Line #19 VideoGame/ProjectCARS


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/capsule_616x353_89.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:[[TagLine YOUR Ultimate Driver Journey]]]]
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4	''Project CARS'' ('''C'''ommunity '''A'''ssisted '''R'''acing '''S'''imulator) is a simulation RacingGame developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment in May 2015 on PC, Platform/{{Steam}}, Platform/XboxOne, Platform/PlayStation4 (and once planned for Platform/WiiU before technical limitations halted it). It is considered the SpiritualSuccessor to the ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeedShift'' sub-series of the ''VideoGame/NeedForSpeed'' video game franchise (consisting of ''Shift'' and ''Shift 2: Unleashed''), as they had worked on those two titles for Creator/ElectronicArts, mainly borrowing and refining mechanics from the previous two games along with introducing their own. The game also changes the pace in how races are conducted as now there are practice and qualifying sessions in which drivers set the fastest times around the track to get the pole position in the actual races along with a career mode in which the player partakes in races set on the calendar.
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6	The game is well-known to be crowdfunded through a specially made platform called World of Mass Development, or WMD, which is quite similar to Kickstarter, where people can pledge various amounts of money for developing the game, and play each beta build that was progressively released; the more money is pledged, the more benefits one gets in the game. ''Project CARS'' started development in 2011, right after the release of ''Shift 2: Unleashed'', with over a hundred builds made available for the pledgers, and was subsequently released in May 2015 ([[ScheduleSlip though it was originally meant to be released on 2014]]). A second installment, ''Project CARS 2'', was released on September 22, 2017 on [=PS4=], Xbox One, and PC. It includes all content seen on the predecessor, but also adds new tracks, new cars, a more in-depth time of day and weather system, improved driving models, and a more solid esports platform. It also introduces a new discipline, rallycross, with corresponding tracks and vehicles. A third game was officially announced on June 4, 2020 and was released on August 28 of the same year, weeks after the same studio published ''VideoGame/FastAndFuriousCrossroads''; changes from the second game include a car customization and upgrade system similar to the two ''Shift'' games, a revamped career mode and more accessible handling for gamepad users.
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8	Also has nothing to do with project cars; {{The Alleged Car}}s that auto enthusiasts buy and restore.
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11	!! Examples of tropes within ''Project CARS'':
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13	* AntiFrustrationFeature: You have the ability to turn on Steering assist, Braking assist, Traction Control and Anti-lock brakes, the later of two even on race-cars that wouldn't have them. The steering assist will however make you turn in a bit sooner than the fastest of racers, and the braking assist will start pre-braking point in case you overshoot. So it is worth learning how to race without them.
14	* CoolCar: A more diverse variety of them compared to ''Shift 2: Unleashed'' which includes go-karts, road cars, touring cars, UsefulNotes/FormulaOne racers, [[UsefulNotes/TwentyFourHoursOfLeMans Le Mans]] prototypes, Grand Touring 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1, etc.
15	* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: The four modes in the game, Career, Solo, Online, and Community, are represented by the colors red, green, yellow, and blue, respectively, being themed off of the game's logo itself. The achievements of the first game are even colored by which mode they're typically unlocked in (though green achievements can be won both in Solo Race and other modes as well).
16	* CreatorProvincialism: Much like ''VideoGame/GranTurismo'' focuses on Japanese cars and tracks, ''VideoGame/{{Forza}}'' focuses on American cars and ''VideoGame/AssettoCorsa'' on Italian cars, there's a good focus on British circuits and cars in ''Project CARS''.
17	* DrivesLikeCrazy: Drive as fast and as hard as you want to but make sure not to go off the track or deliberately hit anyone if you actually want those lap times to count in qualification.
18	* FunWithAcronyms: Look back at the top of the page.
19	* GameOfTheYearEdition: The first game received one May 2016 containing all DownloadableContent alongside a bonus DLC containing the Pagani Huayra BC and the Pagani Zonda Revolucion. Said DLC was also available for the owners of the base game.
20	* GameplayAutomation: The rest of a session can be simulated after meeting certain requirements in the career mode or at anytime during a quick-race. The game also drives the car for you when entering/exiting the pit lane.
21	* GenreShift: ''Project CARS 3'' is a much more accessible game compared to its two predecessors, and can be best seen as more of an out-and-out SpiritualSuccessor to the two ''Shift'' titles than a simulator. This is not a surprise considering the development was assisted by Creator/{{Codemasters}}, who are better known for their ''VideoGame/{{GRID}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{DIRT}}'' series of games.
22	* LawyerFriendlyCameo:
23	** 4 of the Open-Wheel class vehicles are named Formula A (based on the 2013-spec Formula 1 race car), Formula B (based on the 2011-spec [=GP2=] vehicle), Formula C (based on the 2011-spec [=GP3=] car), and Formula Rookie (based on the 2013-spec Formula Ford car).
24	** Suzuka Circuit and the Monaco GP circuit get a SerialNumbersFiledOff treatment ([[GratuitousEnglish Sakitto]] for the former, and Azur Circuit for the latter, after Cote D'Azur, the locale that Monaco is next to.)
25	** The Toyota Supra [=MkIV=] Racing in the Legends Pack DLC for ''Project CARS 3'' features an {{Itasha}} livery with a character who bears a similar resemblance to Music/HatsuneMiku, likely as a ShoutOut to the Goodsmile Racing team running in Super GT.
26	* MarathonLevel: The first and second games makes races incredibly long to even start with long practice and qualification sessions depending on what you set it to. An average Career race at 100% time progression can take half-an-hour just for practice (then again that extra time can really help set up your car and pit strategy), a quarter hour for qualification and the main race being anywhere between ten and fifteen laps. Then you get to some of the specific endurance events such as the 3-Hour [=McLaren=] F1 Challenge that, even at 16% time progression or below, will still take half-an-hour. Then there's Endurance races that take up to ''twelve hours'' and then finally the UsefulNotes/TwentyFourHoursOfLeMans that takes this trope up to eleven that puts you in a race for, well, twenty four hours.
27	** Another real life example that's downplayed in comparison is a full [[UsefulNotes/IndyCar Indianapolis 500]] race that can take three to five hours depending on the type of UsefulNotes/IndyCar you're using. Winning a full 200 laps grants you The Milk Man achievement.
28	* MythologyGag: The [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]] ''[[GameOfTheYearEdition Perfect Edition]]'' comes with a DLC containing liveries based on ''VideoGame/RidgeRacer''. Take note, this game was published by what was once Namco.
29	* NintendoHard: The go-karts, particularly if you are using a controller or keyboard. To understand, in real life, they have the acceleration of a Corvette, the turning radius of a shopping cart, and the braking on an [=IndyCar=]. With a steering ration of 4:1-8:1 (that is 4 degrees of steering wheel turn to turn the wheels 1 degree) they are easy to cut the tires and cut in too fast. In real life the lack of power-steering makes up for this. Which obviously you don't have. There is a reason karts are popular for training wannabe racers in real life. If you can be successful with a shifter-kart, you can race almost anything. The Stock car could also said to be hard on the rougher courses without TCS/ABS, thanks to their solid rear axle.
30	* NitroBoost: Unlike the ''Shift'' games, Nitrous is absent in this series, but some cars such as the Formula A or [=McLaren=] P1 have what is known as a KERS ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_energy_recovery_system Kinetic-Energy-Recovery-System]]) that charges while braking (typically to a battery) and can be used to boost acceleration with limits being dependent on the vehicle used. The Formula A allows the KERS to be used for nine seconds per lap, the Formula B uses the charge all in one go per lap, the Le Mans prototypes and [=McLaren=] P1 use it automatically without input, etc.
31	** The [=McLaren=] P1 is different in that it's part of the car's hybrid design, the engine and braking is storing energy to the batteries for the motors that the car uses to boost acceleration, particularly where the engine might be behind such as turbo lag and gearshifts. This also pertains to the Porsche 918 Spyder and Ferrari [=LaFerrari=] hybrids added in the sequel. The biggest disadvantage is that the batteries drain faster than they can recharge, leaving you handicapped for the rest of the race once the electric motors run out of power.
32	** The V12 Formula X car ''2'' has a KERS with a much larger battery bank and there is no imposed limit to how much can be used.
33	** A KERS/Hybrid system is an equippable upgrade on the GT C, B, A and Open race cars in ''Project CARS 3''. In theory, this means you can equip a boost system to a wide variety of race cars, from modern [=GT3=] cars to even archaic race cars such as the F40 LM, BMW 2002 and Ford Escort Racing cars.
34	* OneWomanWail: Present in the songs "Huayra", "Lux Aeterna", and "Spa 24 Hours".
35	* OriginalCharacter: A handful of LM Prototypes are specifically made for the game by its fanbase. These include the Marek and RWD cars.
36	* RemovableSteeringWheel: A curious graphical option allows you to (visually) remove the wheel and driver hands in the first-person perspective, this is presumably for players using a steering wheel peripheral so they don't get double-vision from seeing both the real-life wheel and the in-game wheel. Another neat feature is that if said wheel contains displays on it then it will still show up, just stationary.
37	* RuleOfFun: Yes, ''Project CARS 2'' allows you to do utter nonsensical events such as putting Le Mans prototypes or even Formula racers on rallycross tracks in free race modes. And handle things just as usual if you get the settings right.
38	* SpiritualSuccessor: As mentioned throughout the page, ''Project CARS 1'' and ''2'' are more simulation-oriented successors to the two ''Shift'' titles, as Slightly Mad worked on them before diving headfirst into this series. ''Project CARS 3'' is a much more obvious successor to ''Shift'' with its emphasis on car customization, but it also takes a lot from ''VideoGame/{{Driveclub}}'' - namely in the handling model, soundtrack of choice, and career mode and multiplayer structure. This is justified, as various members of the now-defunct Evolution Studios have lent a hand in the game's development.
39	* SubsystemDamage: When enabled, your car can sustain various forms of internal damage such as gearing down too fast, (subsequently) over-revving the engine, grinding the gears (should you be using a wheel with a clutch pedal), overheating the brakes, wearing down the tires, etc.
40	* {{Tuckerization}}/CreatorCameo: Various AI racers are named after SMS staff, deliberately crashing into one will net you an achievement in the first game.

Context VideoGame / ProjectCARS