"We're not letting go 'til it's done" - PGR4 developer

By Tom Bramwell Published 20 July, 2007

MS still quoting September.

Microsoft is quoting a September date for Project Gotham Racing 4, but it sounds like they'll have a fight on their hands if Bizarre Creations wants more time, with business director Brian Woodhouse telling Eurogamer: "This one, we're not letting go 'til it's done."

Woodhouse was responding to our comment, during an E3 PGR4 presentation, that the difficulty for some of the latter Platinum medal goals in PGR3 was all over the place. "I can't argue with that," he admitted. "We just ran out of time. We feel like we've got more time [on PGR4]. Last time round, we feel like we got the game ripped away from us."

"It looked great, but we struggled a little bit to commit time at the end to really balance the game properly. This one, we're not letting go 'til it's done. We were disappointed with that. With 2 we probably got it right. With 1 we rushed it out as well. 3, you know, it was a launch title so we were under enormous pressure.

"Following on from that, we've totally changed our development mentality. With a launch title, you've constantly got this issue with difficulty with the hardware and not getting the game up and running early enough. This time around, because we're building it on a modular tech base we're able to bring the game up really early and think about all of those things as we go through, instead of me saying to you as a game designer, 'okay here's the game, you've got two weeks [to balance it]'."

He also admitted that Bizarre had "spent a fortune building this game".

Their spent fortune appears to be our good fortune, however, judging by all the improvements witnessed at E3. The Kudos system has undergone some sensible tweaking, the (optional) bike stuff gives the game added depth, and the graphical accomplishments - particularly volumetric fog - add up to a game we're struggling not to be fawny and slaverish about in today's Project Gotham Racing 4 first impressions.

Anyway, you'll be able to see how it all turns out in September. Probably.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (15) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • L0cky #1 5 years ago

    I remember following a volumetric fog tutorial for Quake 2, and now it's being used commercially!

    It'd be nice if they brought PGR4 to PC; PGR3 is one of the 360 games I really enjoyed :)

  • Fernando #2 5 years ago

    just make it look and play better than Forza 2 and you'll be fine Bizzare ;)

  • Peew971 #3 5 years ago

    I'm totally backing them up on that. I don't see why MS is in such a rush, Forza 2 just came out and they could do with another great game on their 2008 schedule. Something like March 08 would be better.

  • LeD #4 5 years ago

    The 360 will stop being produced in 2008, why would they need another title for 2008?

  • Azazel #5 5 years ago

    lollerskates

  • TheCooler #6 5 years ago

    I think MS need to think a bit about their timing of racing releases.

    This year they had almost nothing for the first half of the year, and then suddenly Forza 2, DIRT and FlatOut Ultimate Carnage appear within a few weeks of each other, no doubt cannibalizing/killing off sales (I would probably have bought all three if they came at least a month apart, as of now I only have Forza 2).

    I'd much rather see PGR4 as a holiday title (November) than it being pushed out a week or two before Halo 3. Release some DLC content (tracks+cars) for Forza 2 in September instead to keep the gearheads happy.

  • Darren #7 5 years ago

    Oh for the love of God, let Bizarre Creations finish this game, Microsoft! Don't you think you've made enough mistakes over the past 19 months already, please don't make another one? ;)

    I always assumed this game was coming out in November or even December what with Halo 3 out in September. I'd prefer it to be November to be honest, better that the game gets an extra two months worth of polish really.

  • Triggerhappytel #8 5 years ago

    MS could do with keeping this back to early 2008, to give them something to compete with MGS4 on PS3. There's no need to shove it out the door so soon after Forza 2.

  • The-Bodybuilder #9 5 years ago

    >"MS could do with keeping this back to early 2008, to give them something to compete with MGS4 on PS3."

    MGS4 is spring 2008. And Ms have other games, like fable, alan wake and too human.

    sounds like bizarre don't need that much time.

  • Jas315 #10 5 years ago

    "MGS4 is spring 2008. And Ms have other games, like fable, alan wake and too human.

    sounds like bizarre don't need that much time."

    Fable, Alan wake, or Too human (I was totally appalled by the trailer on Live, anyone else who had the chance to view it would agree with me on this one)... to compete with MGS4?

    Stop smoking the crack!!

    On the PGR4 topic, I want this game FINISHED & clean for play. I don't need another racer title scrubbed down of what it could have been.

    Lay off, Microsoft. You got Halo 3 for now.

  • Triggerhappytel #11 5 years ago

    The Bodybuilder: "MGS4 is spring 2008. And Ms have other games, like fable, alan wake and too human.

    sounds like bizarre don't need that much time."

    Apart from the fact that at least two-thirds of these games are historically susceptible to tremendous delays (meaning early 08 is by no means a dead cert), none of these three really have the weight to take the wind out of MGS's sails.

    Except perhaps Fable 2, but still it's not as big a franchise as MGS. Given that PGR is historically probably the Xbox's second-biggest franchise, I think it would be better served trying to ease the MGS hype for MS.

    And I agree with Jas that Too Human is looking awful, and the constant delays don't bode especially well.

    Alan Wake could be a big seller for MS, but they have to publicise it properly.

  • miiiguel #12 5 years ago

    ooooooh. the best driving game, once again in a 360 near you!

  • miiiguel #13 5 years ago

    ...and, who's doing crack?

  • QotSAfan #14 5 years ago

    What the hell is Alan Wake?

  • Ryze #15 5 years ago

    DON'T. RUSH. THIS. GAME.

    Don't fuck this up for us, Microsoft.

    Concentrate on fixing the 360 and reducing the price so I'll buy one.

    Elite overheat aircraft takeoff for £320 ain't happening.

    FIX IT.

    Or I'll be helping Nintendo piss on you from a great height, once something gets released.

    Pun intended.

    Table tennis might even be the title, if they don't fuck it up.

    ryz.