Tesla in video games

[dpeilow]

Reading this...

Drive the Model S (or maybe just the Tesla Roadster) in Gran Turismo 5 — Autoblog Green

...reminded me that a couple of days ago I was wondering if the Roadster would show up in Forza 3. There was a rumour at one point.

Downloadable car please!

GT5 Prologue is good, but I'm not going to buy my own PS3 just for it.

 

[ryanjm]

Since I work for an Xbox magazine for a living, I think I can shed some light on this one...well, not the GT5 part since that's a Sony game, but Forza 3...:wink:

While visiting the developer's offices a few months ago for a story on Forza 3, I did specifically ask Dan Greenawalt, the studio head, about putting the Tesla in the game. He told me it's not in there because tuning/user-created content is such a huge part of the game, and with the Tesla, of course, there's no ICE to tune!

 

[dpeilow]

Perhaps players will be happy adjusting the suspension and selecting performance mode. Or maybe there could be an imaginary market in higher performance motors or battery pack upgrades (you know, as you earn more cash, you can have an ESS with 2900mAh cells, better cooling for your PEM, that kind of thing). It would teach 'tuners' some of the issues involved with EV upgrades before the products hit the real world.

Then if you were participating in endurance races, you would have to work out the best strategy of charging pitstops vs. performance in the race.

Sounds to me like the developers aren't thinking outside of the (X)box.

 

[Kardax]

I don't know why Dan Greenawalt thinks ICE tuning is so critical... the only ICE tuning the game allows you to do on race cars is to remove the restrictor plate and nobody's complaining.

All of the other options (suspension tweaks, weight reduction, brake upgrades, aftermarket wheels, creative paint jobs, etc) would all apply to the Tesla Roadster just like the other 400 cars in the game.

-Ryan

 

[shark2k]

Project Gotham Racing 4 was supposed to have the Roadster in it: VIDEO: Project Gotham Racing 4 to feature the Tesla Roadster! — Autoblog Green

They filmed a commercial and the Roadster was one of the cars in the commercial. The link is from 2007 and I don't follow Xbox games so I'm not sure if the Roadster actually was in the game (I'm sure it came out late 2007 or early 2008). If it was, I would like to play the game just to play as the Roadster lol.

Edit: Game should have been released in September of 07 according to the article.

-Shark2k

 

[vfx]

Related:

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/tesl...tham-racing-4-xbox-game.html?highlight=gotham

http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/video/518-tesla-x-box-spot.html?highlight=gotham

 

[mpt]

The problem is probably the top speed though it'd be a killer at Tsukuba Circuit in Japan which is more twisty and bursty. Not so good on the speedway circuits though.

 

[dpeilow]

Vehicle List - Project Gotham Racing 4 - Bizarre Creations

Class E

Audi RS 4
Bentley Continental GT
Cadillac Sixteen Concept
Chevrolet Camaro Convertible Concept (DLC)
Dodge Challenger Concept
Ferrari Testarossa
Ferrari 250 GTO
Ferrari 365 GTB/4 ("Daytona")
Honda RC161
Honda S2000 CR (DLC)
Lamborghini Countach LP400
Maserati 250F
Mazda RX-7
Norton 500 Manx
Peugeot Flux (DLC)
Saleen S281E
Shelby GT500E
Subaru Impreza 22B STi
Tesla Roadster
Toyota Supra Turbo
Triumph Trident
Vanwall GPR V12

 

[Kardax]

I have Project Gotham Racing 4 and can confirm that the Tesla Roadster is in the game. I took this picture myself shortly after it was released:

It's based on the original prototypes with the two-speed transmission, and the motor "idles" at 800 RPM, but otherwise it's a faithful representation.

MPT's assessment is correct. The Roadster's performance characteristics and weight distribution make it very potent on twisty tracks, but the low top speed makes it useless on tracks with long straights.

-Ryan

 

[mpt]

TM blog post Tesla Motors - Customers by Tom Burt; his Roadster is the sound we'll hear maybe.

 

[dpeilow]

A team of sound engineers from Microsoft Game Studios (some working on Forza, some on Project Gotham Racing)

Maybe a car download is on the cards then.

 

[ryanjm]

Maybe a car download is on the cards then.

Most likely, as the PGR franchise is up in the air after its developer (Bizarre Creations) was purchased by another publisher (Activision). Also, when I visited Turn 10 Studios a few months ago for a story on Forza 3, they told me that most of the cars they use to photograph and scan into the game are from Seattle-area private owners. So you're right: all signs point to the Roadster becoming a downloadable car for Forza 3.

 

[dpeilow]

Brier Dudley's blog | Microsoft lawyer skids and squeals Tesla for Xbox sound team | Seattle Times Newspaper

Tesla Roadster donates tire squeal sounds to two new video games — Autoblog Green - for the comments.

 

[dpeilow]

Top motor racing video game series to continue, hints Tesla Motors - News, Gadgets & Tech - The Independent

Furthermore, the Tesla Roadster was not included in the retail copy of Forza 3, indicating that its eventual inclusion is likely to be in the form of a downloadable content pack released at a later date. The Hot Holidays Car Pack is scheduled for release on December 8 via the Xbox Live network at a cost of 400 Microsoft Points (~ $5 / €4.65), with only the Ferrari 468 confirmed at the time of writing.

 

[toutizes]

Game informer says Roadster in GT5

The print version of GameInformer says the 2010 roadster sport is in GT5. They also say that it'll be out in March 10, but who knows?

They have 2 images of the roadster. The cockpit is very realistic, even the crappy JVC unit looks like the real thing.

Can't find a link at gameinformer.com though.

Matthieu

 

[ShantJ]

The print version of GameInformer says the 2010 roadster sport is in GT5. They also say that it'll be out in March 10, but who knows?

They have 2 images of the roadster. The cockpit is very realistic, even the crappy JVC unit looks like the real thing.

Can't find a link at gameinformer.com though.

Matthieu

There are in-game pictures? Can you please scan them?

 

[dpeilow]

Skip to 1m 09s for the goods.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxfNb4d3bPY&start=68?[/media]


Any PS3 owner want to get the game and try to drive it more than 55 miles?

 

[doug]

Skip to 1m 09s for the goods.

Sounded like an ICE.

 

[graham]

Maybe it was just so quiet you were hearing the car in front or behind it

 

[DaveD]

No, the Doppler effect was clearly indicating that the ICE sound was coming from the Tesla. Lame, lame, lame!!! I sincerely hope that this was only a mistake made in the video production and they didn't actually make this stupid blunder in the game.