Ping: NASCAR fans

[SackAttack]

I just got the following email from EA:

Originally Posted by EA PR

Hi – we just wanted to drop you a line to let you know that NASCAR SimRacing, under the EA SPORTS brand, has gone gold! NASCAR SimRacing was developed expressly for PC simulation fans and will ship to retail outlets nationwide on Tuesday, February 15th.

NASCAR SimRacing was developed over an 18 month period by an internal PC development team at EA Tiburon. The game features the first ever NASCAR Career Mode where drivers will progress through the Craftsman Truck Series, Busch Series, and NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series.

While progressing through the game, players will have in depth telemetry data that will allow sim enthusiasts to find the ultimate car set up for the 25 authentic NASCAR tracks available in the game. Pre-designed setups are available for less experienced drivers.

Online racing features a full field of 43 real drivers, the largest field in any racing game. Talk it up with your competition with Voice Over IP (microphone and broadband connection required).

Of course, what they neglected to mention in the email is that there's some headset you can buy, the Naturalpoint TrackIR, that you wear sort of like a helmet, and in so doing you can get the complete view of the cockpit and track simply by moving your head. Pretty cool stuff.

It's not a text sim, which was the first thought I had when I saw the title of the game, but those of you into the NASCAR scene might be interested. Thanks to Celeval for pointing out the developer diaries, available here.

Gonna try and get a review of this one on Gamenikki. We'll see how it goes.

[Draft Dodger]

interested to see how this one turns out. Been thinking about getting a nice NASCAR game at some point.

[Dutch]

I am really looking forward to this. I used to be a big sim racing enthusiast with Grand Prix Legends. And carried that over the Nascar Racing series and EA's F1 titles.

This is the best looking game on the market right now. Looking forward to it!

[jbmagic]

you guys think it will be as good as the Sierra Nascar Racing 2003 season ?

[Dutch]

It is supposed to have a lot of the same guys programming it...but it's still EA Sports....so they have a great chance of screwing it up trying to make it "fun".

[sabotai]

I played the demo of it last week. I don't think I played NASCAR 2003 from Papyrus. I think th elast one I had was NASCAR 3. I think it has a lot of potential to be as good as the old Papyrus games, but I'm not sure if it'll reach that in the first release.

I do plan on buying it (and a wheel) though.

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by Dutch

It is supposed to have a lot of the same guys programming it...but it's still EA Sports....so they have a great chance of screwing it up trying to make it "fun".

true, hopefuly there wll be a demo to try out.

what i liked about Sierra Nascar racing 2003 season, it was so realistic. and it didnt feel arcade like the Nascar Thunder game.

Plus the Sierra Nascar racing 2003 had so many mods, racing tracks, cars, etc for it and as today its still very popular with a big community support for it.

[SackAttack]

They just fired me off some new screens. I'll try to have them up a bit later tonight.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Hmmm, Could be a replacement to Nascar sim racing.

[SackAttack]

There's 25 screenshots on the site right now. I won't directly link to all of them, since that's a pain in my ass, but here's the first one. Hint: They're numbered sequentially, so if you want to see #2, change the 1 to a 2, if you want to see #3, change the 1 to a 3, and so forth, up to #25.

http://www.filenikki.com/images/PC/nascarsim/1.jpg

[jbmagic]

looks great

just hoping the AI is smart on it.

[SackAttack]

Just hoping that the "Sim" part of the title isn't a misnomer.

Although given that EA owns Maxis and the Sim brand (SimGolf etc), why do I think this is less a matter of it being a true simulation, and more just a branding thing? We'll find out if we get a chance to review it, I guess.

[jbmagic]

more screenshots here (8 pages)

hxxp://www.gamespot.com/pc/driving/nascar2005/screenindex.html

[SackAttack]

Don't forget, EA does have a separate NASCAR game - this year, it was called NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup. From the looks of that URL, that screenshot gallery might be for their arcade NASCAR racer, not NASCAR SimRacing.

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

Don't forget, EA does have a separate NASCAR game - this year, it was called NASCAR 2005: Chase for the Cup. From the looks of that URL, that screenshot gallery might be for their arcade NASCAR racer, not NASCAR SimRacing.

no its the simracing one for the pc. i think some people get confused with the word Sim. you still going to need a joystick or wheel to play it.

instead of doing the nascar thunder for the pc, there going to release Nascar simracing on feb 14 for the pc only

which is a lot better, Nascar Thunder had a arcade feel and wasnt realistic at all.

i just hope Nascar Simracing is great as Nascar Racing 2003 season which Papyrus did..

i hope Papyrus did a great Job with EA Nascar Simracing

[TazFTW]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

no its the simracing one for the pc. i think some people get confused with the word Sim. you still going to need a joystick or wheel to play it.

Yep. EA didn't release a NASCAR game for the PC last year because they felt that PC gamers were more in to realism than the console crowd, so instead of releasing a NASCAR Thunder for the PC they began development on NASCAR SimRacing.

I think they're targeting Dale Jr., who uses games to "scout" the track.

[jbmagic]

they did release Nascar Thunder 2004 for the PC last year.. but wont make Nascar Thunder 2005 for the PC instead there making Nascar Simracing for the pc

yep Dale JR loves Nascar Racing 2003 season. He said he uses that to practice and loves how realistic it feels.


so i am hoping EA Nascar Simracing is great too that release in a few weeks.

[Crapshoot]

hmm...

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

no its the simracing one for the pc. i think some people get confused with the word Sim. you still going to need a joystick or wheel to play it.

instead of doing the nascar thunder for the pc, there going to release Nascar simracing on feb 14 for the pc only

Ah. I wasn't aware they hadn't released Chase for the Cup on PC; I was simply pointing out that 'nascar2005' seemed to point more towards CftC than towards NASCAR SimRacing.

[TazFTW]

IGN gives it a 9.2 http://pc.ign.com/articles/588/588381p1.html

Gamespot an 8.5 http://www.gamespot.com/pc/driving/n...05/review.html

[SackAttack]

EA confirmed today that we'll be getting a review copy. We'll have a special guest reviewer covering the game. I'll keep y'all posted.

[jbmagic]

game is out in the store now.


anybody buy it yet? how is it so far compare to Nascar Racing 2003 season?

[maximus]

NR2003 is the better sim...hands down.

I play NR2003 a lot online and even belonged to a few racing leagues. I've been racing these sims since N3.

The best review so far I have read is from gamespy;

http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/nascar-simr.../588732p1.html

Personally, I dont trust reviews often because money does talk but Gamespy hit it right on the head with the last quote from the review;

NASCAR SimRacing tries to be the attractive, smart, realistic sim that PC gamers deserve, and in many ways it is. But there's no denying it suffers from some quirks and a few serious flaws. EA's lock on the NASCAR license means gamers are saddled with what they get, for better and for worse. What they get with NASCAR SimRacing isn't quite on par with the old Papyrus games, but it's still a solid and enjoyable racing game.

It will take a few patches for NSR just for it to even be what NR2003 is now.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by maximus

Personally, I dont trust reviews often because money does talk

I've got some beachfront property in Wyoming I'd like to sell you.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

I've got some beachfront property in Wyoming I'd like to sell you.

Yea, Im on all on that. Where do I sign up?

[Dutch]

I bought it today as a gift to myself for coming in 2nd at my works monthly Texas Hold 'Em tournament.

I just ran about 10 laps around Daytona and so far I am not as impressed as I was with Papy Nascar Racing series. But, for a first try, it's pretty close and not bad at all. It definately has some of the same features as the old Papy games, so you know they have a hand in it.

I'm still in the stage of tweaking the graphics to look right, but I'll probably get to real racing soon enough.

And yes, it will need patching, not because it's broke, but because it's the eventual first stage of any racing sim....to get a large bit of feedback from the crowd.

7/10 would be my rating with upside potential.

[maximus]

Dutch, try using the replays once. Papy had replays down packed. EA has a very long way to go in this area. In Papys NASCAR sims one could replay a whole race from the cockpit in another car...not in NSR. If you were on one side of the track and an accident was on another side and you wanted to see it through the eyes of another driver, you could. The replays are horrible in NSR.

Man, EA had to go ahead and ruin it by purchasing the rights to NASCAR.

IMO the car models are "cartoony". The only thing I give NSR over NR2003 is the fact that parts of the cars can fly off during an accident but Papy had said if EA didn't buy the NASCAR rights that in NR2004 there would have been this and many more damage effects. DAMN IT!! EA PISSES ME OFF!!!!!!

[Dutch]

I don't know what to tell you. It's not a bad first impression. I knew going in that it wouldn't be NR2005. I thought it would be closer to EA's other title.

I'm going to give it a fair chance to stand on it's own.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by SackAttack

EA confirmed today that we'll be getting a review copy. We'll have a special guest reviewer covering the game. I'll keep y'all posted.

Whats your verdict?

I have heard some positive things about NSR but most are unhappy. IGN's 9.2 out of 10 is a compete joke. There is no way that NSR is a 9.2. Even Gamespots review of NSR resulted in a 8.5 out of 10 but I wouldn't even go that far. I would rate it a 6 out of 10.

[jbmagic]

Maximus

so you have both games

what the pro and cons difference for Nascar 2003 season and this new EA nascar sim game that came out?


i have Nascar 2003 season and love it. if the new EA Nascar sim game sucks i wont get it.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

Maximus

so you have both games

what the pro and cons difference for Nascar 2003 season and this new EA nascar sim game that came out?


i have Nascar 2003 season and love it. if the new EA Nascar sim game sucks i wont get it.

jb, in NSR the car models are way off .They are all "jacked up" like funny cars and if you like Papys replays...you will hate NSR's. The replay system in NSR is horrible.

Here is a good review by a good friend.

http://forum.rscnet.org/showthread.php?t=196020

[Dutch]

I just ran 40 laps at Daytona and about 85 laps at California. I'm getting used to the default setups and I could really sense how my car was handling better than I ever did with NR2003. The setups are much easier to fine tune in this version than any version I have ever played. The basic vs advanced tuning is win-win.

Again, it's got it's problems (weird black flag issues) but for being v1.0, I find it pretty enjoyable.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by Dutch

I just ran 40 laps at Daytona and about 85 laps at California. I'm getting used to the default setups and I could really sense how my car was handling better than I ever did with NR2003. The setups are much easier to fine tune in this version than any version I have ever played. The basic vs advanced tuning is win-win.

Again, it's got it's problems (weird black flag issues) but for being v1.0, I find it pretty enjoyable.

I agree about the set-ups. However, the AI is terrible at Daytona, Dega, Lowes, and a few others. I say that because bump-drafting while in turns in very unrealistic, esp at Daytona.

Once again, as I have said a million times, the car models are off....way off.

Car Graphics: winner= NR2K3. NSR is not even close.
Track Graphics: winner= NSR. Love the animated crowd! Tracks themselves look better, so does the infield and the environment beyond the tracks.

Replays: winner= NR2K3. Nobody does replay angles like Papy. NSR has only good one (broadcast), while the others suck. And notice the driver in NSR is a corpse, a mummy. He doesn't move at all; this is very annoying on some replay angles.

Presentation: winner= NR2K3. Much more professional. NSR has that console "fly-over" thing.

Set-up menus: winner= NSR. I don't know why, but the information seems easier to understand and alter. And love that telemetry!

Physics model: winner= TIE. NSR driving feels more natural but drafting is too exaggerated. NR2K3 has superior feedback from tire squeal and more accurate feeling sensation from drafting. But NR2K3 is too easy to turn another car (at any speed); NSR is too difficult to turn an A.I. car (at any speed). Both are wrong in this department, IMO.

Sound: winner= NR2K3. The engines sound better, especially other cars with 3D sound turned on. Wind sound is more noticeable, tire squeal is more evident, spotter is more accurate.

Playability: winner=NR2K3. Papy's masterpiece has superior graphics AND superior frame rates. It's not close in either category. How did Papy do that? Both games run better with an Nvidia card vs. a comparable card from ATI. But my frame rates with NR2K3 are approximately DOUBLE what they wer with

Fun: It depends on your preference. With it's career mode, slightly easier driving, ability to trade paint more aggressively without spinning out, NSR is a better game. But NR2K3 is a better simulator for testing, serious online racing and season championships. The games are clearly targeted at different audiences. What's fun for one audience may not be fun for another.

[Dutch]

I have no doubt that NR2003 is the superior simulator. I don't think the PAPY guys just walked over to EA with the NR2003 code in their pocket and said, "Let's make NR2005".

I think they had to rebuild a lot of it. The bottom line is that NSR v1.0 is just the beginning, NR2003 is the end. The potential rests with EA. I am weary of that, but I'm not going to count them out knowing that Papy is employed for the project.

I have the utmost respect for the Papy guys. My all-time favorite racing simulator is Grand Prix Legends. Talk about great physics. Those old F1 cars were all about the feel. Doing a lap at Spa is one of the most enjoyable PC simulation experiences of all time.

[maximus]

I totally agree, for a first time sim NSR is good and has a great amount of potential. However, even though EA "says" that there was a new engine used for NSR a lot of people are questioning that. It appears to be the same (just revamped) engine from other NASCAR games from EA.

I am not sure if you are aware of this but the Papy guys that went over to EA were just front office people. Non were developers or programmers, ect. There was one beta tester that went over to EA by the name of Bob Stanely. He worked for papy for many years beta testing. But thats as far as it goes as far as Papys guys ( non pun intended). The restof the Papyrus guys are now creating a racing sim backed by the owner of the Boston Red Sox. It will feature an open ended sim engine where one could create stock car models, F1 models, rally models, and then race as our desires. In fact the same exact sim engine that ran NR2003 was purchased buy the old Papyrus group (again backed by John Henry - Boston red Sox owner).

They were the ones who created the "Project Wildfire" group who released the CTS, BGN, and PTA mods for NR2003. If you recall (not sure you ever played it) but in the PTA mod there were many references to the Red Sox....now we know why.

You probably already knew all of that but just in case you didn't, now you do. If you go to the First-Racing.net site, at the top right you will notice different skins in boxes. If yuo click on each skin it will reference a different racing style. This, my friend, is what they have planned. Even though EA has the "NASCAR" rights, First-Racing can still create and from what I have been told - they will, .... can still create a stock car sim. It will then be left up to us to create the real "NASCAR" car models and templates. Think of it like FOF ot TPB or even OOTP. There idea is to create a game where a racing game is not limited to one type of style. The sim ebgine will be so open that we could basically create any type of racing style.

edit: http://first-racing.net/index.php?css_skin=4

[Dutch]

I don't think I knew any of that stuff. (I'm pretty out of date with it all really.) I thought the Papy programmers went to EA. If not, I'm even more impressed with NSR because it's *really* similar to NR2003 engine.

But no big deal, when it comes to a good racing simulator, I'm very open to any and all offerings. I certainly wish the Papy guys the best of luck!

[maximus]

Originally Posted by Dutch

I don't think I knew any of that stuff. (I'm pretty out of date with it all really.) I thought the Papy programmers went to EA. If not, I'm even more impressed with NSR because it's *really* similar to NR2003 engine.

But no big deal, when it comes to a good racing simulator, I'm very open to any and all offerings. I certainly wish the Papy guys the best of luck!

Nope, no Papy guys (except one beta tester and a few front office people) went to EA. I got this info straight from one of the former Papys guys himself.

Check out First-Racing.net when you have the time.

[jbmagic]

and the mods support for nascar racing 2003 season is awesome.

there so many things you can get to update the games with current racing drivers, cars,tracks, etc.

The AI is smarter on Nascar racing 2003 season too.

[maximus]

Originally Posted by jbmagic

and the mods support for nascar racing 2003 season is awesome.

there so many things you can get to update the games with current racing drivers, cars,tracks, etc.

The AI is smarter on Nascar racing 2003 season too.

Did you get NSR?

[jbmagic]

Originally Posted by maximus

Did you get NSR?

no, but reading alot of the nascar 2003 seasons forum, and other web site and people online that have try both..all are saying the Ai is smarter and gameplay is way better on Nascar Racing 2003 season than NSR.

Even Dale E. Jr stil prefers Nascar Racing 2003 season over NSR


so i will continue to play with my Nascar Racing 2003 season, and update it with mods to make it current.


unless NSR patches make the game better, and i hear better things than i will get NSR

[maximus]

Well, this was just released. Not sure how true it is but it's typical EA. (Wow, I hope EAs' attempot at a football sim wont be like this).

http://flog.com/pastnews.htm?newsid=77

We have it on good word that the current release of NSR2005 was "build #7." When we started seriously talking to the beta testers around 1-15-05 they were already on "build #15." To me this all makes sense, as I do know a little about the manufacturing cycle of a CD. Because no new CD manufacturing facilites are being built, as the media is nearing obsolecence, it is difficult to get your product in the que. Cycles as low as 60 days are a minmum for replication. So at some time a version has to be turned over to EA's product manufacturing staff to meet the Daytona release date requiement. In this case it was "build #7."

The version we are seeing is very much a toy and is still far away from being a real SIM. The beta testers are dissappointed in the release, James Hawkins is dissappointed in the release and the old Papy faithful are dissappointed in the release. But from what I hear this will not last too long. We hear the beta testers are on "build #23." Our mole tells us that there are allot cool changes that have allready been figured out to fix some of the glaring gaps in the product.

That gives me some hope if it's true and it also confirms a sneaking suspicion of mine...

[jbmagic]

EA likes to rush the game out, even when its not even ready.