rec.autos.simulators

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

John Pancoas

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by John Pancoas » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 07:05:59

 No.

John


http://www.racesimcentral.net/

> 96&act=ST&f=1&t=255

> (The poll is at that link)

> It looks like this game ( http://www.racesimcentral.net/ ) is not going to be
a
> simple 'plunk down your $30 for NFS6 at the store and all connection
between
> you and EA ends there' traditional sort of a game. The West's have set
> extremely high goals for this sim, and by all appearances they will be
> almost exclusively dependent on the Internet sim-racing community to buy,
> support, spread-by-word-of-mouth, and develop addons for it.

> Their website states that a beta-testing stage will start soon (like in
the
> next few months) and that while Beta Testers will be required to pay a
fee,
> this fee *will* count towards purchase of the game. I regard this as an
> investment situation that carries a certain amount of risk, with the hope
> that the game (and its continuing enhancements and addons) is worthwhile.
It
> is not clear (to me at least) that the Wests can really deliver on these
> promises, but RL also seems (to me at least) to be the last, best hope for
> an open, extensible racing sim that we have for the forseeable future, and
> that if we want it to materialize we have to make this risky investment.

> Are you willing to invest money (and not a small amount of money either)
to
> be a Beta Tester for Racing Legends? Vote now!

> rms


Morris Jone

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Morris Jone » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 07:04:27

I'll pay $100.00, just to see that is not vapor ware..

> Based on a post about them testing on a P3-700 and a Voodoo5 card I don't
> thin kit will be earth shattering. N2002 pushes even the newest PC so one
> optimized for older hardware isn't gong to be outdoing them IMHO.
> Modelling a realistic damage model, AI, weather, and so on is going to
take
> a major programming effort and a powerful PC to run it.



> > On Sun, 14 Jul 2002 19:02:33 GMT, "Jan Verschueren"

> > >You guys are kidding, right? $50 is under anyone's curiosity threshold,
> > >surely?

> > I think the problem with the price is that people don't realize
> > exactly how ambitious this project is.

> > If this project is pulled off (and that's a big if, I'll admit) the
> > difference between Racing Legends and GPL or N2k2 or F12k2 will be
> > like the difference betweena military-grade flight simulator and
> > Falcon 4.0.  One of them is a simulator meant to be literally
> > interchangeable with real-world experience, one of them is a computer
> > game with simulation elements.

> > That ambition is why people are so e***d about this project.  I, for
> > one, am tired of driving half-assed computer games.  The pinnacle of
> > auto simulation is currently held by Papyrus and ISI.  Neither of them
> > has produced a game with a sophisticated aerodynamic model.  Neither
> > of them has produced a game with an accurate damage model.  Neither of
> > them has evolved their tire model beyond 3 independent contact
> > patches.  Neither of them has produced an accurate weather model.

> > I'm willing to pay $500 for an auto sim with 10 tracks, passable AI,
> > multiplayer capabilities (even if only LAN), and 1 class of car if
> > it's actually 100% accurate to the tiniest detail of physical
> > modelling.  Even without any chance or hope of further support or
> > expansion.

> > $500 is peanuts compared to what it would cost were I to actually
> > invest the time and money into building a race car.

> > Jason

Schoone

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Schoone » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 07:22:03

What I find funny is how so many people want to pay up to $50 or more for
this beta but when the N2002 replay analyzer was mentioned as being pay for
shareware people nearly lost it saying it was against the concept of this
community ;)


http://www.west-racing.com/forums/index.php?s=7bde3180e288faa8b4ff095...

> 96&act=ST&f=1&t=255

> (The poll is at that link)

> It looks like this game ( http://www.west-racing.com ) is not going to be
a
> simple 'plunk down your $30 for NFS6 at the store and all connection
between
> you and EA ends there' traditional sort of a game. The West's have set
> extremely high goals for this sim, and by all appearances they will be
> almost exclusively dependent on the Internet sim-racing community to buy,
> support, spread-by-word-of-mouth, and develop addons for it.

> Their website states that a beta-testing stage will start soon (like in
the
> next few months) and that while Beta Testers will be required to pay a
fee,
> this fee *will* count towards purchase of the game. I regard this as an
> investment situation that carries a certain amount of risk, with the hope
> that the game (and its continuing enhancements and addons) is worthwhile.
It
> is not clear (to me at least) that the Wests can really deliver on these
> promises, but RL also seems (to me at least) to be the last, best hope for
> an open, extensible racing sim that we have for the forseeable future, and
> that if we want it to materialize we have to make this risky investment.

> Are you willing to invest money (and not a small amount of money either)
to
> be a Beta Tester for Racing Legends? Vote now!

> rms


ymenar

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by ymenar » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 07:26:36


> (The poll is at that link)

My answer would be : definitively no.

--
-- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard>
-- http://www.ymenard.8m.com/
-- This announcement is brought to you by the Shimago-Dominguez
Corporation - helping America into the New World...

Revvi

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Revvi » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 08:10:41

Definately NO and anyone that would pay must be rather short sighted. It
appears the team are short of money and desperately trying to raise
money...desperate being the right word. I've been part of many a game BETA
and still under NDA for 4 and would never have paid money to be on any of
them. By taking part in a BETA you are helping the company a great deal by
them having their software tested on a variety of system specs by
enthusiastic players, if anything you should be paid by THEM.


http://www.west-racing.com/forums/index.php?s=7bde3180e288faa8b4ff095...

> 96&act=ST&f=1&t=255

> (The poll is at that link)

> It looks like this game ( http://www.west-racing.com ) is not going to be
a
> simple 'plunk down your $30 for NFS6 at the store and all connection
between
> you and EA ends there' traditional sort of a game. The West's have set
> extremely high goals for this sim, and by all appearances they will be
> almost exclusively dependent on the Internet sim-racing community to buy,
> support, spread-by-word-of-mouth, and develop addons for it.

> Their website states that a beta-testing stage will start soon (like in
the
> next few months) and that while Beta Testers will be required to pay a
fee,
> this fee *will* count towards purchase of the game. I regard this as an
> investment situation that carries a certain amount of risk, with the hope
> that the game (and its continuing enhancements and addons) is worthwhile.
It
> is not clear (to me at least) that the Wests can really deliver on these
> promises, but RL also seems (to me at least) to be the last, best hope for
> an open, extensible racing sim that we have for the forseeable future, and
> that if we want it to materialize we have to make this risky investment.

> Are you willing to invest money (and not a small amount of money either)
to
> be a Beta Tester for Racing Legends? Vote now!

> rms


Rob

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Rob » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 08:14:25

Wow, you are really optimistic about a product from an unproven development
team, testing on low end equipment and unable to even produce some type of
demo or movie of their current work. Why, pray tell, do you actually believe
that this sim will be of such higher quality than anything else available?
They really don't even say as much on their site.

--
---------------------
Rob Berryhill


> On Sun, 14 Jul 2002 19:02:33 GMT, "Jan Verschueren"

> >You guys are kidding, right? $50 is under anyone's curiosity threshold,
> >surely?

> I think the problem with the price is that people don't realize
> exactly how ambitious this project is.

> If this project is pulled off (and that's a big if, I'll admit) the
> difference between Racing Legends and GPL or N2k2 or F12k2 will be
> like the difference betweena military-grade flight simulator and
> Falcon 4.0.  One of them is a simulator meant to be literally
> interchangeable with real-world experience, one of them is a computer
> game with simulation elements.

Biz

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Biz » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 08:19:22

Guests cannot post or take part in most forums in case you haven't noticed.  All you have to do is
register to use the forum.....
--
Biz

"Don't touch that please, your primitive intellect wouldn't understand
alloys and compositions and,......things with molecular structures,....and
the....." - Ash


> Notice also that guest cannot vote.



> http://www.west-racing.com/forums/index.php?s=7bde3180e288faa8b4ff095...
> > 96&act=ST&f=1&t=255

> > (The poll is at that link)

> > It looks like this game ( http://www.west-racing.com ) is not going to be
> a
> > simple 'plunk down your $30 for NFS6 at the store and all connection
> between
> > you and EA ends there' traditional sort of a game. The West's have set
> > extremely high goals for this sim, and by all appearances they will be
> > almost exclusively dependent on the Internet sim-racing community to buy,
> > support, spread-by-word-of-mouth, and develop addons for it.

> > Their website states that a beta-testing stage will start soon (like in
> the
> > next few months) and that while Beta Testers will be required to pay a
> fee,
> > this fee *will* count towards purchase of the game. I regard this as an
> > investment situation that carries a certain amount of risk, with the hope
> > that the game (and its continuing enhancements and addons) is worthwhile.
> It
> > is not clear (to me at least) that the Wests can really deliver on these
> > promises, but RL also seems (to me at least) to be the last, best hope for
> > an open, extensible racing sim that we have for the forseeable future, and
> > that if we want it to materialize we have to make this risky investment.

> > Are you willing to invest money (and not a small amount of money either)
> to
> > be a Beta Tester for Racing Legends? Vote now!

> > rms


Joachim Trens

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Joachim Trens » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 10:24:54

I wouldn't question the West brother's integrity. I think that is flawless
beyond doubt. But in how far the market will accept their business model and
pricing, that's another question.

The 'immediate capital' was what I was trying to say with 'early revenue'.

Achim


...

David G Fishe

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by David G Fishe » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 08:32:11

You know what I'd rather have than anything you mention below? Better
hardware. Specifically, affordable VR glasses that give a fantastic, wide
image. That would be the single best thing to happen to sims IMO. A seat
that shakes my ***around would be nice too.

David G Fisher


> On Sun, 14 Jul 2002 19:02:33 GMT, "Jan Verschueren"

> >You guys are kidding, right? $50 is under anyone's curiosity threshold,
> >surely?

> I think the problem with the price is that people don't realize
> exactly how ambitious this project is.

> If this project is pulled off (and that's a big if, I'll admit) the
> difference between Racing Legends and GPL or N2k2 or F12k2 will be
> like the difference betweena military-grade flight simulator and
> Falcon 4.0.  One of them is a simulator meant to be literally
> interchangeable with real-world experience, one of them is a computer
> game with simulation elements.

> That ambition is why people are so e***d about this project.  I, for
> one, am tired of driving half-assed computer games.  The pinnacle of
> auto simulation is currently held by Papyrus and ISI.  Neither of them
> has produced a game with a sophisticated aerodynamic model.  Neither
> of them has produced a game with an accurate damage model.  Neither of
> them has evolved their tire model beyond 3 independent contact
> patches.  Neither of them has produced an accurate weather model.

> I'm willing to pay $500 for an auto sim with 10 tracks, passable AI,
> multiplayer capabilities (even if only LAN), and 1 class of car if
> it's actually 100% accurate to the tiniest detail of physical
> modelling.  Even without any chance or hope of further support or
> expansion.

> $500 is peanuts compared to what it would cost were I to actually
> invest the time and money into building a race car.

> Jason

Philste

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Philste » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 08:45:31

If I remember correctly, the beta for Need For Speed: Motor City required
you to pay $5 US in order to have a copy...

--
Philippe "Philster" Sergerie

http://www.west-racing.com/forums/index.php?s=7bde3180e288faa8b4ff095...

> 96&act=ST&f=1&t=255

> (The poll is at that link)

> It looks like this game ( http://www.west-racing.com ) is not going to be
a
> simple 'plunk down your $30 for NFS6 at the store and all connection
between
> you and EA ends there' traditional sort of a game. The West's have set
> extremely high goals for this sim, and by all appearances they will be
> almost exclusively dependent on the Internet sim-racing community to buy,
> support, spread-by-word-of-mouth, and develop addons for it.

> Their website states that a beta-testing stage will start soon (like in
the
> next few months) and that while Beta Testers will be required to pay a
fee,
> this fee *will* count towards purchase of the game. I regard this as an
> investment situation that carries a certain amount of risk, with the hope
> that the game (and its continuing enhancements and addons) is worthwhile.
It
> is not clear (to me at least) that the Wests can really deliver on these
> promises, but RL also seems (to me at least) to be the last, best hope for
> an open, extensible racing sim that we have for the forseeable future, and
> that if we want it to materialize we have to make this risky investment.

> Are you willing to invest money (and not a small amount of money either)
to
> be a Beta Tester for Racing Legends? Vote now!

> rms


Tom Osbo

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Tom Osbo » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 10:13:15

No and let me also say no, and no and furthermore no.

http://www.west-racing.com/forums/index.php?s=7bde3180e288faa8b4ff095...
> 96&act=ST&f=1&t=255

> (The poll is at that link)

> It looks like this game ( http://www.west-racing.com ) is not going to be
a
> simple 'plunk down your $30 for NFS6 at the store and all connection
between
> you and EA ends there' traditional sort of a game. The West's have set
> extremely high goals for this sim, and by all appearances they will be
> almost exclusively dependent on the Internet sim-racing community to buy,
> support, spread-by-word-of-mouth, and develop addons for it.

> Their website states that a beta-testing stage will start soon (like in
the
> next few months) and that while Beta Testers will be required to pay a
fee,
> this fee *will* count towards purchase of the game. I regard this as an
> investment situation that carries a certain amount of risk, with the hope
> that the game (and its continuing enhancements and addons) is worthwhile.
It
> is not clear (to me at least) that the Wests can really deliver on these
> promises, but RL also seems (to me at least) to be the last, best hope for
> an open, extensible racing sim that we have for the forseeable future, and
> that if we want it to materialize we have to make this risky investment.

> Are you willing to invest money (and not a small amount of money either)
to
> be a Beta Tester for Racing Legends? Vote now!

> rms


Asbj?rn Bj?rnst

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Asbj?rn Bj?rnst » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 11:04:42


> On Sun, 14 Jul 2002 19:02:33 GMT, "Jan Verschueren"

> >You guys are kidding, right? $50 is under anyone's curiosity threshold,
> >surely?

> I think the problem with the price is that people don't realize
> exactly how ambitious this project is.

> If this project is pulled off (and that's a big if, I'll admit) the
> difference between Racing Legends and GPL or N2k2 or F12k2 will be
> like the difference betweena military-grade flight simulator and
> Falcon 4.0.  One of them is a simulator meant to be literally
> interchangeable with real-world experience, one of them is a computer
> game with simulation elements.

And what kind of hardware does these military-grade flight simulaters
use?
--
  -asbjxrn
jason moy

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by jason moy » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 11:32:31

Honestly?  Because I've had a similar experience with media
publishers, albeit music and not software publishers.  A publisher of
any sort of entertainment media is more likely to release something
that is incredibly awful than something visionary and groundbreaking.
Sure, you and I both know that "the ultimate sim" (an open-ended GPL
2, for instance) would outsell the 2 dozen 3-D Ultra games Sierra
publishes each year, but try telling that to the stuffed shirts in the
executive bathhouse.  It's the same thing with books and music.
Stupid White Men by Michael Moore is outselling the 40 Danielle Steele
books that you see polluting the shelves at Wal-Mart, yet the
publisher fought and fought with him for editing that he wouldn't do.
Musicially, sales are entirely based on MTV and radio play, so
essentially you could shit onto a piece of paper and record yourself
rubbing it on the wall and sell 4 million copies with a slick video
and tons of radio play.

It would not surprise me at all if the sole reason WSC was canned by
Empire was because the West's refused to compromise their ideals.  It
strikes me as odd that Empire wouldn't be interested in a ***
racing simulation, but who knows.  There haven't exactly been any new
Rowan sims released lately either.

That said, it would not surprise me at all if the sole reason WSC was
canned by Empire was because West's had 10% of the product finished
after 2-3 years of development.

I'll consider myself optimistic if Racing Legends is exactly what I
posted below.  Until then, I'm not repartitioning my harddrive or
anything to make room for it here. =)

Jason



>Wow, you are really optimistic about a product from an unproven development
>team, testing on low end equipment and unable to even produce some type of
>demo or movie of their current work. Why, pray tell, do you actually believe
>that this sim will be of such higher quality than anything else available?
>They really don't even say as much on their site.

>--
>---------------------
>Rob Berryhill



>> On Sun, 14 Jul 2002 19:02:33 GMT, "Jan Verschueren"

>> >You guys are kidding, right? $50 is under anyone's curiosity threshold,
>> >surely?

>> I think the problem with the price is that people don't realize
>> exactly how ambitious this project is.

>> If this project is pulled off (and that's a big if, I'll admit) the
>> difference between Racing Legends and GPL or N2k2 or F12k2 will be
>> like the difference betweena military-grade flight simulator and
>> Falcon 4.0.  One of them is a simulator meant to be literally
>> interchangeable with real-world experience, one of them is a computer
>> game with simulation elements.

Alan Bernard

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Alan Bernard » Tue, 16 Jul 2002 12:07:28


http://www.west-racing.com/forums/index.php?s=7bde3180e288faa8b4ff095...

Yes, the same goals they set for the last sim.

I know there are a few instances where the user has to pay to beta software
(XP comes to mind, but I can think of no other example), but the typical way
of doing things is that the beta software is free (with a sign up) and so is
the final product.  Why these guys have to always do things differently is
beyond me.  This could be the biggest scam anyone has seen in a long while.

Not only is it not clear to me, I'll believe it when I see it.  I mean they
could develop this one-car-one-track deal, rank in a few bucks for beta
testing, and then skip town.

 > Are you willing to invest money (and not a small amount of money either)
to
No and no.

You guys can do all the work and take all the risks-- when I see it is when
I'll believe it.

Alanb

Nigel Nichol

Will you pay $50 to Beta-Test West Racing's Racing Legends ?

by Nigel Nichol » Wed, 17 Jul 2002 11:38:52

No, I will not
I'm not that brave as to fork out that amount for a possiblity.

Good on the West's for their ideas.  But it is only really an idea at the
moment.
They "may" have all the right stuff in the hearts to produce a realistic sim
but its sounds like they don't have the resources to pull it off.
And I don't belive this type of marketing will provided enough resources.
Not after the WSC no show, no say anymore as if it never existed at all.

Nigel


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