Monster Games (MGI)

discussed in 381 posts, 1998-2005 · overall tone positive

Viper Racing 1998 NASCAR Heat 2000

Posts per month

How the mood changed

Starts at zero. Every post that spoke well of them moves the line up, every critical post moves it down (weighted −2 to +2).

Press releases

Key threads

• Debate over Ed Martin leaving r.a.s. 2000-11-19 · 33 posts
  Users asked what Hasbro's Ed Martin had said to cause a backlash, and his last post and the replies were quoted. Many defended him as a dedicated developer driven away by abuse, as Papyrus staff had been, while others said his reply was out of line. The discussion also covered NASCAR Heat's lack of online yellow flags and pit-stop AI problems.
• Developer explains NASCAR Heat's blurred textures 2000-08-31 · 27 posts
  Ed Martin reposted Monster Games developer Dave Pollatsek's explanation of why NASCAR Heat textures 'de-rez' with large fields on cards with limited memory. Voodoo 5 owners corrected a claim about AGP texturing, which Pollatsek acknowledged, and reported unreadable dashboards with 43 cars. Users asked for an option to limit visible cars or use texture compression.
• Will NASCAR Heat suffer like other Hasbro titles? 2000-07-29 · 27 posts
  After GP3, posters questioned whether Hasbro's NASCAR Heat would disappoint. Others explained it was made by a different developer, reportedly the Viper Racing team, including former Papyrus staff, and that E3 visitors had praised it. Eldred noted that Crammond was also considered brilliant before GP3, and posters warned against overhyping NASCAR Racing 4.
• ISI to develop EA's NASCAR Thunder 2003 2002-06-03 · 25 posts
  Haqsau reported from PC Gamer that ISI was developing EA's NASCAR Thunder 2003. The talk turned to NASCAR Heat's missing online yellow flags, which posters said had been blamed on licensing. Former MGI developer Dave Pollatsek explained that Heat was contracted with only pickup-race multiplayer and that Hasbro lacked full online rights, which Sierra held.
• NASCAR 4 AI problems at Martinsville 2001-02-11 · 36 posts
  Marc Collins complained that NASCAR 4's AI was badly broken at Martinsville and in cautions, saying Papyrus had released it too early. Others accused him of constant negativity, while ymenard said the AI elsewhere was the best ever. Posters debated whether GPL had been as polished at release and noted that AI for close-packed stock car racing is hard.
• Complaints about NASCAR Heat bugs and Hasbro as publisher 2000-09-14 · 30 posts
  A user complained that NASCAR Heat had no contact sounds, AI cars that felt on rails and non-working gauges. Others explained the gauge was a fuel pressure gauge and that a patch addressing the AI was due shortly, while flight simmers blamed Hasbro for its treatment of the Falcon 4.0 team. The thread drifted into B-17 II lacking multiplayer and whether online racing beats racing the AI.
• Why NASCAR Heat drew criticism after release 2000-08-25 · 64 posts
  Alan Bernardo asked why a game praised in demo form was being trashed at release. Critics cited the weak damage model, caution and flag issues, excessive flips and no save game, while supporters praised its physics, AI and graphics over NASCAR Racing 3 and said a few people criticise every new title. Many hoped a patch would improve damage.
• Sears Point track builder's detailed NASCAR Heat evaluation 2000-08-21 · 35 posts
  Tom Pabst of the SearsGroup add-on track team posted a long evaluation of NASCAR Heat, criticising its sounds, computer-controlled rolling starts and automated pit entry while praising the overall sim. Many thanked him for a thoughtful review, others argued over whether rolling starts were acceptable, and it was reported the full game would allow pit-lane and caution control. Readers also asked him for future tracks.
• NASCAR Heat full-field frame rates and content 2000-08-17 · 49 posts
  Sal V. worried about how NASCAR Heat would perform with a full 43-car field, since the demo was limited. Others posted frame rates and settings to recover performance, and explained that licensing left the game with 27 real drivers and without Indianapolis and Pocono. Arguments about V-sync and NASCAR Racing 3 frame rates followed.
• High-end force feedback wheels and FF latency design 2002-01-22 · 37 posts
  David L. Cook reported that Ball Racing planned an expensive Reaction force feedback system costing around 5000 euros. Doug Milliken, who worked on Atari's Hard Drivin' games, argued that force feedback should be tightly coupled to the physics model, and Monster Games physics programmer Dave Pollatsek discussed USB and Windows latency and proposed programmable wheel-side effects. The thread then debated whether FF should come from front-wheel forces or lateral acceleration, and Ruud van Gaal planned to try it in Racer.
• Who are the West brothers, and will WSC ever ship? 2001-08-13 · 84 posts
  A newcomer asked who the West brothers were and why World Sports Cars was so eagerly awaited. The question sparked a heated debate between sceptics who had given up waiting and supporters who pointed to movies, previews and EB's Q1 2002 listing. Others noted the brothers had never shipped a racing sim and mentioned alternatives from Bugbear and ISI, including a rumoured licensed CART add-on for F1 Championship Season 2000.
• No NASCAR Heat warez, and the US-only release 2000-08-15 · 95 posts
  Vintook asked why no pirated copies of NASCAR Heat had surfaced after it went gold, unlike GP3. Many credited the pre-release demo and tight beta team, and Monster Games' Ed Martin said warez links would help their lawyers and urged overseas buyers to order online. Europeans complained about the US-only release and import costs, and the long thread drifted into arguments about the ethics and effects of piracy.
• Is NASCAR Heat going to be an arcade game? 2000-05-06 · 33 posts
  An interview with producer Ed Martin led some to call NASCAR Heat an arcade game. Others pointed out that it offered both arcade and sim modes and was built by Monster Games on Viper Racing's well-regarded physics. Toni Lassila argued that Hasbro had abandoned simulations, and Ed Martin joined to invite people to try NASCAR Heat and GP3 at Hasbro's E3 booth.
• Ed Martin explains NASCAR Heat development and features 2000-04-26 · 34 posts
  News that NASCAR Heat's tracks were modelled from satellite imagery prompted questions about accuracy. Hasbro Interactive executive producer Ed Martin, formerly of Papyrus, explained that track data was hard to get before licences were signed, that Monster Games was the lead developer with Blue Fang Games involved, and that Bobby Labonte supplied in-car race tapes. He also answered questions on pit strategy, 3D cockpits, black flags and online play, and Monster Games' Dave Pollatsek hinted that auto-pit might be a hidden feature.
• Are the big sim makers resting on their laurels? 1999-09-06 · 28 posts
  John Bodin argued that with GP3 and NASCAR Racing 3 both built on older engines, the established developers were coasting, and that newcomers such as Ratbag with Dirt Track Racing and Motorsims with AMA Superbike could take over. Others added MGI, makers of Viper Racing, while Tracey Miller feared it was the beginning of the end for high-quality sims as consoles grew stronger. Posters also discussed the demise of the Can-Am series and Motorsims' planned Can-Am title, and corrected the history of Papyrus's engines.

Busiest threads

• Debate over Ed Martin leaving r.a.s. (6 posts about it)
• Developer explains NASCAR Heat's blurred textures (5 posts about it)
• Will NASCAR Heat suffer like other Hasbro titles? (5 posts about it)
• ISI to develop EA's NASCAR Thunder 2003 (4 posts about it)
• NASCAR 4 AI problems at Martinsville (4 posts about it)
• Re: Nascar Heat: Best looking, most fun , why no discussion here ? (4 posts about it)
• Complaints about NASCAR Heat bugs and Hasbro as publisher (4 posts about it)
• Why NASCAR Heat drew criticism after release (4 posts about it)
• Sears Point track builder's detailed NASCAR Heat evaluation (4 posts about it)
• NASCAR Heat full-field frame rates and content (4 posts about it)
• Viper Demo!!!!!!! (4 posts about it)
• No talk or verbal jabs about EA NSR since Nov /05 ? ? Come on guys i want to hear more (3 posts about it)
• High-end force feedback wheels and FF latency design (3 posts about it)
• MGI would love to make Viper Racing (2) for the PS2 is Sierra hears from us (3 posts about it)
• Viper Racing 1.2 beta patch? (3 posts about it)

Sentiment by year

Who talked about them most

Dave Henrie · 32 Dave Pollatsek · 21 (unknown) · 19 John Bodin · 18 Larry · 15 ymenard · 12 Dave Brosk · 11 Steve Blankenship · 10 Marc Collins · 9 Tom Pabst · 8 David R. Ericson · 8 Chris Wright · 8 Jeneral · 6 Ed Martin · 6 Galley_SimRacer · 5 jason moyer · 4 Jason Monds · 4 Joe Marques · 4 Marc J. Nelson · 4 Kenneth Verburg · 4

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