Team OXCGN Racing

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Forza 3 Update 17th July

The boys at Turn 10 have released some more images of various vehicles, this time the Supercars and SUV’s that will be included in the game.

I noticed that Maple Leafe is featured in the stills, andthat sent my heart all a flutter, as it’s one of my best loved tracks for flat out speed with ‘bends’ rather than ‘turns’.

Perhaps one of the best track for sheer beauty and immersion, involving detailed environments, trackside detail and even wildlife (that was all in Forza 2 – so expect more in Forza 3). One of my closest “near-misses” came on thattrack when coming out of the downhill run, into the very quick little “esess” just prior to the main straight. Two cars ahead, all doing in excess of 200mph, colided in the main straight under the overpass bridge.

I came sailing into the straight confronted by a huge cloud of smoke, two cars carrering sideways and twisting in both direction. I noticed a gap in between the Porsche and the wall and headed staright for it in the Zonda, and “just” scrapped the wall at 200+mph, while the other two danced with each other.

Went on to win and actually create a new lap record (PB) for that track in the Zonda. It’s these things that make Forza a real racers love come true. The AI makes mistakes and Fk’s up, and you see the results of it, and have to deal with it.

All those that say that Forza 2′s AI did nothing but follow the invisible ‘race line’ obviously have not spent hours and hours at the game like ‘some have’ (I have over 500+ hrs at Forza 2 so far). Grid and Forza 2 have a free thinking AI (well, as free thinking as a compyter game can get) that makes its own mistakes, has crashes and you have to deal with those interactions.

Ideally Forza 3 will have an even better AI for those cars, and be even more unforgiving on the sim-settings.

Yes yes, I know, some simply want to ‘play boy-racer’, and Turn 10 have taken that into consideration, and even given them free run of the track with their new “Auto-brake” feature (have no idea why anyone would want to use that, but hey, whatever rocks-your-socks people.) as well as Brake aids and other various drive assists.

From the cars revealed this week, we can see that each class of racer will have something to play with. However, I can hear the moaning starting already about some cars not being included in the game, or this model not being there etc.

One has to learn that you can not have everything, and what these guys are doing with Forza 3 is nothing short of brilliant. One needs only to check out the ‘actual in-game screen’ to see the huge shift in detail, both outside, as well as inside now.

Some of these shots show superb detail right down to the stiching in the leather trim and buttons. Why, for pure immersion reasons, that’s why. I want to feel that I belong in that car when I’m screaming down the straight at over 200mph.

Sure, I won’t be checking out the upholstery at that speed, or the sideline details, while navigation a set of essess with two other cars barking right up my backside. But when I do slow down to take in the view, I can. I can check out the great interiors, amazing vistas, trackside detail, and even swing my head around and check out the passengers seats if I want to.

A game does not need 900 plus cars to make it the best, nor does it need every manafacturer that ever built a car as well as every model of Japanese imports . . . What it needs is those select number that represent the best in their fields, that can be changed and tailored to suit the racers needs.

And that is what makes Forza different from the others, UGC – (User Generated Content) and a huge sense of “community” – something that Forza has in spades.

So check out the screens and let you mouth begin to water, we’ve only just started to show some of the 400 cars that will be available when Forza 3 is release on 23rd October 09.

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Forza 3 Update 9th July

We are currently working on two ventures or schemes with Forza 3. One is building what we term as The Ultimate Mid Priced OXCGN Forza 3 Cockpit which we plan on showing the construction over 2 – 3 installments. This will be aimed at true enthusists who can afford the space and gear needed, but not as expensive as some of the more elaborate systems out there.

The second is a Hands-On for OXCGN staff and my evaluation of the game in its current form. But until then, here’s the latest Forza 3 video dealing with the excellent coverage at Le Mans. If this video doesn’t make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up in anticipation, or bring a smile of glee or enthusiasm, then nothing ever will – enjoy.

• Forza 3 Le Mans

Colin Mc Rae: DiRT 2 news

One racing game that should turn head when it’s released, another Codemasters one as well, is COlin McRae DiRT 2.

Here is an excellent interview with one of the leading drivers in the field now, Ken Block, who hung out with Colin Mc Rae and actually learnt some skill through him.

It’s an excellent, all be it somewhat flashy interview. But it delivers some really interesting points and details oif the new game.

Expect to be impressed when it ships, but for =now check out the interview, and as we get more news, we’ll pop it up here in or OXCGN Racing Page for everyone to check out.

• Coline Mc Rae: DiRT 2 – Interview with Ken Block

Something To Whet The Street Racers’ Appetites

The Worlds Fastest Street Car

• Fastest street car

Everyone is always screaming for Drag Cars in Forza 3 . .Well, no drag cars in Forza 3, but hows about the Worlds Fastest Street Car, driven on Pump gas, and in street legal trim, right down to the cup holders, blinkers and everything else needed for a street driven car, that does 6 sec 1/4 mile runs in standard trim.

Rod Saboury’s 1963 Corvette is a street-legal car that exceeded 210 mph at a track in Ohio. (Baltimore Sun photo by Lloyd Fox / November 24, 2008)

Going from zero to 60 mph in one second will make people stop and stare, but Rod Saboury need not drive his 2,400-horsepower, twin-turbo-charged Corvette that fast to grab attention.

Sometimes, the Millers resident and National Hot Rod Association driver cruises along Carroll County’s streets or pulls up into a McDonald’s drive-through, and then heads turn – fixated on the Corvette’s dragster-engine sound, fire-red exterior and hot-rod designs.

“It’s like driving a UFO on the highway,” says Saboury, 58, whose 1963-model Corvette is widely regarded as the fastest street-legal car on the planet. The car so impressed the editors at Super Chevy magazine that the 35-year-old publication named Saboury’s Corvette as its inaugural Car of the Year in its February issue.”

…cont

Yes, keep dreaming, but now drag cars in Forza 3 . . .

Update: #1

Need For Speed: Shift

A whole new look and feel.

I’m not sure how the NFS fans will be dealing with this, as their roots are firmly entrenched in the Arcade style NFS has become known for over the years and will be fighting tooth and nail over the changes. My advice, get over it. And tuff bickies people, Shift is here and is NOT an arcade game – thanks god.

It’s not as if they will not have that arcade feel or gameplay anymore. they will,but it won’t be on the 360 or the PS3. It will be via NFS: Nitro on the Wii and some handhelds, and NFS: Online World which will also be more arcade based but an open online world to play in.

• Need for Speed: Shift Interview

Yes, they are NOT the usual style of cars for NFS, the whole idea is to get away from that style, and get with the newer, faster and more sim-like approach many of the racing developers are now taking. With the likes of GRiD (GRiD 2 in the works under Codemasters), Colin McRae DiRT 2 (Codies once again, they are just getting too good at this), plus we can not forget the 360′s staple racing diet, Forza 3 under Turn10 Studios, which will be enormous btw, and a new F1 title coming out of Codemasters stable sometime this year or very early next year.

Yes, it’s the year of the racer, well, the sim-style racer that is.

This year we have had Race Pro kicking things off to a nice start and proving to be a real hit with the real racer fans. While many arcade and smash-em-up boys do not like it, and will probably hate the new look console NFS: Shift, those that enjoy such challenges are up for the task. So bring it on developers, we want these kind of games in spades.

Many thanks to Brad from our US OXCGN Affiliate Site – AutoGaming.net for the asstes, we really appreciate the cooperative spirit some sites have. If you want decent racing, and professional teams and no mucking about, then this is one of the many clean-racing sites around well worth a visit. We hope to have a bevy of proper racing sites for gamers to chose from and get to know.

Notice:

Plus, for those interested, if you’re up for the challenge and think you’re the type that will make a ‘decent, respectable and competitive driver’, then shoot us a line and help us build up the formidable Team OXCGN Racing to a level that it becomes known around the globe.

We need your help, but be warned!

Absolutely NO tyre kickers or arcade junkies need apply. Sure, We might play Grid and the new-look NFS: Shift when it – shifts (couldn’t help that one, sorry), but we do not like the Burnout, early NFS’s and other such Smash-em-ups.

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With all the interest on Motorsport this year, and from the enormous amount of support we had in 2008 with Forza 2 and Forza 3, we’ve decided to make a page and series of sub pages dedicated to just Xbox 360 Racing.

2009 sees a plethora of racing games heading our way, all of them major players vying for the spot of Top Dog in the racing genre. Which one will it be? Forza3, Turn10′s next iteration of the excellent racer.

Could it be EA’s new kid on the Sim block NFS: Shift, which is dumping the older arcade style in favour of the newer and more realistic simulation approach with 3 different games for 3 different platform bases.

Or will it be Codemasters new Colin Mc Rae: DiRT 2 which will be getting ‘down-n-dirty’ with us around the middle of the year, bring it’s excellent physics and vehicle and terrain damage modeling. It could also be 2 other as yet unannounced titles from those great racing people, Codemasters. As there’s a strong likelihood that Grid gets another outing and they now own the F1 license and have been busy burning the midnight oil on that one as well.

So time will tell, but for now, OXCGN wants to supply you with the information on both current and new tiles heading your way in the console racing genre’, so enjoy.

However, before we do go any further. Let’s just define the word “Racing” for the sake of these pages, and games associated with this series.

Racing is defined (as far as OXCGN is concerned) any game that fits the follow criteria:

• Has realistic and licensed manufactured vehicles

• Uses either real world racing circuits, be they “recognised” Street or licensed purpose built Racing Circuits.

• Must have a high level of vehicle damage available that will impact on the driving ability of the vehicles.

• Have the options to alter steering, brakes suspension be that through aids or fine tuning

• Exhibit a level of detail in the game’s layout and visual style to represent a semi-photorealism effect.

• Only include classes that would normally be associated with normal real world racing cuircuits.

• Must have various view modes which include in-car (cockpit), upper bonnet, bumper-cam and 3rd person views

• Games that would normally be associated with “real world racing”

Games that would fall into that catergory are:

Forza 2

Forza 3

GRID

Colin Mc Rae DiRT

Colin Mc Rae DiRT 2

Race Pro

TOCA (aka V8 Supercars)

NFS: Shift (New series by EA aimed at Racing-Sim)

Games that would not fit the bill are such games as

Project Gotham Racing series

Burnout series

Midnight Club series

Need For Speed series prior to Shift

Drive

The Wheelman

Pure (and other such titles)

TOCA damage modelling - IN

Now I know some readers will say that any car can be ‘raced’ and should be included – well yes it can be raced, and they are, but not as part of the recognised “Racing” scene around the world.

There are governing bodies within the racing fraternity that try and limit the number of classes within the sport so as to provide a cohesive and comprehensive, yet limited number of classes.

Otherwise the sport would get flooded with so many classes, there would not be enough entrants to actually run a “series” annually.

The same will apply with Team OXCGN Racing. We ideally will set up a connection with a decent online racing community so that our readers can join and have fun in a proper, professional manner.

We will support that online racing community in whatever ways we can so that both this site and it can grow, and most importantly, provide the level of service any AAA Racing service should.

What we will do is include special pages or Microsites on the various game titles. Each providing reviews, videos, list of cars, their specialities, tuning advise and a section where readers can submit their pride and joy for the world to see through our Team OXCGN Racing Flickr-based pages.

There will be ongoing competition run with the Online Racing Site, and any events held to promote any new or existing games will be covered wherever possible so that you the reader can jump into one site and get your fill of racing goodness.

We are open to suggestions, but be warned, do not ask for “Drifting” series, Drag Racing or Off Road AV races etc. This is not the place for that, as there are many other excellent sites dedicated to such sub-genre’s.

Now we have all that out of the way, those still left reading, thanks for hanging around, can start to check out the following Team OXCGN Racing Pages for each title we have on offer.

So go and grab your racing gloves, racing fire suit and helmet, click on the icon of choice and be whisked away to racing goodness and I’ll meet you in the pits for a pre-race briefing.

• Forza 2

• Forza 2 info page.

• Forza 2 image page.

• Forza 2 review page.

• Forza 3

• Forza 3 info page and wish list.

• Forza 3 images page.

• Forza 3 video page.

• Forza 3 review page.

• Race Pro

• Race Pro info & history page.

• Race Pro Microsite.

• Race Pro Video page.

• Race Pro images page.

• Our Race Pro REVIEW.

• Grid

• Grid info page.

• Grid images page.

• Grid video page.

• Our Grid REVIEW.

• TOCA

• TOCA info page.

• TOCA images page.

• TOCA video page.

• TOCA review page.

• NFS: Shift

• Need For Speed: Shift game’s announcement page.

• Shift images page.

• Shift video page.

• Shift review page.

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