Over the last 8 years almost all of the hardcore racing simulations I purchased were promptly deleted from my hard drive within about 3 months of purchase with the exception of GPL and Nascar racing series. Mods from N2003: TPTCC from USpits and GTP from Redline have provided exciting simulation of modern racing series. I’m too old to be a fan "boy" of anything, but after acquiring GTR at great length and expense from Germany, and playing it sparsely for all of two months, I decided to stop buying on a whim, every serious sim that came round the pike. Of the games released since GTR, rFactor got returned (I understand it has been improved since release) and the GTL demo failed to persuade me, especially given the locked cars and the same rehashed tracks from GTR. These games are all very worthy to many simracers and each has very strong merits in several areas but the one area I have felt lacking in most titles since Pappy left the building was PHYSICS!
Like many sim racers, when GPL came out I bought heavily into Pappy’s hardcore racing simulation. Damn it, GPL just felt right! Its physics were for the most part consistent with my theoretically knowledge and personal experience of driving 4 wheeled vehicles. To boot it was just so much fun. Remember what it was like as you hurtled down the Masta straight approaching 200mph towards the dreaded kink with cars roaring on either side – To lift or not to lift? How much lift? Did you feel lucky or brave? – Such racing moments of which there were many in GPL, would make the hairs on the back of neck stand up. Each lap around many of the exciting GPL tracks was an event in itself! Even laps around the simplified Monza, sans oval, were exciting! Of course GPL was far from perfect, but both the physics and track mods took GPL to another level.
Over the years, I never gave LFS much of a look in
illepall, but when I did and after a few weeks of playing the full S2 release with U patch, I truly believe that this is the first game I have played that lives up to the promise, expectation and legacy of GPL. The tire modeling of LFS is probably one of the best ever, the only, and I repeat only thing that falls short of providing the equivalent scary GPL moments is damage modeling. In GPL of course your clutch wasn’t impregnable and a host of other components could be critically damaged – ending your race on the spot.
With respect to the U patched LFS, I get the same tactile feel of GPL, very similar physics, input response, the cars seem to make contact with the racing surface, the suspension modeling doesn’t appear contrived and the tire squeal provides lots of feedback. No you cannot indiscriminately mash the trottle. Indeed for the first time in a Sim, I think we are closer to what it is like to control a formula one car. The BF1 seems so much like the GP cars from GPL but with lots of downforce. Remember the “rail-like” simulation of GP4 and to a lesser extent F1 Racing series. Of course an F1 car can drift! (thank you Devs) There is nothing built onto an F1 car that would make it impervious to drift and the laws of physics. To be sure, drifting is definitely not the most efficient way to drive an F1 car given the nature of the sport – you would lose your drive inside of a week! The reason why there are so many requests for real tracks in LFS, is not because F1 tracks are so exciting, LFS has the best tracks, but because this is the first time we have gotten this interpretation of physics in an F1 simulation. Before I bought LFS I noticed how reviewers used “Exhilarating”, “Blast” etc. to describe driving the BF1. Now I know what they mean after lapping around Aston and Westhill. GrandPrix4 and F1RC seem dead by comparison. Same simulation different effect! At the very least, the Devs should consider including Monaco, which is not good as South City, but would provide a good real life point of reference – also, no license would be required!
So now we have another hardcore sim GTR2 being released soon. However “Great” or extremely “Real” it is pronounced, I know exactly what I am looking for in a racing simulation to provide me with the longevity I seek – at least a year. I will be very discerning with the demo only to ensure that I no longer add to the stack of redundant games on my shelf soon to be tossed in the garbage before my move to South Africa.
BTW:
Many of you reading this post play LFS in addition to other sims. How are you able to adjust to the very different physics and input responses across these games? I don’t use Force Feedback, and it totally screws up my feel jumping between sims. LFS and GPL are not problematic for me requiring similar throttle precision and subsequent response feedback. Doesn’t it affect your feel and perception when moving between LFS and GTR for example, where the sensation, physics and input response is very different between the two sims? Do you simply alternate over long periods between games or does Force Feedback negate this problem completely?
Like many sim racers, when GPL came out I bought heavily into Pappy’s hardcore racing simulation. Damn it, GPL just felt right! Its physics were for the most part consistent with my theoretically knowledge and personal experience of driving 4 wheeled vehicles. To boot it was just so much fun. Remember what it was like as you hurtled down the Masta straight approaching 200mph towards the dreaded kink with cars roaring on either side – To lift or not to lift? How much lift? Did you feel lucky or brave? – Such racing moments of which there were many in GPL, would make the hairs on the back of neck stand up. Each lap around many of the exciting GPL tracks was an event in itself! Even laps around the simplified Monza, sans oval, were exciting! Of course GPL was far from perfect, but both the physics and track mods took GPL to another level.
Over the years, I never gave LFS much of a look in
illepall, but when I did and after a few weeks of playing the full S2 release with U patch, I truly believe that this is the first game I have played that lives up to the promise, expectation and legacy of GPL. The tire modeling of LFS is probably one of the best ever, the only, and I repeat only thing that falls short of providing the equivalent scary GPL moments is damage modeling. In GPL of course your clutch wasn’t impregnable and a host of other components could be critically damaged – ending your race on the spot. With respect to the U patched LFS, I get the same tactile feel of GPL, very similar physics, input response, the cars seem to make contact with the racing surface, the suspension modeling doesn’t appear contrived and the tire squeal provides lots of feedback. No you cannot indiscriminately mash the trottle. Indeed for the first time in a Sim, I think we are closer to what it is like to control a formula one car. The BF1 seems so much like the GP cars from GPL but with lots of downforce. Remember the “rail-like” simulation of GP4 and to a lesser extent F1 Racing series. Of course an F1 car can drift! (thank you Devs) There is nothing built onto an F1 car that would make it impervious to drift and the laws of physics. To be sure, drifting is definitely not the most efficient way to drive an F1 car given the nature of the sport – you would lose your drive inside of a week! The reason why there are so many requests for real tracks in LFS, is not because F1 tracks are so exciting, LFS has the best tracks, but because this is the first time we have gotten this interpretation of physics in an F1 simulation. Before I bought LFS I noticed how reviewers used “Exhilarating”, “Blast” etc. to describe driving the BF1. Now I know what they mean after lapping around Aston and Westhill. GrandPrix4 and F1RC seem dead by comparison. Same simulation different effect! At the very least, the Devs should consider including Monaco, which is not good as South City, but would provide a good real life point of reference – also, no license would be required!
So now we have another hardcore sim GTR2 being released soon. However “Great” or extremely “Real” it is pronounced, I know exactly what I am looking for in a racing simulation to provide me with the longevity I seek – at least a year. I will be very discerning with the demo only to ensure that I no longer add to the stack of redundant games on my shelf soon to be tossed in the garbage before my move to South Africa.
BTW:
Many of you reading this post play LFS in addition to other sims. How are you able to adjust to the very different physics and input responses across these games? I don’t use Force Feedback, and it totally screws up my feel jumping between sims. LFS and GPL are not problematic for me requiring similar throttle precision and subsequent response feedback. Doesn’t it affect your feel and perception when moving between LFS and GTR for example, where the sensation, physics and input response is very different between the two sims? Do you simply alternate over long periods between games or does Force Feedback negate this problem completely?
It just pours out fun, with the harsh reality that a car can't do 200 into a 180* bend. I dont have S2 yet so i can't really comment on that part of LFS but the demo cars and track are all i need out of it.
