332 replies to this topic

[Rinehart]

Thought 2010 and 2011 were way better than the cynics were claiming - absolutely no problem with graphics or handling for example.

But no FP1 & 2 this year? Can't see the point in paying £40 for a game with less features just to get the latest cars.

Also, particularly I was looking forwards to F2012 version for a chance to experience the new Pirelli compounds - but it sounds like Codemasters have not only not modelled this into the game, but have actually dumbed down the tyre model, the OPPOSITE of what should be happening.

All things considered, it seems that Codies have clearly identified their target audience as the online-racing school kid as the decisions they are making reflect.

[SpartanChas]

It's grown on me since my last post. Still don't like the handling as much as 11 but I'm getting used to it now.

Season Challenge and Champion mode are good additions, but if they add more arcadey modes aimed towards casual gamers, why dumb down career mode? I never took advantage of a potential 4 hours of practice but this is meant to be the official F1 game, it's supposed to be the closest you can get to being an F1 driver in your living room.

[DanardiF1]

How can the braking distances be sooo far from reality at Monza? They were never spot on before but this year they're a lot worse. Braking 200m before turn 1?

Same for Ascari and Parabolica too....

That 'problem' has been a feature of these games since 2010... in the really heavy braking zones, you have to allow another 50 metres to what you see in real life.

[Afterburner]

That 'problem' has been a feature of these games since 2010... in the really heavy braking zones, you have to allow another 50 metres to what you see in real life.

Yep. I find it somewhat ironic how they go on and on about how their physics and track-mapping systems allow for such a dynamic and realistic handling of the track surface and weather, and then their braking zones are off by fifty #$%@ing metres. At what point are they going to learn that you could have the most realistic physics engine in the world and still model the game completely wrong? Precision =/= accuracy, simple as that.

And really, I'm being generous. The physics engine feels very wonky, in my opinion.

[DanardiF1]

I have to say I prefer the handling to 2011 after a few hours of playing. I got fed up of the constant tail-happy nature of 2011, and how soft the cars felt even when you were running the car 11/11 on ARB and springs.

This year the cars feel like F1 cars, and I've not had much of the understeer trouble other than through my own driving errors. This game is an improvement in that it forces you to brake properly (even if those braking distances aren't strictly correct). You can't just brake as late as you like and then keep the pegs on into the corner. You have to brake, then turn with some corners naturally being more of a combination than others. I think most F1 drivers would tell you that this is more true to life than before. The cars feel more solid and properly sprung, so taking a kerb isn't going to chuck you the other way because of way too high weight transfer... but you do have to take them properly.

It did take a little while to dial in the best feeling for the steering settings on my DFGT, but since then I've just been readjusting my driving style to the game. I'm loving the brake bias coming back, and I've been using that liberally in some qualifying laps (ala Schumacher) to get the right entry to corners.

One thing I'm not that impressed with is the graphics. They seem to have stepped back from fellow Codies titles like DiRT 3 and even previous F1 games in being very 'cartoony' in places. It's not a massive issue though for me, being used to turning down and even turning off certain background features in PC sims like rFactor and iRacing...

[Brandz07]

I'm with you guys, after playing it a bit and getting my wheel settings perfected it's actually a fair amount of fun on certain game modes. Unlike 2011 I feel a lot more in control and feel like I can put the car where I want too, basically the steering inputs improved. Although the understeer does still need addressing slightly.

One thing I'm not so sure about is why my cars so slow in a straight line in career mode, there seems to be a lot less grip too. Maybe it's just the car I'm driving but I've found Season Challenge to be much much better, I don't know maybe if I go back to career mode now I'll have got into the groove a little more.

But yeah, I'm enjoying it more now.

Edited by Brandz07, 24 September 2012 - 21:09.

[FranDaMan]

Played it for the first time today. The understeer on the McLaren in the young driver test was fairly atrocious, but after persevering and getting all the gold medals I moved on to Career Mode in the Williams, which was miles better.

I was genuinely enjoying thrashing the FW34 round Albert Park, the car seems very planted with a descent setup and you can pretty much place it where you like. You can also open the DRS much earlier, which I would say, corresponds more with real life.

Strangely though, despite doing some pretty consistent, aggressive, low fuel laps, I was still over two seconds off the pace

I never found it this hard to get up to speed on F1 2011. Maybe I just need more practice!

[SpartanChas]

Still can't open DRS through 130R.

[Reinmuster]

Thought 2010 and 2011 were way better than the cynics were claiming - absolutely no problem with graphics or handling for example.

But no FP1 & 2 this year? Can't see the point in paying £40 for a game with less features just to get the latest cars.
...

Personally I think it's a waste to have FP1 & FP2. I mean we all have the experiences with the game now particularly how the car need to be setup. For example in F1 2011, I admit I gonna need most the time in FP1 & 2 just to finding a basic setup. However, come the end of season, I already have a setup need as basis for next season's GPs and will use the FP just to tweak the setup I had earlier in last season (because new season -> new team -> new car) and then go to qualify whilst try to perfecting the setup even yet further.

Well I rather have a test session (or straight line test as in actual F1 season) to feature in F1 2013 game then to spentmost of the time in FP1 & 2. But that's me.

[Brandz07]

I think the most laps I ever did in a single weekend in a practice session is about 7, and that's only because of the development tasks. Other than that there's no way anyone ever needs 4 hours practice time. I don't see why it's been taken out, but I don't care that it has either.

[FranDaMan]

I tried all afternoon to improve my times at Melbourne but couldn't get within one second of Maldonado. I was stuck in a perpetual 18th regardless of what setup I used. Was literally moments away from putting my fist through the tv screen .

[bub]

So, people happy with their purchase?

[Muulka]

The trick to sorting the understeer is to turn the steering less; too much steering just makes the front tyres slide.

I think it's a brilliant game!

[chdphd]

I've enjoyed the twenty or so races I done so far. Not met any of "ice kerbs" yet. I find the whole check your email things a bit daft though. I never read them.

I used to enjoy the three part qualy so I could get back into the swing of a track before I raced it. Now, I often restart the session or use that rewind/repeat feature

Edited by chdphd, 26 September 2012 - 10:15.

[Stephan]

I've enjoyed the twenty or so races I done so far. Not met any of "ice kerbs" yet. I find the whole check your email things a bit daft though. I never read them.

I used to enjoy the three part qualy so I could get back into the swing of a track before I raced it. Now, I often restart the session or use that rewind/repeat feature

Are you driving in career mode? I see a lot of complaints on the codemasters forum about a lot of wet weather races. How many did you have?

[chdphd]

Are you driving in career mode? I see a lot of complaints on the codemasters forum about a lot of wet weather races. How many did you have?

I'm doing the season challenge in career mode. I've had two wet races - one each at Interlagos and Hockenheim. The cars are not easy to drive, but that may be because I'm not using the lower level set ups. Visibility isn't great, but that's sort of the point.

I would get a bit pissed off if I get a lot of wet races. They're simply not as much fun.

Edited by chdphd, 26 September 2012 - 16:22.

[Ibsey]

Are you driving in career mode? I see a lot of complaints on the codemasters forum about a lot of wet weather races. How many did you have?

I'm another F1 2011 player, who's waiting to see if its worth getting F1 2012 or not?

Re; the problems about wet weather races. Having read the codemasters forums, some have suggested it is a problem. While I've seen another post saying they have had no problems with it? So I'm confused & therefore left wondering could it be a question of getting the correct amount of tyre tempartures / pressures into the tyres to make the inters 'swtich on'. A bit like in F1 2006 on the PS3?

Edited by Ibsey, 26 September 2012 - 15:01.

[mtknot]

Just remember without the EBD, 2012 cars are significantly slower anyway.

Imo the understeer is realistic. the pirellis apparently have a poorer slip angle than bridgestones, meaning you can't load them too much before you start going straight. Furthermore, thats how the cars are setup overall...

[SpartanChas]

Weather for season challenge is scripted, my Interlagos and Hockenheim are wet too.

[DanardiF1]

Are you driving in career mode? I see a lot of complaints on the codemasters forum about a lot of wet weather races. How many did you have?

I'm up to Silverstone in my Career season so far, and I've had wet/mixed weather races at Malaysia, China, Monaco and Canada... seems about right given those locations and the weather we see there in real F1...

Also, the Canada rain got REALLY bad... started dry, and was just light rain from about lap 4-5 until the heavens really opened and in that one lap where I was okay on inters, the next (luckily the last one) I and all the other drivers were literally crawling round to the end... it was fantastic how real the weather and track system felt at that point.

Other aspects of the realism are a bit more suspect... since joining Caterham I have amassed 56 points (not including Silverstone), including a win at Monaco, a 3rd at Valencia, a 7th in Montreal, and a 5th in Bahrain.

I won at Monaco because for some reason the whole field pitted for what I guess was meant to be inters, but was a set of primes after just one lap. It wasn't raining yet (but was about to a few laps later) and all I had to do was stay out until we all needed inters and I was one stop ahead (I qualified well in 14th and had got up to 9th on lap 1)... I won by 4 seconds from Maldonado (who also started relatively low) and Alonso (front row).

Valencia I got the setup just right and was fastest in Q1 and 2, using a set of primes to qualify 10th in Q3. Made all the 7 places up in the first lap (mixture of aggression and good luck) and then with the good pace I had managed to hold on to the end (wasn't quite as quick on the options late on as I wanted though, did have a sniff of 2nd or more at one point...).

Despite that, I think this game is a massive improvement on 2011, and feels like a proper F1 sim in that whilst the physics are not completely hardcore, the cars drive like F1 cars should, you have to drive them properly, and the races for the most part go like real ones do as well. The weather, the tyre wear, the AI aggression all fits just right. Strategy is important and very easy to get wrong, being so rewarding when you do get it spot on. I can see myself playing this a lot longer than 2011 (which I never truly got on with due to the crap suspension model).

[DanardiF1]

Just remember without the EBD, 2012 cars are significantly slower anyway.

Imo the understeer is realistic. the pirellis apparently have a poorer slip angle than bridgestones, meaning you can't load them too much before you start going straight. Furthermore, thats how the cars are setup overall...

That's exactly it. You can't just go full lock in these cars and expect the car to turn on a sixpence.

[Dane92]

I am not thrilled with this game, but I do have to admit more impressed than a week ago when all the negative reviews started flowing in.

It still has a lot of flaws and I don't think Codemasters are ever going to fully grasp (or make the effort) what a class Formula 1 game needs. They spend their time on these games modes like season challenge or champions mode which yes are different but why have them when you spend time improving the career mode or online. It's kind of like they want their money and if you want to buy the game you will, they get their money and you get moderate enjoyment for a month or two. They are not going to go out of their way to create a world beating game unfortunately, with that in mind I have my R Factor and GP4 (Which of late I have really enjoyed again). For me as a Formula 1 fan, these games keep entertained much more than Codemasters attempts and they have three now. Give the license to someone else and give them a chance to better on what you have started.

All this game has done for me is left me surprised that it is better than people thought it was going to be, but other than just boosted my gamerscore with the achievements being so easy.

[UPRC]

I think the most laps I ever did in a single weekend in a practice session is about 7, and that's only because of the development tasks. Other than that there's no way anyone ever needs 4 hours practice time. I don't see why it's been taken out, but I don't care that it has either.

Agreed. I'm all for realism in these games but, honestly, do we need hours of practice for each GP? No, we don't. I've never spent more than 10 minutes in practice. All I need to do is get up to speed on a track, which only takes a few laps. After that I'm golden and I head into qualifying.

[olliek88]

I have to say i didn't have massive expectations of this game after reading various forums & playing the demo but after playing the actual game i've been pleasantly surprised.

Its not a "sim", not even slightly but i don't want that from a multi-platform F1 game, something enjoyable but still requires you to apply a degree of skill to be quick. It handles pretty close to what i'd like, forgiving but you can't be completely stupid and still get away with it. The feel is improved to but it still feels strangely detached which i think is to do with the fact that the FFB doesn't react to any bumps in the surface of the road, only a rat-a-tat-tat sensation when riding a kerb, its ok.

So far i've not had too many of the dreaded bugs mentioned elsewhere, only bug so far has been having a clear blue sky but pouring with rain in both Sepang and Bahrain but other than that not had any problems.

CM have taken a lot of stick over there F1 efforts but i think they've done a good job with this. It might not be the cool thing to say but for now, CM, your doing a good job.

[chrisblades85]

Seeing as more people seem positive after playing the full game, I may rent it over to try it 1st I think.

[FranDaMan]

The setup is very very finicky, made some relatively small tweaks to suspension stiffness and downforce levels and improved by over two seconds

Still dropping time in the third sector though, anyone else find this?

[DanardiF1]

The setup is very very finicky, made some relatively small tweaks to suspension stiffness and downforce levels and improved by over two seconds

Still dropping time in the third sector though, anyone else find this?

As I think Jenson Button can attest to, setups CAN be just as finicky in the real world...

[chdphd]

I was having a play tonight. I had a few nice races but then almost very choice I could make for a quick race/challenge/time trial was wet. I don't enjoy the wet. I turned off the console.

[Reinmuster]

did anyone notice that xbox version have more grip while driving than PC version?

[Brandz07]

did anyone notice that xbox version have more grip while driving than PC version?

are you using exactly the same wheel, etc?

[Reinmuster]

are you using exactly the same wheel, etc?

Im using standard xbox controller, for both cases.

[vodoun]

Worst track for me so far is India. My god I feel like I'm driving a bus with my G25. How can this be! Plus the track feels like rally or something. So many sunken parts and bumps on the track up and down the hill. The corners never felt so tight unlike 2011.

Unreal all the problems of the game on their forum. http://community.cod...-p/97258#U97258

Sometimes you would think the game is an alpha.


O_o
http://community.cod...-p/96816#U96816

Edited by vodoun, 29 September 2012 - 00:09.

[tom]

You can go through 130r with drs, i flicked it by mistake once and got a huge swapper going, didn't catch it either. I generally don't like the game, i know hungary well, and on legend in the redbull i'm 1.5 sec a lap slower than the leaders if not 2 secs. Rediculous. never get it right these bastards.
Had penalty's for no contact and even been 20 metres away from any other drivers and yep penalty for tagging them off they reckon..
Need a pit radio button so we can tell our team to go protest these dodgy calls.
understeery nature is no fun, i can see why ms hates the cars/tyresthese days, should be called training wheel f1 season 2012. Go slow and you'll get points yipppeeee

[Skinnyguy]

Go slow and you'll get points yipppeeee

It was wrong before. You went too fast into a corner, you turned full lock, and it slowed down plus turn perfectly.

Now you have to be at the correct speed to turn. Slip angle tolerance is more realistic now.

[montoyasminion]

So, people happy with their purchase?

Nope.

[DanardiF1]

Nope.

What are your problems with it?

[SpartanChas]

You can go through 130R with DRS but its incredibly difficult not to go into the barriers backwards. Unlike in real life where it's just the norm to do it without difficulty for any car.

[Skinnyguy]

You can go through 130R with DRS but its incredibly difficult not to go into the barriers backwards. Unlike in real life where it's just the norm to do it without difficulty for any car.

No massive ebds this year. We don't know how these cars will go through there yet, so no drama.

Handling is cool, setup isnt bugged, and the mega slipstream has gone. It's a great game to have multiplayer fun with a fair equal playing field, unlike last year.

If they fix the weather and improve the track modelling -some curbs are way to lenient?- it'll get even better.

[Kvothe]

No massive ebds this year. We don't know how these cars will go through there yet, so no drama.

Handling is cool, setup isnt bugged, and the mega slipstream has gone. It's a great game to have multiplayer fun with a fair equal playing field, unlike last year.

If they fix the weather and improve the track modelling -some curbs are way to lenient?- it'll get even better.

Some kerbs are lenient (the ones at the Hungaroring) some are like ice (final chicane Barcelona) (Turn 14 India)

[TimRTC]

Finally had a chance to play with the demo. Not played any of the previous F1 games from Codemasters, but this seems okay. No damage models in the demo, are they realistic in the full game? (I hate playing when you can just bounce off other drivers)

The image seemed oddly squashed on my TV - from the rear camera angle, the car looks rather narrow, is there a widescreen setting?

[The Kanisteri]

Funny you mention rear camera angle...

Codemasters are on mission to take dashboard cameras away from racing games. They already did in Grid 2. I've always thought rear view camera for racing games is blashbemy on racing games genre. Rearview view cameras should get banned all together!

[Reinmuster]

I wonder what's real F1 drivers whom had tested (Hamilton, Kovalainen, Senna) gonna say about this game..

[chdphd]

I'm getting far too many wet races.

[SpartanChas]

You should be able to turn off weather in career mode.

[chdphd]

That would be nice.

I'm far less keen in going for a quick blast with this game. I don't game seriously and am not a set-up tinkerer. I just want short sessions of fun.

[olliek88]

I'm getting far too many wet races.

Me too, and it feels like when, before a session, you check the weather it says 17% chance of rain it doesn't seem to mean theres a 17% chance, its seems to mean it will rain for 17% of that session. I'm probably way off with that one but i haven't had one weekend in career without rain (Bahrain included!!).

[chdphd]

There is supposed to be a bug fix coming out. Maybe I'll not play it much until then.

I remembering having to hold fire on 2010 for a while because it lost all my save data.

Hardly good is it.

[SpartanChas]

No massive ebds this year. We don't know how these cars will go through there yet, so no drama.

Handling is cool, setup isnt bugged, and the mega slipstream has gone. It's a great game to have multiplayer fun with a fair equal playing field, unlike last year.

If they fix the weather and improve the track modelling -some curbs are way to lenient?- it'll get even better.

Sauber last year didn't have EBD and Kamui does it no problem.

You couldn't go through 130R with DRS last year either anyway. I have some doubt in my mind that Codemasters know much about EBD too.

[Skinnyguy]

Some kerbs are lenient (the ones at the Hungaroring) some are like ice (final chicane Barcelona) (Turn 14 India)

You must be kidding, last barcelona chicane allows to cheat it waaay more than in real life -lacks red big curbs-, and india lacks loads of high curbing everywhere.

I'd say some are ok -like Bahrain, Spa or abu dhabi- and some are just way too lenient, with Monza or Australia as worse places.

[Skinnyguy]

Sauber last year didn't have EBD and Kamui does it no problem.

You couldn't go through 130R with DRS last year either anyway. I have some doubt in my mind that Codemasters know much about EBD too.

You do have a point. A couple of them actually, pretty sure they didnt remove grip thinking on this ebd stuff and most likely just tried to get a balance close to a modern f1 and thats it.

But I don't see how this is a problem that makes the game worse. You go easily flat through the corner, as it should be, but it's not easy with drs open. No big deal, just a corner a little bit off the real thing, that still is inside the reasonable zone. It's like the too long braking zones thing... Are they fully representative of the real thing? No. Do they hurt the gameplay? No.