Recommendations for PC noobs?

[TheDabbinDave]

I'd like to get my feet wet with a PC racer or two. I know iRacing is the best thing out there, but I'd like to not have a big commitment. What games would you guys suggest and why? Are add-on cars & tracks free?

 

[Bigbazz]

Depends if you want sim, semi sim or arcade type games. I'l list the ones i own that i think are great.

Sim

Rfactor - Millions of mods, some of them superb, some are meh. Great physics engine.
Live For Speed
NetKar - Great physics, but not a great game, only buy if you're looking for cheap hardcore open wheel racing, probably the best open wheel car physics.
iRacing - Expensive, online only, no single player but amazing physics and the best online racing by miles.
Richard Burns Rally - Best rally sim by miles, though an average game, the 2011 mod is fantastic, best offroad physics. It really is a blast.


Semi-Sim

Dirt 2 - Great fun, amazing graphics and sounds, good but forgiving physics, its not full on, you can get away with a bit. If you like rally i still think this is a must have.

F1 2010 - Good fun if you like F1, great graphics and sounds again, "OK" physics, they are a bit strange and definitely not proper simulation like, but the cars feel better than GT5's F1 cars.


Arcade - Test Drive Unlimited 2 - To be honest i dont have a lot to say about this game but the world is cool to explore and the single player game is pretty decent, its not on the top of my game list though, far from it.

 

[Syntax error]

Also worth checking out Simbin games. Race 07, GTR Evolution & Race On are all brilliant titles.

 

[Ibonibo]

Bigbazz gave a good list but forgot Simbin
Sim Bin is top.
IF you want a free try in Simbin games, download The BMW M3 challenge. It must be lurking somewhere on the internet. and it's FREE
Simbin also enjoys a big modder community which is always good

Also Shift with mods is pretty fun.

On the rally side, Burns is the way to go. get the 2010 mod and it's all good. There's also WRC 2010, but i was not too fond with it.

Also for newer itinerations, look out for GTR3, due out in summer (june presumably) and Rfactor 2 out when pigs fly. (it should be out this year, but i woudn't bet on it) and Shift 2 (very close to release)

Also TDU 1 is better driving wise than 2, and graphics are not hugely different. And you have on the arcade side also the whole NFS series.

 

[YiNG_YaNG_6o4]

Also worth checking out Simbin games. Race 07, GTR Evolution & Race On are all brilliant titles.

All great titles but I still think GTR2 was the best when it comes to SimBin. I had so much fun doing league races with GTR2. Too bad the servers are dead now. Be lucky to find 5 ppl to race with

 

[Bigbazz]

All great titles but I still think GTR2 was the best when it comes to SimBin. I had so much fun doing league races with GTR2. Too bad the servers are dead now. Be lucky to find 5 ppl to race with

Aye i forgot about GTR, i own GTR 2, its a great game no doubt, and as far as i know runs the same physics engine as Rfactor, though it does feel different and the FFB is different. Its a good racer, though after i purchased Rfactor i found myself playing GTR 2 less. Some point last year my G27 died and i started playing with a gamepad, during that time i played a lot of GTR2 (works nice with a pad too), but as soon as i got my new wheel i ended up back at Rfactor/iRacing.

If you can find it cheap its definitely one to add to the collection though, as are all the GTR series games from SinBin.

 

[TheDabbinDave]

I've been looking at GTR2 and GTR Evolution. There seems to be an issue with "Securom" being installed.

 

[gogatrs]

I definitely like the GTR mods, but can you do tracks?

 

[Ibonibo]

I've been looking at GTR2 and GTR Evolution. There seems to be an issue with "Securom" being installed.

Meaning?

I definitely like the GTR mods, but can you do tracks?

Meaning? Yes there are tracks the mods uploaded. I think if you install all track mods, you would have 150+ tracks

 

[TheDabbinDave]

Any sites in particular that have good mods for NR2003? For one, the sound in this game is terrible! Any mods for the 2011 NASCAR season? What about tracks?

 

[TheDabbinDave]

Found a problem with NR2003 & T500. I posted this on the Trustmaster T500 FaceBook page:


Papyrus' NASCAR 2003 for PC is not recognizing the wheel itself. Pedals are fine though. When at the steering setting of the calibration menu in the game, I am asked to turn the wheel to set axis. Nothing happens.

Race 07 & LFS see the wheel & pedals as expected.

What can be done to fix this?