How would you grade Ferrari Challenge?

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How would you rate Ferrari Challenge out of 10?


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kekke2000

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kekke2000
Please include following elements in your calculations and please comment.

Excitement (The urge to go back and play more!)
Driving Experience (The feeling when you drive)
Contents (The amount of cars, tracks, races e.t.c... will you get tired of it?)


The reason i ask is that i'm a real Gran Turismo Fan without a game to play. GT4 worked for many years but since i've played HD Gran Turismos it feels weird to go back. Is Ferrari Challenge the solution?

I bought Ferrari Challenge (the old one) for PS2 and i played it a few days. Wasn't that exciting really.
 
If you like races longer than the ones you get in GT games, if you don't mind a game to have graphycs that are very good but not amazing like the ones in GT, if you like "racing" more than just "driving", if you like to spend endless hours working on your car's livery, if you like Ferrari cars, old and new, race and road ...



... buy it. It's the best offline racing game now available on the PS3. Online, I don't know, I have very litle experience from it (and the offline play is soooooo good).
 
Its a great game. I never had the old Ferrari game, so cant really compare them.

In my book this is the best driving game aviable on the PS3 atm.

Excitement. It havent left my PS3 since i got the game.

Driving Expirience. With all assist off its great the game is defenetly sim style, something are not as good as GT5 P, some are better.

Content. There is 22 cars and 15 tracks in the game you buy. But there will be donwloadebel content with more tracks and cars. You will have to buy this content if you want it. The game has 3 challenge modes where you drive a F430 in eather Italy, Europe, or america, on varius track. Then there is 22 Thropies races ( 1 for each car in the game) where you race 3 tracks and can unlock new cars. There is and arcade mode ( Not as in arcade handling crap, you can drive with all assist off here np ) here you race 4 tracks in a row and if you win you will open a new arcade mode with higher dificulti. Then there is time trials with all the diferent cars, and tracks and stuff like that.

There are some setup you can go into before you start a race. I havent really used any of this yet, but from the looks of it it is not as deep as GT.

The game also have a Vinyl editor where you can paint and vinyl your cars, if you are into that kind of stuff.

The graphics are not quitei as good as GT5 P. The cars are not as detailed. But the tracks are much better done. They dont have this sterile look as in Gt5 P. All in all id say the graphics are ok, but not really outstanding.

The game has a few problems from its start. The online part is a total mess, to a point where it is imposibel to fullfill a race, and the time trial boards are also messed up. there are also some isuses with forcefeedback, sound and some other minor stuff.

But there is a patch that is supposed to adress all of these isues coming out next week. Then we will finaly have a Sim style game on the PS3 where it will be posibel to have private races 👍

Anyway i think its a great game. You should buy it for its handling model. And judge the game for its own. It is not a better game than the full Gt5 will be, but its defenetly worth having if you are a sim fan, and want a game to spend your time with until the full GT5 is released.
 
Content. There is 22 cars and 15 tracks in the game you buy.


I'm almost sure that there are a lot more cars. You have:

- the F430 Chalenge as your first car,
- With it you unlock the first "Trophy" car (I think it's a 348)

- Then you have 21 cars unlocked in the Trophy section (one for each Trophy)


(that makes us already having 23 cars)



- And I'm sure that victory or podium in all other game modes (mainly Challenge mode) will unlock many other cars.

SO, I think the 50 cars info should be correct.
 
Its a great game. I never had the old Ferrari game, so cant really compare them.

In my book this is the best driving game aviable on the PS3 atm.

Excitement. It havent left my PS3 since i got the game.

Driving Expirience. With all assist off its great the game is defenetly sim style, something are not as good as GT5 P, some are better.

Content. There is 22 cars and 15 tracks in the game you buy. But there will be donwloadebel content with more tracks and cars. You will have to buy this content if you want it. The game has 3 challenge modes where you drive a F430 in eather Italy, Europe, or america, on varius track. Then there is 22 Thropies races ( 1 for each car in the game) where you race 3 tracks and can unlock new cars. There is and arcade mode ( Not as in arcade handling crap, you can drive with all assist off here np ) here you race 4 tracks in a row and if you win you will open a new arcade mode with higher dificulti. Then there is time trials with all the diferent cars, and tracks and stuff like that.

There are some setup you can go into before you start a race. I havent really used any of this yet, but from the looks of it it is not as deep as GT.

The game also have a Vinyl editor where you can paint and vinyl your cars, if you are into that kind of stuff.

The graphics are not quitei as good as GT5 P. The cars are not as detailed. But the tracks are much better done. They dont have this sterile look as in Gt5 P. All in all id say the graphics are ok, but not really outstanding.

The game has a few problems from its start. The online part is a total mess, to a point where it is imposibel to fullfill a race, and the time trial boards are also messed up. there are also some isuses with forcefeedback, sound and some other minor stuff.

But there is a patch that is supposed to adress all of these isues coming out next week. Then we will finaly have a Sim style game on the PS3 where it will be posibel to have private races 👍

Anyway i think its a great game. You should buy it for its handling model. And judge the game for its own. It is not a better game than the full Gt5 will be, but its defenetly worth having if you are a sim fan, and want a game to spend your time with until the full GT5 is released.

Thanks alot! When you put it that way... GT5 will be relased 2010 so I will have plenty of time... I gotta have something to do... I'll just order the game right now! :)
 
I'm almost sure that there are a lot more cars. You have:

- the F430 Chalenge as your first car,
- With it you unlock the first "Trophy" car (I think it's a 348)

- Then you have 21 cars unlocked in the Trophy section (one for each Trophy)


(that makes us already having 23 cars)



- And I'm sure that victory or podium in all other game modes (mainly Challenge mode) will unlock many other cars.

SO, I think the 50 cars info should be correct.

You are right there is only 21 thropies, because there isent one for the F430 since we already have that car from the start of the game.

However I dont think there are more than 22 cars. The 50 cars is what they plan to do with downloadebel content.

At least thats how I understood it, although I would be happy if I was wrong :)

There are more than 1 way to unlock a car. You can do it in trophie mode, or challenge mode, and I think arcade too ( I havent really been playing arcade mode). If you look in the unlock cars thread, you can see that some people got a car by doing a trophie, and other got the same car from challenge mode.

If you goto their website you can see wich cars are in the game now. and then there are some black fields where it says coming soon.

http://www.fc.system3.com/en/

Their website is not updated very often though. So maybe I misunderstood something.
 
I don't think the total car count will be 50. If S3 plans to release 5 cars every month, they'd be done in around 4 months.
The unlockable cars section on the website has room for 25 other cars, but I suppose it'll be more than that since 50 cars isn't anywhere near every ferrari ever made, that's closer to 200 different cars I believe (F1 cars not included)

So it'll take S3 at least 2 years to get the complete back catalogue in FC.
I guess what they mean by 50 cars is the 24 challenge cars and 22 bonus cars + some cars that haven't been found yet.
 
Ok, I checked the site. And I noticed this, last night I unlocked a car (F430 GT2) that isn't yet in the "unlockables".

So ... the site isn't updated.

I think my full reply about this should be written in a "car list" thread, so that's where I'm going now.





EDIT: I'm wrong, the F430 GT2 is on the site. But there's two cars that aren't there: F348 Berlinetta and F355 Berlinetta, already unlocked by players.
 
From my point of view, I think Ferrari Challenge is the best racing game on PS3 yet.
The handling is just amazing. You always want to go back and play that's one thing for sure and it'll keep you/us busy untill GT5 comes out along with GT5P.

Tracks and cars are just fine for now and each month you can always purschase more which is a good thing so that you don't get bored.

I'd give it 8/10 if not 9 after the patch.

Cheers :)
 
6/10 Without having done online so far

- Graphic-wise its good, although damage could have been done beter.
- Driving-wise at first its strange, but there is a very thin line between good cornering and bad cornering which is very good.
- Livery editor! Thats always nice. Still would be cool is more real sponsors would be in it.

- It has damage but not done very deeply.
- AI seems to be strange (good qwali, bad race!?).
- Not very addictive for some reason, GT5p i played for days and hours after each other, with Ferrari Challenge its just not like it.

So far i dont find it better then GT5p, not close to be honest. But maybe it will grow on me.

Edit: If im correct i just found out that 50% of the cars are all F430 :crazy: So only +/- 25 cars in the game, that 1/3 of GT5p. Very poor rating... And the DLC yeah like 1 euro a car nice ... NOT!
 
im waiting for this to be delivered... not actually due out in oz till end of next month... but got one off ebay.

From the sounds of it is has a mixed feeling about it..... im just hoping to be able to get some private lobbies going with my mates and get a league going. Thanks to all for the honest feedback.
 
Just to help keep them all together here is my review from the main thread (before we had a dedicated sub-forum).

OK here we go, I too have a copy and after spending around an hour with it here are my thoughts.

Presentation
The menu system is easy to navigate and looks reasonably polished, the options do take a short while to appear (in reality less then a second), it is noticeable, personally I don't find it an issue. Its not as 'next-gen' a menu screen as the likes of GT5:P and Grid, but its far better than the un-holy mess that was Enthusia. Certainly not work marking it down for.

A good range of options exist within the game itself, including a nice progression system that rewards certain activities with 'collectors cards', basically top trumps for Ferrari, one that I hope will get patched for the Trophy system. A mini game to play top trumps with them also exists within the game itself - one my 8 year old will love.


Sounds
The music varies a lot, most of it horrible, switching it off was one of the first things I did.

In-car sounds are good, with a nice shriek from the engine, a whine from the race transmission, over-run pops as you change down and a good thump as you shift as well.

The rest of the sounds are a bit of a mixed bag, some like the noise from rumble strips is done very well, others like the metal on metal sounds as you make contact as a bit weak.

General sound placement through 5.1 is very, very good, the one exception is when you use the rear view, as despite now looking right at the engine is eerily quiet.

Ignore the music and overall its very good.


Visuals
Let me get this straight from the outset, I was not expecting a GT5:P challenger here, but I have to say it doesn't look shabby at all. The basic colour palette is a bit bright are garish, but with brightness, contrast and gamma adjustments available it can be toned down.

Cars first then, the overall poly count is clearly down on GT5:P, but for the one car I drove it looked good both inside and out, both details and proportions of the cars look right.

Tracks next and I have to say this is the area that stands out, the track I spent the most time with was Monza and track detail is both accurate and good looking, road textures are well done as is the track furniture. Lighting is good and varies well over the track length, I have yet to try the rain effects, but from this starting point they should be good.

Overall the game appears to run at the claimed fixed 30fps and what is being output to my TV is 1080P, without a pixel count (which I'm not doing) I can't be 100% sure its not upscalled. However I quite frankly don't care, it looks more than good enough.

Replays look good as well, with the dynamic camera angles doing a far better job than the likes of FM2, but why can't they be saved?


Gameplay
OK now I have only had a short time with the game itself, but it looks like quite a range of modes, events, tracks and cars are available. The main core of it based around the three Challenge events themselves (Italy, Europe and America), and the event structure is exactly as it should be, with a qualifying session followed by two timed races. The races themselves are flagged and penalties do apply, at present these seem to be fairly done as well.

Set-up options are limited, but that is only to be expected, anyone who knows the series will be more than aware that the real events offer only limited set-up choices.

In all honesty more than enough content seems to be on offer here.


Handling
The big one.........

and its good. First out, my biggest fear that it was using a fixed rotation point is out of the window. With all the aids on you have an easy to drive racer with a strong arcade bias.

However switch the aids to a lower level (or off) and things start to look more promising. While I'm not yet (time will tell) ready to call it a sim, the handling model is surprisingly in-depth and detailed. Load transfer and how smoothly its done are more than present and correct, in fact smoothness can make the difference between making an apex and understeering into the gravel.

Yes that's right, UNDERSTEER, its nice to see a game that remembers such a thing exists, brake to late into a corner (particularly with ABS off or low) or turn in to hard or both and you will be greeted with understeer.

However the opposite is also true, get back on the power in anything other than a straight line with the aids low or off and the back will step out on you. Its progressive and easy to catch if you are smooth, but get the load shifting too quickly at speed and you can end up fish-tailing down the track and into the tyre wall.

Which leads me to damage, to be honest from what I have come across so far its pointless, minor cosmetic stuff is all you get, it certainly doesn't affect the outcome of a race.

I've not yet had a chance to try the on-line side of things, as PSN has been down for most of today (the one time it was on I was playing Buzz - but that is another thread).


The Final Score
So what would I give it and would I recommend it.

Well first off this is based on a limited time playing it (and please note I have not yet had a chance to play it with a wheel), but I have to say, yes I would recommend it. While not perfect, the core of the handling model does appear solid and a lot exists to do in here (if and its a bit if, you like Ferrari), some of the sounds are a bit off and the crash damage is pointless, but for me its certainly not enough to ruin it.

Very glad to have P/X's GRiD for it.

8/10


Regards

Scaff

I pretty much still stand by that original review, its certainly worth an 8/10, its a good solid Sim, with some minor presentation issues, but the important things for me, the physics engine, AI and tracks, have all been very well done.

Ta

Scaff
 
I've been playing the DS version at work, and I must say that it is possibly the best racing game on the handheld (having played pretty much all of them). The physics engine is similar to what was used in Race Driver - Create and Race, but cleaned up so cars have more weight to them. The graphics are better than any other racing game on the system (barring perhaps NFS Pro Street and Juiced), and they run at a swift 60FPS throughout (which Pro Street didn't manage, though Juiced did). The racing is close, and the AI is smart. It even uses the rumble pack!

I also like that when you switch cars in the game it changed what the dash and tachometer look like on the bottom screen to reflect what is seen in the real car, sorta like a DS alternative to a dashboard view (though honestly I like the way NFS Carbon did it a little more, this way is more authentic). And the War-like Card Battle bit is quite fun as well for a few minutes, not to mention informative.

My only real problem with it is that the collision detection is a bit spotty for a reason that is hard to describe. I also don't like how it still doesn't use the PSX style control scheme with the B-button being the throttle (the Y button being used for this cramps my hand after a couple of minutes), but no DS racing games (except Ridge Racer, which required a worse alternative for it to be done) have gotten this right so it gets a pass.
 
a very nice game which keeps me busy for many hours.
large diversion of cars, from road cars with 300hp to the 250 GTO and the FXX

driving experience is wonderfull :D

bad things:
no clutch support
no Formula 1 car
the sound when changing views (hopefully wil be fixed with upcomming patch
 
I'm struggling with it big time.
I've turned off all aids and still feel the handling is too floaty for my liking. I cannot feel the tyres well at all.

Then engine sound is only clearly audile during the cockpit view...every other view is WAY TOO BLOODY SOFT....so you go into cockpit view only to have to struggle with not being able to clearly see the speedometer.

For the first time ever, I have to depend on a racing line because I cannot see the corners well...I find the gfx very average and too much of a jaggy/pixelated look...

One thing they did good...UNDERSTEER.
The weight xfer is good.

Overall, I'm quite torn. I like the amount of tracks...I don't like the ingame menu....I'm trying to like it...but not clicking well with it.
 
I got the game today and i've been playing all day :) I like the handling actually, not Gran Turismo by far but it works. The graphics suck, the replays suck, the game menu is slow, the camera views are avarage, as SummAh77 said the sound of your car is soft outside cockpit. If you have the hood view and follow another car, you can only hear the car you're following.

But i do like the Tiff Needell Tutorial, best tutorial i've ever seen in a game i think. It's like he's sitting next to me.

Who wants to buy a Ferrari after playing this game? A regular 348 is rattling, squeaking, banging and throws fire.

But overall the game is fun, thats the most important thing.
 
As GT5P is not serving up any new tracks, I'm kind of desperate to get this game so as to be able to drive something other than Fuji, Suzuka & Daytona Road.

I'm still enjoying the variety of tracks offered by F1:CE & even though GT5P's graphics are superb on one level, they are rather bland - I like the richer color & lighting effects of F1:CE - it looks to me (from the videos I've seen) as though FC'c graphics are closer to F1:CE than GT5P.
 
I'm going to put the cat amoung the piegeons now, I've just updated GT5P with the new update and so had a good excuse to get back into the game, after a few races I got to grips with the handeling again and was enjoying the usual online races. But I now see some of the FC features which really do put it above GT5P and of course visa versa.The main thing for me has to be the AI, FC really dose leave GT standing in this respect, GT5 is good but is more subtle than FC's AI which can be quite agresive at times. The car control feels better on FC as well, positioning yourself with the throtle in a corner seems more intuitive in FC, GT5 feels more like your really on the edge all the time with no room for manouver. The other thing is the track surface, GT5 seems too smooth, where as FC's track surface is full of lumps and bumps making the car move around more. Of course GT5 scores huge on the graphics front and with the update the sounds are getting to be really good, but as a direct comparison I think FC edges it on the sound!
There is of course the huge fact that GT5 isn't the full game and that FC is cripled by it's as yet not working online mode. But if the patch comes through good then theres a new king of the hill, a bit scruffy looking but for giving you the feeling of being in a race it's the daddy.
OK I don't intend this to put peoples noses out of joint this is just my opinion, and I still love GT5P for it's multi model races online it just feels a little lacking in single player races and the online races are still a bit of a punt fest. If FC get the online asect working then it's game over till GT5 the full game.
 
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Ferrari Challenge is a mix of realism and arcade. Whilst there's many people saying it's a simulation, I'd say it can fell a little bit arcadey when you look at the presentation of the game.

In terms of handling, it's up to Gran Turismo standards and you'll feel all the wheelspin if you take a corner too wide, or understeer and oversteer. In many online and offiline races in Gran Turismo I have realised that it is pretty much simular to Ferrari Challenge.

I like how massive the game is- there's 2 races and an optional qualifying session and it's actually is quite challenging. I find myself losing time because of touching a small patch of grass, that's the way it should be.

Obviously there's then the Ferrari's- there's quite large selection. the main car is the F430 Challenge and racing that is a really nice addition to any racing game. There's classics and modern, all of them are unlockable, so only a few are available at the start. And there's credits like in many racing game. The graphics are average for a PlayStation 3 racing game and actually the tracks and cars are modelled very well. I have not played online yet...I'm hoping it isn't as buggy as the online races in many other games. Hopefully there's no ramming at all, either.

The noise of the Ferraris are a bit too soft and the noise of crashing isn't realistic...it's basically the noise of a person headbanging on a wall.

Ferrari Challenge is a really good game and it'll last you for ages...it's massive. Although there are quite a few flaws I like it.
 
I found GT5P a little clinical, sterile if you like compared with the roughness of FC, through all it's problems it just gives you that seat of your pants racing dirty and oil covered with all it's bugs it just gives you that exileration of racing where GT5p can sometimes feel like an exercise in brakes, apex throtle, repeat. Ok I'll stop now before the nigas are deployed LOl
 
It's been a while since I had the game and I must say, I've gotten very used to the game and I will say this much;

This is a GREAT RACING GAME.

Despite my initial dislikes about the sound, the presentation...I've come to love the handling. It's a very fine line between arcade and simulation. I drove with all aids off initially and was struggling abit due to the understeer (superbly done, wasn't expecting it).

Now, if only the gfx were alittle bit better, bumper cam a little bit higher...I cannot see the turns very well...I've had to leave the racing line and just improvise accordingly from experience.

Anyone has any idea where I can find the mp3 of the song played during the intro? Great piece of music.
 
I'm struggling with it big time.
I've turned off all aids and still feel the handling is too floaty for my liking. I cannot feel the tyres well at all.

Then engine sound is only clearly audile during the cockpit view...every other view is WAY TOO BLOODY SOFT....so you go into cockpit view only to have to struggle with not being able to clearly see the speedometer.

For the first time ever, I have to depend on a racing line because I cannot see the corners well...I find the gfx very average and too much of a jaggy/pixelated look...

One thing they did good...UNDERSTEER.
The weight xfer is good.

Overall, I'm quite torn. I like the amount of tracks...I don't like the ingame menu....I'm trying to like it...but not clicking well with it.

I don't think I have much to add to that.
My biggest grip is, when driving a Ferrari in GT5 and driving one here it feels so...strange in this game. I have a HARD time cornering, just because it feels like driving a truck (although I haven't driven one actually hehe) rather then driving a sportscar.
Do Ferrari cars have servo? Cause it sure doesn't feel like it. :sick:
 
It's been a while since I had the game and I must say, I've gotten very used to the game and I will say this much;

This is a GREAT RACING GAME.

Despite my initial dislikes about the sound, the presentation...I've come to love the handling. It's a very fine line between arcade and simulation. I drove with all aids off initially and was struggling abit due to the understeer (superbly done, wasn't expecting it).

Now, if only the gfx were alittle bit better, bumper cam a little bit higher...I cannot see the turns very well...I've had to leave the racing line and just improvise accordingly from experience.

Anyone has any idea where I can find the mp3 of the song played during the intro? Great piece of music.


yes what you say is so true, you just have to get used with the game then you'll love it, when the patch arriveres in 2 days the sound and online mode will be fixed and ferrari challenge deserves a 9/10 :D
 
IF this patch really solves:

- sound
- online play
- wheel force feedback

I expect to have great fun online with it. Currently I returned to GT5P but it gets old pretty quick, having just one or two tracks to have a good race.

I want to race you guys at SPA, Silverstone, Hockenheim, Montreal and Monza.

And I just love the "hell-of-a-track" that is Virginia (US), and the beautiful and fluid Mont Tremblant (Canada). Didn't know any of these tracks and they both are (because of different reasons) simply awesome.

btw, does anybody know if this is like TRD3, when you setup a room can you customize a full championship? I mean, pick the tracks, number of laps per race, Y/N to qualifying, Y/N to driving aids, etc? And does anybody know if the host can kick, ban (or both) any punter that gets in the room? And also set password sessions?

Oh ... and voice chat? That way you'll be able to hear just how bad my spoken english is

"Sorrrri, HERREVARD, I wos dixtrrakted bay qlundaikee end Hi heet yo ..." :lol:

If you can't translate that to proper english, then you won't be able to understand me speaking ... :sly:
 
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"Sorry hereward, I was distracted by .......... and I hit you" Whats qlundaikee? sounds danish to me but my danish is terrible in the writen word LOL in fact the original quote looks like my dyslexic scribleing before I try and get my spell checker to make it into english, maybe thats why I can understand it LOL
Voice coms are really good online with FC and yep you can change stuff in the lobby such as driver aids and even weather effects...Spa in the rain was a memorable online race over 10 mins, not so much out braking as out aquaplaning your oponent into a bend with some of the crziest tnk slaping moments as people try and get on the power to early and zig zag down the straight LOL As for doing a race series that can be aranged before hand or in the game lobby, prety sure it keeps track of peoples positions and points to give you a cumilate score over how ever many races the host dose. so in effect you can prety much keep going and adding races/tracks asyou go along. The lobby system is good it just dosn't like people joining it at the moment LOL
 
Currently I returned to GT5P but it gets old pretty quick, having just one or two tracks to have a good race.

You're right about that. I'm kind of kicking myself that I didn't pick up FC when I was in the UK a few weeks ago. Good graphics is nice, but not the most important thing, & the track selection is SO limited in GT5P it's definitely starting to get old. I wonder if the lack of new content for GT5P won't help give FC a boost in sales when it is released in North America?
 
Ahh Klodike eeeee, cheers LOL
I think the online problems have stalled FC a little but once the patch is out (and it works hopefully) then expectto see a strong comunity build around it, I would also image FC is going to really take of in the states. You just have to look past the graphics of FC, It's not that there bad just not as stunning as GT5p but the game is a gem underneath
 
I officially revise my grade of FC from 5 to 9/10. :)
Knowing there is a patch coming for FF and enjoying the game alot more now using the controller...

I just LOVE those engine sounds!! The farts, the screams, the brakes turning blood red in the replays, the tracks (SPA!! Yay!!)!

It's a game you can't just say: "I'll give this a try." You HAVE to spend a whole night alone with it, locked up in some dark room, getting your back and hands soaking wet from the adrenaline and you just know it's going to get faster and harder... in style.

I'm still remembering that GT5 promo vid a year or two ago, where they showed all the cars on some big parkinglot, recording the engine sounds... a whole team... of semi pro drivers/programmers.
This one has Ferrari's own blessing. "Pro" driver Senna, Tiff Needel, Ferrari engineers, you name it, they probably got it. Where GT5:P cars are just engine sounds for road approved sports cars (few exceptions like F1), these are THE cars from THE compagny. Blows my mind thinking about the fun they might have had.

I haven't been online yet, cause of the simple fact, right now i'm a greenie. :scared:
But if they keep supporting the game like they are now, we will be in one hell of a ride!!
 
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