mclaren777
Member
Greetings!
I have spent the past couple weeks compiling the information and images below to help would-be racers know what's out there. I know that many of you own nice steering wheels for console games like GT5/FM3 so this is your chance to put them to use in the world of PC racing sims. This thread will be frequently updated with news so make sure to subscribe and hopefully we can even organize some NeoGAF trackdays or races in the future.
Controller Options
Any USB gamepad will probably work, but you won't get the best experience without a proper steering wheel. Most games support the full Logitech range as well as hardware from Fanatec. Microsoft's official Xbox 360 wheel might work (I'm unsure about the current state of its drivers) but you'll need the wireless dongle before your computer will recognize it anyway. And please make sure to install the appropriate drivers for your Logitech/Fanatec wheen before using your wheels on the PC.
Logitech Drivers
Fanatec Drivers
System Requirements
Minimum and recommended specs will vary from game to game but most racing sims will run just fine on modest hardware, even this setup...
1.4 GHz processor
At least 512MB RAM
Windows XP, Vista, or 7
2GB of hard drive space
Geforce4 6600GT or Radeon X800
Richard Burns Rally
Website: [recently taken down]
Price: $9 @ Amazon
Demo: Yes, but force feedback doesn't work for some steering wheels
Description: Richard Burns Rally is the gold standard for rally games. Nothing else has ever come close to challenging it. In a lot of ways RBR is like Demon's Souls--it's incredibly demanding but also infinitely rewarding. When you screw up there's nobody to blame but yourself. RBR has been feverently supported by the modding community (RSRBR 2011) but I actually prefer the vanilla experience with a simple numeric pacenotes mod). Other useful tweaks: Link #1,Link #2
Youtube - Triplescreen Onboard
Youtube - RBR in Slow Motion
RSRBR 2012
rFactor
NeoGAF: rFactor thread
Website: http://www.rfactor.net/
Price: $20 physical, $40 digital
Demo: Yes, both an official 60-minute demo and the old beta that I've provided
Description: rFactor is the undisputed king of moddable PC sims and its engine is the foundation of all SimBin titles since GT Legends. rFactor's physics engine also underpins the simulators used by roughly half of the current F1 teams. The modding community has generated something like 1200+ tracks and 600+ cars and all of them are free to download.
rFactor Central - Database of Content
Youtube - Summary of Content
Youtube - Random Rally Action
Youtube - Z06 @ Nurburgring
rFactor 2
NeoGAF: rFactor 2 thread
Website: http://www.rfactor.net/
Price: $43.99 (includes 18 months of online multiplayer)
Demo: Planned for Summer 2012
Description: rFactor 2 is the successor to one of the most popular and prolific racing sims of all time. The heart of any good rFactor game is the physics engine and ISI has made some significant improvements for rFactor 2. This sim also revolutionizes the way community mods are handled, which should greatly enhance the multiplayer experience for everybody. rFactor 2 has one of the most accurate driving models on the market so it's worth buying if you enjoy racing cars in a realistic environment.
Youtube Two laps of Spa-Francorchamps in 1966
iRacing
NeoGAF: iRacing thread
Website: http://www.iracing.com/
Price: $12/month, $99/year, additional content costs extra
Demo: No, but free one-month subscriptions are easy to come by
Description: iRacing is basically an MMO racing sim and it has the most accurately modeled cars/tracks in the industry. The on-track competition is intense and it draws real racing drivers from all over the world (link). The pricing can be a little steep but it's far cheaper than your average trackday in a real car.
Youtube - Philip Island in a Radical SR8
Youtube - Infineon battle in V8 Supercars
Youtube - Skip Barber battle at Sebring
netKar Pro
Website: http://www.netkar-pro.com/
Price: 15/$22
Demo: Yes, one car and one track for unlimited time
Description: NKP is the fan-favorite indie game of racing sims. It's the creation of just one guy and it sports some of the best physics you'll find anywhere. It's incredibly demanding from a skill perspective and it unfortunately lacks AI of any kind, but I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good challenge.
Youtube - F1600 @ Crema
Youtube - Rainy Hillclimb
Youtube - Classic GT Action
Live for Speed
Website: http://www.lfs.net/
Price: £24/$39
Demo: Yes, three cars and one track for unlimited time
Description: LFS is one of the oldest racing sims on the market but it frequently gets patches to keep it up-to-date. It doesn't have the immense modding support of its peers, but many people really enjoy its application of force feedback. Definitely worth a look if you just want to have fun.
KartSim
Website: http://www.facebook.com/KartSim
Price: Unknown
Demo: Beta coming in February
Description: "KartSim will not be a toy game. It will be aimed at the hardcore end of the market as another tool for benchmarking/testing without the need for hours of real seat time. As a result KartSim will also draw in the hardcore sim racer. The PC version will be released first, but the game is Xbox 360 and PS3 ready so I'll be approaching publishers to get it out there. We'll be looking to release it on consoles within 6-12 months of shipping the PC version." -- The Developer
Project CARS
NeoGAF: Project CARS thread
Website: http://www.wmdportal.com/
Price: $14/10 for the entry-level package
Demo: Possibly at launch
Description: The guys who brought us NFS Shift are working on a community-funded racing sim. The studio is offering investment options that will fit any budged, starting out with a $14 option and ending with top-level commitment of $35000. All investors will get access to regular builds throughout the development process, though the level of investment will determine the amount of influence each member has. Project CARS uses the Shift 2 engine as a starting point but the team has added new modules including a new DirectX 11 renderer, a new physics engine, and new AI algorithms.
GTR3
Website: http://insider.simbin.com/
Price: Unknown
Demo: N/A
Description: We know very little at this point, but Simbin's next game is sure to impress. The Corvette C6.R GT2 and P4/5 Competizione have both been officially licensed and it looks like Suzuka will be in the game.
Assetto Corsa
NeoGAF: Assetto Corsa thread
Website: http://www.assettocorsa.info/
Price: Unknown
Demo: N/A
Description: Assetto Corsa is a new racing sim from the developer of netKar Pro and it's expected to be released near the end of 2012. It will include single player and multiplayer modes, officially licensed cars and tracks that are modeled using laser scanning technology, and a currently unknown level of mod support.
I have spent the past couple weeks compiling the information and images below to help would-be racers know what's out there. I know that many of you own nice steering wheels for console games like GT5/FM3 so this is your chance to put them to use in the world of PC racing sims. This thread will be frequently updated with news so make sure to subscribe and hopefully we can even organize some NeoGAF trackdays or races in the future.
Controller Options
Any USB gamepad will probably work, but you won't get the best experience without a proper steering wheel. Most games support the full Logitech range as well as hardware from Fanatec. Microsoft's official Xbox 360 wheel might work (I'm unsure about the current state of its drivers) but you'll need the wireless dongle before your computer will recognize it anyway. And please make sure to install the appropriate drivers for your Logitech/Fanatec wheen before using your wheels on the PC.
Logitech Drivers
Fanatec Drivers
System Requirements
Minimum and recommended specs will vary from game to game but most racing sims will run just fine on modest hardware, even this setup...
1.4 GHz processor
At least 512MB RAM
Windows XP, Vista, or 7
2GB of hard drive space
Geforce4 6600GT or Radeon X800
Richard Burns Rally
Website: [recently taken down]
Price: $9 @ Amazon
Demo: Yes, but force feedback doesn't work for some steering wheels
Description: Richard Burns Rally is the gold standard for rally games. Nothing else has ever come close to challenging it. In a lot of ways RBR is like Demon's Souls--it's incredibly demanding but also infinitely rewarding. When you screw up there's nobody to blame but yourself. RBR has been feverently supported by the modding community (RSRBR 2011) but I actually prefer the vanilla experience with a simple numeric pacenotes mod). Other useful tweaks: Link #1,Link #2
Youtube - Triplescreen Onboard
Youtube - RBR in Slow Motion
RSRBR 2012
rFactor
NeoGAF: rFactor thread
Website: http://www.rfactor.net/
Price: $20 physical, $40 digital
Demo: Yes, both an official 60-minute demo and the old beta that I've provided
Description: rFactor is the undisputed king of moddable PC sims and its engine is the foundation of all SimBin titles since GT Legends. rFactor's physics engine also underpins the simulators used by roughly half of the current F1 teams. The modding community has generated something like 1200+ tracks and 600+ cars and all of them are free to download.
rFactor Central - Database of Content
Youtube - Summary of Content
Youtube - Random Rally Action
Youtube - Z06 @ Nurburgring
rFactor 2
NeoGAF: rFactor 2 thread
Website: http://www.rfactor.net/
Price: $43.99 (includes 18 months of online multiplayer)
Demo: Planned for Summer 2012
Description: rFactor 2 is the successor to one of the most popular and prolific racing sims of all time. The heart of any good rFactor game is the physics engine and ISI has made some significant improvements for rFactor 2. This sim also revolutionizes the way community mods are handled, which should greatly enhance the multiplayer experience for everybody. rFactor 2 has one of the most accurate driving models on the market so it's worth buying if you enjoy racing cars in a realistic environment.
Youtube Two laps of Spa-Francorchamps in 1966
iRacing
NeoGAF: iRacing thread
Website: http://www.iracing.com/
Price: $12/month, $99/year, additional content costs extra
Demo: No, but free one-month subscriptions are easy to come by
Description: iRacing is basically an MMO racing sim and it has the most accurately modeled cars/tracks in the industry. The on-track competition is intense and it draws real racing drivers from all over the world (link). The pricing can be a little steep but it's far cheaper than your average trackday in a real car.
Youtube - Philip Island in a Radical SR8
Youtube - Infineon battle in V8 Supercars
Youtube - Skip Barber battle at Sebring
netKar Pro
Website: http://www.netkar-pro.com/
Price: 15/$22
Demo: Yes, one car and one track for unlimited time
Description: NKP is the fan-favorite indie game of racing sims. It's the creation of just one guy and it sports some of the best physics you'll find anywhere. It's incredibly demanding from a skill perspective and it unfortunately lacks AI of any kind, but I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a good challenge.
Youtube - F1600 @ Crema
Youtube - Rainy Hillclimb
Youtube - Classic GT Action
Live for Speed
Website: http://www.lfs.net/
Price: £24/$39
Demo: Yes, three cars and one track for unlimited time
Description: LFS is one of the oldest racing sims on the market but it frequently gets patches to keep it up-to-date. It doesn't have the immense modding support of its peers, but many people really enjoy its application of force feedback. Definitely worth a look if you just want to have fun.
KartSim
Website: http://www.facebook.com/KartSim
Price: Unknown
Demo: Beta coming in February
Description: "KartSim will not be a toy game. It will be aimed at the hardcore end of the market as another tool for benchmarking/testing without the need for hours of real seat time. As a result KartSim will also draw in the hardcore sim racer. The PC version will be released first, but the game is Xbox 360 and PS3 ready so I'll be approaching publishers to get it out there. We'll be looking to release it on consoles within 6-12 months of shipping the PC version." -- The Developer
Project CARS
NeoGAF: Project CARS thread
Website: http://www.wmdportal.com/
Price: $14/10 for the entry-level package
Demo: Possibly at launch
Description: The guys who brought us NFS Shift are working on a community-funded racing sim. The studio is offering investment options that will fit any budged, starting out with a $14 option and ending with top-level commitment of $35000. All investors will get access to regular builds throughout the development process, though the level of investment will determine the amount of influence each member has. Project CARS uses the Shift 2 engine as a starting point but the team has added new modules including a new DirectX 11 renderer, a new physics engine, and new AI algorithms.
GTR3
Website: http://insider.simbin.com/
Price: Unknown
Demo: N/A
Description: We know very little at this point, but Simbin's next game is sure to impress. The Corvette C6.R GT2 and P4/5 Competizione have both been officially licensed and it looks like Suzuka will be in the game.
Assetto Corsa
NeoGAF: Assetto Corsa thread
Website: http://www.assettocorsa.info/
Price: Unknown
Demo: N/A
Description: Assetto Corsa is a new racing sim from the developer of netKar Pro and it's expected to be released near the end of 2012. It will include single player and multiplayer modes, officially licensed cars and tracks that are modeled using laser scanning technology, and a currently unknown level of mod support.
