F1 2011 Preview - E3 2011
E3 11: The race is on with another edition of F1 title
Codemasters has been always known for developing great racing titles. While their Dirt and Grid series always had the majority of the market covered, last year’s F1 2010 was an effort from a newer studio for a rather niche market. Though it wasn’t perfect, and there was much risk trying to develop an F1 game, the product paid off and the studio is back with F1 2011, promising a vastly more polished and improved experience, and not just a yearly upgrade.
The developers actually began their presentation very humbly, discussing the various things they’ve learned from fan feedback after the release of F1 2010. They realized that the F1 market isn’t what it used to be, so developing a game for a small audience was always a risk. Thankfully, the title did well financially and critically, and has prompted the sequel. The demo, being shown by senior producer and chief game designer on F1 2011, brought further facts to help solidify the hopes that the developers have for this year’s edition.
The game is set for release on September 23rd, and the project is aimed to overshadow F1 2010, and bring a refreshed experience to players. The series is still going to be fighting for market share in the busy racing market, so it requires the development team to work extra hard. The franchise has long term goals, so with F1 2011, there is a desire to bring significant improvements to keep the fans playing and attract new users.
As the game is still 3 months from release, the version being shown was pre-beta, and more polish was promised before release. There will be 19 tracks included in the game, with a 20th pending a licensing agreement. New 2011 rules, cars, and features will be at the forefront of the experience. There are new technologies built into cars this year to assist in overtaking others, that act as boosts.
While last year’s game was focused on single player experiences, F1 2011 will have a heavier multiplayer focus. There will be much requested features, such as split screen play, a co-op championship, extended multiplayer and more. Online, the number of human players has been increased to 16, and with 8 AI drivers, the starting grid will be 24 cars. In Co-op championship, two drivers can complete races for the same team, however, as the competition winds down, one will still want to take the first place over his partner.
The game’s presentation has also been expanded, from new garage space visuals to different worldwide locations, the atmosphere of the global racing experience has been improved. These and many other presentation additions and improvements have been based on player and press feedback. For example, in F1 2010 all steering wheels were the same, except for a new logo in the middle. This year, steering wheels have been accurate to match the cars. On the track, revamped AI, updated physics, and accurate tires will be the biggest improvements.
While it’s true that it was a risk to attempt an F1 game, it paid off for Codemasters, and with F1 2011 the developer hopes to keep the momentum going. There are a number of promising improvements, and the expanded online functionality will be sure to please fans, as will the updated presentation. A slight concern remains if the series has enough legs to support a sequel on a yearly basis, something Codemasters hasn’t done with any of its other racing franchises. Still, if you’re a fan of F1, the improvements being made for this year’s version make it worth keeping an eye on.
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