The History of Kudos
It was many years ago that Martyn Chudley (Bizarre Creations’ managing director and designer on the PGR franchise) came up with the idea of Kudos. He thought that half the fun of people watching you in an arcade was their reaction when you did something cool, and that it would be great to recreate that feedback in a game.
The Concept
The concept that formed the basis of the Project Gotham Racing® Kudos system began to take shape as we at Bizarre Creations sought to reward people in–game for looking cool and driving well.
Xbox 360™ allows us to bring the entire experience together by taking the idea of being rewarded for driving with style, while actually seeing the crowd response as we do it!
Kudos Basics
So how will Kudos be used in PGR 3? The following basics apply to both online or offline modes:
Kudos and Career Progression
- You have to earn Kudos to increase your overall Kudos rank, with a goal of advancing to number one.
- As you advance in rank, you get access to a wider selection of championships with greater prize money rewards.
On-Track Kudos
- Perform complicated moves and the crowd reacts by cheering, pointing, and clapping. Crash into the barriers and the crowd cringes and jumps away.
- New Kudos scoring methods reward you for your skill and style.
- More ratings! Each corner is rated on style, with bonus Kudos awarded for superior moves.
- Earn multiple Badges to reflect the range of your driving skills.
Kudos and GothamTV
- Your Kudos score is a key determinate in whether you get on Gotham TV.
The Nitty Gritty
Kudos has been a key part of every version of Gotham racing, and we’ve always had a clear idea of what Kudos should be: a measure of respect due to a driver for his stylish driving dexterity. We feel the new features we’ve added to this version have made Kudos, and earning Kudos even more important in PGR 3, than in previous versions.
Kudos at the Track
One of the criticisms of PGR 2 was that the cities seemed lacking in scenery and detail. With the impressive new power and the enhanced graphic capabilities of the Xbox 360, we’ve been able to add to the atmosphere and distinction of the level of detail in the cities, and a key component of this is the race crowds. These crowds love stylish drivers and cheer on players that perform stylish moves, or they can show their disapproval at inferior handling. The throng even jumps out of the way if you hit the barriers!
We’ve also overhauled the points scoring system and added a number of new scoring methods. The game rates every Kudos move you make and rewards you for accomplished techniques and accurate driving. Perform perfect style moves and you can win unique Badges that everyone on Xbox Live® can see when viewing your profile on Gotham TV, allowing you to compare your achievements to see who the most stylish driver is. Combine this with the crowd system and you’ll know when you’ve pulled off a great corner!
Progressing your Career
In PGR 2, Kudos had an important role by earning the player Kudos tokens to buy cars. This time around, we wanted Kudos to relate more to your progression throughout the game, so what you can do in the game increases as you gain experience and driving ability. In PGR 3, Kudos improves your rank, and as your rank increases, you get access to more prestigious championships, rare concept cars, and stunning garages to store your vehicles.
Kudos and Gotham TV
Gotham TV, an exciting new feature for PGR 3, is an in-game TV station that creates a heroes list from the best players online. Gotham TV is the whole embodiment of Kudos earned both online and offline, in addition to being the game’s unique live TV show, where you can show off and earn respect. There’s more than just your personal pride to aim for now—if you do well enough, the world’s going to know about it!
Only the most technically stylish players make it onto the Gotham Heroes channel, and earning Kudos is the essential way to make sure your game is picked up and broadcast to thousands on Gotham TV and sent out as news to anyone who is currently online watching the Gotham TV news ticker. The top “Style Kings” on the PGR 3 circuit will achieve global fame and recognition, which is the pinnacle of what we have always wanted Kudos to represent. Now, Kudos really means kudos!