21st August 2011 - Codemasters have released the latest in a series of Developer Diaries for F1 2011, the sequel to the fastest-selling FORMULA ONE game ever. The Developer Diary focuses on the AI and handling improvements in the game alongside work-in-progress gameplay footage and stars Chief Games Designer Stephen Hood, Senior Producer Paul Jeal and FORMULA ONE test driver Anthony Davidson who is embedded into the team as Technical Consultant. The video is now showing at www.facebook.com/formula1game or you can watch it below!
F1 2011, the follow up to the BAFTA award-winning F1 2010, is in development at Codemasters Birmingham for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation3 computer entertainment system and PC Games For Windows and is available for pre-order ahead of its worldwide launch on September 23rd.
The new Developer Diary features new work-in-progress gameplay footage as key talent from the development team explain how the game’s handling and AI has taken big steps forward from F1 2010. In F1 2011, the handling will allow players to “really attack kerbs” and race “nose to tail” at high speed as cars are engineered to become more responsive to authentically recreate the unique FORMULA ONE racing experience.
“The suspension has changed completely, the aero has been updated, you can feel more involved with the car now,” said Stephen Hood, discussing the game’s handling.
“For me that’s [the handling] the thing I wanted to correct as much as possible and improve,” commented Anthony Davidson. “You’ve got a lot more mechanical grip available to you and you can feel that in the slow speed corners. We’ve seen a big step.”
“The easiest way to look at the AI this time around is that they’re more dynamic in their decisions,” said Paul Jeal. “In F1 2010 they would often make the right decision but then that situation would change and they were committed to a course of action. In F1 2011 they’re aware of all the variables, all the surroundings and they’re able to adapt their responses on the fly.” Stephen Hood added: “It’s about them being in synch with the player, following the rhythm of the race.”
In F1 2011 players will be challenged to ‘be the driver, live the life, go compete’, with wide-ranging technical and gameplay advancements on and off track and vastly extended competitive and co-operative multiplayer components. Players will be able to race against 16 players online plus 8 AI cars to simulate a full 24 car grid, team up with a friend to play through a full season in a new co-op Championship mode or enjoy multiplayer racing from the sofa in split-screen mode. F1 2011 will feature all of the official teams, drivers and circuits from the highly anticipated 2011 FIA FORMULA ONE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, including the current FIA FORMULA ONE Drivers’ World Champion Sebastian Vettel. The 2011 season also sees the debut of the 2011 FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX OF INDIA at Delhi’s Buddh International Circuit and the return of the iconic Nürburgring to the calendar.
F1 2011 will launch for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and PC Games For Windows on September 22nd. Bespoke handheld editions of F1 2011 are also in production for Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita, each designed to take advantage of the new platforms’ unique capabilities; specific release dates for the handheld editions are to be announced. To get all the news straight from the studio race over to www.facebook.com/formula1game or follow the team on twitter at www.twitter.com/formula1game.