Re: Project CARS News and Reviews

by Guest Sun May 17, 2015 8:07 pm

When i am saying if there is a power curve,i want a real engine power curve unlike Forza or Race Pro with a linear fake RPM rate. The cars never bogged down and then came alive at the right RPMs. Test Drive Ferrari Racing Legends did this right,maybe because it was a 1 car manufacture game.

by **IFCA GTDon** Mon May 18, 2015 11:22 am

dc67 wrote:When i am saying if there is a power curve,i want a real engine power curve unlike Forza or Race Pro with a linear fake RPM rate. The cars never bogged down and then came alive at the right RPMs. Test Drive Ferrari Racing Legends did this right,maybe because it was a 1 car manufacture game.

It's hard to tell, but I can say that there must be something like what you are talking about because each cars power delivery is different. The older F1 cars for example have a very peaky power curve. They are on or off like a light switch, and too difficult for me to handle with the controller as the power hits suddenly. And this was true of the real cars back in those days.

by **IFCA GTDon** Wed May 20, 2015 11:56 am

One on One Forza 5 vs Project Cars

I wanted to see and feel what the relative differences were between PCARS and FM5 since Slightly Mad Studios was clearly aiming at Turn 10's Forza franchise and its perceived inadequacies over the years. So I took the McLaren P1 cover car for FM5 and put it up against the PCARS McLaren P1 at Road America, a track that is very close to the same in both games.

Both tracks look great and have few differences. The Forza track actually has a few more animations, but the PCARS track has many more atmospheric looks and moods due to time cycle and weather.

Both cars look outstanding, but the FM5 car looks a little more refined on track, whereas the PCARS McLaren looks better in its replay. Interior wise the FM5 car again has the edge in details except with the animation of the driver, which is notchy looking. The PCARS driver is fluid and smooth even though the controls are not.

Right away you notice the biggest difference is in the controller. FM5 has trigger vibrations, and PCARS doesn't. It's obvious that PCARS was not really intended to be maximized using the hand controller. It's twitchy and too quick, sometimes creating a tail slapper as the controller causes the car to oscillate out of control. The FM5 car is very smooth and slow to respond to steering inputs, and feels like it is floating over the track or has hidden assists on it.

The real fault of the Forza car is in the stock tires which have very little lateral grip. The suspension is good and easy, but the tires can't handle the car even in slow speed turns. The braking is very notchy in the FM5 car too with excessive bite. Not so in the PCARS McLaren, almost the opposite. The tires don't seem to care about brakes and hardly bite at all, making for long linear braking, with weak braking force to stop. The lateral tire adhesion is better for the PCARS McLaren than the FM5 car by a lot, but both cars are the opposite while braking in a straight line. The FM5 car stops on a dime practically, and the PCARS version doesn't. Enter a turn even a little too hot, and all 4 wheels on the FM5 car will smoke drift right out from under you. The PCARS McLaren holds a better line, if you can get it to stop.

The overall handling is hard to compare since PCARS really deserves a wheel to be fair. But it does feel more attached to the road and yet has a nervous feel to it because of the quicker responses to controller input. The FM5 car feels more like a slow turning hovercraft, especially with such low lateral tire grip.

I ran both cars with the same assists and stock tires. The FM5 car could hit 195mph on the front straight, the PCARS went 197mph. Both cars had an equal sensation of speed with the FM5 car feeling a little faster. Lap times were almost exactly the same too. 2:15.933 FM5 to a 2:16.233 PCARS time. These are slow by any leader board measure because I haven't used a hand-controller in years. lol

Also interesting was the use of the DRS and KERS which is a manual affair in the PCARS McLaren, and auto-operated in the FM5 car which I don't think uses KERS. Also interesting is that these cars are not exactly the same as one would expect. the FM5 car weighs 45lbs more, has 3hp less, and has 7lb-ft more torque.

But the biggest difference aside from the handling was really the sound quality. The PCARS engine is loud and almost ear shattering, whereas the FM5 car was relatively quiet and muted by comparison. Get inside the PCARS McLaren and the exhaust cranks up another level with even louder metallic sounds. Not so much in the FM5 car. Mostly what sounds loud in the FM5 car is tire screeching.

In terms of fun to drive, I have to give it to the PCARS McLaren simply because if it can do this good handicapped by an ill suited peripheral, it will be superior with a wheel. It already has moments of greatness now, but with a good wheel those moments will be continuous.

By my point count PCARS 8, FM5 4.

by Guest Wed May 20, 2015 6:06 pm

Just curious , are you waiting for more wheels to choose from or a Fanatec patch.....? How do you like the coast fantasy track?

by **IFCA GTDon** Wed May 20, 2015 6:29 pm

dc67 wrote:Just curious , are you waiting for more wheels to choose from or a Fanatec patch.....? How do you like the coast fantasy track?

Waiting for my inside man at Best Buy to get me covered. The Cali track is cool.

by Guest Wed May 20, 2015 8:03 pm

John quit and got a manager job at McDonalds 6 months ago,sorry ;( .. Is it true their is 16 max online.

by **IFCA GTDon** Wed May 20, 2015 9:24 pm

dc67 wrote:John quit and got a manager job at McDonalds 6 months ago,sorry ;( .. Is it true their is 16 max online.

funny, it's actually the other way!

by **IFCA GTDon** Fri Jun 05, 2015 9:49 am

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-06-05-project-cars-overtakes-1m-sales

by Guest Mon Jul 20, 2015 7:39 pm

how do you like the game at this point,is it everything you thought it would be?? Is it the next gen. you were hoping for? Do you feel you took a big step above F4? How are the go karts? Is the rain and night racing useful?

I preordered the Forza console so maybe i can get back in some time in fall.

How do you like playing with a controller and do you still play much iracing?

'

by **IFCA GTDon** Mon Jul 20, 2015 8:54 pm

dc67 wrote:how do you like the game at this point,is it everything you were thought it would be?? Is it the next gen. you were hoping for? Do you feel you took a big step above F4? How are the go karts? Is the rain and night racing useful?

I preordered the Forza console so maybe i can get back in some time in fall.

How do you like playing with a controller and do you still play much iracing?

'

here's the post release review you may have missed https://ifca.forumotion.com/t6241-pcars-post-release-review

by Guest Wed Jul 22, 2015 5:30 pm

I did see that review,thanks. I was seeing if you had different opinions of it with the extra time with it and other questions..

by **IFCA GTDon** Wed Jul 22, 2015 5:34 pm

dc67 wrote:I did see that review,thanks. I was seeing if you had different opinions of it with the extra time with it and other questions..

No, that was my most recent view of it. It's good, in some ways better, and yet kind of the same too. None of the racing-sims have quite got it all figured out just yet. They haven't figured out that they should try making it a racing game by creating a racing experience using of all things, the elements of racing. lol

by Guest Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:37 pm

Hate bothering you but i know you are a Sim. racing fan and i respect your opinion. I'm thinking that when i come back i will use the controller instead of a wheel just because it so convenient. Are you using a controller? Could you answer my other questions? Sorry i'm so annoying.....

by **IFCA GTDon** Fri Jul 31, 2015 4:40 pm

No problem dc, I will when i get home. I'm still on the controller.

by **IFCA GTDon** Fri Jul 31, 2015 9:30 pm

AAR GTDon wrote:
dc67 wrote:how do you like the game at this point,is it everything you were thought it would be?? Is it the next gen. you were hoping for? Do you feel you took a big step above F4? How are the go karts? Is the rain and night racing useful?

I preordered the Forza console so maybe i can get back in some time in fall.

How do you like playing with a controller and do you still play much iracing?

'

here's the post release review you may have missed https://ifca.forumotion.com/t6241-pcars-post-release-review

PCARS is an equal competitor to Forza and Grand Turismo, with the understanding that none of these games truly dominate the other.

Go karts are okay, but Gran Turismo karts are actually better.

Weather is a real monkey wrench, and can be too much to the point that races should be red flagged. Night cycle is a very cool effect as long as the cars you are driving have lights. lol

PCARS is attempting to be "next gen", but isn't quite there. FM5 has failed too. GT5-6 the same. The problem with all of the console racers is that they have missed their true target. The target is to create a racing experience by the use of racing features and structure.

They all have career modes against A.I. where you suspend your disbelief to pretend you are in a real race. They all have plenty of cars and tracks, various painting and tuning suites. hot lapping challenges, official hot lap contests, great graphics, good physics, good multiplayer features, picture taking, videos, you name it, but what none of them have is officially structured sanctioned racing competitions, or skills based licensing like real racing does.

They really need to take a page from iRacing. They can keep all that one size fits all for the masses crap that they all currently have for Johnny to pickup and play for an hour before he returns the game to exchange. But what they need to do is actually add racing! Racing against other racers! Not stupid AI! lol

It's great that the IFCA or any group can setup some organized racing at the grass roots level, but that's nothing compared to officially sanctioned events on an international level by the developer. And this is what they need more than anything.

by Guest Sun Aug 02, 2015 5:59 pm

Thank you. It will be a month and half before i can pick it up and try it myself.

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