Racing Sim History & Timeline

I have noticed some confusion and discrepancies lately regarding when certain racing sims were released and how long they have been around. I have listed all the major racing sims(that I have purchased and played) along with their developer/publisher and approximate U.S. release date. European release dates are noted if they preceded the U.S. release by several months. Indianapolis 500: The Simulation - Papyrus - December 1989 Formula 1 Grand Prix World Circuit - Microprose - Spring 1992(?) Indycar Racing - Papyrus - November 1993 Indycar Racing Track Pack - Papyrus - May 1994 Indycar Racing: Indianapolis 500 Track - Papyrus - May 1994 Nascar Racing - Papyrus - November 1994 Nascar Racing Track Pack - Papyrus - May 1995 Grand Prix 2 - Microprose - August 1995 Indycar Racing II - Papyrus - November 1995 Indycar Racing II(Mac/Win95/Patch version) - Sierra/Papyrus - May 1996 Indycar Racing II - (Rendition version released with several Rendition graphic cards) - Sierra/Papyrus - October 1996 Nascar Racing 2 - Sierra/Papyrus - November 1996 Nascar Racing Busch Grand National Pack - Sierra/Papyrus - October 1997 CART Precision Racing - Microsoft/TRI - November 1997 SODA Off-Road Racing - Sierra/Papyrus/Software Allies - November 1997 Formula 1 Racing Simulation - Ubisoft - European release December 1997 - U.S. Release March 1998 CART Racing - (Indycar II with Rendition version and Strategy Guide) Sierra/Papyrus - December 1997(?) Nascar Racing 2 50th Anniversary Edition(Nascar 2 plus Busch Pack) - Sierra/Papyrus - Winter 1998(?) Grand Prix Legends - Sierra/Papyrus - September 1998 Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2 - Ubisoft - European release September 1998 - not yet released in the U.S. but readily available through Import Nascar Racing 2 1999 Edition - Sierra/Papyrus - November 1998 Let me know if I missed any, or if I am off on any of the dates. This is not meant to be directed at anyone(although it could be construed as a bit *** retentive), but to just provide a more accurate frame of reference for use in racing sim discussion. Don Chapman

August '96 if I remember correctly. Cheers! -- Graeme Nash You know what to do with "don't_spam_me"... http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk/ ICQ# 11257824 "My car appeared to disagree with my preference for living"

Don, Many would argue the validity of its inclusion on your list, but ABC Interactive's Indy Racing sim was released in November of 1997. As the only game currently available (well, somewhat available) that features the Indianapolis Motor Speedwaym, the Indy Racing League, AND USAC feeder tracks, I think it bears mention. -- John Bodin Publisher, The IRL Insider Magazine On-Line http://irlinsider.adnetweb.com/ >Let me know if I missed any, or if I am off on any of the dates. This is not >meant to be directed at anyone(although it could be construed as a bit *** >retentive), but to just provide a more accurate frame of reference for use >in racing sim discussion. >Don Chapman

Oh yeah, I don't know how I missed that one. It's actually still installed on my hard drive because I like the feeder tracks! Thanks for the reminder and thanks for the Gasoline Alley utility. Don Chapman

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>Don, >Many would argue the validity of its inclusion on your list, but ABC >Interactive's Indy Racing sim was released in November of 1997. As >the only game currently available (well, somewhat available) that >features the Indianapolis Motor Speedwaym, the Indy Racing League, AND >USAC feeder tracks, I think it bears mention. >-- John Bodin > Publisher, The IRL Insider Magazine On-Line > http://irlinsider.adnetweb.com/ >>Let me know if I missed any, or if I am off on any of the dates. This is

not >>meant to be directed at anyone(although it could be construed as a bit *** >>retentive), but to just provide a more accurate frame of reference for use >>in racing sim discussion. >>Don Chapman

Don Chapman wrote Well I got a list of about 80 racing games from the 1980's and early 90's... Very accurate your list is ;) . From what I remember F1GP went out in stores near March of 1992. Oh and also the first release of IndyCar Racing 2 was indeed not under the Sierra company but distributed by *** Interactive! Oh another thing I am about sure... Ubisoft's F1RS was released at the very end of November If I remember.. like the 29th. Im not 100% sure... Hmm thanks for the list!... Im always into that project.. maybe someday if I got time you might found it as part of simracing.com (Simracing history & Timeline). Another of my project I always had in mind, with the SRHoF ;-) - Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard> Good race at the Brickyard! - Official Mentally retarded guy of r.a.s. - Excuse me for my English (I'm French speaking) - Sponsored by http://www.awpss.com/ - "People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realise how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."--

GP2 was released in the summer of 1996, not 1995 JoH Please remove *anti-spam* from the email when replying. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= When everything else failed, we can still become im- mortal by making an enormous blunder.... John Kenneth Galbraith =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

What about Bill Elliots NASCAR challenge from Konami circa 1991. It had three body styles, engine adjustments, pit stop adjusts and it came with Daytona.

Don, This is a great list! I'm not sure if you forgot the following or if they don't fall under "racing sims" by your definition, but how about: 1. Grand Prix Circuit by Accolade 2. Road and Track Presents Grand Prix Unlimited by Accolade (awful, awful game) 3. Bill Elliott's NASCAR Challenge 4. Revs 5. Ferrari Formula 1 (This came out in the late '80s with supposedly authentic handling, many setup options, and the Ferrari licence). 6. TOCA and Colin McRae Rally by Codemasters (too arcade?) I apologize for the lack of dates and information. I can look through my pile of magazines if necessary. Martin Nigel Mansell RIP!

It even had a Mac version, I used to play it on my old Mac LC. Has anyone ever played Ferrari Grand Prix? it was my first racing sim. It had a track editor (I wish more newer racing sims had a track editor) and I used to play it for hours! At first I had the back and white version, and then version 2.0 came out with 16 colours. At least you could tell the difference between a Ferrair and the Williams! Later, John

I remember Revs and it was the game that got me hooked on sims and I've been playing them ever since .

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> Don Chapman, described by the Rev Spooner as a shining wit, said: > >Formula 1 Grand Prix World Circuit - Microprose - Spring 1992(?) > Think it might have been earlier. It was released for the Amiga first (in > 91 I think), then the Atari ST and only then the PC. > >Grand Prix 2 - Microprose - August 1995 > Released in the UK on July 19th 1996 - only a year out <g> > The one addition I would ask for (nay, demand!) is for Geoff Crammond's > first racing sim, "Revs" to be included. Released in the UK way back around > 1986/87 (?) first on the BBC Micro and then the Commodore C64. It was a > simulation of Formula 3 and originally came with just the one track - > Silverstone although a 4 track add-on was produced with Donnington, Brands > Hatch, Oulton Park and Snetterton. Very basic by today's standards but it > ran in just 32k of RAM, had the best keyboard control mechanism ever > provided in a sim and was the first game worthy of being described as a > "racing sim". > Cheers, > Richard > -- > We all bump into each other every day of our lives, and we render our opinions > whether we know anything or not, and if anybody catches us out we lie...

Hi All, The first "sim" I ever bought was I think what you are referring to here. IIRC it was called Ferrari F1. All I remember was how hard it was to see the track [and drive with keyboard!], could only ever get monochrome video to work, so it was kind of like "Night Drivin", that and the program would crash every time I tried to go to the Wind-Tunnel (Haven't seen anyone request that feature for any recent sims ;-)!) I'm just soooo glad that something like GPL was achievable in my lifetime :-)! Where from here??? Happy Lappin', Wade Tschida

You guys should check out my page at: http://gallery.uunet.be/year1440/intro_racingsims.htm Enjoy :-) Please remove *anti-spam* from the email when replying. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= When everything else failed, we can still become im- mortal by making an enormous blunder.... John Kenneth Galbraith =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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>Don, > This is a great list! I'm not sure if you forgot the >following or if they don't fall under "racing sims" by your >definition, but how about: >1. Grand Prix Circuit by Accolade >2. Road and Track Presents Grand Prix Unlimited by Accolade > (awful, awful game)

LOL! I remember that "gem". I actually bought that over F1GP at the time, purely because of the track editor. I have no idea if this could be classed a sim, it could barely be considered a driving game. I guess this is a sim, and I suppose would have been quite cool, had I not got it way after N1. Heard loads about this one. I had a BBC but can't find that game. Did have Street Machine, again sim/game?, which was a top-down but had a pretty excellent understanding of oversteer/opposite lock for it's day. Seen it on the Atari. I think you will get a lot of arguments over this. I think you have to draw the line somewhere, and I think being able to total the car realistically to the point of race over, is one neccessity for a "sim". Anyone remember Stunt Driver, although the main list was basically a Papy list (and Papy stuff just about swipes any "sim" tag from anything else IMO), your list here included some on par with Stunt Driver, which was a Hard Drivin' kind of game with plenty of character, passable physics for the time, the ability to roll, not exactly realistically, but it wasn't caned. I played it tons before F1GP and it was Spectrum Holobyte (sp?) 1990. Thanks! -:http://www.simproject.com/ccg/

On Sat, 21 Nov 1998 23:31:21 +0000, Graeme Nash >>Grand Prix 2 - Microprose - August 1995 >August '96 if I remember correctly. it was in shops on the 20th of July, think that was release day..... PC clock makes that a Saturday so maybe not. <g> Thanks. -:http://www.simproject.com/ccg/

> >6. TOCA and Colin McRae Rally by Codemasters (too arcade?) > I think you will get a lot of arguments over this. I think you have to > draw the line somewhere, and I think being able to total the car > realistically to the point of race over, is one neccessity for a > "sim". I would be much more eager to draw the line somewhere in the modeling of weight transfer, traction etc. than in damage modeling. After all, one of my absolute favorites, Gran Turismo in the PC has no damage modeling at all (except for the tires that wear out), but I would not hesitate a second to call it a sim. -- Anssi Lehtinen

Yes! the sim (for that time) that got me hooked on racing sims forever, spent many 100's of hours racing Accolade Grand Prix Circuit on my C-64 back in 1988/1989, amazing really when you compare the physics modeling of those days to what we now have the previledge to drive in GPL! Can't wait to see what the next 10 years brings in racing sims... Seeyas on the track. --John (Joao) Silva > This is a great list! I'm not sure if you forgot the >following or if they don't fall under "racing sims" by your >definition, but how about: >1. Grand Prix Circuit by Accolade

>Yes! the sim (for that time) that got me hooked on racing sims forever, >spent many 100's of hours racing Accolade Grand Prix Circuit on my C-64 >back in 1988/1989, amazing really when you compare the physics modeling >of those days to what we now have the previledge to drive in GPL! Does Indy 500 on the Atari 2600 count as a racing sim? Unfortunately I only had Grand Prix Circuit for the PC (though I had Test Drive for the C64), which meant my McLaren was painted in pink and white! Geoff Crammond's GP3 to be released in 2008. Martin Nigel Mansell RIP!

% > I remember Revs and it was the game that got me hooked on sims and I've been % > playing them ever since . % > % Does anyone remember Chequered Flag, by Psion, for the ZX Spectrum. No other % cars IIRC, just beat your own time. But it did have most of the F1 circuits % with it. % That must have been 1982-3. Oh yes, I remember this well. In fact this is the only "sim" I recall that ever had "oil" and/or "debris" on the track. However, it was always there, you just had to be aware of it.... -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=