Loving TOCA 2, all over again

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 3:48 pm

Boys:

I've found a lost love all over again, and the b*tch's name is TOCA 2.

I hadn't played much TOCA 2 offline or online since Moto GP 3 was released in the late summer and since I bought Forza again. After playing a lot of MGP 3 and realizing that the same sh*t that bothered me the first time with Forza still bothers me, I returned to TOCA 2 about a week or so ago.

It has been sheer bliss.

Lately I've been running long-ish races offline, at least 15 laps on longer circuits or 25+ laps on shorter circuits such as Brands, with great classes like Global GT Lights, Supercopas, Trans-Ams and Formula Fords. I'm running qualifying and pit stops. Massive fun.

I'm also going to do full-length, full-distance seasons in the two licensed classes, DTM and V8 Supercars.

Last night I popped in TOCA 2 for some XBL racing after our Flashpoint session, and there were three active rooms running. The best connection was a room filled with quality, clean racers. We ran in the category where you could choose between the Aston Martin DB7, the Jaguar XKR or the AC Cobra.

Man, the racing was insanely good. Clean, hard, ass-puckering stuff in every race. Inside-out moves, outbraking moves, drag races on straightaways -- absolutely cracking stuff.

TOCA 2 strikes the ultimate balance between racing, driving and setups. Real cars, real circuits, great AI, great driving model, functional damage model, great cockpit camera view. You can't ask for anything more.

The lesson I learned all over again is that TOCA 2 is the finest console racing game I've ever played.

Anyone still have this game and want to race sometime? It's $9.99 new at Toys 'R Us, by the way.

Take care,
PK

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:28 pm

Damn right! Still have it, won't get rid of it (wish it were back-compat).

ToCA2 still has it's flaws, namely the too-easy short-cuts through chicanes and long sweepers that require house rules to be agreed to and followed (stay on the black stuff), as well as the inconsistent collision detection. And of course, the lack of official penalizing of any kind for dirty driving (like corn-holing someone into the kitty-litter to make a pass, which IRL would result in some kind of stop-and-go or other penalty from on high), but you don't have to convince me how great the experience can be online and off. So many great, real-life circuits, so many different types of cars, what's not to love?

Nothing would please me more than to get back into some 1/2hr. long online races (with the mandatory pit-stop, of course) with a group of folks who are more interested in racing fairly than cutting chicanes and punting cars to win. I still want to do a DSP MLR Series in those XKRs. . . . Not to mention the never-even-considered Masters GP Series!!

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:41 pm

Zeppo wrote:Nothing would please me more than to get back into some 1/2hr. long online races (with the mandatory pit-stop, of course) with a group of folks who are more interested in racing fairly than cutting chicanes and punting cars to win. I still want to do a DSP MLR Series in those XKRs. . . . Not to mention the never-even-considered Masters GP Series!!

I'm all over that, Zep, whenever you want to start. There must be a few more cats around here who would like to do that!

Take care,
PK

Neckthai · Post by **Neckthai** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:13 pm

I can run last in either series

Blublub · Post by **Blublub** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:26 pm

Any of you guys tried the PSP version? It seems incredibly faithful to the original with only slightly reduced graphics. That said, I suck at it as much as I ever did with the Xbox version.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:28 pm

No PSP here. Sorry. Glad to hear it's a faithful version, though!

Take care,
PK

nyisles16 · Post by **nyisles16** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:30 am

$9.99 @ TRU?? nice.. i will pick it up this coming Tuesday then (possibly Monday if i feel adventureous)..

JOZ · Post by **JOZ** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:42 am

I've had the game for awhile, but have yet to get into it. I've had way too many other games to get through. I did fire it up though and noticed it suffered one of the problems many games do. Everything in the F'n game is locked. I paid $20 bucks for abouth $2.00 worth of game. Apparently just buying the game isn't enough.

After hearing the high praises though, I'll have to jump into it.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:49 am

JOZ wrote:I've had the game for awhile, but have yet to get into it. I've had way too many other games to get through. I did fire it up though and noticed it suffered one of the problems many games do. Everything in the F'n game is locked. I paid $20 bucks for abouth $2.00 worth of game. Apparently just buying the game isn't enough.

After hearing the high praises though, I'll have to jump into it.

JOZ:

Since Codemasters has the stupid policy of making you call a toll line to get codes, some enterprising hacker in computerland created a SUPERB TOCA 2 cheats generator. You can unlock all of the cars and tracks by using it.

PM me if you're interested in it!

Take care,
PK

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:53 am

Hmmm, $10? That's right around my price range

I have never even tried this game yet, but it has gotten a lot of praise pretty much everywhere.

My flashback game right now is Amped. My son and I were playing around with it last night. Once you re-learn the controls and get your timing back, this game is a blast.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:50 am

matthewk wrote:Hmmm, $10? That's right around my price range I have never even tried this game yet, but it has gotten a lot of praise pretty much everywhere.

My flashback game right now is Amped. My son and I were playing around with it last night. Once you re-learn the controls and get your timing back, this game is a blast.

Agreed on Amped. It's one of the "I need to pick that up again" cheapo titles.

I thought Amped was much better than Amped 2 despite the addition of XBL on Amped 2. The original Amped felt more like snowboarding, with more emphasis on open-mountain cruising and air tricks, while Amped 2 felt like Tony Hawk on snow with its excessive emphasis on grinding.

Now buy TOCA 2! Come on, do it!

Take care,
PK

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:14 pm

The DTMs in TOCA are one of my favorite pick-up-and-play racing fixes. Definitely try to get some nights going with this one again. After the holidays, I hope to be able to get online more often.

Has anyone pre-ordered from Codemasters directly before? I have a 10% off coupon + they have $5 off TOCA 3 for Code M members, so it is tempting to order from them. But this is one of the few "get it on day one" games for me, so I don't want to wait!

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:54 pm

Ah, the hell with PM's: Here's how to get the cheat generator for TOCA 2 codes if you want to get all of the cars and tracks without playing the Career mode.

>>>>>

It's about a three-minute process, so bear with me:

First, go to the Bonus or Options section of TOCA 2. You'll find a four-digit code for your game there.

Second, download the Cheat Generator file at the bottom of this page:

http://www.xboxmagonline.com/xbox/cheat ... iver2.html

Unzip the file, and run the cheatgen.exe file. When that file starts, punch in the four-digit code from your game and be sure to check the Cheats for Xbox Version box.

You'll see six sets of codes. The codes next to CHAMPS and XCHAMPS will open all tracks and cars.

Third, return to the Bonus or Options screen in TOCA 2 and enter those two codes. You need to activate those codes each time you start the game in your Xbox by going to the Bonus/Options screen and checking the boxes next to those two codes. That's a bummer, but it's a small price to pay to have every car and every track!

Write with any questions or comments. Enjoy.

<<<<<

And for those who abhor cheat codes, yeah, so do I. I did get to 98 percent in the Career mode in the first copy of TOCA 2 I bought. I stupidly sold it when Forza was released and repurchased it again about a month ago. I don't want to go through the Career mode all over again.

Plus I do subscribe to the theory that if you paid good bucks for a game, you should have access to everything right out of the box. Unlocking tracks and cars is a lot more palatable to me than using speed or damage cheats. I never would do that.

Merry Christmas,
PK

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:17 pm

pk500 wrote:Now buy TOCA 2! Come on, do it!

I'm making a run to TRU at lunch

Maybe I can get the version with Colin McRae included.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:16 pm

I still have it.
Ya guys ever do the 50 lapper at Bathurst I might fire up Xbox Live again.

JOZ · Post by **JOZ** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:10 pm

Thanks PK. I'll have to give that a try when I get home.

I just will never understand locking 80% percent of the game right off the bat. If a game is good, the player will keep playing. I see no need to entice someone by locking things. This why I thank God for the Action Replay. It is one of the best buys I've made for the good ol 'Box.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:58 pm

Agreed on all counts, JOZ.

But I waited about two years too long to finally get an Action Replay! I must use the thing damn near weekly now for updated NHL 2K6 and NFL 2K5 rosters, Operation Flashpoint missions, etc.

Take care,
PK

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:09 pm

Thanks for posting that PK. I've been wanting to drive the indy cars on Toca for as long as i can remember.

wabash97 · Post by **wabash97** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:18 pm

Dumb question:

When I try to run a full season of something, it seems I have to run all the races in one sitting, or I lose any data when I return to the game menus.

My guess is that I am missing something very simple that would allow me to save after each race. Can someone please point this out to me if it exists?

B

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:26 pm

pk500 wrote: I did get to 98 percent in the Career mode in the first copy of TOCA 2 I bought. I stupidly sold it when Forza was released and repurchased it again about a month ago. I don't want to go through the Career mode all over again.

Merry Christmas,
PK

Wait a minute: with the save on the HD, wouldn't you just pick up where you left off? It's not like these are cartridges which save onto the specific copy of the game. Or is there something specific about ToCA?

As to the code thing, I don't think it's nearly as big a deal as you guys make it out to be. Codemasters delivered the game at a lower than average price. If you want the code to open up everything, you can play them a measley $5 for the codes to do so, which would still make the cost of the game (at original retail price, not these 18-months-later cheapo-bin prices) less than the average game.

Now yeah, if the Codies didn't offer the code-for-cash deal, the locking stuff would be something to get bent out of shape about, I would agree. But since they offer that, and at what I think is a reasonable surcharge, I don't think it's a bad thing at all. For myself, I enjoyed playing through. And of course online, you can access whatever the host has opened up.

Wahtever, not a big deal either way. Just thought I'd chime in my $0.02!

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:31 pm

Zeppo wrote:Wait a minute: with the save on the HD, wouldn't you just pick up where you left off? It's not like these are cartridges which save onto the specific copy of the game. Or is there something specific about ToCA?

Nope. There's something very specific -- as in specifically missing -- about my brain that caused me to erase the save, thinking I wasn't going to play the game again!

Zeppo wrote:As to the code thing, I don't think it's nearly as big a deal as you guys make it out to be. Codemasters delivered the game at a lower than average price. If you want the code to open up everything, you can play them a measley $5 for the codes to do so, which would still make the cost of the game (at original retail price, not these 18-months-later cheapo-bin prices) less than the average game.

Now yeah, if the Codies didn't offer the code-for-cash deal, the locking stuff would be something to get bent out of shape about, I would agree. But since they offer that, and at what I think is a reasonable surcharge, I don't think it's a bad thing at all. For myself, I enjoyed playing through. And of course online, you can access whatever the host has opened up.

Wahtever, not a big deal either way. Just thought I'd chime in my $0.02!

You know my motto: If it's free, it's for me.

Take care,
PK

JOZ · Post by **JOZ** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 1:49 pm

Yes, but when a game advertises so many cars on so many tracks that's what you should get. It never says"3 cars with an extra 60 locked and 3 tracks with an extra 20 locked."

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 12:30 am

JOZ wrote:Yes, but when a game advertises so many cars on so many tracks that's what you should get. It never says"3 cars with an extra 60 locked and 3 tracks with an extra 20 locked."

Well, pay the extra $5 and it's all opened up with nothing locked. Counting the fact that even with that extra $5 the game as new on release day was still cheaper than most new releases by, like, $15 or so, and I don't see the issue.

Think of it like there are two copies on the shelf, one with everything unlocked, one that is $5 cheaper but you have to work through to unlock everything.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 1:00 am

Nah, you morally correct bastard: Just use the Cheat Code Generator.

Merry Christmas,
PK

nyisles16 · Post by **nyisles16** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 2:56 am

thanks pk for the find.. racing the big rigs is tough- specially on the braking & speeding up in turns

Digital Sportspage

Loving TOCA 2, all over again

Loving TOCA 2, all over again

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