Ferrari 355 Challenge Arcade: As close to heaven you'll get without $150,000!!!

I went to Gameworks yesterday with $20 and a coupon for 2 hours of gameplay for that one bill... First, went upstairs, and laid the smackdown in the obligatory game(s) on the 8-player Indy 500 machine...tho I hate how the fricking AS (it sure ain't intelligent!!!!) will pile up on the front straight and there's no reverse in the event you get flipped around... Then, down to the room with all of the other (good) racing games - Daytona USA 2, Super GT, and...what's this? Something big and red with three screens for one player? Ferrari 355 Challenge?!?!?!?? Sat down (comfy!), popped my card in, selected simulation mode (out of 3 modes - automatic/losta assists available, paddle (355F1)/some assists, simulation (clutch/stick)/no assists), Twin Ring Motegi (there's also two versions of Suzuka, Monza, Long Beach, and one other...can't remember it), and Race... Graphics are INCREDIBLE, it's the first game with a stick/clutch setup that requires the use of the clutch (if you try to powershift, something (prolly solenoids) in the stick locks you out of any gear except where you were and neutral until you hit the clutch), it's got the Ferrari sound, the AI (tho only 7 of 'em) are good and believeable, the force feedback is there but not as overdone as in Indy 500 (it is a slightly modded street car afterall) and overall THE BEST ARCADE GAME I HAVE PLAYED. Even better than the first time I played Virtua Racing - 3d and force feedback, wow! - I saw some posts about it, but since I haven't been to Gameworks in a while, I never actually played it until yesterday... Spent the vast majority of the 2 hours on either one of the two machines (too bad there weren't more, it was somewhat crowded and a popular game) and I still hadn't mastered use of the clutch...I guess being able to drive a stick in real life helps :) The pedals feel right...the gas is relatively loose, the brake gets firmer the harder you get on it, and the clutch gets easier as you get on it (I can't drive stick in real life, but I have *tried* :) to drive my dad's 6-speed Camaro Z28, my truck before it was converted, and my friend's 5-speed pickup enough to know what a clutch feels like) -- Kirk Lane ICQ: 28171652 BRT #187 "Yeah you won't find me I'm going MIA Tonight I'm leaving Going MIA Getting lost in you again Is better than being known" -Foo Fighters, "MIA"

Yep, I played it in Las Vegas and loved it!

I can tell ya it's pretty realistic... I've actually Driven a Ferrari F355 myself.. and yeah.. it's Brilliant though it's too easy to catch the slide in it.. otherwise Perfect in every way :) fluffypony

Yeah, I played it at Gameworks in Seattle not that long ago. It was amazing. I seem to remember seeing a thread about this game on R.A.S. quite a while ago - maybe 6 months or so - and it's good to hear that it's still popular! :-) Now to figure out how to fit one in my living room.... -Mark > I went to Gameworks yesterday with $20 and a coupon for 2 hours of gameplay

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> for that one bill... > First, went upstairs, and laid the smackdown in the obligatory game(s) on > the 8-player Indy 500 machine...tho I hate how the fricking AS (it sure > ain't intelligent!!!!) will pile up on the front straight and there's no > reverse in the event you get flipped around... > Then, down to the room with all of the other (good) racing games - Daytona > USA 2, Super GT, and...what's this? Something big and red with three > screens for one player? > Ferrari 355 Challenge?!?!?!?? > Sat down (comfy!), popped my card in, selected simulation mode (out of 3 > modes - automatic/losta assists available, paddle (355F1)/some assists, > simulation (clutch/stick)/no assists), Twin Ring Motegi (there's also two > versions of Suzuka, Monza, Long Beach, and one other...can't remember it), > and Race... > Graphics are INCREDIBLE, it's the first game with a stick/clutch setup

that > requires the use of the clutch (if you try to powershift, something (prolly > solenoids) in the stick locks you out of any gear except where you were and > neutral until you hit the clutch), it's got the Ferrari sound, the AI (tho > only 7 of 'em) are good and believeable, the force feedback is there but not > as overdone as in Indy 500 (it is a slightly modded street car afterall) and > overall THE BEST ARCADE GAME I HAVE PLAYED. Even better than the first time > I played Virtua Racing - 3d and force feedback, wow! - I saw some posts > about it, but since I haven't been to Gameworks in a while, I never actually > played it until yesterday... > Spent the vast majority of the 2 hours on either one of the two machines > (too bad there weren't more, it was somewhat crowded and a popular game) and

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> I still hadn't mastered use of the clutch...I guess being able to drive a > stick in real life helps :) > The pedals feel right...the gas is relatively loose, the brake gets firmer > the harder you get on it, and the clutch gets easier as you get on it (I > can't drive stick in real life, but I have *tried* :) to drive my dad's > 6-speed Camaro Z28, my truck before it was converted, and my friend's > 5-speed pickup enough to know what a clutch feels like) > -- > Kirk Lane > ICQ: 28171652 > BRT #187 > "Yeah you won't find me > I'm going MIA > Tonight I'm leaving > Going MIA > Getting lost in you again > Is better than being known" > -Foo Fighters, "MIA"

yup. same here. i want one. but i had 2 minor problems with it: 1) in car music. metal guitar music or something. couldn't see how to turn it off. 2) i'm 6foot4. i could hardly fit in, and couldn't use the clutch, left knee jammed firmly under the wheel. time for gpl left-foot braking technique. other than that, fantastic! and the printer wasnt working, so i have no record of my performance. probably a good thing. martin. --

On Tue, 22 Feb 2000 17:16:48 -0700, "Kirk Lane"

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>I went to Gameworks yesterday with $20 and a coupon for 2 hours of gameplay >for that one bill... >First, went upstairs, and laid the smackdown in the obligatory game(s) on >the 8-player Indy 500 machine...tho I hate how the fricking AS (it sure >ain't intelligent!!!!) will pile up on the front straight and there's no >reverse in the event you get flipped around... >Then, down to the room with all of the other (good) racing games - Daytona >USA 2, Super GT, and...what's this? Something big and red with three >screens for one player? >Ferrari 355 Challenge?!?!?!??

<snip> It's pure realism. The physics are pretty neat, although you can't flip any of the cars, you can make some beautiful powerslids with the right settings. The clutch and realistic gearshift is the best bonus of the lot. 11/10! Neo

The one I was playing (Gameworks AZ) thankfully had the music turned off, or at least low enough you could only hear it at low, off-throttle RPMs... I'm a good 6'2" or 6'3" and I fit in relatively easily... -- Kirk Lane ICQ: 28171652 BRT #187 "Yeah you won't find me I'm going MIA Tonight I'm leaving Going MIA Getting lost in you again Is better than being known" -Foo Fighters, "MIA"

Yes, I drove it in Magic City in Groningen (The Netherlands), it had the music switched off, so the enginesound makes your hair stand up I had a great time driving it (using the F1 paddles because of my lenghth I couldn't use the clutch) at Suzuka & Monza. This thing is really addictive. (close to GPL whitch is a lot cheaper to drive.) IMO this sim is great and I would love to have one at home.... Pieter N. Canman Racing

What, they have it there? Off to Groningen then coming Saturday, thanks for the tip Pieter :) Andre On Thu, 24 Feb 2000 09:04:18 GMT, [email hidden] (PJ Nienhuis) wrote:

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>Yes, I drove it in Magic City in Groningen (The Netherlands), it had >the music switched off, so the enginesound makes your hair stand up >I had a great time driving it (using the F1 paddles because of my >lenghth I couldn't use the clutch) at Suzuka & Monza. This thing is >really addictive. (close to GPL whitch is a lot cheaper to drive.) > >IMO this sim is great and I would love to have one at home.... > > >Pieter N. >Canman Racing

Both the Toronto area Sega City Playdiums have 3 or 4 of these simulators. I spent many Sunday nights there (3 hours all you can play for $20). The cars have much less power and more traction than cars in GPL but realistic enough to be fun. On Wed, 23 Feb 2000 15:49:53 -0700, "Kirk Lane" <[email hidden]> wrote: >The one I was playing (Gameworks AZ) thankfully had the music turned off, or >at least low enough you could only hear it at low, off-throttle RPMs... > >I'm a good 6'2" or 6'3" and I fit in relatively easily...

There is one in the *** hall at the Rembrandt plein/Reguliersbreestraat in Amsterdam, but I never see it unoccupied. Been sometime since I walked by there though.. Bart Westra

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> What, they have it there? Off to Groningen then coming Saturday, > thanks for the tip Pieter :) > Andre > >Yes, I drove it in Magic City in Groningen (The Netherlands), it had > >the music switched off, so the enginesound makes your hair stand up > >I had a great time driving it (using the F1 paddles because of my > >lenghth I couldn't use the clutch) at Suzuka & Monza. This thing is > >really ***ive. (close to GPL whitch is a lot cheaper to drive.) > >IMO this sim is great and I would love to have one at home.... > >Pieter N. > >Canman Racing