Wii and DS owners: Indy 500 Legends ships next week

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:03 pm

Boys:

Just a head's up that Indianapolis 500 Legends ships Dec. 19 for the Wii and DS. It's a racing game featuring the Indianapolis 500 from the early 60s to the early 70s, when the race saw some of its most radical changes.

The race evolved from front-engine, wingless roadsters to rear-engine, winged formula cars in less than 10 years. Some of the great names of the 500 also debuted or came to the fore during this period, including Foyt, Andretti, Rutherford and the Unsers.

I had a chance to see an early build of this game in action last May at IMS, and it's pretty cool. Don't expect Grand Prix Legends or Forza, but it's more realistic than Ridge Racer. The minigames are quite fun with the Wii, too!

It's a fun, accessible racing game with pretty painstaking accuracy for the look and feel of the cars and the Speedway in the 60s.

http://www.indy500legends.com/

I also should have screens and a trailer up as the lead on indianapolismotorspeedway.com and indy500.com within an hour or so.

Pimpingly yours,
PK

WillHunting · Post by **WillHunting** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:05 pm

PK,

Did you get a chance to try the Wii version out with the Wiimote. I am afraid that the wiimote control won't be very good, but I guess if we can use the classic controller/Wavebird, then it would be a moot point.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:10 pm

WillHunting wrote:PK,

Did you get a chance to try the Wii version out with the Wiimote. I am afraid that the wiimote control won't be very good, but I guess if we can use the classic controller/Wavebird, then it would be a moot point.

I did not. But a work colleague who is a Nintendomaniac did, and he was impressed. Not incredibly precise, but not sloppy, either.

This was an early build, for the record. It was May.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:38 pm

Screens and trailer are live now at www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com or www.indy500.com.

Thanks,
PK

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:38 am

Though I think this game is priced maybe $10 or $20 too high, I'm actually getting a surprising amount of enjoyment out of this game.

Though I don't know how sim you can call a game that doesn't have an analog throttle and has you whacking off tire caps using hammering motions with the wiimote, I was pleasantly surprised how well the developers made the actually driving feel using tilt controls. It's no where near the crazy looseness of something like Excite Truck, and I didn't do any of the careening back and forth that I almost always have to get used to in other Wii racing titles. You have a good feel for your tires on the track, and it doesn't feel floaty as some other Wii racers. View controls are mapped to the dpad, and overall -since I normally race auto transmission...there is NO manual- I really didn't feel like I was missing much in the controls. The game shows that sim leaning games can be done on the platform.

The driving is a mix of sim and arcade. There is a drafting 'slingshot' technique that is certainly arcade...you wait for the draft indicator to change color and then you use the trigger to boost past an opponent, but it is at least handled in a way that forces you to use it somewhat tactically. Try to boost around a corner and you'll be off the track, and if you do it too early on a straightaway you won't get the 'oompf' to overtake. The impact of careful throttle control is obviously decreased, since you are working with a digital control here, but you do have to pay attention to running smooth lines and hitting your turns. You won't usually feel yourself coming loose -though this is more of a worry depending on what driver and car you select- but you will lose time to the CPU opponents if you manhandle through all of the corners. There are collisions that can cause you to lose wheels or sustain engine damage, and trying to drive through some of the full grid wipeouts is a blast. The full grid on the track is easily what makes the game for me.

Mission mode is one of the game's two main modes, and this selection sees you taking the role of one of three selected drivers for each of the Indy years the game covers, and then navigating through challenges faced by the drivers in that year's race. You might have to match a qualifying time, beat a certain pair of rivals to a certain lap during a five lap segment of the race, weave your way through a nasty collision, make a fast pit stop etc. There are even some cool situations like having to hold onto first place for the last seven laps of the race with no breaks, or having to make your way to first in the last three laps with really worn tires. These challenges are actually pretty fun, though you'd probably have to ask someone like PK if the situations are really accurate. The developers certainly seem to have done their homework, though, as there is lots of info given about the selected drivers and race events for each of the presented race years. In any event, these missions serve to give you what feels like 'real' race action in short, manageable snippets.

The games other main mode is simply the race itself. You can set up an Indy event from 10 to 200 laps, and run it from qualifying to the checkered flag. The GREAT thing about this mode is that the game autosaves after every lap, and you can rejoin races in progress, allowing you to run a full race over multiple sessions. You can race in this mode using whatever cars, years, and drivers you have unlocked in the mission mode, and I have already noticed quite a variance in difficulty depending on who you select. Unfortunately, there is no easy way of determining how good a driver/car is (no stats listed or anything) except for making inferences based on the info given to you in the race and driver histories. So it may take some trial and error for you to find the driver/car combo that gives you the difficulty you are looking for.

The game’s difficulty, though, is right now the only thing that is keeping me from making this a whole-hearted recommendation. Though the difficulty can be there while doing some of the missions in mission mode (some accident dodging ones saw me make double-digit attempts), I worry about the main racing mode. With all driving assists off, I was able to go from last to first in a single 10 lap race on the second try. Some drivers you select make things very easy on you, and I only consider myself an average to maybe average-plus videogame driver. On the other hand, some driver selections definitely make things more difficult for you as you tend to get loose more, or have a lower top speed, etc, and I *believe* (but I am not yet sure) that you can’t advance through the pack so easily when you run longer races…the cpu might somehow take into account the short length of the race and give you more power for the short ones, as I’ve done a couple of longer races (in the middle of an 100 lap one now) and I haven’t had nearly the same success. That said, though, I think I need more time with the game to see if it remains challenging enough to keep receiving playtime. I could see it going either way at this point.

At any rate, thanks to PK and (earlier) Pigpen for putting this on my radar. All things considered, it has been a pleasant surprise!

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 12:10 pm

Glad you're digging it, Web.

I probably didn't make it very clear in my pimp that this was not designed to be a sim. It was designed for general "access," with an arcadish driving model that's not too over the top.

The sim portion of the game came more in the developers' attention to detail for creating an atmosphere of IMS during the 60s. The in-game graphics, the position of the trees in the infield, the music, the car models, the buildings around the facility -- they're all pretty dead-nuts realistic.

But the game is designed to be a fun, Wii-style game. The developers never intended to bring the Grand Prix Legends of Indy or the Gasoline Alley mod for rFactor to the Wii. The game still has a very Wii vibe.

Glad you're enjoying it! Appreciate the detailed feedback.

P.S.: The race auto-saving after each lap is a very cool feature, especially if you want to run the full race in more than one sitting. Didn't know about that one!

Thanks,
PK

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 12:15 pm

No, I didn't expect it to be that 'sim' at all, actually, but ended up surprised at how much it ended up leaning that way!

I think they did a good job with it.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 12:20 pm

Cool!

Take care,
PK

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 12:28 pm

It's a real shame that this game is getting NO coverage at all. Sure, it released at a busy time and it's admittedly a strange combo...a more 'realistic' racing game that treasures the history of the sixties and released on the WII of all things...but it's got enough gameplay teeth to be reviewed at least, IMO...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 1:31 pm

webdanzer wrote:It's a real shame that this game is getting NO coverage at all. Sure, it released at a busy time and it's admittedly a strange combo...a more 'realistic' racing game that treasures the history of the sixties and released on the WII of all things...but it's got enough gameplay teeth to be reviewed at least, IMO...

Unfortunately, our department had very little to do with promotion of this game other than on our Web site and sending a press release to our motorsports media list.

Destineer, the publisher, said it was handling the PR on the gaming industry side.

Take care,
PK

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 1:35 pm

First off, thanks for the impressions web! As a brick-o-phile, this is a must-have even if it is on the wrong side of mediocrity, but I am very happy to hear you're finding it enjoyable.

Destineer has also done a piss-poor job of securing shelf placement; where the F can you find it? Not surprised a store like Target doesn't have it, but both the Best Buy and Game Crazy near me haven't had it.

I'm assuming Gamestop has a few copies but I haven't had a chance to make it to one since this game was released, maybe I'll stop by later this week or this weekend. If all else fails, there's Amazon.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 3:02 pm

Yeah, I grabbed it from a Gamestop.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 3:25 pm

Only been able to play for an hour at this point, but at this point I can say this is definitely a worthwhile game for fans of the Indianapolis 500 or classic racing in general.

Still figuring out how realistic the driving model feels--The Cooper Climax feels different from a Watson Roadster, but probably not enough. Anyone know what the roadsters were hitting on the straightaways in 1961? They top out around 160 mph on the game and have to scrub speed to get around the corners. You can basically flat-foot it when driving as Brabham in the first rear-engined car. Realism notwithstanding, the driving model is at least enjoyable.

I am realizing I'm a big fan of "steering" with the Wii remote--I was one of the few that enjoyed NFS Carbon (also like ProStreet in my limited play time so far), thought Excite Truck was fun, and now this.

Web - how are the later years? More speed and/or lifting? I can't wait to drive the whooshmobile.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 5:53 pm

160 is too high, Dave. If you watch the videos in the game, they make a big deal about how breaking 150 at the time was a big deal. Then you hop in a race and blow it away your first time out.

Anyway, I haven't been playing it much over the holidays (party games and giving the young ones time with their new games), so I'm still only three years in. My opinion still stands, though. Solid and fun game!

b_assassin · Post by **b_assassin** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:03 pm

Out of curiousity, have they improved the graphics at all from what was shown in trailers? I don't care that much about graphics, but the first screens and trailers looked pretty hideous, even for a wii game.

Any DS impressions? I have a handful of games to trade in, and I think I might pick up both versions if I get enough $$ in return... Thanks!

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:12 pm

webdanzer wrote:160 is too high, Dave. If you watch the videos in the game, they make a big deal about how breaking 150 at the time was a big deal. Then you hop in a race and blow it away your first time out.

Web:

Driving a car at Indy in the 1960s is MUCH different than today.

Today, Indy cars average about 230 mph for an entire lap during qualifying yet reach only about 235 at the end of the straightaway. They're hardly lifting at all in the turns, never braking. A qualifying run at Indy now is flat out for four laps, never lifting if the car is balanced properly.

In the 60s, drivers were forced to brake entering the turns, let alone lift. So a straightaway speed of 160 with an overall lap speed of 140 is quite realistic, considering drivers were scrubbing 20 to 30 mph in the turns -- if not more -- compared to the 5 or 6 mph today due mainly to increased tire friction.

Take care,
PK

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:16 pm

The 160mph was my straightaway speed, forgot to clarify that, I think my best 1961 lap is about right, somewhere in the 147 range.

PK, do you know what the estimated trap speeds were for the roadsters? So far, no braking has been needed to make the turns and the car is scrubbing about 15mph getting through the apex.

I wish today's cars had the straights/turns speed differential of the roadsters, too much follow-the-leader, no-lifting stuff today...but I digress.

The graphics of the other cars on the track aren't terrible and the track graphics aren't bad, but your own car when using the in-car view is absolutely terrible.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 7:45 pm

Dave wrote:PK, do you know what the estimated trap speeds were for the roadsters? So far, no braking has been needed to make the turns and the car is scrubbing about 15mph getting through the apex.

Dave:

I don't know that answer, but I can find out this week by calling a few people at work.

It's unrealistic that you need no braking in the corners with ANY car from the 60s or early 70s at Indy, even the winged cars from 1968 onward. You still needed to lift and brake a bit in the winged cars, too.

But hey, it's a classic Indy 500 video game. Nothing wrong with that!

Take care,
PK

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:08 pm

Ah, I misunderstood what they were saying in the game. That makes sense now. Thanks for the clarification, guys.

b_assassin · Post by **b_assassin** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:30 am

Got good enough value on my trade-ins to get both the DS and Wii versions.

I also like the feel of the tilt steering on the wii version, and the graphics aren't all that bad either (not great though). The pit mini-games take a little practice, but are still add some decent variety to the experience.

I haven't ventured beyond mission mode yet, but I'm certainly enjoying what I've seen thus far. Seeing how the cars and track has changed from year to year is actually pretty interesting, and I'm looking forward to unlocking more photos and videos as I go along. I've shied away from sim racers in recent years, so this one is right up my alley with its simplicity and accessibility.

The DS version appears to be pretty much identical to the Wii version but with lesser graphics and some touch controls. I've been using the d-pad for steering, but may switch up to the touch screen as the D-pad seems a bit twitchy for my tastes. This game also demonstrates the improving compression and playback of video on the DS, the quality of video they are cramming onto the DS carts these days is impressive.

All in all, the limited scope of this game seems to be executed pretty well, but I'm left wishing it went a bit further. I would love it if the game went beyond the 70s and you could race your way into near present-day cars. Perhaps they will keep going if this game proves successful enough.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 12:40 pm

b_assassin wrote:All in all, the limited scope of this game seems to be executed pretty well, but I'm left wishing it went a bit further. I would love it if the game went beyond the 70s and you could race your way into near present-day cars. Perhaps they will keep going if this game proves successful enough.

I doubt it will prove successful enough for a sequel--the distribution is terrible and the two reviews on Metacritic are a 46 and 30, ouch. The reviews are clueless, naturally, but anyone mildly interested in this game will lump it in with the pure crap shovelware on the way to the Wii this month. Disappointing.

It would have been awesome if they could have added at least a couple classic tracks from the era, like Milwaukee and Trenton. But as is, it is an enjoyable game for me.