Took the plunge

[Seany]

Just for a month

First impressions where good, with the interface etc. I like the way everything is controlled through a web page, never really saw that done before.

The first car I took out was the Legends Ford on Lime Rock.  Initialy it was running at 1600x1200 60hz...nasty,  had to fix that. Loaded up again, lovely:).  First impressions of the physics are good. The tracks seem to have a lot of character, much more detailed surfaces than LFS.  The ffb going over curbs and bumps is very nice.  

I tried a couple more tracks and then had a go of the Solstice, which I think I prefer for getting used to the "newness".  Had a few laps around Summit Point, which is a great track.  Reminds me of a grassy Fernbay .  There is some thing very satisifing about being able to drive on real tracks, although  Leguna Seca is the only one Im familiar with from TV. And as Clarkson once pointed out, TV really doesnt do the hills justice , seems like quite a tough track.

Graphically, Im not blown away. But the use of 3.0 Pixel shading, high quality shadows and lighting (shadows moving around the inside of the Legend look very nice) plus the much higher res textures on everything do stack up in its favor against LFS, which after playing this makes me think Scawen could through a little more candy our way.

Sound, its good.  I keep hearing about how LFS sounds are better because they are generated in real time based on physical events in the game, be it from the engine, exhaust or tyres.  Fair enough but its doesnt really sound like a race car does it?  I dont know about you guys but I feel that every one knows the sound system in lfs is not good (Auraly not technically) and we're waiting the patch where its updated and sounds propper.  But im starting to wonder if it can ever work properly.  I dont know how the sound is generated in iRacing but it sounds pretty damn good....and like a race car.

So after a whole 2 hours playing with it my verdict is.....it's too bloody expensive and I can't see myself dishing out that much money for any game.  What I would also much rather do than practice, or start a competitive championship, is casual race with some friends...you guys.  But we cant do that yet can we ? If this sim had the same license style as LFS Scawen et al would be in big trouble, but as it stands I dont think so.


So now on to noobie questions :doh:

1. whats the difference between the Normal and Rookie versions of the cars?

2. Auto clutch seems to be on, how can I turn it off?

3. Is there any way to configure the options like Graphics and sound or are they only Auto Detect?

4. Im sure there will be more :norty:

[Doorman]

Nice report, pretty well sums it up.

So now on to noobie questions :doh:

1. whats the difference between the Normal and Rookie versions of the cars?

2. Auto clutch seems to be on, how can I turn it off?

3. Is there any way to configure the options like Graphics and sound or are they only Auto Detect?

4. Im sure there will be more :norty:

1: You can alter the setups in the Advaced

2: Don't bother, it doesn't work! :eyebrow:

3: At the bottom of the options page there is a tab for graphics etc.

[Romus]

Thanks for posting, it was nice to read your views. To summarise my findings this far:
- driving alone: iRacing beats LFS 6-1 :blink:
- racing against others: dMr beats anything else 7-1 :boxing:
- still: iRacing is a far more detailed and modern sim in most importact factors. it just needs a form of closed racing where I do not need to race with full field of strangers.

[spudgun55]

nice review seany, the game is a grower, i started off not liking it very much, just pointing out all the faults due to the fact that its costing $20 a month and i was expecting the mother of all racing sims (as per the hype),  but to be honest its a very good sim in its early stages, give it a few weeks of play and you will know what i mean. but the simple fact is that it is way to expensive for what it is. the graphics are sharp but bland (about 10 polygons per car, lol) tracks are ok but i have seen better graphics and played better games so its not the next super sim yet.

what i think would make a near perfect sim

1, graphics as good as grand turismo ps3
2, FFB and car handling like netKar pro
3, online racing like LFS (with all the mods skins ect)
4, inter changeable weather like GP4 (wet,  to dry line,  to dry)
5, model engine like Grid (ego) parts of cars stay on track ect ect

would make a classic?:g:

[Aquilifer]

I think the LFS sound system is great, but it has few down sides too. I think the thing what people complain is that many of the cars sound bit 'tame'.

+ potentially can adapt to all kind of situation changes (like cylinder blown), which could be bit tricky with samples.
+ Way more flexible and easier to add new cars. In a sample based system you would need to sample engine sound with many rev counts (like 1000,2000,...), because it is not just increasing pitch (all kind of snap, crackle and pop changes with the revs)
- If the sample system is done accurately, does it sound better (don't have to figure out all the snaps, crackles and pops)?
- can all the small details which make the car sound be even calculated?
- uses more cpu power

EDIT: In iRacing I hate not just the licensing system, but the copy of the American justice system: If something happens, it doesn't matter if the guilty person is punished just as long as someone is punished...or maybe just send all to Guan...erm...I mean substract everybody's points.

[Doorman]

Paavo, have you tried Gill's new sounds as mentioned somewhere else in these forums. Must say they don't sound as 'lame'.
You've made me ask myself how much notice do I take of sounds. :g: I change gear by the sound of the engine, I can hear if I've fubared my engine (popcorn) so, given that many effects can be catered for as and when the situation arises. i.e. rear axle failure.......et cetera, LFS sounds have, or will have, the advantage.
The safety rating, I must admit, is starting to get me down a bit. I tried being philosophical about it but I'm now pretty negative, except it does make others a little less gung ho. I understand the idea behind it and applaud their efforts but if they were a bit more like dMr peeps there wouldn't be a need for it.
You can tell my initial enthusiasm has worn off and I'm having less and less to do with it. :sad: Hey ho! It's only money!  

[Seany]

Good points about the sound Paavo.  There is a lot of potential there, though  I just think back to last overhall the sound system had a while ago, and in fairness nothing really changed that much.  I think it has gotten to the point for me where I would prefer technically incorrect but accurate sounding engines over engines that don't really sound like engines but are rendered as realistically as possible. Who knows, maybe the sound is at the bottom of the list before going to beta and we will se some major improvments, but I'm starting to wonder. :g:

The safety rating does seem interesting and I am curious as to how it will be when I do some racing.  I'll be very paranoid about whats in my rear view mirror no doubt
 
thanks for the comments / help guys

[Gnomie]

So how many of you guys are iRacing subscribers? I've been thinking about it, but the prices are putting me off it. Monthly fees I can handle, but I'm more worried about having to pay for cars and tracks. I'm afraid it could easily get out of hand if I get hooked..

[OldBloke]

I signd up for a month, thought it was an unfinished/unpolished product and decided to try it again when it had had more time to mature.

[Doorman]

So how many of you guys are iRacing subscribers? I've been thinking about it, but the prices are putting me off it. Monthly fees I can handle, but I'm more worried about having to pay for cars and tracks. I'm afraid it could easily get out of hand if I get hooked..

It has turned out a huge disappointment for me after buying everything on offer. I don't want to talk about it. :sad:

[Gnomie]

It has turned out a huge disappointment for me after buying everything on offer. I don't want to talk about it. :sad:

It's quite an evil marketing trick, really.. once you're hooked you have to keep paying!

Thanks for your advice. I might reconsider if/when I buy a new PC.

[vobler]

I'm still in there. LFS is really awkward after iRacing. There is as Oldie says much that is not up to LFS/rFactor/GTR standards, but the "drive" is superb. Maybe not so much the Solstice, but the other cars is a blast.

Maybe NetKar will be a compromize, I dont know. Currently NetKar stinks.
But I just ordered a new computer that will forever make my Netkar problems a thing of the past. (Q9550, Vista 64).

The really good thinks with iRacing is that if we keep paying it will constantly improove. New content and new features will be added. They have people and money behind them to make success.

I'm not sure what happened to Doorman, he used to like iRacing.
For my self I can say that the races in iRacing are *much* more exhausting and realistic than anything else. So if you want *racing* iRacing is it.

[Doorman]

My enthusiasm knew no bounds! Unfortunately it evaporated, it must be said, due in some part to my own fault. I bought everything that could be bought in the mistaken idea that I would be able to use(not just test) these cars/track online. I also didn't realise that it would be so...American. Silverstone through me. :doh: In hindsight I should only have bought the bits I needed but they offered discounts the more you bought. :sideways:

At first I loved the Safety Rating system, no two ways about it. Now it iRritates the hell out of me! I know all the arguments, but being hit up the rear AND being punished for it has worn a bit thin. :flirty: Going off track and being punished is constricting. When it comes to congratulating oneself for not losing SR points have I been racing?

My view is that iRacing membership has peaked already in as much as most sim racers have got it or tried it already.

Lovely tracks though.

[Gnomie]

Yeah, it's weird that they didn't fix the SR system.. it seems to be badly broken, from what I can tell. The idea of having such a system is great, but the implementation leaves a lot to be desired.

What's really putting me off, besides the price and the SR system, is the variety of cars. I tend to prefer tin-tops, and I can't stand ovals and that. Boooooring.

If they fix the SR system, reduce the price and introduce some new cars, I will have a hard time resisting the temptation..!

[spudgun55]

at first i was not a fan of iracing,  to be honest you have to stick with it, i did give it some time and i have come to like it alot, just a shame about the cost of the thing, hopefully the price will drop and that will encourage more people to the game.:g: