Indianapolis 500 Evolution
Printed From: Sports Gaming Nation
Category: SGN Forum
Forum Name: The Locker Room
Forum Discription: Discuss anything and everything related to videogames here.
URL: http://www.sportsgamingnation.com/sgnforums/forum_posts.asp?TID=2426
Printed Date: 04-23-2024 at 8:11pm
Topic: Indianapolis 500 Evolution
Posted By: TedSGN
Subject: Indianapolis 500 Evolution
Date Posted: 11-06-2009 at 4:18pm
|
Anyone intrigued like me? Adam, have you played this? ------------- 
|
Replies:
Posted By: GB_Simo
Date Posted: 11-06-2009 at 6:51pm
|
Indy 500 Evolution is not yet available in PAL territories. To give you some kind of idea of how badly I want that to change, I recently emailed the developer to see if the NTSC release was region-free or whether it might come out here - apparently it will be released in the UK sometime just after Christmas. You should probably know, if you don't already, that the developer in question is Brain In A Jar, the company responsible for IndyCar Series on the XBox.
The impression I've been given from people whose feedback I trust is that while very clearly a budget title, it still comes across as a labour of love, and racing against the AI is apparently a joy. ------------- |
Posted By: Derek
Date Posted: 11-06-2009 at 7:09pm
|
I have the EDIT: Well, after reading some, they may not be THAT similar. 360 has a lot more tracks and cars, apparently, for one thing. Someone on DSP posted that they are having more fun with this than they are with Forza, and knowing my racing preferences, I may feel that way as well. The game seems to be a little hard to find in my area. ------------- http://profile.mygamercard.net/webdanzer"> 
|
Posted By: GB_Simo
Date Posted: 11-06-2009 at 7:31pm
|
Different dev teams, Web. The Wii game (which also isn't available here - I believe I'm one of 7 men in the UK with a console and an interest in the subject matter) was developed by Torus Games, and that's about the limit of my knowledge on that one. ------------- |
Posted By: TedSGN
Date Posted: 11-06-2009 at 10:27pm
Oh my. You know we shared a deep love of IndyCar Series. Oh my, indeed. -------------
|
Posted By: Derek
Date Posted: 11-07-2009 at 2:51pm
|
I'm unfortunately working most of today, but I picked this up on my way in. Hopefully I'll be able to play some tonight or tomorrow and post impressions.
------------- http://profile.mygamercard.net/webdanzer">
|
Posted By: GB_Simo
Date Posted: 11-08-2009 at 7:04pm
|
A couple of people have finally got round to putting some videos on YouTube, and...well, neither of them can drive a nail into a piece of wood, so I look forward to some impressions, Web.
As a racing nut, the wayback machine effect of this thing makes it a guaranteed purchase. Even watching the YouTube crowd not being able to navigate turn one at Indy without wrecking, I could see the names of the cars around and think, "There's no way they've put all the old drivers in this ga-Bill Cheesbourg's on pole! That said Ebb Rose!" The game underneath could suck and I'd probably find something to love anyway...
One thing I do want to know when you get playing, Web: from the videos I've seen it looks like the cars have more push built into them than I was expecting. Do they feel that way to you or can you get the tail out in the corners? ------------- |
Posted By: TedSGN
Date Posted: 11-10-2009 at 8:56pm
|
My copy is otw from gamefly.
-------------
|
Posted By: Derek
Date Posted: 11-11-2009 at 10:38am
I have played less than an hour total with this so far, hence the lack of any impressions from me. I do think I'll dig the game a lot, though, even though most of my quick sessions ended with me watching my tyres bounce away from me down the track!  Adam, the cars seem to behave differently depending on the model. I tried a few cars from different years, and while the first two had a lot of push, I had a nice fish impression going on with the third. Overall you are probably correct, though. Unless I missed it, there are no car stats; when you select you choose driver and car model, but if you're not familiar with either, you kinda have to guess and see what you get when you are out on the track. I love this type of racing game, though, where one bad move can end your race and you really need to avoid other cars. Contrast that to Forza (which I picked up yesterday as well---it was either that or CoD:MW2) where the cars are more 'useful tools for cornering' than something to avoid. (Forza does feel great in the wheels on the road category, though....better than the demo) ------------- http://profile.mygamercard.net/webdanzer">
|
Posted By: GB_Simo
Date Posted: 11-15-2009 at 2:32pm
|
Thanks Web. That bit about the car stats seems a bit of an oddity. With the number of potential chassis/engine combinations in those days, I'd have thought stats were a necessity. Ted, I see the game in your gamercard list there. How are you finding it?------------- |
Posted By: TedSGN
Date Posted: 11-15-2009 at 7:17pm
|
Adam, I'm having a good experience. That being said I don't think anyone who did not already have an interest in that type and period of racing would find this a good game. It's absolutely a niche title. I like the atmosphere of the game. There is 60's and 70's style music playing in the background on the menus and during the race. The songs are very similar to real songs in maybe they have a slightly different chord structure or are in a different key, but you can recognize which tune they are trying to imitate right away. The options are pretty limited, but the greatest part of those is the ability to save a race mid-race and race length options are 10 laps, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full length. View options are front bumper, hood, cockpit, and close chase. I'm not knowledgeable on that era of racing even though I do like the look of the cars. The racing years are 1961 to 1971 inclusive. There are six tracks. Indy, of course, Trenton, the Milwaukee Mile, another Minnesota track, and two others I can't remember right now. I've raced on Trenton (which is a fun track because kidney shape) and Indy. Framerates are excellent. However, this is not a high definition title. It's better than an xbox title graphically, but the sharpness and clarity just aren't there like in Dirt 2 or even Nascar. It's an in-between kind of thing. Cockpits and lettering on the chassis are lower resolution than what we're used to now. The driving physics of the game are less than contemporary titles as well. You were asking about push and Web is right in that the cars do get some oversteer depending on the make and year. The problem with the traction is that any time there is oversteer or understeer you see the car pivoting on an invisible pole though the center axis of the car instead of the individual tires or axles losing the grip themselves. So from a chase point of view it looks odd. From a driveability it probably make it easier to drive the cars not harder. It's easier to get out of a skid situation then in other games as far as I can tell. Before I forget....this game LOVES the 360 racing wheel. The standard controller is a little sensitive, but the wheel is so natural and the game really shines when using it. The game also sorely lacks rear view mirrors. With contact avoidance being so crucial it would be great to have a HUD option for that even if there weren't mirrors on the real cars. The only option is to use the controller to look around, but with the wheel that is difficult. The other option is to drive in chase mode, otherwise you never get a warning that another driver is close in your blind spot or trying to pass. The racing is solid, but too easy on normal. You guys know that I'm truly a back-half-of-the-pack guy skill wise and I have to put the difficulty on this game all the way up to have a competitive race, otherwise I can easily beat up on the competition as long as I don't hit anyone. And it's easy to avoid contact. The one bad part of the difficulty is that damage and the AI are on the same button. You can't separate the two so if you want competitive AI you have to choose the hardest damage setting. Usually not a problem except that I think the damage model is overdone on hard. The slightest (and I mean slightest) contact with another vehicle will cause you to have engine damage or overheat your radiator or oil. It just doesn't seem realistic, but the only solution is to play it this way because normal is just too easy and I can qualify 3 to 4 seconds better than the next best driver on normal. To compare, I qualified 7th at Trenton on hard and was within a second of the pole. The AI is fun to race against and you start to recognize the names of the other drivers and who you can pass easily and who will race you for position and be more aggressive. You'll be racing along and come up on a guy that you know either doesn't have much car or is passive so you make a clean pass and know that he's not going to show up on you again as long as you don't make mistakes. Then there are other guys that you know are better and even when you pass them they are going to race back hard and try and take that position. It makes for a little more thinking during the race and also the ability to just run some good laps for awhile and not feel pressured. I race longer races so I generally find the cars as singles or in small groups of 2 to 4. So you can work your way from pack to pack or just stalk in between two packs if you like. Also, any aggressiveness on your part and not running clean will start to get other drivers mad and they can end up hating you. Right now most are "dismissive" of me, but I have about 5 haters who I've had a few incidents with. The only gripe I have with the AI is that things seem a little pre-determined. The qualifying grid always looks in the same order and the AI generally finish close to their starting positions as long as there are no accidents. I don't know what reality was back then, but fuel tanks are huge in this game. You can make the full length race at Trenton (100 laps,150 miles) with one fuel stop. Tires are another issue though and I seemed to need tires about every 20-25 laps and I don't think I was being hard on the tires because I was using the racing line and avoiding squealing them around the turns. Setups? There are none. Just get ready to race with what you bring to the track. You can try different combinations of engine, chassis, and transmission and that's it. I haven't tried any yet because the options in 61 are limited. I think I can only buy different chassis's because I only see the 4-speed tranny and the Offy engine available for sale. There aren't any yellow flags when things come apart. Were there no yellow flags back then? So you are going to be racing right through incidents and wreckage. Some of that wreckage even stays on the track. There are black flags although I haven't gotten one yet. I also see a blue flag?? occasionally in my HUD, but don't know what it is for and I don't have a manual for the game. I can see the career being fun because you have 11 seasons of 6 races each. So 66 races. I'm a career style gamer so I think I could play through that and it would be interesting to see how it turned out. It's also really neat how the cars evolve through that decade and even in 1971 there are cars on the track that look like pencils and pinewood derby racers right next to more modern winged vehicles. There is no customization of you chassis that I can see. I think you are stuck with the number 71 and your name is your gamertag. There just aren't a lot of personal bells and whistles with this title. I wish I had something for you about multiplayer, but sadly in the half dozen attempts I've made to play it online I can't even find a random game. Nobody seems to be playing this. I'll be holding on to it to try it with Web and see if there is lag and if you are still interested I'll hold it. I hope we can play like Flatout or Dirt2 and not be restricted like Nascar. I would not recommend this title as a purchase because it seems to be getting a lot of hate from gamers (2.6 rating from gamefly ) which I think is unfair. I think if you have any interest in indycar racing or racing from that era its a good bet as a rental. I think it is definitely a try before you buy. Seeing as GF has a keep it price of 21 and I have a $5 coupon I'll probably keep it since I like Indycars. I know it's stupid, but I like this game better than Dirt2 and given the option I put in Indy 500 over that title. I know Dirt2 is better, but I like Indy more. -------------
|
Posted By: Derek
Date Posted: 11-16-2009 at 12:27pm
|
Really nice write-up, Ted. Let's shoot for some online time.
------------- http://profile.mygamercard.net/webdanzer">
|
Posted By: TedSGN
Date Posted: 11-17-2009 at 1:19pm
|
Derek, do you want to try for a race or two tonight?
-------------
|
Posted By: Derek
Date Posted: 11-17-2009 at 1:30pm
|
It'd have to be pretty late for me tonight, Ted, like around midnight or even a bit later. That may be good for you, though! Let me shoot you an update this evening.
------------- http://profile.mygamercard.net/webdanzer">
|
Posted By: GB_Simo
Date Posted: 11-17-2009 at 3:57pm
|
Either of you chaps have any idea whether the game will run on a PAL 360? The NTSC copy of Lego Rock Band that I bought yesterday (from a local high street retailer, oddly enough) has reignited my interest in finding out, as has the word on the website of Indy's UK publisher Zushi that the game won't be out here until February.
Ted, thanks for the write-up, full of good stuff. The difficulty thing has me a bit worried, because I tend to do alright against the harder AI on most games, but the rest of it sounds like the kind of thing I could go for.
Fuel tanks were larger then so that's alright, but there should at least be caution flags waving - have a look 3:50 or so into this:
[TUBE]eU9H9fouXss[/TUBE]
The blue flag in today's racing means there is a faster car approaching, usually to lap you, and you ought be prepared to let him by; it's meant that for a long time here so it might well be that, but I don't have enough knowledge of the flag rules in the USA through that period to say for sure. ------------- |
Posted By: TedSGN
Date Posted: 11-17-2009 at 5:27pm
|
I don't know if the game will run on a PAL 360, but I'll try to find out through the usual internet searches. That blue flag may very well mean the same thing in this game, Adam. I noticed yesterday that I passed a car that was a lap up on me and the blue flag came out. A couple of turns later the same car passed me. This game has some very nice extras for fans of the history of Indy. There are a bunch of missions to play and recreate historical setups. And each of those missions has a dozen or so photos and one or two long videos. Some very neat stuff in there. The missions also earn you credits to apply in your career purchases. I like that you also earn credits each lap for clean laps, passing cars, and so on. There are actually 8 tracks Indy Milwaukee Mile Milwaukee Mile with an infield road course (Honey something) Trenton Langhorne (Pennsylvania track? It's a giant circle you are constantly in a left hand turn. I guess it was nicknamed puke alley lol) Riverside National Riverside International (same location but different layout) Another CA track. I'm not sure if every season is 6 races. I've only played in 1961 so far. Maybe they add tracks in different years. I need to addendum my first post. Tires last longer than 20-25 laps. I made it to lap 33 yesterday before my tire indicators were starting to turn red. I noticed some slipping before the indicators though and by 33 I was having to adjust my speed significantly through turns. At Trenton I definitely think you would only need one pit stop. If you can get the tires to last to lap 51 and take on just a few gallons of fuel it is doable. I don't think any pits are necessary in shorter races, i.e. I don't think there is an accelerated wear option on tires and fuel. I played around and purchased a few different 1961 chassis and tried them out. They do all handle slight different with some having better cornering than others and it seemed like there was one that definitely had a higher top speed although they all use the same engine/tranny in that year so I may be wrong. -------------
|
Posted By: GB_Simo
Date Posted: 11-17-2009 at 6:01pm
The bit just after the start/finish line, where it should dive downhill a bit if the game has it right, really was...the track itself was the somewhat less imaginative The Big Left Turn or the sadly accurate The Track That Ate The Heroes. Sometime in the mid 60s they turned it from a giant circle into a giant D shape, incorporating a straight - I'd be interested to know if Brain In A Jar have got that in there. The knowledge that Riverside is in there fills me with a deep joy too.
Ted, I searched but couldn't find a thing. Whether I'm searching the wrong thing or what I don't know, but anything you could turn up would be appreciated. ------------- |
Posted By: Derek
Date Posted: 11-17-2009 at 10:28pm
I just finished work, and after I shower I think I need some Beatles to wind down a little first. If I see you on later, though, I'll invite! ------------- http://profile.mygamercard.net/webdanzer">
|
Posted By: TedSGN
Date Posted: 11-17-2009 at 10:33pm
Ok I'll look for it 
-------------
|
Posted By: Derek
Date Posted: 11-18-2009 at 12:24am
|
Looks like I missed you by 3 minutes!! I'll be on for a while still, though! But, I did notice that it doesn't look like you can set up a private match or even invite friends into your game!!!???
------------- http://profile.mygamercard.net/webdanzer">
|
Posted By: TedSGN
Date Posted: 11-18-2009 at 12:30am
|
Sorry, D. Wife wanted the TV back. I did race two randoms though after I created a room. The options are very limited as far as matchmaking. Basically you pick the year, the track, the laps, and the AI difficulty. Then the room starts and whoever gets in gets in. When you start the race there is no qualifying. And off you go. Full field AI fill out the field. Good news was no lag that I saw. The randoms hit the wall in turn one as expected and I drove on. They stuck around for about 5 laps and quit out and then so did I. -------------
|
Posted By: Derek
Date Posted: 11-18-2009 at 12:36am
That really kinda sucks. :( Shocked that they won't let you play with friends. It's odd that they even label their one option as 'ranked match' when there is no 'unranked match' to go with it. It's like they ran out of time or money or both. :( ------------- http://profile.mygamercard.net/webdanzer">
|
Posted By: TedSGN
Date Posted: 11-19-2009 at 1:06pm
|
Has there been a racing game in the past where the tracks change as the years progress? If not, then Indy can be called unique in that respect.
-------------
|
Posted By: Derek
Date Posted: 11-19-2009 at 1:09pm
|
When I couldn't connect with Ted, I ended up running a short race against the CPU and I agree that 'normal' difficulty is a cakewalk. As long as you don't wreck, you should win easily. Need to try some more on the hardest difficulty. I do enjoy the game. ------------- http://profile.mygamercard.net/webdanzer">
|
Posted By: GB_Simo
Date Posted: 11-19-2009 at 5:49pm
Layout or running order?
If it's layout, F1 Challenge 99-02 may have done, though it's been so long since I laid eyes on it that I can't recall. Certainly it should have done, because at least one track changed substantially in those years. Destruction Derby did it too, but that probably doesn't count.
I know that Indy changes, the front straight being paved after 196something (61?). Does Langhorne change layout like it should do, mate? ------------- |
Posted By: TedSGN
Date Posted: 11-19-2009 at 5:57pm
|
The Indy brick straight changes sometime after 1961 in the game. I'm going to check the other tracks. I looked at the trophy case and the races change each year. Some get added. Some get dropped. Some get longer. You race 6 times in 1961-64, but more after that and I think 8 or 9 times at the peak. Interestingly, you only race 4 or 5 times in 1971. I need to check and see if the tracks change too. -------------
|
Posted By: GB_Simo
Date Posted: 02-18-2010 at 8:15pm
|
Either of you still playing this? I think it might be released today here - the store my pre-order is with say they have none in, as do various other places including Amazon, but there are online outlets claiming to have stock, and a local gaming chain's website says they have some in too. Then again, Shop To think it's been put back a week... Did the online improve at all? I'd naturally be interested in running some laps with you but your impressions of the online portion seem, to say the least of it, underwhelming. ------------- |
Posted By: TedSGN
Date Posted: 02-18-2010 at 11:46pm
|
Adam, after never seeing anyone online except Derek. And then not being able to connect with him..... well I kept it around for a couple of weeks and sent it back to gamefly. Sorry iRacing makes it hard to play any driving game on the 360 for me now. -------------
|
Posted By: GB_Simo
Date Posted: 07-16-2010 at 6:15pm
|
I know Ted's been online at the same time as me today, and he might have noticed me playing this. I feel I should take this opportunity to warn you all that when drunk, it's an idea not to switch your PC on. My NTSC 360 arrived today, thanks to the lovely people at amazon.com and DHL international shipping... First impressions are that as a trip into the wayback machine, it's wonderful. Running the Johnny Lightning car or Jim Clark's Lotus around Indy is just lovely, the car models and liveries are good enough that I can identify cars before the driver's name is clear on-screen and the general atmosphere, the feel of being back there, is captured well. It's a desperate pity that the Yearbook missions are so insultingly easy, though. There's a mission involving defending a lead at Langhorne, and you start off with a 5 second lead that only increases as you go around, with no other cars in sight. At the end, you're praised for a great display of defensive driving... I started my career on Pro and it looks like that might keep me alert, though. In the early laps at Trenton I found myself falling from 1st to 7th, and while I was able to work my way back through, it took me a few laps to find an answer for the pace of the leaders. They passed me cleanly and gave me room to make my moves if I flagged them up early enough. I didn't get the same trouble as you with the tyres, Ted - mine would probably have gone the full 100 laps, but in traffic on lap 65 I contrived to collide with both the Rathmann brothers at once and fitted new tyres while I was having the damage repaired. Around lap 55-ish my lead began to disappear, and there wasn't the same kind of grip as at the start - my laps had gone from 133 mph to 128 or thereabouts - but just before I messed up, it seemed like the gap was stabilising again. I look forward now to seeing if I can tell which of the AI drivers aren't fond of me. I'd also tipped Dick Rathmann into a spin in the early running, and he now dislikes me. Several others already like me after a single race, so it'll be interesting to see how much their conduct around me changes. ------------- |