May 18, 1999- The Sports Gaming Network website has a great write-up on the pending game release...with screen captures! Check it out!
Rear shot of the 1970 Penske Javelin and a real bad day for the 1972 Woods Brothers Javelin.
There's also an interview with Adrian Penn, the Project Manager for EAI. Read it!
April 15, 1999- GT Interactive has
informed me that the game's release has been pushed back even further. I quote-
"Yeah we are still a go, but things are taking longer than expected. Currently we're targeting a release date towards the very end of '99. It really isn't uncommon for high-end simulations to take 2+ years in development, we were probably just a bit too ambitious in our intial release date."
September 20, 1998- GT Interactive has informed me that the game's release has been pushed back a bit, perhaps to Spring '99 while they work out final details.
April 17, 1998- Next Generation magazine's May 1998
issue has a great six-page article hailing the pending release of 'Trans Am Racing: '68-'72' by GT Interactive.
I've posted scans here of just a few of the many cool screenshots in the article (grab a copy...the pics are plentiful and great!), as well as a few details of the game itself, as promised!
The very first car named in the article is none other than 'Javelin'! And the first driver's name noted? 'Mark Donohue'...coolness!
"It became a grudge match that heightened around '70, with Ford, GM and American Motors really going at it"
"[Trans Am features] realtime damage modeling, calculated on-the-fly and unique to each crash."
"The vehicle physics feature a full six degrees of freedom, so when a car crashes, expect it to roll, pitch, and bounce in a realistic manner."
"A true 3D cockpit will be modeled for each car, enabling players to glance left and right....[apex tracking] pans the camera into the turn the way drivers naturally turn their heads."
"Customizable options? Try chassis, gearbox, tires, brakes, and suspension."
Players can choose from 13 different car models in numerous paint schemes (no mention is made in the article of a 'paint your own' feature, so contact GT Interactive and tell them you want it!) racing along 13 true-to-life race tracks. You can go it alone against 19 computerized drivers, or head-to-head with up to 16 real-life players on a LAN network or the Internet!
The only Javelin shown in the article is the 1970 model, but I'm assured by GT Interactive that each year from 1968 to 1972 will have a correct Javelin tearing up the asphalt.
Release is tentatively marked for August or September of this year, so go get yourself a Nomex suit and helmet now, before the rush!
And these cars aren't treated as 'filler' or 'target' cars. They are just as viable as the other cars
in the game.
Three cheers to Activision! Here's a few action shots!:
Another Shot