PC2 Project CARS 2 Demo Released to all Platforms

[Paul Jeffrey]

Been wondering what all the fuss is about? Now you can have the chance to sample Project CARS 2 for yourself thanks to a new multi platform demo available with immediate effect!

It wouldn't be a stretch of the imagination to say Project CARS 2 is one of those games that causes a dramatic mix of emotions from the sim racing population, veering from the fiercely loyal defenders to those who don't hold much love for the latest Slightly Mad Studios racing game.

If you are finding the frankly confusing mix of opinions too difficult to navigate on your own then this might be a very good piece of news for you - Project CARS 2 now has its own demo, and better still it is available on all platforms that support the game, and its free... and available now!

Featuring the laser scanned Red Bull Ring in Austria, the demo gives players a diverse range of cars to sample as you get the opportunity to try Project CARS 2 for yourselves and make up your own mind as to where this controversial title sits amongst the sim racing hierarchy. Offering drivers the chance to sample a high performance open wheel racer in the form of the Formula Renault 3.5, a high power GT3 specification GT car with the Ferrari 488 GT3 or the beautiful road going Lamborghini Huracán LP610-4 supercar. So something for all tastes then..

According to Slightly Mad Studios the demo will offer "three scenarios" that will "test you with escalating challenges, allowing you to experience class-leading physics in various cars and varying conditions, and give you a taste of what there is to be experienced in the full game".

The demo can be downloaded from the respective platform stores now. Go on, have a try and see what all the fuss (good and bad) has been about...

Project CARS 2 is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC now.

Check out the Project CARS 2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment for more news, discussion and features on this sequel release to the hugely popular Project CARS franchise of games.

Like what you see here at RaceDepartment? Don't forget to like, subscribe and follow us on social media!

RaceDepartment YouTube
RaceDepartment Twitter
RaceDepartment Facebook
RaceDepartment Twitch
RaceDepartment Instagram

Still on the fence about Project CARS 2? Will you be trying out the demo? Already an owner? Would you recommend the game to other players? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Kyle Pearson]

One question guys, I'm planning on getting the Deluxe Edition of pC2 that I beleive it includes some sort of Season Pass, is that correct? Is it a Season Pass for all DLC up-to-date and the forthcoming ones??

All except the Japanese Pack.

 

[Tony Liddell]

Triple screen options are greyed out...

Also, lock camera to horizon; how do I toggle that?

Thanks

EDIT: Never mind. Editing the triple screen settings xml file in My Documents folder, and changing the in-game Camera Movement setting solved these two issues for me.

 

[Damage Inc]

"Fiercely loyal defenders.." are there many of these for Project Cars?

Not as many as there are for the other sims here no, fanboi itis is strong for AC, RF2, R3E and AMS here.

 

[JoelRR]

All except the Japanese Pack.

Thanks Kyle! Also including the forthcoming DLCs right?

 

[hotak]

Thanks Kyle! Also including the forthcoming DLCs right?

Yes

Tracks, at least RBR which I drove is far from being real (elevation, curbs,...)

I can pass on people saying the phisics or the FFB is crap even when, to me, it's the closest to RF2, but saying a laserscanned track got everything wrong is just hating.

 

[NicoB79]

Tried the demo today. I drove all 3 modes and I didn't regret not have bought the game until now.

Good to see the steering configuration and especially FFB menu is improved compared to PC1 ( drove it once on PS4).

While driving the FFB was lacking for me. I felt no oversteer, no understeer and no lockups. Even after changing the FFB sliders in different directions. Not really convincing.

Track graphics do not look too good imo at RB-Ring. To comical, no natural colours (the asphalt texture is simply aweful). Track design also not satisfying. Cars look great though.

I'm very disappointed by the sounds. They do not sound anything like the real thing. Especially the Ferrari.

Weather effects also not very convincing. In the GT3 you start on wet track conditions but the grip feels like dry. You can brake at your normal dry markers without missing the corners. On lap 4 it starts to rain heavily. Now this is getting much better. You have to brake earlier and its easy to overshoot the corners. The heavy rain effects are nice to look at. Had quite often an heavy aquaplaning effect in some corners where I lost the car ( at least I hope it was aquaplaning and not some bug).

In some aspects (heavy rain) the physics feel good for me but on other conditions its simply not satisfying for a hardcore simracer like I am.

Overall, PC1 was for the trashcan. PC2 is not bad.

 

[RaceNut]

I tried rFactor 2 today and really hate it. The FFB is such an exaggerated bull made for DFGT-users or so, but thanks to Sim Commander i could tune this down. Is there any way that the game is giving me the right DOR? I always need to tweak it manually in Sim Commander per car unlike every other title.

With rF2 and when using a DD-wheel, we need to edit the controller json file to tone down some of the effects - particularly, the curbs / rumble-strips, off-road and jolt from impacts / wall contact. It's the same for AMS; they both need custom controller files for DD-wheels IMO.

 

[Gevatter]

With rF2 and when using a DD-wheel, we need to edit the controller json file to tone down some of the effects - particularly, the curbs / rumble-strips, off-road and jolt from impacts / wall contact. It's the same for AMS; they both need custom controller files for DD-wheels IMO.

Sadly, dialling down the curbs/rumble strips doesn't work last time I tried.
Sorry for OT.

 

[RaceNut]

Sadly, dialling down the curbs/rumble strips doesn't work last time I tried.
Sorry for OT.

Maybe you edited the wrong file? I've altered mine in both titles and can confirm it works.

Send me a PM and I'll provide more info.

 

[Mick Aspinall]

Tried the demo and was not overly impressed but decided to buy the game whilst its on sale, if nothing else other than to race at night and in the wet. Having spent most of the day playing around with ffb and trying out different cars and tracks I feel like I am playing a game, with AC AMS I feel like I am driving a car. I can see me using PC2 for the occasional endurance race utilising the weather and night time racing.
I agree also with NicoB79 very bad sounds in game.

 

[David Ignjatovic]

I might dl the F1 2012 and compare it to that now that I have the T300.
Btw, anyone calling this a simulator is being stupid, that's not to say it doesn't work well with my wheel, it's very good, also JAMES from PRC claimed some **** about FFB being comparable to RF2.....yeah, NO, F NO.

At least the FFB worked fine at default, ie, I could drive the car without having to spend years tweaking, but the front end behaviour of the lambo is bizarre at times, and the 3.5 has bugger all rear grip despite it's form factor, admittedly it's in tightish fast corners, but still.

If you want simulation...
Automobilsta
AC
Power and Glory
RACE07 and co.
RF2

 

[mister dog]

I agree also with NicoB79 very bad sounds in game.

I only get annoyed by the transmission sample being the same but luckily you can turn that SFX down a bit. For the rest I love the sounds of the engines and the tyres too, don't understand why people complain about them.

Playing with headphones here though, not sure if that might be a factor.

 

[Emery]

For the rest I love the sounds of the engines and the tyres too, don't understand why people complain about them.

Unless the demo has updated sounds, the FR3.5 in PC2 sounds like a Formula Ford rather than a high-strung modern formula car one rung below F1.

Like so many things in PC2, there's lots of misses along with the hits. The Ford Mk IV sounds like a vacuum cleaner instead of a 7 liter V8. The Lotus 40 uses the same sound sample that rF2 uses for the 427 Cobra (not an ideal sample for either car). However, the Panoz LMP is lusty and I like it regardless of whether it's accurate! [If Mr. 7 liter Ford met Mr. Panoz, I'd be happier]

 

[Andy_J]

Btw, anyone calling this a simulator is being stupid, that's not to say it doesn't work well with my wheel, it's very good, also JAMES from PRC claimed some **** about FFB being comparable to RF2.....yeah, NO, F NO.

Remember James/Austin works for SMS. He can hardly be called unbiased or neutral. He sold out. And ditched his morals.

 

[Emery]

Coming from RF2 that has realistic FFB Flat Spots (plus visually) I was expecting more from pCars2 in this regard, it's severely lacking in this sim if it's not there and an essential part of todays sim racing.

Once I got the FFB tuned in the full game, the flatspots are coming through. For me, they're stronger than AC, but weaker than rF2 (and reality). There's a wider dynamic range in rF2 flatspots than PC2, so you feel mild flatspots, obvious flatspots, and "I flatspotted multiple times but not always at the same location on the tire and the tires go in/out of vibration sync". In PC2, narrow vintage tires seem more sensitive to flatspots than the wider TransAm and GT3 tires are, but that may just be I'm pushing harder with the vintage cars.

 

[mister dog]

Unless the demo has updated sounds, the FR3.5 in PC2 sounds like a Formula Ford rather than a high-strung modern formula car one rung below F1.

Well you'd have to compare:

The sample is similar but could use some work indeed as it sounds a bit digitized (if that is a proper term ). That car already comes from PC1 if I'm not mistaken so it might not have been updated.

 

[Emery]

The sample is similar but could use some work indeed as it sounds a bit digitized (if that is a proper term ). That car already comes from PC1 if I'm not mistaken so it might not have been updated.

Your comparison videos made me go check... and I figured out where SMS went wrong. Opponent sounds for the FR3.5 are far, far too weak. You get a partial glimpse (is there a word for hearing that is similar to glimpse?) of what is missing in PC2 while watching the real video when a competitor goes by as he exits pit lane.

 

[DayGlow]

I might dl the F1 2012 and compare it to that now that I have the T300.
Btw, anyone calling this a simulator is being stupid, that's not to say it doesn't work well with my wheel, it's very good, also JAMES from PRC claimed some **** about FFB being comparable to RF2.....yeah, NO, F NO.

At least the FFB worked fine at default, ie, I could drive the car without having to spend years tweaking, but the front end behaviour of the lambo is bizarre at times, and the 3.5 has bugger all rear grip despite it's form factor, admittedly it's in tightish fast corners, but still.

If you want simulation...
Automobilsta
AC
Power and Glory
RACE07 and co.
RF2

You just love torturing yourself don't you?

I've never seen anyone with such a hate-on for pcars keep coming back to bitch about it

 

[DayGlow]

Not as many as there are for the other sims here no, fanboi itis is strong for AC, RF2, R3E and AMS here.

So true. I maybe wrong, but do people who like pcars go to those forums just to trash those games? There seems to be a constant stream of people who only seem to post here to espouse their hate for the game. Maybe I'm missing it, but it didn't seem to be a 2 way street.

 

[David Ignjatovic]

You just love torturing yourself don't you?

I've never seen anyone with such a hate-on for pcars keep coming back to bitch about it

Of yes, and You'd love nothing more than silence huh.
Sorry Mr investor, I have a bad habit of telling the truth.
As for the game, if you're not a hardcore sim fan, you could buy this as the ffb/physics are OK, just not proper simulation.