That's half price

A quick note for those of you considering Driveclub VR as your launch-day Play??Station VR game of choice: Sony is offering a discount for season pass owners. This was known, generally speaking, but now we have more info to go on (and it can't hurt to reiterate).

The standalone racing game launches on October 13 for $40, but if you secured the (original, non-VR) Driveclub season pass as of September 28, you'll be able to buy Driveclub VR digitally for $20. So, half price. Unfortunately, if? you had your eyes on a discounted disc-based copy, you're out of luck.

I know some of you, myself included, were wondering who actually got this game out the door given the closure of Evolution Studios earlier this year. Here's the situation, as ex??plained by Sony:

"The majority of the game was completed by Evolution, with the remainder carried out by a dedicated team comprised of Evolution Studio veterans, several of which now are also members of the WWS Immersive Technology Group -- so you can be assured that Driveclub VR is in safe hands."

Expect lots of PSVR coverage on the site next week. Revi??ew season is? here!

Driveclub VR Out O?ctober 13, Upgrade Details for Season Pass Owners [PlayStation Blog]

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But who's leading the development?

Despit??e the closure of de?veloper Evolution Studios last month, DriveClub VR has been rated by the ESRB. 

We’ve seen DriveClub VR demoed to showcase virtual reality tech, but as yet, nothing has been announced about a full release until the ESRB let the cat out of the bag.

The game’s been granted an E rating and described as a "racing simulation game in which players drive a variety of cars around real world locations. Players can engage in traditional races, time trials, and drifting challenges.”  

Will this be standalone VR tit?le, or a new mode for current DriveClub owners? We have no idea. Maybe E3 2016 will shed some light on this, eh?

DriveClub VR Rated by ESRB [IGN]

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Sony still owns the IP

As you may have heard, Evolution Studios, developers of Motorstorm and Driveclub, is no more. But the UK-based Codemasters, one of the leading driving game creators worldwide, swooped in and acquired "most" of Evolution's staff in a bid to grow its empire further. Additionally, Mick Hocking, wh??o was Group Director under Sony, is now the VP of Product Development.

It's basically a cashless deal since Codemasters didn't go in directly with Sony and acquire any of the relevant IPs, but it makes perfect ?sense.

Codemasters welc??omes the team fr??om Evolution Studios [Codemasters]

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It's coming in an update next month

Evolution Studios is adding a Hardcore Handling option to Driveclub in February. With the feature enabled?, you won't be able to rely on familiar assists like traction and stability control.

Here's a short preview of it in action:

Game di??rector Pau?l Rustchynsky shared a few more details on Twitter.

Notably, the hardcore option will be usable in single-player and multiplayer, but "just for cars right now," not bikes. And there won't be separate leaderboards for players who have? it turned on.

"No new leaderboards in this update," he said. "Right now it's just time/??resources. The handlin??g was ready and we didn't want to hold it back! You will be able to beat drift scores, but you're going to be slower in hardcore as you have to gets on the brakes earlier!"

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Coming later this week

There's a new update coming to Driveclub this week, and according to game director Paul Rustchynsky, it's going to bring ??private lobbies to the game.

The next free update for #DRIVECLUB arrive??s NEXT WEEK! Brings Private Lobbies for multiplayer, braking assist options, new a?ccolades & more.

— Paul Rustchynsky (@Rushy33) October 30, 2015

The update is apparently also adding some new features including a new set of braking assist options and some other content tha??t hasn't been detailed. No word when in the week the update is coming, just?? that it will be some time this week.

So, have you been eager for private lobbies to come to Driveclub?

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Might as well

Hey, PlayStation Plus members! This is the last day to download the extended trial version of Driveclub before Sony pulls the o?ffer. Add it? to your account now before you forget.

Driveclub PS Plus Edition comes with 13 tracks from one of the full game's six locations (India), 15 cars, online multiplayer, and trophies.?? If you're feeling it, you can upgrade for more content.

A fresh batch of games joins the subscription-based program on Tuesday, including Super Meat Boy and Broken Age for PS4 and ??PS? Vita. The former is going to physically and mentally hurt me.

The post It’s the last day to nab Driveclub PS Plus Edition appeared first on Destructoid.

There's new DLC packs, too

Two further DLC packs are headed to DriveClub next week.

The first pack ??- The Horsepower Expansion Pack - will drop on Tuesday, July 28 and includes 11 new events, five new cars and five new trophies. It includes the Ferrari LaFerrari FXX K, Nissan GT-R NISMO, McLaren P1 GTR, Renault Mégane R.S. 275 Trophy-R, and Ferrari FXX Evoluzione.

You can pick this content up as part of ?the Season Pass or purchase it for £5.

Dropping at the same time is the UniteInSpeed Tour Pack, which offers an extra 11 events and five new trophies, although we don't yet know ho??w much this one will set you back if you don't have the Season Pass. 

PSA: this w?ill be the last set of conte??nt available as part of the current Season Pass.

And that's not all. From today, a new 0.5GB update addressing a series of tweaks and revisions rolls out. According to the DriveClub Facebook page, the patch boasts news Elite Driver Levels for L60+ racers and new Random Event options. Club Challenges wil?l now show all Club Members participating and individual leaderboard positions, there's new filters and frames for Photo Mode and a New Garage?? optio?n helps to filter the vehicles in your garage.

"As always it's your feedback is at the heart of everything we're adding to the game, so please keep sharing your feedback with us," says developer Evolution. "We have more updates, features and cars in the works to keep DRIVECLUB fresh for you long after July!"

"Driveclub is fast and easy to get into, nice to look at, and it has a lot going on in the background to keep you connected and competitive with your club members and other individuals," we said in our review. "But that doesn't change the issues in the foregro??und. Its approachable and enjoyable racing is marred by AI cars that love to unfairly bash and crash on the single-player side. And bugs with the i?nterface and the networking kept me from fully enjoying the multiplayer side."

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Just the offline mode at first

The Driveclub PS Plus Edition saga is nearing its end. After months of delays, the trial version for PlayStation Plus subscribers released on the store yesterday only to be pulled. It was "premature," according to Evolution Studios. But tomorrow is the day. It's happening! (Unle?ss it isn't!)

Here's the plan for tomorrow's launch,?? as described by Sony's Shuhei Yoshida:

"Starting on Thursday, all PlayStation Plus members can download Driveclub PS Plus Edition and begin playing the offline mode. Also starting Thursday, we will be rolling out online access to the Driveclub PS Plus Edition and will steadily bring more and more ??players online while continuously ensuring that all game systems are running smoothly. We know that this might be frustrating after your extra wait already, but hope you can understan?d that we are taking extra precautions to protect your experience when you do get online. We want to make sure we don't overload the servers as we invite millions of PS Plus members to download the game tomorrow."

Why has getting Driveclub up and running properly been such a nightmare? Kotaku got an answer from Yoshida at E3. "It's just the number of people the server couldn't handle," he said. "The stress-testing was not designed correctly. So it was the oversight. So the team had to go back to the drawing board in terms of server code. And they h?ave been re-factoring and re-eng??ineering server-side to be able to have more people play the game at the same time."

I never had much interest ??in ?the game, but after all of this buildup, I'll have to try it.

Driveclub PlayStation Plus Edition Out June 25th [PlayStation Blog]

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On your marks

Evolution has announced that plans to bring Driveclub to PlayStation Plus ar??e "in the fin??al stages of development."

We kn??ew the servers were scheduled to be? replaced and upgraded from June 1 as the developer "prepare[d] for the PlayStation Plus Edition,"  but this latest news -- courtesy of a tweet yester?day by game director Paul Rustchynsky? -- is the most solid confirmation we've had to date.

@undeadrocker666 We're in the final stages of development now.

— Paul Rustchynsky (@Rushy33) June 10, 2015

Driveclub launched (late) in October of last year to a bevvy of issues, errors and server woes.  

In our review, we said that Driveclub is "fast and easy to get into, nice to look at, ??and it has a lot going on in the background to keep you connected and competitive with your club members and other individuals. But that doesn't change the issues in the foreground."

Am I the only one who thinks that Driveclub's imminent PS+ arriv??al might be up Sony's E3 sleeve? 

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Is it finally happening?

Whether it's just another broken promise or an additional carrot on the end of the PlayStation Plus stick, the developers of Driveclub have announced that come June 1 the servers for the game will be replaced and upgraded as they "prepare for the Play??Station Plus Edition."

We still don't know when this mysterious version will arrive, but it wou??ld be fairly?? smart and kind to drop the not-really-free edition during E3 next month. Too much to ask? Probably.

In the meantime, this "significant server upgrade" that will come along with update 1.1?6 promises to deliver "better challenges and improve server performance across the game."

Please note that once the update and servers go live, challenges and event history will start over.?? Evolution Studios said players can continue to play and create challenges, but "any events that are still active during ??the update will not continue on the new servers."

??Here's the full breakdown of what's coming with update 1.16:

• Challenges will be expanded to support an unlimited number of participants.
• Challenge notifications will be integrated into the Social Hub activity feed for easy access.
• The Challenge Menu will have a new interface to make it easier to join Challenges.
• Evolution Studios Challenges will be added to the Challenge Menu for direct and easy access.
• Invitation options will be optimised to focus on active players and reduce challenge notification spam.
• More of our favourite ‪#‎PS4share‬ pictures created by the community will be added to the Menus.
• Significant technical improvements will be made to enhance server connectivity and prepare for the PlayStation Plus Edition.

[via Facebook]

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It's more tolerable in this context, though

Driveclub will most likely be remembered for its promised, yet non-existent free PlayStation Plus version. The primary reason this never came to fruition is because Evolution Studios had to spend a significant amount of time post-launch fixing bugs and resolving server issues. To say that Driveclub's release ??went less than smooth would be a massive unders??tatement.

So, it'd be understandable if Evolution and Sony wanted nothing to do with the term "buggy." However, that's exactly what players are getting today -- a new racing buggy for Driveclub. According to the video description, it'll be available in players' garages aft??er downloading it for free in the "add-ons" section.

It hardly qualifies as an April Fools' gag, but it's a nice surprise and a change of pace from souped-up cars. The trailer makes these little mayhem machines look neat to bounce and slide around in. And, now players can cut? some corners of their own.

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So no more MotorStorm then?

The life of Driveclub has not been easy. From delays to broken promises, what was to be a flagship title for the PlayStation 4 has become somewhat of a joke -- whether actually?? deserved or not.

And even though we can debate if the full blame of what happened belongs to developer Evolution Studios, what is known is that the company has recently been hit with a "number of layoffs." Sony confirmed the news with Eurogamer and also mentioned that the focus of the studio will be updating the game as a service while still trying to launch the long-awaited PlayStation Plus edition.

I guess the one positive out of this is that at least Sony isn't shutting the studio down completely. You know, some of us are still waiting for a proper return of MotorStorm.

Layoffs at DriveClub developer Evolution [Eurogamer]

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You can't kill that which does not live

The dream of a PlayStation Plus version of Driveclub remains alive thanks to some careful wording in the latest March update announcement by Evolution Studios. After detailing all the changes coming for those who already bough??t in, those of us waiting for the promised free version got a nugget of positive news.

Listed under the section of important developme?nts after the upcoming 1.12 update, Evolution lists the foll??owing:

• Continual server upgrades: to keep improving online stability and performance for all current players and to enable the release of the PS+ Edition and DRIVECLUB companion app.

Does this mean the long-awaited PS+ version is coming?? soon? Don't hold your brea??th.

For a l??ook at what else is changing, check out the list below:

DRIVECLUB 1.12:

• Adds Replays to the game for all Single Events and Tours. You can now save a Replay at the end of any single player event and view it later from the Replays section.
• Photomode can be used from within a Replay at any point.
• Introduces a new Driver Level 50 reward: You can now unlock the Ferrari 599XX Evoluzione for your Garage!
• Refines Drift Mode scoring to increase the points scored for momentum, control and staying on the track.
• Adjusts the drag reduction when veering off road, so that accidentally leaving the track slows you down more gradually.
• Adjusts the drag penalty on world collisions, to remove the possibility of gaining any advantage after colliding with a wall.
• Adds the option to control screen brightness in-game (new Display Option).
• Adds the option to change the volume levels on individual SFX channels (new Audio options in Settings).
• Adds the option to make the AI opponents in a Single Event drive in the same car as the one the player chooses.
• Adds the option to select factory paint jobs for AI opponents (new Display Option).
• Removes the voicechat icon for any player you have chosen to mute in Multiplayer while you are driving.
• Adds new categories for downloaded Livery Packs within the Bonus Designs in Customization.
• Adds status information about friends playing DRIVECLUB to the Social Hub.
• Immediately centers the camera view behind the car automatically whenever you reset to the track.
• Adds support for live streaming via Twitch and Ustream while playing Multiplayer.
• Improves the atmospheric visual effects further by improving heathaze and introducing mirages, which are visible on the road when light is refracted by hot air.
• Includes more minor bug fixes, performance improvements and usability tweaks.

Update 1.12 Add-ons (coming to PlayStation Store March 24-26):

• Adds support for the Peugeot Onyx Concept, coming to PlayStation Store as a free download.
• Adds support for the Lamborghini Expansion Pack, coming to PlayStation Store as a premium/Season Pass add-on.
• The Lamborghini Car Pack includes: Lamborghini Aventador LP 720-4 50° Anniversario, Lamborghini Huracán LP 610-4, Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Squadra Corse and Lamborghini Veneno.
• The Lamborghini Tour Pack includes 10 new Events and 5 new Trophies.
• Adds support for the Pacesetter Tour Pack, coming to PlayStation Store as a premium/Season Pass add-on.
• The Pacesetter Tour Pack includes 12 new Events and 5 new Trophies.
• Adds support for 2 new livery packs, coming to PlayStation Store as a premium/Season Pass add-on. Each Livery Pack contains 5 new livery patterns to customize your cars with.

Important developments to be aware of (coming after 1.12):

• Continual server upgrades: to keep improving online stability and performance for all current players and to enable the release of the PS+ Edition and DRIVECLUB companion app.
• Private lobbies: Development of Private Lobbies for Multiplayer is ongoing alongside development of server improvements.
• Replays for Multiplayer races: these require further development and testing and will come in a future game update.
• Lots more cars: We're only half way through the Season Pass that runs to July and we have many more commonly requested cars and manufacturers coming to DRIVECLUB!
• New ranks: because many of you are at Level 50 already. In the mean time, please enjoy exclusive access to the Ferrari 599XX Evoluzione as a reward for your dedication and success.
• Additional audio options for cockpit camera.

PS4 Drivecl??ub March Update Adds Replays, New Cars,?? and More [GameSpot]

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Not quite ludicrous speed though

To tease one of the upcoming cars arriving for Driveclub this month, the developers decided to give us a sneak peak via a video showing off the terrifying speed the unnamed four-wheeled machine can do ??-- at le?ast 242 mph.

You got what it takes to hit that kind of speed ??and not end up a stain on the road? We'll have to s??ee in the coming weeks.

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Driveflub

We're rapidly approaching the two-month anniversary of Evolution Studios' Driveclub's release. What makes this significant is that the multiplayer component of the game doesn't consistentl??y work. Two. Months. Later. We won't get into the PS Plus version that's been indefinitely backburnered.

But, that didn't stop the developers from announcing free DLC, a peace offering of sorts for the continued server issues. Next week, a set of cars called the Ignition (Remix) Expansion Pack comes out, and it'll be free to all Driveclub owners despite being a "premium" add-on.

Those who purchased a season pass will take solace in knowing that they aren't being cheated (moreso than they already have been), because an extra piece of DLC will release in July 2015 so that they get the amount of content they paid for. Maybe by then Driveclub will actually work.

#DRIVECLUB - Ignition Expansion Pack Preview [Facebook]

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In the Club

Driveclub was supposed to be a launch day title for the PS4, but it was delayed for a while, pushing back until now. We got our hands on it at the E3 following the PS4 announcement last year and thought it ne?eded more time in the oven, so a delay was actually welcome.

But that was a long delay. So??, how much of a difference has a year made? 

Driveclub (PS4)
Developer: Evolution Studios
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Released: October 7, 2014
MSRP: $59.99

Evolution Studios, the folks behind the MotorStorm games, wanted to create a racer where everyone would play together in one big racing hangout. Driveclub is that. Its strongest point is that it is smartly networked so that even single-player events' scores and times are automatically compared to your friends' results, making for instant competition fuel. Leaderboards exist for nearly every trackable aspect of Driveclub, and the game's Social Hub keeps you up to date on yo??urs and others' stats. Being online also adds pop-up challenges to just about every ra?ce. The connective-ness of it all really does have it feeling like a big, digital hangout. 

And then there's the actual club aspect of the game, which lets you team up with five friends to work through t??he game as a grou??p. Your successes benefit the rest of the team along the way, with points going to each member for taking on challenges. When you earn new rides or access, your club members do, too. 

Driveclub has a single-player mode that branches into single races and a full career mode, and a multiplayer mode that relies heavily on the social system. All of these modes will eventually put you into about four dozen of the hottest cars and just as m?any tracks, based on locations around the world. With its challenges and face-offs, slick environmental system, strong course visuals, and constant online connectivity, it always feels like there's something to do or see.

But when you boil it down, you're only really taking on three race types in Driveclub: time trials, standard races, and drifting challenges -- a pretty short list. There's nothing like rally or snow racing to mix things up. That all said, even after a couple of weeks of play, I have yet to grow bored of the racing. I suppose this is a testament to the strength of Driveclub's connectivity and social features.

For as big as it is, there's a refreshing core that makes Driveclub incredibly accessible. You simply get in the car and drive; there's nothing in the way of tuning or customization, save for a few color/coat options. In fact, outside of Auto/Manual transmission selection, there isn't anything you can change. Everyone is on the same page. Those that like the tinker under the hood may be disappointed at how locked down Driveclub is, but I'd bet that the majority of ??those that will play the game wouldn't bother if the option did exist.

That's not to say that you can't change any options.  Driveclub has six camera views to choose from, all of which have their uses. There are two third-person views, a clean first-person view, a hood view, and two interior views. The two in-car views (cockpit and hood/partial dashboard) are among the best I've ever seen in a racing?? game. Both sport slick reflective modeling on the windshield, making the?? view impressively realistic. Under bright light the reflection is sometimes a bit too strong, though. And I wish the height of the behind-glass hood view was a tad bit higher. 

The single-player tour has you on the path Evolution has picked, in the cars they've chosen, racing on the the track they've set up. In other words, this is a pretty straightforward career mode. While it bra??nches out a bit with more event types after a few events have been completed, you're still basically on the course they've set. Each of the events has its own requirements, which, when completed successfully, earns you a star. Subsequent event groups are unlocked at set star levels. 

As??ide f?rom stars, every event and challenge earns you Fame points. These points are at the heart of the game's leveling system, allowing you to unlock more of the game as you play. The better you play, the more points you earn. In classic form, you'll race, eventually place, and then earn new cars and tracks with these points. Club activities also earn you points.

Multiplayer has a few different faces in Driveclub. Asynchronous functionality lets you send your just-completed races as challenges, essentially copying your exact race for others to go up against when they're ready to. They've made it really easy to issue a challenge, making for nearly endless competitive play. Conversely, the social system lets you browse others' accomplishments and tackle them as you p??lease. It's k??ind of like picking a fight.

Of course, there's also live multiplayer races to take part in. Driveclub digs through your friends? list and tells you who is playing, making matches very easy to put together. The game does a nice job of keeping what's going on in your face at all t?imes, again, making you feel like you're hanging out in a big racing event with everyone else. 

The panel-based menu system that lets you do all of this is sufficient, but I wouldn't call it elegant. Sometimes you'll find yourself in a menu loop when t??rying to find how to accomplish a task, especially on the social side. To be fair, there's a lot of information to be presented. But it would be nice to, say, be able to sort through the list of friends' results by race type. The system could use a bit more polish. There are some bugs, too. I ran into plenty of errors and stalls while trying to join or create multiplayer sessions. Hopefully these will be ironed out in patch releases.

The driving feel of Driveclub rides a pretty confident line between simulation and arcade racing, which is impressive to this fan of both sides of racing games. I immediately grinned at the super-assisted cornering and braking as I barreled into my first corner at too-fast speeds without consequence. This means that those just looking for some casual fun will have no problems here. But, unlike some of the more casual arcade racers, Driveclub is respec??tably responsive and seems to have some solid physics foundations under the hood. This all means that you can approach things like drafting and cornering by the book, or?? you can just go nuts with the drifting and sliding. You can't please everyone, but this racing fan was mostly satisfied.

I found myself completely in the zone when it came to time attacks and other driving challenges, as Driveclub's feel is very easy to get into. But I was literally knocked out of the zone by the constant AI car bashing. This is my biggest problem with Driveclub -- the constant crashing from the single-pl??ayer AI cars. 

Yes, avoiding collisions is a part of racing, but there were too many instances during my time with Driveclub where they felt?? unavoidable. Pretty much every single race I took part in had me playing what felt like bumper cars with AI cars in some way. At best, I'd get an unfair bump off the road by a passing car during the last stretch of the last lap of a race, knocking me off the road, taking my chances of a podium finish off the table. At worst, AI cars would ram me from behind, smashing me into a wall, making the time spent racing up until that point fully wasted. There have been several instances of an unexpected, unwarranted AI car crash resulting in me earning a collision or cornering penalty. Imagine having your car tempo?rarily throttled for something you didn't do. That's not fun at all.

Constant, senseless crashing made Driveclub's single-player tour mode feel like being stuck in the worst version of ??online racing at times. Crashing is a part of racing -- sure. But the frequency in this case is highly frustrating, so much so that having to take on any challenge?? against other cars really started to feel like a chore.

Thankfully, after unlocking cars and courses, you can play Driveclub against real people and not have to worry about the crashy AI. If you're not fully leveled up, the game will loan you cars until you are. Even with as much as I dislike the constant crashing in the tour mode, Driveclub still has legs with the wealth of multi??player and challenge options. 

It helps that Driveclub is very nice to look at. The cars models are highly detailed and very easy on the eyes. But the courses take the cake here. The beauty of the sun beams flooding the spaces between the trees in the surrounding forests are almost distr?acting in one course. Snowy mountain passes, dirty back roads, lakeside drives -?- all of it lovely, and all serve to show what the next generation of racers should look like. 

It's too bad about the infrequent weird visual bugs, especially in the in-car views. Floating gauges and highlights from the environment looked to be pasted on the windshield at times, like weird decorative stickers. Other times I saw floating semi-transparent boxes obscuring the race view in first-person modes, sometimes way in the distance, and others just at ?the corner of my view. When glitches distract from or obscure the player's view like this, it's hard to overlook them.

But it always sounds good. The sound coming from some of the cars in Driveclub is so good that gear heads might fight themselves salivating. Engines roar convinc?ingly, always making beautiful noise as you race. Equally impressive is the treatment of car sounds to fit the visuals. The in-car views in particular have it sounding like the car's machinery is just beyond the monitor. 

For racing wheel fans, Driveclub only supports PS4-compatible wheels. 

Driveclub is fast and easy to get into, nice to look at, and it has a lot going on in the background to keep you connected and competitive with your club members and other individuals. But that doesn't change the issues in the foreground. Its approachable and enjoyable racing is marred by AI cars that love to unfairly bash and crash on the single-player side. And bugs with the interface and the networking kept me from fully enjoying the multiplayer side. Beyond all of this, it feels like Driveclub needs more race and event types. What it offers has kept me going for a couple of weeks, but how mu?ch longer will it continue to do so?

It's then fitting that Driveclub will be offered in a free form for PlayStation Plus users. The offering gives players about a fifth of the full game's total cars and tracks, but is otherwise unlocked for exploration both offline and on. Players can see for themselves if Driveclub ha?s enough to offer over other new and upcoming racing alternatives out there.

The post Review: Driveclub appeared first on Destructoid.

And its love of Sony

In preparation for the imminent beginning of gamescom, videogame billboards and posters are plastered all over Cologne, Germany. Many of PlayStation's efforts are centered around promoting Driveclub. Europe does enjoy its racing games, after all.

Come October 8 when Driveclub releases, Europeans will have the option of picking up a slightly more unique version of the game. PlayStation recently revealed a special edition of Driveclub that??'s exclusive to the continent, and features both physical and d?igital perks.

The tangible pack-ins for this special edition are "foil treated, unique artwork housed in a high-quality card sleeve," and two vinyl stickers. The digital incentives are immediate access to five high-end cars (McLaren P1, Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Coupe Black Series, Ferrari 458 Italia, Aston Martin V12 Vantage S, and Al?fa Romero 4C), and two livery packs to customize cars and club logos.

It doesn't seem as if this edition of Driveclub will be exclusive to any particular retailer, as Sony mentions that it's "coming to stores across Europe." It's suggested going price is €69.99. What, you didn't think it'd cost a little extra to be part o?f an exclusive club?

Driveclub Special Edition revealed [PlayStation Blog Europe]

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Yep, it's impressive

Those screenshots of Driveclub back at E3 -- where Evolution Studios demonstrated its dynamic weather system for the PlayStation 4 racer -- looked slick. But they were mere images. A month later, we now have footage of this stuf?f, albeit short clips that aren't super high resolution.

All the same, the rain, shown below in Driveclub's take on Scotland and Canada, ?impresses. There's a lot going on behind the scenes to achieve these results. According to art director Alex Perkins, "The cloud cover and conditions you choose will dictate how much snow and rain will fall. The wind direction and speed determines where snow will settle. Then when it stops, the temperature and height of th??e sun governs how quickly clouds evaporate and roads dry out."

Players will be able to adjust the weather conditions in their races, though specifics on that customiz?ation aren't known yet. "We don't want to just offer fixed settings for 'rain' or 'snow,' we want it to be dynamic and exciting," noted Perkins. "We're still wo?rking on how best to present this to you and we'll show more closer to launch."

First Look: Driveclub's Dynamic Weather in Action [PlayStation Blog]

Post by Driveclub.

Post by Driveclub.

The post Enough talk: Here’s Driveclub’s fancy weather system in motion appeared first on Destructoid.

Super realistic

At E3 yesterday, Evolution Studios showed off a brand new build of Driveclub that highlights their impressive weather simulation system. This build was so new that it needed to be stre?amed over from the art director's computer to a PS4 development kit. They showed some stunning, absolutely photorealistic visuals running in real time in bo?th Scotland and Norway.

Driveclub already looked great, but this we??ather system take??s it over the top. 

Loch Duich's track is in a rocky valley. At the set early? morning time, clouds covered the sky, and haze set into the mountains. Rays were beginning to peek through the clouds, filling the sky with a warm light, despite the heavy clouding. But that changed quickly when Evolution gradually introduced rain in the simulation.

Seeing how the rain naturally progressed from a slight d?rizzling to a heavy downpour really showed the power of their weather system; it looked as real as any rainstorm starting that I've ever seen. As the moisture picked up, the lighting began to change through the clouds. Realistic drops started to spatter on the car's hood and run up toward the windshield as the car continued down the track.

As the rain became heavier, tire marks cut into the fresh road wetness. Rain drops flew directly ??towa?rd the windshield in a believable way. 

A paused flyaround made the race scene look like a frozen scene from a movie. Surfaces and grass on the mountains were wet, puddles showed ripples, and water sat around rocks naturally. I couldn't beli??eve how real the mountains in the distance looked, cutting through the haze and backlit by the sun. Rain water from th??e pack ahead sprayed backwards.

Evolution switched the scene to nighttime and we got to see how the rain picked up the headlights and taillights. Drops flying at the windshield heightened the sense of sp?eed. Each drop took light and reflected it a bit. Even roadsigns reflected light convincin?gly. 

We also saw snow in both daylight and at? night in Norway. Ominous dark skies changed to a soft blue-purple as snow began to fall. Piles built up on t??he sides of the road, and the melting snow made the street shine with a reflective gloss.

Evolution says that the variety that the weather system of Driveclub lets players revisit tracks over and over again, seeing? it in new ways every time. 

This weather system won't be on the disc at launch, ?but it'll come soon after as a free update. 

Unfortunately, all I have are are pictures. They do a great job of showing how realistic t??he weather system makes the scenes look, but seeing it in action is a real treat. Let's hope they release a video soon. 

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Hoping this is an appetizer for E3

After missing it's expected launch release date, Driveclub retreated into the dark before resurfacing recently. Driveclub continues its coming out party this week, releasing four new videos. The first three are the expected race demos, featuring a Pagani Zonda R racing in India, Maserati Gran Turismo in Chile, and ?a Pagani Huayra on a Canadian track. Visually, these videos deliver some very nice eye candy The Maserati and Pagani Huayra in particular have some pretty amazing cockpit views.

The final video is a showcase of Driveclub's audio design, showing the difference between the engine roars when you're in third-person vs. cockpit views, and even subtler s?ounds like gear changes. Can't wait to see what will be showing at E3.

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Hands-on with the latest build

It’s been about a year since I’ve played upcoming PS4 racer Driveclub. It debuted at E3 last year; I found myself rushing to my PlayStation appointment to get my hands on it. I can’t tell you how disappointed I was with my first experience. It wasn’t at all like the big, shiny, socially connected next-gen racer I expected from the pros at Evolution Studios. I chalked the rough experience up to being early in the development process, but the reality was that it wasn’t that early — the title was expected at l??aunch. 

Since then, the title missed launch, was delayed, and is now slated for an October 7 release. It sounds like they’ve done a lot to Driveclub since that first showing. And I guess that work payed off. After my first hands-on I’m pretty sure I’ll be playing? it regularly later this year. 

Driveclub (PS4)
Developer: Evolution Studios
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertaiment
Release Date: October 7, 2014

I played a challenge race sent directly from the game’s director. He had just finished a race and used the post-event prompt to instantly create a challenge for his friends and opponents. Though you can create challenges like this at any time, it’s pretty neat to be able to do so off the back of a race. Imagine feeling especially good about your times and being able to use your performance a challenge to all others. Y??ou can also search through your race history and start a challenge from any past performances.

I took on his time in an Audi V8 R10, racing around a nice looking mountain/forest course against other AI opponents. I found that the racing feel sat heavily on the arcade racing side, being less fussy with turns and braking than a sim racer. It feels something like a forgiving sim racer with all assists switched on, so you won’t have to worry about spinning out much. But I appreciated that its roots are still grounded in realism somewhere, at least enough so that it won’t disappoint fans of, say, Gran Turismo or Forza. I also enjoyed that Driveclub has nothing in the way of racing lines available as an assist, though those used to following them might not be as plea??sed with the omission.

It wasn’t long before I raced past the AI pack in my first time around the track. Evolution says that they’ve spent a lot of the development time on the game’s AI, working to make it dynamic and aggressive. I was only able to play a few races, but I found it almost too easy to take positions, blowing past all but the top? three or so racers. Granted, I was driving an incredibly fast car. I’m glad to say that I had no issues with locked trains of cars, and that there was no evidence of rubber banding in the top positions. I’m really not that worried about the AI anyway as I’m hoping to take on other real racers. 

A ??bit down the road, the track threw a curve at me — literally. A short length of the course called a challenge zone had me trying to drift through it for score. I didn’t know it was coming up, but was more than ready for it the second race. 

Driveclub constantly scores racers, with point notices going up with just about any action. Overtaking a car for position gets you 500 points, for example. But going off-track will dock your score the same amount. Vehicle impacts seemed to range from 100 points up to 600 or more. And in that second time around, my drafting attempts were adding to my score with smaller numbers. So you’re racing for time, as always, but you’re also?? racing for score. 

It sounds like the bulk of the work put into Driveclub is on its social and conn??ectivity sides. Evolution is aiming for immediacy and seamlessness ??with online play. They want it so that it’s as easy as possible to connect online, join friends, create clubs, and race the day away.  

We got a full walkthrough of the Driveclub dash and online features, and it looks like the options to connect and play are pretty robust, but we’ll have to get it in our office to really get a feel for how buddying up will work. We do know that all players are instantly put into a party, and that you’ll sat in one at all times. Through the game’s always active social hub you’ll be able to jump into an activity that interests you. With that running party already active, those in yours will automatic??ally be prompted to join the activity you’ve chosen.

If you’re not out to create your own races or challenges, events will be suggested for you, putting you up against racers of a similar level, or against others in your club. A mobile app called My Driveclub will let you live stream the gameplay of your friends or club mates,? All of your stats and placements will?? also be available in the app, giving you plenty of updates to keep you in the game even when you’re out.

You’ll be able to create and schedule events as you please, with t??he backend ?taking care of invitations to your party and friends. Through the event creation options you’ll be able to set locations, difficulty, opponent types, and much more. Even the time of day can be set, and through time lapse options you can even set the speed of how day turns to night. 

I saw a custom day/night cycle in my test laps, complete with some pretty incredible lighting and reflections. The reflection of the track on my car’s hood was easily the best I’ve seen on a console — I could easily make out trackside features like trees and road markers. Driveclub runs at 108??0p, with no scaling tricks. But ?it runs at 30 frames per second, a choice which Evolution Studios says lets them push visual distances as well as beef up physics and audio. 

A couple of challenge races around a single track was enough to have me feeling better about that first showing at E3 last year. This version of Driveclub looks and plays much better, and has plenty of social connectivity hooks that I’m sure I’ll ??be getting into. I had a good time going up against other previewers last week — I quickly tuned into the driving feel and was able to place second by my second lap, and was happy to jump back in again to try to top it. If I got that much from just one challenge, I could see getting much more out of the full experience. 

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Original upgrade model 'was not appropriate'

Evolution Studios detailed the PS Plus version of Driveclub and the offer sounded good. Mostly. With a membership, you can play every game mode, 11 tracks, 10 cars, and one location at no extra cost. Then, if you like the game, you can upgrade to the full Driveclub experience for $49.99. Cool. Not cool was that should your PS Plus subscription ever lapse, you'd be locked out of that paid content. You don't need me to tell you why tha?t's a bad plan.

In reporting about the upgrade originally, I had figured there was some sort of miscommunication in the announcement post. But, no, the video about Driveclub also mentioned the PS Plus requirement. Thankfully, Evolution and/o??r Sony ha??ve been receptive to feedback.

"Now, if you intend on downloading Driveclub PlayStation Plus Edition, and upgrading to the full game experience, you will have access to the full game even if ?your PlayStation Plus subscription runs out," reads an update. "PlayStation recognizes that the prior plan ... was not appropriate."

DRIVECLUB PlayStation Plus Ed?ition Details (Updat??ed) [PlayStation Blog]

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$49.99 to upgrade to all game content, but there's a catch

Ahead of Driveclub's October 7 launch on PlayStation 4, here's a video breaking down the game's normal, full-price version on PSN and Blu-ray compared to the free-with-a-membership PS Plus? Edition. The latter offering comes with access to every game mode, 11 tracks, 10 cars, and a single location, India. More th?an just a beefy demo, then.

If PS Plus Edition players decide to upgrade to the full-fledged Driveclub -- 55 tracks, 50 cars, all 50 tour events -- that's going to cost $49.99, a slight discount versus buying the full game outright. However,?? this access to new content is only good "as long as your PlayStation Plus subscription remains active," apparently. Which isn't going to be?? worth the discount for some of us.

If that's indeed the case, it'll be better to figure out if you enjoy Driveclub for free and then buy the game separately, not upgrade with strings atta??ched.

DRIVECLUB PlayStation Plus Edition Details [PlayStation Blog]

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'We won't compromise on quality to rush it to you'

Evolution Studios' long-delayed Driveclub came back with week with a new trailer and what will hopefully be the final release date: October 7, 2014. Writing on the PlayStation Blog, director Paul Rustchynsky spoke about why the game was pushed back -- namely, to perfect the dynamic menu, which is "key to how much fun you're going to get out of the game because it is the glue that connects you to everyone else in the Driveclub community."

The team wants to nail this online aspect, b??ut it's not the only element that could use more care. Visuals, audio, clubs (which now support up to six players, instead of up to 12), the campaign mode's difficulty curve, and the detail level of cars and tracks are benefiting as well. And driving, of course -- "we're continuing to add further layers to the physics to make it both more accessible for everybody and more sophisticated for experienced racers."

As for the PS Plus Edition of Driveclub, that's still on the way. It'll be out on the same day as the full version,?? offering "a selection of cars and tracks" to get players acquainted with the racer.

DRIVECLUB Update from Evolution Studios [PlayStation Blog]

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To think, this was going to be a launch title at one point

I hope you aren't expecting Evolution Studios' DriveClub anytime soon. Based on a recent chat about the racing game's status between PlayStation software product development head Scott Rhode and IGN, we could be in for a longer wait than previously though??t.

"What I will say is that it all comes back to that fundamental principle, and that's that we want to build great games," he said. "And we really don't want to release a game before it's ready. And sometimes, this happens in the normal course of business, where we think we're on track to deliver what we thin??k is going to be a great game, and when we get closer, we realize that we'd be doing everyone a disservice if we shipped it before it was ready."

Which sounds reasonable. "So, I think that at PlayStation, perhaps more than at other places, we're willing to kinda eat that [cost] and g??o back to the drawing board and make sure the game is great before we ship it," explained Rhode. "And that's what's going on right now with that game."

One has to wonder what, specifically, wasn't working out. And what's being changed as a result? At this rate, Evolution might as well take its sweet time in making the best DriveClub it can.

Sony's Gone 'Back to the Drawin??g Board' to Make Driveclub 'Great' [IGN]

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I-I-I-I-I swear this doesn't usually happen

In an industry so known for punctuality, breaking news comes out of Japan that the PS4 exclusive social racer DriveClub has been delayed, again.

The game now sits at a nebulous "TBA" release date. Originally slated as a free PlayStation 4 launch title for PlayStation Plus members, DriveClub was pushed to February 22, seeing Contrast take its place as the PS Plu??s launch freebie. It will now miss the PlayStation 4's Japanese launch -- the system's last terr??itory release.

All is not lost though. If Evolution can manage to crank it out by t??he time PS4s make their way to China en masse, we can still technically count it as a launch title. Or we can let development run its course in hopes of a better game. Just saying, there are options.

ここは「【PS4】『DriveClub』諸般の事情から発売日が“未定”に変更」という記事を掲載しています。 [FC2]

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Well, that's disappointing

It's no longer just a rumor -- DriveClub is officially delayed until "early 2014," as confirmed by Sony today.  Sony's Shuhei Yoshida gave a perfectly reasonable explanation for the delay, noting, "We understand that the delay is disappointing news, but can assure you that the reason we have made this decision is to ensure that when Driveclub launches, it will realize the next-gen racing vision."

Contrast will be offered instead of DriveClub in the form of a PlayStation Plus bonus, so it's not a major loss for non-racing fans. Still, this has to hurt Sony a little bit, losing another major game at launch, as this news hits right after the delay for Watch Dogs -- a game that was hitting the PS4 (and other platforms?) a week before the launch of the Xbox One.

DriveClub [PlayStation Blog]

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Let's hope that's not the case

A rumor has surfaced that Evolution Studios' PlayStation 4 launch game DriveClub has been delayed to next spring. The Same Coin is citing an anonymous source, and Kotaku has si??nce come out to receive confirmation of the report from "a person? familiar with goings-on at Sony."

Although it's not necessarily a sign that this is indeed accurate, there is a Sony event in San Francisco today which was going to have DriveClub included among the ga??mes shown. It's been? removed due to a "scheduling conflict," according to Kotaku. We have reached out to Sony for a comment about the rumor, but you know how these situations tend to play out.

DriveClub design director Paul Rustchynsky wrote on Twitter that "Unfortunately guys I don't have an?y new information on DRIVECLUB to share. I've been out if the office for a week looking after my newborn!"

Well, shoot. Let's hope all is well -- this would be a significant loss. Had a high-profile release like Watch Dogs not?? recently been delayed, I wouldn't be so op?en to the possibility.

*Rumour* PS4 launch title Driveclub del??ayed until 2014 UPDATED [The Same Coin]
Is PS4 Launch Game DriveClub Delayed To 2014? [Kotaku]

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What a thrilling headline

For the most part, racing games are astoundingly pretty. Driveclub seems ?as if it will uphold this standard, as this gameplay video looks great. Take a trip in an Audi R8 V1??0 Plus (thanks, video description!) and watch as the sun calmly sets behind the mountains.

Just kidding, k??eep your eyes on the road, f??ool. That's, like, the first rule of driving.

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PS4 hands-on

Get in, totally disregard your seatbelt and saftey, and get ready to take a spin with me in upcoming PS4 game DriveClub.

Rel??ax. Don't let the high-end visuals fool you -- this isn't some uptight sim. It's all about driving and enjoying yourself. It's all about accessibility, Evolution Studios tells us. It's all about pick-up-and-play arcade racing in beautiful cars.

I??t's arcade racing not unlike others you've likely played, though maybe just a bit better looking with the PS4's graphical muscle under the hood. But? is that enough?

DriveClub wants you to get behind the wheel and show off, and I tried to do exactly that in a beautifully rendered Audi R8 in a time attack ride around scenic Scottland. Despite the game being pre-alpha, at about 35 percent done so far, DriveClub looks smashing with its glossy cars, fancy lighting, and high level of detail. And when you drive poorly it also looks...well, smashy. Damage modeling is in place in DriveClub.

This E3 build of DriveClub had individuals going up against each other in a mostly standard time attack race, though there were some added objectives to hit at places on the track. Passing through a zone during your race, you might be prompted to perform the best drift, or hit the highest speed. As you've seen in other arcade racers, h??ere you'll also earn points for your performances. These points go toward your club's overall score. It seems that different areas of Sony's E3 booth were competing against each other as rival clubs. I did my part to help??.

I was of no help to the leaderboard when I tried out the DriveClub's motion sensing tilt-to-steer control option. My lovely R8 was quickly rammed up against side rails as I struggled to get a feel for the control scheme's sensitivity. I wobbled around on the roa??d for only a few minutes before switching back to the standard control scheme. 

DriveClub gave me my first chance to try out?? the new PS4 controller in a racer. I'm glad to say that the DualShock 4 feels like it was made for racing games. Everything from the grippy analog sticks to the hand feel and weight made me want to take the controller home with me. I really dug the new triggers of the DS4. Their improved sensitivity and grip made getting back on the road easy. There are nice finger inde?ntations on these triggers that make accelerating and braking feel more secure and solid than ever. Evolution did a nice job of using what Sony gave them to dial in a great drive feel. 

But, from what I saw, there's nothing exciting enough about DriveClub to make you want to trade in your old ride for it. Parts of it look really nice, a??nd the feel is spot on for arcade racing, but we'll have to see more to know if it goes beyond what other available arcade racers offer. I suppose it does what a launch game racer is supposed to do, though. 

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