Re: Ford Racing?

On Wed 08 Nov 2000 08:00:09a, Amp wrote: >I saw this in EB today on the new release wall selling for only $25.00 >CAD. Anyone know if it is any good? I'm assuming it's a new version >and not a repackaged old version. Put it this way - it's been on sale in the UK for months for a tenner - and I *still* don't know anyone who's bought it... -- David. (GPLRank handicap: -5.92) The GPL Scrapyard - http://www.hillclimbfan.f2s.com "After all, a mere thousand yards - such a harmless little knoll, really" - Raymond Mays on Shelsley Walsh.

I saw this in EB today on the new release wall selling for only $25.00 CAD. Anyone know if it is any good? I'm assuming it's a new version and not a repackaged old version. -- Amp http://members.nbci.com/Nostica/index.html

Erase it from your mind......perhaps you'll not have nightmares ;) "Amp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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| I saw this in EB today on the new release wall selling for only $25.00 | CAD. Anyone know if it is any good? I'm assuming it's a new version | and not a repackaged old version. | -- | Amp | | http://members.nbci.com/Nostica/index.html

On Wed, 8 Nov 2000 10:41:50 -0000, "Ashley McConnell" <[email hidden]> thus spoke: >Erase it from your mind......perhaps you'll not have nightmares ;) Consider it done. :-) I did some searching and there is no new version of Ford Racing that I can find. I suspect it's a repackaged old version dumped on the market in time for the xmas season. Mind you, it does have the Taurus which is the car I drive. Well, Mercury Sable version. -- Amp http://members.nbci.com/Nostica/index.html

On Wed, 08 Nov 2000 14:55:14 GMT, "Kenneth Verburg" <[email hidden]> thus spoke: >Maybe you should check out the review we did on the European version of the >game back in December '99? You can find it at >http://www.simracingnews.com/games/reviews/fordracing/index.shtml. > >Hope this helps, That's OK, thx. I downloaded the demo so don't need to read the review. I can tell from the demo that it's rubbish. But, I don't understand why it is on the new release wall if it came out in '99. -- Amp http://members.nbci.com/Nostica/index.html

[email hidden] (Amp) writes:

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> On Wed, 08 Nov 2000 14:55:14 GMT, "Kenneth Verburg" > <[email hidden]> thus spoke: > > >Maybe you should check out the review we did on the European version of the > >game back in December '99? You can find it at > >http://www.simracingnews.com/games/reviews/fordracing/index.shtml. > > > >Hope this helps, > > That's OK, thx. I downloaded the demo so don't need to read the > review. I can tell from the demo that it's rubbish. But, I don't > understand why it is on the new release wall if it came out in '99.

Heh, the same reason as Ratbags Dirt Track Racing is pushed as a new release over here in Europe now :) -- Olav K. Malmin remove .spam when replying

Maybe you should check out the review we did on the European version of the game back in December '99? You can find it at http://www.simracingnews.com/games/reviews/fordracing/index.shtml. Hope this helps, Kenneth Verburg Editor-in-chief High Gear http://www.simracingnews.com

> That's OK, thx. I downloaded the demo so don't need to read the > review. I can tell from the demo that it's rubbish. But, I don't > understand why it is on the new release wall if it came out in '99. I guess it's the same as with Codemasters' Colin McRae Rally that was released ages (dare I say 2/2.5 years?) after the European release and now with Ubisoft's Alstare Extreme Racing... Kenneth Verburg Editor-in-chief High Gear http://www.simracingnews.com

On Wed, 08 Nov 2000 14:59:00 GMT, Amp wrote:

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> >That's OK, thx. I downloaded the demo so don't need to read the >review. I can tell from the demo that it's rubbish. But, I don't >understand why it is on the new release wall if it came out in '99. >-- >Amp >

It wasn't officially available in North America before. I managed to order it from their UK web site and get it shipped to my USA address, even though their order form required you to say whether you were from the US or not (I lied). This was my review from back in January, I assume it's the same game: ----------------------- You might remember I ordered Ford Racing from www.empire.co.uk by filling out the non-USA order form. Well, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that I found a package in my mailbox Saturday with a London postmark on it. Ford Racing finally arrived. While installing I did a custom install, and saved 100MB by not installing the music files. Started a quick race, the graphics are very good. Not up to Need For Speed standards (it doesn't support 3DFX), but about as good as TOCA2 or Sports Car GT. Trouble is, it seems you can only race from the "behind the car" view. I tried every key on the keyboard and couldn't get a dashboard or bumper view. The tracks look very nice, at least the ones I could race on. One where you were driving through a city was especially nice, the office buildings were actually 3-dimensional with nice textures. You have to win races on the 3 or 4 inital tracks before you get all 10. The only cars you get in quick race mode are the Escort, Ka, F-150, and Explorer. You can unlock lots of other Ford cars by winning races, including the Cougar, Mustang, Taurus, and Mondeo. I hate that. I did a quick search for cheat codes on the net, but found nothing. It's not just Ford Racing that does this sort of thing, but it's still annoying. If you start a championship season, things are even worse. All you get is one car to start with, the Ka or Fiesta (I forget which). You've got to earn the rest by winning races, or at least by coming out first in the accumulated points. Which brings me to my biggest problem. I can't win a race because of the terrible steering. I kept wondering why when I moved my CH FlightStick joystick left/right, nothing would happen until I was at the extreme limit, at which point the car would spin out. There is no adjustment for joysticks at all. I don't have a steering wheel for my PC, and that seems to be the preferred method of control for Ford Racing. I normally race with an analogue joystick, and do very well. Well, Ford Racing only supports digital joysticks or steering wheels. The sound is so-so, except for the engines. The engines sound like a vacuum cleaner on my SB PCI 128 sound card. Even the F-150. So, even though it's a nice looking game with good car models, I don't know if I'll be playing this a lot until I get a wheel, which won't be anytime soon. -Dan Bateman

On Wed, 08 Nov 2000 18:46:58 GMT, [email hidden] (Dan Bateman) thus spoke: > It wasn't officially available in North America before. OK, I thought it had been released here before now. >Trouble is, it seems you can only race from the >"behind the car" view. I tried every key on the keyboard and couldn't >get a dashboard or bumper view. This is the #1 reason I would never buy this game. > Which brings me to my biggest problem. I can't win a race because of >the terrible steering. This is the #2 reason I would never by this game. Even with a wheel the steering is terrible. Glad I tried the demo before deciding to buy. It would have been a complete waste of my money.