Midtown Madness, Driver-Opinions & Comparisons

I have played the demo of Midtown Madness and it is a lot of fun. How does it compare to Driver and some of the newer arcadish games? How about online play? Which has better online support?

>I have played the demo of Midtown Madness and it is a lot of fun. How does >it compare to Driver and some of the newer arcadish games? If you like the way the cars drive in the MM demo, go for the complete game. The graphics in the full version are even better, the gameplay is nice, the modelling of Chicago is impressive. I'm having much more fun with the Driver demo than with MM, but that's due to the (IMO) somewhat boring physics model of MM. But if you like the way the cars handle in the demo, you can't go wrong with the full version. I have no idea, unfortunately. -- Wolfgang Preiss \ E-mail copies of replies to this posting are welcome.

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>>I have played the demo of Midtown Madness and it is a lot of fun. How does >>it compare to Driver and some of the newer arcadish games? >If you like the way the cars drive in the MM demo, go for the complete >game. The graphics in the full version are even better, the gameplay >is nice, the modelling of Chicago is impressive. I'm having much more >fun with the Driver demo than with MM, but that's due to the (IMO) >somewhat boring physics model of MM. But if you like the way the cars >handle in the demo, you can't go wrong with the full version. >>How about online >>play? Which has better online support? >I have no idea, unfortunately.

I don't know about Driver's multiplayer possibilities (only have the demo), but MM is a blast on-line. When I first got the game I was out on the zone.com every chance I could get playing cops & robbers. But, eventually (like Wolfgang), I grew bored with the physics model. It's fun, but very forgiving once you get used to a certain car. I suppose that's true for most "arcadey" racing games. So is Driver out in stores now or what? --mK

On Fri, 01 Oct 1999 09:01:48 +0200, Wolfgang Preiss <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>If you like the way the cars drive in the MM demo, go for the complete >game. The graphics in the full version are even better, the gameplay >is nice, the modelling of Chicago is impressive. I'm having much more >fun with the Driver demo than with MM, but that's due to the (IMO) >somewhat boring physics model of MM. But if you like the way the cars >handle in the demo, you can't go wrong with the full version. >

I just received the Driver released version in the mail today, along with the impressively groovy t-shirt that GT was giving out if you ordered from their site. Anyway, the physics seem a little different in the released version. At least with the first car you have, it seems like you *have to* use the e-brake to get around corners. Not that it's bad, but it just seems like I should be able to enter a powerslide just by turning sharp and smoking the back wheels. Maybe you can and I just haven't found the touch yet. I'll tell ya tho-- survival mode is a hoot! I can't count the times I've been launched into the air by a 120-mph cop car... --mK

I bought Midtown Madness when it was released in the UK a couple of months ago on the basis that it looked damn good. I've got Driver for the Playstation and have played the PC demo, but haven't got around to buying the full thing yet. Initial impressions of Midtown were of the incredible detail on the Chicago landscape (my box says "Chicago edition" - presumably other cities will be added a la Flight Simulator). The graphics are so much more detailed than PSX Driver, and the cars you get to drive are very realistic copies of the real thing (perhaps better than the PC version of Driver). After a while of playing it though a few niggles crept in... 1. It's impossible to beat the computer cars (on keyboard at least, as my old (but I like it!) CH Mach 1 joystick won't hold calibration for more than about 5 minutes) in the races when it comes to cornering with "physics realism". The cars just understeer to ***y whether FWD, RWD or whatever, accompanied by much tyresmoke. You can turn the physics realism down, I suppose....Whereas in Driver you can tap the handbrake and slide round the corner, in Midtown you either get no response or instant mayhem which has you spinning round for ages.... 2. The normal traffic cars are ugly and crudely detailed. Driver is way up on MM in this respect. Also, if you hit a traffic car in Driver, it gets damaged - not so in Midtown Madness! Abuse from the other drivers is a nice touch though. 3. No "wheelspin" mode in Midtown. Also no real body lean on corners. Driver's really got it***ed in this department. 4. Driver beats MM for game variety hands down. 5. However, Midtown does have better freeways and drawbridges. Plus, if you get hold of the Midtown Tweaker program which is doing the rounds on the Net, you can tweak the cars to your hearts content - my current favourite steed is a 2000hp (yes, not very realistic!) '65 Mustang. This only seems to work for certain cars though - I can't get the '99 Mustang to do anything at all. On balance, Driver is the better game, although I'm still awed by Midtown's attention to detail. >>If you like the way the cars drive in the MM demo, go for the complete >>game. The graphics in the full version are even better, the gameplay >>is nice, the modelling of Chicago is impressive. I'm having much more >>fun with the Driver demo than with MM, but that's due to the (IMO) >>somewhat boring physics model of MM. But if you like the way the cars >>handle in the demo, you can't go wrong with the full version.