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F1 2012 |OT| 2011 + 1

I would find it hard to believe if they were responsible for something like the handling model. If it's just Champions Mode etc I'd have no problem with it. If it was more than that it would be pretty shitty...

But of course, if Codemasters themselves fucked it up it would be equally shitty. I'm just wondering why the wheel experience would be so bad this year!

Goddamn I wish I could play this for myself. The worst part is the PC demo probably won't hit until 6pm tomorrow...
 
Well, with no PC demo yet I had to try the PS3 version instead.

In the graphics department (and I'm talking about the shitty PS3 version), there are improvements. I could notice more details here and there and the new menus are pretty. The music sometimes reminded me of Batman Arkham City for no reason.

Hated the braking distance. I could say it's almost doubled when compared to 2011. I don't know why they did this, but the way it is it would take FOREVER to slow down the car. I'll try it again after my PS3 updates (yay, another firmware update), but I think no configuration in this world could fix the braking distance to the level it used to be in 2011.

Also, I think the "tap the brake to stop spinning" thing is back. And the "touch this or that curb and start spinning like hell" as well. I touched the tip of the curb right at the first S on Monza and started spinning, but I don't know if it was already this way or if the infamous bug is back. I could be a shitty pilot too, I don't discard that possibility lol

The KERS sound, as already pointed out, is really different this time. I'd like to know how the real thing is, but I think it was better in 2011. But I'm probably nitpicking.

The car is much harder to keep on track, specially after you exit a curve. It seemed to me, sometimes, that the car had no weight. Really weird, but I don't know if I'll be able to explain it in a better way because english is not my primary language.

I'd love to try the PC demo to see this game running at 60fps, but it seems Steam is trolling us all. Oh, well.
 

stupid_dad

Neo Member
Played the ps3 demo

So many menus.....just wanted to race and had to do the young driver shit

Also graphics looked worse to me than last year
 
Reading this thread

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I was seriously thinking about getting it this year, too. If for nothing else to show at least some Americans will buy these games. Guess I'll stick with good old F1 CE.
 
I've just read Foliorum's impressions and man... What a sad read :( I play using a controller and couldn't test the PC demo yet, but I know how you feel. If playing with a controller already had felt like the car was flying, I cannot imagine what it's like when playing using a wheel.

Let's hope all this negativeness about the demo can teach Codemasters a lesson and maybe, just maybe, make them work until launch day to fix those issues.
 

TJP

Member
I played F1 2010 on the Xbox and enjoyed it for what is was, skipped F1 2011 because of the issues and was keen to try F1 2012 as the previews have been very positive.

Thoughts: car understeers like crazy. F1 2012 looks good - perhaps I'm spoilt by CARS but I was expecting mindblowing graphics. Sounds on the other hand are indeed great. Most important are the physics and F1 2012 appear to be okay with both my G27 and Xbox 360 controller. I look forward to reading what others think but this will be a Steam sale buy for me.
 
Just gonna repost what I'm doing at the moment:

So there's 4 dry setups for the Williams. It starts in the middle and goes over to the far right. I've just given them all a go and all of them, whilst pretty awful, do change the steering quite a lot. Some go from extreme understeer to just a bit of a pain in the arse.

The only issue is I can't tweak the McLaren at all so I can't really compare to a top end car.

If the setup is the source of the horrendous understeer, I'm baffled as to why Codemasters would think this reflects well for their game. It's like trying to turn a bus in the tighter corners.

So far, in the Williams, the brake bias doesn't seem to be doing much. I've read up on how it works so I think I'm using it correctly, but flicking it around for certain corners doesn't help the car slow down much. There's no skill to the braking - you slam on and wait for it to grind to a slow enough speed. It doesn't feel like I'm actually braking in a car.

It's pretty lame I have to try and do these tests. Why not just give us the ability to make a setup, flick on the engine mapping and change whatever we want? Limiting us in a demo only makes the product seem worse than it might be.

On the plus side, I am seeing a slight light at the end of the tunnel. I'm not buying it still, but if people report back on day 1 a good setup fixes the game, I'm down with that. I'd take a bad demo leaving a bad first impression over the game just being rubbish.
 

NHale

Member
Very sad to see people are feeling the same thing with the PC demo. I had hopes that the PS3 version was broken but now that hope went away.

So there's 4 dry setups for the Williams. It starts in the middle and goes over to the far right. I've just given them all a go and all of them, whilst pretty awful, do change the steering quite a lot. Some go from extreme understeer to just a bit of a pain in the arse.

This reminds me so much of people trying to save SHIFT/SHIFT2 from the shitty handling. I'm not convinced we can fix every problem with the handling just with setups because there is some underlying problem with the handling/physics this year. And even if it works at Monza there is no guarantee setups will fix it at Monaco. Can you imagine driving Monaco with massive unexplained understeer in every corner?

The thing is, you know this game is going to be praised to high heaven in the gaming media.

Of course it will. It has "new" features, it has a fancy tutorial explaining some basic concepts, it drives better with the controller and it was marketed towards the American crowd where most reviewers live...

The game feels like it was focus tested to get a great metacritic score instead of being a great racing game.
 

Jucksalbe

Banned
Is it just me or does this look worse than F1 2010 (PS3 version)? Maybe I should play 2010 again.

Anyway after trying the demo, I will probably cancel my preorder. It's really bad. You can tell that they looked for certain other games "for inspiration", but they failed so hard at everything they did, it really hurts. Not going to pay full price for this. Maybe I'll buy it once it becomes cheaper and got its first few patches.
 

Mad_Ban

Member
Well this is very encouraging to read :/ but I'm glad to see my impressions weren't off and that the issues persist from wheel to pad.

2011 anyone...? I don't think you'll be able to dial out the understeer as it seems it's engrained in the handling model, and surely tyre sim would exacerbate the problem rather than fix it?
 

NHale

Member
The best comment I saw on Codemasters foruns: It feels like I'm aquaplanning in the middle of the corner but the track is dry.

Is it just me or does this look worse than F1 2010 (PS3 version)? Maybe I should play 2010 again.

Anyway after trying the demo, I will probably cancel my preorder. It's really bad. You can tell that they looked for certain other games "for inspiration", but they failed so hard at everything they did, it really hurts. Not going to pay full price for this. Maybe I'll buy it once it becomes cheaper and got its first few patches.

You really should play F1 2010 again. If you drive at Abu Dhabi, the massive amount of piss filter alone makes F1 2010 a lot uglier than F1 2012. However the piss filter is very effective hiding the aliasing.

Well this is very encouraging to read :/ but I'm glad to see my impressions weren't off and that the issues persist from wheel to pad.

2011 anyone...? I don't think you'll be able to dial out the understeer as it seems it's engrained in the handling model, and surely tyre sim would exacerbate the problem rather than fix it?

Who knows? Codemasters clearly weren't following logic while developing the handling model for F1 2012, so maybe tyre wear will fix understeer. Right now, I wouldn't be surprised if driving on reverse was faster.
 

Dilly

Banned
I really don't think the handling is that worse compared to last year, which also had it's share of problems.

I always use the low downforce setup in this game and I have no problems with understeer. The only thing that doesn't feel right for me are the brakes, brake points in this game are further away from the apex than in real life.
 

Jucksalbe

Banned
You really should play F1 2010 again. If you drive at Abu Dhabi, the massive amount of piss filter alone makes F1 2010 a lot uglier than F1 2012. However the piss filter is very effective hiding the aliasing.

You're right, I forgot about the piss filter. Oh well, the graphics aren't really my main concern here anyway.
 

Staab

Member
Downloading demo... ~_~

edit - btw, for those with XP, tough luck. F1 2012 requires DX11.
It requires DX10 actually, not DX11, saw an option in the config file to force DX10.
Not that it changes anything in regards to Windows XP though!

The PC demo has more options than the console version it seems, you can set it to full simulation and expert mode (above hard).
I also found a way to play through a race in abu-dhabi with the benchmark mode, going to upload the video on youtube.
 

Mad_Ban

Member
The PC demo has more options than the console version it seems, you can set it to full simulation and expert mode (above hard).
I also found a way to play through a race in abu-dhabi with the benchmark mode, going to upload the video on youtube.
So you can out fuel and tyre sim on...? What are the differences, if so, like?
 
Downloaded the 360 demo and got so frustrated with the 'young driver test' ended up rage quitting... unskippable voice overs and cut scenes every time I want to retry one of the sections...? Come on Codies...

The last two have been day one purchases, but I learnt my lesson after the reskinning that was 2011. This demo has just reaffirmed it.

Can't believe the series has become so by the numbers already, and we're only in the third year!
 
Maybe Codemasters let GOBO develop this one, because they're too busy working on the next-gen version of F1 2013. You know, with a new engine and physics and ... ugh, who am I kidding.
 

amar212

Member
Maybe Codemasters let GOBO develop this one, because they're too busy working on the next-gen version of F1 2013. You know, with a new engine and physics and ... ugh, who am I kidding.

Well, to be honest, they have many things to develop really. And they are also probably in some problems with staff since Playground Games "thingie".

There is F1 Race Stars, GRID 2, probable new Dirt, they were working on F1 Online and not to forget complete development of the RaceNet™ and coding for it that probably takes place for all current and future titles as we speak.

Not to mention actual profitability of having first-tier team developing something. If I recall well - and my bookmarks does recall - the cost of license when Sony decided it was not worth it was 15 million $ annually. You have to somehow make a revenue for that kind of pre-investment you have to cash to Bernie every year. And not to forget, they also renewed the license for few more years (this article also reveals interestng fact how F1 2010 sold 2.5m copies and iit was the best-selling third-party racing game of the year 2011).

And there is iOS probably and next-gen around the corner.

Plenty things to work on.
 

Lucius86

Banned
My initial thoughts is that the braking is WAY WAY off, and that there is a lot of understeer. But I need to give proper thoughts on it later on tonight when I can give it more time to understand.
 

Jibbed

Member
My initial thoughts is that the braking is WAY WAY off, and that there is a lot of understeer. But I need to give proper thoughts on it later on tonight when I can give it more time to understand.

I refuse to believe they could've fucked up the handling so badly, not cancelling my preorder.

The full simulation settings must not be in place... understeer and brakes that refuse to lock are usually the typical beginner handling gimps.
 

Bluforce

Member
On PS3 graphics is really awful.

And gameplay is so much worse than I expected.

Codemasters, maybe was better not to put any demo, as in previous years.
 
How disappointing to read these impressions. I have 2010 and play it regularly still. Skipped 2011 because I usually buy sports games every other year and really was looking forward to 2012. Now I dont think I'll be picking this up.

Should I just get 2011? Is the only main difference between 2010 and 2011 the addition of KERS, safety car, and DRS?
 

Staab

Member
Eh, just tried it out, the handling is not that bad, yes it understeers in low speed corners but that's intentional from what they said in the developer diaries and you do get used to it.
Besides changing the setup makes a huge difference so I wouldn't be too worried.

The braking I don't like so much either, you do have to brake quite a bit earlier which seems unrealistic but it's not that bad.

Here are the benchmark videos with max settings @ 720p and tweaked ini (on PC):
Monza - heavy rain
Abu-Dhabi - light rain (the car bugs out slightly in benchmark mode here, not intended to be ran there though !)
 

kharma45

Member
Just tried the PC demo, I wonder if part of it is the fact we can't override the in-game wheel settings in the demo.

Anyway, recorded my first go and I'll get it uploaded soon.
 

Mad_Ban

Member
How disappointing to read these impressions. I have 2010 and play it regularly still. Skipped 2011 because I usually buy sports games every other year and really was looking forward to 2012. Now I dont think I'll be picking this up.

Should I just get 2011? Is the only main difference between 2010 and 2011 the addition of KERS, safety car, and DRS?

The handling is a lot better in 2011.
 

Mad_Ban

Member
The PC demo has more options than the console version it seems, you can set it to full simulation and expert mode (above hard).

Do you mean full simulation as in damage, or tyre + fuel simulation? If it's the latter, how did you do this?
 

Jibbed

Member
For any DFGT owners... everything set at 0%, with linearity at 70%.

That gives me 1:1, assuming you're on default settings with 900deg lock on the Logitech Profiler.
 

nan0

Member
Just tried the PC demo, I wonder if part of it is the fact we can't override the in-game wheel settings in the demo.

You have to set the controlling method to "Custom", then you can change them.

I honestly don't find the demo that bad. I play with the 360 controller on PC and found the handling model enjoyable. The graphics seem a bit bland, but I guess I have to tinker with the settings a bit. However I still wait for the AI behaviour in the final release, I like racing against AI more than endless Time Trial against the clock only.
 
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