Sorry for the length of this, but I have a lot to
say...
I've just spent some time playing RC2000, and
thought I'd offer my opinions as someone who
loves driving games/sims from the "fun" sims like
TOCA2 and SCGT, up through full simulations like
GPL, SODA and N3.
First, let me put a couple of thoughts into
perspective...
We're getting to a point where there is a lot of
sime/game crossover, evident by how some of the
less sim-like programs like SCGT do some
modelling that traditionally serious programs
like N3 don't do.
Some people appreciate this, others don't. I'm
very happily switching between Rally
Championship, Dirt Track Racing and TOCA2 right
now. Each offer something the others don't, and I
appreciate them for what they are.
Dirt Track Racing captures the feel of driving on
packed dirt wonderfully, and I feel TOCA2
captures the "rough and tumble" spirit of Touring
Car Racing beautifully even though it isn't
highly realistic.
In that vein, I like Rally Championship, but I
don't consider it anywhere near a definitive
simulation.
I'll preface my comments by saying that all play
was done in SIMULATION mode.
I think the source of much of the controversy
were the comments that the full version driving
physics were going to be substantially different
from the demo - they aren't.
The steering is fast. I backed the slider all the
way off, and it helped a lot with my LWFF.
The controls/car movement have an immediacy to
them that belies the feeling of driving a heavy
vehicle on a loose surface.
Accelerating, stopping, turning feel like I would
expect them to on pavement sections.
Front wheel drive or not, Dirt Track Racing
better conveys the feeling of the type of
corrections you'd expect to be making on a
dirt/gravel surface.
If you hit a tree, bridge abutment or other
object, you do indeed stop dead, slam it in
reverse (or hold down the brake pedal in
automatic trans mode -unfortunate) and continue.
I've often overshot turns and had the car high
enough off the ground that I'd suspect it would
damage the suspension, upon landing even though
these cars are built to be punished.
I couple times, I augered in the nose without
flipping, and continued on undamaged.
There IS damage modelling, some of it conveyed by
onscreen text.
I damaged the cooling and electrical system on my
car, but this was after an awful bit of driving
that including hitting a bridge and stopping
dead, and missing a bridge completely, going in a
stream, then driving up the opposite bank.
Only more play time will tell how much it affects
performance.
I initially got a Cooling System Malfunction
message. The car continued to perform the same.
I was eventually given another message, this time
saying something to the effect of Slow Down.
Finally, I had a Cooling System Failure message.
This was accompanied by visible steam coming out
over the hood using the hood view.
I was in the last half of the final stage, and
was able to continue to the end. I'm not sure if
I would have burned up the car if this had
happened earlier on or not.
As far as physical control goes, I was unable to
get the game to run with split access on my
Formula Force, despite the control setup
recognizing them immediately.
At the start of the race, I pressed the gas pedal
and the car revved, but the sound wasn't
accompanied by any forward motion. Switching back
to combined axis solved the problem.
There may be something more to the setup that I
missed, but a rally sim NEEDS to have good split
axis support.
You can hear the real life drivers holding the
throttle to the floor while controlling the car
with the brake.
Overall, there is a lot of good here. As said by
almost everyone, the graphics are beautiful.
The Pirelli rally starts off in the dark, and
it's quite beautiful.
The flicker of your 4 huge lights seems just
right, and the flash of cameras as you run along
the fences with spectators is striking.
I can see why Magnetic Fields would want to be
somewhat liberal with the damage model.
The stages are long, and this would be one
intimidating sim with truly accurate physics.
More difficult than GPL, given the difficulty of
committing huge stages to memory.
Most of my rallies would probaby be over within
the first few kilometers.
I still wish for the opportunity to try.
Having the current Simulation mode as a "Semi-
Sim" mode between Arcade and a true ***
Simulation mode would have been great.
DNF's from breaking wheels off or mangling the
front end a couple of klicks in would be good
incentive to concentrate on keeping the car going
for the long run with cautious driving instead of
sideswiping scenery and jumping ledges.
As far as realism goes, I'd have to say the game
most reminds me of a rally version of a newer
Need For Speed.
Some might consider that an affront, but that is
what Rally Championship most reminds me of when
I'm playing it.
It's definitely not in the GPL and Viper level,
nor does it approach SCGT with the Advanced
Options Editor.
That said, I'm having fun with it, and if you're
lucky enough to be able to seperate fun and
absolute realism, Rally Championship 2000 is VERY
playable. In fact, I'm going back to playing it
now.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.racesimcentral.net/
Before you buy.
