Amazing replay available from simZ (I know I'm a bit behind, but I've
been wanting to write this for some time now).
2 things I'm not sure I like: 1) the tire screeching will damage my
hearing after a 500 mile race. That or I'll go crazy.
2) the telemetry replay from SimZ (Sears Point): is it just me or does
the track seem very "flat"? Almost no appearent elevation change. The
rest of the tracks are superb.
What I enjoy seeing: 1) animated pit crews
2) cars flipping
3) engine sounds
4) car, track graphics, textures, etc.
5)I heard the brake temperature and brake wear are modeled! That pretty
amazing! What next? the changing racing groove and marbles?
6) AI that actually race you
7) nice touch with pace lap. Will be fun if we can insert our pictures
during lap presentation, a really nice touch.
Disappointing trends (general): console madness. I also read somewhere
the next version of the game will probably be for PSX 2 / X-Box. That's
neat. Put no PC version for the next year 1/2? I must say I can't
understand this. While the next generation consoles will have amazing
capabilities, by the time they come out, the PC will probably closely
match their performance.
Being stuck with 640X480 isn't that great when you can actually get 1280
X 1024 on a 19" monitor. I'd rather have that than lower resolution on a
27" TV.
No way to use my steering wheel with a console; no way to race online
with a console (Sega Dreamcast has a 56 k modem... big deal). Finally,
it seems like today's fastest PCs can run NH to it's max capabilities
and still have some performance to spare. Why not provide more than a
little graphic update a year later then?
I know that EA will be porting their next NASCAR game on PSX and PSX-2
only (big deal some might say), but the fact is others may follow that
trend and it's bad.
Finally, after Papyrus releases their N4, I don't think we will be
getting other Nascar games from them (again some may say thank God, now
we can get CART), but I just happen to prefer the closeness and
toughness of stock car racing (if you clip the wall, you can keep on
trucking; try that with a formula car).
Ahhh... I feel better now... I had been thinking about that for the last
2 days!
BTW, nice job with NH, can't wait to play that puppy.
--
Philippe Sergerie
ICQ#: 16192023
