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PC Racing Sims

1-D_FTW

Member
Level 5 AA is some kind of SSAA on Nvidia hardware and that's what I use in rF1 and rF2 (it's what I used in that Radical image). On my GTX 460 it only drops performance about 1% over Level 4 AA.



Cool. I'll do that. Was using in-game 1 AA in rfactor 2 because I thought it was the higher level.

Super sampling using Inspector (in rfactor 1) sent my video card from using down-volted DVD frequencies, to using 70 percent utilization under full gaming voltage. So that's a no go with rfactor 2. Don't have the head room even if it is supported.
 

Grayman

Member
I've got Race 07 from the Steam Holiday sale for free (traded coal for it), but are any of the 'expansions' worth it?
I think that
GTR Evo has the ring and more cars
The Retro Pack has cool old cars and a hill climb track

I purchased those 2, I am not sure of the exact breakdown of what is in the base game and GTR Evo one.
 

seeds19

Banned
I've been waiting for the launch of the fanatec clubsport wheel a long time for replace my lovely and missed G25 (i sell the wheel a few months ago to upgrade for a g27 but never replaced it because the anouncement of the fanatec new and awesome wheel), but with the launch of the RF2 BETA the wait gets worse every day... :(.
 

SmokyDave

Member
I've got Race 07 from the Steam Holiday sale for free (traded coal for it), but are any of the 'expansions' worth it?

The Retro Pack is awesome. A handful of nice cars and a decent hillclimb track.

As for all the others, they're much of a muchness. I have them all and I like it because it amalgamates everything into one menu and gives you tons of tracks and cars to choose from. Nothing stands out as much as The Retro Pack though.

Don't forget Mods. You might need to look around a bit (nogripracing is a good start) but there are definitely some out there.
 

isamu

OMFG HOLY MOTHER OF MARY IN HEAVEN I CANT BELIEVE IT WTF WHERE ARE MY SEDATIVES AAAAHHH
Well gentlemen, I discovered the brilliance of the Grand daddy of all sims....GRAND PRIX LEGENDS!

Holy SHIT what a sim!!! Drifting in open wheelers, H-Pattern shifting, tracks with long flowing sweeping turns = ORGASMIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you guys haven't tried GPL yet, get it ASAP!!!
 
Well gentlemen, I discovered the brilliance of the Grand daddy of all sims....GRAND PRIX LEGENDS!

Holy SHIT what a sim!!! Drifting in open wheelers, H-Pattern shifting, tracks with long flowing sweeping turns = ORGASMIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you guys haven't tried GPL yet, get it ASAP!!!

Welcome, brother.
 

Orgun

Member
Well gentlemen, I discovered the brilliance of the Grand daddy of all sims....GRAND PRIX LEGENDS!

Holy SHIT what a sim!!! Drifting in open wheelers, H-Pattern shifting, tracks with long flowing sweeping turns = ORGASMIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you guys haven't tried GPL yet, get it ASAP!!!

God I want a wheel with a H-pattern shifter.
 

1-D_FTW

Member
Well gentlemen, I discovered the brilliance of the Grand daddy of all sims....GRAND PRIX LEGENDS!

Holy SHIT what a sim!!! Drifting in open wheelers, H-Pattern shifting, tracks with long flowing sweeping turns = ORGASMIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you guys haven't tried GPL yet, get it ASAP!!!

Do you own rfactor 2? Kind of curious how your impressions are with 67 Spa and Monaco vs GPL.

Honestly, I think those 2 courses are my favorite ever. Especially Spa. There's just a zen you can't achieve with modern cars/tracks.

Never played GPL.
 
Do you own rfactor 2? Kind of curious how your impressions are with 67 Spa and Monaco vs GPL.

Honestly, I think those 2 courses are my favorite ever. Especially Spa. There's just a zen you can't achieve with modern cars/tracks.

Never played GPL.

RF2 feels exactly like an updated GPL. They are remarkably similar. It's clear they were out to replicate that GPL experience, and they totally nailed it.
 

1-D_FTW

Member
RF2 feels exactly like an updated GPL. They are remarkably similar. It's clear they were out to replicate that GPL experience, and they totally nailed it.

Guess I'll just stick with rf2 and hope they add more tracks then.

The graphic whore in me is reluctant to go that far back.
 
Guess I'll just stick with rf2 and hope they add more tracks then.

The graphic whore in me is reluctant to go that far back.

I'd expect some of the other '67 tracks to be high priority for modders. There are some great ones to look forward to. Monza and Rouen are two more like Spa and Monaco where you just can't get over the risks those guys took back in the day. It's just so fast.
 

isamu

OMFG HOLY MOTHER OF MARY IN HEAVEN I CANT BELIEVE IT WTF WHERE ARE MY SEDATIVES AAAAHHH
Do you own rfactor 2? Kind of curious how your impressions are with 67 Spa and Monaco vs GPL.

Nah not yet. I will be waiting until it gets polished a bit more. Maybe in the next few builds. Performance seems to be an issue right now

Never played GPL.

You really should. I owned the game for over SIX YEARS before I played it, and was reluctant to do so because of I hated playing racing games under 60fps, and I was also too afraid of tackling the difficult physics of those F1 cars. But with the recent release of the 60fps patch as well as the recent Formula 2 car mod, I couldn't resists any longer and just had to jump right into Grand Prix Legends full swing. Boy, am I glad I did.

Yeah the graphics in GPL aren't exactly next gen, and some tracks can be an eyesore, but the game's visuals on a lot of patched tracks are very good for it's time, and running in 60fps makes a HUGE difference! Most importantly however, is the fact that GPL's visuals are quickly forgotten once you experience the MAGNIFICENT physics and how well they gel with these tracks. Simply rapturous!

RF2 feels exactly like an updated GPL. They are remarkably similar. It's clear they were out to replicate that GPL experience, and they totally nailed it.

As someone who has been watching rFactor 2, I am ecstatic to hear this news! If what you say is true, then the final build should be a thing of beauty when its released later this year!

Guess I'll just stick with rf2 and hope they add more tracks then.

The graphic whore in me is reluctant to go that far back.

Again, I too, am a MAJOR graphics whore, and this issue quickly fades away once you actually drive Grand Prix Legends. It feels that good. And with Brr's FFB patch, it feels even better! Plus with 500+ tracks, how can you go wrong? :)
 

1-D_FTW

Member
You really should. I owned the game for over SIX YEARS before I played it, and was reluctant to do so because of I hated playing racing games under 60fps, and I was also too afraid of tackling the difficult physics of those F1 cars. But with the recent release of the 60fps patch as well as the recent Formula 2 car mod, I couldn't resists any longer and just had to jump right into Grand Prix Legends full swing. Boy, am I glad I did.

Yeah the graphics in GPL aren't exactly next gen, and some tracks can be an eyesore, but the game's visuals on a lot of patched tracks are very good for it's time, and running in 60fps makes a HUGE difference! Most importantly however, is the fact that GPL's visuals are quickly forgotten once you experience the MAGNIFICENT physics and how well they gel with these tracks. Simply rapturous!

Maybe. But I'm having zero performance issues with rfactor 2. It's running great at 60fps. I think McClaren mentioned he was getting micro stutter, but the game is running absolutely flawless for me. *knock on wood*

I did go watch some videos on youtube though. The thing that most struck me, however, is just how similiar rf2 is to this (but with the upgraded graphics). The other thing was this: those 67 tracks are a great template for modders. I was thinking modders would never match what was done with Spa and Monaco (due to lack of resources), but the nitty gritty work has been done for them. I'm now extremely optimistic we'll see high quality mods of those 67 tracks in rf2. :)
 

isamu

OMFG HOLY MOTHER OF MARY IN HEAVEN I CANT BELIEVE IT WTF WHERE ARE MY SEDATIVES AAAAHHH
Maybe. But I'm having zero performance issues with rfactor 2. It's running great at 60fps. I think McClaren mentioned he was getting micro stutter, but the game is running absolutely flawless for me. *knock on wood*

I did go watch some videos on youtube though. The thing that most struck me, however, is just how similiar rf2 is to this (but with the upgraded graphics). The other thing was this: those 67 tracks are a great template for modders. I was thinking modders would never match what was done with Spa and Monaco (due to lack of resources), but the nitty gritty work has been done for them. I'm now extremely optimistic we'll see high quality mods of those 67 tracks in rf2. :)

well if what you say is true about the 67 tracks then that is indeed promising. Hell, rFactor 2, GPL, pCARS....either way we all win!! :D

Now to see what this Asetto Corsa game is gonna be all about....
 

Arucardo

Member
So, what racing game has the best force feedback feel and head tracking?

iRacing in my opinion, but I only had time to give a quick and dirty go at rF2 last weekend so I'll have to compare those next weekend.

Also, if anyone owns a PSeye for PS3 (the move one) it makes an excellent head tracking camera (120fps) with freetrack. You just need to buy a few IR leds and mount them to a headset or a cap. I made one last year and it works great, haven't had the time to really play with it for many hours yet though, but from what I tested it's awesome for what I paid for it.
 

mclaren777

Member
First look at the development of the Corvette C6.R GT2...

http://insider.simbin.com/wip-chevrolet-corvette-c6-r-gt2/

iwvdjyLyAVFpP.jpg
 

TheExodu5

Banned
Thanks for the recommendations. I'd like to give iRacing another go, but the system was very obtuse last time I tried it, and it was difficult to figure out how I could get into a proper game. Has the interface improved? Is there a clear progression now?

Also, as for the force feedback, I remember liking iRacing'd force feedback, but one thing that slightly bothered me was the lack of motor rumble. The only game I remember trying that had some motor rumble was one of the Simbin games, I believe.

Also, if anyone owns a PSeye for PS3 (the move one) it makes an excellent head tracking camera (120fps) with freetrack. You just need to buy a few IR leds and mount them to a headset or a cap. I made one last year and it works great, haven't had the time to really play with it for many hours yet though, but from what I tested it's awesome for what I paid for it.

FWIW, I used the Freetrack setup with a PS Eye last week, and while it worked, the input lag was pretty bad. The IR setup also needs to be precisely measured to the MM to get any semblance of 1:1 movement, though even with the proper measurements for the TrackClip Pro, movement wasn't completely flawless. Freetrack is a nice proof of concept or at least a way to demo headtracking with little expense, but the real deal is much more refined and well worth the money.
 

Arucardo

Member
FWIW, I used the Freetrack setup with a PS Eye last week, and while it worked, the input lag was pretty bad. The IR setup also needs to be precisely measured to the MM to get any semblance of 1:1 movement, though even with the proper measurements for the TrackClip Pro, movement wasn't completely flawless. Freetrack is a nice proof of concept or at least a way to demo headtracking with little expense, but the real deal is much more refined and well worth the money.

That's weird, did you use the modified exe to get the 120fps? I didn't notice any input lag when I last tried it. I'm using a 120hz monitor with no v-sync so that might have helped.
 

Shaneus

Member
Adjusting that one value in the PLR file fixed my micro-stuttering and now rF2 runs silky smooth for me.
Which value what what? I was seeing some stutter when there were accidents, but neither my GPU or CPU were maxing out.

Also, I'm gonna have to try that TrackIR thing with the PS3 eye thing. Could be fun.
 

mclaren777

Member
I just updated the first two posts and split the sims into two groups to differentiate the big hitters from the lesser titles. I've also updated a bunch of the info in both posts, should any of you care. ;)
 

pfkas

Member
I've only recently discovered Sim Racing having just bought a fairly cheapish racing wheel (Thrustmaster F340). Loving it so far, but obviously have a lot to learn.

I'm investing my time into Race 07 and its expansions having picked them up from Steam. I've gone with Race 07 as I like the feel of it and I'm playing in passive 3D which runs perfectly with no anomalies at 60FPS compared to poor performance/compatibility from rFactor2 and pCars that I tried. I understand rFactor is supposed to be good, but I'm really happy with Race 07 and am in the process of joining an online club to get some good races under my belt.

I've been practising one car on one track (Mini Cooper / Brands Hatch 07) over and over to get better at hitting braking points, turn ins, shifts and acceleration. When I'm going balls out looking for a qualifying/time attack lap, the best I can get is around 1:48.5. Top of the time attack leaderboard is a full 6 seconds quicker than I can go. I know I didn't take every corner perfectly and there are always things to improve, but I downloaded the replay data of a 1.42 lap and it looks like the fella has lots more grip than I'm playing with. I reckon I could improve my time by fractions of seconds, but I have no idea where 6 seconds are going to come from.

I figure there are things I can do in the setup to improve handling, but I don't have a clue what I'm doing with that so probably would make things worse rather than better.

Any tips?
 
I've only recently discovered Sim Racing having just bought a fairly cheapish racing wheel (Thrustmaster F340). Loving it so far, but obviously have a lot to learn.

I'm investing my time into Race 07 and its expansions having picked them up from Steam. I've gone with Race 07 as I like the feel of it and I'm playing in passive 3D which runs perfectly with no anomalies at 60FPS compared to poor performance/compatibility from rFactor2 and pCars that I tried. I understand rFactor is supposed to be good, but I'm really happy with Race 07 and am in the process of joining an online club to get some good races under my belt.

I've been practising one car on one track (Mini Cooper / Brands Hatch 07) over and over to get better at hitting braking points, turn ins, shifts and acceleration. When I'm going balls out looking for a qualifying/time attack lap, the best I can get is around 1:48.5. Top of the time attack leaderboard is a full 6 seconds quicker than I can go. I know I didn't take every corner perfectly and there are always things to improve, but I downloaded the replay data of a 1.42 lap and it looks like the fella has lots more grip than I'm playing with. I reckon I could improve my time by fractions of seconds, but I have no idea where 6 seconds are going to come from.

I figure there are things I can do in the setup to improve handling, but I don't have a clue what I'm doing with that so probably would make things worse rather than better.

Any tips?

Keep practicing and make sure you hit every apex, and use the whole width of the track.

About him having more grip, make sure that
1: you don't press overly hard on the gas/brakes since it will make the car understeer (turn off all aids, since they WILL slow you down in order to prevent you from sliding). and 2: That guy might have a tuning setup, which WILL make him faster.

With some practice, within a day you'll be able to consistently pull off laps that you though were impossible at first. Best example is 2 weeks ago when I started playing rFactor 2 and started practicing with the Megane at Mills, I was having a hard time getting in the 1:11's, and I was aiming for getting a 1:10 flat. Within 2 hours of constant driving, I managed to pull off consistent 1:09.5's in a relaxed driving, and some hot laps got in the high 1:08's. And I still had a LOT of room for improvement. I'm sure that taking every corner correctly, and using all the grip that's available, I could pull off a 1:07.5, so that's nearly 5 seconds off my original time right there.

And that was with the STOCK setup, if I started tweaking I could most likely get in the 1:06's.

Also make sure you consider how the corners line up, a late apex might set you up better for the next corner, instead of a mid apex.
 

pfkas

Member
Understeer is definitely something I suffer from a lot of. I figured it was something to do with how throttle is applied, entry speed and the angle of approach to the apex but I suppose it is something I will get better at with practise. I realise there is more finesse to the throttle and brakes than just stamping on them at the last minute and full on again. I'm playing in manual gears/pro mode which is new for me, up until now I've play all games with automatic on a joypad. I figured I'd better throw myself in the deep end and swim rather than learn bad habits with the assists on.

I've only really started to understand that it is a proper simulation rather than the arcadey racers I am used to. I'm assuming that when I hear the tyres squealing it is not a good thing and that I am losing traction rather than going round quickly. I like the idea of transferring weight from front to back and side to side according to braking and turning. You really feel the difference when you get it right.

I've also tried to open my arms up a bit more and use a wider turn of the wheel where applicable as I was only really tickling it at first. Downloadable ghost cars/replays are great for getting an idea of the best racing line and which gears to be in.

Tomorrow night I'm going to try a different class/track (something with a bit more performance) as I've been playing this one for a couple of days and a change will do me good I think.
 
this thread makes me want to play something

i grew up spending HOURS and HOURS tuning setups in Nascar Racing, GPL, IndyCar II, etc etc

Thrustmaster T2 lol

Interstate 76' was SO much fun with the wheel and a number pad for the various console buttons.

i currently have the GT2 with clubsports. love it
 

Shaneus

Member
Hey mclaren, you may want to mention under SimBin that they have the new Race pack with all the addons included. The name escapes me, but it may be worth mentioning with the other things in that section :)
 

isamu

OMFG HOLY MOTHER OF MARY IN HEAVEN I CANT BELIEVE IT WTF WHERE ARE MY SEDATIVES AAAAHHH
this thread makes me want to play something

i grew up spending HOURS and HOURS tuning setups in Nascar Racing, GPL, IndyCar II, etc etc

If you've already put many hours into GPL, I suggest you....well, put even MORE hours into it! It's got some amazing add-ons like the new F2 mod and of course you know about the 60fps patch I'm sure. Put some more time into it, because right now no other sim is giving me this much satisfaction and enjoyment. My addiction to GPL is becoming unhealthy :(
 

1-D_FTW

Member
Went to youtube to watch some GPL footage. This got me to watching real footage from 69 Spa. And from there, I found a video (camera car) of a 73 Porshe racing at Targa Florio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Albnb3xQdo&feature=related

Holy hell. I realize this is off-topic, but it's must watch. Not only are there parked cars and traffic on the road, but there are stretches where he's passing a moving truck on a narrow road. Absolutely incredible footage.
 

mclaren777

Member
Hey mclaren, you may want to mention under SimBin that they have the new Race pack with all the addons included. The name escapes me, but it may be worth mentioning with the other things in that section :)

Are you referring to this...

Simbin has also announced a new title called RACE Injection that pairs content from RACE07 with everything else it has released this year (2010 WTCC & STCC seasons, the Retro Pack, and stuff from RRTG1/RRTG2).

In total, the game includes 83 car models with 450 liveries that can be raced on over 40 different tracks with 60 layouts.

RACE Injection is available now in most European countries for 29.99€ and other countries should get it in Q1 2012.

Youtube – Trailer
Official Website
 

TJP

Member
It certainly is a real photo. Thankfully, SimBin state as much at the end of the announcement article.

I hope SimBin post in-game screenshots in the near future as they did with the Corvette.
 

mclaren777

Member
An update on the upcoming KartSim beta

Zach Griffin said:
90% of the bugs that prevented the December release have been fixed. I'm currently working on improving the performance and adding additional features that were highlighted as missing in the last round of testing. These additional features are mainly support for gamepads (i.e. steering help), default controller profiles (i.e. out of the box support for G27s, Fanatec wheels, Xbox controllers, etc), server admin support (i.e. instant kick, ban, etc) and visual guides for rolling starts (i.e. indicators for which lane the player is in, who you must follow, what speed to maintain, etc). As much as I want to let you guys all try the beta now, I'm sure you would also appreciate how much better the experience will be once these additional features are in place and the remaining bugs are fixed. I won't give a release date, but will say the wait will be worth it. If you thought the Blog #1 gameplay footage was good, you'll be blown away by how it looks and plays now!
 
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