NASCAR '14 News Post

NASCAR '14 Available Now - Post Your Impressions

06:49 AM - February 18, 2014 by Aggies7

NASCAR '14 is available today for both Xbox 360, PS3 and PC, check out the launch trailer here. Post your impressions after you get a few laps in.

A few reviews have been spotted online, we'll add to the list as they become available.

Gamesradar (3.5/5)
ApexTimes (6.5/10)
Terminal Gamer (8.5/10)

Game: NASCAR '14Reader Score: 5.5/10 - Vote Now
Platform: PC / PS3 / Xbox 360Votes for game: 3 - View All

NASCAR '14 Videos

Member Comments

# 101 cusefan74 @ 02/22/14 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurghFan


	Did a 100% race at Daytona with 1x Fuel/tires and 50% AI. Couple small things. 1. I don't really like the fact the fuel indicator is just a bar this year rather than an actual number of project laps as it makes it more difficult to tell when you absolutely have to pit. Also, the bar doesn't seem to go down at a consistent rate. 2. This is just a minor detail, but in the display where it shows who is leading and your position plus the driver in front and behind, it only shows the driver's last name and not the number or 1st initial. This would be fine if it weren't for the fact that there are 2 Busch's as you can not tell which Busch is in that position without actually seeing them. Don't know if it would be possible to patch it so the Busch brothers are indicated as Ku. Busch and Ky. Busch so they can be distinguished.

1. The fuel indicator I think works fine. I like the way it is now. In real life they don't have nothing for the drivers to see. Your spotter will tell you what lap to pit so there's no problem there. Also the reason you think it doesn't go down at a consistent rate is because you were at Daytona and drafting. If you are alone it will drop faster then if you are drafting with another car.

2. Your right, that is a minor detail. Does it really matter which Busch brother is behind you or in front of you.

# 102 brandon27 @ 02/22/14 10:07 AM

The more I play, the more frustrated I get with the AI. Martinsville... what a complete disaster. The pack runs 3 or 4 wide the entire race. The AI just drives right through you, and each other as if they even have no idea you're on the race track with them. What a complete mess. It's taken me forever to get to lap 20 of 50 because of all the cautions.

I was a fan of the new restart system, until I hit Martinsville. They start you in first gear, good luck getting to 4th without the entire field just literally driving right through you.

Then... just wait until they start trying to pit.

Complete disaster.

# 103 brandon27 @ 02/22/14 11:07 AM

Racing at Texas... ticker on the screen says im running 11th. I cross the line it says I finished 5th. Post race results have me in 8th.

What a joke. As I said earlier, I really loved this game at first (and really want to love it), but the more I play it, the more ridiculous it gets.

# 104 cusefan74 @ 02/22/14 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandon27


	Racing at Texas... ticker on the screen says im running 11th. I cross the line it says I finished 5th. Post race results have me in 8th. What a joke. As I said earlier, I really loved this game at first (and really want to love it), but the more I play it, the more ridiculous it gets.

That's what I'm afraid of, the more I play the worst it gets.

# 105 brandon27 @ 02/22/14 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cusefan74


	That's what I'm afraid of, the more I play the worst it gets.

Im thinking too it may be time for me to turn off fuel use and tire wear all together. It seems to be the pitting sequences that's really screwing everything up.

For example, in that texas race. 33 laps in total. I, and basically the entire field had to pit around laps 11-12. Somehow though Aric Almirola ran all the way through to lap 21 before making his first pit stop.

I can't for the life of me understand how this kind of stuff can happen, and the game gets released with all these issues.

I'd be shocked if these guys make a game again next year.

Its a shame really, because the guts of it are pretty good to build on.

# 106 cusefan74 @ 02/22/14 02:00 PM

Yeah without pistops it really takes away from the game. I haven't seen any issues yet with pitstops, but I'm sure I will.

# 107 EJQJ99 @ 02/22/14 05:15 PM

So far I am enjoying the heck out of this game.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

# 108 brandon27 @ 02/22/14 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Segagendude


	That's a shame if you need to do that.Racing without need for pitstops is like playing NBA without foul shots. It's all part of strategy. Nascar isn't just about going fast and turning left. This game appears to have major promise but is falling short.

This about sums it up for me. The game is so, so close to being pretty awesome. A few minor things I can overlook since they are making progress, its obvious they are. But simple things as a running order not being right, AI running 3 wide at Martinsville regularly, the AI not even being aware you're on the track and running right through you, guys not pitting at all while the whole field pits twice, etc, etc... its just a killer for the whole experience.

If they could really sort out these few things, theyd have a good game to build upon, but the same issues have plagued the series since day one. I find it really frustrating.

Solve the few issues, and its a great game to build upon to be an outstanding NASCAR game, but it just seems theyre so close, but so far away all at the same time.

Honestly, if I turn off tire wear and fuel, and dont race at some of the short tracks where the AI can just run you completely over without thought or consequence, I have an amazing time playing this game. Just so torn on how to deal with this game. lol

# 109 BurghFan @ 02/22/14 11:44 PM

Playing tonight I noticed a couple bugs.

1. For the trivia questions during the loading screens, the number of correct answers appears to reset every time you restart the game as opposed to being cumulative like last year.

2. Running a race at Dover, I got loose coming out of turn 4 and would up on the apron then raced diagonally across the pit commitment line while getting back on the track. After crossing the threshold it triggered the crew chief voice saying "lets take 4 tires ...". Once I was back on track, I noticed that the fuel consumption bar was frozen at 1/8 tank and did not deplete even as I ran another 50 laps (should've had to pit within 10 had it continued to properly deplete). Tire wear continued to deplete however. Also, the spotter remained silent until my tire wear reached critical levels.
___________

Otherwise, I must say that I am mostly pleased with the improved AI in this years game. I like to race with cautions off, however, in Inside Line, when a car spun the AI cars seemed utterly incapable of avoiding it and incapable of properly righting themselves. Furthermore, when trying to right themselves they would often spin themselves out or drive right back into the racing line without being up to speed or even facing in the right direction. At intermediate tracks, this would often result in an ongoing wreck that would continuously propagate around the track until someone got roofed and a red was thrown. At short tracks, this was often the result.

Spoiler

That is one of several pictures I have of AI idiocy from Inside Line.

However, in 14, during races at Martinsville and Dover, I was pleasantly surprised to see that AI cars would actually make an effort to avoid spun or otherwise slowed cars and that spun cars were able to right themselves without collecting more cars. There were a few pileups, but they cleared pretty quickly. The only issue is that, as I believe has been mentioned before, the cars seem a bit stiff. It is difficult to get cars loose and when you do get them loose they seem not to loose much if any speed. Also, when spun cars are righting themselves, the motion appears robotic and unnatural. It almost looks like they have 0 turning radius.

# 110 brandon27 @ 02/23/14 12:42 AM

Yeah... so... pretty sure my days with this game have about come to an end. Im tired of being run right over by the AI as if they have no idea at all that im a vehicle on the track. I'm ok with being bumped out of the way at times (example: terry labonte by Earnhardt at Bristol etc) but I;m not ok with the AI slamming into me as if I dont exist because i may be a tad bit slower through a turn for whatever reason, and I'm not ok with them slamming into me and loosing zero speed/control yet when i even slightly touch an AI car I loose 15+mph and get sideways, only to be freight trained by 15 cars after the fact who also just plow through me.

I get that they maybe wanted to make the AI more aggressive, but there's a line between aggressive and stupid. This game far exceeds it. My experiences at Martinsville, and now at Darlington completely confirm it.

I get blown off the start of the race, I go from starting 4th, to being in 12th by turn one, then I get run over completely by the entire field in turn one until Im either way back in 30th and somehow made it through the turn without a caution because the field just snowplowed me, or because they've spun me out.

I much prefered the AI in IL. At least then they'd actually have a clue I was on the track. If I got in to a corner way to hot, theyd actually realize it and ease up a bit behind me. Now, they dont give a damn, they just drive right through me, literally plow into my side, or my rear end with no consequence whatsoever.

Its ridiculous, and I'm about done with it.

It's like I've said throughout this thread... at times... it can be a great game. However, Im starting to notice more often then not, its just a complete disaster with the AI.

There's being aggressive, and there's being stupid. 90% of the time the AI is just stupid aggressive. Zero consequences for hitting the player, each other, or the wall. They just plow on through. It's ridiculous.

Not to mention the fact that I can run a lap at some tracks that gets me the pole by well over half a second, but when the race starts, the AI is well over half a second a lap faster than me. Its pretty crazy how inconsistent this game can be in all phases.

# 111 bigdoc85 @ 02/23/14 08:26 AM

Brandon:

I feel your pain. I don't remember getting "plowed" by the AI in IL like this but I might need to put that one back in just to compare.

# 112 cusefan74 @ 02/23/14 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BurghFan


	Playing tonight I noticed a couple bugs. 1. For the trivia questions during the loading screens, the number of correct answers appears to reset every time you restart the game as opposed to being cumulative like last year.

I don't have this problem mine is up to like 200 give or take a few.

# 113 Papi34 @ 02/23/14 05:15 PM

I noticed Inside Line is only �6.39 in the February PSN sale and you can get this in the UK for �26.99. I still have the first game and have fun driving short races. Which game would you guys recommend getting, taking the price into account? Thanks.

# 114 bigdoc85 @ 02/23/14 05:31 PM

If you don't care about which season you're playing, I would just get Inside Line. Inside Line is an improvement over NTG2011 (the first one). NASCAR 2014 feels much more like a season update with a few minor changes.

EDIT: See the video below posted by Stormyhog. I agree with most of the points in the video (other than when he drops the F-bomb multiple times).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papi34


	I noticed Inside Line is only �6.39 in the February PSN sale and you can get this in the UK for �26.99. I still have the first game and have fun driving short races. Which game would you guys recommend getting, taking the price into account? Thanks.

# 115 Stormyhog @ 02/23/14 08:11 PM

Spotted this in depth review over at yt. I don't have the game myself so anyone here can chime in and discuss how accurate he is. It's a long review.

# 116 Aggies7 @ 02/23/14 09:31 PM

Anyone with Vita try to play this on remote play. I know most PS3 games can't be but haven't had time to at least try it.

Also for the folks using the controller do you use the joystick or the D Pad?

I'll add this question too. I have an old Xbox 360 wheel and a Microsoft one for an older PC would either work on PS3. Maybe stupid question but I figured I'd ask since they both have USB connection like the PS3 uses.

# 117 bigdoc85 @ 02/24/14 07:59 AM

I had the review rolling while I did other things. Here are some of the key points:

1) NASCAR 14 is basically a "cut and paste" of Inside Line and "roster update" with a few minor changes.

2) Still lots of bugs.

3) Took away the helpful guide for making changes to your car. Why?

4) Biggest development is online leagues. Great concept but online play may still be a challenge.

5) Lack of attention to details, especially in career mode -- could be so much more robust.

6) Recommends a longer development cycle rather than annual release. Has lost faith in developer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Segagendude


	Too long for me. On a side note, anyone else notice he looks and sounds like a young Herm Edwards? Lmao....

# 118 cusefan74 @ 02/24/14 12:41 PM

Just get into a good lobby of racers online, and we get one race in and BANG! The game freezes up. First time for this game having that problem. Thought they would have fixed that by now.

# 119 TCrouch @ 02/24/14 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cusefan74


	Thought they would have fixed that by now.

This is my motto for almost everything in ETX's NASCAR games. It's either that, or "gets worse the more you play it".

I'm seeing things this year that again aggravate me to no end. Most of the things complained about in this thread have been there since the first version.

# 120 OnlookerDelay @ 02/24/14 01:56 PM

I received my rental copy of the 360 version on Thursday and have had a chance to get in a little seat time with it. I'm using a Fanatec GT2 wheel with Club Sport Elite pedals. I was able to navigate through the career mode menu with, but I had to stop short of tailoring my car to do it. I just accepted the default and went on. There weren't any affordable upgrades to my default car so I went right into the opening week at Daytona with that.

I had already tried a practice race, using the default race tune, at Daytona using 85% AI, and they walked off and left me. I backed it down to 60% and that seemed to be a good fit for the default tune for me at Daytona. I qualified 30th for the 500 and pretty well held my position during my 20%race with 3X wear and gas multipliers. I was as high as 8th place and as low as 40th. I finished 32nd.

The driving and racing experience was more satisfying to me than IL, at least at Daytona. Yes, the AI drivers are more aggressive and will try to plow through you, but I was able to hold up pretty well. I can see where it would be more of a problem at speedway, where we're having to brake for the turns. All of the pitting seemed normal and orderly, in both the qualifying race and the full race.

My experience so far is a positive one, but I haven't tried the shorter races where a lot of people are identifying problems. I have a feeling my impressions will sour once I experience some of that. Game feels good with my Fanatec wheel though... even better than IL, so that's a plus!

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