[bluengold34_OS]

Career mode impressions:


Ok, so I started a career just using Jeff Gordon, and set it to the hardest difficulty for the AI, and next to hardest for my driving aids.

The presentation is all in here.....and well done. There is a video tutorial that starts the career mode, and then it bascially kicks you into the 1st race(So I just went with it)

Daytona

Options to practice and tweak your car are there, and then to qaulify. There is no hot lapping, happy hour, as its really just practice and tweak, qualifying, then race.

Pre-race pesentation - They did the fly-by, showed the whole pack running around the track, and they talk about the event, but nothing specific......like "look out for Jeff Gordon today" Pretty basic stuff.

You can change it to any length of race, or difficulty on the fly even right before the race starts...which is nice. I did a 30 lapper@ 4x wear. I led the first 9 laps, then got brushed into the wall. Damage really plays a huge and significant role in this game. Keeping your clean is the only way to win. If you continously bump and grind, you will pay for it.

On lap 10, I was knocked into the wall, and it slowed me down, but only dropped to 14th. There was osme very good racing, until a AI caused caution came out on lap 19. I pitted(but forgot to get gas) and you have to make sure that you select what you want to happen, it doesnt default anything.

So I had to stop back in and pit to get gas, but thankfully there was "the big one" and I was not involved....so I was able to get gas, and catch back up to the end of pack.

After 3 cautions(none really caused by me) I was back to middle of the pack, and someone hooked me and put my nose into the wall. Need less to say, I had to pit again, and finished 41st.

The AI races hard, but fair, and the little crosshair map at the bottom of the screen is an incredbly useful tool.

There was no post race celebration, and I assume because I didn't win. It just shows you the results, then back to the garage(which is not interactive) and you can choose to go to next race.....wash, rinse. repeat.