I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

[Lieutenant Dan]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

So that's what I am seeing so far, gonna get the controller back from my 4 year old son and try doing another race in my career.

Your son with the controller is probably a lot like watching me drive at Infineon.

[TCrouch]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

So I grabbed it, hooked up my MS Wireless Wheel to my desk, and gave it a whirl. Immediately turned off all assists, set the AI to Hard (not champion for my first laps in a car) and went straight to a race at Fontana.

Much to my (pleasant) surprise, I got up near the rear of the field on the start and had some trouble keeping the car straight. I finally have to counter-steer the stagger, but with a POS MS Wheel it's a bit tough since it's a little sloppy at the top. I spent the first couple of laps keeping it straight and learning the feel of the car, and then started to gain traction and catch the tail end of the pack.

The car was pushing like a pig, and the annoying "SLOW!" "BRAKKKKKE!" graphics irritated me to no end, so a quick pause allowed me to get rid of them, thankfully. But I was able to pick off the first 10 or 12 drivers to get up into the low 30's. I started to understand what the car was doing, but still was way too slow down low, so I moved up 2 lanes with such a tight race car. I was shocked to see the AI cars get down under me entering a corner, but I could use the momentum to come off the corner much faster and gain ground down the straight. Go figure.

But I had Tire Wear/Fuel Use on 4x, so we had to pit pretty early in the race. I want to say 10 laps in or something like that. I hit pit road (wreck-free, I might add), and was messing around with the options as the car auto-drove down the lane. I took a TON of wedge out of the car to loosen it up, but somewhere along the way I somehow set the crew to change Left sides only. At California, that's like sticking your scrotum in a vice and giving the handle to your ex-wife.

With so much time saved on pit road, though, I came out in first after the stop, a good 2 seconds up on Kyle Busch. 2 laps later he went sailing by me on the outside a good second and a half faster per lap. But even with worn out right side tires, I could get the car to turn in MUCH better with less wedge, so I spent the next 5 or 6 laps tooling around and losing 6 or 7 positions before canceling out and going to check other aspects of the game. I was impressed with the mini-test at California, though--both with the high groove holding its own (Busch was even running the high groove the majority of the way around the track), as well as adjustments in the car changing its handling. I wish I would have changed all four tires and really had an accurate gauge, but I was on very limited time.

I started a career and did the 2-lap test at Indianapolis--and damn if that car didn't feel fun. It was easy to control (probably because it was underpowered if it's your team's first car or something), but they absolutely NAILED the turn-in at IMS. When you shift the weight forward in the car, it should naturally want to pitch the nose in with the way they run the camber at Indianapolis, and it instantly wanted to hook itself into the corner and power through. I've never had such a pleasant reaction to my first laps at Indy in a NASCAR game, because it's really tough to get the "feel" right there. But in a simple 2-lap run (with no AI, mind you), it sure felt right to me. I could hook the car into a corner and throttle-steer it on exit.

The only thing I'm not terribly pleased with so far is it's a little wiggly when going straight. Typically you can find a nice counter-balance pretty easily, but I've struggled with this one...at Cali, at Indy, and at Daytona in the Duels practice I ran. I'm sure I'll adjust, but so far, so good. Considering I put NTG2011 back in last week trying to get a NASCAR fix and couldn't make it 10 minutes, playing it for 1 hour straight is an accomplishment.

I absolutely cannot wait to dive into it extensively tonight.

[nc0ffey]

I am slowly getting comfortable with the controller...on large tracks. i tried the Dale Jr. highlight thing at Martinsville and it was killing me trying to get slow enough to get around those turns wihout losing it or giving up a ton of spots. I'm nervous about road courses...

[nc0ffey]

Running on easy with all the assists (I'm a newb) I just ran a 60 lapper at Daytona in career, started on the pole (after winning one if the duels) finished 35th after struggling to keep from bumping into others everytime I got in traffic. I had the setting set so we would pit a few times but I think it was too much. I got up to 7 lost a few spots and opted to pit at a caution for a splash of fuel to get me to the end. We restarted with 6 laps left, I was in 21 and could not get out of the pack. On the final lap I got into Jeff Gordon and we limped back to the finish...another tough one for me.

Gonna be on late tonight to run some online...hopefully I don't wreck anyone with my poor stick skills.

[Tomba]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

How are the graphics compared to last years game? And do they have all tracks or are some missing?

Also i hear the career mode is kind of like NFL 2K5 where you can buy stuff for your garage the way you could buy stuff for your high rise in NFL 2k5...is this true?

[Lieutenant Dan]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

How are the graphics compared to last years game? And do they have all tracks or are some missing?

Also i hear the career mode is kind of like NFL 2K5 where you can buy stuff for your garage the way you could buy stuff for your high rise in NFL 2k5...is this true?

Oh God, I hated the Crib...but doing it Redneck style might be a hoot!

[TCrouch]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

From what I could tell, you spend your money on things like Engine packages, Aero, etc...more like Nascar Thunder's old career mode. I think your garage changed based on the sponsor level and your ascension in the ranks.

I obviously didn't play enough career to find out at lunch, but in a prerelease interview they mentioned the garage changing based on your progression and sponsorship deals, not "Crib-style" purchases.

[Lieutenant Dan]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

From what I could tell, you spend your money on things like Engine packages, Aero, etc...more like Nascar Thunder's old career mode. I think your garage changed based on the sponsor level and your ascension in the ranks.

I obviously didn't play enough career to find out at lunch, but in a prerelease interview they mentioned the garage changing based on your progression and sponsorship deals, not "Crib-style" purchases.

I was joking, but that does sound great, and what I was hoping for since I liked seeing my garage/HQ 'evolve' in Thunder.

[Romain El 82]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

You actually can lol. There's decorations you can buy for around the garage. Laptops, coffee cups, random stuff from tracks (dice from Vegas, the monster from Dover, etc).

[TCrouch]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

I was joking, but that does sound great, and what I was hoping for since I liked seeing my garage/HQ 'evolve' in Thunder.

Wasn't replying to you, but to the guy asking about the 2K5 comparison. I guess quoting would have helped.

And to the guy above--I guess they'd have to throw something out there for when players finish upgrading their team and have all this $$$ they don't know what to do with. But if you're going to include stuff like that, you're just opening yourself up to the 'if they took the time to work on whatever-random-feature-I-think-is-important <insert some="" core="" component="" here=""> instead of this crib crap, the game would be better!!!' trolls.</insert>

[BIG CAROLINA]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

Even though I said I was not buying on day 1........... My beautiful wife to be picked it up as a surprise for me.

So tonight Bob and I are going to get on around 9 ish. All are welcome

Manny do you have it yet?

[RunN1st]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

Even though I said I was not buying on day 1........... My beautiful wife to be picked it up as a surprise for me.

So tonight Bob and I are going to get on around 9 ish. All are welcome

Manny do you have it yet?

I'm holding off for now... I bit on the buggy mess they put out last year. I'm holding off until I hear definitively that it's a must buy. Besides, I'm working like a dog for the remainder of the week so it would just sit there.

[Hunkerdown]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

Even though I said I was not buying on day 1........... My beautiful wife to be picked it up as a surprise for me.

So tonight Bob and I are going to get on around 9 ish. All are welcome

Manny do you have it yet?

Im in tonight

[cusefan74]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

I'm holding off for now... I bit on the buggy mess they put out last year. I'm holding off until I hear definitively that it's a must buy. Besides, I'm working like a dog for the remainder of the week so it would just sit there.

It's not a buggy mess. So far it is a good game. I only had 1 problem and it happened once. It's like a totally different game from last year, like a different company made it.

[bluengold34_OS]

Re: I have the NASCAR The Game: Inside the Line

I'm holding off for now... I bit on the buggy mess they put out last year. I'm holding off until I hear definitively that it's a must buy. Besides, I'm working like a dog for the remainder of the week so it would just sit there.

What else do you want to know knucklehead??