DiRT Rally DiRT Rally out on Steam Early Access

[Alex Franchini]

Codemasters has surprised everyone with today's launch of Dirt Rally on Steam, under the Early Access label.

Judging from the official Steam Announcement, Dirt Rally features at launch (which is right now) 17 cars and 36 stages taken from 3 different locations (Monte Carlo, Acropolis and Wales).

SEE ALSO: Brand New Community Made DiRT Rally Videos

As you can see from the announcement, one of the biggest bullet points is "Simulation Handling". While we still haven't tried it yet, Codemasters definitely seems to be aiming for a more unforgiving driving model, with a "brand new model that simulates everything from the way the surface of the road behaves to limited slip differentials." Exactly how sim-like it will be remains to be seen, but it's indeed a good start.

Dirt Rally will also feature asynchronous events, team management providing improved repair times, league support.

Dirt Rally is currently in Early Access and available for the price of 26,99€, and it's going to receive new content in the form of cars, tracks and features for free.

Are you surprised as well by the Codies' announcement? Let us know your opinion in the comments!

 

[Richard Eriksson]

Im a "real world rallydriver", driving a BMW 325 GrH in sweden. I've played RBR since the day it was released and ive tried every other rallygame there is.

I have to agree with Richard Eriksson that the RWD-cars in this game feels really good. Not perfect, but good...

I dont think people in general understand how much grip there is in a modern rallycar, the suspensions we use are amazing and so are the tyres.
It's nothing like drifting an old stock Volvo or BMW with standard roadtyres on your local parking lot...

If this game evolves in the right direction, it might actually be the "RBR-killer" i've been waiting for since 2004

Exactly. For instance, comparing my old real life Grp H Volvo with the one modeled in the RSRBR package it is easily felt that the simulated car has too little grip and some extremely aggressive torque, that i've never felt in real life. For instance, good as it may be with the right final gears, in real life, power over and spin-out in fourth gear would be nigh on impossible... It happens in RBR though.

In this new offering, i also think Codemasters are more close to what the gradual powerband feels like for a RWD car... I've never driven a BMW ever, so i'll leave that judgement to you (as there is sadly no Volvos yet, Codies are you hearing me)...

But as i've stated earlier, i have some years of competitive experience in the Mk2 Escort, having run a Cosworth BDA powered one for some years. And the one in the game is very close to what i remembered it being like... A bit slow off the corners, but explosive at higher revs... Feels good. Grip levels seem real to me for that one as well.

As for 4WD, the more i try them, the more i feel they are correct. I think they are by default set very balanced, if you change the setup you can get more drift angle, but in default they are like FWDs. To step it out you have to let go of the throttle and flick it...

 

[jimortality]

My experience with rally games stems from the first Colin McRae back in 1998 on PS1. I hammered that game and have played all the others including the Dirt series apart from showdown. I've only ever played these on console with a pad so this is new to me, playing this on my wheel. What kind of feel am I looking for here? I know what I'm trying to feel in other sims (RF2) but not so much in rally. I've changed the xml files as suggested in other threads but my wheel feels loose (TX) all advice welcome cheers.

 

[Richard Eriksson]

My experience with rally games stems from the first Colin McRae back in 1998 on PS1. I hammered that game and have played all the others including the Dirt series apart from showdown. I've only ever played these on console with a pad so this is new to me, playing this on my wheel. What kind of feel am I looking for here? I know what I'm trying to feel in other sims (RF2) but not so much in rally. I've changed the xml files as suggested in other threads but my wheel feels loose (TX) all advice welcome cheers.

Right now FFB seems to be loose and undefined for everyone. Early Access, so it should improve. Everyone is having a dull FFB at this time, regardless of wheel. But the first update they released improved it a bit. Needs road effects however.

I would wait with tuning, until a more stable version is released...

 

[Skazz]

I was under the impression that the Monte Carlo tarmac physics are simply placeholder.... They are so hugely different from the gravel experience.

Although the Stratos is quite a handful on tarmac, actually.

 

[dcully]

Bought it and really like whats on offer so far.
I get that RBR feeling while driving this thing which is great, maybe codemasters have some talented people in their ranks afterall that can make something other than the mindless dirt games of recent years.
Just wish they didnt have dirt in the title, this is nothing like dirt.

 

[samekyo]

"DiRT" is for this game what GRiD is to circut type games in Codemaster catalog. It just is their way of putting games in rally/ race category.

 

[Richard Eriksson]

Bought it and really like whats on offer so far.
I get that RBR feeling while driving this thing which is great, maybe codemasters have some talented people in their ranks afterall that can make something other than the mindless dirt games of recent years.
Just wish they didnt have dirt in the title, this is nothing like dirt.

They have some of the greatest programmers around, as any of their releases show. I think the problem in the past has been a case of marketing getting involved and deciding the direction of the titles...

I honestly believe that this Early Access initiative is a way to show to marketing the market for this kind of sim exists and can be viable. As in, the management would allow an EA-program to fund it, as they are still unsure if it will sell enough without the dudebro commentary, garish colors and in your face action...

So let's support it. As much as we can. I know i will!

 

[Msportdan]

its general consenus among "real" rally drivers.. about RBR and DR

http://steamcommunity.com/app/310560/discussions/0/613956964584358918/

 

[samekyo]

its general consenus among "real" rally drivers.. about RBR and DR

http://steamcommunity.com/app/310560/discussions/0/613956964584358918/

I disagree with that guy. Watch this

and then compare breaking distances in DiRT. Real life is way too more slippery.
EDIT
FF to about 1 minute. Then he starts to slow down and enters tight left hand. DiRT doesn't behave like this AT ALL.
not to mention this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YDTC1XfWiQ

 

[dcully]

Thats extreme conditions , hardly a fair comparison.

 

[samekyo]

Not really, we can reproduce exactly the same conditions in DiRT.
Left siq into right two tigtens to one- look at breaking points, entry speed, and mid corner behaviour.
EDIT: press https://youtu.be/NsI-OZgArak?t=9m56s fast forward to 9m 56s
That's nothing like RL onboards.

 

[Kazumi]

Exactly. For instance, comparing my old real life Grp H Volvo with the one modeled in the RSRBR package it is easily felt that the simulated car has too little grip and some extremely aggressive torque, that i've never felt in real life. For instance, good as it may be with the right final gears, in real life, power over and spin-out in fourth gear would be nigh on impossible... It happens in RBR though.

In this new offering, i also think Codemasters are more close to what the gradual powerband feels like for a RWD car... I've never driven a BMW ever, so i'll leave that judgement to you (as there is sadly no Volvos yet, Codies are you hearing me)...

But as i've stated earlier, i have some years of competitive experience in the Mk2 Escort, having run a Cosworth BDA powered one for some years. And the one in the game is very close to what i remembered it being like... A bit slow off the corners, but explosive at higher revs... Feels good. Grip levels seem real to me for that one as well.

As for 4WD, the more i try them, the more i feel they are correct. I think they are by default set very balanced, if you change the setup you can get more drift angle, but in default they are like FWDs. To step it out you have to let go of the throttle and flick it...

In RBR all drivetrain loss have to be projected onto the torque curves since it's the power at wheels (before gears) . You also have to modify tires individually unless your car runs the same dimensions and compound on both axles. I don't even get any oversteer in some RWDs unless weight transfer or road slopes (crests) are involved. That's on dry asphalt. Wet asphalt and asphalt in France (the stages from the vanilla game) should be a bit "worse" than that.

But it's good that you mention RSRBR now. I don't really want to critisize it since the package and features they provide are how mod packages should be and balancing classes artificially is also something they have to consider.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Another thing, is more people than I struggling with the co-driver, and the varying degree of early and late notes?

I can't change the callout distance too much, as he is very early on some notes. On others, I am well into, if not finished with the corner, before he is finished saying the note. On 6's that's no problem, but when it is a 5left, tightens to two keep in. It's a bit late to start with the "tightens" when I'm halfway through the corner. Especially Greece is bad when it comes to this.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Thats extreme conditions , hardly a fair comparison.

But he is on to something. Earlier in this thread, is was linked to a DiRT Rally video, and Mikko Hirvonen in Finland, where Hirvonen used 5-6 seconds to brake from good speed, into something that looked like a 3 right. That was in fairly dry, good conditions in Finland.
In DiRT I use much less time, going from 5th gear, and to a complete stop, on wet gravel.

 

[samekyo]

Moreover as You can see in quattro onboard footage in DiRT You can easily get away with entering into the corner with hardly any braking. You loose speed INSIDE the corner due to how high the grip is.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

Everyone is having a dull FFB at this time, regardless of wheel. But the first update they released improved it a bit.

good to read someone else saying that, i thought it was just wishfull thinking on my part. there is indeed a bit more substance now, sth. like 1/5th of what i would want.

 

[samekyo]

FFB should be on thop of their priority list according to community requests.

 

[Wedge]

FFB should be on thop of their priority list according to community requests.

They said they're going to improve the FFB wheel settings in game to give more control but didn't say about improving the FFB itself... if that makes sense and if I understood correctly. And of course, at least for now.

Source:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/310560/discussions/1/611704730327297654/

 

[Stig Bidstrup]

I had control problems , are now fixed , it was my TH8 shifter
have anyone got it to work with a addon shifter ??? or it don't support 2 controllers ??
I use G27 and TH8 shifter ( normally ) cant get the Th8 shifter to work in this game.

 

[Pär Öqvist]

Has anyone here got a Fanatec Clubsport shifter working in H-shifter mode? I also can´t map the clutch with my separate usb pedals. But the game does at least identify my TX-wheel when I use the stock rim.