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WARNING! Don't buy the euro version!!!! I was stupid enough to buy it
and here's the story...
The European version of Nascar 4 is a real ripoff; it is missing ELEVEN
(11) nascar drivers including Bobby Labonte, Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon,
Mark Martin and others! ALSO there are no car manufacturers (dodge,
ford, etc.), and it seems some logos & sponsors and other things have
been either entirely removed or replaced with something else. As if this
wasn't enough the intro sequence doesn't have any nascar footage, only
sierra's and papyrus' logos (even though the manual states the intro
footage was filmed in Daytona beach). There's probably more but I
returned my copy and changed it to Fallout Tactics instead.
So is the Euro version patched? Hmmm, it clearly states version number
4.1.0.1.1 so I decided quickly test it by playing Martinsville (with 43
cars). First lap and first corner 10-15 cars carnage. So there's your
patch. Thank you. It took 2 months to work out some licensing BS??? Its
quite obvious that Sierra didn't want to spend any more bucks for this
product.
Frankly I'm getting real sick about Sierra. First they butcher the much
awaited Babylon 5 flight simulator and now they are dirtying Papyrus'
reputation. Papy boys would be better off if they would change their
distributor. Real fast. I have only two words for you Sierra: F*** OFF!
Yours truly,
One damn pissed off finnish nascar fan
(BTW I have been playing the warez version for two months only because
the game wasn't released here, so that's why I know the difference
between these two versions. It seems the only way is to buy the US
version and ship it here Finland which costs alot, but at least the game
is worth it.)
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The version number he reports (4.1.0.1.1) is of interest to us, but at
what point it includes the patch *we're* waiting for has not been
revealed. Is this version number indicative of including the earlier
patch for connection through a firewall along with merely being the euro
version, or does it also include our multiplayer patch as well?
It's kind of a licensing mystery why the sim would be missing the
drivers and track/event logos. I don't see the point in their exclusion
other than maybe foreign laws. I can understand this guy being a little
annoyed at having to now download the cars for these drivers, but we all
had to do that to get the correct car for Rusty Wallace and Dale Jr.
The AI patch thing is kind of disheartening, but the hardest thing in
the world to program is artifical intelligence (and a user interface
that is understandable/usable by EVERYONE). Besides, we can make some
adjustmnents to the AI to improve their compatibility with human
drivers, so once more, this is kind of a moot point.
The last paragraph is completely true, but is not because of the game
writers or publishers. It is driven almost completely by licensing
costs. We beg and plead for accurate representations of the cars and
tracks, and then complain when we have to foot part of the bill by way
of higher software prices. If we want tracks like "Daytona" and
Bristol", and cars that sport "Chevrolet" or "Dodge" instead of generic
(non-accurate) headlights/grills/taillights, we have to be ready to pony
up because the owners of those trademarked logos and brand names want
their cut of the game industry pie.
It's all about *money*. Everyone's concern for our enjoyment of the
genre in the form of computer simulations takes a DISTANT backseat to
the realities (greed) of everyone else involved. The only people that
remain true to the ideals are the programmers and the end-users. Period.
--
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Redneck Techno-Biker & "programming deity"
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
DeMONS/1 for Nascar Racing 3 & Nascar Legends
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
DeMONS/2 for Nascar Racing 4 (in development)
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
Barbarian Diecast Collector (460+ cars and counting)
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
If you want to send me email, go to the first URL shown
above & click "Send Me Mail" in the contents frame.
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