timwheatley.org

Having just had a quick run in the second demo which introduces the final physics but no tyre model, I must say I am pleasantly surprised.

It is clearly way ahead of the first in the Race Driver series, which annoyed me greatly that the speed and cornering ability were just plain stupid. The general feel of the car is there and I must say it does feel pretty good. The first game felt wrong, very wrong… While driving a touring car it felt like you were driving an F1 car with more downforce than I ever remember from any F1 sim - It was just plain… Wrong.

The only problem I really felt with RD2 is when you reach the limit, it almost seems like there are hidden assistance levels which help when you over-do a turn. Sometimes you seem to have an insane braking ability if you turn sharply at the same time… You can sometimes lift just a tiny bit in a turn and all of a sudden you get oodles of grip from nowhere… It’s similar to early Papyrus NASCAR physics, where if you went in too hot, you simply lifted, and you WOULD make the turn. The thing is though, all the problems I felt with it, will no doubt be brushed aside with the final release as I’d have to consider what effect sloppy and over-aggressive driving may have on my tyres… You simply won’t be able to drive in that way and make it through anything like a long-distance event. This though, is an unknown element and perhaps I am foolish to rely upon it? Because relying on the ability of the tyre model to punish me for overdriving and manipulating it’s failures is like using a dirty rag to wash my windows.

Difficult to understand perhaps, is my trust in this as a simulation. It is definately not for those who crave absolute realism I believe, but it is for those of you who want to enjoy your racing games for the simple fact that they provide you with a challenge to your patience while battling on tracks you know (and love), along with something to do each evening apart from walking the dog (or fixing a forum now and then).

With both V Rally 3 and Race Driver, the only reason I bought them was essentially for the career mode, which I’ve always enjoyed in games of all genres. The career mode in Race Driver 2 looks to be absolutely huge, and that’s definately a bonus for me.

In closing then, I also wonder what the community as a group may be able to make out of this, because many ‘games’ have come our way to be turned into absolutely stunningly realistic simulations after someone decided to fiddle with them a little…. And it’s plainly obvious that the basic requirements of a simulation are in RD2 waiting for us as they were in NASCAR Heat and Rally Trophy.

Yes, I haven’t mentioned the damage model - I don’t do this to crash. It does look pretty good though, and when I slammed into the back of another car into a tight turn it did effect my car… Which is nice.

RD2 isn’t that bad, it isn’t the best - but it’s far from the worst.

Tim.

ps: wrote into the blog as I thought of it, if I don’t make sense anywhere - tough.

Edit: it seems in the selection menu’s that pad and wheel are mislabelled. If you’re using a wheel, select pad.