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Engadget test-drives Festo AirMotion Ride, humiliates self (video)
Festo may've already stirred up plenty of attention with its mesmerizing AirPenguin blimp, but let's not forget its other weapon -- fluidic muscles (elastomer tubes that contract when filled with fluid). At The Gadget Show Live in the UK, this German company was also showing off its AirMotion Ride car-racing simulator -- essentially a driver's seat suspended from just six fluidic muscles for the six degrees of freedom, while sound and vision are handled by its 5.1 surround sound speakers and a projector. The company claims that each of these lightweight muscles can generate forces of up to 1,600N, and since there are no mechanical parts inside, they make an ideal replacement for conventional hydraulic plungers as used on Force Dynamics' and Motion-Sim's simulators. You can see Festo's machine in action after the break, but promise us that you won't judge our driving ability.%Gallery-90032%
The Daily Grind: What genres will never work as an MMO?
Lately we've begun to see the shooter genre creep into the massively multiplayer online game space. Titles like Global Agenda and All Points Bulletin are both equal parts shooter and MMO. Assuming the trend continues, we'll probably see more shooter MMOs in the coming years -- potentially even other genres, too. Obviously, this makes most of us wonder what other genres could hit the MMO scene. But, what we really want to know is which combinations you think are lost causes. Will there ever be a successful MMORTS? If not, why? Would anyone even want to play an MMO version of a fighting or racing game? The mind reels at the possibilities.
Real Time Race promises to let you race against the pros, in real time
There's certainly no shortage of impressive augmented reality games around these days, but it doesn't look like the folks behind the so-called Real Time Race will have any trouble turning a few heads with theirs, at least if they can actually deliver as promised. Their basic idea is to make use of some Google Street View-like technology to create a virtual reproduction of an actual race track, and pair it with some real-time data as the race is happening to let anyone that wants to take part in the race from the comfort of their home. While the current state of things still seemingly leaves a bit to be desired (check the video at the link below), the folks behind the game say they could be ready to hold their first race sometime next year -- assuming they're able to line up all the necessary rights and broadcast issues, that is. In the meantime, you can take the non-real time demo version for a spin. [Thanks, Bryce D]
Raging Thunder in the App Store
We've come full circle on the Thunder that Rages -- after first releasing their game on a jailbroken iPhone, and then switching off to do a Crash Kart game, developer Polarbit has now brought it out onto the official store for release. It rings in at a relatively pricey $7.99, but it does look terrific with a little physics built in and (and here's the kicker) features WiFi multiplayer (Polarbit said they were working on it in our interview with them a while back). Multiplayer is one place that iPhone games haven't quite reached their potential yet, and if Raging Thunder delivers as nice a multiplayer experience as it claims to, it's worth the price of admission.Once again, this is a title that could definitely use a demo, but if you're already sold, you know the drill: hit up the App Store, download away, and use the accelerometer to race off into the Raging Thunder.
Gran Turismo TV goes live
The latest update to Gran Turismo 5 Prologue has turned the game into a video download platform rivaling the console you play it on, with episodes of Top Gear and other auto shows, plus exclusive HD content filmed just for the game. Also packed in the update are some gameplay fixes, although we're still waiting for Sony to put real collision damage in our Real Driving Simulator. One step beyond watching HD video of others playing the game, all the content that costs is available for $.99 for the first two weeks, if you're still not sure check out the PlayStation Blog's video embedded below, or hit the read link to download 720p video of the Japanese version's video marketplace in action.
First Look: Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D
One game that jumped out at me while I was pawing through the virtual game racks at the App Store was Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D from Vivendi Games Mobile. A racing game featuring Playstation perennial Crash Bandicoot, Nitro Kart 3D is sure to wear out your iPhone batteries quickly. This app uses the accelerometers in the iPhone for control; turn the iPhone left or right like a steering wheel to turn, and tilt the phone up or down to accelerate or brake. The entire time you're racing against the other characters, including the nefarious Brio, you need to avoid oil slicks and weapons used by your opponents, try to pick up a little time by hitting rainbow-colored "hyperdrive spots" on the track, and hit boxes containing weapons (like surface-to-surface missiles, my personal favorite) so you can slow down the other racers.The game is localized for English, French, Italian, German, and Spanish, and you can adjust the sensitivity of the accelerometer to keep you from over-controlling your kart. With smooth 3D graphics, fun sound effects, and the enjoyment of waving your iPhone around to steer, Nitro Kart is well worth the $9.99 price in the App Store. %Gallery-27950%
British racing game developer sets its sights on an MMO
UK-based Eutechnyx, who is known for their racing games, including a project in the works entitled Ferrari Challenge, has revealed its plans for a casual MMO. Apparently, this new game will have comparable visual quality to their current console racing games, but also include a flexible business model and shoot for a release date of 2010.According to the company's North American director Todd Eckert, "Although it's a casual MMO, any similarity between what we're doing and most casual MMOs will be purely coincidental. It's a very involved project." Eutechnyx boasts something completely fresh and unique with this project, going as far as to say it is "a different outlook to what games could possibly be in the future."
Wingnuts Moto Racer for the iPhone
Our friends over at Freeverse have been working on a racing game (undoubtedly going to be one of a few released by different companies) for the iPhone called Wingnuts Moto Racer, but various NDAs, game mechanics secrets, and developer confidentialities have kept them from being able to talk about it too much, with us or anyone else. Still, demand has apparently pushed them to release something, and so they have posted this heavily-edited- with-red ink "review" of how the game plays.It sure sounds like, as expected, you use the accelerometer to drive, and while their intern says that it controls beautifully, of course he'd say that -- he's their intern. The art looks good, though -- there's a highway at sunset, some Oriental and Forest style racing, and even a Miami-style tropical cityscape. Unfortunately, that's the extent of news here -- no idea how many tracks or vehicles there are, or if there are any other iPhone-specific innovations.Not that the game still doesn't look like fun -- it does, and if you're a racing game fan, you'll definitely have plenty of games to choose from in the early days of the App Store. But NDAs aside, we'd sure like to hear something new about Freeverse's iPhone games.
Ubisoft steers GT Pro Series onto the Wii
Ubisoft is all over Nintendo lately. Not only are they dominating the Wii launch lineup, but they're the first to bundle a peripheral not designed by Nintendo with their games. Yes, that's games plural. Their new steering wheel, which cradles the Wiimote like the precious jewel it is, will be bundled with both Monster 4x4: World Circuit and their new racer, GT Pro Series. IGN snagged a short intervew with associate producer Tats Myoio. They didn't cover much, but the screens of the colorful cel-shaded game and the first look at the superfly steering wheel are so exciting that an interview is just the cherry on this Ubisoft sundae.The highlights: GT Pro Series will feature over 80 licensed cars, including Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Toyota. There are 11 different options for customization. The game includes a wide variety of racing modes: Championship (Career) mode, a Quick Race mode, Versus mode (splitscreen only!), Time Attack and Drift Mode. Any race can be saved and replayed later, for your viewing pleasure. GT Pro Series supports 16:9 widescreen, but no progressive scan. The steerig wheel was developed by Thrustmaster specifically for GT Pro Series, but it will work with other Wii titles, like the aforementioned Monster 4x4, Excite Truck, Cars, and portions of Spongebob as well. We're vehemently not going to be the ones who break down and make a Thrustmaster joke. Just in case you were wondering. [Thanks, AssemblyLineHuman!]
