Burnout 3: Takedown (2004-06-08 build)

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Burnout 3: Takedown (2004-06-08)
Build Info
Platform: PlayStation 2
Compilation date: June 8th, 2004
Also known as: "June Preview"
Released publically: Yes

This preview build of Burnout 3 was compiled on June 8th, 2004, and sent out to various gaming outlets to briefly cover the game's current state. Like the April 2004 demo, this build has plenty of inaccessible content and missing files. It features multiple .ELF maps, as well as debug symbols and some dev/debug functions for the game's networking possibly from the E3 demo the month before.

Notable Differences

While it does post-date the April 2004 promotional demo by about a month, lots of changes remain hidden under the surface. Many of these options aren't accessible without memory editing, due to the build's nature as a preview, however efforts are being made to make the menus function as intended.

Menus and UI

Hmmm...
Hmmm...
To do:
Upload images of the Driver Details menus.

While not vastly different from retail, there are still some changes to be seen. Normally, all but one of the main menu's options are greyed out; these can be accessed by using the below patch: 

//Unlock Main Menu Options (patch by: SuperType1)
patch=1,EE,202C3810,extended,24030000

This build's UI is very similar to the standalone demo, even including hidden leftovers. The Crash Nav is much more complete, and the loading screen differs slightly from the demo's, but still displaying the same concepts.

  • The loading screen, featured from E3 to late June 2004.

    The loading screen, featured from E3 to late June 2004.

  • The Crash Nav, with an early crash marker icon.

    The Crash Nav, with an early crash marker icon.

The car select menu is very different, with more of an emphasis on thebcars being recorded via a CCTV camera. The camera pans and zooms around the car, and has more effects, such as a more pronounced signal interference effect when switching between vehicles.

Also featured is an earlier garage with more minimalist design elements.

The Single Event setup menu features additional options, most notably AI difficulty and lap count, which were later scrapped for reasons unknown.

HUD

This HUD was created sometime after the demo, and stayed in the game until around mid-June 2004. It still features a color palette with elements from the original demo HUD, but now it's mostly finalized with a lot more blue and gold/yellow. Some text is italicized and/or in slightly different positions but nothing major. The only major differences are shared with various icons and signs that appear on the screen when driving. The wrecked HUD differs slightly still, with a much more finalized look rather than the cinematic style previously used.

  • The HUD seen during Race events.

    The HUD seen during Race events.

  • The HUD seen during Burning Lap events.

    The HUD seen during Burning Lap events.

  • The HUD seen during Road Rage events.

    The HUD seen during Road Rage events.

  • The HUD seen during Crash junctions before wrecking.

    The HUD seen during Crash junctions before wrecking.

  • The HUD seen during Crash junctions after wrecking.

    The HUD seen during Crash junctions after wrecking.

  • The HUD seen when the player crashes in normal events.

    The HUD seen when the player crashes in normal events.

Physics

Vehicles tend to react much more to their environment, akin to the demo. They bounce and move more, and when thrown into the environments they have a strange tendency to clip through objects such as walls and posts. Combat, also much like the demo, is more balanced and vehicles may require multiple high speed slams or shunts to finally take them out.

Vehicle Designs

Some vehicles that were featured in the standalone demo's Japanese release are also present in the same models here, although this time with more color variations added. The cars that post-date the supposed "backlog" of the demo vehicles (most likely May 2004, demo compiled in June 2004) are all different in some way, besides the Compact Prototype which only features new colors. A couple Compact-class vehicles go unused but otherwise, a complete vehicles folder is not present.

Maps

Besides Kings Of The Road, the maps of this build do not feature EA-sponsored billboards. Traffic density is also higher on average. The trackside "killspots" of the standalone demo are also present here, which likely acted as a replacement to the wallriding penalty seen in Burnout 1 and 2 before being removed entirely.

  • More traffic seen in Kings Of The Road during the Super GP.

    More traffic seen in Kings Of The Road during the Super GP.

Gamemodes

Being close to the final version's build date of July 2004, modes are now mostly up to speed with retail, only now with minor differences. Standing starts are still present in this build in all modes, and the race HUD message telling the player how far ahead or behind of rivals they are no longer gives precise decimal-point values of distance, and now just reads "over" or "under" to compensate.

  • The prompt received upon getting a boost start.

    The prompt received upon getting a boost start.

  • The pre-race pan around of the player vehicle and rivals.

    The pre-race pan around of the player vehicle and rivals.

Grand Prix tournaments are entirely the same, besides AI opponents' names being prefixed with "Com" instead of "Driver" on the after-race leaderboard.

  • The screen seen after a race in a tournament.

    The screen seen after a race in a tournament.

Road Rage is virtually the same as the final game, but with a unique feature. When the player falls below 50 MPH, a penalty will slowly destroy their vehicle until it totals. Instead of the critical damage text reading "Damage Critical!" it now reads "One More Crash Left!"

  • The first warning, telling the player to get a move on.

    The first warning, telling the player to get a move on.

  • One of the final warnings, of which the player vehicle is now almost wrecked.

    One of the final warnings, of which the player vehicle is now almost wrecked.

  • The last straw of which the game detonates the player vehicle.

    The last straw of which the game detonates the player vehicle.

  • Make no mistake; You can't afford to anymore!

    Make no mistake; You can't afford to anymore!

Crash mode also differs slightly. Some vehicles will only lose wheels upon detonation of the Crashbreaker, seen in the Trailer Trash junction. During this development period, the goal overview and the junction view are joined together, with reason of their separation remaining unknown.

  • The screen seen when you load into a crash junction.

    The screen seen when you load into a crash junction.

  • The Assassin Compact remaining intact when blowing up.

    The Assassin Compact remaining intact when blowing up.

Cameras

Likewise to the demo, this build features after-race cameras that follow the player vehicle, except now it is defined by only two angles as opposed to many that did various things such as pan around or spin.

  • The screen that appears upon finishing a race.

    The screen that appears upon finishing a race.

Other Content

Test Track

The files of a normally inaccessible track, referred to internally as a Test Track, are present in the TRACKS/US/C4_V1 folder. It can be played by copying its files over another track and launching it via the Single Event menu.

This track is a simple, barebones oval circuit that reuses textures from Riviera. It was likely used only for physics and gameplay testing, hence its name, and was never intended to be accessible by end users of the final game; however, several references to it can be found in Burnout 3's retail version.

A Race event being played on the Test Track.

Known Issues

  • Aside from 10 events in the USA region, the entire World Tour is locked and completely inaccessible.
  • All main menu options besides the Crash Nav are locked and unselectable.
  • Vehicles are not able to be selected per-event. The player is only limited to what is given.
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