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Forza 3 DLC# 3′s Nurburgring Circuits due 9th Feb
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Update: Review now available – check out if it is worth the 400 MSP . . .?
I had been hoping and praying that the first lot of tracks to be offered as DLC from Turn 10 in Forza 3 would be the famous Nurburgring Grand-Prix-Circuits.
They are finally here, both the Fuill GP and the Short circuit will be on offer, which is something I’m really looking forward to. Well on one hand I am, but there’s an air of apprehension about it, which you will read about in a minute, but first things first.
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Both of these circuits were available in Forza 2, and I personally spent many hours flying around the track in just about every class and car available, and let me tell you, some of the unlikeliest cars did some amazing times around those 2 tracks, and ideally, the times will be close to real-world figures, as will the racing fun.
As always, we will be running a review on the track, using cars from different classes to see how both the track looks and feels and the cars deal with the very demanding track.
My only concern or hope actually, is that the tracks will be able to be used within the Career or Seasons Mode, or at the very least, in the Events List Mode where you are pitted against other vehicle in any class you set.
If they are not, and only available for On-line racing via XboxLive, then it will be a sad day for Forza 3 fans everywhere, as over 50% of Forza 3 fans do NOT use the game on live due to many reason, one of which is player exploitation and tom-foolery. Something any real race fan just does not want to deal with when they are there to race.
The detail looks great from the shots, let’s hope that transfers across into the real-deal, and we’ll be grabbing the DLC as soon as it is available. Seeing that the 9th hits Australia before Nth America and Europe, we’ll have a head start on testing it out, hopefully.
Cost on the DLC is 400 MSP
Nürburgring Grand Prix Circuit History
A Modern Classic Arrives on Forza Motorsport 3.
“The latest Forza Motorsport 3 downloadable add-on has been announced, and this time around, we’ve re-created one of the world’s most renowned and technical tracks for your racing pleasure. Introducing the Nürburgring Grand Prix Circuit, a demanding road course built to test the mettle of the world’s best drivers.
The DLC pack comes with 2 tracks on the Grand Prix Circuit and will cost only 400 MS points on Xbox LIVE Marketplace. But before your rubber meets the road, check out our quick summary on the track below to get caught up all the facts.
• Nurburgring Grand-Prix-Circuits Come Alive
The modern “Grand Prix Strecke” layout at the Nürburgring suffered an identity crisis of sorts when it opened its doors in 1984. Carved into the tree-laden foothills of the Eifel Mountains in the western region of Germany, the Nordschleife was brutally long at 14 miles and, with its elevation changes, was more rollercoaster than road circuit in some of its more harrowing sections.
First, a quick piece of history about The Nordschleife: Its most epic motorsport moment on the track has to be Juan Manuel Fangio’s remarkable come-from-behind win in 1957. After a pit snafu put him 50 seconds behind the Ferraris of Hawthorne and Collins, Fangio illustrated how he earned his El Maestro nickname as he harnessed all his talent and pushed his sleek Maserati 250F to its absolute limit.
Laying down devastating fastest laps in succession, some up to 11 seconds faster than the Red Racers, Fangio passed the Ferraris on the next-to-last lap. The charge secured the F1 championship for Fangio and turned out to be the last victory of his illustrious career. To this day the spectacle is touted as the best drive ever seen in F1.
With the Nordschleife notoriously narrow and the cars becoming significantly swifter the ‘Ring was deemed too dangerous in 1976 and thus F1 moved to Hockenheim.
The Grand Prix Strecke project was tasked with getting F1 back on the Nürburgring. The new circuit was certainly safe but its turns were designed with protractors and mathematical equations where the old track allowed the terrain to define it, giving it an organic soul and challenging both driver and car alike.
Nevertheless, the Strecke fulfilled its mission in 1984 when the European Grand Prix was won by Alain Prost in a McLaren. The German Grand Prix returned to the ‘Ring in ’85 with Michele Alboreto winning in his Ferrari. But the trail went dry. Perhaps the track was too sanitized, its run-off areas, which pundits of the day would likely measure in acres not meters, put the fans too far from the action. Perhaps it did not appeal to the machismo that is F1. Maybe it was ahead of its time.
Fast forward a decade later to 1995 when the F1 madness returned for the European GP. None other than hometown hero Michael Schumacher ushered in the current era of the Strecke, taking the checkered flag behind the wheel of a Benetton.
The circuit’s geometrically correct corners made it tough to pass so it was tweaked in 2002, adding a first-gear hair-pin that put an emphasis on braking and car control, inviting racers to out-brake each other and either reap the benefits or pay the price. The Mercedes Arena section was also installed to allow drivers to better dice it up.
The Grand Prix Strecke would host the European GP until 2007 when F1 decided to run only one race in Germany. From 2007 to 2010 the Nürburgring and Hockenheim shared the German GP. The Grand Prix Strecke also plays host to the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, 1000km Nürburgring, DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft) series, and numerous endurance series events.
Turn 10’s DLC offering opens the door to this modern classic. No matter what you roll out of your garage the Strecke entices drivers to tame the Coca-Cola Curve, Ford Curve and Dunlop Curve, master the Mercedes Arena section and dominate the straight-aways. Auf wiedersehen!”
- Jalopnik & Turn 10 Car Pack DLC#4
- Last Month DLC #3, The Nurburgring Grand Prix Pack
- The Detroit Autoshow Car Pack DLC #2
- You can check out the first extensive review of the DLC Holiday Pack here as well.
- OXCGN’s Huge Forza 3 Page, over 1500 comments.
- OXCGN’s Forza 3 Career Guide with downloadable Achievement PDF spec sheet.
- OXCGN’s Career Guide Number 1. More downloadable stuff and lots of tips.
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Filed under: 1st Party Titles, Console gaming, Editorial, Forza 3, Microsoft Games, Racing, Tuning For Forza 2, Tuning for Forza 3, Xbox 360, Xbox 360 News, XboxLive Marketplace | Tagged: forza motorsport, Forza 3, forza motorsport 3, Forza3, FMS3, Forza, forza's new game, Forzamotorsport, Forza news, E3 2009, Forza 3 news, Forza 3 artwork, Forza 3 car lists, Turn10, Forza 1, Official Forza 3 Artwork, Rod Saboury's 1963 Corvette, Worlds fastest street car, Ken Block, forzamotosport 3, forzamotosport news, forza 3 logo, Official Forza 3 Logo, "forza 3 E3 2009 news", "news on Forza 3 from E3", "le mans forza 3 announcement", Le Mans, 24 hour le mans, "Forza 3 announced at Le mans", forza 3 limited edition, "V8 Supercars in Forza 3". v9 supercars forza 3., Forza 3 250 gig bundle, "forza 3 xbox 360 250 gig bundle", "Forza 3 Super Elite Bundle", Super Elite Bundle, Ferrari Italia 458, BMW E85 Z4, BMW E85 Z4M, Taniguchi san, Taniguchi Time Attack Evo, Time Attack Evo IX, Nurburgring Grand Prix Forza 3, Nurburgring Forza 3, Forza 3 tracks, Forza 3 new tracks, Forza 3 Nurburgring Grand Prix Circuits
Erm first of all, the most epic race on the Nordschleife was of course Tazio Nuvolari’s win in 1935 in an inferior Alfa Romeo P3 vs the Mercedes W25′s and Auto Union Tipo B’s.
But further I think the track is kinda nice, but T10 makes some mistakes with this game. Also I miss the 24h VLN layout.
Ah, that is seriously disappointing to see that they haven’t done much to really implement the track in the SP side of the game. Two laps in a Free Race isn’t acceptable and having to enter a new Time Trial when you want to switch cars is quite pathetic too. I will give this one a miss.
Absolutely, always great to meet up with fellow gaming enthusiasts and likewise – its unfortunate we didn’t get to speak a little more on the night. That said, it most definately was an awesome event and I did enjoy seeing those Surface demos, games running and most importantly, the conference at the end! I’m glad he said that NATAL won’t be the end of controller-gaming and merely a new means to game, so here’s hoping we continue to see full games still relying on the controller as we know it while seeing other games utilising NATAL to show a more interactive side to gaming as we know it.
When you consider that tracks like Nurburgring are renowned for their endurance races, not 2 lap sprint races, and that their PR blur goes on about using your skills on a great circuit to overtake and wear down you competition . .
“Demanding technical precision while offering tremendous opportunities for overtaking rival cars, the “Nürburgring Grand Prix Circuit Track Pack” will show who has the determination and skills to grab the checkered flag.”
you’d think they would at least give the Single Player the chance to dial in more than two laps. Even many of the other tracks in the “Quick Race” mode in Free Race give you more laps . . . only the smaller ones give you 2 laps, which I still think is lousy.
I agree, for 400 MSP, I’d like perhaps at least 2 tracks and a few cars added. They wouldn’t have to be major cars, just some of the older Unique Golden-Oldies perhaps . . .
I did say the next DLC would be ‘interesting’ and please ‘most’ people and be a little different lol.
These two were a natural given that the ‘Ring is already in the game, and this is an addition to it. The Full Ring also includes the full GP circuit into the full country side Nurburgring circuit. Whether or not they allow the joning of the two with this DLC is another story . . . it would be great if they do.
And they had better be able to use them in the Event List mode, or I’ll be one very pissed gamer . . . .
Yeah, seeing both the GP circuit and Nordschleife are included in the ‘Behemoth’ (or full circuit) it would be nice to see the two connected – but I suppose Turn10 would have told us that along with the information that we will be getting the GP circuits (which is unfortunate if that’s the case).
Furthermore, I’m right with you – if this isn’t added to the Events List by either new events or by replacing some of the existing tracks in the existing events, I would be disappointed too. Hell, even if Turn10 added a new colum which read, “DLC Events” I wouldn’t mind – as long as we saw some integration that isn’t just a new Time Trial/Free Run track.
Well, my verdict is in . . .The tracks are perfect reproductions with all the great dips and ‘trouble spots’ in them, both the GP and the Short circuits . .
But Turn 10 – you have FAILED big time with this DLC.
It’s outrageous to charge 400 MSP (even though that is not a great deal $$ wise, it is the point of the matter.
You can ONLY race them in the Hot Lap and Time attack (solo race timed racing over the track) and is not available in either events list as an added event of any kind, nor has it been added onto the Seasons as a “Special Event or even an additional Enduro.
You get 2 bloody laps an dthat is it. No sooner do you get the feel for the track in any car, on any class, than the race is over.
Sure you can have the cars form any class. but you can NOT dial up the laps at all.
You are stuck with a crummy 2 laps.
What were you thinking Turn 10 . . this is just ridiculous . . and I would NOT recommend anyone spending the 400 MSP on the track.
The only ppl it will benefit is the Online Players – yet again . .so a big thumbs down from Oz on this one.
BTW, it was great to see you this evening mate at the event in Sydney, sorry I didn’t have much time to chat . . .it was good though . . . and exactly as I predicted re the way gaming will (is) be going in the future – Social media and networking will be first and foremost on the Xbox platform (as it will on the PSN and Nintendo systems) and gaming per-se (as we currently know it) will become a second fiddle to the other one.
Which is exactly what I wrote about in an earlier article, and Robbie Bach confirmed tonight.
Hmm … a great track indeed and its good to see more than just cars added in the DLC packs. That said (and this might just be a whinge that no-one else will agree on), I would have liked to see perhaps another track location added too – or even just two cars.
I know that might be a bit much, but that’s what I would have liked to see for 400 Points.