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Overkill or not? ...you decide

Submitted by Red 5 on
Forum

This PC racing simulation (Racing Legends) [url]http://www.west-racing.com/news.htm[/url] has been in development for over a year now since their last simulation (World Sports Cars) was canned by Empire Interactive after supposedly 4 years of development. It all looks very nice, but do you think the detail going into this is unrealistic both from an art and programming perspective considering it's being developed by a 3 man team?

Submitted by souri on Fri, 08/08/03 - 10:34 PM Permalink

Just had a read through the features and the details they have planned, and I agree, it seems pretty optimistic for such a small group. Some of the details they want to have with the vechicles, whilst impressive, seems such a little trade off for the extra work involved. The pictures of the wheels showing the nuts, bolts, springs, brake discs etc is just.. NUTS. I'm pretty sure car sim games will head this way eventually (I wonder if car sim developers in the future would need mechanic degrees), and they should be commended for their optimism and ideas, but they've probably bit off more than they can chew. I say 'probably' because you never know the determination of some people, and they certainly have the talent to do it, although it seems a bit dubious that you don't really see more than 2 detailed cars so far. How many different cars do you expect to have in a car sim these days? Over 30 at least??

Oh, and I can't finish this post without mentioning their forum. If you're going to make a game, for goodness sakes, don't make a forum! Game forums draw some of the worst fanboys imaginable who feel like they should be pampered whenever they crave/demand news/info, and are never satisfied when they get what they want.. reading their forum makes me weep for the developers. If you have to make a forum, never EVER visit it yourself... [:)].. and never reveal your ICQ number!!

Submitted by Malus on Fri, 08/08/03 - 11:28 PM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Souri
If you have to make a forum, never EVER visit it yourself... [:)].. and never reveal your ICQ number!!

Speaking from personal pain Souri? lol. [:P]

Submitted by Red 5 on Fri, 08/08/03 - 11:46 PM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Souri

Oh, and I can't finish this post without mentioning their forum. If you're going to make a game, for goodness sakes, don't make a forum! Game forums draw some of the worst fanboys imaginable who feel like they should be pampered whenever they crave/demand news/info, and are never satisfied when they get what they want.. reading their forum makes me weep for the developers. If you have to make a forum, never EVER visit it yourself... [:)].. and never reveal your ICQ number!!

Good observations Souri, I think along the same lines concerning the forum. They did correspond with forum members early on and shortly afterwards cut all contact which in turn caused a backlash of negativety and disbelief from most members. I think under those circumstances it's better to close a forum altogether than to leave people hanging on and second guessing.

Submitted by Soul on Sat, 09/08/03 - 1:34 AM Permalink

Personally, I think the West brothers are probably capable of finishing Racing Legends (eventually). They've been at it for years (as noted above) and they're pretty enthusiastic about it :)

Seeing as the sim community hasn't had anything it's really embraced since Grand Prix Legends (celebrating 5 years of being the "best car sim ever" in November!!), I reckon they'll wait around.

Unless someone beats them to it....

Submitted by Happy Camper on Sat, 09/08/03 - 3:43 AM Permalink

Well they have to finish it now. If im not mistaken they said they sold their house to fund the project and if the investment doesn't pay off they're going to be kicking themselves. Thats just too much risk for me. However i don't know whatelse they own or how much $$$ they have behind the project.
Good for them if it pays off.

Submitted by souri on Tue, 12/08/03 - 12:24 AM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Malus

Speaking from personal pain Souri? lol. [:P]

Nah.. most of you have been pretty good to me. [;)]
That was a reference to what was going on in their forum. One of the developers made his ICQ number available, and everyone is just bugging him for news...

quote:Originally posted by Red 5
I think along the same lines concerning the forum. They did correspond with forum members early on and shortly afterwards cut all contact which in turn caused a backlash of negativety and disbelief from most members.

That's the exact same scenario with Micro Forte's Citizen Zero and their forum.. I feel sorry for Micro Forte as well... they're stuck inbetween a non-disclosure contract and a "we need more info damnit" fanbase. Not much they can do.

Posted by Red 5 on
Forum

This PC racing simulation (Racing Legends) [url]http://www.west-racing.com/news.htm[/url] has been in development for over a year now since their last simulation (World Sports Cars) was canned by Empire Interactive after supposedly 4 years of development. It all looks very nice, but do you think the detail going into this is unrealistic both from an art and programming perspective considering it's being developed by a 3 man team?


Submitted by souri on Fri, 08/08/03 - 10:34 PM Permalink

Just had a read through the features and the details they have planned, and I agree, it seems pretty optimistic for such a small group. Some of the details they want to have with the vechicles, whilst impressive, seems such a little trade off for the extra work involved. The pictures of the wheels showing the nuts, bolts, springs, brake discs etc is just.. NUTS. I'm pretty sure car sim games will head this way eventually (I wonder if car sim developers in the future would need mechanic degrees), and they should be commended for their optimism and ideas, but they've probably bit off more than they can chew. I say 'probably' because you never know the determination of some people, and they certainly have the talent to do it, although it seems a bit dubious that you don't really see more than 2 detailed cars so far. How many different cars do you expect to have in a car sim these days? Over 30 at least??

Oh, and I can't finish this post without mentioning their forum. If you're going to make a game, for goodness sakes, don't make a forum! Game forums draw some of the worst fanboys imaginable who feel like they should be pampered whenever they crave/demand news/info, and are never satisfied when they get what they want.. reading their forum makes me weep for the developers. If you have to make a forum, never EVER visit it yourself... [:)].. and never reveal your ICQ number!!

Submitted by Malus on Fri, 08/08/03 - 11:28 PM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Souri
If you have to make a forum, never EVER visit it yourself... [:)].. and never reveal your ICQ number!!

Speaking from personal pain Souri? lol. [:P]

Submitted by Red 5 on Fri, 08/08/03 - 11:46 PM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Souri

Oh, and I can't finish this post without mentioning their forum. If you're going to make a game, for goodness sakes, don't make a forum! Game forums draw some of the worst fanboys imaginable who feel like they should be pampered whenever they crave/demand news/info, and are never satisfied when they get what they want.. reading their forum makes me weep for the developers. If you have to make a forum, never EVER visit it yourself... [:)].. and never reveal your ICQ number!!

Good observations Souri, I think along the same lines concerning the forum. They did correspond with forum members early on and shortly afterwards cut all contact which in turn caused a backlash of negativety and disbelief from most members. I think under those circumstances it's better to close a forum altogether than to leave people hanging on and second guessing.

Submitted by Soul on Sat, 09/08/03 - 1:34 AM Permalink

Personally, I think the West brothers are probably capable of finishing Racing Legends (eventually). They've been at it for years (as noted above) and they're pretty enthusiastic about it :)

Seeing as the sim community hasn't had anything it's really embraced since Grand Prix Legends (celebrating 5 years of being the "best car sim ever" in November!!), I reckon they'll wait around.

Unless someone beats them to it....

Submitted by Happy Camper on Sat, 09/08/03 - 3:43 AM Permalink

Well they have to finish it now. If im not mistaken they said they sold their house to fund the project and if the investment doesn't pay off they're going to be kicking themselves. Thats just too much risk for me. However i don't know whatelse they own or how much $$$ they have behind the project.
Good for them if it pays off.

Submitted by souri on Tue, 12/08/03 - 12:24 AM Permalink

quote:Originally posted by Malus

Speaking from personal pain Souri? lol. [:P]

Nah.. most of you have been pretty good to me. [;)]
That was a reference to what was going on in their forum. One of the developers made his ICQ number available, and everyone is just bugging him for news...

quote:Originally posted by Red 5
I think along the same lines concerning the forum. They did correspond with forum members early on and shortly afterwards cut all contact which in turn caused a backlash of negativety and disbelief from most members.

That's the exact same scenario with Micro Forte's Citizen Zero and their forum.. I feel sorry for Micro Forte as well... they're stuck inbetween a non-disclosure contract and a "we need more info damnit" fanbase. Not much they can do.