New PGR3 content hits Xbox Live Marketplace

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Jul 11th 2006 at 10:35PM }

Lifting their foot slightly from the pedal and instead concentrating on all things cosmetic and shiny, Bizarre Creations have finished putting together the Style Pack for Project Gotham Racing 3. As reported last month, the download contains 12 new beautifully shaped hunks of metal, fit for driving around the streets of London and gazing at for embarrassing amounts of time. Unlike last month, however, the pack is available for download right now. In case you didn't get it the first time, here's the list of included vehicles, available for 60 MS points ($0.75) seperately or 400 MS points ($5) as a group.

BMW M6 (2006)
BMW Z8 (2001)
BMW M3 CSL (2003)
BMW MINI COOPER S (2005)
Gumpert Apollo Coupe 4.2 V8 (2005)
2005 Chrysler® Firepower Concept
Ferrari 365 GTB4 "Daytona" (1968)
Ferrari F430 Challenge (2006)
Mercedes CLK DTM AMG (C209)
Pagani Zonda F (2005)
RUF R.K. Spyder 3.8 (2006) [Note: This one's free!]
Vanwall GPR V12 (2006)

In addition, you'll be prompted to update the game once you log on and be pleased to welcome some new (and way overdue) features. It's finally possible to upload the stunningly artistic or hopelessly amateurish images you've created in the game's photo mode to the official PGR3 website. It doesn't seem to be fully operational yet, but there is likely a very large tantrum in store should that not change in the near future.

New multiplayer game modes come in the form of "Free Roam Points," "Team Free Roam Points" and a series favorite, "Cat and Mouse." The rules of the latter mode dictate that teams comprised of two cars each, one being an E-class vehicle, compete to have their slower car be the first to cross the finish line. If the other, faster car crosses the line first, the team loses instantly. The update also adds matching achievements should you need any further incentive to venture online.

[Thanks Xbudd!]

Previously:

Tags: Bizarre Creations, BizarreCreations, Gran Turismo, GranTurismo, Microsoft Points, MicrosoftPoints, MSFT, Project Gotham Racing 3, ProjectGothamRacing3, Racing, Speed Pack, SpeedPack, Style Pack, StylePack, XBL, Xbox Live, XboxLive

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Mark B @ Jul 11th 2006 10:49PM

BULLSHIT!!

I can assure you that the majority of gamers HATE paying more and more money for a little bit of extra content.

Next time, put it in the game to begin with.

Indiana Jones @ Jul 11th 2006 10:52PM

In case Joystiq didnt know, MS actually messed up and made this free to download, after about 10 minutes they realised their error and took it down, only for it to appear fixed shortly after. Quite a few people got 400 points worth of content for free, sadly, not me.

hehehhehe @ Jul 11th 2006 11:05PM

Great. Make us pay $40-$60 for a game and then continue to nickel and dime us.

kilodelta @ Jul 11th 2006 11:20PM

if you dont want it, don't buy it. no one has got a gun to your head.

logikil @ Jul 11th 2006 11:24PM

Actually this ended up working a bit differently for me. When i went to select the content i saw the picture of the Cadillac pack with a check box next to it indicating that i had already downloaded it. To be safe i went ahead and downloaded it to be sure. No marketplace points gone, and content downloaded. Good Stuff :)

Joe @ Jul 11th 2006 11:29PM

What you guys fail to realize is that if you own the game you do not have to buy this. Its not as if the game is no longer good since you have not yet purchased the newest content.

This content is marketed for the hardcore pgr3 fans who are also car geeks. I bet most of these cars are comming out just because of hardcore fan requests to make their fav car for the game.

This microtransaction is much better than something like gamerpics where they are useless and cost way too much for what they are. I know alot of people who would gladly pay 5 dollars to use their favorite car in the game they are addicted to.

These are no different than expansion packs for PC, and if you are a huge fan of the game it is worth the extra money.

GSI @ Jul 12th 2006 12:55AM

Oh good god...would you guys STOP bitching.

Is MS making you buy this?
- No

Is it required to play the game?
- No

Is someone holding a gun to your head making you buy it?
- No

Is it optional?
- DUH!

Will stuff like this go away?
- NOPE!

RiskyChris @ Jul 12th 2006 2:12AM

"Is it required to play the game?
- No"

What game was it where people were basically forced to buy the map packs to continue to play multiplayer?

This is only going to get worse.

Dave Roz @ Jul 12th 2006 3:16AM

What? No Pacer or Gremlin???

Screw that noise.

firenze @ Jul 12th 2006 3:55AM

I think everyone's concern here is not that we are being "forced" to buy this. What's troubling is that developers and publishers are now being given complete freedom to slack off on making the best game they can for original release. If they want to add an extra city in a racing game, or 5 more multiplayer levels in a FPS, or an extra side-quest in a RPG... they can just wait and charge more for it later rather than make the game as good as they can to begin with.

The problem isn't with content updates that hit 6 months or a year later. It's that we fear that features are intentionally being held back and the plan from the start is to turn the exact same amount of content that would have been in a $60 game into a $60 game plus $10-$20 worth of updates. We're already feeling a little slighted by the $10 more we pay for 360 games, and now you're telling us to get the FULL experience you need to pay even more.

mirobin @ Jul 12th 2006 5:01AM

Consider the following pieces of information:
* a license fee must be paid to the manufacturer for each car put into the game
* some of the cars in these packs weren't available when the game was released
* the game was clearly built for the number of cars the game was shipped with, as evidenced by the limited "garage" space (which only has room to hold one of each car the game shipped with)

I'm sick and tired of all the whiners complaining about add-on content. You got the game you paid for. That IS the full experience. You didn't buy the game because it the list of cars had "2006 Ferrari F430 Challenge" in it.

Ask yourself the alternative question ... which seems better to you:
a) not having the option for any additional content after the game ships
b) spending $4-10 on small amounts of content after the game ships
c) spending $20 on add-on content at a retail store
d) spending $60 on a "special edition" version at a retail store

games and games @ Jul 12th 2006 6:30AM

Well I went to download them last night, I bought the speed pack also. C'mon, I understand your worries about them holding content back purposely but if you are a car nut you will love it for the very small money asked. Anyway, because I was quick to the market place (the pack wasn't on there after the news came out so I was continually refreshing) it then appeared with a tick as if I had downloaded it already, so I clicked it and d/l it and yes it turned out I got it for "free" anyway. Silly mistake on MS part but I'm not complaining. I'm only interested in a couple of cars in the packs but the new modes are decent and more importantly, if you play online a lot you will probably end up needing them to be sure you can join quite a few games (I have had in the past "you do not have the Required content to join".

So it really is up to you if you buy or not. I think it's a good way of extending the life of a game though will be wary of devs taking the easy (and purely money oriented) option in future. I probably won't d/l 80% of game add ons but the odd one or two that appeal to fans are defo worth the price of a takeaway.

Psaakyrn @ Jul 12th 2006 6:40AM

Considering that this could be considered advertisement content, wouldn't it be a better idea for the companies of aforementioned cars to sponser the server space needed to transfer these car updates?

(of cause, I wouldn't know the specifics on the deals between MS and car companies, but it's highly likely there's at least SOME dealings with them concerning copyrights and licensing)

PeteL @ Jul 12th 2006 9:06AM

Are the new game modes free?

Todd H. @ Jul 12th 2006 9:30AM

You guys are missing the big picture, developers and studios are developing content for games that otherwise wouldn't get any updated content unless there was a platform like Live. Be happy they are making more content for old games...If you don't like it, don't buy it and stop your whining...

Todd
http://www.proxbox360.com

Orangecoke @ Jul 12th 2006 11:29AM

I have to agree with all the folks who don't have a problem with this. I think it's great, and I also think you still get a great, full experience with the original game purchase even if you never download any additional content. Oblivion is the same way.

Philip Weber @ Jul 12th 2006 2:22PM

People seem to be missing the point with this download content. The cars, of which there are liscensing needs, could not be included in the game as it shipped. BMW is a perfect example of this. Do you honestly believe they wanted to ship the game without BMW cars? Of course not, and as a result when they had the chance they were added. The fact that you're paying for them is entirely justifyable from MS's standpoint. The Cadillac pack was a unique example of cars offered by the manufacturer, not the developer seeking to add them in particular. It's not like the game requires you to download the cars to complete the single player game anyway. It's entirely optional and if you don't like it don't buy it. Simple as that.

As for the other game modes, you were not charged for those. The extra modes and photomode option were auto updates. If that's not reason enough to disregard the whole: "we're being screwed by lazy developers!" argument, I don't know what is. Enough bickering already, enjoy the damn game.

Jayman @ Jul 12th 2006 3:25PM

Alright! Cat and Mouse!!! Bring it! And Joe great points.

Digi Smalls @ Jul 12th 2006 8:46PM

these PGR add-ons are clearly things conceived of after the release of the game and not things that were glaringly missing from the original release. most importantly, it's only 400 MS points. thats a welcome add-on at a welcome price for fans of the game. (can online players who bought these cars play others who didn't? would be ideal [and shrewd marketing move] if everyone could see the cars just not pick them)

i hope updates like this keep coming. keeping a game up-to-date is what Xbox Live promises and what's good about the whole premise. imagine, maybe EA will be forced to be make real changes to the annaual Madden series, now that roster size changes can be expected as low-cost downloads...if only...

anyway, this is nothing like the $15 glitch filled (no acheivements?), four map and nominal, should've-clearly-been-in-original-release tweaks that Ubi charged for the GRAW DLC. now that is a perfect example of how Xbox Live can be abused by publishers.

.

StRoKeR @ Jul 29th 2006 12:14PM

this game is excellent without the extra content, but ive noticed now with a couple of servers have given me an error stating that bonus content was required. although this may only affect the xbox live part of the game, its my opinion that this is still a very large factor that could effect future breakthroughs with games such as halo 3 with map packs, or pgr 3 with the extra cars.

i guess game developers should just be asking themselves, is it worth it to make extra content if its only going to include the car/racing nuts out there?

StRoKeR