PC2 Appreciation of Project cars 2

[roguk]

Shame about being delisted, PC2 had a lot of haters but i still play it and think its great.

 

[dwightyone]

As do I! Some really good cars and then some not so good cars but the overall package is great and the wide selection of tracks just adds to that. Then there's the out of box support for LAN, Triple Screens, Virtual Reality, Telemetry, Motion and buttkickers, mod cars and pretty good Custom FFB files and btw yes, also enjoying the F1 myself. My only gripe with performance is if there was a way the 3D trees could be replaced by 2D ones.

But talking of Virtual Reality - once you've got the sharpening sorted with AMD CAS then it looks good and runs very well in VR (IMO).

*That's the PC2 promo out of the way*

Are you using a custom ffb file?

 

[roguk]

Hi using this PopsRacerFFB v.2021.10.11 - Full SOP Chassis SMS RAW TONE w more detail (T300RS+) my ffb settings are custom / 100 / 50 / 50 / 50 / 0.40 . made my ffb very good.

 

[dwightyone]

Same here with the using of that particular ffb file - and same settings. Just bought another copy of PC2 for just in-case reasons - not really anything else relatively modern on PC which offers all what PC2 does with all those brand licenses.

 

[roguk]

Plus lots of good car mods, like the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO and the Oreca/Aurus/Alpine A470. AMS2 has some good car mods but the sim lacks the cars and tracks that PC2 has, and as it updates you have to change the boot files.

 

[Kenny Paton]

AMS2 has some good car mods but the sim lacks the cars and tracks that PC2 has, and as it updates you have to change the boot files.

Since it is not meant to have car mods you can hardly blame them for that.

 

[dwightyone]

Updates for the updates for the updates which makes us appreciate PC2 even more. PC2 is like a fine wine to us folk down here in the PC2 forum!

 

[roguk]

Hi Kenny quote (Since it is not meant to have car mods you can hardly blame them for that) same for PC 2, not knocking AMS 2 just stating that there is mods for it, i still play it occasionally my favorite Reiza sim is still AMS1.

 

[dwightyone]

And AMS1 is mine - not knocking AMS2 but AMS1 is just really really good. With it's advanced on the spot penalty system (you can set it higher in the PLR so it gives a pen' for even the slightest contact) I can envisage AMS1 still having the tools for pro level events. It even has instant replay where you can pop out mid' race to check for infringements and then pop back in to the race to carry on broadcasting. Don't want to sound like a 50 year old muppet but my daughter would say that's cool bro'. .

Anyway, yes PC2 had loads of legs still left in it!

 

[Wilko Jones]

I have to apologize for not giving Project Cars 2 a chance. I found a fix for my control problems with the game, and reinstalled it, set it up, calibrated the wheel and screens and gave it a whirl. I was plesently suprised at how it felt, sounds and looks. The last time I seriously played PC2, was when I still had used parts in my PC and a 1070 as the GPU. Seeing it running on my current configuration it looks far better than what I remember. It arguably looks better than AMS2... But that is splitting hairs. Still its a damn good looking game.

I tried it again due to boredom with FM23. I wanted to check this game out after seeing it talked up on FM.net's site. And from the brief time I played it, its not bad at all. Yes the control is a little vague in some areas, its not as connected feeling as AMS2 (especially now) but when dialed in, its more than servicable. I guess some of the tougher cars to drive will be more of a challenge than I am expecting. Although the Zackspeed Capri was easier to handle than the one in R3E. So maybe I am making a bigger issue out of this than what it actually is.

I'll going spend more time with this title. I am glad that I tried it again.

 

[Tony4]

The strong point of PC2 is the choice of cars and tracks. I'm glad they jumped on the retro-train, with these awesome racing cars of the 70's, 80's and 90's like the 90's DTM cars, the Group 5, Group C (C9 Sauber and Porsche 962) ... Just for that on itself, it's an awesome racing game. I just like multi-class battles, and many racing games don't offer it, which is their loss really.
You can also see a lot of time was spent on the menu system. Granted, this is personal and subjective, but often with racing games, this part is really bad on other racing games.

 

[dwightyone]

@Wilko Jones

F1 2022, IndyCar 2023, HyperCars 2023 - just some of the stand out mods but like a lot of cars on PC2 if you spend time dialing in the setups then it turns out it is very good and not just that a fully featured sim that covers nearly all racing disciplines. Honestly use Pop Racers latest FFB which leaves the older Jack Spade ones for dust (sorry jack) and dial in the diff and the suspension on setups and it's then brilliant. And apparently with a direct drive wheel it's also much better and PC2 in VR with latest graphics cards I bet is da bomb. Gee, they got slated and now these days everyone releases half finished software - look at Forza, Rfactor2, Ultimate Le Mans and AMS2.

 

[Cote Dazur]

And apparently with a direct drive wheel it's also much better and PC2 in VR with latest graphics cards I bet is da bomb

PCars2 is a great race simulator, always has been, it is trendy in this neighbourhood to say it is not. Is all content equally good? No, some content is just weird, but this game as so much content, avoiding the bad apples still leave more official content than any other sim.
What you get out of the box is outstanding.
To your comment about DD in PCars2, I found it a game changer for me. With the right content, it is very enjoyable, a lot of info communicated.
VR, is as good as it gets, period.
Delisted, not delisted, it has not changed anything for me.
Classic Le Mans is still gorgeous and driving the Testa Rossa Ferrari in VR and with a DD, there, is just pure SIM gold.

 

[dwightyone]

PCars2 is a great race simulator, always has been, it is trendy in this neighbourhood to say it is not. Is all content equally good? No, some content is just weird, but this game as so much content, avoiding the bad apples still leave more official content than any other sim.
What you get out of the box is outstanding.
To your comment about DD in PCars2, I found it a game changer for me. With the right content, it is very enjoyable, a lot of info communicated.
VR, is as good as it gets, period.
Delisted, not delisted, it has not changed anything for me.
Classic Le Mans is still gorgeous and driving the Testa Rossa Ferrari in VR and with a DD, there, is just pure SIM gold.

I fully agree with your points. Im quite happy with my TS PC but so tempted to get DD just for PC2.

Slightly off topic: Tried vrperfit doesn't work, open composite (OpenXR) works with PC2 but it seems to run slightly worse with it and the latest version of DXVK works with PC2 but only on my triples and not in VR. A shame about the latter as DXVK has very good AA shader option which works really well in GTR2 and maybe it could be better AA option in VR for PC2 - it makes my triples look nice. Maybe it will work with VR one day with more updates.

I think as time passes more and more people may come back to PC2 and come to the conclusion that it's pretty good after all.

 

[Cote Dazur]

I think as time passes more and more people may come back to PC2 and come to the conclusion that it's pretty good after all.

I doubt that and at the same time, I hope you are right.
When playing even older racing games labelled as simulator, like Race 07, GTR2, and the likes, I realized how little SIM have really improved over the past 20 years. On any aspect.
I respect any option, as valid, it all depends what we like as individuals. Most are confused between what is facts and what is just an expression of their preferences.
Since, I do not drive online any more, I honestly do not care if I am the last person on earth enjoying my rig running PCars2 (among many others titles).
All I hope for, is that my comments, might entice someone who has not runned PCars2 for while, to give it a go, with an open mind and might enjoy amazing content from a title they already own or could acquire for very little money.
But, in the web/forum world, it is mostly about the latest shiny thing presented as a revolution, when in fact it is often worse than what was already there on many crucial aspects.

 

[Tony4]

I didn't run it for a while (in fact didn't run any race game for a while), gave it a go and was surprised by the whole package. I don't know how to describe this, but there's also something like historical/experimental racing where you take old cars on modern tracks, new cars on old tracks, old cars versus new cars (and not necessarily the old being slow, no way!), ... For that, Project Cars II is great !

If you also like to experiment with weather and timing, you can also do that ! And not in a simple manner. Possibly the most expanded such system of any racing game ... (question mark). But at least on top when it concerns to that.
It feels like the game is over-engineered in very specific aspects, and that is good, because no matter what game, nothing is perfect.

 

[Ryan Soucy]

PC2 remains my #1 played sim, followed by PC1. It was always about the content. I even made Excel-based career modes to get me to play more and discover more (career files in the downloads here).

The selection of some of the cars is inspired at times. Like the Porsche 924 GTP and the Panoz GTR1. I actually started a youtube channel where I want to talk about historic cars and drivers and it's mainly because of the interesting stuff I found in PC2.

I am honestly really happy with the FFB on my TX base. Stuff I learned in AMS2 led me to make changes in PC2, and now I think PC2 feels more alive than AMS2. Those cars are too flat and sterile and oversteery. However, I must try that Pops FFB file with all the recommendations I've seen.

 

[Cote Dazur]

Today, I did a VR 60 laps race at Zolder in the Astra WTC car against a full grid of WRC cars, rain for one quarter of the race, but the track stays wet a lot longer, , I started from the back and finished 11, as I was never able to gain position further. I had a great time, paused a few times.
That was as good a SIM time as I ever had.
At one point PCars2 was all the rage, I di not get it then, actually, I started really appreciate it only after I got my DD wheel.

But my question is: Why is there so little of us left having fun in PCars2. What happened to every one?
Yes, I understand some went to AMS2, so am I, it is great, better in many ways., but most AMS2 user are saying it drives very different than PCars2, I do not think so, it is pretty much the same, In PCars2, it is content dependent, but most race cars drive just fine.

 

[roguk]

Hi yes AMS2 is brilliant but i still prefer PCars 2, more cars more tracks and to me it just feels better to drive this is regards offline as do not play online. Quote ( In PCars2, it is content dependent, but most race cars drive just fine.) yes found this out the older cars can have very sloppy steering around the center point and some of the car mods but this can be dialed out, Kaos mods seem good. I think there is still lots of us using PCars 2 just like other sims GTR2 GTL AMS1 rFactor1 Race07 but offline and that does not seem to count.

 

[Cote Dazur]

offline and that does not seem to count.

As long as Steam is not offline, that you play a game offline or online does not matter, it will be counted.
To me, average daily players number of 200, is low, not representative of PCars 2 fun factor, overall quality, richness of content.
Yes, still a lot more than the abysmal numbers for GTR2 GTL AMS1 rFactor1 Race07, but those SIMs are ancient looking, limited in content, when compare to PCars2.
PCars 2 is still as good as anything out there, when not just superior.
My main puzzlement is where are all the players of a few years ago went? In June 2020 PCars 2 had an average daily players count of 1,500!