BeamNG Drive Raises Car Game Physics To Insane New Levels

The current video game market is flooded with car games that offer quality graphics full of detail. Developers spend countless hours on textures, backgrounds and shading. Yes, the finished products look amazing, but how do they feel? Did the studio take as much effort in recreating the physical behaviours of the cars?

BeamNG is a young studio that aims to change the way car games are played. It is made of just a small group of employees in all corners of the globe, but this team has its priorities right: focus on the feel first and the looks last.

The Beam NG team builds each car from the ground up with over 50 different pieces affecting its movement at all times. Their soft-body physics engine allows each part to uniquely influence the vehicle’s behaviour in real time while also factoring its speed and weight. Rigs of Rods fans are already familiar with this concept. Now, BeamNG is looking to take the technology a step further by assigning properties to each material so gamers experience the realism of things like metal flexing during landings or crashes.

The extreme physical detail in this game comes at a price. The large amount of data put into the game costs major labour hours, which is why most developers steer clear of soft-body physics. The quality also comes at a higher price for gamers, who need to run at least a mid-level graphics card in order to process all the information and maintain smooth game play.

Aside from the advanced driving physics, the team aims to improve car customisation. Gamers can bring their car to the garage to ‘fix it up, upgrade it, or strip away body panels to reduce weight’. There are add-ons available for more cars, parts and tyres. If running around crashing into things doesn’t entertain enough, players can also enter a rally race, destruction derby, stunt challenge, police chase, delivery mission and more.

The alpha release of BeamNG.drive is only for PCs and is available for £9 from the BeamNG Store or you can download a free demo here. By entering during the alpha testing period you can give feedback on the game, make maps, edit terrain and use your 3D modelling skills. You also get free updates to the game including the final version. Now that the game has been granted, the Steam Greenlight development is moving faster than ever. If you want a chance to rally a box truck or run your sports car off a cliff, this game is for you.