inb4 : 'BAJA IS A RIPOFF OF MOTORSTORM'

Baja looks great, I just hope it plays well enough.

jello44

I'd have preferred Baja: Onion Bhajee.

photoboy

are people here more excited for the THQ one (this one) or the Activision one? How to decide? So much Baja goodness in the pipeline...

kortcomponent

Neat idea.

InsidiousTuna (Thunder McAwesome Christ)

@Getouttadodge01: No off topic, content-free posts please.

Brian Crecente

It's an interesting system, but would you also lose a sponsor after failing to win too many races. If you can't win, why does it matter if their name is still on your car. So if the game can balance all these together, I might have to check it out, I'm a sucker for rally games.

madshrew

@Getouttadodge01: The banhammer thirsts for your blood.

I myself, prefer "Baja: Bajama Mama"

enigma89

@Getouttadodge01: Holy crap fail!

Ontopic: I'd have liked "Baja: Bajamian Rhapsody"

ShaggE

Baja: Baja would have been cool.
Just as long as it's not "WHOOOOOOO LET THE TRUCKS OUT?!"

fuchikoma

holy crap first!

Getouttadodge01

Looking good. I hope this is at least as good as DIRT ;)

Acute Gamer

My vote is for "La Bajamba"

justhesh

how about

Bajamon con guevos or BAJAJAJAJA

Beximus

I like the vehicle models, but im still underwhelmed by the environments. After playing dirt though i really have no desire to pick another rally game. So my opinion doesnt really matter.

smuckersisgood

It looks alright. I really can't tell much of anything from what I've seen so far. I'd have to play it, or at least see someone else play it, to really know if it's good.

Now, with the sponsorships, does it take into account the "star image" of the driver? You know, if you were to win a whole hell of a lot, people would watch you more and, regardless of whether or not you finish the race with all your panels intact, sponsors would still want to go after you.

Blah8

@smuckersisgood: Its a SCORE International game. That racing body does nothing outside of hardcore long distance desert rallys.

@madshrew: That is an interesting system in real life.

The sponsor pays you to advertise their name. You do this via:
1) Putting the logo on the car.
2) Being a pretty cool guy and competent driver
3) Be consistent with your driving.
OPTIONAL 4) Win.

1-3 are the most important. while yes if you're consistently better you'll get paid more, but at the end of the day as long as you're running and not being an asshat you're advertising for your sponsors, and they're paying you to do that. Remember in order to get on the podium a lot of people won't get on the podium.

andrewmedina

I couldn't help but laugh when I read this, because it's the most unrealistic racing-related "feature" I've ever seen.

No professional racing team is going to sign a sponsorship contract that says they don't get paid if the logo body panels get torn up. Because... body panels get torn up. It's a bit of a fact of life in racing - especially desert racing. If someone hits you, and the panel falls off... it's not your fault, and yet you lose the sponsorship money? Nonsensical.

In the real world, if you wreck your car up and still win, the sponsor is still going to be getting huge exposure, from the on-air mentions, the airtime given before the panels were wrecked up, the driver/crew uniforms, hats, replay time, etc.

If a racer has the choice between winning with a wrecked-up car or losing with a pristine car... well, it's no choice at all. They're going to go for the win.

There's a more realistic way to encourage driving in a manner that keeps your parts attached: attach realistic costs to the repairs.

In the road racing series I worked in, a new rear bumper was about $15,000 and a complete nose piece was around $35,000. Comprehensively wreck the car, and you're looking at maybe $250,000 in repairs, assuming the chassis is still usable. Bend the frame, and now you're talking half a million and up.

It's a cliché, but the quickest way to make a small fortune in racing, is to start with a large one...

liarforhire

And the game will cost the same??? I mean i have to stop having fun because of the sponsors.

HDgam3r