Newbie just back from the REAL Indy in Vancouver - I NEED to race!

Hello all. I'm just back from Vancouver's Indy and crave an auto racing game. Here's where you can help: I'm not going to blindly ask "what's best?". I'm looking for super realistic graphics and true racing 'feel' but I don't think its a 'simulation' that I want. I'm looking for something that I can sit down and be seriously racing within an hour. I've tried flight simulators in the past and find the learning curve WAY too long. It'd be nice that if a friend drops by that you can get him up and running within 20 minutes. I know this makes me a weenie, but I don't have the patience or the 20 hours to learn to play a game. I've read the r.a.s. posts and see a few games that get mentioned repeatedly but I need one with an "idiot button" that allows a computer to take over most functions (other than the steeringl, gears, brakes and accelerater). Later, when (if) I get the inclination, I can learn to set up cars, tweak engines and choose tires etc., BUT NOT NOW! I know this is a sim newsgroup, but I don't know where to turn. Also, I'd appreciate some controls recommendations. All that I have seen here mention what are "economical" or "mid-priced". What's "top-end?" Sorry, for the long post. See you at the track. (I'll be the fat guy with the hotdog waving from the stands) Cheers, Dr. Bob 97 FLSTC You don't have to floss all your teeth......just the ones you want to keep.

I vote for CART Racing aka Indycar Racing 2 aka ICR2. http://www.sierra.com/ I recommend a Rendition video card also. http://www.rendition.com/ And your input device at http://soli.inav.net/~thomas/

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> Hello all. I'm just back from Vancouver's Indy and crave an auto > racing game. Here's where you can help: > I'm not going to blindly ask "what's best?". I'm looking for super > realistic graphics and true racing 'feel' but I don't think its a > 'simulation' that I want. I'm looking for something that I can sit > down and be seriously racing within an hour. > I've tried flight simulators in the past and find the learning curve > WAY too long. It'd be nice that if a friend drops by that you can get > him up and running within 20 minutes. I know this makes me a weenie, > but I don't have the patience or the 20 hours to learn to play a game. > I've read the r.a.s. posts and see a few games that get mentioned > repeatedly but I need one with an "idiot button" that allows a > computer to take over most functions (other than the steeringl, > gears, brakes and accelerater). Later, when (if) I get the > inclination, I can learn to set up cars, tweak engines and choose > tires etc., BUT NOT NOW! > I know this is a sim newsgroup, but I don't know where to turn. Also, > I'd appreciate some controls recommendations. All that I have seen > here mention what are "economical" or "mid-priced". What's "top-end?" > Sorry, for the long post. See you at the track. (I'll be the fat guy > with the hotdog waving from the stands) > Cheers, > Dr. Bob > 97 FLSTC > You don't have to floss all your teeth......just the ones you want to keep.

Hi Dr. Bob... I'm sure you'll get as many different answers as there are r.a.s. readers... but I'll go ahead and give you my .2 worth. First, I'll need to make an assumption, as well as make sure you understand my vantage point. The assumption: You witnessed a CART race, resulting in INSPIRATION. Can I assume that means you're NOT interested in Nascar type racing? That so, the assumption: We can rule out Nascar Racing 1 or 2 by Papyrus. This leaves us with the other two that I'm familiar with. Both are "open wheel" racing (as you saw), but with different "themes". First there's Papyrus/Sierra's "Indy Car Racing 2". This product has recently been renamed "CART Racing". Do NOT confuse this product with "CART PRECISION RACING" by MICROSOFT. Many, many posts on this NG warn of problems with "CART PRECISION RACING". Anyway, ICR2/CART by Papyrus/Sierra is a fun sim that has several "driving helps" that can make the learning curve shorter. It also has an "arcade" view for those so inclined. This sim will replicate the type of racing you just witnessed at Vancouver, even including the Vancouver track (albiet the "old" one). The other open wheel sim I have experience with is "Grand Prix Racing 2" by Microprose. This represents Formula 1 racing, which is very popular outside the US. (With good reason, I've been watching some of them on Fox Sports, and several races have been VERY exciting.) Anyway, this sim also features many "helps" that can basically make the car so easy to drive you just press on the go pedal and hold it. (Of course, that's the extreme... you will SURELY want to deactivate the "steering aid"... right?) Downside: Because their F1 licensing has expired, this game has been dropped from the Micorprose line, so you'll have to look for it. One last thing, don't be surprized if you buy one of the above... and it transforms you into a rabid simmer. It has that effect! ;-) Hope this helps... Andre Ming

Try TOCA Touring Car Racing, not a true sim, but hugely playable, and you can just start it up and race, and boy, WHAT racing!!!! 8-) *Peter* 8-) (NB: remove asterix to e-mail)