What Can Steam Chart's January Figures Tell Us About PC Racing Games?

[mr Sw1tchblade]

All it says is that the PC simulation side of gaming is slowly dying and the console arcade games are growing.

I don't think so. I do believe new generation of concoles will bring better physical model in both Forza Motorsport and GT Sport.

Also i think all current "true sim" developers could implement arcade mode in their simulations w/o much pain. But it will not help em. Descent graphics/career mode/ 1 button multiplayer is a must in 2k19. Or you will stuck forever in a niche with 1 man projects like My summer car.

 

[Metla]

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[Metla]

Also i think all current "true sim" developers could implement arcade mode in their simulations w/o much pain.

I'd rather see sim physics in arcade games, Think Wreckfest/Dirt Rally hybrid.

They could save NFS.....AC physics with exotic locations and police chases....

 

[Damage Inc]

And it's starting...
Won't be long till this is a flame war.
I am out..

Pretend race cars used to be good at this stuff with charts.... shame he sold out to SMS.

You moan about flaming (which BTW started way before bsmooth replied) then immediately follow up with some flaming of your own. Don't moan about something that you do yourself.

 

[mantasisg]

I'd rather see sim physics in arcade games, Think Wreckfest/Dirt Rally hybrid.

They could save NFS.....AC physics with exotic locations and police chases....

That actually would be interesting. I am a big fan of the very first NFS Underground, not so much of 2nd. I'd love it with modern graphics, AC physics or better + online races.

The question is how would you name the genre ? Simcade is already taken by highly doubtful simulators

 

[Celestiale]

That actually would be interesting. I am a big fan of the very first NFS Underground, not so much of 2nd. I'd love it with modern graphics, AC physics or better + online races.

The question is how would you name the genre ? Simcade is already taken by highly doubtful simulators

My favourite would actually be a Forza Horizon with AC physics and car fidelity. Just imagine having basically every street car ever to race through insanely nice landscapes. This would be the best game ever for me

 

[MarkR]

My favourite would actually be a Forza Horizon with AC physics and car fidelity. Just imagine having basically every street car ever to race through insanely nice landscapes. This would be the best game ever for me

Fully agree. I'd like to see the same AC physics and wheel FFB in Forza 7 too. Turn 10 bringing that huge car roster, great gamification elements (especially now micro-transactions are gone), gamepad controls, car upgrading, tuning system and online multiplayer lobbies and competitions that work perfectly plus the long promised racing rules. Kunos adding the detailed car handling and wheel feedback would make the game truly superb. All the same would of course apply to the Horizon series, which is already superb but as you rightly say Kunos style handling would ice the cake. If any of those rumours about Turn 10/MS having tried to buy Kunos were true I wish it had happened. Unfortunately it became clear with AC on console that, retained excellent handling/FFB aside, it was too big an ask for a small team to deliver. That and mods filling in the gaps on PC, though why Farming Simulator etc can have mods on console and so many other games can't is something i don't understand.

With ACC though Kunos have shown they understand gamification better than I thought. The super pole and short & long hot stint challenges are excellent fun. I hope other games will follow the lead and add these over just one single hotlap leaderboard.

 

[Paul Glover]

That was my point....iRacing's business model is online...... none of the other sims is.... how was that so hard to comprehend?
Let me help.... the thread is pointless as kunos / SMS / Codies don't care how many people on PC are playing games they gave up on long ago.....THEY MAKE NO MONEY FROM IT......

Raceroom gets players online with up to date competitions etc.

I'd imagine RD wanted to start a silly flame war for click baits.

Having said all of that.... kartkraft is doing well......

The tone of this post is a inflammtory, can I ask that you show a bit more respect to other posters and also please refrain from accusing RD of trying to start a flame war. We saw the post and felt it was interesting and that we should share with the wider community.

Thanks for your understanding.

 

[Paul Glover]

Everyone.

Gentle reminder that we are all entitled to our own opinions, don't want our moderators to feel the need to close this thread. We all have different gaming experiences and expectations, just because anothers opinion differs from yours does not entitle you to get personal.

Also, let's try avoiding flaming/trolling in your posts too.

This is a great community and we need to respect others.

Thanks for reading.

 

[guidofoc]

One interesting analysis could instead focus on how much the simracers community has been growing in the past 5 years. I mean, adding up iRacing, AC, RF2, RRR, etc, what is the trend? My gut feeling is that there is a steady increase, especially thanks to "bridge" titles like AC or PCars 2 that can bring console/arcade racers over to racing simulation.

 

[Traviltar Crevin]

I think that something might be giving AC it's boost in time played might be people who just leave their Content Editors running in the background, as it is a better alternative to the Kunos launcher and takes virtually no resources. Steam still reports it as Assetto Corsa running. I'd say probably up to 40% of my Assetto Corsa hours might be composed solely of these.
rF2 probably has the same issue.
I'm not saying people aren't playing these sims. I'm just saying the numbers might be a tad inflated.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

It's Content Manager and only hours in races (asc.exe) are counted as CM alone does not even launch Steam. OEM launcher on the other hand counts everyrhing, inluding idle time.

 

[Michel Bélisle]

For companies like Studio 397 and Kunos, in the end, their primary market is to produce a professional level racing sim that can be used by a Formula 1 team per example. Then, for additional income, they release their sim on PCs.

Am I getting this backward?

If you like at it this way, there is zero incentives for companies like that to go the arcade route. Then, at the other end of the scale, you have CodeMasters and Simbin that are trying to come from the consumer side and try to legitimize themselves as serious racing sims.

I wonder when the two groups will meet in the middle. Then, we would get a serious sim with an engaging single player/career mode and a huge multiplayer community.

That is what I would like in the end.

 

[apex11]

Why are people talking about iRacings tire models and simcade arcade etc?

Its simply how many people at one point played a game online... utterly utterly pointless and not worth the 7 pages of debate over whose sim is the best...
Those 11 people playing kartkraft i assume are as happy as the 2000 playing AC... ONLINE...
Then you have loads of happy players not online....

None of these companies make any money from CURRENT online play, it is a 'feature' to sell the initial game...
Only iRacing uses online as business model to sell cars/ tracks etc....
Doesn't matter whose tire model is better or whatever....

Didn't EA stop the servers for some old titles as it cost THEM money to keep a few online hardcore happy? If so this costs devs money keeping online play for old titles....the bang opposite of a good business model...

 

[Deleted member 197115]

What online means in this context? Even when you race non MP it's still tracked by Steam, unless you start Steam in offline mode but I don't think there are many games left that let you play when offline. AC used to allow that but not anymore to my knowledge.

 

[apex11]

What online means in this context? Even when you race non MP it's still tracked by Steam, unless you start Steam in offline mode but I don't think there are many games left that let you play when offline. AC used to allow that but not anymore to my knowledge.

Point would still stand, kunos make no money from people still playing AC... SOME modders do and they, for the most part, deserve it.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

The thread was about popularity of titles, active user base essentially. And it's up to Kunos if they want to monetize their existing user base, DLCs are always welcome.

 

[Patrick van der Meulen]

iRacing vs other developers/titles
centralized servers vs decentralized servers (users run them locally)
running own regular race schemes vs little to none own regular race schemes
subscription only, no access without subscription, assets have to be bought besides the subscription vs one time fees with payed dlc
a whole administration behind the service vs very little administration behind the service
apples vs oranges

Just as I mentioned earlier... Trying to prove one must be obvious better game or businesscase than the other is like proofing your weener is the biggest badass weener in the world.

Just play whatever you like and whatever suites you. Near perfect simulators can be found at F1 manufacturers facilities. We pour souls have to do it with games, nothing more and nothing less. One gives maybe way more sensation of a proper simulation than the other. And others gives maybe way more fun because it is more about the fun and less about the technicalities. Cheers to the fact that we all like different things and that there isn’t such thing as “the one”.

 

[JonnyCombat]

I dunno, I think we’re actually in a bit of a golden age for sims.

My personal love of flightsims has waned over the years due to lack of interest and competition in the genre, but racing seems to be going strong.

I’m new to racing sims and I’ve had so many great titles to choose from. Everything from Assetto Corsa (and Competizone) to Forza Horizon and iRacing, there appears to be something for everyone.

That and the choice of peripherals available nowadays. Good times.

 

[iwn]

When seeing the numbers for AC and ACC I just wonder what the developers think. It took ages for Kunos to do very little and now the skillful modders have done miracles with original AC. Should they consider hiring these modders to earn a buck?