NASCAR 08

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:16 pm

After trying the demo, I am now assured that I will not be playing this game. The thing looks great, sounds really good, the cockpit view is not as good as Dirt, but it's pretty damn cool, but since I don't have a wheel, playing the game is just way too uncomfortable. On Daytona, the speedway in the game, and at these demo settings, at least, I was flat out throughout, and my right hand just can't take it. The steering input is insanely touchy with the controller, though there may be adjustments available to fix that in the full game, but the full on trigger squeeze is just not possible for me. I wish there were a way to reverse the trigger, so that in the off position the throttle was full, and modulation of the trigger in would decrease the throttle. Then I could play the game, but without something absurd like that, I would need a wheel. Bad news about online play certainly doesn't help either, but even if this were the greatest online racer ever, I still wouldn't be able to handle it.

Nozzleman_216 · Post by **Nozzleman_216** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:42 pm

I hate to hear that as I think this is going to be a BLAST online. With that said, think you could handle the accelerator as the A button? Just set it that way for the Super Speedways. Always worked for me in the past for Ps2 NASCAR games. I am at work now so it will be tomorrow for some impressions, probably too late though as most people will already have made up their minds.

I am curious to see if we can play with the trucks online. Those and Martinsville would be fun as hell, lots of banging going one

Of course the cars will be fun there too, but there is just something about the trucks and short tracks that I love!

edit: One other thing I just thought of Zep, I used to play a lot of racing games using the right stick as the accelerator. That wouldn't be bad either. Hell, I am not even sure you can do that but I am just trying to come up with ways for you to play since this seems to be the only thing really holding you back at this time.

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 8:56 pm

I grabbed it and set the linearity and sensitivity to 100 immediately, and it feels pretty damn good. A little sloppy, but good nonetheless...especially for a console. It even pulls to the left on the wheel at a super speedway, which I didn't expect.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:25 pm

After playing the demo i'm going to buy it tomorrow. I like the way the game plays, major improvement but the game looks like crap. Once again EA takes the easy way out. Nascar 08 is nothing more than a Hi-Res version of the PS2/Xbox game thanks for trying EA.

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:30 pm

I thought it was fun, but the steering was making me mental. It also seemed very bare bones (the demo).

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:34 pm

Demo version.

Steering is a tad sensitive, but I find it manageable. I don't like the cockpit view that much, which is odd since that is how I normally race games.

Graphically it's barely passable as a "next-gen" title but that's not a huge concern for me.

Don't think I'll purchase it, but a rental is probably going to happen. (I'm trying out www.gameaccess.ca ... a canadian gamefly-type service, we'll see how that goes. When I tried it 1 year ago it was terrible, no game selection at all. Seems better now.)

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:48 pm

Zeppo wrote:After trying the demo, I am now assured that I will not be playing this game. The thing looks great, sounds really good, the cockpit view is not as good as Dirt, but it's pretty damn cool, but since I don't have a wheel, playing the game is just way too uncomfortable. On Daytona, the speedway in the game, and at these demo settings, at least, I was flat out throughout, and my right hand just can't take it. The steering input is insanely touchy with the controller, though there may be adjustments available to fix that in the full game, but the full on trigger squeeze is just not possible for me. I wish there were a way to reverse the trigger, so that in the off position the throttle was full, and modulation of the trigger in would decrease the throttle. Then I could play the game, but without something absurd like that, I would need a wheel. Bad news about online play certainly doesn't help either, but even if this were the greatest online racer ever, I still wouldn't be able to handle it.

I just think you're not giving it enough of a chance...

Nozzleman_216 · Post by **Nozzleman_216** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:53 pm

going back to Terry's post, I read some of the manual tonight at work and you can also adjust the linearity and sensitivity for the controller. Specifically it says to adjust lower for the controller, now it may be way too low in the demo thus the feeling you get with the sticks. Hope that helps someone, I know mine will be going to 100 for wheel use as soon as i get home in the morning.

As far as Zeps problem goes, its something you will have to find a work around for or just buy it and stick it out rubbing fenders with us

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:05 pm

According to someone at OS, OXM gave it an 8.0, and referred to it as "an honest-to-god simulation". That certainly sells it for me. Now to download the demo...

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:27 pm

tealboy03 wrote:According to someone at OS, OXM gave it an 8.0, and referred to it as "an honest-to-god simulation". That certainly sells it for me. Now to download the demo...

I was just about to post that Teal. The OXM gives it a nice review. However, it did mention it was very tough playing it with the controller, but that the game was worth getting a wheel for, if you didn't already have one. If you plan on not getting a wheel, that makes this game a tricky purchase decision.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:02 am

The sense of speed in the demo is poor...imho. That's the reason I won't be getting it.

nyisles16 · Post by **nyisles16** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:03 am

JackB1 wrote:
tealboy03 wrote:According to someone at OS, OXM gave it an 8.0, and referred to it as "an honest-to-god simulation". That certainly sells it for me. Now to download the demo...
I was just about to post that Teal. The OXM gives it a nice review. However, it did mention it was very tough playing it with the controller, but that the game was worth getting a wheel for, if you didn't already have one. If you plan on not getting a wheel, that makes this game a tricky purchase decision.

I am a "controller" racer, & have no problems (after adjusting the sliders) racing with it.. It isn't as "bad" as they make it out to be..

grtwhtsk · Post by **grtwhtsk** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:58 am

Anyone try it out on the PS3, and/or heard about any differences with the 360 version?

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:37 am

JRod wrote:The sense of speed in the demo is poor...imho. That's the reason I won't be getting it.

Interesting.. I actually thought that sense of speed was not bad. To each his own.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:57 am

nyisles16 wrote:
JackB1 wrote:
tealboy03 wrote:According to someone at OS, OXM gave it an 8.0, and referred to it as "an honest-to-god simulation". That certainly sells it for me. Now to download the demo...
I was just about to post that Teal. The OXM gives it a nice review. However, it did mention it was very tough playing it with the controller, but that the game was worth getting a wheel for, if you didn't already have one. If you plan on not getting a wheel, that makes this game a tricky purchase decision.
I am a "controller" racer, & have no problems (after adjusting the sliders) racing with it.. It isn't as "bad" as they make it out to be..

Good to hear. What are your settings?

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:20 am

Eh , the sense of speed is just fine. Older NASCAR games had pathetic speed simulation; this one doesn't. They don't run 400 mph, and there's no need for 'em to feel like they do.

Yeah, I may just invest in a wheel now, although I most likely won't drop 120 bucks on one. Might give the Logitech one a try. Anyone have that one, and care to give an impression to me?

greggsand · Post by **greggsand** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 12:44 pm

I found the 'hood cam' had the best sense of speed, but I kept scraping the d*mn wall.

Nozzleman_216 · Post by **Nozzleman_216** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:14 pm

tealboy03 wrote:Eh , the sense of speed is just fine. Older NASCAR games had pathetic speed simulation; this one doesn't. They don't run 400 mph, and there's no need for 'em to feel like they do.

Yeah, I may just invest in a wheel now, although I most likely won't drop 120 bucks on one. Might give the Logitech one a try. Anyone have that one, and care to give an impression to me?

Teal, I saw the Microsoft one yesterday at Gamecrazy (in Hollywood Video) for 99 bucks.

With that said I have the logitech wheel and HAD the MS wheel before it. Personally I REALLY like it. The force feedback is NOT what the MS wheel has but its NOT bad and it works for me. Actually I prefer the way it feels. I like the pedals better (especially the brake pedal) and to me the whole package just feels like it is made better. Also it mounts better (I am using a TableMate II) as there is no lap attachment thingy like the MS wheel.

I am not saying the MS wheel is bad, as a matter of fact it worked well but I just wasn't feeling it. Maybe I didn't give it the shot it deserved BUT so far I have no regrets.

Darkbandit · Post by **Darkbandit** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:34 pm

I changed the trim option in the game last night when I was having problems getting my controller figured and it helped a little bit by not having the car pull to the left. That being said, I most likely will wind up buying a wheel though because it seems like even with the trim increased and the linearity and responsiveness decreased, it still seems like all I can do is spin out in the middle of the corners.

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 1:43 pm

SEMINOLE wrote:
tealboy03 wrote:Eh , the sense of speed is just fine. Older NASCAR games had pathetic speed simulation; this one doesn't. They don't run 400 mph, and there's no need for 'em to feel like they do.

Yeah, I may just invest in a wheel now, although I most likely won't drop 120 bucks on one. Might give the Logitech one a try. Anyone have that one, and care to give an impression to me?
Teal, I saw the Microsoft one yesterday at Gamecrazy (in Hollywood Video) for 99 bucks.

With that said I have the logitech wheel and HAD the MS wheel before it. Personally I REALLY like it. The force feedback is NOT what the MS wheel has but its NOT bad and it works for me. Actually I prefer the way it feels. I like the pedals better (especially the brake pedal) and to me the whole package just feels like it is made better. Also it mounts better (I am using a TableMate II) as there is no lap attachment thingy like the MS wheel.

I am not saying the MS wheel is bad, as a matter of fact it worked well but I just wasn't feeling it. Maybe I didn't give it the shot it deserved BUT so far I have no regrets.

Cool, thanks. I'm heading out to get my copy of NASCAR now, and I'll probably look at the logitech...

Nozzleman_216 · Post by **Nozzleman_216** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 3:18 pm

Like I said, just don't expect too much from the FFB. You may or may not like that, personally I like it. If you get one, get it somewhere you can return it if need be. I just hate to be your deciding factor.

I set up a quick online match with Spanner today. We both suck but it was fun. There is practice and qualifying. You can actually run practice while waiting for others to join (pretty cool i think). A fair amount of options too.

The learning curve for me and this game is VERY HIGH. I am getting better but there is something about it that is hard as hell for me. Not sure if its my settings or what. I may just be going too fast, but earlier when I was being nice and smooth the AI was hammering me, and I don't mean bump drafting either, I was spun a few times.

wpw721 · Post by **wpw721** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:30 pm

Can any of you guys host? Lets set up a poker night.

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:51 pm

I can definitely host.

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:53 pm

I'm in the camp who only uses a controller for racing games. My controller settings are:

Linearity: 35
Response: 40

I've tested the Trucks at Las Vegas with these settings and it's like driving on rails.

The Cup cars also display good manners as well.

Darkbandit · Post by **Darkbandit** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 5:55 pm

Would you recommend buying one of the Microsoft wheels off ebay or would it be a better idea to buy it at a store or online? I have noticed that some of the sets on ebay don't have the PGR disc that has the drivers on it, but am wondering if games like Forza or Nascar require the drivers to work as well.