PC2 Rate the Sims: Community Edition | Project CARS 2

[Paul Jeffrey]

We are looking to crown the 'RaceDepartment Community Favourite' racing game - get your votes in now for our next game on the list... Project CARS 2!

Our dear RaceDepartment community. You folks are the most mighty fans of sim racing, often displaying an immense amount of understanding and depth of knowledge when it comes to our favourite hobby.

With sim racing and eSports in such a wonderful boom period of late. Gamers looking to have some fun with their virtual racing machines have never before had such a wide and robust variety of software to enjoy.

Now occasionally I've been in a position to rate new racing titles that have come my way, and almost every time I've received a wide variety of folks agreeing, or strongly disagreeing with my own opinions.

Opinions are great, but sometimes the opinion of one person, with their own likes and dislikes taken into account, can often give a bit of a skewed picture (intentional or not) to the greater cause in which said person is trying to explain.

As such, rather than doing one myself, and in the spirit of engaging some interesting community discussion, I thought it could be fun to let our own community rate each of the key sim racing / racing games available today.

As always with these things, please do try and respect each other and their opinions, and let's try to see if we can give a fun, but fair shake of the stick to each of the games included in this poll.

For transparency, I'm going to be featuring the following racing games over the next weeks:

• Assetto Corsa
• Assetto Corsa Competizione
• Automobilista (AMS)
• DiRT 2.0
• F1 2019
• GT Sport
• GRID
• iRacing
• NASCAR Heat 4
• PCARS 2
• RaceRoom Racing Experience
• rFactor 2
• WRC 8
• Wreckfest

I'm going to launch the article each Monday evening, and keep the poll running for a full week until the next new article is pushed live. So get your votes in quick!

Once I've completed the full list of games, I'll publish a final results feature, and we can award the winning developer the lofty title of 'RaceDepartment Community Favourite'!

Have fun, stay sensible and let the voting commence!

 

[Ole Andreasen]

Thanks Ian, for the PC series... I hope and pray for PC3 soon! My favourite racingsim.

 

[turbo86]

Hmmm.....when we're talking about AMS2...PC2 somehow is GOD. When we're talking about Codemasters buying SMS....PC2 is GOD and PC3 will be a GODSLAYER. When we're talking about PC2 itself it's just above average if not GARBAGE for some. I'm loving this community.

Anyway, i've given an 8 because of the inconsistencies that plagued it, mainly on tire simulation and suspension physics. A bit silly AI and a bit too much focus on arcade action instead of full length realistic racing (at least for me) also contribute to a lower score, but not that much. I'm talking about the race format.

The suspension physics somehow didn't work right for some cars. That combined with the aggressive tire simulation some times made things really bad. Cars would bottom out too easily even on the hardest setup and they would lean too much.Some cars had serious tire overheating issues, caused by the faulty suspension,causing huge weight transfers that wouldn't happen in real life. And they couldn't be fixed no matter what you did. Some other cars drove beautifully thought.

When SMS said that with PC2 they bit more than they could chew, i think that's exactly what they were referring to. It was way too much work to simulate accurately the suspension physics of every single car. And it was hell with so many different cars. They got some right and some wrong, and that's what also caused a lot of the hate towards it. That's why i believe with PC3 they will take a step back from simulation (as they said). Suspension and tire physics are going to be more....generic across the board.

 

[ermo]

i believe with PC3 they will take a step back from simulation (as they said). Suspension and tire physics are going to be more....generic across the board.

And I believe you misread that quote (source, context).

AIUI, SMS will double down on fettling suspension and tyre physics, but they will also aim to inject additional fun into the game with different game modes instead of merely offering a no-frills sim-racing sandbox. The goal is to add some of the SHIFT series 'flair' without compromising the core physics, FFB and racing experience one bit. Some of the more hard-core simracers will be deliberately obtuse in mistaking this approach to a dumbing down of the title.

Note that hardware performance has increased tremendously over the last three years with AMD pushing intel to release consumer CPUs with double the amount of cores and higher speeds since PC2 was was released, allowing SMS to spend more resources on their physics budget (higher tickrates, more accuracy etc. for both cars and livetrack).

Also keep in mind that they've now had several more years to gain experience with the title and acknowledge+fix existing issues. At the same time, they've collaborated closely with Reiza because they put down a bet that Reiza's attention to detail coupled with Reiza being new to the MADNESS code base might enable them to spot issues that SMS had become blind to over the years.

But I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it all plays out as usual.

 

[gamer19]

@Fat-Alfie what's so funny in there ?

 

[kondor999]

Driving a 917K at night, at Le Mans, in the rain (in VR) with a multi-class field of vintage cars is easily the most immersive, fun experience I've ever had in any videogame.

I always come back to this game when I want to have an experience.

PC2 is fun, it's realistic enough, and it looks amazing. I imagine it'll have a place on my SSD for many, many years.

 

[blueferrari]

gotta love the "armchair drivers" physics experts!!

Since when are you an expert on gaming, or even sims? If you're not an armchair driver like everyone else you're just a troll!

 

[Damage Inc]

Since when are you an expert on gaming, or even sims? If you're not an armchair driver like everyone else you're just a troll!

sigh, because I don't "judge" a games "reality" by what other "games" do. People tend to state subjective opinion as if it's an objective fact in regards to a games physics.

People who do that are like the countless millions who think they could manage a football team better than a real manager.

 

[A man with a Harmonica]

9 for graphics
0 for snow in Laguna Seca
0 for ridiculous AI, FFB, random cars in the same categories mixing different eras, floating car felling that reminds me a Speed boat.
0 for Ian Bell

Average 2

 

[David Wright]

0 for snow in Laguna Seca

Snow Day at Laguna: Mexico wins, mother nature dominates at A1GP's U.S. stop

Snow Day at Laguna: Mexico wins, mother nature dominates at A1GP's U.S. stop

autoweek.com

 

[Jiway]

Pro :
- Good content
- Good graphics
- Good Meteo

Cons :
- Poor carrier
- Sim quality very depending of car type (Great Clio Cup, Werd drifting tracks...)
- Inequal IA
- Lack of speed sensation (PC1 was realy better on this point)
- Programation quality less than PC1.

So not a bad game but it's more a sandbox than a carrier simulator game...

 

[AadHofman]

Hold on, did we win something?

A-hole of the year competition?

 

[Zuffenhausen Weiss]

Don't know about VR, did thought of it in 2017 but not anymore - need the money for other things
Praise for the license content though physics for older cars sucks badly
Graphics are great on a superficial level but compared to rF2 in some conditions, I don't feel like I'm in a car at night at all
Physics is all over the place

Give it a 4

 

[Luke Maney]

My vote is 8. Good gameplay, variety of cars and tracks. Aid customization. I have some criticism, if we may say so. Not being able to create your own championship offline and choose your opponents (cars and skins). Not being able to race in Le Mans with 54 opponents as in pCars 1 in both career mode and single race mode. For a pCars 3, maybe more categories, more clues, both classic and current.

To have 54 cars on track with PC2's amount of detail would probably require a Cray 2 supercomputer?

 

[Luke Maney]

Clearly some cars got more attention than others and feel amazing (Mclarens come to mind). Once you tweak the FFB (Jack Spade) like Pcars 1 it really comes alive. Sure FWD and AWD cars feel a bit strange, but that could be fixed if cars were allowed custom files like Pcars1. I've done many comparisons to other sims with the same car (including some well done mods in other sims) and for the most part the main differences are how each sim communicates FFB, tire model, and of course variance in the car setups otherwise they're pretty damn close.

This title does get people into sim racing. It is more accessible to people that aren't into sim racing or motorsports in general and intrigues people for something deeper. It bridges that gap between Forza and GT type simcade to proper sim like AC etc. I bought it for a friend on sale fox Xmas 2017 because they have VR, don't mind racers and enjoy sitting in my cockpit when they're over. They've already bought AC and the DLC as well as DR 2 and plan on building a rig in the future and taking some of my handmedowns.

Something that doesn't get mentioned enough is p2p online races (something every sim should have). I make a room invite a friend and go. We've had many cruises/business meetings in Pcars 2 (hey its funner than just a call, or skype etc.). IMO every sim needs basic p2p matchmaking and I was shocked years ago when I got into sim racing this isn't the case. I'm aware this is due to being on consoles, but AC never brought that feature over to PC when it was released on consoles years ago.

Yes its not perfect, but Pcars gets too much unfair hate. I can't wait for the 3rd.

(FYI my sims of choice are AC, ACC, RR, RF2, DR2 before the judging starts)

I agree with you...And I will add: PC2 is in my opinion BY FAR THE BEST SIM EVER!

 

[Luke Maney]

if the modding was easier to do, this might have been a 10 from me
for me it has the perfect combination of
deep enough career mode ( although F1 series from codemasters does it better)
great selection of cars and especially tracks
great visuals
great sound
unmatched weather/FX

it's definitely up there with other great sims like AC, which again why not perfect in every single aspect is great overall package

RF2 might be - based on some -the best physics out there, but it's a very poor game. I mean, if you are using it as a training tool then I could see why gaming elements are not important for you, but I use game/sims to escape reality and have fun after work, so maybe I'm just looking for different things that you are , and that's fine

I agree with you 100%, PC2 is on my opinion superior to rF2 in every way except physics, but then again how do we know rF2 is better there? Nope PC2 is a really great SIM.

 

[Luke Maney]

I missed bieng able to cast my vote for PC2, so I will do it here....its a 9.875

I have been SIM racing since 2007, started on GTR2, then went to rFactor 1. I have more than 500 races under my belt and 80+ wins (@Race2Play). I am no noob! I have also fooled around with many other SIM games besides the ones mentioned above (rF2, AMS, AC, I-Racing, R3E, etc...)

It's my opinion that PC2 has a bad rap, and I can't imagine why that is? But oh well, we all have a right to our own opinions (doesn't mean there're right, or fair!), I respect others rights to free speech.

I really am blown away by PC2! When I first watched the trailers on YouTube I realized that it was the SIM for me. Why? Because Slightly Mad understands what auto racing really is...and they got it right! (con:Now not every car sounds right outside the car, but most sound really really good inside the car.) All of the cars and tracks look so realistic. I have never seen marbles on the race track before(in a SIM), and not only do you see them but the cars in front of you roll over them and they bounce up on to your car(This effect is sick). The fog after a good rain is so realistic, I giggle when I drive in it. Did you know that you can set the weather to be a surprise? (Con:The AI is fun, but not as intelligent as AC.)
When you drive through puddles, the car hydro-planes, this effect is surreal! Then you have the heat blur from the exhaust of the cars in front of you, it is so realistic that it takes the immersion to an all new level for me. Don't forget this part Luke...some of the race cars have enormous power to weight ratios, and PC2 got that right also: you must feather the throttle to get the power down to the track, or they will spin the rear tires and will even squirt sideways on you: the Group C cars, the Can Am 917/10, the Group 5 cars, the Group 6 cars, the GTP cars, the LM900 cars, the GTO cars, etc...

I was on PC until I discovered PC2, then I switched to console (PS4 Pro). Why have I switched over? Because to match the power of the PS4 Pro I would need a new PC costing in the neighborhood of $1800. But I bought my PS4 Pro for $299 at Amazon and PC2 from the Playstation network with all the DLC's for $89. I am here to tell you that I have made a good decision, I am very happy with PC2...old school race cars (182 cars)and old school tracks galore (46+) (did I mention...soft tires, it has soft tires, and hards too....oh and they all have rain tires too...oh my...like real race cars)

When they have reviews for movies in the U.S. its called the Oscars... if PC2 were a movie instead of a SIM, it would be equal with the "Gone With The Wind" and would win: "best picture", "best actor", "best supporting actor" and "best soundtrack"!

If only Racedepartment had some races (and leagues)using PC2 on the Playstation?

 

[sentry87]

I missed bieng able to cast my vote for PC2, so I will do it here....its a 10

I have been SIM racing since 2007, started on GTR2, then went to rFactor 1. I have more than 500 races under my belt and 80+ wins (@Race2Play). I am no noob! I have also fooled around with many other SIM games besides the ones mentioned above (rF2, AMS, AC, I-Racing, R3E, etc...)

It's my opinion that PC2 has a bad rap, and I can't imagine why that is? But oh well, we all have a right to our own opinions (doesn't mean they are right, or fair!), I respect others rights to free speech.

I really am blown away by PC2! When I first watched the trailers on YouTube I realized that it was the SIM for me. Why? Because Slightly Mad understands what auto racing really is...they got it right! (con:Now not every car sounds right outside the car, but most sound really really good inside the car.) All of the cars and tracks look realistic. I have never seen marbles on the race track before(in a SIM), and not only do you see them but the cars in front of you roll over them and they bounce up into your car(This effect is sick). The fog after a good rain is so realistic, I giggle when I drive in it. Did you know that you can set the weather to be a surprise? (Con:The AI is is fun but not as good as AC.)
When you drive through puddles, the car hydro-planes, this effect is surreal! Then you have the heat blur from the exhaust of the cars in front of you, it is so realistic that it takes the immersion to an all new level for me. Don't forget this part Luke...some of the race cars have enormous power to weight ratios, and PC2 got that right also: you must feather the throttle to get the power down to the track, or they will spin the rear tires and will even squirt sideways on you: the Group C cars, the Can Am 917/10, the Group 5 cars, the Group 6 cars, the GTP cars, the LM900 cars, the GTO cars, etc...

I was on PC until I discovered PC2, then I switched to console (PS4 Pro). Why have I switched over? Because to match the power of the PS4 Pro I would need a new PC costing in the neighborhood of $1800. But I bought my PS4 Pro for $299 at Amazon and PC2 from the Playstation network with all the DLC's for $89. I am here to tell you that I have made a good decision, I am very happy with PC2...old school race cars and old school tracks galore (did I mention...soft tires, it has soft tires, and hards too....oh and they all have rain tires too...oh my...like real race cars)

When they have reviews for movies in the U.S. its called the Oscars... if PC2 were a movie instead of a SIM, it would be equal with the "Gone With The Wind" and would win: "best picture", "best actor", "best supporting actor" and "best soundtrack"!

If only Racedepartment had some races (and leagues)using PC2 and the Playstation?

haha I remember the first time this happened to me it made me flinch in my sim rig

 

[gamer19]

Did you know that you can set the weather to be a surprise?

Yeah but unfortunately there is exactly the same percent that the weather will be either sun, rain or freakin snow !?!
So if you just want spicy a bit your racing gaming experience you better be prepared for some hard jingle bell racing on Laguna Seca or Sonoma. Realistic. Not so.
So I select not that option to be completely honest with you.

When you drive through puddles, the car hydro-planes, this effect is surreal!

Effect of car behave way too nervous over the puddles is I would say well known problem in PC community.
And it makes me love rain weather a bit little less then I would usually do. Since it looks amazing in the game itself but hey... otherwise it would be perfect and what is life is, right ?
Strangely enough...
AI seems not affected much by these... super-slippery banana peel feel puddles.

 

[Luke Maney]

It won't snow, that's not correct. The time of year (season) determines the weather you might get when you set the weather to surprise you...so if the season is set to: 'spring' then you might get a shower or a thunder storm or sunny day. No you won't get snow in springtime, or summer.

If you set the season to 'winter', and you set to surprise weather, then you might get snow. So as you can see you have your settings wrong?

It's these kind of inaccuracies that cause SIMS to get bad reps!

As far as the puddles causing the race car to hydro-plane while on slicks...that is a perfectly accurate simulation of reality...I would know, in the real world I drove a Big truck (18 wheeler) for 15 years professionally. So I know what I'm talking about when it comes to hydro-planing, the way PC2 simulates it is very realistic...and so is the fog, rain and storms! I have driven in all kinds of weather (except hurricanes and twisters). And I'm here to tell you that PC2 simulates weather very well!

As for the AI drives in rain like it's not raining, that is partially true, the AI does seem to be very good in the rain, but then again it's not about how the AI drives, it's about bieng able to simulate reality in an online race! I want to race against other SIM racers online, because I know they are not computer generated bots.

Anyway, the point is: PC2 is a really very very good SIM that is under rated in my opinion and like all other SIMs is not perfect. But it's very close to it and its packed with content that can be mixed and matched to create an experience that is unrivaled .

 

[gamer19]

It won't snow, that's not correct. The time of year (season) determines the weather you might get when you set the weather to surprise you...so if the season is set to: 'spring' then you might get a shower or a thunder storm or sunny day. No you won't get snow in springtime, or summer.
If you set the season to 'winter', and you set to surprise weather, then you might get snow. So as you can see you have your settings wrong?
It's these kind of inaccuracies that cause SIMS to get bad reps!

Ok, didn't knew that, my bad. And thanks to reveal that to me, guess now I'll enjoy it even more.
Btw, didn't get any "bad reps" from me, here, if you won't just take my word for it:

PC2 - Rate the Sims: Community Edition | Project CARS 2

We are looking to crown the 'RaceDepartment Community Favourite' racing game - get your votes in now for our next game on the list... Project CARS 2! Our dear RaceDepartment community. You folks are the most mighty fans of sim racing, often displaying an immense amount of understanding and...

www.racedepartment.com

As for realistic behavior during the rain and ovr the puddles ...errr I'll take it with a grain of salt, still too sensitive for me.
Or I'm just lousy driver. That's actually may be closer to truth.