Q. David asks: I have a Logitech® G25 (soon to be G27), but it is not supported on the Xbox 360. Why does Microsoft limit user’s wheel options for a game that is likely to be the best racing game out there? This is the question that is on any serious sim racer’s mind at the moment.
A. Accessories sold or licensed by Microsoft, such as the Xbox 360 Wireless Wheel, which is compatible with ‘Forza Motorsport 3,’ have been tested and certified to work with the Xbox 360, ensuring that they have gone through the rigorous testing and certification with Microsoft and the 360 platform. That being said, we understand the need for wheel options when it comes to racing sims. That’s why we’ve partnered with renowned game hardware developer FANATEC® to create a new racing wheel that is tuned specifically for ‘Forza Motorsport 3.’ The FANATEC 911 Turbo S Wheel is a high-quality leather-wrapped wheel with an H-pattern shifter, strong pedals (including clutch) and tunable options. The wheel will provide a more natural feel for the road, giving the discriminating racer the feedback they need to dominate.
Q. Rob wrote: I’ve been a big fan of the Forza franchise and have beaten both previous games, bought all of the downloads and tracks and think they’re fantastic. The only problem I have with Forza is that there are not enough Audi models to choose from. I own a 2001 Audi S8 and I’ve always wanted one in a game. Do you foresee more Audi models eventually being added to the lineup?
A. Hi Rob. We know exactly how you feel since we’re all passionate about our own cars here at Turn 10 (in fact, both Game Director Dan Greenawalt and I drive B5 S4s). This is also one of the more common questions that is asked of us. While we’d like to include all cars for all auto enthusiasts out there, the reality of production time requires us to make hard choices. That said, ‘Forza Motorsport 3’ offers more than 400 fully customizable and tunable cars from over 50 of the world’s leading manufacturers, including obviously Audi. For ‘Forza 3,’ we’re offering the 2010 Audi R8 5.2 FS®I quattro® (our cover car) and will feature, for the first time in any game, the 2009 Audi Q7 V12 TD®I, as well as the 2008 Audi A4 Touring Car. Look for future downloadable add-on car packs for more Audi vehicles down the road.
Q. Thomas is wondering: Will the Bugatti Veyron be featured in Forza 3? And if it is not, is it potentially available through an update?
A. Absolutely. For the first time, the Bugatti Veyron will be making its way onto ‘Forza Motorsport 3.’ It’s sort of the Holy Grail of cars right now and extremely rare to find, but ‘Forza 3’ players will be able to drive it themselves when the game launches.
How we got the Bugatti Veyron in ‘Forza Motorsport 3’ is a great story in itself. We approached Bugatti about six years ago, but they weren’t too interested in having the car in a video game at the time. After seeing the kind of high-quality simulation experience we offered in ‘Forza Motorsport’ and ‘Forza Motorsport 2,’ they were convinced ‘Forza Motorsport 3’ was a perfect home for the Veyron. To get our in-game model just right, we had a group named Acme painstakingly laser scan the car for us, capturing ever curve, line and detail with their proprietary cutting-edge technology. We spoke with people who have driven the car to learn more about how it drives and handles, and also spent a significant amount of time listening to the car and recording other cars in order to re-create its sound. We’re very certain that it’s going to be an extremely realistic experience, and you won’t have to shell out a fortune to have it!
Q. Adam asks: Will there be an option in Forza 3 for gamers to design a car skin on their own personal computers and then import it into the game?
A. At this time, our focus remains on the Xbox 360 platform. However, we have a very advanced livery design system and are happy with how it has become a pinnacle of the ‘Forza Motorsport’ community. In ‘Forza Motorsport 3,’ we have better layer management tools, a stand-alone vinyl editor, full color spectrum support and an improved interface for ease of use that will help those who are interested in trying their hand at creating their own custom paint jobs. But as we always say, the best livery editor alone won’t help you become a creative individual, so while it always astounds us to see amazing paint jobs from our community, we’re also not surprised by the way they can overcome painting with the Xbox 360 controller. I agree, it’s a good idea to paint on your PC with a mouse, so that is something we’re going to take to heart.
Q. Nick wrote: I currently have Forza 2 in a three screen setup to help me practice racing when I am not on the track. What are the odds of getting some of the tracks from the Southwestern US incorporated into the game so I can practice on tracks that I frequent?
A. One of our new tracks in ‘Forza Motorsport 3’ is called Sedona Autopark Raceway, located in, yep – you guessed it – Sedona, Arizona. It’s a huge open track with long high-speed straights (in fact, one of its configurations is an oval), technical chicanes and challenging elevation changes. We have a video of gameplay on the track on Forzamotorsport.net – go check it out!
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