NASCAR Heat Evolution Available, Post Your Impressions Here

[BurghFan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ebpmd

I'm not a NASCAR fan and do not want to actually control a car around the track. Can you create a driver/car and let the CPU drive the car around the track? I'd just like to watch a couple big races with a created classic driver/car. Thanks

No, you cannot do that. There is no 'spectator' mode nor is there a create-a-car feature in this game.

[dave360]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ebpmd

I'm not a NASCAR fan and do not want to actually control a car around the track. Can you create a driver/car and let the CPU drive the car around the track? I'd just like to watch a couple big races with a created classic driver/car. Thanks

If you have a decent PC, I'd try Motorsports Manager for that. You pick a team and then manage the races. It's really good and sounds like you might enjoy it.

[Turbojugend]

Question: Did DMi do some major tweaking to Sim physics? I pretty much gave up on Sim after the first couple of days, but I went back and played some last night and it wasn't nearly as awful as I'd remembered. With no practice or training, I could actual trade paint and scrape the walls without spinning out, even the braking seemed less twitchy. It was actually... *gasp*... enjoyable. This breathes a bit of fresh air into the game as I was missing out on custom setups, which could at least extend the life of the game a bit.

So, did DMi actual overhaul their Sim physics or do I just suck less?

[ILuvMN81]

Quote: Originally Posted by Turbojugend

Question: Did DMi do some major tweaking to Sim physics? I pretty much gave up on Sim after the first couple of days, but I went back and played some last night and it wasn't nearly as awful as I'd remembered. With no practice or training, I could actual trade paint and scrape the walls without spinning out, even the braking seemed less twitchy. It was actually... *gasp*... enjoyable. This breathes a bit of fresh air into the game as I was missing out on custom setups, which could at least extend the life of the game a bit. So, did DMi actual overhaul their Sim physics or do I just suck less?

"Why not both?" Seriously though, according to DMi's patch notes they say that they improved the driving experience at XYZ tracks. I also think you've put in sometime and figured things out too, which is my exact experience. I was using a guy on YouTube almost religiously but now I look at that as a baseline and tweak for my style. I wasn't the fastest but I found that I setup a real nice car for Martinsville that wasn't too loose and could negotiate the turns really nicely. It makes a world of difference.

[Turbojugend]

Cool, thanks! It's funny though, 'cause I really haven't put any time at all into this game. It's been collecting dust for months, although I have been playing other NASCAR games so maybe my driving skill has improved just a bit. Anyway, Sim is definitely better than the autocorrect hell that is Normal.

Also, following up on an earlier discussion, it turns out that Speed Rating is indeed based solely on your fastest lap time. I said that I thought factors may be involved, but I was wrong. Try to boost the ratings on all tracks is kind of a neat diversion, those road tracks are brutal though.

[ILuvMN81]

Quote: Originally Posted by Turbojugend

Cool, thanks! It's funny though, 'cause I really haven't put any time at all into this game. It's been collecting dust for months, although I have been playing other NASCAR games so maybe my driving skill has improved just a bit. Anyway, Sim is definitely better than the autocorrect hell that is Normal. Also, following up on an earlier discussion, it turns out that Speed Rating is indeed based solely on your fastest lap time. I said that I thought factors may be involved, but I was wrong. Try to boost the ratings on all tracks is kind of a neat diversion, those road tracks are brutal though.

Funny how that can work; every game has its own physics and handling but I agree that if you get skilled in one it can translate to others.

I have a love/hate feeling with the Normal mode. I absolutely hate it on short tracks and road courses but on the bigger ovals and especially the plate tracks I think of it as a necessary nuisance when playing the AI because any little bump causes a massive pile up. Sure it slows down your times and rythym but it actually makes the cars stable.

Also...on a side note to all: it's too bad this game has such a bad rap and seems to be dying. On XBL, the clubs feature makes it possible to hook up with people and do some good racing but lobby browsing can be a mixed bag (couldn't tell you about PS4).
DMi has said absolutely nothing about where this game or franchise is headed. They're getting a lot of questions on social media after the seemingly monthly DLCs have stopped (Toyota partnership already over?) and even more about updates for new drivers, schemes and now the new race format and every time they respond with "no news to share". The closest I've seen to an answer is that they'll include these features in a future game so read between the lines there and maybe they're hinting.

The game has improved since that fiasco at launch but they turned so many people off and really shot themselves in the foot. They hyped themselves a lot but I think consumers were expecting a bit much too. Take the game for what it is: a new series from a smaller developer. It has a lot of kinks but they did somethings well. Go and get it cheaper used or even new since the price has dropped by 40%, play it a little to unlock things, play multiplayer, whatever.

[Turbojugend]

I agree the game is not a total bust, there's actually some fairly decent racing here. Maybe not authentic, but fun. At the same time, there's so much missing from what you'd expect from a modern racer: Mini-map, wreck replays, working big screens, custom lobbies, savable camera options, the list goes on. It's just bizarre that previous-gen games from seven years prior had these features, and even these are relatively minor issues compared to the framerate and AI deficiencies.

Small studio, limited resources, I get it. Seems it would have been better to release this as a budget title at $29.99 then drop it to $19.99 over the holidays. Sure DMi might be taking a hit, but if they're really in this for the long haul, they'd sell through to a larger fanbase who would probably be satisfied with their purchase and looking forward to another game.

Anyway, I do think the silence is probably leading up to the announcement of either a 2017 DLC package with rule updates, etc., or a full-blown sequel. Personally I'm hoping for a sequel, I feel like there's only so much they can improve upon with the original. Not to mention NASCAR has completely rebranded this year (new logo, new sponsor), making the original feel even more dated.

[dave360]

Price drop across all platforms. $29.99 now