PC2 Project CARS 2 Released on Xbox One, PS4 and PC

[Paul Jeffrey]

Highly anticipated racing simulation Project CARS 2 has been released today, marking the return of the best selling franchise to both console and PC systems.

Developed by Slightly Mad Studios and community backers from the world of sim racing, using the experience of professional race drivers the likes of former Top Gear Stig Ben Collins and sometime Renault Clio racer Nicolas Hamilton, Project CARS 2 looks set to be the most ambitious racing project yet from the British based development team.

Featuring over 180 cars and 60 locations on launch and benefitting from live track technology, advanced weather effects and class leading graphics, Project CARS 2 looks very likely to become yet another best selling release across all platforms following release today.

Unfortunately we have not been able to get access to an advanced copy of the game prior to launch, however in constant quest to bring you all the news and opinion from sim racing (haha, well actually because I cant resist a racing game) I will be purchasing testing this thing thoroughly tonight, with a view to writing up an article over the weekend with my first impressions.

About the Game

• 180+ licensed cars from iconic manufacturers
  
• Full 12K & VR Support
• Tested and tuned by pro racing drivers
• All-new motorsports (IndyCar, Oval Racing, Rallycross) join old favorites incl. GT3
• LiveTrack 3.0: Dynamic surface & weather physics affect vehicle performance and handling in real-time
• New loose surface racing (ice, dirt, mud)
• Full 24-hour cycle featuring real-time atmospheric conditions and seasonal ambience
• State-of-the art physics model
• Revamped gamepad handling
• Class-leading Esport capabilities

Project CARS 2 is available now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.

Check out the Project CARS 2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment to catch up with the latest news, engage in lively discussions with the community, download some mods and get yourself out on the track in online races for both PC and console.

Well it's here! What do you think? Win, Lose or Draw? Improvement over PC1? Serious rival for the main PC racers? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Craig Dunkley]

No auto FOV calculation after you set-up the triple screen? Is there any tool like the one by MrPix to calculate the FOV for PC2?

HERE

@Brice.S. ..Agree with almost every word, no point in repeating it.

 

[Ole Andreasen]

I'll sum it up for you. Haters are going to hate it, lovers of it will find no faults, and the truth is probably somewhere in between: it'll be a worthy addition to a simracing library. It may not be the sim your league goes to each week, but you'll still probably end up firing it up once a week just to turn some laps at XXX track at XXX car in XXX weather conditions when the mood strikes you.

Amen to that Ryan.

In the end, it´s always just someones opinion isn´t it?

A great thing is that on Steam you can buy, try for a while (under two hours) and get a refund if you don´t like it. Fair and square. And then the decision is based on YOUR opinion.

Personally I purchased it, have tried it for little over an hour - and... well I am yet to discover the amazing leap forward from PC1, but then again - the possibilities in PC2 are more than enough for me to keep it, and yes I am sure I´ll fire it up once or twice a week and try out the different cars, tracks - and oh sure... the Career option. This is what keeps me at it the most. Love career modes...

 

[drift92]

Tires soud like zx spectrum loading.

exactly. It's so annoying

 

[Andrew Harper]

I need to hear that they have improved the ai for me to purchase....

Yes in principle I agree with the AI comment.

I have purchased PC2 but haven't had chance to install it just yet.

However the Youtube videos (of the final version Jimmy got to drive) still show some erratic behaviour by AI cars. Hitting brakes on ovals, the first corner pile ups, etc.

Yet in some other videos I've seen but just with slightly smaller grids they seem fine. So I look forward to just seeing how this version pans out. If it's more simcade than sim in handling then that's fine with me. The selection of cars and tracks is great and if it's fun to drive that's sometimes all you need (if you are in the mood for that type of racing experience).

Not a criticism just something I've noticed in most of the online reviews I've seen.

My only worry is "in the old days" of gaming, the development company would maybe roll out two or three little updates and that would be it. If you want more you'll have to wait for the next edition of the game.

SMS seem to follow this route and that's my only real concern.

 

[Case_]

The FFB being described as something between R3E and iRacing is pretty much how I would describe it as well from the initial impression, I was thinking more or less the same while driving.

 

[Dicra]

you'd have to increase your intelligence 10 fold to even qualify as a muppet.

OK fella, you are a nasty sad negative manchild, you are on a forum for people who love to sim race, please do yourself a favor and don't slag off what we do as a hobby.

 

[AndrewBo]

 

[Ole Andreasen]

View attachment 213042

Good advice Andrew - but very very hard to obtain when people like Ben Collins keeps getting airtime. I urge you to warn him or ban him Andrew.

Problem is that Ben Collins is so violently abusive in his posts. He claims that he tries to warn "young people" from buying "bad sims" - but who the hell made Ben Collins GOD? What right has he to claim that his opinions are better than the ones of the rest of us? It´s ridiculous that he keeps getting access to this forum, when all he can do is abuse and constantly and ONLY flaming all he does not like, and patronizing the ones of you, who does NOT think that he is God!.

Ben Collins may have ANY opinions towards Project Cars, whatever number, and express them, but across the board he keeps at it in condescending everyone that dares to differ in opinion from him.

There MAY be people for whom this hobby is totally satisfied by games like Project Cars ( I am exhibit A) and I feel less and less inclined to visit this otherwise great forum, when I again and again have to see people like Ben Collins feel that he is so above us all, and never ceasing to spread his malice over the forum.

I hope that a warning or a ban could urge Ben Collins to rethink his manners and realize that HIS opinions are not more or less true than the rest of us - and that his posts should reflect that.

And that is MY opinion.

 

[James Hall]

Wating for reviews from the simracing comunity..

What they are saying is; it is a big improvement over the first version, but still mediocre. There are some areas where it shines, others where it does not.

 

[Frietpan]

will a 1060 6gb be enough for this game at 4k? (even on medium settings/no aa etc)
i might give it a go cause it looks nice lol

 

[osyres]

Guys can u stop talking about PC2 is better than PC1 ? I mean common thats nothing new and how can a simracing game in the next generation be worst than the old titel ? I think we all got it now.... But is it better than ac,rf2, ams, iracing ? That is the only question. And i don t see anybody not ONE person who says this is the **** i quit iracing, ac .... and play now pc2 ? Now i don t have it i just know that the ai is pure bullshit and theres 1000 vids which shows it i don t need the game to know the ai. So theres only the ranked multiplayer left where i found no information at all. But i doubt that it will have a saftyrating like iracing which we need.

 

[Leynad777]

The FFB being described as something between R3E and iRacing is pretty much how I would describe it as well from the initial impression, I was thinking more or less the same while driving.

Yes, exactly what i thought, but with their flex-model the tyre-physics sets the bar higher. Ian Bell claimed, that they using two PS4-cores just for the tyre-physics whereas AC has a "simple brush-model" that could run on half of a core. Before hearing this i felt it, especially obvious in the Ferrari 330 P4, but others as well. Like rF2 the FFB isn't communicating the physics so well like AC does and the wow-effect came with my SimVibe-setup running. Feeling from the seat-of-pants what each tyre is doing is IMO outstanding in pCars 2.

Some cars like the Cayman Cup or Mercedes 190 Group A are clearly broken for me and much better in AC. Stupid thing is, that there's a high chance someone choose the Cayman first or this Formula Rookie (two of the very few new cars in the career-start) with far better rear-traction in the rain. Normally i tune this notorious out-of-corner-oversteers out and i thought i know all tricks with wingless cars (lower rear-camber/toe/tyre pressue, break bias to the front, softer rear-springs/ARB, stiffer differential), but wasn't working in pCars 2 like in pCars 1 before. All SMS-staff claimed they fixed this problem with v2, but than put the bad exceptions so right under your nose that many people will pick this first and refund soon. Than this stupid AI-qualifying-bug which affects all people racing against AI. Do they have a QC i asked me?

 

[rosgillies]

I am in shock...
This game, and remember that they are all video games, is actually very good.
The FFB is really rather good, better than good..
It takes no more than 10 mins to find the sweet spot with the FFB, if you can not find it, then you are doing something wrong...
The Porsche GT3 (cup) feels wonderful, way more fun than the iracing version.
True, some cars are worse that others, which is the same in every other car racing video game.
AC has some bad cars, so does RF2, and so does PC2.
So what, get over it.
Iracing has perhaps 3 cars that are ok; a tire model that works the WRONG way around, artwork done with felt-tip pens, and jumping cars.
Oh, and 'marketing' that is a little bit loose with the truth...
Well, very loose with the truth, check out the court records when some guy took on iracing...
Yet it is considered the 'greatest sim ever' by many...
They are all video games..
Video games for big kids.
PC2 is way better than expected, is fun, looks good, nothing wrong with that.
AC is fun, RF2 can be fun, and PC2 is fun.
So what is wrong with that, nothing.
Stop falling for the marketing crap, take them for what they are, video games, and have fun.
It is all very simple.

Couldn`t have said it better myself. Well done.

 

[GP20]

Lot of improvments but huge donwgrade in graphic's area.
If you compare to PC1 it's like playing to Automobilista, textures are cheap.

There must be a PC3, i see no other explanation.

(storm in Barcelona looks awfull, PC1 was so much better)

I want the physic and UI of PC2 in PC1. Doable?

 

[John Addison]

Found the virtual mirror....it just showed up I didnt touch anything lol. It seems some settings dont work right away but after a few try's they stay on. The FFB and feel/weight of the car feels great in some cars and in some its near non existent ? Odd. About 3 hours into it now and although it appears it was a bit over hyped I like it. The circuits are really well done. And some of the cars lead by the Panoz are awesome. I need a few more hours in to make a call but its a keeper in the stable. But RaceRoom and AC still hold top spot.

But I can see I'll be in it a lot. I have not tried the AI yet as pointless from what Im reading so hopefully they will get that under control. The weather is really amazing they got that spot on. Im not big into bad weather racing cuz Im just not very good at it. But it was very cool running laps at Imola in a light rain.

 

[wombat999]

I find this entire discussion about what is really a 'racing car game' quite amusing.
Me, I was happy enough with PC1 and I'll probably be just as happy with PC2, but how about almost all of the 'experts' chill and realise this is just a VIDEO GAME.
By all means discuss the merits or not of PC2, but try and remember this not 'real life'.

 

[Peter Kerényi]

Everybody here arguing about the game while I'm still sitting here downloading, despite buying the boxed version. ETA in about 5 hours yay.

 

[Matt Lenart]

Mod-Edit: OFF-Topic Removed.

 

[c172fccc]

Worried about the Ai issues I'm reading (too busy hot lapping new cars and tracks and playing AC/R3E), but hopeful it'll get sorted in a patch.

Well I have some really good news :

http://forum.projectcarsgame.com/sh...neral-discussion-thread&p=1360291#post1360291

http://forum.projectcarsgame.com/showthread.php?51832-On-the-topic-of-AI&p=1360124#post1360124

Really hope we'll get that patch soon.

 

[Tim Lundy]

Well I have some really good news :

http://forum.projectcarsgame.com/sh...neral-discussion-thread&p=1360291#post1360291

http://forum.projectcarsgame.com/showthread.php?51832-On-the-topic-of-AI&p=1360124#post1360124

Really hope we'll get that patch soon.

Ian made a post on GTP about fixing the qualifying bug. Should be coming in a patch at some point.