Auto Racing Game

[yabanci]

Can anybody reccomend a good driving game for the PC? I'm interested in a sport type game rather than street racing and more of a simulation than an arcade game. I don't follow motor racing at all, so I don't need realism in every detail. I played the Nascar game by Papyrus years ago (forget the name) and thought it was fun, even if it is a redneck sport. I think I'd prefer an F1 type game. I've got a top of the line system so I can run anything. Hot graphiics would be great.

[ice4277]

I played the one from EA Sports a bit, seems pretty fun and detailed.

[Wasabiak]

I've been racing online for 9 years, so i think i can help you. That "redneck" Nascar game you played in the past? Well, last spring, Papy released what has been heralded as the best racing sim ever made (Nascar Racing 2003 Season). I own every edition of the Nascar series Papy has put out. This one is awesome. And even F1/open wheel nuts race this game online. PLUS, a 3rd party group (Project Wildfire) has released many new mods for this game, including the Busch Grand Nat'l series, the Craftsman Truck series, and a Trans Am series mod, all of which feature their own specific physics model. There are tons of add on tracks, both ovals and road/street courses, mods galore. Trust me, if you want to get into pc racing, you'd be a fool not to own this game.

Other excellent options includes an older game called GPL (Grand Prix Legends), which is a simulation of the late 1960's F1 series (before the cars had wings). This particular sim is quiet difficult for most beginners, as Papy did a great job reproducing the feel of a 1967 F1 car. Beware, though, this one is hardcore. You will either fall in love with it or throw it away.

Also, for a modern F1 game, i think your only option is the EA F1 series. I have played F1 2001 Championship and it's ok. As with most EA titles, the graphics are pretty, but i think it's more arcadish than simulation.

Also, once you find a game you like, i would recommend you find a league and race online. Racing the AI cars is fine to learn the game, but there is nothing like racing against other real drivers online. Most of the racing games availabe have some sort of MP function.

Hopefully i've helped you out. If you have any questions, please email or PM me.

Todd Glocke
#7 BRM/Sobe Energy Drinks Pontiac

[Airhog]

you left out Grand Prix 4. Its lilke legends. I found it pretty easy to drive the few times I played it.

[Shucker]

Wasabiak, when you race do you have a wheel or just use the standard interface? If you use a wheel, or other device, what do you recommend? What do you guys do when you have a relative noob out there, besides smoke him? Is there different levels, sort of a ladder thing where the racers are matched according to ability?

[Dutch]

I have owned every version of Nascar Racing, but things really picked up with NASCAR 4. The latest (and final) version (NR Season 2003) is thankfully the best and it's a beautiful game with a lot of care and attention put into the details. A fun game for sure, even if NASCAR cars are more similar to an M1 Abrahms Tank than a race car!

GPL was the best racing game ever made. And the modding community has masterfully brought it through the ages. It could quite easily be considered GPL2 nowadays. Updated graphics, tracks, sounds...it's a beauty when you have it all modded out.

I almost feel like I was there at Spa in 1967, sliding around a slight bend through an old village, doing 180MPH, the tires screaming beneath me as I slip through the turn, the houses whizzing past on my left and right with no guard rails in sight, and the roar of the V10 American Eagle engine or the Star Wars Tie-Fighter like scream of the Ferrari V12 at full throttle....ahh where is that CD....that game is/was Awesome!

[Wasabiak]

A steering wheel and pedals is a must. Here's the setup i have.........Thomas Superwheels (http://www.thomas-superwheel.com/prods/02mod.html) Except mine has the upgraded ball bearing steering shaft.

Of course, just starting out, that seems like a lot of money. You can pick up any wheel/pedal combo at your local Best buy/Comp USA type store for under $99. I once had a Thrustmaster Nascar Pro, which was a fine setup. However, as you get better and more hardcore, you'll find that stepping up to the next level in controllers makes a huge difference. You can spend literally thousands of $$$ on a wheel and pedals. And a few people actually do.

As far as levels go, in multiplayer, everyone is on the same level. So the drivers with less experience naturally are usually slower than the veterans. But everyone had to start somewhere. The more you play, the better you get, the more you play. I currently race 3-4 nights/week in Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck. I paint my own cars and trucks using templates and Paint shop pro and also built my own chassis setups for the cars and trucks. But the sim racing community is very helpful when it comes to new drivers. You will certainly find others that will take the time to paint a car for you or send you a setup. If you decide you want to get into this, let me know and i'll send you links to various helpful sites.

Todd

[yabanci]

Thanks for the helpful responses. I'm leanging toward the F1 game from EA, even though the Nascar game from Papyrus is likely better.

[Dutch]

I played EA Sports F1 series to death also. You won't be dissappointed. Don't be ashamed to let the computer assist with some of the driving if you don't want to spend a few weeks just trying to master getting around the track.

[Wasabiak]

These are also very nice controllers.........Logitech (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm?page=products/productlist&crid=30&countryid=19&languageid=1)

Remember.......You get what you pay for. The $139 one will most likely enhance your gaming pleasure more than the $39 one.

[yabanci]

are these games basically unplayable without a steering wheel? I would like to try the game out enough before investing the extra money in new hardware. Does the force feedback or whatever it's called really make that much of a difference? Thanks for the advice.

[Wasabiak]

Originally posted by yabanci
are these games basically unplayable without a steering wheel? I would like to try the game out enough before investing the extra money in new hardware. Does the force feedback or whatever it's called really make that much of a difference? Thanks for the advice.

Technically, you can play without a wheel. Realistically, no. You will most likely not enjoy any racing game listed here without some sort of steering wheel.

I have never had a FF wheel. But the people i've talked to that have them like them a lot. I think it all depends on what you start out with. I started racing with a Virtual Pilot Pro airplane yoke (don't laugh). It was cheap at the time and it was better than using the keyboard. It was not FF, so i stuck with non FF wheels. FF really wasn't an option when i started racing, so i just never got into it.

[aej]

Originally posted by Dutch
I almost feel like I was there at Spa in 1967, sliding around a slight bend through an old village, doing 180MPH, the tires screaming beneath me as I slip through the turn, the houses whizzing past on my left and right with no guard rails in sight, and the roar of the V10 American Eagle engine or the Star Wars Tie-Fighter like scream of the Ferrari V12 at full throttle....

The Masta Kink was pretty good fun at 70 in a road car as well. The Eagle's Weslake engine was also a V12.

[Wasabiak]

Dutch, are you in any leagues? It would be fun to hook up sometime and race. Let me know.

Also, here are my rides.

http://www.airstreamcomm.net/~3nascar3/images/Glocke7Fordx2a.jpg

[Dutch]

The Eagle's Weslake engine was also a V12.

Oops!

[Dutch]

Dutch, are you in any leagues? It would be fun to hook up sometime and race. Let me know.

I used to race in the AOLL which is a pretty hard core group of racers (the core of which was waaaay better than me) in NASCAR 3 and 4. But then I went overseas and haven't been back.

Also, a subsidiary league that was developed by slower AOLL racers called the Tuesday Night Turtles.

Oddly enough, the best I ever did was a 2nd place finish in the AOLL. Go figure! But they were tough, the only courses I was good at (back then) were the 2 NASCAR road courses and Talledega. Everything else was just trying to hang on to my line for an hour!

Some of us would then fire up GPL but only once or twice for MP.

As of right now, I don't have a place for my wheel as it doesn't fit on my new desk I got when I returned to the states. :< So I need to figure something out in order to race again!

Nice paint jobs, BTW!

[Wasabiak]

Here's an idea...........

Cockpit (http://www.racesimcentral.com/features/kevscockpit/kevscockpit1.shtml)

You can also buy these, various companies make them as kits. I have wanted something like this for about 4 years now. :D

[Dutch]

That's cool but.....damn.... :)

[Pumpy Tudors]

Jeez, talk about hardcore. The sad thing is that I would probably need one of these boxes just in order to be competitive. I'm terrible at racing games (although I enjoy them).

[Kosta]

I echo the comments about GPL and NRS2003 made above. The best of the F1 racers at the moment is easily EA's F1 Challenge '99-'02. It is great out of the box and has a very dedicated community making some great add-ons for it.