Well, it's time for me to throw my hat into the ring and add my $0.02 to this
product as it finds it's way to the shelves. Worthy of note: I love NASCAR
Racing (real) as well as all forms of short-track oval stock car racing so I
may be a bit biased. ;-) <my prayers have been answered>
The simulation (note: not _game_! :) ) arrives in the form of two versions
for us to enjoy: a 3 1/2" floppy version or the increasingly popular CD-Rom
format. What is the difference? The disk-version contains only the low
resolution, VGA version of the sim and the CD-Rom comes with both VGA and
SVGA (high resolution) install options. Also common with the CD is added
digital intro-music as opposed to the comp. generated FM/midi style present
on the disks. Another bonus of the CD is these audio tracks can be played
as a stand-alone on a regular CD-player. Personally I like the intro score
and bonus track. The intro was performed by members of the band Skid Row and
sounds very fitting and crisp ;-) My review however will centralize on the
VGA-disk version.
Upon opening the extremely beautiful packaging you are presented with 4 disks,
a nicely structured and concise 175+ page manual, install help guide and a
quick refernce card. Installation for me was painless and easy with no
hitches. NAS leases about 12 to 15 Meg. of HDrive realestate. The box
specifies the minimum requirements to be: 386DX/33, 6 MB RAM (4 MB = reduced
graphic detail), MS-DOS<tm> 5.0+ and VGA graphics capabilities. There is
NO PC-Speaker support, however most common sound boards are supported,
including: GUS, PAS-16, Ad-Lib <Gold> and many variances of the Sound
Blaster family (incl. AWE-32 and 16) to name a few. The manual provides
numerous snip-its from NAS-vet Dave Marcis as well as commentary from
Joe Nemechek. These help provide decent insight into the nuiances of
NASCAR stockcar racing and track oddities for the beginner and seasoned
NAS-followers alike. This in addition to numerous real photos throughout the
manual (some physically taken by Papyrus staff) indicates that they spent
a great deal of time "discovering" NASCAR for the simulation.
I personally find the manual quite adequate, other may not. For instance,
though they explain the many aspects of car physics and effects there is
limited "suggested" information given. Some examples are in there, but these
may not be enough for the true novice NASCAR-race-to-be. I like to tinker,
tweak, and experiment and have some knowledge on what affects what on a race
car so it was fine, IMO. Plus it prompted me to ask some questions and do some
reading... that helped as well. I feel this is have the fun, the discovering
and tinkering with the car to gain that extra edge... I learn by doing. It
should be noted that NAS ships with many pre-designed 'default' set-ups to
choose from for each track which will greatly lessen the learning curve
and permit most everyone to just jump right in and begin turning constructive
laps with relative ease.
Game Play?
Those familiar with Indycar Racing will feel very comfortable upon loading up
NAS. the first time; the interface is virtually indentical in both. For those
not familiar, you are placed at the top-level of the game where you can begin
to customize and modify how you would like the program to run. Without going
into exhorbient detail here, basically you should enter the Options menu and
sub-menus, set-up/program your joystick or input device, calibrate it and
get ready to rumble. You can virtually configure the controlling system
in ANY form you wish and in any combination you see fit (ie some joystick,
some keyboard etc etc.)... very versitile. You may wish to adjust the
MANY graphical detail options and the like after you enter the physcial races
and see how they perform on your system. Don't forget about the CARS DRAWN
AHEAD/BEHIND and OPPONENTS HEARD section as this can assist you in acheiveing
more optimal performance.
You can select one of 4 forms of racing: Pre-Season Testing (at a selected
track), Single Race (at a selected track), Championship Season (including
the glory and sweat of the NASCAR points race) or Modem/H2H racing with
a friend who also enjoys NASCAR racing. Pre-Season testing would be a good
strart for the new drivers to get a feel for the physics, a particular track,
and various in-race program functions. There will be no other cars on the
track with you... the damage that occurs will be your fault :-)
NASCARs are _HEAVY_ and will take a bit of getting used to, especially if you
are fresh off the IndyCar scene in the sister-product. Quick acceleration
and punctual responsiveness will be left in your other Papyrus game directory!
However accuaracy and attention to detail won't be. This is as real as it
gets folks <for now>! NASCAR is a sport of inches, be-it on the track
banging bumpers with your nearest competitor or pit-side making fine
adjustments to improve your cars' performance. IMO, the sim approaches
a near "10" rating on both fronts.
Some have already began mentioning the lack of or no sense of speed while
playing the game. I must point out that in reality while driving my
street car back and forth to work (reminds me of NASCAR sometimes ;-) ),
you will get a different 'sense of speed' depending on your surroundings.
While driving 60 mph on an Interstate-style highway you get a different
perception as compared to 60 mph through some back roads or side roads.
(The Police sometimes notice this 'perception' as well ;-) ). Hence in the
game you may be traveling 200 + mph at Taladega but actually FEEL like you
are driving faster say at Martinsville where the confines are closer and
tighter... understand? Taladega is so open and vast diminshing the sense
of speed a bit.... however trust me when you hit the wall you'll know you
were going faster the Martinsville ;-) I got a similar feeling in Indycar
at tracks like Indy and Michigan where it seemed I was driving through
soup, yet N.Hampshire and Milwaukee got my blood pressure soaring yet at
a relatively slower speed... go figure. Anyway, enough about that....
Adjustable features (Garage) that can be changed to your liking are:
-Tires (stagger, pressure, brand names <Goodyear or Hoosier> etc.)
-Spoilers (Frnt.Air Dam, rear spolier in inches and angle respectively)
-Fuel Load (naturally. Remember each gallon adds about 7 lbs of weight
to your car!)
-Suspension (shocks, camber <front>, "wedge", wheel lock and
weight distribution bias')
Racing itself is a true experience. As you follow the Pace-Car you get this
strange chlosterphobic feeling enhanced by the <much improved over Indycar>
dull rumble emitting from all around you... in a moment these 'dull rumbles'
will switch to a blaze of color and ear deafening thunder-like roars as the
flag waves green and the pace-car exits the track. The racing is generally
very up-close and personal, in your face style making more then one knuckle
turn the white-ish shade (at least till' the tires warm up and I use a yoke ;)
Paint and 'decal swapping' can become almost as common as placing your foot
on the gas and brake! Contact is allowed, and though maybe not encouraged,
it sure gets your competitor's attention as it does you when the shoe is on the
other foot!
I'll just summarize various things here, to make a long story as short as
possible:
Sim Hi-lights:
--------------
- Race Fields can be up to 38 opponents (39 AIs + Player Car + Pace Car = 40
modeled vehicles)
- Tracks included: Atlanta, Bristol, N.Hampshire, Martinsville, Michigan,
Darlington, Phoenix, Taladega, and Watkins Glen.
- Pit Stops can be pre-planned from the cockpit BEFORE getting to the pits.
(Hint: use the pause key and make your radio requests ;-) )
- Yellow Flag WILL come out if the player car is in trouble or the only car
involved in an altercation. (No more hobbling to the pits with two tires
down and dodging 200 mph traffic!)
- "One More Lap Until Green" notification so you know when the race will
resume during caution periods. (Interesting while siiting in the pits for
service and see this come up! Hurry up guys and 'tap' the back lid! Move,
move, MOVE)
- Race back to the line just after the caution comes out... good for getting
that lap back if close enough ;-)
- Enforced pit-lane speed of 55 mph
- Black Flag penalties for 'speeding' <above> and passing under yellow or
pace laps. "stop-and-go" results or else you get DQ'd
- Real damage and effects. Graphically depicted; bent panels/bumpers, missing
portions, crumpled back ends and hoods (actually affecting your view!),
tire/wheel damage and wear. The only thing missing are the flips and
barrel rolls and more FIRE!
- More realistic pitting schemes for the AIs; they'll actually make periodic
pit-stops during caution periods is a number of laps have been run under
green.
- Night Races (Season mode only)
- Random or user defined weather.
- Complete and very usable paintkit included (puts ICR's to pasture).
- Many real drivers and paint schemes.
- Selectable Opponent Strengths.
- Versitle replay functions with built-in "cut & save" feature. Many new
views including "Roof", "Driver/Passenger Side" and Bumper cams (front and
back)....
- Challenging and much more refined AI routines. All this _AND_ close
door-to-door racing! Whoo Hoo!
- Digital and more authentic sounds throughout- stereo where applicable.
- Realistic pit-stops, time and sound effects. Damage can be repaired etc.
- SAVE RACE feature for the ability to maintain some form of life after
buying NASCAR ;-)
- Accelerated Time feature.
- Many Print to printer or file options.
- Enhanced Season mode standings (Top 5 Finishes, Top 10's etc. etc.)
- Nice after race summary and capsule showing all drivers etc. plus a small
'newspaper-like' block of text at the bottom showing "lead changes",
...
read more »
Quoted text (9 lines)
>Overall I'm 100% impressed and pleased at how NASCAR RACING has turned out. >I would have to give it at least a 9 of 10 if forced to rank it :-) Very >solid and entertaining package to this point and well worth the price of >admission. BTW, my system is a 486-DX2/66, LB-Cirrus Logic Video, 8MB Ram, >and a Sound Blaster 16 <basic> >Well, that's WAY MORE then enough for now. Feel free to write if you have >any comments. Oh yeah, AND PLEASE DO NOT ICLUDE THIS WHOLE MESSAGE IF >FOLLOWING UP TO THE GROUP! For everyone's well being ;-) Thanks for your >time and happy racing!: Chris, should I crosspost this to alt.game.air-warrior? <g> Great review, I
: may just have to go out and buy this sim (and a P90 to go with it!).
: --- Gavin "Visualize Whirled Peas!"
-- Heh, thanks Gavin :-) No, that likely would not be a good idea... besides
I wouldn't see any responses there anymore anyway ;-)... the 'Gods' have
spoken....
-- Yeah, if you are vaguley interested in the BEST racing game to ever hit
the market, then by all means buy it, you'll not be disappointed! (or at
least I hope not, or I'll have to eat my words. ;-) ).
Good luck on your purchase(s) ;-)
--
Christopher Goucher Atlantic Geoscience Centre
work: (902) 426-4754 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
home: (902) 865-9270 CANADA
[...]
A question: Is "Opponents Heard" limited by the number of DMA channels
to the sound card? In other words, could I hear more than one opponent
with my 8-bit, single DMA Soundblaster 1.5?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Subject: NASCAR: My impressions <long review>
>Date: 16 Nov 1994 16:48:59 -0400
>Well, it's time for me to throw my hat into the ring and add my $0.02 to this
>product as it finds it's way to the shelves. Worthy of note: I love NASCAR
>Racing (real) as well as all forms of short-track oval stock car racing so I
>may be a bit biased. ;-) <my prayers have been answered>
[MUCH DELETED. . .]
I must add one thing, since I have a stereo sound card, the game *DOES*
support stereo, so if you get passed on the left you hear the car draw close,
speed by, and draw away on the LEFT speaker . . . a *TRULY* AWESOME experience!
+=================================================================+
| Robert Berryhill - Scarecrow from Wizard of Oz|
| Plano, Tx or was that Congress? | +=================================================================+
