Other PCM-sites have, so far, delivered three interviews concerning Pro Cycling Manager 2009. Along with a press kit from Cyanide/Focus, we've been given a general idea of what to expect from PCM09. However, in an interview with Xavier Wiart (aka. Eyolfur - a programmer on PCM09) done by PCM.daily, we finally get to know more about specific features: What does 'improved AI' mean? Improved career mode? Well, here's your answer ;)

You can read PCM.daily's article summing up the interview's main points right here, or you can read the questions by PCM.daily and answers by Xavier Wiart here.

Enjoy!

[Update] The 1st Beta Version of V3 will be released to the beta testers later today. You can still sign up for beta testing if you wish.

As you probably all know, PCM.daily has been working on a third and final version of its 2009 DB. As we're now getting closer to the completion of this, we're once again looking for beta testers.

There'll be several versions of the betas. With both the V1 and V2, we've kept the 'uncompleted' betas within the crew and only opened up for outside beta testing for the final beta. We're doing it differently for the V3, and hopefully that'll pay off in the end.

As we've previously mentioned, there's not much new stuff in the DB. There's new scouting zones which will have to be thoroughly tested, there's new nationality groups, meaning that the team participation will require extra attention, there's been a lot of work to cyclist progression to avoid having oldies still being good late in their career, etc., etc. If you decide to sign up for beta testing, we'll of course elaborate on what you specifically will have to pay attention to.

You sign up by sending me a PM. Whenever the beta is ready, we'll send you a PM in return in which we explain the further progress.

Thanks a lot!

It seems this year's game cover has been decided upon, with Play.com having updated their game preorder page to include it.

Here it is:

Yep, this time, it's PCMWereld's rival (as far as I understand) PCMBenelux which have interviewed Clément Pinget aka. Freire - a busy man with all the interviews he has to do. Hopefully, he also has time to work on the game ;)

Unfortunately, there's not much new in it. However, the new stuff is basically that there'll definitely be a track ladder this year - and that's basically it. However, Clément Pinget denies a few things, so you can count them out for PCM09. E.g. the National Team part won't be expanded, neither will the youth section / youth races and that some stages will be incompatible with PCM09.

He also explains how the possibility of starting your own team will work. Basically, you'll have to choose between having a large budget and being able to contract all the 'big guns', or start with a small budget and go for the talents. Graphically, the team is handled as any other teams.

I've heard a bird whisper that a longer interview, also done by PCMBenelux, will be published soon (edit: actually, it says so in the interview ;)). Until then, you can read the first one at this link in Dutch or have it Google-translated here.

In an interview with Clément Pinget done by the Dutch site PCMWereld.com, more info on PCM09 is being revealed. Although it's not the usual "reveal it all", we do get to learn a little bit more about what to expect - but when it comes to new features and what we won't see in PCM09.

One of the new things that we'll definitely see in 09 is virtual rankings, like you also see on tv from time to time. E.g., if you have a rider in the lead on Mont Ventoux, and he's the Virtual Leader, this will now show up in the game at fixed spots. Small, but quite nice feature, I'd say.

When it comes to track cycling, Clément mentions that there's new velodromes added (we knew that). One of these velodromes will be out in the open air (we didn't know that ;)). The other two are in-door and will look pretty much like in PCM08, but with more details.

And when it comes to details, many have been wondering if PCM09 will require even more computer power than PCM08 did. In the interview, it's said that the requirements won't differ much from PCM08 - luckily for some of us ;)

In general, there's more 'denials' than 'confirmations'. Clément Pinget, although indirectly, denies the rumour that a cyclo cross game is on its way. He does say, though, that it's something that Cyanide is looking at to potentially expand the commercial value in some countries. He also denies that track cycling will become a part of career mode, although this has been much wished by some communities. Also, Pinget mentions that it still - like in PCM08 - won't be possible to 'take a lap' on the peloton in track mode, which isn't quite ideal considering the fact that disciplines such as points race and scratch have been implented in PCM09.

You can read the articles at this link at PCMWereld or have it Google translated to English at this link.