rec.autos.simulators

  So have people come to a final verdict on NFS:PU yet then?  It seems
like it's still getting a lot of coverage on here and it's a month or so
after release now.  What're the good and bad points?

--
Richard G. Clegg       Only the mind is waving
    Networks and Non-Linear Dynamics Group
      Dept. of Mathematics, Uni. of York
     UPDATED WWW: http://www.racesimcentral.net/

It's good

Good points; just about everything and you get to drive old Porsche's

Bad points; none really, but if you're going to be picky, the sound is a
bit on the dull side and the handling a bit on the easy side (I don't
pretend it's that easy to catch a big slide in a 1978 911 Turbo :-), but
this is nitpicking

Just but it, I fail to see why you would get disappointed with this one

Beers and cheers
(uncle) Goy

"Team Mirage" http://www.teammirage.com/
"The Pits"    http://www.theuspits.com/

* Spam is for losers who can't get business any other way *
"Spamkiller"    http://www.spamkiller.com

Hello Richard - I work at the univeristy of york too.
(Department of computer science)

the bad point is that you spend too much time playing with the game
and no time fixing blocked drains, attending to family matters,
visiting parents, cutting the lawn, talking to your wife etc....

Or maybe thats a good thing.

In general - its worth buying at full price now rather than awaiting
a budget version.

Steve
Research Associate - Computer Science

Great, great fun.

The only issues I have with NFS:PU are those concerning the AI, which is
set up as though they are "cheating" with superior acceleration to that of
the player, and also gives them bionic eyes. I'm slowly tweaking this,
though, and it's fairly easy to do - though it doesn't seem to carry over
in every race as it should.

Also, I'd like to see "terminal damage" where crashing can take you out of
the race; the crashes can be really cool, though.

Best graphics I've seen in a racing sim - the atmosphere is amazing. The
handling feels great.

Some really fun shortcuts. - not just stupid stuff - it really is a
tradeoff with skill vs. time savings and car setup.

Go buy it.

Andrew

It's worth the full price of admission -- I've completed the Factory
Driver mode AND the Evolution Mode, and I'm STILL playing it daily
(moreso than any other sim right now, period).  I absolutely,
positively LOVE this game, and it has made me a certifiable Porsche
fanatic (I was an aloof admirer previously), so I imagine this game is
everything that Porsche could have hoped for (and it's damn near
everything a sim fanatic could hope for, too!).  

It might fall a little short of GPL, Viper Racing, and SCGT in the
difficulty department, but it REALLY captures the feeling of ROADGOING
Porsches in the same manner that GPL, Viper Racing, and SCGT capture
the feel of RACING cars.  Yeah, I know -- some of the Porsches are
racers, but I'll take a 356B over a GT1 any day! <G>

The 550 Spyder may present the same type of "nirvana" experience you
can only find in GPL, for that matter -- light, fast, agile, nimble,
and bias-ply tires to boot!

Buy it now!

-- JB

 The graphics are amazing. My P3-733 with a Voodoo 3 just purrs along at
1024*768. Some of the scenery is so nice I sometimes want to stop just
to see the sights. I give it high marks both for graphic quality and
frame rate.

 I played NFS:3 before, and was not impressed by the physics. NFS:PU has
a lot better feel to it, but does not quite get into the simulation
realm of GPL or even SCGT. Grass and gravel are way too forgiving for
one thing. Car setups are simple, just a handful of adjustments are
available. Even still I am having fun with this game, which is the point
after all.

 Force Feedback works well. Driving over gravel or a wood bridge feels
about right.

 The AI does get aggressive, not afraid to trade paint. I haven't
completed the evolution mode yet, but the AI cars do seem to get more
competitive as time goes by. The early races are very easy.

 There are not many tracks, one of the drawbacks in my opinion. If only
they would do the 'Ring like in GPL! Most tracks are point to point,
Monaco being the only circuit course.

 I haven't tried multiplayer yet, can't comment on that.

 Overall it is a pretty good game.

Roy Berube