to have a gameplay effect, some meaningful relevance,” says Gray. “Ferrari is the only team that can fire homing projectiles backwards. One of the other teams has the ability to drop three mines rather than one. [Another] has the ability to reroll power-ups – every team has a little twist, which makes for some different experiences going down the track.” Yet Race Stars still has a lot of humour about it. Tracks represent host nations in loving shades of stereotypes and wild exaggeration, with miko maids bustling around Tokyo while a Godzilla-esque balloon floats over the city, and Germany – the track we played – throws high-speed autobahns and quaint Bavarian villages at you. Those all-important power-ups range from the vaguely realistic – summoning wet weather conditions, forcing opponents to slow down while granting you appropriate tires, to the totally outlandish – a teleport that bumps you several positions forward. It’s hard to imagine that passing FIA approval in the real sport.... Beyond conventional racing for first place, game modes include Slalom, where drivers must pass through marked gates in order; Elimination, when the last place driver is knocked out every few seconds, and its opposite, Pole Position, awarding points for staying in the lead; and Total Racing mode, where points are awarded for meeting certain criteria. Sector Snatch reflects the use of checktimes mid-lap in the real sport by having players win sections of a circuit. Add in mirrored tracks and assorted tweaks and customisations, and there’s plenty to keep casual and hardcore players interested. Race Stars also places a huge emphasis on multiplayer, with four-player local split screen and up to 12 players online, all running at a full 60 fps. Race Stars may still seem an odd proposition but it works, proving an access point to the greater sport and being tremendous fun to boot – and potentially the first real threat to Mario Kart’s dominance. Finally a return to the forests of Hockenheim!! Edited August 13, 2012 by Retro_Link
Konfucius Posted August 19, 2012 Posted August 19, 2012 I really like their approach. A karting game with a large emphasis on driving skills sounds really good to me. Are the pilots based on actual F1 drivers? I don't really follow F1 so I have no idea.
Goafer Posted August 20, 2012 Posted August 20, 2012 Random true story: I know one of the people who are playing the game in that video.
Retro_Link Posted August 20, 2012 Posted August 20, 2012 I really like their approach. A karting game with a large emphasis on driving skills sounds really good to me. Are the pilots based on actual F1 drivers? I don't really follow F1 so I have no idea.Yeah they're all based on the current 2012 teams and driver line up. Also I've just seen this image... and there's a female racer too so I guess there are more drivers and unlockables included! Maybe avatars/mii's as well? Not sure who she is, but I'm guessing she could be the Formula Renault driver Alice Powell(?) who races in a pink car.
Fierce_LiNk Posted August 20, 2012 Posted August 20, 2012 I'm not a fan of F1 at all, but it's clear a lot of effort and thought has gone into it. I quite enjoyed watching that video, purely because there seemed to be a lot of reasoning behind the ideas employed. I understood the thought process. Looks like a very fun game, to me.
Retro_Link Posted October 24, 2012 Posted October 24, 2012 Looks great! But just heard in another youtube video it only has 11 tracks (didn't say about any potential unlockables). That's a bit low for a karting game.
Retro_Link Posted November 8, 2012 Posted November 8, 2012 The demo is now up on PSN! (and no doubt XBL) *downloading now*
gaggle64 Posted November 16, 2012 Posted November 16, 2012 Pretty good quicklook with the Giantbomb boys. I really like that someone has finally made a kart game with a decent sense of speed in mind. Looks well put together but could've used a bit more animation and imagination with the item designs. Not a Mario Kart beater but a good choice for those with non-Nintendo systems only I reckon, especially at a budget price. I'll probably pick it up as a novelty sometime.
Retro_Link Posted November 16, 2012 Posted November 16, 2012 I really enjoyed the demo, however it's very different to your traditional karting game and takes a few laps getting used too. The thing is there's only 11 tracks (12 if you pre-order from GAME [no thanks] and get Valencia... 2 Spanish tracks is stupid when they leave out the likes of China!), which really isn't all that many for a karting game, considering Mario Kart Wii had 32 (16/16)! Also the weapons aren't all that and are too similar looking... there was SO much more potential to be had with them, but they've stuck too closely to F1 I feel. I'm definately gonna get the game at some point, but I'll wait until it's half price.
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