NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

[BigDPW]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

OK I am becoming increasingly sold on the PC version... A couple more questions though for those that have it...

How are paintjobs handled for each player (like in the console version) are they unlockable, how do you unlock them etc???

Are the lightning challenges in the PC version???

Are the fantasy tracks in the PC version???

How is the paint option for the career mode... Simple interface with options like on the console or more detailed like NR2003???

Are the Busch drivers and Legends on the PC version like they were on the console last year???

Do people retire and have younger drivers take over there rides like the console for last year???

Thanks for the great info so far... I like the idea of getting NT04 for the PC b/c it is cheaper and I will not have to buy a wheel for my PS2 (plus where my PS2 is located isn't set up good for a wheel to be hooked up)...

Also if anyone has found anything new that the console versions have this year (esp with the career mode) I would love to hear about it...

[Badgun]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
TCrouch said:
Also, I went home and lunch and found a setting on the wheel that gave me excellent control. The trick was the Speed Sensitivity. I had it on 0, but after I bumped it up to 50%, I was golden. I now have my wheel on 100% sensitivity, 0% dead zone, and 50% speed sensitivity, and it gave me precise control. I went 3 wide at Daytona in the center lane for 6 laps at lunch without banging anybody.

I really, really, really enjoyed the time I had at lunch. I'm starting a new career on 20% races tonight...yellows seem to go for a long time in this game, and there are some inaccuracies during a yellow (for instance, I crossed the yellow flag at Daytona, completing lap 5...it was yellow for the rest of a 10 lap race, and normally yellows at Daytona are 3 lap affairs...also, it went green on lap 10. Meaning I basically hit the gas and crossed the line.)
.

I haven't played the console versions, but the past ones have been "arcadey" (to answer the person who asked that earlier) because you could do things that physically weren't possible in a car. You could slam into turn 1 at The Rock at 170 mph and control the car. In reality, anything over 155 or so will cause you to spin out...and even 150+ is dicey as hell. By mid-corner, you'll be in the 130's anyway on an "average" setup. In Thunder, you can typically drive the car like an arcade game, with little regard to real-world physics.

I'm happy to report that, after a day or so of on-and-off messing around, they've corrected a lot of that crap in Thunder PC. It's still a little too easy (using Rockingham as my example, I'll continue)...you can brake hard entering 1 or 3, and after you are slowed enough to stop your outward drift, absolutely MASH the gas instantly, and the car is on a rail. No breaking loose, no spinning out, etc. It's good fun, for sure...not the most realistic thing out there, but it's fun. It's also not as unbelievable as previous years.

It's still a better physics engine than years past, it just isn't on par with NR2003. But, in keeping with typical EA tradition, the presentation and "fluff" more than make up for the minor crap I've seen so far (now that I have a good control setup). I'll be playing it quite a bit, at least for the near future. If I find some huge, monumental flaw, then maybe not. But so far, it's semi-realistic fun.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Terry,
Another quick question you may or may not have the answer to. Does the pc version include black flags? In the console version, if you speed on pit row, you get a 5 second penalty instead of a black flag. It appears there are no black flags on the console version. How about the pc?

[Badgun]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
TCrouch said:
Also, I went home and lunch and found a setting on the wheel that gave me excellent control. The trick was the Speed Sensitivity. I had it on 0, but after I bumped it up to 50%, I was golden. I now have my wheel on 100% sensitivity, 0% dead zone, and 50% speed sensitivity, and it gave me precise control. I went 3 wide at Daytona in the center lane for 6 laps at lunch without banging anybody.

I really, really, really enjoyed the time I had at lunch. I'm starting a new career on 20% races tonight...yellows seem to go for a long time in this game, and there are some inaccuracies during a yellow (for instance, I crossed the yellow flag at Daytona, completing lap 5...it was yellow for the rest of a 10 lap race, and normally yellows at Daytona are 3 lap affairs...also, it went green on lap 10. Meaning I basically hit the gas and crossed the line.)
.

I haven't played the console versions, but the past ones have been "arcadey" (to answer the person who asked that earlier) because you could do things that physically weren't possible in a car. You could slam into turn 1 at The Rock at 170 mph and control the car. In reality, anything over 155 or so will cause you to spin out...and even 150+ is dicey as hell. By mid-corner, you'll be in the 130's anyway on an "average" setup. In Thunder, you can typically drive the car like an arcade game, with little regard to real-world physics.

I'm happy to report that, after a day or so of on-and-off messing around, they've corrected a lot of that crap in Thunder PC. It's still a little too easy (using Rockingham as my example, I'll continue)...you can brake hard entering 1 or 3, and after you are slowed enough to stop your outward drift, absolutely MASH the gas instantly, and the car is on a rail. No breaking loose, no spinning out, etc. It's good fun, for sure...not the most realistic thing out there, but it's fun. It's also not as unbelievable as previous years.

It's still a better physics engine than years past, it just isn't on par with NR2003. But, in keeping with typical EA tradition, the presentation and "fluff" more than make up for the minor crap I've seen so far (now that I have a good control setup). I'll be playing it quite a bit, at least for the near future. If I find some huge, monumental flaw, then maybe not. But so far, it's semi-realistic fun.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Terry,
Another quick question you may or may not have the answer to. Does the pc version include black flags? In the console version, if you speed on pit row, you get a 5 second penalty instead of a black flag. It appears there are no black flags on the console version. How about the pc?

[Badgun]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
TCrouch said:
Also, I went home and lunch and found a setting on the wheel that gave me excellent control. The trick was the Speed Sensitivity. I had it on 0, but after I bumped it up to 50%, I was golden. I now have my wheel on 100% sensitivity, 0% dead zone, and 50% speed sensitivity, and it gave me precise control. I went 3 wide at Daytona in the center lane for 6 laps at lunch without banging anybody.

I really, really, really enjoyed the time I had at lunch. I'm starting a new career on 20% races tonight...yellows seem to go for a long time in this game, and there are some inaccuracies during a yellow (for instance, I crossed the yellow flag at Daytona, completing lap 5...it was yellow for the rest of a 10 lap race, and normally yellows at Daytona are 3 lap affairs...also, it went green on lap 10. Meaning I basically hit the gas and crossed the line.)
.

I haven't played the console versions, but the past ones have been "arcadey" (to answer the person who asked that earlier) because you could do things that physically weren't possible in a car. You could slam into turn 1 at The Rock at 170 mph and control the car. In reality, anything over 155 or so will cause you to spin out...and even 150+ is dicey as hell. By mid-corner, you'll be in the 130's anyway on an "average" setup. In Thunder, you can typically drive the car like an arcade game, with little regard to real-world physics.

I'm happy to report that, after a day or so of on-and-off messing around, they've corrected a lot of that crap in Thunder PC. It's still a little too easy (using Rockingham as my example, I'll continue)...you can brake hard entering 1 or 3, and after you are slowed enough to stop your outward drift, absolutely MASH the gas instantly, and the car is on a rail. No breaking loose, no spinning out, etc. It's good fun, for sure...not the most realistic thing out there, but it's fun. It's also not as unbelievable as previous years.

It's still a better physics engine than years past, it just isn't on par with NR2003. But, in keeping with typical EA tradition, the presentation and "fluff" more than make up for the minor crap I've seen so far (now that I have a good control setup). I'll be playing it quite a bit, at least for the near future. If I find some huge, monumental flaw, then maybe not. But so far, it's semi-realistic fun.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Terry,
Another quick question you may or may not have the answer to. Does the pc version include black flags? In the console version, if you speed on pit row, you get a 5 second penalty instead of a black flag. It appears there are no black flags on the console version. How about the pc?

[BigDPW]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Rodster said:
The Rivals feature is pretty cool as well as the revised drafting mode. You press 'A' and you can piggy back for the draft with the car in front and this builds up your Ally points as well.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Can you tell me more about what you mean by pressing "A" allows you to piggyback the car in front??? This sounds interesting but I am a little unclear about what exactly that means... Does it mean that it automatically keeps your car tucked in behind the car in front without you manually manipulating the wheel/stick???

[BigDPW]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Rodster said:
The Rivals feature is pretty cool as well as the revised drafting mode. You press 'A' and you can piggy back for the draft with the car in front and this builds up your Ally points as well.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Can you tell me more about what you mean by pressing "A" allows you to piggyback the car in front??? This sounds interesting but I am a little unclear about what exactly that means... Does it mean that it automatically keeps your car tucked in behind the car in front without you manually manipulating the wheel/stick???

[BigDPW]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Rodster said:
The Rivals feature is pretty cool as well as the revised drafting mode. You press 'A' and you can piggy back for the draft with the car in front and this builds up your Ally points as well.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Can you tell me more about what you mean by pressing "A" allows you to piggyback the car in front??? This sounds interesting but I am a little unclear about what exactly that means... Does it mean that it automatically keeps your car tucked in behind the car in front without you manually manipulating the wheel/stick???

[Rodster]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
BigDPW said:
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Rodster said:
The Rivals feature is pretty cool as well as the revised drafting mode. You press 'A' and you can piggy back for the draft with the car in front and this builds up your Ally points as well.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Can you tell me more about what you mean by pressing "A" allows you to piggyback the car in front??? This sounds interesting but I am a little unclear about what exactly that means... Does it mean that it automatically keeps your car tucked in behind the car in front without you manually manipulating the wheel/stick???

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Ok what that means is you're in a group of cars and you line yourself up with any car you like. An icon will appear with the drivers number on top of the roof. Press the 'A' button on your XBOX controller and now you're in a draft mode with that car. You have to manually keep behind the car your drafting and follow him. If it's a Rival i.e. using Tony Stewart and you piggyback Jeff Gordon he's a Rival of Tony's. If you draft Jeff with using Tony slowly Jeff's Rival status will change to that of an Ally. If you stop helping Jeff or you bump or hit Jeff he quickly turns back into a Rival.

It works really well in that it's an Arcade game but it causes you to drive clean this time around.

[Rodster]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
BigDPW said:
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Rodster said:
The Rivals feature is pretty cool as well as the revised drafting mode. You press 'A' and you can piggy back for the draft with the car in front and this builds up your Ally points as well.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Can you tell me more about what you mean by pressing "A" allows you to piggyback the car in front??? This sounds interesting but I am a little unclear about what exactly that means... Does it mean that it automatically keeps your car tucked in behind the car in front without you manually manipulating the wheel/stick???

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Ok what that means is you're in a group of cars and you line yourself up with any car you like. An icon will appear with the drivers number on top of the roof. Press the 'A' button on your XBOX controller and now you're in a draft mode with that car. You have to manually keep behind the car your drafting and follow him. If it's a Rival i.e. using Tony Stewart and you piggyback Jeff Gordon he's a Rival of Tony's. If you draft Jeff with using Tony slowly Jeff's Rival status will change to that of an Ally. If you stop helping Jeff or you bump or hit Jeff he quickly turns back into a Rival.

It works really well in that it's an Arcade game but it causes you to drive clean this time around.

[Rodster]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
BigDPW said:
</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
Rodster said:
The Rivals feature is pretty cool as well as the revised drafting mode. You press 'A' and you can piggy back for the draft with the car in front and this builds up your Ally points as well.

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Can you tell me more about what you mean by pressing "A" allows you to piggyback the car in front??? This sounds interesting but I am a little unclear about what exactly that means... Does it mean that it automatically keeps your car tucked in behind the car in front without you manually manipulating the wheel/stick???

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Ok what that means is you're in a group of cars and you line yourself up with any car you like. An icon will appear with the drivers number on top of the roof. Press the 'A' button on your XBOX controller and now you're in a draft mode with that car. You have to manually keep behind the car your drafting and follow him. If it's a Rival i.e. using Tony Stewart and you piggyback Jeff Gordon he's a Rival of Tony's. If you draft Jeff with using Tony slowly Jeff's Rival status will change to that of an Ally. If you stop helping Jeff or you bump or hit Jeff he quickly turns back into a Rival.

It works really well in that it's an Arcade game but it causes you to drive clean this time around.

[BigDPW]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

so simply drafting stewart without pressing "A" has no effect on his rival status??? I guess I just don't understand the need for you to press a button??? Shouldn't stewart know you are an ally if you are riding behind him without a bump???

[BigDPW]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

so simply drafting stewart without pressing "A" has no effect on his rival status??? I guess I just don't understand the need for you to press a button??? Shouldn't stewart know you are an ally if you are riding behind him without a bump???

[BigDPW]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

so simply drafting stewart without pressing "A" has no effect on his rival status??? I guess I just don't understand the need for you to press a button??? Shouldn't stewart know you are an ally if you are riding behind him without a bump???

[Rodster]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
BigDPW said:
so simply drafting stewart without pressing "A" has no effect on his rival status??? I guess I just don't understand the need for you to press a button??? Shouldn't stewart know you are an ally if you are riding behind him without a bump???

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Unless you press the 'A' button he doesn't know you're drafting him. If you draft him in a race he thinks you're trying to help his chances of getting up in the pack or win the race. So he'll return the favor by not blocking or bumping you, etc., which is where the Grudges and Alliances comes into to play.

[Rodster]

Re: NASCAR Thunder 2004 released today

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />
BigDPW said:
so simply drafting stewart without pressing "A" has no effect on his rival status??? I guess I just don't understand the need for you to press a button??? Shouldn't stewart know you are an ally if you are riding behind him without a bump???

<hr /></blockquote><font class="post">

Unless you press the 'A' button he doesn't know you're drafting him. If you draft him in a race he thinks you're trying to help his chances of getting up in the pack or win the race. So he'll return the favor by not blocking or bumping you, etc., which is where the Grudges and Alliances comes into to play.