(the above video has been publicly available for download since Sep 15, 2013 11:40 AM)
Driveclub is often described as one of the most visually impressive upcoming next generation games, and that’s also due to the wise use of quite a few visual effects often exploited in cinematography and sport filming to add a touch of realism.
The video you can watch at the bottom of the post (courtesy of our tipster @T_Zuck) was distributed to the entrants of a film contest centered on the game, and not only it includes the guidelines to handle the Driveclub brand, but also something a lot more interesting: a brief but lovely explanation of some of the visual effects used to make the game look more real.
You’ll read about depth of field, pulled focus, Go-Pro camera simulation, de-saturation, film grain, imperfect framing of subjects and deliberate imperfections. It’s also extremely interesting to see how all of those effects aim to make the visuals look less perfect, but as a result they contribute to the enhance beauty of the game.
The video is just below for you to enjoy, together with a gallery showcasing the descriptions of the effects mentioned above.
Today, we’re revealing the bonuses available when you pre-order DRIVECLUB through participating retailers. You’ll have your choice of one of three exclusive packs depending on which store you pre-order from. Each pack includes an exclusive livery design, instant access to a powerful supercar and a boost of fame to increase your driver level in the game and give you and your club a head start over the competition. Check out the packs below and visit playstation.com to see the participating stores near you.
In addition to that, we have another surprise up our exhaust pipe! Purchase DRIVECLUB at retail or digitally via the PlayStation Store, and you’ll get a 50% discount voucher for a 12-month PlayStation Plus subscription. That’s equivalent to six months free and it ensures that you’ll get the most out of DRIVECLUB and your PS4 from the get-go.
Source: http://blog.eu.playstation.com/2013/08/20/driveclub-pre-order-offers-and-cover-art-revealed/
My thoughts
This up and coming upcoming car racing video game is looking like (get it? The game looks pretty nice but I'm using using that term in a subtlety different way #journalism) it's shaping up pretty well, at the very least from a technovisual point of view. The play that the devs are making for a slightly different take on how to 'shoot' virtual car-driving action is quite interesting to me. They seem to be really chasing image quality, visual depth of detail through lighting and camera work, and seem to be shooting for a slightly less glossy, car-showroomy depiction of racing photorealism that we've come to know and love over this past generation or two of consoles. This level of good looking does come at the expense of not having a framerate above 30fps (according to current talk from the devs); which, whilst oft-times would be a very important part of any modern racing game, isn't an out and out deal breaker for me. Hell, even a beast like Gran Turismo 6 can't stay stable at 60fps whilst running in 1080p, yet runs super great at 720p. Everything is a balance when it comes to games that skate along the bleeding edge of visual fidelity, as these types of titles tend to do.
As someone who has played and loved many of the Gran Turismo and Forza video games, I'm somewhat intrigued and more than a little interested in seeing a new kid on the block enter the fray. And even more interested in seeing how a developer makes their first impression on the racing sim world with their initial game coming out on a brand new generation of console.
I also think their choice of going with releasing a PS+ version for free, alongside offering that 50% discount on a subscription of PS+ with every copy sold is super indicative of just how much Sony has learned from their dark days of online through part of the PS3's lifecycle. They seem even hungrier for a piece of that online pie now, whereas they've just looked like they were dipping their toes in before.
Anyone else looking forward to this New Car Racing Game?
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