rec.autos.simulators

by **Haqsa** » Wed, 03 Dec 2003 10:20:08

Wow, what a game. After ~20 hours of play I have completed the Kudos World
Series and about 50 odd Arcade Races, or IOW about half of the game. That
is enough to unlock all the tracks and almost half of the cars. I just blew
through the easiest level as quickly as I could, just to get things
unlocked. It appears like you can unlock everything in this game at the
easiest difficulty level. Some people might not like that but I think it is
great, since I mostly just want to get things unlocked for multiplayer.
Nice to know I won't be needing a cheat code just to be able to play the
'ring with my buddies in split screen mode.

Speaking of which, they really did a great job on the 'ring. It's well lit,
the terrain looks really nice, the curbing is well done (although possibly a
bit more generous than real life?), and they even included graffiti on the
track surface. And it's not just the aesthetics either, the track appears
to be very accurate, based on videos I have seen and based on the GPL
version. They even put in the tall tree that you use to line up for the
Karussel. It feels right too, I found myself having to deal with the same
kind of weight transfer and chassis control issues that I do in the GPL
version (but of course with better traction;).

Car selection is great too. If I listed all the street legal cars I would
ever want to drive, about the only things that would be missing from the
game would be a 1st gen 'Vette and the McLaren F1. Everything else that I
would want is in there. There are even a few in there that I didn't know I
wanted until I tried them, like the Lotus 340R. All can be test driven from
a virtual showroom first, so that if you decide you don't like them you
don't have to waste the points to buy them. Very nice.

Well done, Bizarre Creations! Best console racer I have ever played.

by **Damien Smit** » Wed, 03 Dec 2003 12:13:39

Yep, it's a fabulous game and easily the best console racer ever. Wasn't
overly impressed with it at first but the more I see of it the more I like
it. I've had a bit of a look through the physics files for each of the cars
and there seems to quite a few calculations happening. A lot of these cars
have been featured on stufff like Top Gear and the handling characteristics
they describe on that show seem to be in line with how the cars handle in
PGR2 which I thought was quite impressive.

I'm finding it a tad easy though - getting platinums in most races after
only a few tries....lots of races to get through though....

The toughest part is deciding whether to play PGR2 or Top Spin - they're
both phenominal games. =) Thank god I didn't sell my Xbox a couple of
months ago like I intended....<g>

by **Phillip Malphrus, Jr** » Wed, 03 Dec 2003 12:23:46

yep, Top Spin kicks ***too

by **Haqsa** » Thu, 04 Dec 2003 13:29:49

Watched a few videos of the 'Ring today and now I am even more impressed.
The PGR2 version is more accurate than I thought, the curbs are correctly
placed and even the extra wide ones are correct. Very impressive.

by **Joe M** » Thu, 04 Dec 2003 13:37:39

It's amazing what an actual budget can do to the quality of a game. :) Now
if only a PC racer got the same bank roll as PGR2.

--
Joe M.

by **Dav** » Thu, 04 Dec 2003 14:25:46

>Well done, Bizarre Creations! Best console racer I have ever played.

Well, I've certainly warmed up to it, but I still would give
the console sim/racer title to GT3. But I agree with all else you
posted (which I, uh, deleted :-)). I too tried to blitz my way
through to unlock the 'Ring. For those who don't have it, you
have to play all the way through the "Kudos World Series" to
unlock the Nurburgring. Thats about 180 races, etc to beat. I
ended out finishing most on Silver. I wasn't impressed with the
physics until hot-lapping on the 'Ring. I do think the oversteer,
understeer, and grip are all somewhat exaggerated. But at least
the feel of the vehicle dynamics is decent. The graphics are
great, the sound is terrific, the car selection is phenomenal.
And as you said, the 'Ring modeling is very good. Seems a bit
long on some stretches. And vehicle grip is too high so I can set
times a bit too fast for the chosen cars.

by **Doug Hoo** » Thu, 04 Dec 2003 21:34:02

Are all of you guys driving with the controller or wheels?

by **Haqsa** » Thu, 04 Dec 2003 23:03:49

I'm driving with a Madcatz thumbstick controller, fits my hand a little
better than the standard ones. It is very difficult, when using
thumbsticks, to make the small, subtle motions you need to control a car,
and sometimes I can't do it at all. I'm sure I could do better with a wheel
but to me part of the value of a console is being able to sit down on the
couch and just play without having to set anything else up.

by **Tyler Eave** » Thu, 04 Dec 2003 23:17:54

>>Well done, Bizarre Creations! Best console racer I have ever played.

For those who don't have it, you

No you don't. NO YOU DON'T. Okay ;)

I feel sorry if you though that.
The full 'Ring is available in Time Attack mode from the instant you power
the game on for the first time. Also, if you win a race at a track online,
that track is instantly unlocked in all modes.

by **Kyle Robert** » Fri, 05 Dec 2003 05:17:56

> >>Well done, Bizarre Creations! Best console racer I have ever played.

> For those who don't have it, you
> > have to play all the way through the "Kudos World Series" to
> > unlock the Nurburgring. Thats about 180 races, etc to beat.

> No you don't. NO YOU DON'T. Okay ;)

> I feel sorry if you though that.
> The full 'Ring is available in Time Attack mode from the instant you power
> the game on for the first time. Also, if you win a race at a track online,
> that track is instantly unlocked in all modes.

It is not unlocked from the first time you play. It is available in the Time
Attack Car Challenge if you have the TVR or the Koenigsegg. They cost 16 and
22 tokens to unlock. To be able to drive any of the cars that you have
unlocked you have to either finish the Kudos World Series or like you said
win an online race at the track.

by **Tyler Eave** » Fri, 05 Dec 2003 06:31:15

a race at a track online,

No you don't. Not 'Time Attack Car Challange', just plain 'Time attack', I
think it's under 'Arcade'. You can drive any car.

I know this is true, because the 'Ring was the very first track I played
when I opened the game.

by **Haqsa** » Fri, 05 Dec 2003 06:52:12

I thought that you had to have the track unlocked already to play it online.
Is that not true?

by **Tyler Eave** » Fri, 05 Dec 2003 08:37:31

> I thought that you had to have the track unlocked already to play it online.
> Is that not true?

Sorta. You have to have a track unlocked to HOST with that track, but you
don't have to just to join the game.

by **Dav** » Fri, 05 Dec 2003 10:17:14

>No you don't. Not 'Time Attack Car Challange', just plain 'Time attack', I
>think it's under 'Arcade'. You can drive any car.

>I know this is true, because the 'Ring was the very first track I played
>when I opened the game.

Hmmm. Well, I've returned the XBOX to its owner, so I can't check
now. From what I recall, Car Challenge allowed you to drive the
'Ring in the Konigsegg only, as someone else stated. Circuit
Challenge required unlocking on completion of the Kudos WS. The
other modes were for Cone Challenge, Street Race and (?). None
had the 'Ring at the start. So, I'm confused as to where the Ring
is available right from the get go. Can anyone else confirm?

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