Why Grid Autosport is the best Codemasters game for some time.

[CardinalStorm]

Before I go on to explain why I believe Grid Autosport to be a very good game, I'd like to ask those of you who struggle to read for more than ten seconds to leave and not bother commenting on something you haven't read through; there will be no summary, or TL;DR insert for the impatient here. Like I tell my children, you can't have an opinion on something until you're fully informed. It's sad nowadays, many are fine with spending hours typing whinges and complaints on forums but can't be bothered to spend time reading. Although, considering the significant amount of complete and utter crap written in these boards, it's not entirely surprising that people have tired of reading others posts. But hey, this is the world we live in!

Anyway, I digress.......as usual....apologies if you're already losing your temper over my elaborate introduction.....please, calm down. You'll not do your blood pressure any good at all.

Assetto Corsa, arguably the best racing sim we have at present: very accurate car physics and outstanding "feel" to most of the cars. Your patience and persistence is rewarded with immense satisfaction when you shave yet another 100th off that Imola hotlap. Great stuff, but even the hardened AC fan would have to admit that the single player experience when racing in a pack is lacklustre at best. The AI, although much improved since their first outing, are simply there for the ride, not offering any real excitement to the race. I said to a friend yesterday: when I'm racing around AC with the AI, I feel like I'm doing my own thing, whilst they do theirs. Detached from the action is how I feel in AC single player races. I think it's an amazing sim, but if you want heart pounding, adrenalin fueled racing action, then you need to go online and accept the negatives that come with it.

Grid Autosport, NOT a sim, Codemasters never said it was. I've been playing Codemasters' stuff for almost 30 years, starting when the games were on a cassette, and none of their racers have been true sim. But, what Codemasters USED to offer was a flying by the seat of your pants experience. The original TOCA and McRae games offered this experience in abundance and, in my opinion, that experience stopped after TRD2 and Dirt2. That sense of being caught up in the action; being part of a pack of highly skilled racers; driving so close to line, but managing to escape those almost fatal crashes; experiencing pure exhilaration from each race.

Autosport has those moments, oh yes, and lots of them. Yesterday I was racing open wheelers around Sepang, only a 4-lap race. On the final lap I was in 2nd position, approaching the final corner I hit the brakes as late as I dared, in an attempt to pull up to the apex on the inside. The guy in 1st steered in slightly, causing me to tap his rear left tyre. We both accelerated out onto the final straight, I knew I'd lost that battle and would have to settle for 2nd place. I was amazed, when just 100yrds from the finishing line, I witnessed the same tyre I hit explode, rubber flying everywhere, followed by sparks. His car pulled to the right, stopping on the grass verge, I managed to pass by and took 1st. It made that race so exhilarating you'd be forgiven in thinking it was scripted. Even if it was, who cares? It made that one race the most exciting track experience I've had since playing against some of the world's best online racers many years ago.

Autosport does not offer a sim experience, it is not an AC competitor. The handling isn't real, but it lends well to the experience CM want you to have. It's all about the experience, experience, experience. It offers sheer fun, excitement and many, many WOW moments. Just like my races online used to have, but I don't need to contend with timewasters and the inevitable pile up at the first corner after spending 2 hours qualifying. Autosport offers what Codemasters use to give us with TRD and Dirt; breathtaking, heart pounding, simple fun and powerful experiences.

In my opinion, the best game Codemasters have made for some time.

Good on you, CM.

[Axe]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von CardinalStorm:

...just tell us the truth, Loore, are we likely to get them?

He has alluded to this in another thread. Only Loore can tell you which one.

[MancSoulja]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von CardinalStorm:

Yeah, I suspected the older consoles were the cause. Oh well, I can live without HD cockpits, not having them doesn't take anything away from the game itself.

Plus you can blame people like Android... Really why should Codemasters go out of there way to add PC specific features when 10, 20 maybe even 30% of the people who play it on the PC steal it? I know I certainty would not go out of my way

[SeriousSpy]

Ignore the troll, folks. Ignore the troll.

[MancSoulja]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Android Vageta:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von MancSoulja:

Plus you can blame people like Android... Really why should Codemasters go out of there way to add PC specific features when 10, 20 maybe even 30% of the people who play it on the PC steal it? I know I certainty would not go out of my way

Yep...that confirms it...you're a troll. That or someone of the "lower I.Q." variety.

I have a high enough IQ to be able to buy the things I play rather than steal them.. I also have a high enough IQ to understand that the last gen of consoles can only display a fixed amount of polygons, when you increase the amount used in things like vehicles and scenery, that leaves less for things like interiors...

[MancSoulja]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von CardinalStorm:

By what you say, we've already wasted our money. So you're a bit late in telling us.

Thank you for your time.

I haven't wasted my money. I paid £28 for GAS and i've already clocked up 60 hours... I haven't finished the SP nor touched the MP and i'm already at 50p per hour.. Thats a bargin in anyones book.

[Study Girl]

This Game is really fun, it has some of the elements of grid 1. The game is also slightly better than grid 2. But i still dont mind playing other racing games.

[[FTG] Becky]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von MancSoulja:

Plus you can blame people like Android... Really why should Codemasters go out of there way to add PC specific features when 10, 20 maybe even 30% of the people who play it on the PC steal it? I know I certainty would not go out of my way

yeah!!!!!!! stoopid pc gamerz stealz all the gaems! XBOX 4 LIEF!!!!!!!

[BearDownChicagoBearsHo]

yeah because its not like the pc sells less copies and has more and easier piracy.... oh wait... That's actually EXACTLY what happens.

[Roadster]

Could we get back to the original Idea of this Thread, which - for a change - stated the positive aspects of Grid Autosport?

I have buddies from old times, with whom i race in Autosport and i'm enjoying the hell out of it.
The reason why is simple. The best example was yesterday on Algarve, where i battled for 1st with a friend, driving 5 corners next to each other, battling it out wheel to wheel.

And this experience is something i crave for in online games, the excitement of an amazing fight with a driver, who has similar speed as yourself.

The game achieved its own aim, placing itself in the middle between sim and arcade racing. Its not as easy as arcade-racers while not beeing too difficult, which allows drivers to have good fights on tracks.

Of course there are some things i'm dissatisfied with, like the garage slots in MP and the Cockpit-View...but all in all i knew from pre/or reviews about the cockpit and did get the racing experience i have hoped for.

[CardinalStorm]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Roadster:

The best example was yesterday on Algarve, where i battled for 1st with a friend, driving 5 corners next to each other, battling it out wheel to wheel.

And this experience is something i crave for in online games, the excitement of an amazing fight with a driver, who has similar speed as yourself.

Yep, that's exactly why Grid Autosport (and CM games of yonder) is so good. It allows wheel to wheel action, because if you do tap each other in a touring car race, the game allows you to do so without either of you losing control and ending up sat at the side of the track.

I raced against my brother yesterday, we're pretty much equal in terms of skill/pace, and it was a sublime experience. It's very difficult to get that pure racing exhilaration elsewhere. And what's also great is that Grid Autosport can offer the same experience in it's single player races.

[CardinalStorm]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Called2Grace:

yeah!!!!!!! stoopid pc gamerz stealz all the gaems! XBOX 4 LIEF!!!!!!!

Haha, very good sweetie, very good. Hope you're well. :)

[Axe]

Fab game. My only gripe is that the single player AI in the (Touring Car) Career mode seem far less aggressive than the single player Party Mode Touring Car experiences.

I was playing around with a few other cars last night and in all the party mode races they all banged me off the track instead of the gentler barging in TC SP Career mode. Far more brutal when not in career.

[[FTG] Becky]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von CardinalStorm:

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Called2Grace:

yeah!!!!!!! stoopid pc gamerz stealz all the gaems! XBOX 4 LIEF!!!!!!!

Haha, very good sweetie, very good. Hope you're well. :)

I DEMEND YOU PC GAEMZ STOP STEELING!!!111

Actually yeah I'm alright. :)

Looks like this game gets a thumbs up from you. Which that being said, is certainly good news coming from someone who played dfuring the Speccy days. :)

[CardinalStorm]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Called2Grace:

....coming from someone who played dfuring the Speccy days. :)

I do hope you're not implying that I'm old.........

[Wedge598]

I pretty much agree with the OP. However, let's not forget that Assetto Corsa isn't a finished game yet and Kunos hasn't made any noise about what the Career mode will be like.

That said, I've always thought the Grid 1 career mode was hands down the best of any racing game. It comes the closest to simulating all aspects of a career and making you care more about where you finish and how fast you are.

So far Grid AS seems to offer the same kinds of thrills as Grid 1. I wish the Grid 1 cockpit was back and that the physics were a little less floaty but it is a fun game that does require some driving skill to accel (pun intented) at.