NASCAR 2 for Playstation

Can anyone tell me how the Playstation version of NASCAR 2 compares to the PC version? Is it a physics-based simulation on Playstation, or just arcade?

> Can anyone tell me how the Playstation version of NASCAR 2 compares to > the PC version? Is it a physics-based simulation on Playstation, or > just arcade? NASCAR Racing for the PlayStation is pretty much a hybrid between N1 and N2. (It has some features of each.) It is a complete physics-based simulation though, with most all of the flexibility that you've come to expect from Papyrus games. There is also an arcade mode, which changes the physics to make the cars easier to drive; though the game is still (appropriately IMO) challenging, even in arcade mode. Supports analog controllers (recommended, just like they're recommended for the PC game). The graphics on the PSX are "in-between" low-res and high res on the PC. The screen resolution is 384x216x16 bit. There's true transparency, shading, and the 16 bit output does a lot to make up for the limited resolution. The best thing about it though, is that it brings NASCAR to homes that don't have buffed out PCs... And of course, no console game would be complete without a few easter eggs. Disclaimer: I worked on the Sony version of the product, so I could be biased in any of the above statements, though I think they're all true. (This disclaimer doesn't mean that you can't complain about the Sony product to me; I don't mind hearing intelligent reports of bugs/limitations/missing features in our products.) ---Jim Sokoloff, Papyrus

Thanks for the detailed response, Jim. I bought a Playstation to get Psygnosis' F1, and was pleasantly surprised to have NASCAR come out so soon afterward. But it does have some minor, but very irritating, bugs. For one, "preferences" doesn't seem to save controller calibration settings. That is, every time I boot the PSX, I must recalibrate, shich often is just enough extra effort that I think twice about spending 1/2 hour racing or so. Secondly, NASCAR seems to lose preference files at an alarming rate. I am not sure, it could be just coincidence, but somehow I find myself reading a "No preferences file" sort of error far too often. Lastly, many times I'll start a track and find that I have no skid sounds, or no rev sounds, or both. I just keep re-entering that track until I get it right. What is that all about? Bad CD? A suggestion: allow people a few graphics options. The game runs fine, it is pretty fast, but let's face it, some people want to race at 20 fps no mater what they lose in detail. I'd like to get my frame rate up just a bit sometimes; turning off something might give me that. Some people complain bitterly about the frame rate. It isn't really a big problem, though.

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| > Can anyone tell me how the Playstation version of NASCAR 2 compares to | > the PC version? Is it a physics-based simulation on Playstation, or | > just arcade? | NASCAR Racing for the PlayStation is pretty much a hybrid between N1 and | N2. (It has some features of each.) It is a complete physics-based | simulation though, with most all of the flexibility that you've come to | expect from Papyrus games. There is also an arcade mode, which changes | the physics to make the cars easier to drive; though the game is still | (appropriately IMO) challenging, even in arcade mode. | Supports analog controllers (recommended, just like they're recommended | for the PC game). | The graphics on the PSX are "in-between" low-res and high res on the PC. | The screen resolution is 384x216x16 bit. There's true transparency, | shading, and the 16 bit output does a lot to make up for the limited | resolution. | The best thing about it though, is that it brings NASCAR to homes that | don't have buffed out PCs... | And of course, no console game would be complete without a few easter | eggs. | Disclaimer: I worked on the Sony version of the product, so I could be | biased in any of the above statements, though I think they're all true. | (This disclaimer doesn't mean that you can't complain about the Sony | product to me; I don't mind hearing intelligent reports of | bugs/limitations/missing features in our products.) | ---Jim Sokoloff, Papyrus

[snipped] Hey Jim, are there planes to port N2 to the Nintendo64? I ask cause thats what I bought my son for christmas. stev -- If replying by mail, remove the asterisk* from my email address.

> But it does have some minor, but very irritating, bugs. For one, > "preferences" doesn't seem to save controller calibration settings. > That is, every time I boot the PSX, I must recalibrate, shich often is > just enough extra effort that I think twice about spending 1/2 hour > racing or so. You are the second to report that we don't save the calibrations. I thought that we did, but I don't have very recent code here on my home machine, so I can't say for sure. Yes, our memory card code is about the worst in the industry. (And I wrote every bit of it too. It's downright shameful.) No, that's a bug in the sound system somewhere. (I burned many, many hours looking for that bug and couldn't find it.) A quicker workaround to it though is to pause and unpause the game until both skids and engine work. (Much quicker than leaving the track to the track selection screen and re-entering...) Unfortunately, giving the option to turn off texturing doesn't buy you very much on the PSX. (PSX texture engine is very fast, and is generally not the bottleneck.) If we allowed turning off groups of trackside objects (like we do for our PC games), it might buy us some framerate, but we didn't do that... :( ---Jim Sokoloff, Papyrus

For a review of NASCAR for the Sony Playstation, take a look at the latest issue of Sim Racing News at: http://members.aol.com/simracing/index.htm Best Regards, Marc - SRN Marc J. Nelson Sim Racing News http://members.aol.com/simracing/index.htm http://sneezy.dcn.ed.ac.uk/simnews/index.htm

Jeeze, Jim, I can't remember dealing with a more honest, forthright USENET rep for a company, I really appreciate your attention and frankness regarding my post of *yesterday*. Wow, you are quick, too! For one thing, you have given me confidence that I don't have a screwed machine or CD-pressing- there are some bugs in the program. But no, they aren't fatal, it isn't like the original ICR2 release. Fact is, Papy just about lost a loyal fan with some of the ICR2 craziness and lack of feedback of last spring/summer, but I am happy to say your excellent, no-bull product support here has me coming back around. And, uh, any hope of an Indycar for PSX?

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| > But it does have some minor, but very irritating, bugs. For one, | > "preferences" doesn't seem to save controller calibration settings. | > That is, every time I boot the PSX, I must recalibrate, shich often is | > just enough extra effort that I think twice about spending 1/2 hour | > racing or so. | You are the second to report that we don't save the calibrations. I | thought that we did, but I don't have very recent code here on my home | machine, so I can't say for sure.

Let us all know if you come up with a workaround or an answer regarding this one... it is the only bug I would consider irritating, if there really is a bug. | > Secondly, NASCAR seems to lose preference files at an alarming rate. I | > am not sure, it could be just coincidence, but somehow I find myself | > reading a "No preferences file" sort of error far too often. | Yes, our memory card code is about the worst in the industry. (And I | wrote every bit of it too. It's downright shameful.) Easy on yourself there, Jim! Any tips on when or how it will toss the preferences file? Once a good file is written, does it generally last? I.e., is it in the writing process, or the read in which the file gets corrupted? I'm sure there is a workaround for this one, since it doesn't always eat the file.

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| > Lastly, many times I'll start a track and find that I have no skid | > sounds, or no rev sounds, or both. I just keep re-entering that track | > until I get it right. What is that all about? Bad CD? | No, that's a bug in the sound system somewhere. (I burned many, many | hours looking for that bug and couldn't find it.) A quicker workaround | to it though is to pause and unpause the game until both skids and | engine work. (Much quicker than leaving the track to the track selection | screen and re-entering...)

Excellent, this is a very managable workaround for the unusual times I get the bug. You know, my biggest fear here was that I had a bad CD or bad machine... frankly, this is an extremely minor bug, since when it works, it works for the entire time at that track (practice/qual./race).

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| > A suggestion: allow people a few graphics options. The game runs fine, | > it is pretty fast, but let's face it, some people want to race at 20 | > fps no mater what they lose in detail. I'd like to get my frame rate | > up just a bit sometimes; turning off something might give me that. | > Some people complain bitterly about the frame rate. It isn't really a | > big problem, though. | Unfortunately, giving the option to turn off texturing doesn't buy you | very much on the PSX. (PSX texture engine is very fast, and is generally | not the bottleneck.) If we allowed turning off groups of trackside | objects (like we do for our PC games), it might buy us some framerate, | but we didn't do that... :(

Like I said, the game isn't really hurting in that respect, but I get the sense some people feel like they'd simply like to know they could do it if they wanted to... you know what I mean? People love "to be able to" do things, even if they probably won't do 'em. I think this is where the complaints have come in this group. Fact is, NASCAR got very respectable reviews in the PSX magazines... what it didn't get eights or nines in was largely to do with the minor bugs and/or a few options people want. But once you are racing, which is what it is all about, it obviously is up to snuff; no reviews claimed it didn't do what it was expected to do. Most people I've encounter with it on PSX love it. | ---Jim Sokoloff, Papyrus Thanks, keep up the good work.

: > Can anyone tell me how the Playstation version of NASCAR 2 compares to : > the PC version? Is it a physics-based simulation on Playstation, or : > just arcade? : NASCAR Racing for the PlayStation is pretty much a hybrid between N1 and : N2. (It has some features of each.) It is a complete physics-based : simulation though, with most all of the flexibility that you've come to : expect from Papyrus games. There is also an arcade mode, which changes : the physics to make the cars easier to drive; though the game is still : (appropriately IMO) challenging, even in arcade mode. : Supports analog controllers (recommended, just like they're recommended : for the PC game). : The graphics on the PSX are "in-between" low-res and high res on the PC. : The screen resolution is 384x216x16 bit. There's true transparency, : shading, and the 16 bit output does a lot to make up for the limited : resolution. : The best thing about it though, is that it brings NASCAR to homes that : don't have buffed out PCs... : And of course, no console game would be complete without a few easter : eggs. : Disclaimer: I worked on the Sony version of the product, so I could be : biased in any of the above statements, though I think they're all true. : (This disclaimer doesn't mean that you can't complain about the Sony : product to me; I don't mind hearing intelligent reports of : bugs/limitations/missing features in our products.) : ---Jim Sokoloff, Papyrus Jim, Care to drop hints about them "easter eggs"? I think you did good with this game for Playstation. Any plans for any other games for it??? Ps, any relation to Jim Sokoloff the lawyer you see on tv in the Boston area? -- --------------------- Mike

> Care to drop hints about them "easter eggs"? 1) Hook up a second controller and fool around during the intro FMV. 2) In arcade mode, select the rookie car 12 times in a row, leave the track, and come back to it. 3) In opponent info, fiddle around with controller #1, and somehow you can alter the spin of the opp cars... That's all I can think of off the top of my head... A geez, not again. No, his last name is Sokolove, but I do get that pretty much all the time... ---Jim Sokoloff, Papyrus