F1 Career Challenge

F1 Career Challenge
European cover art featuringWilliamsdriverJuan Pablo Montoya
Developer(s)	Visual Science(GC, PS2, Xbox) Image Space Incorporated(PC)
Publisher(s)	EA Sports
Series	F1
Platform(s)	GameCube,Microsoft Windows,PlayStation 2,Xbox
Release	AU:June 23, 2003 NA:June 24, 2003 EU/POL:June 27, 2003
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single-player,multiplayer

F1 Career Challenge(F1 Challenge '99-'02for theMicrosoft Windowsversion) is aracing gamebased on fourFormula Oneseasons: the1999 season,the2000 season,the2001 season,and the2002 season.It was the last Formula One video game to be published byEA SportsuntilF1 2021,when EA purchasedCodemasters.

Background

After losing the officialFormula Onelicense fromFormula One Administration Ltd.to a multi-year exclusive licensing contract between FOA andSony Computer Entertainment Europe(publishers of the competing Formula One series onPlayStation/PlayStation 2) in late 2002 that became active starting from the 2003 season, barring any developer EA included to make a game centered around these later seasons, the decision was made to produce one final game using the four seasons that EA Sports had previously licensed.

Because of the progressing potential of the game engine, several assets were re-imagined in order to make them more realistic than ever before as well as making the game more adaptable for less powerfulpersonal computers.The car models and associated textures were rebuilt from scratch, whilst the physics engine was significantly improved over prior releases to provide a simulation that was critically lauded. In order to provide a more authentic simulation, every track received minor changes for each season covered, including sponsor boards (barring tobacco and alcohol advertising) as well as external visual changes.

The modding capabilities ofF1C,as it is occasionally referred to by its dedicatedvideo game moddingcommunity, are extensive and since the game's release in 2003, has gone on to cover many different seasons of Formula One racing, as well as being able to simulate racing series outside of Formula One, such asLe Mans PrototypesandNASCAR,among many others. This is due in part to the use of simple text files for several important game asset parameters such as the physics, cars, drivers, and tracks which has allowed the game to flourish on various online communities long since its release. Even a few of these developers and modders ended up years later as professionals in the videogame industry.

Errors and mistakes

PlayStation 2 and Xbox version

• On the Teams and Drivers mode selection, the BAR Team in 1999 was mentioned asBAR Hondabut in fact BAR's engine supplier wasSupertec.

External links

• F1 Career ChallengeatMobyGames