Nascar 08

hawgzilla · 25-07-2007, 02:08 PM

Well I got NASCAR 08 last night and played a bit today. I have to say that up until now I'm not really that impressed. The graphics are not any where near "next generation" in fact they don't look very much different than when I was playing on my XboX 3-4 years ago. The game starts off with you picking a color scheme for your own car and after several hours of playing, I haven't yet been able to race that car. In addition, the handling of the cars is horrible, the car constantly wants to drift left, maybe that has something to do with the cambre of the tires?!?!?! Havn't figured out yet how or if I can adjust that setup. Overall, up until this point, I'm pretty pissed that I spent $63.00 for a game that pretty much sucks. Called GameStop this afternoon and they are willing to give me a whopping $25.00 for the game as a trade in...awesome!!!! I guess I'll give it a bit more time and hopefully it will grow on me. Right now, I really wish I had picked up Dirt instead.

Scotracer · 25-07-2007, 02:16 PM

The drifting left is how the cars are set up. Since they go around tedious ovals all day, just turning left they set the car up to, in it's natural state to want to turn left (adjusting steering settings, camber, caster plus many tyre variables) so it's not just you, it's how it's supposed to be.

I played the demo and I have to say I thought it was laughably bad. The graphics are nothing new at all (typical EA). The driving model is terrible, the cars seem to have too much inertia and take alot of work to turn from their "slightly-left" state. Also, if you do get the car a little out of shape, there is no dynamic physics response to most of your steering or throttle inputs...it's just into the wall you go. The sounds boring but that is what can be said of a 7 litre V8. The GUI is uninspiring and I can hedge a bat it's teh same one from the PS2/Xbox game.

Overall it just seems like a simple port from PS2 with minor graphical updates but what else? I have no idea...

Not a buyer, that's for sure.

remixFA · 25-07-2007, 04:39 PM

the demo was cak. . always play the demo first if its availible. geeeze! U know, i got flash backs of this old NES NASCAR racer i used to play.. accept, it was more realistic and looked better!! haha

friedkarma · 26-07-2007, 04:24 AM

Scot's explaination of the car setup is dead on. Stock cars are setup to turn left when running oval tracks. The game offers adjustments to set it up closer to how a normal car would handle. I tried to race with a standard controller, and it was awful. The wheel is the way to go for this game. I'm curious to know what track is offered on the demo. If it's Daytona or Talledega, the restrictor plates used to limit horsepower would explain Scot's comments about throttle response. I've not noticed any problems with steering and throttle inputs, but again, I'm using a wheel.

Hawgzilla, as soon as you complete your Superspeedway license, you are awarded a car to apply the paint scheme to. I think season mode is what you are looking for.

I admit, this game isn't as great as I thought it was going to be, but it's still good for those of us that enjoy this style of racing. Keep in mind that the tactics and skill set required is quite different from any other style of racing. If you can't hold a straight line and race 3 wide, you're not going to be successful. If you're not patient enough to ride behind someone for several laps, taking advantage of the draft, you'll have problems.

remixFA · 26-07-2007, 04:39 AM

its all u fried.... its allllll u!

idont know whats so thrilling about playing a game where u turn left all the time

im sure its much more fun in real life, but bleh.

yea, the demo track is daytona. What irritates me is ill intentionally go backwards on the track to make a big wreck, and there is no instant replay to show all the crashing (vehicle damage is a lone highlite in the demo)

friedkarma · 26-07-2007, 04:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by remixFA

its all u fried.... its allllll u!

idont know whats so thrilling about playing a game where u turn left all the time

im sure its much more fun in real life, but bleh.

yea, the demo track is daytona. What irritates me is ill intentionally go backwards on the track to make a big wreck, and there is no instant replay to show all the crashing (vehicle damage is a lone highlite in the demo)

No one said circle track racing is for every gamer. Personally, I hate Japanese RPG's, but others love them. I guess the replay options are not available in the demo. In the full retail game, you can edit and save your replays. I've seen some spectacular wrecks so far, so I think EA did a good job with the crash/damage models.

Daytona is not the best choice in tracks to showcase this game. For those that aren't aware, an aluminum plate is inserted between the carburetor and intake manifold as a safety feature to limit speed. This saps horsepower, and means it takes a full lap of smooth driving to get your car up to speed. The style of racing is quite different than non-restrictor plate tracks and emphasizes drafting, bump drafting, and slingshoting. The cars tend to ride in one big pack, meaning you have to be smooth and hold your line without flinching. Michigan probably would have been a better track for the demo, since there is no restrictor plate, yet the track is still very wide and offers more than one racing line.

Howstuffworks "The Restrictor Plate"

remixFA · 26-07-2007, 05:25 AM

i get the whole restricter plate. I live only an hr a way from daytona, so im used to the racing gitz. Nascar just never translated into fun racers for me.. but then again, all racers are nascar, street, or other tracks.. guess theres only so much u can do.

Pepper Jack · 26-07-2007, 06:28 AM

i played the demo and i like it, i typically hate racers but i like NASCAR, i hope the graphics are better in the game that in the demo though because the graphics in the demo are really poor, they looked slightly better than a last gen game. im not sure if i'll buy this game but its definately on my list (low down but its still there). i think it would be a lot more fun on multiplayer than single player too

EDIT: oh yeah, and the soundtrack sucks, can you say redneck? i just put my own music on and race, lagwagon FTW!

friedkarma · 26-07-2007, 07:11 AM

Alex, you may want to rent before you buy. Like I said, the Daytona track you see in the demo plays very differently from other tracks. Short tracks like Bristol or Martinsville are all about acceleration, braking, and using the 'chrome horn' to nudge other cars out of your way. Since I know you're not a racing enthusiast, I think you'll get your fill of this game with a week's rental.

Yeah, I hate the soundtrack too. My cousin is a Grammy winning country/bluegrass musician, and I still detest country music.

Kona Palangi · 26-07-2007, 08:01 AM

Willie Nelson is your cousin?

Scotracer · 26-07-2007, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by friedkarma

Scot's explaination of the car setup is dead on. Stock cars are setup to turn left when running oval tracks. The game offers adjustments to set it up closer to how a normal car would handle. I tried to race with a standard controller, and it was awful. The wheel is the way to go for this game. I'm curious to know what track is offered on the demo. If it's Daytona or Talledega, the restrictor plates used to limit horsepower would explain Scot's comments about throttle response. I've not noticed any problems with steering and throttle inputs, but again, I'm using a wheel.

Hawgzilla, as soon as you complete your Superspeedway license, you are awarded a car to apply the paint scheme to. I think season mode is what you are looking for.

I admit, this game isn't as great as I thought it was going to be, but it's still good for those of us that enjoy this style of racing. Keep in mind that the tactics and skill set required is quite different from any other style of racing. If you can't hold a straight line and race 3 wide, you're not going to be successful. If you're not patient enough to ride behind someone for several laps, taking advantage of the draft, you'll have problems.

Many racing series around the world use a restrictor of some sort for intake. LMP (Le Man's), Formula 3, GP2, WRC, DTM, V8 Supercars and to some degree, F1 cars have a restrictor but only because of bodywork regulations. So you can see that NASCAR is not alone and a restrictor plate wouldn't impede Throttle Response any. What I really don't like is the fact that they have used the Digital Face buttons as the default throttle and brake. WHY?! Are we in 1997?! The game should use either the triggers or the right stick for accel and brake because digital throttle/brake is RETARDED. No other word for it.

Oh and the track in the demo is Charlotte Superspeedway (a 2.5 mile track so it's all about keeping momentum) if I remember correctly.

The main problem for me with this game is the lack of response in the steering. I know with a stock car they aren't going to be needing amazing amounts of mobility and be very nimble but come on, you have to push the thumb-stick over 50% through it's travel before the car will turn. Talk about deadzone!

I'll stick with simulation racers and ones with tracks that are actually a challenge

friedkarma · 26-07-2007, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scotracer

Many racing series around the world use a restrictor of some sort for intake. LMP (Le Man's), Formula 3, GP2, WRC, DTM, V8 Supercars and to some degree, F1 cars have a restrictor but only because of bodywork regulations. So you can see that NASCAR is not alone and a restrictor plate wouldn't impede Throttle Response any. What I really don't like is the fact that they have used the Digital Face buttons as the default throttle and brake. WHY?! Are we in 1997?! The game should use either the triggers or the right stick for accel and brake because digital throttle/brake is RETARDED. No other word for it.

Oh and the track in the demo is Charlotte Superspeedway (a 2.5 mile track so it's all about keeping momentum) if I remember correctly.

The main problem for me with this game is the lack of response in the steering. I know with a stock car they aren't going to be needing amazing amounts of mobility and be very nimble but come on, you have to push the thumb-stick over 50% through it's travel before the car will turn. Talk about deadzone!

I'll stick with simulation racers and ones with tracks that are actually a challenge

Hmmm...I'm not sure what to make of that. I raced a couple races with the controllers and used the triggers. Charlotte (Lowe's) is not a restrictor plate track, so you should be getting the full 900+ horsepower. The manual provided with the game recommends you make adjustments to the controller inputs depending on whether you're using a standard controller or wheel. I'm not sure why EA didn't build in good default settings. Regardless, I didn't expect you to be a proponent of NASCAR anyway, Scot. It's not the finesse racing you're accustomed to. Rather, it's about guiding a large, heavy vehicle through a field of 43 cars, and consistently hitting the fastest racing line lap after lap, despite the fact that you have cars running 12 inches to the left, right, in front and behind you. I find it to be a heartracing experience to look out my windshield and see the rear bumper of another car looming large, while I have another car in my rearview mirror, and yet another in my A-post mirror. One little mistake or hesitation by me would wreck us all.

Kona Palangi · 26-07-2007, 09:11 AM

And that's why people watch NASCAR .... The wrecks.

friedkarma · 26-07-2007, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalohiTafataha

And that's why people watch NASCAR .... The wrecks.

That's true of some people, of course, while others of us enjoy motorsports of all forms, but are particular taken with the excitement that bumper to bumper closed wheel racing brings. Still others among us sell the high performance materials that wind up on stock cars, F1 cars, motorcycles, etc. and therefore have a personal interest in motorsports

friedkarma · 26-07-2007, 02:53 PM

I gave the demo a go, and I can say that the retail version is a bit better than the demo lets on. First off, the demo is at Daytona, not Charlotte, so the sluggish acceleration and need to stay on the back bumper of the car ahead are in full effect. Some features are missing from the demo, especially some display features that would help the novice with the restrictor plate style of racing. The controls suck for anyone using the controller. EA decision's to have the car pull to the left, as it naturally would, is questionable as a video game feature. To exclude the settings from the demo that would make the cars easier to drive for control pad users simply shoots themselves in the foot. How are they going to generate interest with this demo? That being said, I'll log plenty of hours on the full retail version of NASCAR 08, but I its a hard sell to non-fans.

ReaperMojo · 27-07-2007, 07:23 AM

i was not impressed at all, they took a few steps back in this franchise.