13 replies to this topic

[Red17]

A bit off topic, but any new release on the PC deserves some mentioning, specially when it's a not so popular series. My opinion of course.
Looks like there is new official standalone game coming for Windows this summer.
Early pre-orders on steam get acess to the beta version.
Here is what I could gather from the steam forums: (sim racers need only to read the next 3 lines of text)

- is still miles away from iRacing or any Papyrus created content
- someone described it as being like F1 2012
- it's not the game that will replace NR 2003
- (still here?) seems to be better than the EA Nascar titles
- tons of bugs still need to ironed out, from better wheel support to animattions take your pick, giving that the game comes out in a month I fear it will be a bug fest.
- no word on modding, but must posters are assuming it's not possible, one other post elsewhere also pointed out that the game files are enconded, however I found nothing from the developers actually stating that there will be no modding, I am hoping that means developers are looking at it before making the final call.
- physics seem to be ok, it seems that some damaged areas actually get replaced by black tape, or at least that's how a developer responded to a bug report.
- Sprint Cup only, would not be an issue if this wasn't a port from a early console title that features NNS and NCWS, boooo! Give me my Dodge Challenger!
- developer promisses new updates, but no actual word on what sort of updates will be, but the console versions have been updated to the Gen 6 cars this year
- beta version currently lacks multiplayer, no word yet on how will it work
- eye candy seems spot on, aparently game comes with a paint tool, read difering reports about performance
- will have some sort of replay challenge, looking forward to drive Monty to his first oval victory
- reports about the AI Jeff Gordon being dangerous, not sure if that post was serious, but caution peroids also seem to be buggy.
- if you forget there is Iracing or NR 2003 you can have fun in this game

Well, it probably doesn't tick any boxes into simulation, but just leaving the heads up for anyone interested in something less realistic.

Apart from the steam shop page there is nothing more than a press release on the console game site: http://nascarthegame...ta-access-steam

[Red17]

Got the game last night and drove a bit of it. Here is my impressions from it sor far.

There are lot of menus at the start, career menu, online, etc etc.

Comes with a ingame paint tool, but allows to import schemes from external files.

While you cannot pause the game and watch a replay the game does allow you to save a full race replay at the end of each race. Replays are saved ingame, not sure if you can export them. Replay tool also comes with a fancy photo mode.

Driving. I choose Talladega for my first race, bumped AI dificulty to hard and left the driving aids on, yellows and black flags on, no tyre and fuel wear.
Started on the back of the pack at 43. From the start it was obvious I was the quicker car, so I slowly overtook must of the field and got to 6th with 3 laps to go. At that particular race the game allows you to literally see the air at the back, slingshotting also works, in fact I think it works too well. There was no big pack like you see on TV, just some drivers lining up behind each other, I saw no "lane trains" and I am pretty sure the race leader was alone.

With 3 laps to go I caused a yellow. As soon as there is a yellow flag the game takes over, you are shpwn a replay of the accident that caused the yellow and then you are back in formation. At this point you can choose to pit or not and your tyre changing and fuel strategy if you decide to pit, the game does all the driving for you.
Once the round of pit stops is over you get an overview of the race standinds with the indication of who pitted and how many tyres and cans he took. You are taken back to double file formation a few seconds away from the green flag, at which point control is handed back to you.
One thing of note, I did not pit and at that yellow and on the restart I had some trouble getting up to speed.

After finding that maybe Dega wasn't the best place I decided to race at Indianapolis, this time I turned off all assists and bumped AI to maximum dificulty. The game felt harder this time, easier to spin the car and miss teh racing line and the AI looked more agressive at driving but also at bumping you out, caused a pile up on turn 3 but somehow no cars retired from that crash, I am assuming the damage model is still not up to date as there was even a car airborne but only a few torn hoods.

Sound looks ok, spotter so far has done his job and the crew chief doesn't get in your thumbs because you are running last. The HUD may be an annoyance for some people. The Hud has a car radar and a fuel gauge, the radar I can live with it, but the fuel gauge is probably too much. I am assuming you can turn these off too.

The menus look inspired in the F1 games from Codemasters.
Supports my DFGT wheel out of the box, tho it failed to recognize the peddals in one ocasion.

Highlights are not working and no multiplayer yet.

[Gene and Tonic]

What's the force feedback like? It's not going to be a sim, that's for certain, but I do place quite a bit of value on being able to 'feel' the car. Is the driving model at least a little bit natural?

[Red17]

What's the force feedback like? It's not going to be a sim, that's for certain, but I do place quite a bit of value on being able to 'feel' the car. Is the driving model at least a little bit natural?

I think the feeling also needs some work, but I have nothing to compare it with, I never drove the GEN6 in iracing and lost my NR2003 CD ages ago (cant even seem to get a cracked version to work on my machine). But I my feeling from the car came more from the sounds the wheel was making rather than the actual feedback itself. It did felt heavy and slow, but not really a lot of input from impacts and the like.
At the Dega race the car more or less felt on rails (aids were on). At Indy with the aids off it felt really loose but I wasn't getting «im loosing it» by just driving, even with spins and bumps.
The last Green White Checkered at Indy (which ended with most AI cars going into destruction derby mode and Bowyer taking the win) was the time where I began to feel the car wasn't right, but I had 2 wrecks on my bill, no pitting and the tyre icons were redish, perhaps the FF needs tweaking, will try to investigate.

Edited by Red17, 28 June 2013 - 11:11.

[Deluxx]

It's actually pretty fun.

[Red17]

My only gripe with it at the moment is the damage model. Currently all cars are made of some sort of alien fiber that can only be bent, not destroyed.

But it looks to have potential. It is fun, setups make a difference and there is even a quiz game during loading (just remember to pick Richard Petty everytime he shows up as an answer option) A lot of people are looking foward for this game to bridge the two worlds of arcade and simulation. And hey! How many games out there actually allow you to mute Darrel Waltrip?

In my opinion the developers should take the chance of opening this game to fan-made mods, screw console makers and their parity deals! There is always the event of the licence running out (yes Ferrari, I am looking at you) and this game could be the base for the future if we PC users are to wait another 10 years for a Nascar game.

[Deluxx]

I think it has potential with DLC...

Hey, is there a list of setups or something somewhere? I haven't played with them much yet... All I know is with the default setup, it makes me loose as hell after a caution. I lose alot of speed too.

[Deluxx]

You guys should share any setups you have so far.

[Deluxx]

Love that a game lets you do this

[Red17]

I can confirm the Auto Club Speedway «underground/psycadelic section» also affects AI cars, just had a wild ride in there with Stenhouse, got my revenge 3 laps later on his girlfriend
This game's mechanics are best seen in races over 20 laps, otherwise you miss the car control changing, the undecision of pitting early or gamble on a caution when your fuel is running out, AI cars tagging you out of revenge.... In fact running a short race can cause the AI to pit en masse on the final lap and handing you the victory.
One last note, although the player cannot drive in the pitlane incidents on pitroad can still happen. JJ still strong on pitsops, even in the virtual world.

[Deluxx]

Multiplayer enabled!

[Red17]

Mike Harmon has just been in my garage:
Link

[Deluxx]

nice naked car

[Red17]

Props to the devs, they are still fixing the game after release. Patches are coming out almost on a daily basis.