rec.autos.simulators

On the way home from the local CompUSA, I ponder the question of having  to
pay $49.99US for a game that I have supported from it's beginning.  Well, it
came down to support to Papyrus/Sierra.  Okay, the issue of the cost is out
of the way.  I am not going to compare features to price. Was it worth the
full price? Yes and No.  For me....no.  But for someone else, who has just
bought their first Nascar racing simulation game....Yes.

Okay!  First off, everything seemed a little more polished.  But, I got to
tell you, I wanted to see the smoke!  So I go directly to Bristol.  Every
spin, was happening behind and I wasn't seeing the smoke.  So, I try Dega.
That was the best AI race at Dega I have ever had.  Still no smoke.  Then it
happened.  A car up front started losing a motor.  The first time I saw N2
in rendition, I was truly impressed with the "haze" on the track when
looking at the corners.  The hint of smoke on the track just added so much
more.  After running a lap in light smoke, I was wishing to see the heavy
smoke.  The stuff not caused by me.  No luck  I tried to spin some AI's.  No
luck.  I walked away wanting to play again. And that is the key to any
successful game.

After a 'quality time' break with my son, I am back.  This time I am going
online!  I did get to race on one of the Test Servers.  That was the best
race I had had all night.  Mainly due to the fact that it didn't drop the
race, just to go start the same race in another arena.  This is when it
happened.  I finally got to see the smoke and have to deal with the desired
effect.  I was running mid-pack. when the spotter warns me of a spin.  Then
I see the smoke. Okay....aim for the spinning car....He won't be there when
you get to that spot.....wait, I can't see the spinning car! How many are
spinning?! There's one! Which direction was he crossing the track?!  I have
no idea what the spotter was saying, if he was saying anything at all.  I
had totally tuned him out! When in doubt, hug the wall, close your eyes and
pray!  I couldn't see a thing! That was the coolest thing since seeing
actual mountains on a flight simulator. WOW!  The next spin that took place,
I wasn't so lucky.

WOW!  Was it worth the full price?  Maybe for me it was......

Thad

LTOThud......For now, One and the few other dozen guys that are #143

Thanks for the story, I enjoyed it!!  It was great to read one that didn't pick
apart the program and point out all the things that they didn't like about it!

It is all too often and easy to point out flaws with something rather than
appreciating and complimenting it.

H-H

It's funny how little things make a big difference. Yesterday I was racing on
C***te (oops, sorry, Lowe's... :-), I was at the back (as usual, when in the
middle of the pack a car got trouble with his motor. The tiny trail of smoke
looked so cool! Another nice thing was that he didn't go the the pits immediately:
he tried to keep up one more lap but after that he went into the pits. It was just
as if a REAL driver was  in that car, who couldn't make up his mind what to do: go
in the pits or not....? This little thing made the race so increcible realistic,
so immersive! I also never could believe how something simple as skid marks could
make a game even more realistic! N3 is great. If only I could keep up with the
fast guys...

Jeroen