24 replies to this topic

[ScottL]

I've skimmed this thread and am now starting to wonder... and maybe the question is not so easily answered:

What is the "best" F1 racing sim on the market for the PC? To qualify "best", I suppose I should say that I prefer realistic physics modeling, good graphics, up-to-date track maps, good sound, and a very positive sense of car control.

I haven't been keeping an ear to the ground on the subject since EA Sports stopped updating their F1 series. I currently find F1 2002 to be highly realistic but I have a bit of a problem with occasional video lockup (which, now that I think about it, could be my system and not the software). I never bothered to pick up the follow on "Challenge" version, as it didn't seem to offer anything new.

The only experience I had leading up to F1 2002 was Eidos' Forumula One (which I thought was quite good at the time) and, prior to that, Microsoft's CART Precision Racing. CPR wasn't bad, IMO. The ovals drove me nuts but the road and street courses were pretty fun.

I do own an Xbox but I don't have a wheel and pedals. I'm loathe to go buy these items because:

• The ones at the store look small and cheap
• I'd feel like a dork buying one
• There's no place in my living room where I'd be comfortable mounting a wheel
• I have a nice, big, hi-res 21-inch monitor for my computer

Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate hearing from you. Otherwise I'll just have to enjoy the occasional rip around in the old (but not so trusty) F1 2002.

Oh, and a side question: any good driving sims out there for Linux? I was pretty impressed by the X-Plane demo I tried - easily a rival to Microsoft's Flight Simulator and has won many converts, I hear.

[Exar Kun]

For what you ask for in a sim it would seem that F1C is the only way to go really. Plus it has plenty of excellent mods available and people are working at building the new tracks from this year.

There will be no new licensed F1 sims on PC for at least another 4 years thanks to Sony and the FIA.

[Enkei]

I'd go for F1C as well. New cars will be out soon.

[MrSlow]

F1C do indeed offer a lot more than F 2002. Maybe not so much on the surface, but for starters the F1 cars are drivable now since the car behaves much better at low speed. Then there is the mods. There is a lot of very good mods for F1C, the latest is the ALMS mod (Sports Car Challenge) with 150+ cars that are beautifully modelled. Took them a year I think to make it

But NASCAR 2003 with it's Trans Am physics is really goo also.

For Linux there is Racer (at least I think it works for Linux, there is a Mac version anyway).

[A3]

Originally posted by MrSlow
the latest is the ALMS mod (Sports Car Challenge) with 150+ cars

What???

Why is there no thread on this mod?

[MrSlow]

Originally posted by A3


What???

Why is there no thread on this mod?

Everyone that knows about it is busy driving & smiling

[A3]

Ok, I started one.

[simpson]

Originally posted by ScottL
What is the "best" F1 racing sim on the market for the PC? To qualify "best", I suppose I should say that I prefer realistic physics modeling, ........ and a very positive sense of car control.

I do own an Xbox but I don't have a wheel and pedals. I'm loathe to go buy these items

These statements don't make sense. How will you appreciate the physics and car conrtol without a wheel and pedals? Are you using a joystick? Certainly a keyboard or any other digital controller (on or off only) diminishes the immersion, although some people enjoy it, I know.

F1C is good, but I don't know if it's available to buy anymore. Have you heard of Grand Prix Legends? A totally different kind of car from 1967 (not for everyone) that requires a lot of practice and patience, but the graphics have been upgraded to a very modern level.

See http://gplea.racesimcentral.com/ > cars

[ScottL]

Originally posted by simpson


These statements don't make sense. How will you appreciate the physics and car conrtol without a wheel and pedals? Are you using a joystick?

No, no. I meant that I didn't want to purcharse a wheel and pedals for the Xbox . I do have proper wheel and pedal setup for my PC. Sorry - I wandered off track a bit on the Xbox topic.

I can't find any information on "F1C". Although I find references to it when I google for it, I can't pin down the maker. A search at gamespot.com returns F1 Challenge 99-02 by EA Sports, which I thought was pretty much a nothing-new version of F1 2002.

What am I missing? Is this sim available in the U.S? Sorry for all the questions but I don't have much time to research this right now. ( Oh sure, but he's got time to bug everybody on the Atlas forums... )

[MrSlow]

Originally posted by ScottL


I can't find any information on "F1C". Although I find references to it when I google for it, I can't pin down the maker. A search at gamespot.com returns F1 Challenge 99-02 by EA Sports, which I thought was pretty much a nothing-new version of F1 2002.

What am I missing? Is this sim available in the U.S? Sorry for all the questions but I don't have much time to research this right now. ( Oh sure, but he's got time to bug everybody on the Atlas forums... )

Yes, F1C = F1 Challenge 99-02

It is EA's sequel to F1 2002. It is better, a lot better. I don't know where you can find it in U.S though.... Amazon? eBay?

[ScottL]

Originally posted by MrSlow


Yes, F1C = F1 Challenge 99-02

It is EA's sequel to F1 2002. It is better, a lot better. I don't know where you can find it in U.S though.... Amazon? eBay?

Cool, thanks. I've got a bid in with Amazon. I was a bit surprised to find private-seller copies going for US$60. I don't want to pay that much but I definitely want the upgrade now that I've read a few more reviews and received the from the Atlas crew.

Very intrigued by the mod principle... I always wondered why this wasn't an option in the previous versions. Or was it? MS Flight Simulator and other games have provided this capability for years. Seems like a natural fit for a racing sim.

Anyway, thanks for the info!

[Exar Kun]

It was present in previous versions. F1-2002 had one of the best mods over in the form of GTR-2002. The guys who made that mod have picked up the official license for the FIA GT championship and that game should be out in October sometime. Would be great then if someone could mod that back into an F1 game

[MrSlow]

Originally posted by Exar Kun
It was present in previous versions. F1-2002 had one of the best mods over in the form of GTR-2002. The guys who made that mod have picked up the official license for the FIA GT championship and that game should be out in October sometime. Would be great then if someone could mod that back into an F1 game

The new SCC (see separate thread) is all that GTR was, but better. It is really great. Best driving experience I have had so far on a com (just did a race at Brands Htach with a BMW V8 )

And I have tried them all, many years of GPL also.

It is a must-have!

[Exar Kun]

Ah yes - I keep meaning to get it. Just need to remember to download it...

[RacerMAD]

ahh.. .. lets hope EA build new F1 unofficial racing. with new engine.

[Deepak]

Grand Prix 4

[Kaiser]

Originally posted by MrSlow
It is EA's sequel to F1 2002. It is better, a lot better. I don't know where you can find it in U.S though.... Amazon? eBay?

Best buy
Fry's
Wal Mart
EB
K Mart
Toys are Us
Just about anyplace that sells software will have F1C, and it should be about $5.

N2003 with Trans Am mod is my current fav. The Papy physics are much better than the EA games, IMO. F1C is fun though, I like the DTM mod

[MCH]

GTR!

But I'm biased

[Exar Kun]

Originally posted by MCH
GTR!

But I'm biased

I wasn't aware that game was going to feature F1 cars.

[MCH]

Originally posted by Exar Kun


I wasn't aware that game was going to feature F1 cars.

Never say never ;)

[f1seb]

Ebay has the game cheap for 9.99 with 7.50 for shipping.

[Vilenova]

You can get GPL (Gran Prix Legends from Amazon.com for $5 (US).
GPL has hundreds of real tracks from the 60's, they have updated graphics for the cars ('67 F1 season) and they recently released a '65 mod with updated physics.
There are leagues world wide, websites, forums dedicated to the game. A world ranking system...
It really is a terrific community.

GPLEA Check out the forums here.
GPL Rank.
GPL Track Database? Literally hundreds of tracks.
GPLPP The addon site. Everything you could possibly want.My League. BCSIMS We run GPL '67, '65 and a '67 spec series.


It's a great game. Very challenging. The mod team are working on a '55 mod and a '69 mod as well. With updated physics.

[Pinguin]

Currently the best F1 Sim -I feel- is this GrandPrix 4 Mod . Grip levels are close to real or even more than that. You got a Bentley team -very nice livery- and even the Minardis are competitive bastards!! Cars are up-to-date (except Williams & Mclaren's B car versions of course) and the driving feel is great, so far...

[Sandeep Banerjee]

Best modern F1 sim at the moment, IMHO, is EA's F1C, hands down.

Scott, from the outside, it may look like purely cosmetic changes with F1C over F12002, but consider this....F1C has fixed the grip problem of F12002, that is, uncanny high grip at high speed and ridiculously low grip at low speed, which made driving at Monaco a mess, then there's the provision of having an analogue tacho, which wasn't there in F1C, then also, handbrake, lights, etc. and most importantly, a HUGE number of refinements to the physics engine, and that is ultimately what's most important, isn't it?;) The physics!

These new variables in the physics enable the mod makers to impart much more realistic parameters to the cars they model in their mod. Well-researched projects such as the Prototype-C mod ( http://www.virtua-lm.com/ ), ETCC mod ( http://www.rsr-forum.net/ ), SCC mod (www.rsdg.net), which all took over a year or more to make, really benefit from having such an extensive physics engine code to work with.

And lastly, consider that this is the LAST F1 sim for the forseeable future, till 2008, that is, unless Sony extend their deal even further , so all the mods, addons, tracks, etc. will purely be focused on this sim, so its very wise to get a copy right NOW!

Cheers,
Sandeep.

[ScottL]

*phew* I'm way behind on my posts.

Thanks for all replies. I received F1C about 3 weeks ago. Got it on Amazon in a private bid for $US10.

It's been great so far and, yes, I do detect several subtle changes from F12002: sound, physics, screen formats, etc.. Unfortunately, EA didn't fix the "floating car" effect when viewing replays on circuits with large elevation changes but that's a minor thing to me. The driving seems much improved.

I'm trying to get thru a full race season before moving on to the mods that I've read about. Especially looking forward to some of the sports car mods!