Nascar3 - Initial Impressions

well I have to say I am a bit disappointed in Nascar3. It's hard not to have high hopes for a game that has been 3 years or so in the making. While it IS a step up from Nascar2 &99, it isn't really THAT much better (at least so far). Now since I have only played it for about 2 hours so far, most of my comments are based on graphics. The tracks all look nice, but I thought the graphics would be somewhat like Nascar Revolution's. They are somewhere in between N2 and Nas Revolution. The free online play is great, but the few games I tried were not as smooth as the ones I used to play on TEN. I am surprised someone hasnt jumped on this opportunity to replace TEN. There is a HUGE online community that plays Nascar and a high speed server to host Nascar3 games and leagues would be a guaranteed success. Anyway, I am having a hard time keeping my car straight in N3 while the control in N2 seemed more "solid". There seems to be a large "dead zone" in the center of the wheel before any movements take effect. Maybe I'll try the other joystick driver in the game? I have been using the Direct X one. Also, it would have been nice if they added "play by play" to this game to make it more like a TV presentation. If you go to a nascar race, there IS a stadium announcer who announces the action to all at the track.

Yeah, but if they did that, it would lose it's sim qualties and turn it into an EA-fest. I doubt Dale Earnhardt can hear Ned Jarret as he goes around Dega at 200 mph, so why should we? Maybe make it an option, but I bet most people would just turn it off....

Also, it's not a 'stadium announcer' but MRN radio with Alan and Barney. At Talladega and Daytona, you can actually hear the radio broadcast on the speakers when the field is opposite track, headset. I would rather see them fix the deal with always having the entry stall on pit road or straightning pit road than insert some commentary. IMHO.

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>Yeah, but if they did that, it would lose it's sim qualties and turn it into >an EA-fest. I doubt Dale Earnhardt can hear Ned Jarret as he goes around >Dega at 200 mph, so why should we? Maybe make it an option, but I bet most >people would just turn it off.... >> Also, it would have been nice if they added "play by play" to this game >to >> make it more like a TV presentation. If you go to a nascar race, there >IS >> a >> stadium announcer who announces the action to all at the track.

I think play by play would be neat during replay. I like this sim allot.

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> well I have to say I am a bit disappointed in Nascar3. > It's hard not to have high hopes for a game that has been 3 years or > so in the making. While it IS a step up from Nascar2 &99, it isn't > really THAT much better (at least so far). Now since I have only > played it for about 2 hours so far, most of my comments are > based on graphics. The tracks all look nice, but I thought the > graphics would be somewhat like Nascar Revolution's. They are > somewhere in between N2 and Nas Revolution. The free online > play is great, but the few games I tried were not as smooth as the ones > I used to play on TEN. I am surprised someone hasnt jumped on this > opportunity to replace TEN. There is a HUGE online community that > plays Nascar and a high speed server to host Nascar3 games and leagues > would be a guaranteed success. > Anyway, I am having a hard time keeping my car straight in N3 while the > control in N2 seemed more "solid". There seems to be a large "dead zone" > in the center of the wheel before any movements take effect. Maybe I'll > try the other joystick driver in the game? I have been using the Direct X > one. > Also, it would have been nice if they added "play by play" to this game to > make it more like a TV presentation. If you go to a nascar race, there IS > a > stadium announcer who announces the action to all at the track.

Larry, Larry, Larry ...... I'm sure not even you believe your comments here.. :)) What John said, regarding car handling is correct.. I'm not knocking N3, as i don't even have it yet, but i do know what a V8 saloon car will do if i floor it coming out of a corner, or back off quick and throw it sideways into a corner :)) Yes, i am still getting it.. (n3 that is) I have a few RedNeck mates in the states that need their butts kicking in roundy roundy racing :)) Cheers, Ron > That's the difference between a 3500 pound race car with 10 inch tires, and

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> a 1800 pound (?) race car with 4 inch tires :) > -Larry > > I've played N3 just over the weekend (as it only arrived from the

US > > on Friday), but I'm already sorta regretting buying it (gasp, wash my > > mouth out etc). Driving round Sears feels, well, dead - I can turn the > > car in hard and back right out of the gas with no ill effects other > > than some nice engine braking - no unsettling of the back, lockup or > > anything. Then jump right on full throttle, full lock out of the turn > > with no chance to spin.

Well, Ron, I guess you just plain missed the smiley at the end, huh :) :) :) But... There is a big difference in how these cars are _supposed_ to handle. I'll leave it at that. -Larry

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> Larry, Larry, Larry ...... > I'm sure not even you believe your comments here.. :)) > What John said, regarding car handling is correct.. > I'm not knocking N3, as i don't even have it yet, but i do know what a > V8 saloon car will do if i floor it coming out of a corner, or back off > quick and throw it sideways into a corner :)) > Yes, i am still getting it.. (n3 that is) > I have a few RedNeck mates in the states that need their butts kicking > in roundy roundy racing :)) > Cheers, > Ron > > That's the difference between a 3500 pound race car with 10 inch > tires, and > > a 1800 pound (?) race car with 4 inch tires :) > > -Larry > > > I've played N3 just over the weekend (as it only arrived from the > US > > > on Friday), but I'm already sorta regretting buying it (gasp, wash > my > > > mouth out etc). Driving round Sears feels, well, dead - I can turn > the > > > car in hard and back right out of the gas with no ill effects other > > > than some nice engine braking - no unsettling of the back, lockup > or > > > anything. Then jump right on full throttle, full lock out of the > turn > > > with no chance to spin.

Don't back down Larry, your point had a lot of merit! Don't let all these professional Winston Cup/F-1 drivers buffalo you. Paul

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> Well, Ron, I guess you just plain missed the smiley at the end, huh :) > :) > :) > But... > There is a big difference in how these cars are _supposed_ to handle. I'll > leave it at that. > -Larry > > Larry, Larry, Larry ...... > > I'm sure not even you believe your comments here.. :)) > > What John said, regarding car handling is correct.. > > I'm not knocking N3, as i don't even have it yet, but i do know what a > > V8 saloon car will do if i floor it coming out of a corner, or back off > > quick and throw it sideways into a corner :)) > > Yes, i am still getting it.. (n3 that is) > > I have a few RedNeck mates in the states that need their butts kicking > > in roundy roundy racing :)) > > Cheers, > > Ron > > > That's the difference between a 3500 pound race car with 10 inch > > tires, and > > > a 1800 pound (?) race car with 4 inch tires :) > > > -Larry > > > > I've played N3 just over the weekend (as it only arrived from the > > US > > > > on Friday), but I'm already sorta regretting buying it (gasp, wash > > my > > > > mouth out etc). Driving round Sears feels, well, dead - I can turn > > the > > > > car in hard and back right out of the gas with no ill effects other > > > > than some nice engine braking - no unsettling of the back, lockup > > or > > > > anything. Then jump right on full throttle, full lock out of the > > turn > > > > with no chance to spin.

No reason they can't. They do it in every flight sim. Paul > I'm waiting to see when they actually allow you to START your own car. I > would love to be sitting in my car.. hearing the crowd cheer.. then hearins > "Start your engines" and listen to them all fire up. Now that would be a > simulation.

Great idea but lets not have too much realism where sometimes the *** won't start!! That I don't need. > > I'm waiting to see when they actually allow you to START your own car. I > > would love to be sitting in my car.. hearing the crowd cheer.. then hearins > > "Start your engines" and listen to them all fire up. Now that would be a > > simulation.

Not at all - it's the difference between a sim which models these things and one which doesn't. Do you really think NASCARs are so weedy that you can't break traction by flooring the throttle at 30mph? Cheers! John

:>That's the difference between a 3500 pound race car with 10 inch tires, and :>a 1800 pound (?) race car with 4 inch tires :) : Not at all - it's the difference between a sim which models these : things and one which doesn't. Do you really think NASCARs are so weedy : that you can't break traction by flooring the throttle at 30mph? : Cheers! : John yep, thats the point!