NASCAR Heat 5 Review: Familiar But In a Good Way

[StoneCalf]

Re: NASCAR Heat 5 Review: Familiar But In a Good Way

Update to my career Season 1 progress since a few posts back.

It has been a roller coaster with some ups and downs, which sheds light on some game-balancing needed (read: patch), but overall still a fun inaugural season:

13. Pocono - Q 29, F 29 (85/83/85) very challenging track for me. I'm going to stop short of claiming that the AI are too fast here, but it's either that or I have a lot of work/practice to do. (probably the latter lol)

14. Kentucky - Q 30, F 27 (80/80/80) truck was looser than average as race wore on. I think this can be a good track for me with better setup.

15. Eldora - Q 14, F 1 (85/85/85) First win of the career, but didn't feel earned as there is obviously some tweaking that needs to be done to help the AI. I feel I'm decent at dirt racing, but I'm not that good. I think I read somewhere that this is a known issue, and I think carry-over from NH4. I think the next time I race there, I'll temporarily boost the AI to Legendary, if that's the next one above Hard.

16. Michigan - Q28, F16 (85/85/85) very good & fun race/track, about what I expected out of Michigan

17. WWT Raceway - Q 24, F 22 (85/85/85) tough track and I was totally unfamiliar with it

18. Canadian Tire - Q 25, F 18 (79/78/79 - mismatch, as I haven't purchased a road course truck yet) Now this was a HUGE surprise. To be honest, I hadn't raced much asphalt road courses in the Heat series since the early days, and I recall that the cars physics were way off back then. Specifically I remember that the cars felt like there was a central pivot point as you navigated turns. 704 has certainly come a long way imo on road course car physics and playability. My mindset going in was to just stay out of trouble and not finish last. I found myself pleasantly surprised that not only was the driving great, I was competitive and had some nice position battles and only had one turn (in the 16 lap race) where I ran wide and grazed a barrier.

Now standing at 24th in the points and next race is Bristol. Along with Eldora, I think I read that the AI was too weak at Bristol. Guess we'll see. Bristol has always been tough for me in all past Nascar games.

Also, I can't find the season calendar within the menus between races. Is it there or am I just missing it?

This almost feels like I'm giving Dynasty updates on NCAA, but I'm trying to interject some gameplay impressions as I go along this first season.

[Jeffrey99]

Re: NASCAR Heat 5 Review: Familiar But In a Good Way

Update to my career Season 1 progress since a few posts back.



It has been a roller coaster with some ups and downs, which sheds light on some game-balancing needed (read: patch), but overall still a fun inaugural season:



13. Pocono - Q 29, F 29 (85/83/85) very challenging track for me. I'm going to stop short of claiming that the AI are too fast here, but it's either that or I have a lot of work/practice to do. (probably the latter lol)



14. Kentucky - Q 30, F 27 (80/80/80) truck was looser than average as race wore on. I think this can be a good track for me with better setup.



15. Eldora - Q 14, F 1 (85/85/85) First win of the career, but didn't feel earned as there is obviously some tweaking that needs to be done to help the AI. I feel I'm decent at dirt racing, but I'm not that good. I think I read somewhere that this is a known issue, and I think carry-over from NH4. I think the next time I race there, I'll temporarily boost the AI to Legendary, if that's the next one above Hard.



16. Michigan - Q28, F16 (85/85/85) very good & fun race/track, about what I expected out of Michigan



17. WWT Raceway - Q 24, F 22 (85/85/85) tough track and I was totally unfamiliar with it



18. Canadian Tire - Q 25, F 18 (79/78/79 - mismatch, as I haven't purchased a road course truck yet) Now this was a HUGE surprise. To be honest, I hadn't raced much asphalt road courses in the Heat series since the early days, and I recall that the cars physics were way off back then. Specifically I remember that the cars felt like there was a central pivot point as you navigated turns. 704 has certainly come a long way imo on road course car physics and playability. My mindset going in was to just stay out of trouble and not finish last. I found myself pleasantly surprised that not only was the driving great, I was competitive and had some nice position battles and only had one turn (in the 16 lap race) where I ran wide and grazed a barrier.



Now standing at 24th in the points and next race is Bristol. Along with Eldora, I think I read that the AI was too weak at Bristol. Guess we'll see. Bristol has always been tough for me in all past Nascar games.



Also, I can't find the season calendar within the menus between races. Is it there or am I just missing it?



This almost feels like I'm giving Dynasty updates on NCAA, but I'm trying to interject some gameplay impressions as I go along this first season.

Not at game right now but if you RB (I think) over to the right you'll get to a page that shows race x/x and point standings. If you then use RT/LT (I think) it'll go forward or backward on races and will say race X/X. Then you can see what the upcoming schedule is.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

[StoneCalf]

Re: NASCAR Heat 5 Review: Familiar But In a Good Way

Not at game right now but if you RB (I think) over to the right you'll get to a page that shows race x/x and point standings. If you then use RT/LT (I think) it'll go forward or backward on races and will say race X/X. Then you can see what the upcoming schedule is.

Thanks! Found it in that Season Standings tab you mentioned and the d-pad shows past and next events. I rarely go to that tab because each post race results includes the updated points standings.

[bry422]

Re: NASCAR Heat 5 Review: Familiar But In a Good Way

AI pitting strategy is easily my biggest complaint with this game.

I just won a race at Iowa in the truck series in my career (hotseat) due to poor AI pitting strategy.

I was running 16th with 6 laps to go and a caution came out, so I pitted thinking I'd only lose at most 4 spots due to number of cars on lead lap. I actually came out 14th as other trucks pitted, but leaders didn't understandably.

Anyways I get a good restart (3 to go) and move into top 10 on backstretch. We come across to get two to go and my spotter mentions trucks pitting ahead. We come off turn 4 and to my surprise the 8 trucks in front of me all pit giving me the lead and a run away win by 3+ seconds! Why in the hell did they not pit under caution if they were close on tires or whatever? Why pit on the final lap?

I wanted to enjoy this victory but it was difficult due to the circumstances in which it was obtained.

Really hoping they address pit strategy in an upcoming patch.

Has this been addressed in a patch? I'm planning to pick this game up if that is the case.

[mercalnd]

Re: NASCAR Heat 5 Review: Familiar But In a Good Way

Has this been addressed in a patch? I'm planning to pick this game up if that is the case.

It's generally fine overall. I have yet to see a scenario similar to what countryboy described and I have run about 70 races at 25% length and 3X wear.