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PC Racing Sims

mclaren777

Member
Greetings!
I have spent the past couple weeks compiling the information and images below to help would-be racers know what's out there. I know that many of you own nice steering wheels for console games like GT5/FM3 so this is your chance to put them to use in the world of PC racing sims. This thread will be frequently updated with news so make sure to subscribe and hopefully we can even organize some NeoGAF trackdays or races in the future.

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Controller Options
Any USB gamepad will probably work, but you won't get the best experience without a proper steering wheel. Most games support the full Logitech range as well as hardware from Fanatec. Microsoft's official Xbox 360 wheel might work (I'm unsure about the current state of its drivers) but you'll need the wireless dongle before your computer will recognize it anyway. And please make sure to install the appropriate drivers for your Logitech/Fanatec wheen before using your wheels on the PC.

Logitech Drivers
Fanatec Drivers

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System Requirements
Minimum and recommended specs will vary from game to game but most racing sims will run just fine on modest hardware, even this setup...

• 1.4 GHz processor
• At least 512MB RAM
• Windows XP, Vista, or 7
• 2GB of hard drive space
• Geforce4 6600GT or Radeon X800

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Richard Burns Rally
Website: [recently taken down]
Price: $9 @ Amazon
Demo: Yes, but force feedback doesn't work for some steering wheels
Description: Richard Burns Rally is the gold standard for rally games. Nothing else has ever come close to challenging it. In a lot of ways RBR is like Demon's Souls--it's incredibly demanding but also infinitely rewarding. When you screw up there's nobody to blame but yourself. RBR has been feverently supported by the modding community (RSRBR 2011) but I actually prefer the vanilla experience with a simple numeric pacenotes mod). Other useful tweaks: Link #1,Link #2

Youtube - Triplescreen Onboard
Youtube - RBR in Slow Motion
RSRBR 2012

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rFactor
NeoGAF: rFactor thread
Website: http://www.rfactor.net/
Price: $20 physical, $40 digital
Demo: Yes, both an official 60-minute demo and the old beta that I've provided
Description: rFactor is the undisputed king of moddable PC sims and its engine is the foundation of all SimBin titles since GT Legends. rFactor's physics engine also underpins the simulators used by roughly half of the current F1 teams. The modding community has generated something like 1200+ tracks and 600+ cars and all of them are free to download.

rFactor Central - Database of Content
Youtube - Summary of Content
Youtube - Random Rally Action
Youtube - Z06 @ Nurburgring

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rFactor 2
NeoGAF: rFactor 2 thread
Website: http://www.rfactor.net/
Price: $43.99 (includes 18 months of online multiplayer)
Demo: Planned for Summer 2012
Description: rFactor 2 is the successor to one of the most popular and prolific racing sims of all time. The heart of any good rFactor game is the physics engine and ISI has made some significant improvements for rFactor 2. This sim also revolutionizes the way community mods are handled, which should greatly enhance the multiplayer experience for everybody. rFactor 2 has one of the most accurate driving models on the market so it's worth buying if you enjoy racing cars in a realistic environment.

Youtube – Two laps of Spa-Francorchamps in 1966

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iRacing
NeoGAF: iRacing thread
Website: http://www.iracing.com/
Price: $12/month, $99/year, additional content costs extra
Demo: No, but free one-month subscriptions are easy to come by
Description: iRacing is basically an MMO racing sim and it has the most accurately modeled cars/tracks in the industry. The on-track competition is intense and it draws real racing drivers from all over the world (link). The pricing can be a little steep but it's far cheaper than your average trackday in a real car.

Youtube - Philip Island in a Radical SR8
Youtube - Infineon battle in V8 Supercars
Youtube - Skip Barber battle at Sebring

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netKar Pro
Website: http://www.netkar-pro.com/
Price: €15/$22
Demo: Yes, one car and one track for unlimited time
Description: NKP is the fan-favorite indie game of racing sims. It's the creation of just one guy and it sports some of the best physics you'll find anywhere. It's incredibly demanding from a skill perspective and it unfortunately lacks AI of any kind, but I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good challenge.

Youtube - F1600 @ Crema
Youtube - Rainy Hillclimb
Youtube - Classic GT Action

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Live for Speed
Website: http://www.lfs.net/
Price: £24/$39
Demo: Yes, three cars and one track for unlimited time
Description: LFS is one of the oldest racing sims on the market but it frequently gets patches to keep it up-to-date. It doesn't have the immense modding support of its peers, but many people really enjoy its application of force feedback. Definitely worth a look if you just want to have fun.

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KartSim
Website: http://www.facebook.com/KartSim
Price: Unknown
Demo: Beta coming in February
Description: "KartSim will not be a toy game. It will be aimed at the hardcore end of the market as another tool for benchmarking/testing without the need for hours of real seat time. As a result KartSim will also draw in the hardcore sim racer. The PC version will be released first, but the game is Xbox 360 and PS3 ready so I'll be approaching publishers to get it out there. We'll be looking to release it on consoles within 6-12 months of shipping the PC version." -- The Developer

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Project CARS
NeoGAF: Project CARS thread
Website: http://www.wmdportal.com/
Price: $14/€10 for the entry-level package
Demo: Possibly at launch
Description: The guys who brought us NFS Shift are working on a community-funded racing sim. The studio is offering investment options that will fit any budged, starting out with a $14 option and ending with top-level commitment of $35000. All investors will get access to regular builds throughout the development process, though the level of investment will determine the amount of influence each member has. Project CARS uses the Shift 2 engine as a starting point but the team has added new modules including a new DirectX 11 renderer, a new physics engine, and new AI algorithms.

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GTR3
Website: http://insider.simbin.com/
Price: Unknown
Demo: N/A
Description: We know very little at this point, but Simbin's next game is sure to impress. The Corvette C6.R GT2 and P4/5 Competizione have both been officially licensed and it looks like Suzuka will be in the game.

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Assetto Corsa
NeoGAF: Assetto Corsa thread
Website: http://www.assettocorsa.info/
Price: Unknown
Demo: N/A
Description: Assetto Corsa is a new racing sim from the developer of netKar Pro and it's expected to be released near the end of 2012. It will include single player and multiplayer modes, officially licensed cars and tracks that are modeled using laser scanning technology, and a currently unknown level of mod support.

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mclaren777

Member
The SimBin Collection

GT Legends, GTR 2, RACE 07, GTR Evolution, etc
Website: http://www.simbin.se/
Price: Steam
Demo: Yes, content varies by game
Description: SimBin has been churning out PC sims at a staggering rate for years now. Its games are often more user-friendly than rFactor (better interface, less punishing physics, etc) but it's hard to recommend one over another because there isn't much difference between them. I'd recommend choosing whichever one has the mods that you like best. And they've recently launched a new site to help centralize everything in one place: http://www.raceroom.net/

Youtube - STCC The Game 2
Youtube - RACE On Formula Masters
Youtube - RACE GT Power Pack

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Reiza Studios

Game Stock Car
Website: http://www.reizastudios.com/
Price: $30
Demo: Yes, full game limited to 30 minutes of track time
Description: Like titles from SimBin & 2PEZ Games, Reiza's maiden game uses rFactor's graphics and physics engine. Currently backed by two manufacturers, Chevrolet and Peugeot, this real life racing series uses V8-powered cars that compete on 12 Brazilian tracks. This title also includes Formula Classic machines (680hp, 620kg) and the Formula 3 cars from South America.

Youtube - Onboard at Interlagos

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Ayrton Senna Game
Website: http://www.reizastudios.com/
Price: Unknown
Demo: Unknown
Description: Reiza Studios has announced that it is working on a racing game that centers around the career of Ayrton Senna. Made in co-operation with the Ayrton Senna Institute, the new title will allow PC users to relive the spectacular career of the three-time F1 World Champion. There are no details on the content yet but Reiza Studios will be using an all-new engine for the Senna title, which is expected to be released at the end of 2012.

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Renault Trucks Racing
Website: http://truckracing.renault-trucks.com/en
Price: Free
Demo: see above
Description: If you like racing bizarre vehicles this is definitely the game for you. And the best part is that it's absolutely free!

Youtube - Official Trailer

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Ferrari Virtual Academy
Website: http://www.ferrarivirtualacademy.com/game/en/index.jsp
Price: €15, $22 ( €10, $14 for DLC)
Demo: No
Description: Ferrrari Virtual Academy is based on netKar Pro's graphics and physics engine, which helps sell the overall sense of realism. Ferrari ran a competition similar to the Gran Turismo Academy and it recently announced the winners, but you can still try it out for yourself. Ferrari has also released the "Adrenaline Pack" for FVA, adding two new cars to the simulation (Ferrari 150° Italia & Ferrari F458 Challenge).

Youtube - Lap of Fiorano

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PiBoSo Collection

Kart Racing Pro
Website: http://www.kartracing-pro.com/
Price: $32/€22
Demo: Yes, one kart and one track
Description: This is easily the best karting simulator on the market, so if that's your thing, this is definitely your game. It will be interesting to see the battle between this and KartSim when the latter comes out later this year.

Youtube - Epic Battle

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GP Bikes
Website: http://www.gp-bikes.com/
Price: Unknown
Demo: Yes, one bike and one track
Description: The entire PiBoSo collection is being developed by just one guy so there's very little content/info to share now that the website is being restructured. I will update this description when I know more.

Youtube - Varese V594 @ Phillip Island

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World Series Racing
Website: http://www.worldracingseries.net/
Price: Unknown
Demo: Yes, one car and one track
Description: The entire PiBoSo collection is being developed by just one guy so there's very little content/info to share now that the website is being restructured. I will update this description when I know more.

Youtube - F2000 @ Limerock Park

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Racer
Website: http://www.racer.nl/
Price: Free
Demo: N/A
Description: Racer is an open-source racing sim with a small yet passionate community. It has a ton of car/track mods in the database but their quality varies wildy between them. Racer isn't nearly as good as something like rFactor, but on the flip side, you don't have to pay for it.

Youtube - Murcielago @ Carlswood

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World Super GT 2 - The Game
Website: Unknown
Price: Unknown
Demo: N/A
Description: One of the guys who is working on the upcoming Super GT mod for rFactor 2 has been busy in his free time. As part of a school project, Arnold is making a new game with a scratch-made vehicle dynamics engine. Despite being early in development and still lacking many features like a working damage model, the project looks mighty impressive already.

Youtube - NSX GT500 @ Shanghai

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gRALLY
Website: http://www.grally.net/
Price: Unknown
Demo: N/A
Description: This game is a one-man project from the creator of the RBR ONLINE utility, GHIBOZ, and it's apparently being built from scratch. It has an internal track editor that uses GPS data, which should make creating new stages quite simple. Other than that, not much else is known at this time.

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SimRaceWay
Website: http://www.simraceway.com/
Price: Free-to-Play
Demo: N/A
Description: SimRaceWay is an online free-to-play racing title based the rFactor platform. The foundational content of SimRaceWay is free for everyone to use while additional content is available for purchase (roughly $2). The title puts an emphasis on online racing, using a real-time skill matching system to offer close racing.

Youtube -- Mclaren MP4-12C @ Mid-Ohio

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I loved Live for Speed, use to play the first release of the game online back in... 2004? I forget.

I also forgot my login details so I would have to buy it again with a new email account :(

I own RBR but don't play it due to annoying non widescreen, bad pad support, other stupid things.
 

Stop It

Perfectly able to grasp the inherent value of the fishing game.
Woah at the information in this thread.

I must admit, I have heard of/palyed the main ones in the list, but will certainly try a few of the more...under appreciated ones.

Personally looking forward to more news on the Simply Mad Studios project, once "investment" opportunities are available I will be chucking some money it for sure.
 
Verrry nice. I hadn't heard of quite a few of those (though I haven't been following race sims too closely recently).

Very interested in the Kart sims that I hadn't seen and that Slightly Mad crowdsourced project.
 

plc268

Member
I know this might sound like blasphemy to some PC simmers, but is there anything like GT5 or Forza on the PC? Meaning that you buy cars and upgrade them through a career and race them with them on a semi realistic physics engine?

I mean, I like racing sims and all, but I want there to be more of a "game" behind it, if that makes any sense.
 
plc268 said:
I know this might sound like blasphemy to some PC simmers, but is there anything like GT5 or Forza on the PC? Meaning that you buy cars and upgrade them through a career and race them with them on a semi realistic physics engine?

I mean, I like racing sims and all, but I want there to be more of a "game" behind it, if that makes any sense.
NFS: Shift 2.
 

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
Renault Truck Racing. :lol

Can I be Rig Stig in that? :lol
 

Dilly

Banned
Nice post.

I can't wait for rFactor 2, it's about time that racesims step up to the next generation. Live for Speed doesn't get a lot of updates anymore sadly and I just can't get myself to pay a montly fee for iRacing.

Also looking forward to more information about CARS.
 

plc268

Member
Lagspike_exe said:
NFS: Shift 2.

I have NFS Shift 1 modded to make it more realistic, but it's still missing something.

I also have Race 07 and GTR Evolution, and they're great, but ultimately I never play them because there's no overall goal to it.
 

Frawdder

Member
Nicely done.

I hadn't heard about CARS and that sounds like it could turn into something really good.

Also, I must remember to try netKar one of these days, I keep forgetting about it and iRacing takes up a large portion of my time.

iRacing 2.0 and rFactor 2 should make for a great second half of the year.

plc268 said:
I know this might sound like blasphemy to some PC simmers, but is there anything like GT5 or Forza on the PC? Meaning that you buy cars and upgrade them through a career and race them with them on a semi realistic physics engine?

I mean, I like racing sims and all, but I want there to be more of a "game" behind it, if that makes any sense.
You might want to keep an eye on Auto Club Revolution. Seems it might fit that void somewhat.
 

fresquito

Member
Awesome thread.

What's the best racer with a good championship mode? I love playing LFS, but the learning curve is quite big. It's a bit boring racing all alone all the time and I don't want to jump into online because I'd be like a stone in the way. I'd like to learn to play in a good championship mode, and when I feel like I'm ready, go online.

BTW, the CARS project sounds really interesting.
 

1-D_FTW

Member
Bookmarked! Had high expectations for this thread and somehow Mclaren managed to exceed them.

The Slightly Mad Studio and gRally are the two biggest surprises for me. Slightly Mad Studio's for obvious reasons, but the track builder with GPS in gRally seems like something that could be pretty revolutionary. Maybe there are real obstacles, but it just seems like the potential could be pretty mind bending.
 
saladine1 said:
Great thread!
What discipline is the SMS project aiming for....circuit,rally,SHIFT 3ish..?

Probably multiple disciplines as they've shown the Lotus grand prix car and off-road buggies.

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Investor power will make them include rallying :D


Do they still have some of the old Warthog team working there?
 

-SD-

Banned
Thanks for creating this thread. Great stuff.

This "Live for Speed" image is photoshopped, however.

EDIT: In other words, there is no such damage modelling in LFS.

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gabbo

Member
Would it be inappropriate to list Papyrus' Nascar 2003? I know it's not available on any DD service, but god damn.
 

-viper-

Banned
What If I suck at racing sims?

The only games I can play are Forza and Gran Turismo. And even them I them I am absolutely awful (compared to the 'pro's). :p
 

Max

I am not Max
Perfect thread. Been enjoying GT5 on my PS3 again lately. Wondering which are the best for PC while the TV is occupied
 

gragy10

Member
Great thread - holding out for rFactor 2 atm but some of the historical F1 mods for the original look fantastic
 

isamu

OMFG HOLY MOTHER OF MARY IN HEAVEN I CANT BELIEVE IT WTF WHERE ARE MY SEDATIVES AAAAHHH
Good shit as usual Mac.

You forgot to tell 'em the REAL benefit to playing exclusively on the PC.....YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT WITH YOUR CONTROLLERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's right....got more than one controller? No problem! Got a wheel, a shifter, and a nice set of pedals...all of which are SEPARATE USB devices that you want to use on your game? Not a problem! The beauty of gaming on PC is that Windows allows your racing game to recognize and acknowledge up to 16 USB devices at ONCE! I have my ECCI 7000 FFB Wheel, my CST pedals, and my SST Lightning H-gated stick shifter all connected and can use them ALL in the game! That is something you cannot and WILL not be able to do on a game console....*EVER*. Makes me really appreciate all the little advantages the PC has over consoles. And don't get me start on mods and the freedom using Wimamp or Foobar 2000 for your custom soundtracks lol.
 

Niks

Member
The rFactor2 1960s Spa preview looks amazing.
Cant wait to see what the community comes up with once it is released.
 

mclaren777

Member
Another look at the Lotus 49 from CARS, all 250k polygons of it.

And apparently Slightly Mad Studios will be launching the project's website in a few weeks.

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markao

Member
Nice shots!


I so remember trying to play GP Legends with a keyboard, love to have a new engine to have a go at them again.
 

patchday

Member
Amazing list! I am guessing PC ports of console games are eligible though such as NFS Shift 1/2, Dirt, and F1 2010.

I cannot wait for rFactor 2!!! However it appears I will be forced to wait :(

Oh well there is still rFactor + all the community mods which will get me occupied
 

mclaren777

Member
patchday said:
I am guessing PC ports of console games are eligible though such as NFS Shift 1/2, Dirt, and F1 2010.
I certainly wouldn't call those sims, not even with community-made realism mods.
 

Scipius

Member
mclaren777 said:
Another look at the Lotus 49 from CARS, all 250k polygons of it.

What's the reason they went with the 49 this early? It's beautiful, but I would have expected something a little more contemporary for their promotional material.

That said, this car plus rFactor 2's 1960s Spa video make it appear that we're finally getting proper successors to GPL. It's been nearly 13 years after all...
 
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