Richard Burns Rally - PC vs PS2/XBOX

Now that RBR has been released for PC, I'd love to hear some feedback on folks who have the PC version as well as the console version XBOX or PS2. I'd love to get this for the PC, but, I don't think my current hardware is up to spec, as I am only running a 1.6 GHz AMD w/512 RAM and a GeForce 4 MX card (64 mb) Obviously the PC version will have better graphics, but with my weak system, I'm sure I'll have to tune down the graphics quite a lot to be able to get decent framerate on my PC which might make the two versions fairly equal visually. So I am wondering if there are any significant differences (other than superior graphics/sound) between the PC and console versions Any thoughts? TIA Jay J

It is out of the PC? where? "Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:UPtXc.315682$a24.292254@attbi_s03...

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> Now that RBR has been released for PC, I'd love to hear some feedback on > folks who have the PC version as well as the console version XBOX or PS2. > > I'd love to get this for the PC, but, I don't think my current hardware is > up to spec, as I am only running a 1.6 GHz AMD w/512 RAM and a GeForce 4 > MX > card (64 mb) > > Obviously the PC version will have better graphics, but with my weak > system, > I'm sure I'll have to tune down the graphics quite a lot to be able to get > decent framerate on my PC which might make the two versions fairly equal > visually. > > So I am wondering if there are any significant differences (other than > superior graphics/sound) between the PC and console versions > > Any thoughts? > TIA > Jay J > >

I would recommend the PC version simply because you can use a wheel and pedals on the pc...you can with the console but it won't be as good. "Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:UPtXc.315682$a24.292254@attbi_s03...

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> Now that RBR has been released for PC, I'd love to hear some feedback on > folks who have the PC version as well as the console version XBOX or PS2. > > I'd love to get this for the PC, but, I don't think my current hardware is > up to spec, as I am only running a 1.6 GHz AMD w/512 RAM and a GeForce 4 > MX > card (64 mb) > > Obviously the PC version will have better graphics, but with my weak > system, > I'm sure I'll have to tune down the graphics quite a lot to be able to get > decent framerate on my PC which might make the two versions fairly equal > visually. > > So I am wondering if there are any significant differences (other than > superior graphics/sound) between the PC and console versions > > Any thoughts? > TIA > Jay J > >

"Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:UPtXc.315682$a24.292254@attbi_s03...

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> Now that RBR has been released for PC, I'd love to hear some feedback on > folks who have the PC version as well as the console version XBOX or PS2. > > I'd love to get this for the PC, but, I don't think my current hardware is > up to spec, as I am only running a 1.6 GHz AMD w/512 RAM and a GeForce 4 > MX > card (64 mb) > > Obviously the PC version will have better graphics, but with my weak > system, > I'm sure I'll have to tune down the graphics quite a lot to be able to get > decent framerate on my PC which might make the two versions fairly equal > visually. > > So I am wondering if there are any significant differences (other than > superior graphics/sound) between the PC and console versions > > Any thoughts? > TIA > Jay J > >

I think you're going to have to wait for answer until after September 4th, when the PC version of RBR is scheduled for release. This is according to RBR's home page. Alanb

Stuart Becktell wrote: | I would recommend the PC version simply because you can use a wheel | and pedals on the pc...you can with the console but it won't be as | good. Wouldn't be so sure, the PS2 version is pretty damn amazing (multi-turn enabled for the DFP!)

"Alan Bernardo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:DsxXc.321799$%_6.35904@attbi_s01...

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> > I think you're going to have to wait for answer until after September 4th, > when the PC version of RBR is scheduled for release. This is according to > RBR's home page. > > > Alanb >

It was on the shelves here in Switzerland yesterday. No time to buy it and try it, however. Stephen

It does look like it's out in Switzerland for some reason but no sign of it anywhere else. Andi. "Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:UPtXc.315682$a24.292254@attbi_s03... > Now that RBR has been released for PC, I'd love to hear some feedback on > folks who have the PC version as well as the console version XBOX or PS2. > SNIP > Any thoughts? > TIA > Jay J > >

According to Black Hole Motorsports site it's out now... Check this link: http://ftp.team-coca.com/Bildarchiv/Fotos/coca.unfhug/RBRandMe/DSC00018.JPG Even so, it may take a few days/weeks for it to become widely available, so perhaps my question is a bit premature, but we do know that the system requirements are pretty steep, here they are below, again from bhmotorsports; MINIMUM REQUIRED SPECIFICATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1.6GHZ Processor 256MB Ram 64MB Video Card (Card must support Pixel Shading) At least 3.10GB HD space DirectX Compatible Soundcard RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2.6GHZ Processor 512MB Ram 128MB Video Card equivalent to NVIDIA Geforce FX5600 or ATI Radeon 9800 At least 3.10GB HD space Windows 2000/XP EAX Advanced HD compatible Soundcard Logitech� MOMO� Racing Force Feedback Wheel I'm not sure if my lowley GeForce 4 MX 64meg video card supports pixelshading, but I know it's nowhere near the spec's listed in the recommend hardware, which is why I'm considering a console version instead. "Stephen F." <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:412edb24$[email hidden]... > > "Alan Bernardo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:DsxXc.321799$%_6.35904@attbi_s01... > > > > I think you're going to have to wait for answer until after September4th, > > when the PC version of RBR is scheduled for release. This is accordingto

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> > RBR's home page. > > > > > > Alanb > > > > It was on the shelves here in Switzerland yesterday. No time to buy it

and > try it, however. > > Stephen > >

On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 12:03:15 GMT, "Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote: >I'm not sure if my lowley GeForce 4 MX 64meg video card supports >pixelshading, It doesn't. The GF4MX is just basically a souped up GF2MX, I'm afraid.

"Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:7qFXc.323807$%_6.210906@attbi_s01...

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> According to Black Hole Motorsports site it's out now... > Check this link: > > http://ftp.team-coca.com/Bildarchiv/Fotos/coca.unfhug/RBRandMe/DSC00018.JPG > > Even so, it may take a few days/weeks for it to become widely available, > so > perhaps my question is a bit premature, but we do know that the system > requirements are pretty steep, here they are below, again from > bhmotorsports; > > MINIMUM REQUIRED SPECIFICATION > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > 1.6GHZ Processor > 256MB Ram > 64MB Video Card (Card must support Pixel Shading) > At least 3.10GB HD space > DirectX Compatible Soundcard > > > RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATION > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > 2.6GHZ Processor > 512MB Ram > 128MB Video Card equivalent to NVIDIA Geforce FX5600 or ATI Radeon 9800 > At least 3.10GB HD space > Windows 2000/XP > EAX Advanced HD compatible Soundcard > Logitech� MOMO� Racing Force Feedback Wheel > > I'm not sure if my lowley GeForce 4 MX 64meg video card supports > pixelshading, but I know it's nowhere near the spec's listed in the > recommend hardware, which is why I'm considering a console version > instead. > > > > "Stephen F." <[email hidden]> wrote in message > news:412edb24$[email hidden]... >> >> "Alan Bernardo" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >> news:DsxXc.321799$%_6.35904@attbi_s01... >> > >> > I think you're going to have to wait for answer until after September > 4th, >> > when the PC version of RBR is scheduled for release. This is according > to >> > RBR's home page. >> > >> > >> > Alanb >> > >> >> It was on the shelves here in Switzerland yesterday. No time to buy it > and >> try it, however. >> >> Stephen >> >> > >

BTW, those system specs aren't that high. Its just the fact that new games are finally coming out to support all the features of the directx 9 video cards, so you need a system that was made within the last 4 years to play them.

"Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote here on 27 Aug 2004: <snip> > RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATION > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > 2.6GHZ Processor > 512MB Ram > 128MB Video Card equivalent to NVIDIA Geforce FX5600 or ATI Radeon > 9800 At least 3.10GB HD space<snip> Good grief. I know people are going to tell me that that's a pretty ordinary spec, which it is in terms of new machines - but that's only if you can afford to upgrade your PC every year or so just to play games. The difference between the spec needed to play games and the spec needed to do more or less everything else (okay, video editing excepted) is now so huge as to make the general-purpose PC pretty much a thing of the past. A shame, really - but yes, if I had the money for a new PC, I would certainly be getting RBR. So I guess I'm as much a sucker for this stuff as anyone. :P -- Please remove ".invalid" to reply by email. Support the world's oldest motorsport venue! http://www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk/future.html

David Buttery <[email hidden]> wrote in

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> <snip> >> RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATION >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> 2.6GHZ Processor >> 512MB Ram >> 128MB Video Card equivalent to NVIDIA Geforce FX5600 or ATI Radeon >> 9800 At least 3.10GB HD space > <snip> > > Good grief. I know people are going to tell me that that's a pretty > ordinary spec, which it is in terms of new machines - but that's only > if you can afford to upgrade your PC every year or so just to play > games. The difference between the spec needed to play games and the > spec needed to do more or less everything else (okay, video editing > excepted) is now so huge as to make the general-purpose PC pretty > much a thing of the past. A shame, really - but yes, if I had the > money for a new PC, I would certainly be getting RBR. So I guess I'm > as much a sucker for this stuff as anyone. :P >

I think it's only ordinary for brand spanking new PCs (and even then, you'll usually find box shifters shoving in video cards under that spec). Still, we upgrade because we want to play these games. I'm sure someone paid big money for the best cpu and a rendition card when GPL came out, not to mention the 1,000s some of us spend on other hardware (controllers etc). I've had a go with Colin McRae Hovercraft 05, so I'm hoping RBR will run well enough on my PC to be a good antidote. It does highlight just how lazy some programmers can be these days, given the kind of results seen on PS2 and XBox vs much more powerful PCs... John

David Buttery wrote:

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> Good grief. I know people are going to tell me that that's a pretty > ordinary spec, which it is in terms of new machines - but that's only > if you can afford to upgrade your PC every year or so just to play > games. The difference between the spec needed to play games and the > spec needed to do more or less everything else (okay, video editing > excepted) is now so huge as to make the general-purpose PC pretty > much a thing of the past. A shame, really - but yes, if I had the > money for a new PC, I would certainly be getting RBR. So I guess I'm > as much a sucker for this stuff as anyone. :P

you hardly need the 'recomended' spec to get a good game out of it. The graphics should crap all over the ps2's even with a lower spec machine, I'd have imagined... Charli

"David Buttery" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> "Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote here on 27 Aug 2004: > > <snip> >> RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATION >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> 2.6GHZ Processor >> 512MB Ram >> 128MB Video Card equivalent to NVIDIA Geforce FX5600 or ATI Radeon >> 9800 At least 3.10GB HD space > <snip> > > Good grief. I know people are going to tell me that that's a pretty > ordinary spec, which it is in terms of new machines - but that's only > if you can afford to upgrade your PC every year or so just to play > games. The difference between the spec needed to play games and the > spec needed to do more or less everything else (okay, video editing > excepted) is now so huge as to make the general-purpose PC pretty > much a thing of the past. A shame, really - but yes, if I had the > money for a new PC, I would certainly be getting RBR. So I guess I'm > as much a sucker for this stuff as anyone. :P > > -- > Please remove ".invalid" to reply by email. > > Support the world's oldest motorsport venue! > http://www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk/future.html

You don't need to upgrade every year to play games. I built a machine in 2002 that will run this game fine. Yes, it won't have all the nice graphics and all (its an amd 2200+) but it will run the game just fine. The video card requirement is also very wierd since the fx5600 is a MUCH slower card then the 9800 non-pro.

On 29 Aug 2004 01:29:30 GMT, David Buttery wrote:

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> "Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote here on 27 Aug 2004: > ><snip> >> RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATION >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> 2.6GHZ Processor >> 512MB Ram >> 128MB Video Card equivalent to NVIDIA Geforce FX5600 or ATI Radeon >> 9800 At least 3.10GB HD space ><snip> > > Good grief. I know people are going to tell me that that's a pretty > ordinary spec, which it is in terms of new machines - but that's only > if you can afford to upgrade your PC every year or so just to play > games.

Well said. What strikes me as odd is that the xbox isn't too hot in the hardware department, yet still RBR supposedly runs fine on it? Cheers, uwe -- mail replies to Uwe at schuerkamp dot de ( yahoo address is spambox) Uwe Schuerkamp //////////////////////////// http://www.schuerkamp.de/ Herford, Germany \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (52.0N/8.5E) GPG Fingerprint: 2E 13 20 22 9A 3F 63 7F 67 6F E9 B1 A8 36 A4 61

> Well said. What strikes me as odd is that the xbox isn't too hot in > the hardware department, yet still RBR supposedly runs fine on it? > > Cheers, uwe > If we ran our computer screens at the resolution of a TV we'd get great performance too. dave henrie

Dave Henrie <[email hidden]> wrote here on 03 Sep 2004: > If we ran our computer screens at the resolution of a TV we'd > get great performance too. Not that I'm a technical person, but surely at least some of it is down to lack of optimisation in the code... because the writers know it doesn't *need* to be optimised so long as people are prepared to buy faster and faster PCs. After all, when there *is* a brake on hardware development, coders usually get the most amazing things out of the systems they've already got. No-one looking at a BBC Micro in 1981 imagined that four years later Acorn would come out with Elite. PlayStation games, too, have come on no end, in both PS1 and PS2 incarnations. -- Please remove ".invalid" to reply by email. Support the world's oldest motorsport venue! http://www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk/future.html

The xbox is so fast because they can better optimize the code for the single platform that it is. That is why Xbox games come out earlier, they make the basic game at the same time as the PC, then when they reach a certain point, they start optimizing it for the different platforms. Also, the xbox runs at a much lower resolution and detail level then the pc, so it is going to be a lot faster. "David Buttery" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> Dave Henrie <[email hidden]> wrote here on 03 Sep > 2004: > >> If we ran our computer screens at the resolution of a TV we'd >> get great performance too. > > Not that I'm a technical person, but surely at least some of it is > down to lack of optimisation in the code... because the writers know > it doesn't *need* to be optimised so long as people are prepared to > buy faster and faster PCs. > > After all, when there *is* a brake on hardware development, coders > usually get the most amazing things out of the systems they've > already got. No-one looking at a BBC Micro in 1981 imagined that four > years later Acorn would come out with Elite. PlayStation games, too, > have come on no end, in both PS1 and PS2 incarnations. > > -- > Please remove ".invalid" to reply by email. > > Support the world's oldest motorsport venue! > http://www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk/future.html

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> The xbox is so fast because they can better optimize the code for the > single platform that it is. That is why Xbox games come out earlier, they > make the basic game at the same time as the PC, then when they reach a > certain point, they start optimizing it for the different platforms. > > Also, the xbox runs at a much lower resolution and detail level then the > pc, so it is going to be a lot faster.

It's interesting - when the Xbox came out it was behind average PCs at the time in terms of CPU & GPU but when the Xbox2 (and for that matter the PS3) come out, they're going to be far ahead of PCs at that time. Should make the console vs PC war a lot more interesting this time around.

"Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<UPtXc.315682$a24.292254@attbi_s03>...

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> Now that RBR has been released for PC, I'd love to hear some feedback on > folks who have the PC version as well as the console version XBOX or PS2. > > I'd love to get this for the PC, but, I don't think my current hardware is > up to spec, as I am only running a 1.6 GHz AMD w/512 RAM and a GeForce 4 MX > card (64 mb) > > Obviously the PC version will have better graphics, but with my weak system, > I'm sure I'll have to tune down the graphics quite a lot to be able to get > decent framerate on my PC which might make the two versions fairly equal > visually. > > So I am wondering if there are any significant differences (other than > superior graphics/sound) between the PC and console versions > > Any thoughts? > TIA > Jay J

Bump to top... Still looking for feedback and comparisons between the console and PC versions. Thanks

In article <[email hidden]>, Jay J <[email hidden]> writes

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>"Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >news:<UPtXc.315682$a24.292254@attbi_s03>... >> Now that RBR has been released for PC, I'd love to hear some feedback on >> folks who have the PC version as well as the console version XBOX or PS2. >> >> I'd love to get this for the PC, but, I don't think my current hardware is >> up to spec, as I am only running a 1.6 GHz AMD w/512 RAM and a GeForce 4 MX >> card (64 mb) >> >> Obviously the PC version will have better graphics, but with my weak system, >> I'm sure I'll have to tune down the graphics quite a lot to be able to get >> decent framerate on my PC which might make the two versions fairly equal >> visually. >> >> So I am wondering if there are any significant differences (other than >> superior graphics/sound) between the PC and console versions >> >> Any thoughts? >> TIA >> Jay J > > >Bump to top... >Still looking for feedback and comparisons between the console and PC versions. >

Only a basic comparison. I had the Xbox version as a stop-gap while waiting for the PC version. Console version, the in car camera was in the middle whereas the PC version is to one side, quite a few stutters on the Xbox and virtually impossible to drive with the Xbox controller, steering is way too sensitive. Anything specific you want to know? Nothing too technical though, I'd be way out of my depth. -- Sean Black

Well from all the feedback I've seen here, it appears that the physics of RBR are the best of ANY rally game ever released. It's good to hear that the XBOX has controller issues compared to a wheel with the PC... What type of wheel are you using by the way? That alone may make up my mind to buy it for the PC and simply save up for a new video card with which to run it, as my current card won't even support the game! What about the rest... Are the features the same, tracks, cars, etc, etc... Also, must you go through the typical console BS. of having to unlock things to gain access to all the cars and circuits, or do you have access straight away? And... Of course the graphics... Obviously the graphics on a console won't ever be as good as a PC, but just how much difference are we talking about with regards to RBR? Thanks again! JJ "Sean Black" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > In article <[email hidden]>, Jay J > <[email hidden]> writes > >"Jay J" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > >news:<UPtXc.315682$a24.292254@attbi_s03>... > >> Now that RBR has been released for PC, I'd love to hear some feedbackon > >> folks who have the PC version as well as the console version XBOX orPS2. > >> > >> I'd love to get this for the PC, but, I don't think my current hardwareis > >> up to spec, as I am only running a 1.6 GHz AMD w/512 RAM and a GeForce4 MX > >> card (64 mb) > >> > >> Obviously the PC version will have better graphics, but with my weaksystem, > >> I'm sure I'll have to tune down the graphics quite a lot to be able toget > >> decent framerate on my PC which might make the two versions fairlyequal

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> >> visually. > >> > >> So I am wondering if there are any significant differences (other than > >> superior graphics/sound) between the PC and console versions > >> > >> Any thoughts? > >> TIA > >> Jay J > > > > > >Bump to top... > >Still looking for feedback and comparisons between the console and PC

versions.

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> > > Only a basic comparison. I had the Xbox version as a stop-gap while > waiting for the PC version. Console version, the in car camera was in > the middle whereas the PC version is to one side, quite a few stutters > on the Xbox and virtually impossible to drive with the Xbox controller, > steering is way too sensitive. > > Anything specific you want to know? Nothing too technical though, I'd be > way out of my depth. > -- > Sean Black

> And... Of course the graphics... Obviously the graphics on a console won't > ever be as good as a PC, but just how much difference are we talking about > with regards to RBR? The Xbox version runs very well. The frame rate drops a little bit when there's lots of trees on some stages but it's not bad at all and it probably runs faster than a 2.0GHz PC with a GF4 Ti4600 runs the PC version. I found it pretty good with the xbox controller. It requires a lot of skill/practice but I seemed to manage ok. The loading times are long(ish) but if you can't run the PC version then I'd highly recommend the Xbox version.

On Sat, 18 Sep 2004 23:58:47 GMT, Jay J wrote: > Also, must you go through the typical console BS. of having to unlock things > to gain access to all the cars and circuits, or do you have access straight > away? I don't find the unlocking bit so bad, as it rewards you for going through rally school until the bitter end (and yes, there's a lot to learn in there, so it's highly recommended), and competing in a fully rally season (rookie level here right now) in order to make all those nice stages available in the quick rally menu. cheers, uwe -- mail replies to Uwe at schuerkamp dot de ( yahoo address is spambox) Uwe Schuerkamp //////////////////////////// http://www.schuerkamp.de/ Herford, Germany \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (52.0N/8.5E) GPG Fingerprint: 2E 13 20 22 9A 3F 63 7F 67 6F E9 B1 A8 36 A4 61