F1 2002

ISI/EA · released 2002 · discussed in 3,572 posts, 2000-2009 · overall tone mixed

Posts per month

Timeline

• 2002-04-16 EA's F1 2002 was released on the Xbox. post post
• 2002-05-08 EA released a work-in-progress PC demo of F1 2002. thread post
• 2002-06-07 F1 2002 for PC was released in the UK, followed by the US on June 13. post post
• 2002-11-30 SimBin released the 265 MB GTR2002 mod for F1 2002, and download mirrors were overwhelmed. post post thread
• 2002-12-25 Vintage Motors Inc released a 1984-88 F1 turbo-era mod for F1 2002. thread post
• 2003-04-11 Paolo Moroni released version 2.0 of the Real-Physics patch for F1 2002. thread post

Key threads

• Grand Prix 4 mini-review and debate over its physics 2002-09-13 · 49 posts
  Jason Moyer reviewed the newly released US version of Grand Prix 4, praising its tracks and graphics but finding the interface and controls poor, and Steve Smith reported that Infogrames had closed the MicroProse UK studio. Mark Jeangerard defended GP4 as the finest driving sim and accused the group of reflexive bias, while ymenard, Damien Smith and GT mod coordinator Ian Bell criticised its primitive tyre model and claimed the physics had been cut back. Tempers flared before Jeangerard apologised.
• Is F1 2002 worth buying? 2002-06-11 · 93 posts
  Asked whether F1 2002 was worth buying, many praised its handling and AI, some calling it as good as GPL, while others said it was little more than an update to F1 2001. A long debate followed over whether inaccurate tracks disqualify a sim, with track conversions from GPL mentioned. The thread later argued about frame rates and physics rates.
• A GPL fan's first impressions of F1 2002 and GTR2002 2002-12-30 · 92 posts
  Malc posted a review of F1 2002 and the GTR2002 mod from a GPL driver's point of view. David G Fisher attacked him for GPL elitism, and others called Fisher a jerk and a bigot. The rest of the thread praised Doug Arnao's setups and physics, discussed tips, the Road Atlanta track and RC2000, and compared GTR's interiors with GPL's.
• EA's NASCAR Thunder 2003 to use ISI engine 2002-07-24 · 76 posts
  Chad Sparks linked a GameSpot preview of EA's NASCAR Thunder 2003 for PC, built by Tiburon on ISI's F1 2002 engine and billed as a true simulation. Some welcomed competition for Papyrus, while others doubted its multiplayer and mocked alpha screenshots showing a draft meter and treaded tyres. Joe Marques defended the ISI engine against Papyrus loyalists.
• Impressions of the EA F1 2002 demo 2002-05-08 · 67 posts
  David G Fisher and others praised the F1 2002 demo for improved graphics, sound, wet weather, AI and controller setup. However, the split-axis pedal bug, where the throttle responds only after about half travel, remained, and some wheels needed negative force-feedback settings. Debate followed over whether GPL remained the benchmark for F1 sims given ISI's weak multiplayer, and Grant Reeve explained a DXTweak fix for the pedal issue.
• Should the sim view turn toward the car's direction? 2002-08-22 · 62 posts
  Ian George suggested the driver's view should follow the car's direction of travel rather than stay fixed forward. Posters noted CART Precision Racing tried it, described an F1 2002 trick tying the view to wheel rotation, and discussed TrackIR head tracking, while Tom Pabst argued real drivers rarely turn their heads. Ruud van Gaal added speed-sensitive look-ahead to the next Racer beta.
• Is F1 2002 worth buying just for GTR2002? 2002-12-03 · 60 posts
  Posters overwhelmingly said to buy F1 2002, then on sale for about $15-20, just for GTR2002, and to donate to the SimBin team. Online play was described as weak, though Dave Henrie gave tips for 6-8 player races. Frame-rate troubleshooting, nVidia driver advice and calls for a Can-Am mod followed.
• F1 2002 handling feels wrong to some players 2002-09-21 · 49 posts
  Larry felt something was off in F1 2002's physics, as if the car pivoted around the front. Dave Henrie and Jason Moyer posted controller settings, including 0% speed sensitivity and 50% axis sensitivity, plus enabling full-rate physics, which several users said transformed the handling. The thread then examined periodic stutters and frame rates, with killing background tasks under Windows 9x helping some.
• Upgrading from GeForce3 Ti200 to GeForce4 Ti4400 for sims 2002-07-03 · 42 posts
  Don Burnette reported large frame-rate gains in F1 2002 and NASCAR Racing 2002 after moving to a GeForce4 Ti4400. Participants compared antialiasing modes, finding Quincunx nearly free in performance and arguing whether FSAA beats higher resolution. Discussion also covered CPU bottlenecks and nVidia versus Radeon image quality; Burnette eventually returned to high resolution without AA.
• EA's F1 Career Challenge announced 2003-02-19 · 41 posts
  Jason Moyer asked whether EA's new F1 sim using its 1999 to 2002 licences was a new ISI product. It turned out to be F1 Career Challenge, planned for consoles and PC in April 2003, with ISI handling the PC version. Douglas Ellison mocked ISI's engine, leading to an insult exchange with Joe Saxon and others, including a side argument over the Racing Legends project.
• EA reportedly not renewing its F1 licence 2002-10-20 · 41 posts
  Alex Porazinski reported that EA had not renewed its four-year F1 licence, raising the question of who would make F1 games. Posters mentioned Ubisoft's unlicensed Racing Simulation 3 and debated why F1 Racing Championship never received its promised patch, with relaygames' Schumi explaining that licence holder Video System blocked it. Discussion moved on to falling F1 interest and CART versus IRL racing.
• F1 2002 dumbing-down rumour and premium-priced hardcore sims 2002-03-20 · 38 posts
  Damien Smith reported an EA representative saying that F1 2002 would be made easier because of complaints about control, which drew scorn from regulars. The discussion turned to whether hardcore sim racers would pay a premium, even $500, for a GPL2-calibre sim. Opinions ranged from enthusiasm to doubts about piracy, retail distribution and fragmenting the add-on community, and online or mail-order sales were suggested.
• GP4 or F1 2002: which F1 sim to buy? 2003-06-07 · 36 posts
  A newcomer asked whether to buy Grand Prix 4 or F1 2002. Most recommended the much cheaper F1 2002 for its mods, especially GTR2002, while Grand Prix 4 was attacked as outdated and full of idiosyncrasies. Jason Moyer defended it as the best simulation of a modern F1 car's behaviour, and Jan Verschueren said its physics were sound but its implementation years behind.
• GTR2002 confirmed as a mod for EA's F1 2002 2002-12-02 · 33 posts
  Dunk checked that GTR2002 required EA's F1 2002, and posters confirmed it was better than the original game. They praised the Brands Hatch track textures as the most realistic yet and credited ISI's open engine. Its poor netcode was noted.
• First impressions of the F1 2002 demo 2002-05-10 · 33 posts
  Players gave impressions of EA's F1 2002 demo, with several praising the sense of speed and immersion. A recurring argument was whether the lack of reliable online play disqualified it from being the 'best sim ever', with John Pancoast and others putting online racing first and Joe Marques arguing it was irrelevant to physics quality. Steve Blankenship traced odd jerky car motion in replays to his own config tweak, and others discussed replay quality and the backfire sound.
• F1 2002 multiplayer performance over modems 2002-06-04 · 29 posts
  Douglas Ellison said F1 2002's online play was worse than ever on his modem, while Papyrus sims handled 20+ cars on 56k. Alan Bernardo argued broadband was simply required, which drew insults from Gerry Aitken and a long dispute over latency versus bandwidth. Others clarified that F1 2002 lacks dedicated servers so the host needs a fast line, and Andreas Nystrom reported smooth races with a well-connected host.
• F1 2002 screenshots and SimBin on physics and mod support 2002-04-04 · 27 posts
  New F1 2002 screenshots prompted Douglas Ellison to claim the physics had been dumbed down. SimBin's Ian Bell said this was wrong, explaining that the physics sampling had been doubled and bump smoothing added, while warning that existing GT mod cars and tracks would not be compatible. Bell added that F1 2002 should be as moddable as F1 2001 and that Locutus was working on a new filter, and the original rumour turned out to concern driving aids only.
• Vintage Motors Inc releases F1 Turbo-era mod for F1 2002 2002-12-25 · 27 posts
  Mikkel Gram-Hansen announced the Christmas release of Vintage Motors Inc's mod for F1 2002, covering the 1984-88 turbo era with 24 cars. Users swapped download links and installation fixes, such as keeping the vehicle folders intact and editing game.gdb. They also questioned why the mod needed a separate F1 2002 install, and John Pancoast noted the missing dashboards.
• Which is the best current Formula One sim? 2002-10-29 · 27 posts
  A returning GP2 player asked which F1 game to buy. Dave Henrie posted a much-praised parody list of the answers the group always gives, and the real replies split between EA's F1 2002 for modern F1 and Grand Prix Legends for historic racing. Several posters said GP4 had fallen behind F1 2002 in physics and presentation.
• Frame rates and physics feel in F1 2002 2002-08-27 · 26 posts
  A question about GeForce4 Ti4200 frame rates on a P3-800 in F1 2002 became a debate about whether frame rate affects handling. David Powell insisted the car handled curbs and bumps very differently at high frame rates, while Some Call Me Tim argued the physics ran at a fixed rate independent of frames. Jason Moyer and others confirmed from experience that curbs launched the car at low frame rates, so the effect on behaviour was real in practice.
• EA Sports rep claims real physics look wrong 2002-05-10 · 22 posts
  Mike Beauchamp relayed a remark from an EA Sports Canada representative at his university that real physics models did not look right on screen, so they were altered. Simbin's Ian Bell called it nonsense, saying ISI put real-world figures into its engine, and others noted EA Sports Canada made Need for Speed rather than F1 2002. Posters discussed how values in config files can still be scaled in code and whether the speaker was simplifying for a lay audience.
• Reports that EA will not make F1 2003 2002-10-08 · 22 posts
  Ashley McConnell asked about F1 2003. Several said EA and ISI would not make another F1 title, with the F1 2002 engine now used in NASCAR Thunder, though one poster relayed an EA support claim to the contrary. Readers shared wish lists and debated F1 2002's high-speed grip and low-speed handling.
• Real-Physics 2.0 mod for F1 2002 2003-04-11 · 20 posts
  Paolo Moroni announced version 2.0 of his Real-Physics patch for F1 2002, claiming more realistic grip and better AI. Opinions differed: Haqsau and Jason Moyer felt the stock low-speed grip was fine, Steve Blankenship thought high-speed downforce was excessive, and Jan Verschueren found the mod overdone. GBB shared his own tyre spring rate changes, which Jan liked.
• No modern F1 sim gets everything right 2002-06-25 · 111 posts
  Douglas Ellison lamented that none of the three leading F1 titles got everything right, leaving realism to GPL's 1967 cars or NASCAR. Posters argued over F1 versus NASCAR audiences, track accuracy in F1 2002, GPL's tyre model and team orders. The thread later turned into a heated argument about whether US 'World Series' titles deserve the name.
• F1 2002 online play and a GPL hotlapper feud 2002-06-07 · 62 posts
  A question about F1 2002 multiplayer led to reports that it worked only with fast hosts and broadband clients, and to tips on host settings. GPL driver David Powell dismissed F1 2002 as easy and called David G Fisher a 'mullet', then traded abuse with 'Morgan Boof', whom he identified and mocked on a web page. Others debated whether online play matters to sales.
• Will there be an F1 2003, and Racing Legends' prospects 2003-01-09 · 50 posts
  Glenn Andressen, struggling to buy F1 2002 in Australia, asked about an F1 2003. Posters believed EA had let its F1 licence lapse, so none was expected. The thread moved on to scepticism about Racing Legends' cost and vapourware status, LFS's new screenshots and performance, and whether Michael Schumacher's dominance owed more to car or driver.
• Grand Prix 4 wheel axis problems spark sim-or-arcade debate 2002-07-28 · 46 posts
  A user found GP4's menus misbehaved with split-axis pedals. Replies offered fixes, but the thread became a debate over whether GP4 is an arcade game, with Gerry Aitken saying no multiplayer meant no sim and Iain Mackenzie defending its merits. Jan Verschueren criticised GP4's limited force feedback, and Ronald Stoehr found its LAN multiplayer poor.
• F1 2002 versus GP4 graphics comparison 2002-06-14 · 45 posts
  Side-by-side screenshots of F1 2002 and GP4 started a debate over graphics. Some preferred F1 2002's sharper look, while ymenard and others preferred Crammond's more natural color palette. Many agreed GP4 still suffered from a slow-motion feel tied to processor occupancy and scaling, and there was discussion of its old assembly-language core.
• Leaked F1 2002 criticised for inaccurate tracks 2002-06-03 · 38 posts
  Douglas Ellison relayed that a friend with a leaked copy of F1 2002 found its tracks no better than F1 2001's, and others criticised elevation, kerbs and widths. Some defended ISI's physics and menus and noted Redline had advised on some tracks. Posters complained that game sites asked developers few hard questions.
• Poor F1 2002 frame rates on capable PCs 2002-08-16 · 34 posts
  Moe Lefaive got low frame rates in F1 2002 on an Athlon with a Radeon. Suggestions included turning off antialiasing and force feedback, lowering track detail, installing VIA AGP drivers and limiting RAM to 512MB under Windows ME. The thread drifted into nostalgia about Amiga and Commodore computers.
• Should I buy GP4 or F1 2002? 2002-06-23 · 34 posts
  Mike Beauchamp asked whether to buy GP4 or stick with F1 2002, and most replies favoured F1 2002 for its physics and coming mods, though one called GP4 the better sim. An odd rear-view mirror in a screenshot was explained, and the thread drifted into store refund policies.
• F1 2002 serial number question becomes piracy debate 2002-06-05 · 34 posts
  A simple question about where to find the F1 2002 serial number led to a long argument about software piracy. Hans Jensen compared copying a game to stealing a car, Asbjorn Bjornstad argued copying was copyright infringement rather than theft, and Haqsau insisted copies meant lost sales.
• F1 2002's Nurburgring turn 1 looks wrong 2002-06-24 · 33 posts
  David G Fisher posted screenshots showing F1 2002's new Nurburgring turn 1 was narrower and lacked the real track's camber, and others agreed the tracks were disappointing. Magnus Svensson, who walked the circuit, described the real elevation and camber. The thread also covered graphics settings and how Ralph Hummerich's carset moved the mirrors.
• F1 2002 first impressions and track bumpiness 2002-06-11 · 33 posts
  After ten hours, a player praised F1 2002's rules, drivability and AI but noted no career mode and weak weather effects. The discussion focused on whether its bumpy tracks were a realistic plus or an artifact of poor polygon modelling, with Gregor Veble explaining the latter, and on physics rates, with GPL at 288 Hz.
• Add-on tracks for GTR2002 and F1 2002 2002-12-03 · 32 posts
  Gerry Aitken asked what add-on tracks were available for GTR2002. Maxi posted a list and download sites, and posters explained how to install the converted Le Mans track. There were requests for Road Atlanta, Road America and the Nurburgring, and banter about Dave Henrie's slow lap on the findthelimit leaderboard.
• Setting up and tweaking F1 2002 2003-12-28 · 31 posts
  Tom Pabst posted a series of questions about F1 2002, covering setups, track graphics updates, staying in the cockpit during pit stops, texture flicker and formation laps. Replies pointed to setup packs and track update sites, and Dave Henrie supplied the PLR settings that fixed the pit camera. David G Fisher asked why he was not using the better F1 Challenge, and Tom cited an undisclosed NDA-related reason.
• Returning racer asks what sims are hot 2002-08-19 · 31 posts
  A returning poster asked which sims were current. Replies recommended Live for Speed, NASCAR Racing 2002, F1 2002 mods, RASCAR and GPL, and advised avoiding GP4, while Tom Pabst posted a joke list that drew banter.
• Le Mans 2002 mod for F1 2002 announced 2002-10-01 · 31 posts
  Mikkel Gram-Hansen highlighted the Le Mans 2002 mod team's announcement for F1 2002, provocatively calling it a Racing Legends killer. Doug Ellison countered that F1 2002's poor netcode and inaccurate tracks limited such mods, and an angry exchange followed over constant anti-Racing Legends jibes. Others discussed whether EA's NASCAR Thunder 2003 would be a better modding base and the importance of accurate tracks.
• Removing GTR2002 constant force feedback vibration 2002-12-01 · 29 posts
  Marc Collins wanted to remove GTR2002's constant engine-idle wheel vibration without losing other forces. After lowering the FFB level was suggested, Haqsau explained editing the .PLR file's custom device type and throttle-effects settings, which solved it. Others noted that the effects level affected frame rates with some wheels.
• Restarting a stalled engine in GTR2002 2002-12-02 · 29 posts
  Marc Collins asked how to restart a stalled engine in GTR2002 without clutch assistance. Players explained that the F1 2002 engine has no starter, so you must roll-start the car or keep the clutch down when spinning. A crash on pit request was traced to pit crew animations and fixed by setting them to low.

Busiest threads

• Impressions of the EA F1 2002 demo (28 posts about it)
• Is F1 2002 worth buying? (22 posts about it)
• Setting up and tweaking F1 2002 (21 posts about it)
• No modern F1 sim gets everything right (20 posts about it)
• F1 2002 versus GP4 graphics comparison (20 posts about it)
• Frame rates and physics feel in F1 2002 (18 posts about it)
• F1 2002 handling feels wrong to some players (17 posts about it)
• GP4 or F1 2002: which F1 sim to buy? (15 posts about it)
• A GPL fan's first impressions of F1 2002 and GTR2002 (15 posts about it)
• Are PlayStation F1 games worth buying? (15 posts about it)
• Improving F1 2002 frame rates on a GeForce4 MX (15 posts about it)
• F1 2002 online play and a GPL hotlapper feud (14 posts about it)
• Troubleshooting stutter and missing features in F1 Challenge (13 posts about it)
• TSW Owners with F1 2002 Configuration Wanted (13 posts about it)
• F1 2002 screenshots and SimBin on physics and mod support (13 posts about it)

Sentiment by year

Each post that discussed the sim was rated from −2 (very negative) to +2 (very positive).

Who talked about it most

Dave Henrie · 367 Damien Smith · 136 jason moyer · 112 Haqsau · 103 Douglas Ellison · 61 Andreas Nystrom · 55 Jan Verschueren · 50 David G Fisher · 39 Steve Blankenship · 36 ymenard · 33 Andre Warringa · 31 David Powell · 31 Uwe Schuerkamp · 30 BRH · 28 MadDAWG · 27 Joe M. · 27 bertr · 27 Marc Collins · 25 Steve Smith · 25 Mike Beauchamp · 25

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