rec.autos.simulators

But first, a quick summary.  Definitely a lot better than NFS 3, and, of
course, better than NFS2--the low point for the whole series.  The realism
level is still below that of the original NFS, though.  Sounds and graphics
are phenomenal.  Lots of good gameplay options.  Still no tracks to match
the originals (which are the best yet)--in fact there is not a single spot
on any of the tracks (including all bonus ones) where you could even begin
to get any of the cars close to their top speed.  I have a need for speed,
not just a need to fake powerslide through little twisty bits of track.

The two inexcusable design flaws in this for me are the steering and the
gear shifting.  The handling is ridiculous at best, but this an arcade
racer, so....  Auto shifting is the usual mess, and the manual shifting
"throttle blip and gear change" has been dramatically improved over that in
the previous versions (not counting the original which was fine).  However,
if you drop below 2000 rpm in 4th gear, the game will automatically shift
you into 3rd gear.  That's it--no other automated shifts!?!?!?!?!  I would
be happy to have a dummy mode (that could be toggled) where it downshifted
if you were too busy or "dumb" to notice that you were lugging the engine.
But only this one gear combination??  It just makes no sense.

The steering is the fatal flaw.  Again, the floating in air and spinning on
the centre axis feeling, I guess, are part and parcel of an arcader.  But
the non-linearity and speed sensitivity are so over blown and jarring that
you literally cannot hope to control the car in any normal manner.  Some of
us have complained about GPL's built-in speed sensitivity that cannot be
turned off (until 1.1, that is).  Multiply that effect by about 100, so the
car literally spins like a top when you are at launch and then it suddenly
drops back to "normal" steering with a lurch. The "normal" steering is
hopelessly tuned for keyboard users...it may be OK for joysticks too, I
don't know, but it is WAY too non-linear for a wheel.  There are 9000
adjustments to every small aspect of the game and controllers and sound and
graphics and individual cars (good)...but no linear/non-linear adjustment
and no speed sensitivity adjustment (very bad).

I loved the original NFS and NFS:HS is the closest yet they have come to
something remotely realistic.  I don't mind if you can smash walls and do
head-ons without your car flying apart and starting over.  That's what
arcade racers are all about.  But why can't we have a bit realism--even to
the level that was achieved years ago in the original NFS?  If the two
steering problems were fixed, NFS:HS would exceed the original's steering
(which was it weakest point).  What can we do about those tracks?...I don't
know.

Marc.

--
****************************************************************************
Marc Collins

Before you criticise someone, walk a mile in his shoes. Then,
when you do criticise that person, you'll be a mile away and
have his shoes.
****************************************************************************

There are (relatively) so few of us who use decent wheel/pedal
controllers and who really demand more realistic physical modeling
(handling, damage, road/track construction) that the companies making
the most money simply ignore us or just dangle a few "setup screens" in
front of us to get our money before we discover that we have been had
again.

It ain't worth waiting for NFS5 (or the inevitable NFS4 SE).  Buy GPL.
Buy SCGT.  Buy GP2.  Pray for honest marketing in Rally Championship.
Wait patiently for the next real innovation from Papy.  Upgrade your
*** PC.  Don't give the hucksters your hard-earned money.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.racesimcentral.net/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.

Marc, I agree, but, get CTFJ, and use it to improve the steering
curve in NFS4. I did, and it is REAL nice on my TSW2

http://home.att.net/~stickworks/ctfjv310.zip

Loads-a-fun, IMO....

--
* rrevved at mindspring dot com
* unit.26 - s.p.u.t.u.m.
* http://www.cabal.net
* http://www.sputum.com

That is the worst aspect of the game, the poor track design. They used
the damage mode plus narrow twisty tracks to implement difficulty
(i.e., instead of doing decent AI).

You sort of can, if you practice a lot - but any novice will just
bounce off the walls.

My suspicion is that the rights to the code in the original game was
shared by EA and Road and Track, who were co-developers of the game.
EA went solo on NFS2 so that they could make more money. I think that
great driving model code and accident/collision physics from HVS 1 is
sitting in a vault somewhere, untouchable. That's why NFS2 was such
utterly hopeless ***in every department (user interface, graphics,
driving model, track design) - the EA team had to start from scratch.

I predict we won't see good NFS tracks until either A) there is a
track editor (unlikely) or B) EA develops AI-driver code that can
compete in racing and doesn't have to depend on cheap tricks like
narrow, twisty tracks. Given EA's reputation in AI programming
(typically as abysmal as their graphics programming is superb) I don't
expect that anytime soon either.

Joe McGinn
==========================================
Staff Writer for the Sports *** Network
http://www.racesimcentral.net/***.com/
==========================================

Marc.

Marc.

 As it is shipped, the center (initial travel of the wheel from center) is
*slow* and sloppy and then suddenly increases at the limits of your wheel.

In CTFJ, I click the + -curve- of the X-Axis 2 or 3 times. It will give you
an increased steering effect at the center of the wheel travel, and a
lessened one as you reach the extreme limits.

Experiment with that..

(I also use a minimum deadzone.)

        True, the graphics just keep getting better (though, oddly
enough, not the engine sounds), but unless the thrill of driving a
Carrera or Viper on Coastal or Alpine is matched I will continue to be
disappointed.  

        Maybe it's been said before, but I'd be willing to pay the
game's original price for an NFS1 with full Win98 compatibility and
even the barest of 3d support.  

Martin
Nigel Mansell RIP!