NASCAR Heat

Monster Games/Hasbro · released 2000 · discussed in 3,512 posts, 2000-2010 · overall tone positive

Posts per month

Timeline

• 2000-02-04 Hasbro Sports announced NASCAR Heat, with Monster Games as developer, along with deals with Blue Fang Games and Digital Illusions. post thread
• 2000-05-13 At E3, Papyrus showed NASCAR Racing 4 in-car footage, and Hasbro had NASCAR Heat and Grand Prix 3 playable on its booth. thread post post
• 2000-08-11 Hasbro released the NASCAR Heat demo, and at the same time NASCAR Racing 4 was reported to have slipped into 2001. post thread post
• 2000-08-24 NASCAR Heat from Monster Games and Hasbro Interactive reached US stores. thread post thread
• 2000-09-20 Hasbro Interactive released the NASCAR Heat 1.1e patch, which fixed collisions, online starts and frame rates. thread post
• 2000-10-16 Hasbro announced it was seeking a strategic partner for Hasbro Interactive. Ed Martin said the NASCAR Heat series would continue and the GP series was unaffected. thread post
• 2000-12-07 Infogrames agreed to acquire Hasbro Interactive for about $100 million, with the deal expected to close in Q1 2001. post post
• 2001-01-29 Ed Martin, producer of NASCAR Heat, left Hasbro Interactive for EA, where he later led NASCAR production. post post
• 2001-04-13 John Bodin released the first open beta of IRL Heat, an IndyCar conversion for NASCAR Heat, as CART and Le Mans mods for the game followed. post post
• 2001-11-30 John Bodin withdrew his IRL Heat mod for NASCAR Heat after a cease-and-desist letter from the Indy Racing League. thread post
• 2002-09-12 The final NASCAR Heat community patch, 1.72e, was released. post post

Key threads

• 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.
• Racing instructor's article ranking sim realism 2003-01-31 · 88 posts
  David G Fisher linked an article by racing instructor Malcolm Edeson (Maxx) arguing that GPL and GTR2002 had unrealistic quirks and that Nascar Heat with mods was a better training tool. Maxx joined in at length, explaining that his criteria were about driver training and that simpler physics did not mean less realistic. Others debated tire squeal, high-speed handling and physics rates, and Maxx later posted more specific details at readers' request.
• Backlash at Hasbro's Ed Martin over NASCAR Heat AI complaints 2000-10-30 · 68 posts
  A user complained that Hasbro had dismissed questions about NASCAR Heat's yellow-flag AI problems on its forum. Hasbro's Ed Martin questioned why forum matters were raised on r.a.s., drawing heavy criticism for an unprofessional reply, while Bruce Kennewell and others defended him as one of few company reps willing to post there. Marc Collins offered praised constructive criticism, and Martin noted the AI was being addressed in the next patch.
• Rumour of Papyrus 'GPL 1972' after NASCAR 5 2001-11-08 · 66 posts
  Alex Cameron relayed a report from simactu.com, attributed to Sierra France, that Papyrus would release NASCAR 5 in March 2002 and 'Grand Prix Legends 72' in September 2002. Posters debated whether 1972 was a credible choice and how well GPL had sold, with Steve Smith saying its initial sales were meagre. The thread drifted into wishes for Can-Am and touring-car sims, and John Bodin promoted his free 1930s grand prix mod for NASCAR Heat.
• NASCAR Heat demo first impressions and resolution limits 2000-08-11 · 51 posts
  Players praised the NASCAR Heat demo's AI, physics and accessibility, though some disputed claims that it shamed Papyrus's interfaces. Users with 16MB cards found resolutions capped at 800x600; developers Ed Martin and Dave Pollatsek of Monster Games explained the choice was deliberate because of large textures and lack of AGP texturing on Voodoo cards, and Jan Loebzien argued users should be allowed to choose. It was also noted that NASCAR Racing 4 had slipped to January 2001.
• Hasbro releases NASCAR Heat 1.1e patch 2000-09-20 · 35 posts
  Ed Martin of Hasbro Interactive announced the NASCAR Heat patch 1.1e after beta testing. Users praised fixes to collisions, online starts and frame rates, while MGI's Dave Pollatsek explained how the game's force feedback worked in response to a critical post that its author later apologised for. Remaining complaints centred on AI ramming the player under yellow flags and in the pits.
• 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.
• Why sims with 3D physics lack mid-race saves 2000-08-27 · 30 posts
  Posters asked whether any sim with full 3D physics had offered a mid-race save. Some argued saving a six-degree-of-freedom state was hard, while programmers said it should be straightforward. Papyrus's Charlie Heath explained that complexity lies less in the physics than in AI states, pacing lines and other subsystems, recalled that N2's save took considerable work and had a tyre-temperature bug, and noted N1 restarted saved races under caution.
• Hasbro Interactive's future and NASCAR Heat support 2000-10-15 · 25 posts
  News that Hasbro was seeking a strategic partner for Hasbro Interactive led users to fear for NASCAR Heat and Grand Prix 3 patches. Hasbro's Ed Martin said the racing business was doing well, that the NASCAR Heat series would continue and that the GP series was unaffected. He also answered a question about the earlier dismissal of the Falcon 4.0 team.
• 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.
• IRL forces end of John Bodin's IRL Heat mod 2001-11-30 · 25 posts
  John Bodin announced that his IRL Heat 2000 and 2001 mods for NASCAR Heat had been terminated and removed after the Indy Racing League sent a cease-and-desist letter, citing exclusive rights granted to another developer. Posters thanked Bodin and condemned the IRL and Tony George as short-sighted. Others noted that the letter was polite and that an exclusive licence could make the mod a genuine contractual problem.
• Outcry over NASCAR Heat lacking a save-race feature 2000-08-21 · 171 posts
  Players learned NASCAR Heat would not let users save a race in progress and Hasbro reportedly ruled out a patch. Many said a save feature was essential for running full-length races with limited time, and some threatened not to buy, while others argued it was unnecessary or less realistic. The 171-post thread grew heated at times and listed which sims did offer saves, such as GP2/GP3, ICR2 and the NASCAR series.
• Mixed reactions to the full NASCAR Heat release 2000-08-24 · 153 posts
  A dissatisfied buyer said he would return NASCAR Heat and wait for NASCAR Racing 4, criticising missing tobacco and alcohol sponsors and arcade feel. Ed Martin of Monster Games, who noted he had previously worked at Papyrus, replied that no licensed NASCAR title could carry those sponsors and suggested Expert or Hardcore modes. Many praised the game and Ed's presence; the 150-post thread later degenerated into arguments about anonymity and in-jokes.
• 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.
• Can EA's NASCAR Thunder on the ISI engine challenge Papyrus? 2002-07-04 · 72 posts
  Tom Pabst pointed to an article about EA's upcoming NASCAR Thunder PC title built by Tiburon on ISI's F1 engine and suggested Papyrus might be vulnerable. Most replied that NASCAR Racing 2002's multiplayer and completeness made it hard to beat, while others debated the merits of NASCAR Heat's AI, the old TEN service, and the decline of pickup racing in favour of leagues. Wishes for an Aussie V8 sim and comments on GPL's surviving VROC community filled out the thread.
• Which is the most realistic racing sim? 2001-09-27 · 69 posts
  A former GPL player asked what sims besides NASCAR Racing 4 offered realism and good gameplay. Answers ranged across GPL with add-ons, GP3 2000, NR4 (which Ed Solheim argued had better physics than GPL) and NASCAR Heat with its CART mod and converted road courses. The thread drifted into CART versus IRL arguments and jokes about road-car drive belts, with talk of an NR4-based TPTCC road-racing mod in development.
• NASCAR Heat versus GPL physics and Jackie Stewart's remark 2000-08-17 · 69 posts
  A poster asked whether NASCAR Heat's physics compared with GPL's. David G Fisher cited Jackie Stewart reportedly saying real cars had more grip than GPL's, which led to a long argument over whether real drivers can judge sims without sensory feedback. Most felt NASCAR Heat was the best NASCAR title until NASCAR Racing 4, and the thread ended with mockery of GPL devotion.
• 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.
• GeForce 2 versus Voodoo 5 for racing sims 2000-08-13 · 59 posts
  A user asked which card to buy for NASCAR Heat. Voodoo 5 owners such as Pierre 'PapaDoc' Legrand praised its full-scene anti-aliasing for removing shimmering in sims, while others favoured the GeForce 2's speed and Direct3D performance. Simon Brown reported Voodoo 5 SLI running slower than single-chip mode in several sims, switched to a GeForce 2 and described GPL's Direct3D quality on it.
• Is NASCAR 4 a big improvement over NASCAR Heat? 2000-11-30 · 52 posts
  A user asked why NASCAR 4 was a big deal when NASCAR Heat had similar physics and better graphics. Others cited Heat's caution and multiplayer flaws and argued N4's physics were more realistic, while some preferred Heat's feel and disliked N4's strong left pull. Theories were floated that N4 was delayed to avoid competing with Heat or to launch at Daytona.
• NASCAR 4 versus NASCAR Heat 2001-02-12 · 52 posts
  A prospective buyer asked how NASCAR 4 compared with NASCAR Heat. Most preferred N4 for physics, damage and multiplayer, though several noted that Heat ran much better on slower machines such as a PIII 500 with a Voodoo3. Posters discussed GeForce2 upgrades, and the thread ended with a squabble over the cost of upgrading.
• Jeff Downey's column criticising NASCAR Heat and sim fans 2000-08-30 · 43 posts
  An Operation Sports column by Jeff Downey criticised NASCAR Heat's flaws and the newsgroup's habit of attacking every new sim. Some agreed, others called it hypocritical, and the thread debated whether hardcore sims are commercially viable. Downey joined to explain his remarks were in the context of his fuller previews and acknowledged the engine's strengths.
• GPL steering ratio and hairpins; NASCAR Heat release date 2000-08-03 · 38 posts
  Roger Squires found high steering ratios made hairpins impossible in GPL, and others explained the steering lock limit and the speed-sensitive steering hack in core.ini. Greger Huttu said he uses around 16:1 with the steering hack off except at certain tracks, and WinVROC's option to toggle it was noted. Later in the thread, NASCAR Heat producer Ed Martin gave the game's official shelf date as 22 August.
• NASCAR Heat versus NASCAR Racing 4 2001-03-04 · 36 posts
  A longtime Papyrus fan said he had switched back to NASCAR Heat because NASCAR Racing 4 was harder to drive, had poor frame rates and bad AI. Opinions split: some preferred Heat's graphics and fun, while others argued N4 offered superior realism and race-craft. Dale Earnhardt Jr's praise for N4 was debated, with posters noting he was a beta tester who played sims on his own time.
• 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 limited to 800x600 on Voodoo 3 cards 2000-08-12 · 34 posts
  Voodoo 3 owners found the NASCAR Heat demo capped at 800x600. Posters quoted the readme and Monster Games' Dave Pollatsek explaining that the Voodoo 3 cannot handle 512x512 textures or AGP texturing, so no patch would fix it, while others reported getting higher resolutions under Windows 2000. Ed Martin of Monster Games acknowledged hacks already existed.
• Market survey for a home NASCAR motion-base simulator 2001-03-29 · 34 posts
  A poster named Mark asked how much people would pay for a home motion-base simulator driven by off-the-shelf sims like NASCAR Heat, inspired by Silicon Motor Speedway. Most named prices between $1,000 and $2,500, and others questioned how motion data could be extracted from existing games, with Dave Pollatsek noting the limits of sniffing multiplayer packets. Alternatives such as VR headsets and input-driven motion were suggested.
• 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.
• Real racer Doug Arnao's view of NASCAR Heat 2000-08-27 · 31 posts
  A post by Doug Arnao, a real-world racer and former GPL beta tester, praised NASCAR Heat's driving model as more realistic and approachable than NASCAR Racing 3, arguing that a sim should let a talented driver be reasonably quick quickly. He repeated his view that GPL, though accurate by the numbers, would have sold better with a less punishing mode, prompting debate on whether sims must compensate for missing physical feedback.
• Is the NASCAR 4 cockpit view too obstructed? 2001-02-18 · 30 posts
  Jagg complained that the left windshield pillar in NASCAR Racing 4 blocked the view of corners compared with NASCAR Heat. Others countered that Winston Cup drivers sit low and far back, so the N4 view is realistic, with one poster saying he sat in a British ASCAR car and found it matched. Some noted that monitors lack peripheral vision and suggested features like cockpit transparency; Jagg eventually accepted the view was correct.
• Spirit of Heat 1937 historic mod for NASCAR Heat released 2002-01-19 · 29 posts
  John Bodin announced the Spirit of Heat 1937 historic racing mod for NASCAR Heat, dedicated to Neil Bainbridge. Users praised it but reported install problems, including a decompression error that turned out to be caused by downloading with Netscape rather than IE. Dave Henrie stressed that Heat mods must be installed on the C drive with default paths, and posters pointed to no-CD and patch packages from The Pits.
• NASCAR Heat's hidden hardcore mode and install paths 2000-08-24 · 28 posts
  Vintook asked Ed Martin to document the options.cfg settings. Ed said hardcore mode and vertex damage were unsupported options for the daring, left documentation to the community, and agreed hardcore was hidden so average players could feel competent on Expert. Users objected to hiding it and to the installer putting files on C: regardless of the chosen directory, which Jan Loebzien partly worked around.
• 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.
• Defending NASCAR Heat against complaints about flips 2000-08-24 · 25 posts
  Alex Kihurani posted an exasperated defence of NASCAR Heat, arguing complaints about cars getting airborne came from unrealistic driving and that many critics were comparing it with Papyrus games rather than reality. Ed Martin of Monster Games agreed and predicted NASCAR Racing 4 would also differ from earlier Papyrus titles. Some still reported spins getting airborne too easily.
• NASCAR Heat supports only one controller ID 2000-08-14 · 20 posts
  Users with separate pedal units complained that NASCAR Heat only reads the primary Windows game controller. Ed Martin of Monster Games explained the choice to use Microsoft's built-in controller support for broad compatibility, while SeymourButts argued it was poor programming. Several users described rewiring third-party pedals into their wheel's pedal harness as a workaround.
• Does a save-game feature make a sim less realistic? 2000-08-22 · 102 posts
  Another long argument over NASCAR Heat's missing save-race option and the inability to watch replays mid-race. Chas39cop and Nos argued its absence forced shorter races and lost strategy, while Phillip Malphrus, Red 86 Vet and daxe said real races cannot be saved and Hasbro made a design choice. Joke product offers for 'realism' devices broke up the bickering, which continued into September.
• Argument over whether NASCAR Heat suits die-hard sim fans 2000-08-26 · 65 posts
  Corey West argued Ed Martin's comment that die-hard sim fans were a shrinking market doomed NASCAR Heat. Others mocked his writing and defended the game's driving model, while Tracey Miller suggested a vocal minority wanted only GPL and ymenard challenged that claim. Several posters, including Nos and Joe Marques, apologised for earlier rudeness, and participants noted the value of developers posting in the group.
• Parody post mocks NASCAR Heat save-game complaints 2000-08-22 · 51 posts
  John Simmons, author of the DEMONS dedicated-server utility for NASCAR Racing 3, posted a parody complaining that NASCAR Heat lacked a 'change underwear' feature, mocking save-game critics. Save-game advocates such as Nos took offence and argued the point, others enjoyed the joke, and the thread drifted to the TPTCC BullRun 1000 offline endurance race.
• 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.
• NASCAR Heat preview sparks NASCAR versus F1 flame war 2000-07-31 · 44 posts
  A link to a NASCAR Heat preview turned into a flame war after a poster called NASCAR boring and its drivers rednecks. NASCAR fans responded angrily, defending the drivers' skill and education, and the argument included personal insults and accusations of racism. Some posters clarified that NASCAR Heat was developed by MGI under Hasbro, not by MicroProse.

Busiest threads

• Mixed reactions to the full NASCAR Heat release (43 posts about it)
• Outcry over NASCAR Heat lacking a save-race feature (38 posts about it)
• Why NASCAR Heat drew criticism after release (24 posts about it)
• Is NASCAR 4 a big improvement over NASCAR Heat? (20 posts about it)
• Does a save-game feature make a sim less realistic? (20 posts about it)
• Claim that NASCAR Heat is dead (18 posts about it)
• Sears Point track builder's detailed NASCAR Heat evaluation (18 posts about it)
• No NASCAR Heat warez, and the US-only release (18 posts about it)
• NASCAR Heat demo first impressions and resolution limits (18 posts about it)
• NASCAR Heat limited to 800x600 on Voodoo 3 cards (18 posts about it)
• Argument over whether NASCAR Heat suits die-hard sim fans (17 posts about it)
• Ed Martin explains NASCAR Heat development and features (17 posts about it)
• NASCAR Heat full-field frame rates and content (16 posts about it)
• Is NASCAR Heat going to be an arcade game? (16 posts about it)
• Racing instructor's article ranking sim realism (15 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 · 271 John Bodin · 75 (unknown) · 64 Andre Warringa · 50 Ed Martin · 49 ymenard · 46 Marc Collins · 41 Larry · 40 Nos · 40 David L. Cook · 37 Steve Blankenship · 36 EldredP · 34 GTX_SlotCar · 32 Don Burnette · 32 Kai Fuller · 32 Dave Pollatsek · 31 Alex Kihurani · 29 Haqsau · 28 Joe Marques · 28 Vintook · 26

Search the archive for NASCAR Heat