Paul Jeffrey

Premium
WRC 9 is just around the corner, and one of the new locations set to make an appearance in the game is the New Zealand Rally - with some first preview imagery from the states now out in the public domain.

Set to release on console and PC in September this year, with next gen console release slated for a little while afterwards, the ninth instalment of the WRC game series (can you believe we are on number 9 already?!?) looks to be shaping up rather nicely over at KT Racing - so much so that the studio have decided to release some preview footage from an early build version of the title - and already it looks fantastic.

As per usual, the upcoming game enjoys the official licence of the FIA World Rally Championship, this time taking the opportunity to recreate the 2020 season that is currently on hold, and as such returning favourites such as the Safari Rally in Kenya, Rally Japan and the featured Rally New Zealand.

Roads in New-Zealand are amongst the most beautiful and the most appreciated in the Championship’s history.” tells Benoît Gomes, Lead Level Designer at KT Racing.​

Famous for its fast chains of turns and a sustained pace rhythm, along with breath-taking landscapes, Rally New-Zealand truly offers a particular experience. A long preparation work allowed us to replicate, as closely as possible, the luxuriant vegetation, the light and unique ocean views, as well as the road’s topography and surfaces, mainly composed of gravel. We’re convinced that players will enjoy taking up this challenge as much as we did in WRC 9.” concludes Benoît Gomes.​


WRC 9 Key Features:
  • 3 new rallies: Japan, New Zealand, Kenya
  • Over 50 official teams and their livery from the WRC, WRC 2, WRC 3 and Junior WRC
  • Over 15 bonus cars that have left their mark on the history of the WRC
  • Exclusive new game modes soon to be discovered


WRC 9 will release on Xbox One, PS4, PC this September 3rd.

Want to know more about this new game? No worries, keep an eye out for the upcoming WRC 9 sub forum here at RaceDepartment to engage with your fellow sim racing fans.


WRC 9 New Zealand 1.jpg
WRC 9 New Zealand 2.jpg
 
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OK, thanks. But...how does that relate to any of the FOV calculators on earth? And this number does NOT change when I move the slider in game for a view, say Bonnet View. I have slid the FOV slider to -11, the value in the file you referenced does not change. And how does any of it relate to the FOV angle, either horizontal or vertical, one gets in an FOV calculator web site?

There MUST be some kind of relationship!! In Dirt Rally 2.0, there is a slider similar, but you can read around on the net and find that 0, or default, is 55 deg, minimum is 30 degrees, and maximum is 70 degrees, numbers that are VERTICAL FOV, so I need 29 vertical according to the calculation, so in DR2, slide 'er all the way to the left, done, 30 degrees vertical.

Just wishing I knew how it related in WRC 9, that's all.
 
I have a Creative SoundBlasterX AE-5 soundcard and some Sennheiser headphones for $ 150.
Yes, in a direct comparison you can hear and see some improvements. But Dirt Rallys sound, FFB and driving model is still way ahead. But overall and especially regarding graphics and presentation, WRC 9 is fine.

Take the driving model, FFB, sound and co-driver from Dirt Rally and the rest from WRC 9 => perfect rally game.

Never understood why gamers prefer DR1 & DR2 FFB and physics over WRC !

It's just awful IMO and same regarding Hand brake feel !

I guess they are seduced by pretty graphics and forget the rest ;)

I like the DR 2 co driver but he sounds like he's about to fall asleep any minute !
 
Never understood why gamers prefer DR1 & DR2 FFB and physics over WRC !

It's just awful IMO and same regarding Hand brake feel !

I guess they are seduced by pretty graphics and forget the rest ;)

I like the DR 2 co driver but he sounds like he's about to fall asleep any minute !
The WRC games have better graphics than the Dirt (Rally) titles. But the WRC co-driver sounds like a robot. In WRC 9, it's a bit better than in the previous games, but it's still a robotic sound. Additionally, WRC co-driver sounds are taken from a fixed library whereas Dirt Rally has some indivual recordings for better calls for situations found only on a specific track.

The FFB in WRC titles is just some canned effects. Stronger FFB? Just makes the wheel harder to turn. And this silly rattling (but this can be disabled at least), a cars engine doesn't cause the wheel to rattle, not even at high revs.
The driving model in WRC titles is simcade with too much grip, too strong brakes and a too high acceleration. Additionally, there seem to be some bugs which cause unexplainable overrolls and sudden snaps to oversteer even in FWD cars (setting LSD preload to at least 50 seems to mitigiate this). Yes, it's fun and easier than in Dirt Rally, but not realistic. I understand that because of this some prefer the WRC driving model over the one from the Dirt Rally titles.
The major issue for me is: the WRC titles fail to give you the feeling what a powerful, fierce and hard to control machine a WRC car is. Dirt Rally is here superiort due to the better sound, driving model and FFB. In Dirt Rally, keeping the car on the road and avoid crashes means a hard and demanding work behind the wheel, just like in reality. Opposed to this, driving in WRC is like a sunday ride with a comfortable road car.
Dirt Rally = hardcore sim, WRC titles = simcade for the masses. Different games for a different audience, both with different strengths and weaknesses. Play the game that better fits your needs, accessible fun or a realistic experience that requires a lot of work for success moments.
 
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The WRC games have better graphics than the Dirt (Rally) titles. But the WRC co-driver sounds like a robot. In WRC 9, it's a bit better than in the previous games, but it's still a robotic sound. Additionally, WRC co-driver sounds are taken from a fixed library whereas Dirt Rally has some indivual recordings for better calls for situations found only on a specific track.

The FFB in WRC titles is just some canned effects. Stronger FFB? Just makes the wheel harder to turn. And this silly rattling (but this can be disabled at least), a cars engine doesn't cause the wheel to rattle, not even at high revs.
The driving model in WRC titles is simcade with too much grip, too strong brakes and a too high acceleration. Additionally, there seem to be some bugs which cause unexplainable overrolls and sudden snaps to oversteer even in FWD cars (setting LSD preload to at least 50 seems to mitigiate this). Yes, it's fun and easier than in Dirt Rally, but not realistic. I understand that because of this some prefer the WRC driving model over the one from the Dirt Rally titles.
The major issue for me is: the WRC titles fail to give you the feeling what a powerful, fierce and hard to control machine a WRC car is. Dirt Rally is here superiort due to the better sound, driving model and FFB. In Dirt Rally, keeping the car on the road and avoid crashes means a hard and demanding work behind the wheel, just like in reality. Opposed to this, driving in WRC is like a sunday ride with a comfortable road car.
Dirt Rally = hardcore sim, WRC titles = simcade for the masses. Different games for a different audience, both with different strengths and weaknesses. Play the game that better fits your needs, accessible fun or a realistic experience that requires a lot of work for success moments.

"Dirt Rally = hardcore sim" That is got to be the joke of the month !
I can't take anyone saying that seriously !

FYI: Both DR and WRC are SimCade
 
"Dirt Rally = hardcore sim" That is got to be the joke of the month !
I can't take anyone saying that seriously !

FYI: Both DR and WRC are SimCade
Whats your definition of "hardcore sim" (mine: "a realistic driving experience")? Do you agree that DR is at least more simulation than WRC 9 even when it doesn't meet your definiton of a "hardcore sim"? Which rally games are hardcore sims for you? Just the good old RBR or not even that?
 
Whats your definition of "hardcore sim" (mine: "a realistic driving experience")? Do you agree that DR is at least more simulation than WRC 9 even when it doesn't meet your definiton of a "hardcore sim"? Which rally games are hardcore sims for you? Just the good old RBR or not even that?

DR is less sim than WRC for sure but none are full blown sims in any way !

Really boring stage design doesn't make DR any more attractive either !

A real car simply does not behave like the ones in DR ( Just look at the completely unrealistic Barrel Roles that defies all physical laws known by man ) The hand brake also really feels odd in DR while it feels intuitive in WRC 9.

I still have RBR vanilla ( Which I consider the only hardcore Rally Sim ) and while the sound and graphics are dated it is still the Sim that makes me get the goosebumps that only WRC 9 comes close to !

What I would like is a pure Rally Sim made by Kunos !

We can only hope that Kylotonn keep the pace until WRC 11 to get closer to RBR.

Codemasters wont bring us anyting in 2023 that will get us closer to RBR, that's for sure !
 
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Really boring stage design doesn't make DR any more attractive either !

A real car simply does not behave like the ones in DR ( Just look at the completely unrealistic Barrel Roles that defies all physical laws known by man ) The hand brake also really feels odd in DR while it feels intuitive in WRC 9.
Yes, but the unrealistic overrolling is present in the WRC games, too. Many racing games work fine as long as you are on the track, but they start to show a weird car behavior when going off-track or crash into something.

The stages in DR may be often boring (in WRC 9, the stage quality varies a lot by country), but they are real (and thats what a simulation should do in my view: bring the reality home without adjustments for being easier or funnier): https://steamcommunity.com/app/310560/discussions/0/357284767241208265/#c357284767241329960
In WRC 9, only the SSS are real. The ordinary SS are fantasy tracks that should give you the look and feel of the country with some added real iconic sections like Colins Crest or Mickeys Jump. I'm fine with that, too.
 
Yes, but the unrealistic overrolling is present in the WRC games, too. Many racing games work fine as long as you are on the track, but they start to show a weird car behavior when going off-track or crash into something.

The stages in DR may be often boring (in WRC 9, the stage quality varies a lot by country), but they are real (and thats what a simulation should do in my view: bring the reality home without adjustments for being easier or funnier): https://steamcommunity.com/app/310560/discussions/0/357284767241208265/#c357284767241329960
In WRC 9, only the SSS are real. The ordinary SS are fantasy tracks that should give you the look and feel of the country with some added real iconic sections like Colins Crest or Mickeys Jump. I'm fine with that, too.

You'd be a perfect salesman for Codemasters !
 
ALT does NOT work for me, nor any other key/button I can figure out.

Is there someplace to map a button/key for replay camera, or is replay camera called something else in button mapping?

I can get the circle with 10 numbers to come up but then can't select anything!!
 
I might have the key wrong , it could be the shift key , i haven't played it for a while but when you have the circle with the numbers you just press one of the numbers , sometimes i have to hold down the key to bring up the circle with numbers and keep it held down and press one of the numbers and while pressing the number and holding it then release the key that brought up the circle.
 
I might have the key wrong , it could be the shift key , i haven't played it for a while but when you have the circle with the numbers you just press one of the numbers , sometimes i have to hold down the key to bring up the circle with numbers and keep it held down and press one of the numbers and while pressing the number and holding it then release the key that brought up the circle.

It works well with the shift key.Thank you:)
WRC9 2020-12-15 09-27-46-04.jpg
 
.....sometimes i have to hold down the key to bring up the circle with numbers and keep it held down and press one of the numbers and while pressing the number and holding it then release the key that brought up the circle.

Jeez, nothing cryptic about that! How did one actually figure that out?

By "press one of the numbers" I guess you mean a number key on the keyboard, no?
 

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