NEWS - Sunday, July 11, 2004
Juiced Screens
In the UK, Europe, the States, Japan and any country where you’ll find young people and motors, customization of street cars – or modding – is on the increase. It used to be the realm of enthusiasts, but today it has spilled over into a much broader demographic. In fact, through a widely increasing obsession with speed and the desire to have a car that looks individual, it’s become a clearly defined lifestyle category, witnessed by an explosion in magazines such as Max Power (with a circulation of 200,000 in the UK alone), Revs, Evo and Fast Car UK. The internet and mobile phone are the de-facto communications of this growing community, and ’cruises’ are the shadowy gatherings from which challenges emerge and enter into street legend. It’s very much a young adult’s scene, synonymous with clubbing. The roots of modding can be traced back to the original US muscle car, the Pontiac GTO, but these days all types are ripe for treatment, from the least expensive car to supercars. Most importantly, the demographic for car modders is a reflection of our console audience. While the street modding scene has been alluded to in driving games such as Auto Modellista and Midnight Club, it has never had the simulation touch of Gran Turismo. With the introduction of a team based structure, and our background in simulation, we will take the street racing scene to a detailed and personal level, where you feel that you’re genuinely connecting with real characters and competing for credibility, not just a position in a league table. You’ll develop an affinity with your cars; what they look like, how they perform and what it takes to keep it roadworthy all matter. In this game you control it all. Performance adjustment is becoming commonplace in driving titles, but the real modding scene demands more than just invisible tweaks. Of course, to be the business, you’ll need the big-bore HKS pipes, the Turbo-Technics blower. But to be seen you need highly visible improvements. Adding a set of 18" chrome-dipped Kahn wheels is not just about improving traction and grip; it’s about looking cool... and without the lowered springs, Street weapon body kit, and pearlescent finish your chariot is still too OE (original equipment) and won’t attract attention. Unless you create a worthy street monster, you won’t get to race the serious racers, or haul in the serious cash. Once you’ve turned your pride and joy into a low-flying babe-magnet, you need to convince the competition that you’re not just a sheep in wolf’s clothing. The final, touch – a healthy manifold injection of Nitrous Oxide. Juiced is a PlayStation2 computer entertainment system, Xbox video game system from Microsoft and PC racing simulation that totally immerses the player in the lifestyle, community and risk-taking of the street modding scene in a unique and compelling way. Juiced doesn’t pay lip-service to the modding scene, it takes you there and involves you in it culture, risk taking and unique creativity... the car as a personalized art-form. It’s not an arcade style game in the pure sense of the term, but it will deliver quick thrills and action. Most importantly, the depth of game play goes far beyond an arcade style racer, pitching you against a broad range of characters who aim to trash you by building the meanest looking, hardest driving street machines, then trouncing you in a series of increasingly risky challenges. They want your cash, your cars, and your pride. Progression is not based on a scripted story, but evolves as your skills in modding and driving increase. You’ll have to work hard to get to where the real petrol-heads and money lurk, building up a collection of nitrous burning, eye popping monsters for every type of challenge. And once you’ve maxed your cars, the stakes are maxed out too. Features: Serious racing simulations have made their mark in the driving genre, but none deal with the street modding scene quite like this. -Combines the driving and extreme-sports genres; -Build up the most respected street racing crew; -Collect and customize or ’mod’ a wide variety of cars; -Recruit and manage drivers; -Compete for cash and cars; -Interact with characters from other crews; -Use team tactics to win races; -Enjoy the ’home’ track advantage; -Progress by gaining respect and notoriety; -Organized Street Races and Race Track Events; -Highway Races and Special Challenges; -Use of real brands and recognizable licenses to add believability to the game world; -Use of actual auto manufacturers’ blue prints for nearly 50 licensed in-game vehicles; -Believable, but highly accessible physics and handling; Car and environment damage; -Cutting edge next-generation graphics; -Split-screen multiplayer gaming; -Online play on PlayStation2 and Xbox.Source: http://www.juicegames.com
