Good racing sim?

[Red October1984]

Didn't want to clog up the AC thread....that one looks great...but it's a little iffy on the specs for my PC. What's the best alternative out there? I'm not looking for a Burnout Paradise type of game...more like a sim would be best.

Also, would it be a good investment to get a racing wheel?

Ever since I saw Need for Speed last week, i've been hitting the Fast and the Furious movies pretty hard. All i need now is a sim.

[Schroeder]

Need for Speed + Sim = Doesn't compute...

I've actually no idea what is hot right now in the real sim world but you should get a wheel regardless of the title. It makes the driving experience much better.

[Snarf]

one of my buddies at work plays iracing online, looks pretty neat, very realistic graphics.

[Kptlt. Neuerburg]

I'd recommend Race 07 and a couple of add-ons for it, it's no AC but it is a decent alternative. As for a steering wheel, get one you'll find it much better and easier to play a racing game with one. It might take some tweaking but it's totally worth it.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Schroeder

Need for Speed + Sim = Doesn't compute...

I've actually no idea what is hot right now in the real sim world but you should get a wheel regardless of the title. It makes the driving experience much better.

Well...the movie got me pumped up to do some racing.

I have Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 and Burnout Revenge/Paradise on consoles....but PC is just...better.

---

Race 07 caught my eye. I might look at that one.

Are there any demos out there for me to try?

[Kptlt. Neuerburg]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

Well...the movie got me pumped up to do some racing.

I have Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 and Burnout Revenge/Paradise on consoles....but PC is just...better.

---

Race 07 caught my eye. I might look at that one.

Are there any demos out there for me to try?

Yep, Race 07 does have a demo there on Steam if your interesting in giving it a try.

Edit: While I'm thinking about there's also Codemasters DiRT games, it's a rally game but it's still racing only thing is that last I looked DiRT 2 used Games for Windows Live (which is a bunch of junk).

[Herr-Berbunch]

Maybe Grid or NetKarPro (in before Sky), Grid's not a full on sim but it's far enough away from the NFS/Burnout arcade franchises and has a reasonable single player element.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Kptlt. Hellmut Neuerburg

Yep, Race 07 does have a demo there on Steam if your interesting in giving it a try.

I need a bigger hard drive....

As soon as I can, i'll definitely give it a try.

[seaniam81]

There's always GRID 2, or some F1 action with F1 2013.

[Skybird]

If AC cannot be done for you due to the specs, then get GTR2 or rF1. Of the simBin titles, GTR2 is the best there is (with full weather and day and night cycle), later incarnations all had more or less serious disadvantages compared to GTR2. Good AI (still so!), an for the standards of when it came out very good driving model. Also, at NoGripRacing there is practically no track or car that cannot be had has a mod. Some of them really look extremely good.

When GTR2 came out, I was very enthusiastic about it. It's just that simulation technology has gone beyond those old standards form back then. Against iR, AC and probably also rF2, it stands no chance.

In principle, I recommend AC. For older hardware, I recommend GTR2. NFS and such titles I do not take as serious attempts of simulating something.

GTR2 can be had for less than 5 bucks by now. Watch out for the opportunity.

P.S. Evolution and Race 07 have no night-day cycle and no weather.

P.P.S. You can check for GSC2013. It uses the graphics engine from the first rFactor, just has much better physics, and a nice Nordschleife mod. How could I miss to list that? GSC2013 is the way to go, no doubt, if hardware specs allow it for yo9u. Check this thread and its videos, the karts are GREAT FUN and are very well done, physics wise.

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/show...=211174&page=2

This is their official specs:

Minimum configuration: 1.4 Ghz Processor / Windows XP or superior / 1GB RAM / Directx 9.0c compatible video card with 256MB Video RAM / 4 GB free hard disk space / Internet connection for online activation
Recommended configuration: 2.6 Ghz Processor / Windows XP or superior / 2GB RAM / Directx 9.0c compatible video card with 512MB Video RAM / 4 GB free hard disk space / Internet connection for online activation


PPP.S
As Herr Berbunch said, there also is netKart Pro, very cheap by now. Good physics but - if you do not do MP, you will race alone, since there are no AI cars. It looks dated by now, however. A solid track collection can be build via free downloads. The guys behind nKp are the same who now do AC.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Skybird

If AC cannot be done for you due to the specs, then get GTR2 or rF1. Of the simBin titles, GTR2 is the best there is (with full weather and day and night cycle), later incarnations all had more or less serious disadvantages compared to GTR2. Good AI (still so!), an for the standards of when it came out very good driving model. Also, at NoGripRacing there is practically no track or car that cannot be had has a mod. Some of them really look extremely good.

Isn't GTR2 part of the same series that Race 07 does?

In principle, I recommend AC. For older hardware, I recommend GTR2. NFS and such titles I do not take as serious attempts of simulating something.

I could try out AC....maybe...I don't want to buy it and then not be able to run it. AFAIK there's no demo.

With my rig, certain things will run and certain things won't. I've found that the graphics reqs never count towards my pc running it. I can run stuff up to 512mb sometimes.

GTR2 can be had for less than 5 bucks by now. Watch out for the opportunity.

Noted.

P.S. Evolution and Race 07 have no night-day cycle and no weather.

That changes my opinion on Race 07. Right now all i've got to play is Burnout Paradise....I might dig up Hot Pursuit 2...but I want something as close as I can get to an AC type of game.

P.P.S. You can check for GSC2013. It uses the graphics engine from the first rFactor, just has much better physics, and a nice Nordschleife mod. How could I miss to list that? GSC2013 is the way to go, no doubt, if hardware specs allow it for yo9u. Check this thread and its videos, the karts are GREAT FUN and are very well done, physics wise.

Checking out this right now.

This is their official specs:

Minimum configuration: 1.4 Ghz Processor / Windows XP or superior / 1GB RAM / Directx 9.0c compatible video card with 256MB Video RAM / 4 GB free hard disk space / Internet connection for online activation
Recommended configuration: 2.6 Ghz Processor / Windows XP or superior / 2GB RAM / Directx 9.0c compatible video card with 512MB Video RAM / 4 GB free hard disk space / Internet connection for online activation

That one honestly looks doable for me.

PPP.S
As Herr Berbunch said, there also is netKart Pro, very cheap by now. Good physics but - if you do not do MP, you will race alone, since there are no AI cars. It looks dated by now, however. A solid track collection can be build via free downloads. The guys behind nKp are the same who now do AC.

MP is going to be hard for me. We blow through our 10gb limit in like two weeks....so half a month I have fast internet...other half is very very slow.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by seaniam81

There's always GRID 2, or some F1 action with F1 2013.

I'd personally take Grid over Grid 2, 2 isn't as 'sim' as the original (and I know that's not exactly sim either!). Plus I don't think Red's specs will run Grid 2. Or F1 2013.

I keep telling him he needs a better PC (and interweb) but he doens't listen.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Red October1984

Isn't GTR2 part of the same series that Race 07 does?

It is the predecessor, but did almost all things better than the later titles. It's weired, but many people say so. There was GTR, GTR2, GTR Legends, and then GTR Evolution, Race 07.

I could try out AC....maybe...I don't want to buy it and then not be able to run it. AFAIK there's no demo.

Demo announced for once 1.0 is released. But if you do not have a decent modern combo, I seriously doubt that you can run it. It needs good hardware.

That changes my opinion on Race 07. Right now all i've got to play is Burnout Paradise....I might dig up Hot Pursuit 2...but I want something as close as I can get to an AC type of game.

The charms of getting GSC2013 is that it is not demanding due to the old engine, but that it puts this engine to better use than it was ever done before. But you get better physics, which are also better, I think, than GTR2. The AI in GTR2 I remember to have liked more, but GSC is not bad.

MP is going to be hard for me. We blow through our 10gb limit in like two weeks....so half a month I have fast internet...other half is very very slow.

Then netkart would offer you only practice and hotlapping, no races.


I got GSC2013 only for the nordschleife, since the Schleife hits AC not before autumn. netKart is still installed becasue of the wonderful Trento-Bondone hillclimb. It will be included in AC in 1.0, and then I will have no reason anymore to stay with nKp. I bought Evolution and Race07 in the christmas cheap deal at Steam, due to the Niordschleife, but I did not like the pohysics, and I was annoyed from seeing that also weather and day-night-cycle was gone. I then found GSC2013, and loved it due to the Nordschleife mod. It has day-night cycles, and the Interlagos default track looks nice as well. Also, the karts are really very recommendable.

If your rig can run it, I recommend GSC, if that is too much for your hardware, then GTR2.

Free track mods for GSC

http://www.nogripracing.com/files.php?subcat=134

Some of these GSC2013 can run, too.

http://www.nogripracing.com/files.php?subcat=126

GTR2 has very many free track mods. It'S an argument.

http://www.nogripracing.com/files.php?subcat=46

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

I keep telling him he needs a better PC (and interweb) but he doens't listen.

It's not that I won't listen...I just don't have the money.

I don't make a lot of money as it is...it'd take a while to save up for a PC.

Originally Posted by Skybird

If your rig can run it, I recommend GSC, if that is too much for your hardware, then GTR2.

Alrighty then. I'll do some looking around. Thanks

[les green01]

iracing online is neat can be alot of fun and sometimes if your lucky you can race against the real pro drivers