colin-mcrae-dirt-2 posts

Codemasters may be the first publisher to officially announce a game that will use DirectX11, the next version of Microsoft's 3D graphics API that will be included in Windows 7 when it's released on October 22. That game happens to be DiRT 2, the upcoming off-road racing sequel (known in the UK as Colin McRea: DiRT 2). Unfortunately, the use of DirectX11 will mean that the PC version will be delayed until December (it will still be released on consoles in September).

According to the press release, this move will allow the PC port to support the new graphical features of DirectX11 such as "hardware tessellation, multi-threading and Shader Model 5.0." AMD will be supporting Codemasters by providing their input on "software engineering expertise in DirectX 11 technologies such as tessellation and shader modelling."

Already revealed via a brief IGN interview last night, Codemasters has now issued the official press release for DiRT 2, the upcoming off-road racing sequel to their 2007 released game. The press release claims the sequel, due out sometime in 2009, will have "contemporary off-road events, taking players to the most diverse and challenging real-world environments"

The press release comes with the first official screenshots from the game showing off some of the new settings for DiRT 2. We can expect locations to include "canyon racing and jungle trails to city stadium-based events." The game's EGO graphics engine has also gotten a revamp which will allow DiRT 2's visuals to be "twice as detailed as those seen in Race Driver: GRID." The publisher also promises powerful vehicles to drive right from the start with seven different character classes.

Codemasters already has an off-road racing game due out in 2009 (that would be Fuel) but that apparently isn't stopping the UK publisher from releasing another such game next year. IGN has the first word, interview and screenshots on Colin McRae: DiRT 2, the sequel to the 2007 released racing game.

The interview doesn't have a lot of info on the game itself; it does say it will use a enhanced version of the previous game's EGO graphics engine and hints about the single player campaign, the replay feature and the online multiplayer support. Codemasters also retained the Colin McRae name from the late racer's estate and the game's producer says there will be tributes to McRae in the game.