Race Driver: GRID - bit-tech.net Forums

Tim S · 10th Jun 2008, 09:37

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2008/...-grid-review/1

We look under the hood of Race Driver: GRID, strip down its engine and make sure it's MOT worthy. Can Codemasters' new racer drive the fine line between simulation and arcade racer without spinning out? Prepare for a boot load more car puns as we find out!

gm_crop · 10th Jun 2008, 10:08

"highly accurate simulation like the excellent Colin McRae DIRT,"

It's not April 1st is it?

wuyanxu · 10th Jun 2008, 10:14

GRID is what racing games should be about!

not those Ricerground series where it's all about customisation NOT racing!

pick a car, get in, and see who's got the real skill!

Jamie · 10th Jun 2008, 10:17

I see lots of drifting, where is the racing?

Veles · 10th Jun 2008, 10:19

I thought from the demo it was better than DIRT, but then that's not really all that hard.

1st time modder · 10th Jun 2008, 10:20

only thing somewhat accurate about colin McRae, were the course layouts, and the modeling of the cars + impact points..... i feel the game was rushed, especially with regard to how the cars handle on the gravel roads.... i prefer rallisport challenge 2 over it any day unless i want some good graphics to look at....

Gunsmith · 10th Jun 2008, 10:26

being a complete Petrol-Head™ i liked DiRT a lot but i certinaly wouldnt rate it as a sim, you can definatly feel the slight adjustment of a camber or toe in angle but its no GTR, having nearly finished GRiD i really like it but I've a few gripes, the lack of tuning is a shame (an option for stock motors would have been nice in terms of multiplayer) but It can be lived with, G25 support needs patching so that you dont need to reg-hack for victory and speaking of the g25, its supports the gate shift but WHERE IS THE CLUTCH?! im not a console tard, give me my clutch back!

other then that great racing game but we really need another MOTORHEAD

kenco_uk · 10th Jun 2008, 10:33

Nice review that. Well done, Harry.

I've just recently played the PC demo of this and it definately requires at least a joypad with analogue sticks. The graphics were quite spectacular and it looks like there are a few more notches of graphic quality in the full game. I found that a very bad crash in the demo resulted in game over, whereas serious collisions gave me a car that really wanted to give the crash barriers a good, hard sh*gging. Tbh, it kinda put me off the game a bit, as it was fairly strict in what you could and couldn't do. Nice to hear the full game can at least be a bit more forgiving.

The drifting course in the demo is barm-pot-crazy, I found it completely uncontrollable. Any acceleration I applied caused instant doughnuts, although in the games defense I hadn't dug out my joypad when trying this course. I would hazard that it's heaps more fun with proper control.

Baz · 10th Jun 2008, 10:49

We all enjoyed DIRT here at Bit-tech (except for Joe, who doesn't "Do" racing games,) and certainly felt it was an attempt at a rally sim, although obviously it wasn't as complex as something like GTR2. However, it was pretty unforgiving when you lost it on a nasty corner, whereas in GRID you can just fire off a Flashback and take the corner a little more conservatively. I certainly feel that GRID is the best racer on the PC for a long long time, and it's minor gripes aren't worth docking it too heavily.

Gunsmith · 10th Jun 2008, 10:55

only women and children flashback, men dogfight for what ever position they can get afterwards. the trick to GRID is to fight at the right difficulty level where you are dog fighting for 2nd place, you'll only be alive when he spins out on the last lap.

will. · 10th Jun 2008, 11:01

I'm loving it. Definitely worth the quicker loading and graphical edge (not forgetting price as well) for the PC version.

I think it is very clever how they have handled the difficulty. I enjoy every now and then driving like a loon and the game allows me to do so - unrealistically sticking to the track as I power slide round a hairpin. However, if I actually want to win it does allow me to drive properly and take racing lines. Ace game, although I would give it an 8 simply because there should have been a bit more content.

wuyanxu · 10th Jun 2008, 11:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gunsmith

only women and children flashback, men dogfight for what ever position they can get afterwards. the trick to GRID is to fight at the right difficulty level where you are dog fighting for 2nd place, you'll only be alive when he spins out on the last lap.

i guess you play at Ninja difficulty with Pro-mode on?

only thing im not very satisfied with Grid is the way it handles AA, even at 16xQCSAA level, every edge doesn't feel right

zr_ox · 10th Jun 2008, 11:46

Finally a PC racer worth playing...thank you!

Gunsmith · 10th Jun 2008, 11:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by wuyanxu

i guess you play at Ninja difficulty with Pro-mode on?

Savage/insane no ABS/SMS/TC

I just want a damn clutch

Spiny · 10th Jun 2008, 11:53

Been playing this to death & it's fantastic.

Multiplayer has a couple of issues like not being able to set up a game that is easily findable by your mates, but there's a patch in a week or so I think.

The cheapest place to pick it up I've found is steam, which is nice as there's no evil system destroying disk checkery to contend with.

liratheal · 10th Jun 2008, 12:22

This is the first 'racing' game (I know some of the GTers will still say it's not 'real racing', sorry, but unless you're putting a REAL car around a track, then it's not 'real racing') that's actually kept my attention for more than a few weeks.

Played the demo to death, literally, and haven't stopped playing this so far.

Very nice review, Harry!

Gunsmith · 10th Jun 2008, 12:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by liratheal

This is the first 'racing' game (I know some of the GTers will still say it's not 'real racing', sorry,
Very nice review, Harry!

Real racers will race anything and will adjust to any engine/driving model out there.

Paradigm Shifter · 10th Jun 2008, 13:16

Makes me want to buy a new steering wheel. My last one reached the stage where it wasn't worth using any more. And GRID with the keyboard = impossible. (At least for me...)

Amon · 10th Jun 2008, 13:19

Had I a PlayStation 3 and Fanatec three-pedal wheel set, then this would be in that machine.

will. · 10th Jun 2008, 13:20

Alternatively, plug in a 360 controller. Works really well.

10th Jun 2008, 09:37	#1
Tim S Pewlius Caesar bit-tech Staff Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ascot, Berks Posts: 18,021	Race Driver: GRID http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2008/...-grid-review/1 We look under the hood of Race Driver: GRID, strip down its engine and make sure it's MOT worthy. Can Codemasters' new racer drive the fine line between simulation and arcade racer without spinning out? Prepare for a boot load more car puns as we find out! __________________ Tim on Twitter \| Tim's Blog \| Tim's Flickr The bit-tech Blog \| bit-tech on Twitter \| Join the bit-tech & Custom PC folding team (#35947)

10th Jun 2008, 10:14	#3
wuyanxu quad fuelled, GTX200 powered Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: in a room near Soton Uni. UK Posts: 3,940	GRID is what racing games should be about! not those Ricerground series where it's all about customisation NOT racing! pick a car, get in, and see who's got the real skill! __________________ Death to consolification !!!Core i7 860 @ 4Ghz Cooled by Corsair H50 // Asus P7P55D Deluxe // 8GB of Corsair Dominators @ 1528Mhz 8-8-8-24 // BFG gtx260+ OC2 MaxCore 216SP 896MB // Samsung 64GB SSD // WD Raptor 74GB + Black 1TB + Green 1TB // Corsair Hx620w // Antec p182 // Samsung 24" T240

10th Jun 2008, 10:17	#4
Jamie bit-tech Staff Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 7,620	I see lots of drifting, where is the racing? __________________ bit-tech hosted by tsohost.co.uk twitter \| flickr \| xbox live \| last.fm \| moot

10th Jun 2008, 10:26	#7
Gunsmith my supersonic radar will help me! Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,399	being a complete Petrol-Head™ i liked DiRT a lot but i certinaly wouldnt rate it as a sim, you can definatly feel the slight adjustment of a camber or toe in angle but its no GTR, having nearly finished GRiD i really like it but I've a few gripes, the lack of tuning is a shame (an option for stock motors would have been nice in terms of multiplayer) but It can be lived with, G25 support needs patching so that you dont need to reg-hack for victory and speaking of the g25, its supports the gate shift but WHERE IS THE CLUTCH?! im not a console tard, give me my clutch back! other then that great racing game but we really need another MOTORHEAD __________________ People who optimise code are wimps. My code knows it's awesome, so it'll take all the time it needs. You can wait in awe

10th Jun 2008, 10:33	#8
kenco_uk I feel your presents. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bourne, Lincolnshire, UK Posts: 6,302	Nice review that. Well done, Harry. I've just recently played the PC demo of this and it definately requires at least a joypad with analogue sticks. The graphics were quite spectacular and it looks like there are a few more notches of graphic quality in the full game. I found that a very bad crash in the demo resulted in game over, whereas serious collisions gave me a car that really wanted to give the crash barriers a good, hard shgging. Tbh, it kinda put me off the game a bit, as it was fairly strict in what you could and couldn't do. Nice to hear the full game can at least be a bit more forgiving. The drifting course in the demo is barm-pot-crazy, I found it completely uncontrollable. Any acceleration I applied caused instant doughnuts, although in the games defense I hadn't dug out my joypad when trying this course. I would hazard that it's heaps more fun with proper control. __________________ MSI X58M - i7 920 4Ghz - 6GB Corsair - GTX260 648/2520 ::: Vote for bit-tech T - theevilelephant* - "it sounded like bouncing around on a pogo stick, screaming in chinese while occasionally throwing a cat at a door." Last edited by Baz; 10th Jun 2008 at 10:44. Reason: thanks for the spots on the errors* - Baz*

10th Jun 2008, 10:08	#2
gm_crop Minimodder Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Shropshire Posts: 34	"highly accurate simulation like the excellent Colin McRae DIRT," It's not April 1st is it?

10th Jun 2008, 10:20	#6
1st time modder Supermodder Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: San Francisco Posts: 542	only thing somewhat accurate about colin McRae, were the course layouts, and the modeling of the cars + impact points..... i feel the game was rushed, especially with regard to how the cars handle on the gravel roads.... i prefer rallisport challenge 2 over it any day unless i want some good graphics to look at....

10th Jun 2008, 10:49	#9
Baz Benchmarketeer bit-tech Staff Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ruislip Posts: 586	We all enjoyed DIRT here at Bit-tech (except for Joe, who doesn't "Do" racing games,) and certainly felt it was an attempt at a rally sim, although obviously it wasn't as complex as something like GTR2. However, it was pretty unforgiving when you lost it on a nasty corner, whereas in GRID you can just fire off a Flashback and take the corner a little more conservatively. I certainly feel that GRID is the best racer on the PC for a long long time, and it's minor gripes aren't worth docking it too heavily.

10th Jun 2008, 10:55	#10
Gunsmith my supersonic radar will help me! Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,399	only women and children flashback, men dogfight for what ever position they can get afterwards. the trick to GRID is to fight at the right difficulty level where you are dog fighting for 2nd place, you'll only be alive when he spins out on the last lap. __________________ People who optimise code are wimps. My code knows it's awesome, so it'll take all the time it needs. You can wait in awe

10th Jun 2008, 11:01	#11
will. A motorbike of jealousy! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Yorkshire! Posts: 4,403	I'm loving it. Definitely worth the quicker loading and graphical edge (not forgetting price as well) for the PC version. I think it is very clever how they have handled the difficulty. I enjoy every now and then driving like a loon and the game allows me to do so - unrealistically sticking to the track as I power slide round a hairpin. However, if I actually want to win it does allow me to drive properly and take racing lines. Ace game, although I would give it an 8 simply because there should have been a bit more content. __________________ work \| play \| blog PS3 & 360: willblack Flickr my twitter. Last.FM Check out my Last.FM & iToggle & Nav-o-Matic jQuery plugins.

10th Jun 2008, 11:46	#13
zr_ox Whooolapoook Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Stalking Orco Posts: 1,117	Finally a PC racer worth playing...thank you! __________________ 0ptimizm :PC under review

10th Jun 2008, 11:53	#15
Spiny Modder Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 55	Been playing this to death & it's fantastic. Multiplayer has a couple of issues like not being able to set up a game that is easily findable by your mates, but there's a patch in a week or so I think. The cheapest place to pick it up I've found is steam, which is nice as there's no evil system destroying disk checkery to contend with.

10th Jun 2008, 12:22	#16
liratheal Just got a great book on tape Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: High Wycombe, UK Posts: 3,588	This is the first 'racing' game (I know some of the GTers will still say it's not 'real racing', sorry, but unless you're putting a REAL car around a track, then it's not 'real racing') that's actually kept my attention for more than a few weeks. Played the demo to death, literally, and haven't stopped playing this so far. Very nice review, Harry! __________________ Gigabyte MA790FX, X4 9950 Black Edition, 8gb Geil Black Dragon, 2x4870 512mb, Antec TruePower Quattro 850w I game, Do you?

10th Jun 2008, 13:16	#18
Paradigm Shifter Lethargic Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,213	Makes me want to buy a new steering wheel. My last one reached the stage where it wasn't worth using any more. And GRID with the keyboard = impossible. (At least for me...)

10th Jun 2008, 13:19	#19
Amon inch-perfect Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: cannoning into the reds, Toronto, Canada Posts: 2,456	Had I a PlayStation 3 and Fanatec three-pedal wheel set, then this would be in that machine. __________________ Defunct Socket 939 San Diego 4000+::2GB PC3200::Radeon 9600 SE 128MB::200GB HDD::24" Dell 2407WFP-HC::WinXP x64/x86 dual boot Dell Vostro 1500 laptop::Socket P Merom T7100::2GB PC5400::Go 8600m GT 256MB::660GB HDD::15.4" WXGA+, 24" Dell 2407WFP-HC::WinXP::Fanatec 911 Wheel+Pedals

10th Jun 2008, 13:20	#20
will. A motorbike of jealousy! Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Yorkshire! Posts: 4,403	Alternatively, plug in a 360 controller. Works really well. __________________ work \| play \| blog PS3 & 360: willblack Flickr my twitter. Last.FM Check out my Last.FM & iToggle & Nav-o-Matic jQuery plugins.