New Shots: Test Drive Le Mans for Dreamcast

Gamespot News received first screenshots of the Dreamcast-version of Test Drive Le Mans from Infogrames. As many of you might know, the game is based on the 24-hours race in Le Mans, which is very popular in Europe. Forty drivers and their cars battle it out in a nerve-wracking race lasting for 24 hours.

The player can choose from all 40 official cars, which are divided into two classes: namely GT (12 cars) and Prototypes (28 cars). An additional four cars can be unlocked. The processor-power of the Dreamcast also allows for more complex random weather conditions such as sun, rain, and fog, as well as for more graphical special effects including sparks, backfires, shadows, sun glare, and headlight glare. Adding even more to the game's realism will be features such as pitstop management, which includes replenishing fuel and changing tires, downforce tweaking, repair, and a workshop that gives you information on the gearbox, engine, and more.

There are five different game modes available. The die-hard Le Mans mode lets you try the real thing, participating in the legendary endurance race. Players can compete against 39 other cars in a race lasting up to 24 hours if you like. The quick race mode lets players participate in a single race. Other modes include the familiar tTime trial and championship modes. The game's multiplayer mode, which lets up to 4 four players battle it out at the same time, also sounds very promising.

The game is currently running at 60 frames per second, and each car is constructed of 2500 polygons. There are five different views (road cam, helmet cam, rollbar cam, plus two cams behind the car from two distances), and ten different tracks. The artificial intelligence is also prone to mistakes, giving the computer opponents a more human touch, compared with other racing games.

We'll stay in contact with the developers, so we can give you a hands-on report on the game. Stay tuned to Gamespot News.