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]

Paid or not, what does it matter? He might be getting the boxed LE version for his troubles. Or perhaps he's a big investor? Who knows and who cares?

 

[DrJustice]

That is a quote from VirtualR, which strangely will DELETE any discussion about Rene Rast being a paid consultant. Find me a quote from the SMS developers that state he isn't one, and that he wasn't gifted a fanatec setup to advertise pCARS on it.

What that quote actually says is that he doesn't have time to give feedback on the forum, but he will gladly promote himself, Fanatec and pCARS from time to time and accept that easy check for doing so. It's no different from all the other "racing drivers" advertising games like GRID/F1/Dirt.
pCARS investors will try to make you believe otherwise. And a few dislikes won't make my comment any less true

Quotes from WMD by SMS staff on Rene Rast's involvment (or rather lack thereof):

"Nothing formal before anybody gets too excited - he tried pCARS while at Fanatec and loved it is all."

"Rene never served WMD in any official capacity, he's a regular member."

"René Rast contacted us via Fanatec, he tried the game while he was there, he loved it and he asked for an account."

SMS makes loud and clear announcements about drivers who are hired. Rene Rast is not one of them. I hope this slander can stop now.

 

[traind]

Pro drivers enjoying and playing a sim doesn't make that sim any better than another one. It's just a somewhat interesting story. Rast, who is unpaid by SMS but was given an account/access after access closed, likes pCars. That doesn't mean pCars is better or worse than other options. It simply means he likes it.

A pro driver giving feedback and helping to develop a sim also doesn't necessarily make that sim better than other sims. It does, however, have a very good likelihood of making that sim better than it otherwise would have been without a pro driver giving feedback. Ben Collins is a big name if you call him the Stig. His work on pCars should be making it better than it would have been without his involvement... particularly due to his having driven in real life-- at the limit-- such a large percentage of the cars in the game. I think Collin's feedback has been thorough, balanced, candid and fascinating. He has provided pretty blunt negative feedback many, many times.... and still is to this moment. We'll have to see just how good it helps pCars to be.

I have been a supporter from early on and have really enjoyed the forums and builds when I have had the time. One thing I am pretty sure of.... WMD is a great process. I'd happily do it again. That said, the game is getting close to shipping (again) and it still seems like there is an awful lot to get done and to polish. I know that's game development but it is a bit worrying at this point.

 

[Rob]

Pro drivers enjoying and playing a sim doesn't make that sim any better than another one. It's just a somewhat interesting story. Rast, who is unpaid by SMS but was given an account/access after access closed, likes pCars. That doesn't mean pCars is better or worse than other options. It simply means he likes it.

A pro driver giving feedback and helping to develop a sim also doesn't necessarily make that sim better than other sims. It does, however, have a very good likelihood of making that sim better than it otherwise would have been without a pro driver giving feedback. Ben Collins is a big name if you call him the Stig. His work on pCars should be making it better than it would have been without his involvement... particularly due to his having driven in real life-- at the limit-- such a large percentage of the cars in the game. I think Collin's feedback has been thorough, balanced, candid and fascinating. He has provided pretty blunt negative feedback many, many times.... and still is to this moment. We'll have to see just how good it helps pCars to be.

I have been a supporter from early on and have really enjoyed the forums and builds when I have had the time. One thing I am pretty sure of.... WMD is a great process. I'd happily do it again. That said, the game is getting close to shipping (again) and it still seems like there is an awful lot to get done and to polish. I know that's game development but it is a bit worrying at this point.

Yea, I get this, there is a ying and a yang to it. Certainly, Rast and others can only give input based on what they feel and Rast likes the "feel" of the pCARS game. It worries me more that he's so in bed with Fanatec. I'm a huge "thumbs down" guy when it comes to them. They spend more money on buying advertising and giving crap away than on improving their product.
For instance, Codemasters was quoted as saying "out test drivers broke several of our Fanatec wheels...." This does not surprise me. I'm sure Rast has top of the line stuff, but, as a former driver, if you sat me down with a Fanatec and either a Thustmaster or Logitech (have owned two of the three three mid level models) my feedback would be nearly useless with the Fanatec. But, hey, maybe the $1000 model really is balls out.

 

[Andy_J]

Back to my latest build testing. Today I spent a bit of time on the latest build at Road America in that lovely grunty big American car the Ford Mustang Cobra and I dabbled with FFB settings too. (Just to make a certain fanbase happy ) and boy I actually enjoyed myself throwing that thing around and the FFB was pretty good. Not up to AC standards but getting there.

I really think the helmet view is unsurpassed by any other race sim and truly offers the best immersion in any sim. It is really well implemented in my subjective opinion. I really love driving in that view.

The sim was smooth too with all settings on Ultra except for a few like shadows on medium.

The FFB was adjusted a bit, but mainly gain in game, and was quite good. I was pleasantly suprised by the handling and physics of this car as well as the FFB. It felt great without too much messing about. I like it.

To summarise, it is getting better and I look forward to trying the finished result in Club races here at the webs premier Race sim club.

Andy

 

[Sicario Del Toro]

Some cars -- default FFB is ok -- you may be lucky that the car you like is good , now if your a Formula one fan or open wheeler this is when you need a lot of tweaking IMO ,but there getting there slowly , time is getting short for pCars I'm hopeing they get the sweet spot with FFB for all users .

This is a gem of a game to be involved in , I don't think this will ever happen again the way it has being so open for the average joe to be involved in .
If the opportunity happens again to be involved in something like pCars 2 -- I'll buy into that , not for profit but for pure enjoyment of seeing a game develop

 

[Rob]

Back to my latest build testing. Today I spent a bit of time on the latest build at Road America in that lovely grunty big American car the Ford Mustang Cobra and I dabbled with FFB settings too. (Just to make a certain fanbase happy ) and boy I actually enjoyed myself throwing that thing around and the FFB was pretty good. Not up to AC standards but getting there.

I really think the helmet view is unsurpassed by any other race sim and truly offers the best immersion in any sim. It is really well implemented in my subjective opinion. I really love driving in that view.

The sim was smooth too with all settings on Ultra except for a few like shadows on medium.

The FFB was adjusted a bit, but mainly gain in game, and was quite good. I was pleasantly suprised by the handling and physics of this car as well as the FFB. It felt great without too much messing about. I like it.

To summarise, it is getting better and I look forward to trying the finished result in Club races here at the webs premier Race sim club.

Andy

Now it's my turn to be pessimistic. lol. I have used the helmet view in Shift2, and although I'd say it's neat to watch and fun to try out, I was thrown off by it after the initial excitement. Essentially, drivers don't drive by turning their head much, but use their eyes mostly. With the limited FOV, it was just too unrealistic and threw me off apex. But I loved the idea.

Does pCARS have a slider where you can adjust the degree of look? What did you think of it at first? Did it take a while to get used to?

GREAT review Andy...keep 'em coming. FFB or not.

 

[David Ignjatovic]

So what, you guys don't notice how floaty some of these cars are, for example, the Audi R10+others...?

 

[David Ignjatovic]

time is getting short for pCars I'm hopeing they get the sweet spot with FFB for all users .

This can only happen if they build with each wheel in mind as wheels have different strength motors, so whether that explains the inconsistency between the cars or they deem float to be a gaming feature, ie, a result of the engines phenomenal torque, I don't know, but I do know that floaty cars suck hard, and no one in their right mind could maintain credibility whilst ignoring this glaring problem.

 

[Andy_J]

If the opportunity happens again to be involved in something like pCars 2 -- I'll buy into that , not for profit but for pure enjoyment of seeing a game develop

I agree except that for myself and a few others, the way we were spoke to was condusive to a little angst. For instance, when you are constantly told that you now work for them in a virtual office and you will not say anything out of line or you'll be fired.

This did not happen to me, but after seeing a few people get that treatment I decided that I didn't want to work for such an organisation. Because when you think about it, to be treated like that after actually paying to work in that virtual office, and after investing some cash to actually help them get the development off the ground and then to be paying alpha or beta testers, that stinks. But not everyone is like me.

Hence I departed the office. But was then invited back to test builds and discuss them here. The rest is history.
The game is coming good and I look forward to purchasing the full release.

 

[dcully]

WIsh i could sample this game somehow.

 

[Rob]

I agree except that for myself and a few others, the way we were spoke to was condusive to a little angst. For instance, when you are constantly told that you now work for them in a virtual office and you will not say anything out of line or you'll be fired.

This did not happen to me, but after seeing a few people get that treatment I decided that I didn't want to work for such an organisation. Because when you think about it, to be treated like that after actually paying to work in that virtual office, and after investing some cash to actually help them get the development off the ground and then to be paying alpha or beta testers, that stinks. But not everyone is like me.

Hence I departed the office. But was then invited back to test builds and discuss them here. The rest is history.
The game is coming good and I look forward to purchasing the full release.

Any fan of Kimi must be giving good input.

 

[David Ignjatovic]

2 updates and the AUDI R8 V10 is still a sway and float champion....

 

[Sicario Del Toro]

W .i. P , cars are being change day by day , this floating Ive not noticed , I think it's because I use the rift , so it's not so easy for me to notice , but I do be-leave that you may be correct - I will try it later , I am now curious

I did notice the P1 was acting strange .

 

[c172fccc]

2 updates and the AUDI R8 V10 is still a sway and float champion....

What?! They didn't update the physics of the R8 and it still feels the same?! Unbelievable!



I mean, they're working on other cars at the moment, give your feedback when they'll have update this car, no need to continue complaining.

 

[David Ignjatovic]

Just tried the very latest build, then drove AC....result, pcars uninstalled again

 

[Birddogg66]

I agree except that for myself and a few others, the way we were spoke to was condusive to a little angst. For instance, when you are constantly told that you now work for them in a virtual office and you will not say anything out of line or you'll be fired.

This did not happen to me, but after seeing a few people get that treatment I decided that I didn't want to work for such an organisation. Because when you think about it, to be treated like that after actually paying to work in that virtual office, and after investing some cash to actually help them get the development off the ground and then to be paying alpha or beta testers, that stinks. But not everyone is like me.

Hence I departed the office. But was then invited back to test builds and discuss them here. The rest is history.
The game is coming good and I look forward to purchasing the full release.

What's up Mr. Jackson? Nice screenshots!

 

[Tobias Liesaus]

drive-time AC last month: 1 hour?!
drive-time pCars last month: 100+ hours

the game comes together really nice. the racing is so much more fun and visceral than in AC.

 

[David Ignjatovic]

drive-time AC last month: 1 hour?!
drive-time pCars last month: 100+ hours

the game comes together really nice. the racing is so much more fun and visceral than in AC.

Why am i feeling the opposite?

 

[Andy_J]

drive-time AC last month: 1 hour?!
drive-time pCars last month: 100+ hours

the game comes together really nice. the racing is so much more fun and visceral than in AC.

I might do some more build testing this weekend if I get the chance, but I can't see it dragging me away from GSCE or RRE and AC for that matter. It's just not in the same class at this present time.