PC1 Latest Build testing.

[Andy_J]

As you all know, Ian gave me a free pass to test the latest builds and that's what I have been doing for the last week. I will report here as and when I see fit to tell all about my findings.

But I will say that the latest build (296) is quite good. Now lets make some sense of my statement. I used a Lotus 98T in helmet cam using my antique MOMO red wheel and I can honestly report it is coming along much better than I anticipated. The actual feel and immersion is damn fine at this point. The handling is strange at first compared to say...RF2 and FVA, but it grows on you within minutes. At this point in time, this actual car feels good. I like it and I love the Milan circuit. The damage model has come on leaps and bounds.

I am doing some more testing all of next week using a G27 and I will also test some of the other cars that don't interest me as much (I am a F1 nut) and see how the feel in comparison to Shift 2, because that is what I was initially comparing PCars to.

I would like the replay function to have a directors mode though. Something that jumps from action to action and from car to car.

Aside from that, the replay's do crash my PC quite often but I understand that is being looked at.

Watch this space.

 

[Andy_J]

Well, very soon, they will have to release the beta final version. We should be at Beta now according to their schedule. But as always, I will test with what they put out. Simply the best way.

My latest testing of Pcars vs AC vs GSCE puts Pcars way down on the FFB and physics compared to the others. But I am hoping it will change very soon.

 

[Andy_J]

If PCARS would have gone the standard way, the builds we are testing now would have never seen the light of day outside their office. Imagine hired testing people complaining about bugs in a regular game, what's the point of that?

Yes it went a very different way. Instead of hired test people, they managed to get people to pay to test (and invest) and that's why it is as it is. Much more open. They can't have their cake and eat it.

 

[Pedro Cunha]

Pcars is not worth to try.
Is only there for people who like to stare at virtual cars design! Great 4K cars but everything else is cartoonish and missing any realism.
Is so disapointing that I gave the account away a while ago...

 

[Richard Eriksson]

Well, i think it is definitely worth a try, like any racing sim. Everyone has different preference, and some like how pCars handles and it's focus points. Personally i don't, as evidenced by some of my complaints here... But if i had not tried it i would not have known it wasn't for me in it's current state.

This still means i undertand those who enjoy it, and i will still follow it's development. Because it's still a new product in the race sim category. And after all, aren't we all here because of our interest in said genre of products?

 

[Andy_J]

Is so disapointing that I gave the account away a while ago...

Well you really can't say what it's like now can you Pedro? It has improved greatly over time. Yes I understand the remarks beauty over content but I recommend that you give it a try when it's released on demo (if it is ever released as a demo).
Andy

 

[Mircea Rad]

Yes it went a very different way. Instead of hired test people, they managed to get people to pay to test (and invest) and that's why it is as it is. Much more open. They can't have their cake and eat it.

So what's the problem if I want to pay to test the software? I would pay any day 25 EUR to have access and see a game developing from the beginning. During 3 years it was a hell of a ride, good things, bad things, but something different. I mean even if you go through the forum and check the threads where all the work is shown on the cars modeling is eye opening, let alone having access to all the development builds. Let's be honest, I paid iRacing for cars I never even tested for a lap just to be able to race a multi-class series back in the days when it was mandatory so why would the CARS model of doing business seem outrageous? You don't want to pay to test, don't do it, nobody is forcing you. Just wait for the release, test it (demo, pirate it) and if you enjoy it, buy it and play it. It's that easy

 

[Andy_J]

So what's the problem if I want to pay to test the software?

No problem. Did I say there was one? I merely pointed out that if people paid to do their testing, they can moan and complain on forums as much as they like. They weren't hired. And it wasn't the standard way.

 

[Mircea Rad]

No, they can't complain and moan, they need to help fix things and steer the project in the right way, that's what they signed for. It's like one of these F1 rookies that pay to do FP1 would moan and complain they only have one set of tires and the starting set-up needs adjusting Well doh!!

 

[Andy_J]

No, they can't complain and moan, they need to help fix things and steer the project in the right way. Well doh!!

Well I test the game and if I don't like I have a good old moan about it.
Hows that for a Doh!! Off to do some more testing now.

ps, the FFB is still really poor in Pcars at this present build. And the handling whilst better, is not on a par with AC or GSCE in my opinion.......yet. Best you go and do some fixing things. Doh!

 

[Pedro Cunha]

Well you really can't say what it's like now can you Pedro? It has improved greatly over time. Yes I understand the remarks beauty over content but I recommend that you give it a try when it's released on demo (if it is ever released as a demo).
Andy

Negative. I gave the account to a close friend, and the game still has the same issues i mentioned above. It's a project based on SMS own ideas. Anyone who has a complain will be removed from the game untill it comes out.
Its still one of the worst racing games i can recall

 

[Mircea Rad]

Well I test the game and if I don't like I have a good old moan about it.
Hows that for a Doh!! Off to do some more testing now.

ps, the FFB is still really poor in Pcars at this present build. And the handling whilst better, is not on a par with AC or GSCE in my opinion.......yet. Best you go and do some fixing things. Doh!

Do you even understand the difference between moaning/complaining and offering feedback in a way that your feedback can be taken into consideration and be considered helpful? Can you spot the difference between Ben's negative feedback and saying "it's Shift 3 because I say so" or "FFB sucks because AC is better"? I don't think you do. And that's exactly why some people were kicked from the project and given their money back. Simple as that.

Cheers!

 

[Andy_J]

Do you even understand the difference between moaning/complaining and offering feedback in a way that your feedback can be taken into consideration and be considered helpful?

Of course I can. Do you understand the difference between someone who has paid to be a member of WMD and someone who has not?

I think that a lot of people refer to Pcars as a Shift 3 mainly because of the style and the handling model of the madness engine. It is very similar to look at and to be honest, the driving is quite similar to a modded Shift 2 but obviously looks a lot better. Definetly not on the same scale as say Game Stock Car Extreme.

But it will be a great fun game no doubt, just like the Shift series (which I actually love by the way) and will sell loads and make the investors very happy.

I like to test the game builds at my convenience and report here how I find it now. I do not give any feedback at WMD because I am not a paying beta tester or investor. Simple as that.

Cheers.

ps, give them some feedback for me will you please.

Cadwell is one of my favourite circuits (I do many actual track days there). Tell them the hairpin after Hall bends needs far more tree coverage. When approaching this corner, all you see is trees in front of you in reality and spectators are not allowed there either.
Cheers.

 

[Rui Santos]

Well, kicking people off because they have a valid different opinion seems dictatorial to me, anyway i understand why they've done that, because they want to create another stupid arcade game and fool people calling it "simulator"...

I need to test it before eventually buying, but as far as i've read, i'll save my money to something else...

 

[Andy_J]

Back to latest build testing. Proving very hard to do. Latest build has crashes that lock the PC dead. Sometimes I can manage to get task manager to close it down and re-boot. Very unstable build. Perhaps they are trying to fix some things and introducing breaks in some of the code? Can only guess. I am sure it will come good.

But when it does get going, I have had some great sessions at Oulton Park which I will say they have got spot on regards the circuit. It is superb. And so is the Nordshliefe, absolutely spectacular.
A big report coming soon on many more tracks and cars and how I feel about it so far. But I tell you what, the graphics are the best yet seen anywhere and that is a fact.

 

[Mircea Rad]

@Rui Santos, that's what happened. They even kicked Ben because he had a valid different opinion about how McLaren F1 is handling. Go spread this around, it's as true as the fact they kicked people for having a valid different opinion

@andy, it's your choice how you want to test and give (or not) feedback. All I'm saying is that your knowledge could be helpful if you were willing to give it to WMD, as long as you put it like you just did on the previous post, you explain what is wrong so that a dev can use your input to fix. But again, it's your choice to test it and put it here, where it's of no help for the people who are trying to make this software better.

 

[Andy_J]

I need to test it before eventually buying, but as far as i've read, i'll save my money to something else...

I'll bet my next months wage that you will buy it. Eventually. When it's on a steam sale.

 

[Andy_J]

@andy, it's your choice how you want to test and give (or not) feedback. All I'm saying is that your knowledge could be helpful if you were willing to give it to WMD, as long as you put it like you just did on the previous post, you explain what is wrong so that a dev can use your input to fix. But again, it's your choice to test it and put it here, where it's of no help for the people who are trying to make this software better.

I prefer it here thank you. I have seen what happens over there to anyone who might give any type of negative feedback that does not fit in with their employee in a big office mentality. For instance, if I'd posted that Cadwell Park pic and said they needed trees there, I would have been told "its pre alpha" or "the devs are on it, follow there dev posts on the subject" and god forbid if I'd mentioned the FFB at default is terrible compared with GSCE.

 

[Rui Santos]

I'll bet my next months wage that you will buy it. Eventually. When it's on a steam sale.

So give me you bank account now Believe me, with the offer we have right now, if i try pCARS and it has stupid handling physics you'll bet i won't be buying it not even for 5 euros, because i know i won't be playing it! I don't spend money on things to collect dust on...

 

[Andy_J]

So give me you bank account now Believe me, with the offer we have right now, if i try pCARS and it has stupid handling physics you'll bet i won't be buying it not even for 5 euros, because i know i won't be playing it! I don't spend money on things to collect dust on...

You'll buy it for the looks, the replays if not for the gameplay. When it is on sale, it will be a worthy purchase for these things alone. In my opinion.

Seriously, once they have ironed out a few things, this will probably be a good fun go to game when you fancy a quick race against the AI. For multiplayer, it will depend on how they police the servers, but I fear without some sort of rating for safe and fair racing like Iracing has, then it will be a crash fest. Club and league racing on Race Department might be brilliant though.

 

[Mircea Rad]

@Andy Jackson, if that's how you see it then I understand Keep up with the gorgeous screenshots