Advise me...

[BillWiskins]

..please.

So, I love racing games. Good start. I've always played console racing games. I think that's reasonable enough, in terms of budget and accessibility et cetera, and in terms of being quite young (at the beginning) and not having any deep urge to get all simmy (at least nothing simmier than Gran Turismo). But, this all comes from a long while ago.

I owe my love of the BTCC and touring car series to TOCA and TOCA 2 on the Playstation. Oh, how I wish that that series had continued properly. I'd love to see an up-to-date BTCC game. They could even have a 'whine about the boost level' button. But, I digress.

I have a PS2 and it is the most up-to-date console I own. For that reason, I have never experienced any kind of online multiplayer racing.

I want to.

So, what I am asking is this: can you recommend a game that will fulfil the following criteria?

It needs to be -

- Available on PC.
- Not super graphics/processor-intensive, as I'll be running it on a (shiny and new but still a) laptop.
- Fairly cheap.
- Relatively accurate, physics-wise, but
- Not a super in-depth sim-athon. I'll be playing with a pad to start with, no fancy wheels here.
- Obviously able to facilitate online mulitplayering.
- A game which has a community with which to multiplay.
- Preferably feature tin-tops in some capacity.

Does such a game exist? Can it be true? I've been told that Race 07 might well meet a lot of those requirements, but as ever, I seek the advice of the more experienced.

That's you, hopefully.

Any advice, much appreciated. Ta!

[medius]

rFactor. I play it on a low-spec laptop with the graphics down a bit and get 30fps alright. Also use a USB Xbox 360 pad to good effect. As for tin tops, there are Loooooooads to choose from, such as Touring Car Legends (Group A touring cars like Sierra RS500, Volvo 240 Turbo, Rover SD1, BMW M3, Corollas, Commodores etc), and spot on handling. For more modern stuff, there are semi-accurate conversions for BTCC 2009 but I find the inaccuracies not to be worth the bother running (no integra model so they used an Accord for example).

The cost is about £25 for the rFactor license (download the full game and get a 60min trial, then buy the unlock licence) but rF2 is on the horizon and seems like the community will move over to it.

[nickyf1]

rFactor.

You can find many great mods: Touring Car Legends, as mentioned above, V8 Supercars, WTCC, BTCC, DTM, all that kind of stuff!

Also many add on tracks too (Running the F1 1993 mod around Knockhill is always fun!)

[SpeedingTortoise]

I'd go for Race 07. Its only £3.49 on Steam and has the official World Touring Cars and tracks from 2007 and some single make series such as Formula BMW, Caterhams and the awesome F3000. It also has some great add-ons such as 2008 and 2010 Swedish Touring cars, 2010 WTCC and GT cars and classics for roughly the same price. I also use a xbox controller and it is great fun. I dont do online racing on PC so im not sure how it works online but i think there are a few leagues going on, but ive still had great fun racing the AI in championships. And like rFactor, there are also plenty of mods to keep the game fresh

[BillWiskins]

Splendid. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll probably give RACE 07 a go, but reading about rFactor is causing some want in that department too. Is there any word on when rFactor 2 will emerge? I see they are testing now, but didn't spot any dates.

[nickyf1]

Race 07 is a good shout too. It already has touring cars and what not in it, and it also has easy to install expansion packs, unlike rFactor where you will have to learn how to install user made add-ons. (not too much trouble, but it can be confusing for first timers).

With all the Race 07 packs (and I believe it is possible to buy all of them on one disc? Can someone confirm this?) you get:

1987 WTCC (BMW M3 and Alfa 75 only)
2006 WTCC (All cars and tracks)
2007 WTCC .. ditto
2008 WTCC .. ditto..
2008 STCC ... ditto
2010 WTCC ... ditto
2010 STCC .. ditto
2007 International F3000 Masters
Formula BMW
Mini Cooper Cup
Radical SR3
Radical SR4
Caterham (various classes)
GT1 (GT Pro in-game)
GT2 (GT Sport in-game)
GT3 (GT Club in-game)
WTCC Extreme (DTM style WTCC cars)
Swedish Camaro Cup
US Muscle
International Formula Master

And possibly much more....

One of the expansion packs also comes with a fantastic recreation of the Nurburgring Nordschleife.

[Peat]

Yep, go with one of the RACE series games. You could get too lost in rFactor straight from consoles and it would only put you off.

Whats the online numbers like on the RACE series, anyone?

[SpeedingTortoise]

Originally Posted by nickyf1

With all the Race 07 packs (and I believe it is possible to buy all of them on one disc? Can someone confirm this?)

I don't think you can get all of it on one single disc. I think on disc you can get:

Race 07 - Only Race 07
GTR Evolution - Race 07 + Gtr Evo.
STCC the Game - Race 07 + STCC 1 (Scandinavia only)
Race On - Race 07 + STCC 1 + WTCC 2008
Race Injection - WTCC 2010 + STCC 2010 + GT Power + Retro + Volvo the Game (free download) + Formula Raceroom

There are also 3 free downloads:
- Crowne Plaza (Crowne Plaza Track, Priaulx's BMW and Giovanardi's Vauxhall)
- Volvo the Game (Volvo 240 Group A, 850 ST, S40 ST, S60 S2000, C30 STCC, Chayaka, Gothenburg
- Raceroom the Game 2 (Formula RR1, WTCC BMW, Radical SR4, Matech GT1, Chevy Camaro, Monza, Nurburgring GP, Hochenheim (3 Layout))

[BillWiskins]

Originally Posted by Peat

Yep, go with one of the RACE series games. You could get too lost in rFactor straight from consoles and it would only put you off.

Whats the online numbers like on the RACE series, anyone?

Could you elaborate on 'getting lost'? Do you refer to the complexities of the set-up, the online play, or...?

Also I took a look on Steam, and apparently there are 1097 members of the official group, of which there are 151 online right now and 52 in-game.

I shall be purchasing this thing just as soon as I have a decent control device with which to operate the virtual vehicles.

[BillWiskins]

Well, I did indeed obtain RACE, as well as a controller, and I've been messing with it today.

Thoughts: the game is exactly what I wanted. Feels good, looks good, runs smoothly even when online with several others. Thanks for the advice, all!

However: idiots. My first online race was great (came last, had two stop and go penalties and pitted twice on top of that for good measure (and not understanding how to actually do a stop and go) in a five-lap race at Brands). My last was entirely ruined by one or two jumping the start and crashing into everyone else on the grid. Pretty much everyone left the race, and I was left wondering how widespread this kind of behaviour is. I mean, it is the internet, and therefore there are arse canisters to be found, but I was hoping that in a fairly old, fairly simmy game there would be less of it. Was I just unlucky?

[Peat]

Rfactor has become extremely conveluted with SO many mods/versions of track etc. I found it baffling and i game from previous PC titles like GP4 where modding was prevelant.

RACE is a set game with set content. You shouldn't have any mistmatch problems etc. It uses the same barebones as rfactor so you will get used to how it all runs etc. Just a bit easier to 'get into' i imagine.

[chunder]

There are some good mods available for Race07, there is an excellent Porsche mod and some haevily modfied RF F1 mods that are good fun too

I dont find RF difficult to use when it comes to modding and installation, most modders now use .exe mods and if not it's so simple to drag and drop stuff.

It is a bit tired now when you compare it to RF2, but that's evolution, some of the mods are standalone top drawer, all that is missing now is a decent server section and some more people playing

[StevieJohnson00]

Originally Posted by chunder

There are some good mods available for Race07, car Parts Wholesale is an excellent Porsche mod and some haevily modfied RF F1 mods that are good fun too

I dont find RF difficult to use when it comes to modding and installation, most modders now use .exe mods and if not it's so simple to drag and drop stuff.

It is a bit tired now when you compare it to RF2, but that's evolution, some of the mods are standalone top drawer, all that is missing now is a decent server section and some more people playing

Hey man.. I've been having difficulty with the RF, can you probably help me out a bit? Like in detail.

[chunder]

What do you need to know fella? PM me or post here

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Peat

Rfactor has become extremely conveluted with SO many mods/versions of track etc. I found it baffling and i game from previous PC titles like GP4 where modding was prevelant.

RACE is a set game with set content. You shouldn't have any mistmatch problems etc. It uses the same barebones as rfactor so you will get used to how it all runs etc. Just a bit easier to 'get into' i imagine.

Strange in a way, as I wasn't much of a fan of RF, but it's gradually finding more favour. Ever since I realised I can drive Ayrton's McLaren Honda..... The sound is uncannily right and sends shivers up my spine every time. Still can't do Eau Rouge anything like flat though....... Having become pretty expert at the installation of all things GPL over the years, installing mods for RF is really very easy.

[chunder]

Cant do Eau Rouge flat!

Lol, Last time Iw as playing that mod the fastest guy was in a Minardi! and he wa flat through there!

God knows how, I could only ever manage it in something low powered like a Coloni!

Great mod though, perhaps the best historic mod on the game

F1-91 if you dont know, use the historic version, all the cars are different.