13 replies to this topic

[Loz]

I have a playstation, but the only racing game I have is Gran Turismo, which I think is amazing. I've heard/read that all F1 games are crap. Is this true or not? You all seem to like F197 and F199. Are they worth picking up? What else is?

Thanks

[The Swerve]

Loz,

Get F197 because it is still the best F1 sim out there. It is a bit dated now but even after F198 (awful) and F199 (too arcady) it still holds it's own. You can really feel the changes in set-up and aim the car nicely for the apex's. The control are good but it suffers from a lack of analogue acceleration and braking.

F1razor will tell you to get Monaco Grand Prix instead because he believes it is better. I didn't like it but there seems to be an argument for it. I think the controls are fully analogue and the set-ups are more configurable etc etc. I reckon the graphics stink though and this spoils the game for me.

All of this is just my opinion.

I bought Gran Turismo 2 last night and was really impressed with the wide range of cars and tracks available but I was disappointed that the simulation side was so similar to the original.

F1 World Grand Prix has also arrived but I haven't played it on the PSX, only on the N64. It is a pretty neat game on the Nintendo but not as 'tight' a sim as F197.

[HappyDude]

Hi Loz,

Here the argument starts

Here's how I see it:

F197 would be great except for one major flaw: digital accel and braking (i.e. you can only use the buttons). This basically makes the game sooooo much worse. Imagine playing Gran Turismo if you could only either have the gas floored, the brakes on full, or be coasting! You end up having to take long corners where you'd just like half-throttle by sort of quickly releasing and pressing the button in the corner - many times slowing down more than you want to but the alternative is understeering into the grass.

F199 corrected this but the general concensus seems to be that there are tons of other things wrong with it - it's actually a step backwards from F197.

So it's really a toss-up between MGP and the new F1 World GP. F1Razor will tell you all about MGP, he seems to love it and he really likes his PSX, so maybe it's a safe bet. I don't think many people have tried F1 World GP yet as it just came out a few days ago.

But double-check any game you buy to make sure it supports analogue accel and braking. After playing Gran Turismo having to use buttons for accel/brake is enough to make you cry

[This message has been edited by HappyDude (edited 02-01-2000).]

[Eli]

Two advices: First, Get a PC!! Second, if you can´t afford it, buy F197.

[baddog]

I cant comment much on MGP, so Ill leave that to those who know.

On the F1 series though, ive spent hundreds of hours palying first F1-97, and now F1-99, and I think The newer game is streets ahead of its predecessor in almost every way, visually and in handling etc (less arcadey and fake than 97). It has one downer which is the poor representation of damage in accidents, but thats minor I think. Maybe Im going agaisnt the flow here (nothing new there) but buying f197 at this point would lead to you sitting in front of your screen going *eewww what the **** is this*.. it looked and played okay a while ago, but playstation games have moved on, just some people have grown attached to it and dont like the fact the new game doesnt play like the old one.

Just my opinion

Shaun

[The Swerve]

The thing with F199 is that I don't trust it. What I mean is that when I do a quick time on F197 I can tell how I did it, I understand where I was braking and where I lost time with understeer etc. With F199 if I go quick on one lap and then do the exact thing I did again on the next lap then it don't always get a similar lap time and I can't see where I lost the time. I don't think the timing is as accurate in the new game and F197 just feels better to drive IMHO.

[baddog]

thats an interesting criticism swerve (much more so than blanket statements that something is too arcadey). I cant say id found that myself, ive spent hours gradually ekeing my times down by a few tenths, and trying to iron out the mistakes I know are costing me time.. Ill look out for it though and see if I can see where you are coming from

Shaun

[F1razor]

I have to play F1 World GP before I can say for sure.

Here's my take on F1 'sims' for the PSX.

Forget F197. Unless you started out playing the original 95 title, F197 really is not that big a deal. The graphics are very good, no question. But the manual gearbox is TERRIBLE. Impossible even. The car engine bogs down really, really, bad.

You can use the analogue joy stick to steer, only there is a feature/bug where if you press down hard on the joystick it goes into 'rear view' mode. A disastor when cornering.

If graphics is all you care about, I would say go with F199, as it is based on the latest cars specs (grooved tires and narrower track), and although I have not played it, I assume that Psygnosis improved analogue control.

MGP is highly under-rated on this board because of the poorer graphics. And that is the only reason. Period. The game play and car control is unrivaled.

Another alternative will be EA's F1 2000, which will be out in March.

I'll be comparing MGP, F1WGP, and F12000. For now, as stated above, I believe strongly that MGP is MUCH better than anything Psygnosis puts out.

But then again, I prefer car control and game play over graphics. Also, if you really want total simulation, the cockpit view is the best and the manual gear box is excellent. Car physics is the best too.

But you should really do what the PC players here will tell you. Forget your PlayStation. Throw it into storage. Forget spending 45.00 on a CD. Instead, go out and spend at least 1500.00 on a high powered PC, go get a wheel, and play PC racing sims. That's good sound advice, and cost effective too. (yeah right)

[This message has been edited by F1razor (edited 02-02-2000).]

[HappyDude]

"only there is a feature/bug where if you press down hard on the joystick it goes into 'rear view' mode. A disastor when cornering."

Thanks F1Razor. I've been trying to figure out what the hell was going on. I thought that I was accidentally resting my fingers against the trigger buttons or something. That is definitely a "feature"!

[Peeko]

What Razor said. If you like Graphics, go with the Psypnosis titles(But stay away from F1-98!!!). If you like realism, go with Monaco GP. I prefer the realism. I bought a V4 steering wheel, and played Gran Turismo with it. What a freaking blast. But my freind took his CD back, and the only game I had that I could use the wheel with was F1-97, so I gave it a go. AFter the first few turns I said to myself: this sucks, and turned it off. Then I remebered when I rented MGP about a month before, and tried the wheel on it, how much fun it was, because it was so much more realistic. So I went out and bought me a used MGP CD. F1-97 is an arcade game. MGP is absolute simulation. My best advice is to rent them one at a time, but within the same week. And remember, you want to buy the game once and be happy.

[Loz]

Thanks to all who responded to this thread. Sounds to me like my choice should be between F1'99 and Monaco Grand Prix. I'll give 'em both a shot and see which is better.

One other question...what is the NEW F1 game that currently has HHF in the add(at least in Canada). It looks pretty good, but for some reason I never notice what the game is called when I see the add.

Once again, thanks.

[HappyDude]

It's F1 World GP. Haven't played it since I'm waiting for the DC version. It's out in stores now though, I saw it last night at an Electronics Boutique in Ontario.

[This message has been edited by HappyDude (edited 02-04-2000).]

[Andrew2001]

F197 no questions asked. F198, and F199 are lame. Why? F198 we know already!! F199, the crash and collision effects are crap, the incockpit is quite good though.
Monaco GP is also rubbish, i dont see how people can like that game...

[Lucciano]

I feel that the F1 99 is a pretty good, game,
having played all of the F1 series for Playstation. I feel that while '97 is a pretty good simulator, it does not allow
you to change your setup while in Practice
or Qualifying mode. This should be allowed as it is part of what is part and parcel of what real F1 practice and qualifying sessions
are about.
The '99 version also has added a better sense of realism, by introducing the manual pitlane limiter button and the possibility of jump starts. The graphics is a lot better than '97. Although crashes are a lot less dramatic, I do not play the game to crash the car, so this sutle effect does not bother me.
The only thing I find awkward about the game
is that in cockpit view, the stop watch, and sector times are not displayed on screen. You have to drive in front camera view for this.


Lucci.