Test Drive Unlimited 2 - Early Concept Art/Ingame Screens (not Official) [!UPDATE #5 2009-07-18]

[ShadowGT]

Diablo can you post links to all the info you havent revealed yet for people who really wanna know.

[Camel]

Diablo can you post links to all the info you havent revealed yet for people who really wanna know.

 

I'm sure he said he would check with BADNED to see if he can post something. And I think he wants to keep it to himself so he can tease some people with it. I'd do the same tbh lol

[Eudemon]

No no, what I said was I am going to try and see B and maybe see about doing some kind of release because of this extra info that I have recently found out about.

 

I won't be posting the links though as the info would be discussed within 60secs and all the spoilers would be known.

[Nipper]

Didn't realise a driving game with barely a story to it could have spoilers.

 

Anyway, I highly doubt most of those are legit. Until Atari/Eden say something official I ain't so sure.

 

When I think about the images, they look like photoshops, very very good, but 'shopped none the less. :/

 

Won't matter soon anyway, Forza3!

[Eudemon]

Nipper if you read you would see the next game will have a story. And as much as I'm looking forward to Feed Me 3, I'm not excited about it unlike this game.

 

Cruisin' makes me feel good! lol

[CarMadMike]

:D Working convertible roof!, Window screen wipers and Indicators! :D wooop

[Shy Guy]

The car features are really cool! Hope they make it.

[Nascarbuc]

Guys, even though I hate to be the party pooper, I've had to do that a lot lately. There are far too many bad signals coming from ATARI.

 

Recently there was this article:

 

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23813

 

Here's a highlight:

 

Atari said in its earnings release that in order to improve its cash position, it has reorganized "to focus on more cost effective mass-market games and online." The company has cancelled projects "which do not meet higher return on investment criteria and require significant working capital investments"

 

It's no secret that TDU had a pretty lackluster performance in a far less threatening environment than today's overcrowded market. It's development time and the resources it needed also make it a very costly venture.

 

Another paragraph hints at a "driving franchise" in development:

 

Infogrames added that it is "focusing on profitable online games and owned franchises including original driving franchises, MMOs and our Atari Classic games covering the entire history of the video game industry."

 

But with Atari's focus on social, casual, low-cost games, it could mean anything: TDU is just one episode in the 3 decade old Test Drive Franchise. It could be an Iphone Test Drive game for all we know. Read the next interviews I linked to below and you'll see it is a strong possibility.

 

In this article was also a line about Cryptic becoming the official game dev of Atari:

 

Cryptic is currently working on the MMO Champions Online, and will also be working on new games based on "Atari’s existing and historically successful IPs."

 

Confirmation in this Interview with Jim Wilson:

 

http://www.industrygamers.com/news/atari-ceo-plans-for-ip-investment-explains-phil-harrisons-new-role/

 

Basically, Iphone games, social games, online games, retro gaming, and only one name: Cryptic. It's like Eden doesn't even exist anymore.

 

In this interview, Wilson points out that games like The Witcher are being cut out. It seems to me, but I could be wrong, that the Witcher sold a lot more copies than TDU and, because it was developed in Poland, cost a lot less to make than TDU. Anyone can chime in on this?

 

 

There was another, more recent interview with ATARI CEO Gardner in which he basically confirmed that Cryptic was where games would be made while Eden Studios was being turned into the in-house R&D lab, suggesting that Eden would focus on developping the game engines and creative tools to be used by Cryptic and external dev partners, essentially being shut off from the business of making games.

 

And finally, this last interview with Gardner:

http://www.industrygamers.com/news/atari-ceo-i-dont-want-to-be-known-as-the-nostalgia-company/

 

A couple highlights:

 

Still, Atari has to work within its limits. It can't produce massive, big budget console games. That's a lesson that Atari, Majesco and others have been learning over the last (and the current) console generation. “We have to rebuild our product development capabilities and also build the right kinds of products – networked products, social products, and not trying to build a classic $50 million console game.

 

We are building a studio internally at London that's working on casual games. But I don't think we have to own all of our development; we'll be working with lots of outside developers because I think that there's no lock on creativity. Ideas are going to come from different people who love the brand, and we'll be going out to companies basically commissioning the redevelopment of some of our classic brands.

 

 

Now... It's going to sound a bit far fetched but it makes sense: Atari is owned by Infogrames, a deeply troubled game maker kept on live support with money from the french government for many years. Because government handout means government control it was difficult for a foreign company to take Infogrames over. The french goverrment "bribes" companies so that they don't ditch local jobs. After BlueBay Asset Management lended 150Mil to Infogrames Gardner and Harrison started to discreetly move operations to more friendly territory like the UK. Now, with Infogrames still plagued with losses and still mired in debt, the rest of the business was officially transfered to the US, in a tactically brilliant move. BlueBay, however, can't really get rid of all of its french-based operations and I believe these are the 2 reasons why Eden still exists: first, too much money has been sunk into Infogrames by the national and local governments. If Atari's main operation in Lyon was to be shut down there would be an outcry because of the 80+ jobs. It would lead the local media to look deeper into BlueBay's smart little corporate raid and they would have a field day creating a national outrage against the "evil American capitalists" and no one wants to put up with that french crap, especially in a country where management is casually held hostage everytime some worker feels like acting french. Second, the french government offers very attractive grants to support game development and Eden is the most prominent outfit in the country so they're poised to take the lion's share of that money. It makes sense that Eden, after the botched release of TDU and the PR disaster that AITD was, owes its survival to its ability to grab free money while Cryptic becomes the place where games are made because they've risen to the occasion when given the chance.

 

Bottom line is, just because something was being developed in full speed yesterday morning doesn't mean it still was this morning. Infogrames/Atari has changed its course more often than the octomom changes diapers. You can discard any information older than may 29th (date of the first interview in which Gardner outlined the new strategy).

 

And sorry, but all these screens and so-called new info aren't convincing at all. Hopefully they can create a buzz so whether real or not, the more people get to think and talk about TDU2 the better.

 

At the very least David Nadal or someone at Eden should clarify where they stand.

 

Is there anything we could do, I don't know, maybe a joint effort between the various communities in the UK, Germany, france, and wherever there are TDU communities, to send emails to Eden. Maybe if they get a thousand emails from TDU fans asking respectfully for a statement or something, they'll send someone to throw us a bone?

[Nipper]

Epic wall of text overwhelms me this early in the morning!

 

I read bits of it, and I agree with you mostly. Unfortunately. :/

[kalniel]

It's no secret that TDU had a pretty lackluster performance in a far less threatening environment than today's overcrowded market.

What? It had nothing like a lackluster performance.

 

But with Atari's focus on social, casual, low-cost games,

You're also missing out the focus on online gaming.

 

 

In this article was also a line about Cryptic becoming the official game dev of Atari:

 

Cryptic is currently working on the MMO Champions Online, and will also be working on new games based on "Atari’s existing and historically successful IPs."

That says nothing about becoming the 'official' game dev..

 

Confirmation in this Interview with Jim Wilson:

 

http://www.industrygamers.com/news/atari-ceo-plans-for-ip-investment-explains-phil-harrisons-new-role/

 

Basically, Iphone games, social games, online games, retro gaming, and only one name: Cryptic. It's like Eden doesn't even exist anymore.

Read it again:

 

"Wilson also said that Atari "will be much more focused in investing in our intellectual properties, whether the classic IPs or the properties coming out of Cryptic."

Or the properties coming out of Cryptic, meaning they don't cover the classic IPs.

 

Also you only have to check the industry networking sites to see Eden are very much alive and well, and developing.

 

 

It seems to me, but I could be wrong, that the Witcher sold a lot more copies than TDU and, because it was developed in Poland, cost a lot less to make than TDU. Anyone can chime in on this?

Yup you're wrong on virtually all those points :p The one you got right was that it was developed in Poland :p

 

 

There was another, more recent interview with ATARI CEO Gardner in which he basically confirmed that Cryptic was where games would be made while Eden Studios was being turned into the in-house R&D lab, suggesting that Eden would focus on developping the game engines and creative tools to be used by Cryptic and external dev partners, essentially being shut off from the business of making games.

This is called consolidation, and is just maximising the tools at your disposal, but has nothing to do with whether TDU is made or not.

 

Still, Atari has to work within its limits. It can't produce massive, big budget console games. That's a lesson that Atari, Majesco and others have been learning over the last (and the current) console generation. “We have to rebuild our product development capabilities and also build the right kinds of products – networked products, social products, and not trying to build a classic $50 million console game.

 

We are building a studio internally at London that's working on casual games. But I don't think we have to own all of our development; we'll be working with lots of outside developers because I think that there's no lock on creativity. Ideas are going to come from different people who love the brand, and we'll be going out to companies basically commissioning the redevelopment of some of our classic brands.

That's talking about the 'new' Atari side of things.. forgetting that Distributed Partners now handles what we'd think of as traditional Atari games.

 

Now... It's going to sound a bit far fetched but it makes sense: Atari is owned by Infogrames, a deeply troubled game maker kept on live support with money from the french government for many years. Because government handout means government control it was difficult for a foreign company to take Infogrames over. The french goverrment "bribes" companies so that they don't ditch local jobs. After BlueBay Asset Management lended 150Mil to Infogrames Gardner and Harrison started to discreetly move operations to more friendly territory like the UK. Now, with Infogrames still plagued with losses and still mired in debt, the rest of the business was officially transfered to the US, in a tactically brilliant move. BlueBay, however, can't really get rid of all of its french-based operations and I believe these are the 2 reasons why Eden still exists: first, too much money has been sunk into Infogrames by the national and local governments. If Atari's main operation in Lyon was to be shut down there would be an outcry because of the 80+ jobs. It would lead the local media to look deeper into BlueBay's smart little corporate raid and they would have a field day creating a national outrage against the "evil American capitalists" and no one wants to put up with that french crap, especially in a country where management is casually held hostage everytime some worker feels like acting french. Second, the french government offers very attractive grants to support game development and Eden is the most prominent outfit in the country so they're poised to take the lion's share of that money. It makes sense that Eden, after the botched release of TDU and the PR disaster that AITD was, owes its survival to its ability to grab free money while Cryptic becomes the place where games are made because they've risen to the occasion when given the chance.

What?! Sorry, that's pure conspiracy theory! :p

 

Eden and Cryptic are both two studios covering similar areas, now they're are both subsidiaries it makes sense that they don't duplicate efforts and instead work together, each concentrating on slightly different things.

 

 

Bottom line is, just because something was being developed in full speed yesterday morning doesn't mean it still was this morning.

That's certainly true, hence the wait for official announcements about TDU2.

Infogrames/Atari has changed its course more often than the octomom changes diapers. You can discard any information older than may 29th (date of the first interview in which Gardner outlined the new strategy).

And the information then, and since then, if you want to be sure ;)

 

Maybe if they get a thousand emails from TDU fans asking respectfully for a statement or something, they'll send someone to throw us a bone?

Absolutely not. If they're not ready to give a statement then they won't be any more ready just because they're being harrassed. It's better that they don't give any information which is subject to change - like you say, you already disregard certain information, so that might well apply here as well.

 

Bottom line: Has TDU2 been announced? No. That is and remains the official position. Everything else is speculation, which is fun, so long as people don't take it for more than that :)

[Nipper]

More wall of text!!

 

I am not so sure about it all though, the supposedly leaked concept arts and such, look like very skilled PSing to me. :/

 

I of course would love for all those speculated things to be in the game, but I find it very hard to believe.

[Eudemon]

Nicely explained their kal. :)

 

Atari Europe actually made more money through royalties and such than the then licence holder Atari Inc as they went for a $39.99 pricepoint.

 

The whole Infogrames -> Atari, Atari Inc (USA), Atari SASU (Europe) -> Distribution Partners bought by Namco BANDAI malarkey is confusing as hell though.

[RAPTORX22]

:D Working convertible roof!, Window screen wipers and Indicators! :D wooop

Where are the indicators? I see all the other stuff except that.

[CarMadMike]

The far left, although come to think of it, it might be weather actually ::o i'm a fool

[Andriy242]

Just to get you minds of this wall of text after txt

 

I think it would be awsome to see a picture like this in TDU2

where only a couple gas stations and people are trying to fill up.

Self explanatory here.

 

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y130/andriy242/Pics-1.jpg

[Y00 PAY]

Oh My God! This looks sooooo awesome! :) +rep!

[RAPTORX22]

The far left, although come to think of it, it might be weather actually ::o i'm a fool

No you were right.:)

Left: Headlights Fullbeam' date=' Right Indicator/Blinker, Dipped Headlights (Driving Lights?), Left Indicator/Blinker[/quote']

Yes.:thumbsup:

[Ryzza5]

Image of Racing School building

 

Does anyone wonder what's been blanked out in the bottom left corner? A car of sorts? A sign with text we're not supposed to know about? Or maybe a scantily clad female on a motorbike? :oook: :lol:

 

There are other vehicle pics here, so what could be so special about this one?

 

 

Edit: And by the way, aren't EXIT signs supposed to be on the inside of the building???

[RAPTORX22]

Diablo did say he didn't want too much spoilers.

[mac_mogul]

Ooh i can't wait! I may even drop a few more dollars into my computer for when this comes out :D

[TDU 505]

Hahaha i don't think you will be the only one ;)

 

Great info and thanks Diablo ;)

 

 

Oh! And Mac! Haven't seen you in a million years!

[Who]

http://www.turboduck.net/tdu2/newinfo/tdu2_conceptartwork_1.jpg

 

do you have that in a larger resolution diab? that one would make a great desktop but it's too pixelated on my screen when blown up...

[Eudemon]

Unfortunately not as that's the only size the artist has of those images. I might send him an email and ask about higher resolution versions though.

[Nauraushaun]

Holy jesus that's some fantastic stuff. This game excites me hard. I've still not been able to play the first one on anything but PSP, the second had BETTER hit PS3!

[Woffin]

Upon googling for any news on a TDU sequel I came across this thread. I hadn't found any news anywhere else on the net and with being a HUUUGE Test Drive Unlimited addict, I felt compelled to register and just say that I am incredibly excited about the screens and news posted here! Obviously the concept art is just that, concept, and is highly unlikely to actually represent the finished game. However the news about weather and dynamic time of day and fuel and (I could go on lol) but also having a screenshot of development to prove it as well is simply fantastic!

 

This game can't come soon enough :D