F1 2013 Does the release timeline of F1 games bother you?

[Jax Humanhater]

It bothers me, becausemost dports games are released before the beginning of their respective seasons.

I hate that Bernie won't change the licence on F1 games, and that makes me mad. I want to start a petition and once it reaches 100,000 signatures, I'll send it to FOM.

Might not work probably because I won't get enough signatures.

There are mods that do it better, it seems.

 

[Jonathan Rowland]

I don't think they could release it much earlier, and I also don't think it has anything to do with FOM.

CM like everybody else don't know what the cars will look like till they are launched, so they then have to do all the modelling work from that point. They also have no idea of the relative performance of the cars, and tyres and everything like that. If they just guessed on all this based on even pre-season the game wouldn't be close to how the season has actually panned out.

For example pre-season McLaren were looking pretty good after the first test at Jerez, but look at how it has actually turned out. Also teams were saying the tyres wouldn't last 10 laps in pre-season, again that's not the case. To get a fair representation of the season they have to wait and see how the first few races work out.

Compare this to anther game that is released every year, such as FIFA (I use this as I also play it) the players even if they move team are still known quantities, they don't dramatically change in performance every season, ie the best player in the world won't become an average one in the 3 month summer break. So it is a lot easier to predict how the players will perform. Yes they sometimes have players slightly better or worse in the game than they really perform, but it's still very close.

So in summary I believe CM release the game as soon as they can for it to be a good representation of the season it's based on, and to a decent standard.

 

[Omer Said]

+1 Jonathan. That way, CM can make the driver/team stats more accurate. If they release it pre-season, how can they know the performances?

Also it gives something to do in winter

 

[Steven Poirier]

Ok release the game before the season its impossible, but release it mid summer its a possibility.... in september, its too far and anyway in June we know almost the order each team got with their performance. So yes its botter me a lot....

 

[ParkYongLee]

+1 Jonathan. That way, CM can make the driver/team stats more accurate. If they release it pre-season, how can they know the performances?

Also it gives something to do in winter

CM making accurate stats ... made my day. Did you know you have database tables for specific DNF and problems for each team/track/driver/round? If they'd make it accurate those tables would be filled with stats based on real results ... now make a guess, all tables are zero.

Speaking of results, Grosjean was much better in F1 2012 than Kimi, did CM watch a different season?

 

[Omer Said]

CM making accurate stats ... made my day. Did you know you have database tables for specific DNF and problems for each team/track/driver/round? If they'd make it accurate those tables would be filled with stats based on real results ... now make a guess, all tables are zero.

Speaking of results, Grosjean was much better in F1 2012 than Kimi, did CM watch a different season?

But it would much more random if they release earlier, mostly from the previous season's stats would be used.

I have never said CM make stats %100 accurate, i simply said "more"

 

[Dan Hawkins]

CM making accurate stats ... made my day. Did you know you have database tables for specific DNF and problems for each team/track/driver/round? If they'd make it accurate those tables would be filled with stats based on real results ... now make a guess, all tables are zero.

Speaking of results, Grosjean was much better in F1 2012 than Kimi, did CM watch a different season?

Put your handbag away

Re-read what was wrote

 

[Dan Hawkins]

I don't think they could release it much earlier, and I also don't think it has anything to do with FOM.

I'm leaning towards this, although I would rather they missed a year and provided it in a 1 month after season starts DLC pack.

That would be ideal - 1 month after the season starts. (So they have pre-season testing etc to use as a decoy)

 

[ParkYongLee]

I have never said CM make stats %100 accurate, i simply said "more"

Neither did I, but for CM to make "more" accurate stats would mean they need to make anynear accurate stats to begin with. Would be something new.

 

[Justin Webley]

Why do I need 100% acurate stats in the game? I don't want to play a re-run of the season so far. I want it to be based on the potential performance of driver, car and team.

There is no need for any tables that show when and where a car breaks down.

As for when the game is released, September is fine with me. Gives the coders a chance to get new car skins developed, take more of the good features out of the game and then concentrate on messing with the physics until it resembles a different reality.

 

[Steven Poirier]

Now, what is the official date release in North America? Before its was during September, but i saw October ?! So now its what?

 

[f1man1806]

It is a bit annoying .............

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Summer is the worst possible time to release games. Gaming season only starts around September and October.

Plus CM already released another racing game, GRID2, just before the summer and with F12013 being released in a same time frame isn't really a smart thing to do when you wish to sell copies.

 

[Kartik Sri Harsha]

Current Release time is good but I say release it in Early November or Mid November. Its the Best time for the CM. They will have every point they wanted from Tire choices to DRS zones (of New tracks) and the Performances can be varied a lot by season end.

 

[Dan Hawkins]

I think, what would be best -

A early season launch (2-3 races in so they know the feel)

With a Downloadable Content download mid-season (for sponsor updates)

With a further Downloadable Content at the end of the season (for rankings and sponsor updates)

Codies would be rolling in it and could then afford Dedi Servers!!! #Win!

 

[Graham Laing]

I don't see them doing this Dan, much as it would improve the game.

Unfortunately I don't see dedicated servers ever being released for this series of games, not as long as my ass points downwards that is.

I swear that when they released F1 2011, CM implied that they would update the game late in the season, with updated DRS zones. At the time of release, some they knew and the rest they guessed, because the FIA only confirm the DRS zones just before a race. I think they said that it was more difficult to do than they thought it would be, so gave up on it.

I can't see that 'too difficult' attitude changing, because after release, the patching process begins (12 last year on PC), then it's a break, then full steam ahead on next year's game, or other projects.

 

[ENDR]

With a Downloadable Content download mid-season (for sponsor updates)

With a further Downloadable Content at the end of the season (for rankings and sponsor updates)

And what are (FREE!) mods for? ;]

 

[Graham Laing]

It depends on what they have allowed to be moddable this year, I guess ....

 

[Leonardo Chaves]

FIFA and most other sports games are now supported throughout the year, reflecting ups and downs, players doing better than expected...
Quick updates, for free, many times a year, to show that a certain player hit the cliff so to speak and another found his stride.

Codemasters could be doing that, Modders fiddle with their database the entire time, but i don't expect them to, they have no competition and they can get by doing the bare minimum.

A launch before european season (the point about what the new cars look like is very true) would be ideal imo.