New NHRA Video Game

[clwill]

So what is the game of choice right now? I don't care what platform, have access to them all, I'm just looking for one that doesn't truly suck.

Jeff, what game are you guys playing?

 

[MM]

Mike...you better step it up a bit! I have run a 4.58 in the FC, but Dom Lagana is the King. I think he has run a 4.56 or something in the FC and last night he sent a pic to my buddy of him going 4.409 in TF. Now I know he will be playing non stop til he gets in the 4.30's. He used to come over to my lounge last year every now and then and we would play for hours..lots of fun!

I guess I'll have to get back after it.....i haven't played in awhile, but I can't let a challenge go answered!

 

[FC138fan]

Re: Just a thought

I could finish a whole race in like 10 minutes or so on the other games.

I remember getting NASCAR 2 back in 1998 for the PC, with a wheel and pedals. It was the first racing sim game that allowed you freedom to go anywhere, unlike sega games where you really couldn't leave the track or turn. That nascar game you could turn around and run the track backwards if you wanted...

And you could do a full race... 500 laps and take all afternoon doing it. Totally awesome, you could have run for two hours, made one mistake and crash and that was it... game over. I remember running a full season and making the races 20% of a full race, and turning the competition level up to where it was equal to what I could do, so that on my best run I could qualify #1, but even if I was a hare off I would drop even out of the top 10. Races took about 45 mins of total concentration.

In real life a top fuel runs what about 2 mins from engine start to turnout? And in the game, they shortened the burnouts, backup time, and staging time so it lasts about a min or so. In real life there isn't that much to do in the car, and in the game they simplified it even more so theres only 3 things to do, hit the gas, back up, stage, hit the gas and hit the chutes. And its fairly easy to make a good run.. I've never had it blow up on me, even when pedaling it all the way down, over revving etc.. and even if you did blow it up, you have an unlimited budget.

NHRA main event as it is is a great arcade game, very fun. But maybe they should put a simulation option on it where you do things like sit in the staging lanes while cars run in front of you, and you can make changes in the lanes.. and add much much more tuning options (and have a tutorial on how to tune the car) Somehow include a clutch pedal, fuel shutoff and hi/lo switch, maybe have you wait and tow it back to the pits while other cars run behind you.

And implement a budget and a parts inventory or something like that. Make it so if you run good, you get sponsorship money, if you do bad you lose sponsors, qualifying money, winning money... etc. They had that concept back in the early 90's with that Ivan Stewart off road arcade game... and the Road Rash bike racing game.

It can be done. But can a company make a profit developing it? I dont know.

 

[Dave]

Re: Just a thought

I remember getting NASCAR 2 back in 1998 for the PC, with a wheel and pedals. It was the first racing sim game that allowed you freedom to go anywhere, unlike sega games where you really couldn't leave the track or turn. That nascar game you could turn around and run the track backwards if you wanted...

And you could do a full race... 500 laps and take all afternoon doing it. Totally awesome, you could have run for two hours, made one mistake and crash and that was it... game over. I remember running a full season and making the races 20% of a full race, and turning the competition level up to where it was equal to what I could do, so that on my best run I could qualify #1, but even if I was a hare off I would drop even out of the top 10. Races took about 45 mins of total concentration.

In real life a top fuel runs what about 2 mins from engine start to turnout? And in the game, they shortened the burnouts, backup time, and staging time so it lasts about a min or so. In real life there isn't that much to do in the car, and in the game they simplified it even more so theres only 3 things to do, hit the gas, back up, stage, hit the gas and hit the chutes. And its fairly easy to make a good run.. I've never had it blow up on me, even when pedaling it all the way down, over revving etc.. and even if you did blow it up, you have an unlimited budget.

NHRA main event as it is is a great arcade game, very fun. But maybe they should put a simulation option on it where you do things like sit in the staging lanes while cars run in front of you, and you can make changes in the lanes.. and add much much more tuning options (and have a tutorial on how to tune the car) Somehow include a clutch pedal, fuel shutoff and hi/lo switch, maybe have you wait and tow it back to the pits while other cars run behind you.

And implement a budget and a parts inventory or something like that. Make it so if you run good, you get sponsorship money, if you do bad you lose sponsors, qualifying money, winning money... etc. They had that concept back in the early 90's with that Ivan Stewart off road arcade game... and the Road Rash bike racing game.

It can be done. But can a company make a profit developing it? I dont know.

Try their latest game. NHRA Countdown to the Championship. That one has sponsors and budgets if you choose to run a full season. I can usually do pretty well in rookie mode but take away all the auto stage aids and lining up in your burnout tracks in the veteran mode and they'll give you a run for your money. I've also lost midseason because I see how many times i can flip the pro stock car after each run so you run out of money fast having to replace 4 cars a race lol. The NHRA Main Event is the one where you can run outlandishly quick top fuel and funny car times, but Countdown is the one with all 4 classes. I can not get the damn motorcycles to run for the life of me. If I'm not mistaken the NHRA Drag Racing 2 for the PC also had a budget feature. I remember having to drop out mid-season because i blew the engine and ran out of money while leading the points. Game over.

 

[Usual password less 1]

So what is the game of choice right now? I don't care what platform, have access to them all, I'm just looking for one that doesn't truly suck.

Jeff, what game are you guys playing?

The last version. The Countdown to the Championship game for the PS2.

 

[clwill]

The last version. The Countdown to the Championship game for the PS2.

Cool. Have to find it. Thx.

 

[willy]

Cool. Have to find it. Thx.

Wow..Nhra: Countdown To The Championship PS2 Playstation 2 Game

And less than $10. I looked and couldn't find it labeled as used. Hell of a buy there.

 

[clwill]

less than $10. I looked and couldn't find it labeled as used. Hell of a buy there.

Amazon is showing two vendors who have it new for $14.99 and several used copies for under $3. Cool!

 

[Rat]

i stick on nhra 2/main event (really same exact game). Countdown was great yet, i can't get a good r/t at all any tips? it's so hard, i was stuck playing rookie where i was a tenth ahead of everyone yet where's the fun in that?

nhra 2 is fun as it's not easy to win all 96 elimination rounds, best i got was 68. Top fuel my best was a 4.500/332.18 but i made an easier tune up and got a 4.51-4.53 anywhere but cant get above 324-326. in funny best i got is a 4.753/318.17. any tips on a first ever 4.40 in tf, i hear it's possible but i never found it. I would also love to break 330 again in tf and 320 in fc. I hear it's been done but i wonder how fast the game will let you go. Anybody wanna share tunes/paints. I am looking for paints. I'm a great tuner and if you want my tune i will post it if asked.

 

[cantdrive55]

You mean like this?

Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout are there paintable templates for this?

 

[Shaggy]

Now that's what I'm talkin' 'bout are there paintable templates for this?

Yes there are, but since its been so long since we worked on it, could be forever before I find everything... The project still isnt finished, but with rFactor 2 finally nearing release it might be worth it to drag it out and finish it...

 

[67 Cuda]

I agree that the most fun games are Countdown to the Championship for PS2 and old Burnout for the PC. On Burnout my son and I play against each other across our home network. Always a lot of fun since we can each change the tune up.

 

[Sean D, shondoo]

I played the Countdown to the Championship a couple of years ago at my Father in-law's on his stepson's machine. I didn't have a Playstation, but they got the game itself for me that Christmas. It has been sitting in my closet all this time, but this weekend I finally broke down and bought a used PS-2. Can't believe I'm finally going to be able to play the damn thing! LMAO!!!

Sean D

 

[.]

Capps has been involved with the development of some of the games. Here is something he posted in his blog today:

...Speaking of emails, I opened them up and had a bunch from fans and racers asking me about the status of any drag racing games, PC or console. Well, instead of answering all the emails right away, I thought I would let everyone know what was on the horizon, since everyone knows how involved I have been in the past in helping make the best possible Drag Racing game for the fans and racers to play. Before I was lucky enough to race for a living, I went to college with the thought of wanting to be a video game designer, and, of course, being involved in racing growing up, I love playing racing games. Now, though, what had been games have turned into simulators at times. Most are realistic enough that racers from all different types of racing can actually practice on the games and get better at their craft of driving.

I was very involved in all or most of the past Drag Racing video games, from the "Main Event" drag racing games for the PC back in the late '90s, to the "Countdown" video game that we did for Play Station 2 a few years ago. I was asked a few years ago to be part of the Beta team for an online racing SIM called "iRacing." It is the racing SIM game of ALL racing games, and it was developed by a guy named Dave Kaemmer, who is considered to be the most influential game designer in the area of racing video games...any and ALL types of racing video games, since video gaming became as big as it is now.

To make a long story quite a bit shorter, I invited Dave and a few people from the iRacing team to our Reading, Pa., race to give them a close-up taste of our sport of NHRA Drag Racing, and they were blown away. Since I have always gotten my buddy and fellow "gamer" Tommy Delago (my teammate Matt Hagan's crew chief) involved, any time I am asked to help with a possible Drag Racing video game, I make sure to include Tommy. The iRacing crew ended up spending some time in the weekend asking him question after question. They have been very serious about possibly adding Drag Racing to iRacing. If you get a chance, go to iRacing.com and check it out. And, if you are a gamer who wants to be able to race live and online with other fans and racers, send an email ( [email protected] ) telling them how much you would like to see them add a drag car or two to the lineup and I will keep you posted on it.

Also, something else pretty cool happened in Pomona this last November. I had a guest brought over to my trailer who was from XBOX and Microsoft and he was looking at the possibility of maybe adding Drag Racing to one of their most popular and best-selling racing games on XBOX 360. He was in awe of our sport as he hung around all weekend with some great questions and some great interest in a way to add Drag Racing to it, which would be incredible. I will make sure to keep you all in the loop on both possibilities, and thanks again for all the emails about the subject. ...

full blog: Ron Capps

btw I too played the PC versions of the games. Had the steering wheel and pedals too. Spent many hours on that thing.

 

[danno]

Bring back Main Event 2 and the Java (Crapplet) Applet.

Sure miss those 200 people trying to qualify for a 16 spot field. Those were the days.....

Berine where are you? lol

I heard that, is was a great time I also liked just bouncing from room to room and chasing that low. It was a great way to work on tune ups for many conditions. You needed that because of the random condition generator in the game. You could not set the conditions so you needed tunes from 1100ft to 5000ft.

 

[cantdrive55]

iRacing is a good news/bad news type of a thing. The good news is they're at least interested enough to give drag racing a look. Not to mention they do put together high quality work. The bad is they're a subscription based product. So when/if your subscription expires, you cannot access the game until you re-subscribe. In other words no pay, no play.

 

[Rat]

i dont wanna pay for any subscription based game. I just wish they made a main event type game where the competition performance is real and it kept track of season wins/finals, # 1's and elimination record

 

[sdwarf36]

I was in the inital test group for iRacing-it ok-but thats it-ok. The problem is its too costly-$20 for each new car-$15 for each track (and your monthly fee--wether you play or not) and you can't choose who you run with. With Rfactor, a $20 video game, I have 100's of different cars--and hundreds of track--free. And people i know that run both say its not that much better. As long as you're with a good group of people, you can have fun with either. (or hell in public servers ) Almost universally in any league, you have comms back + forth with the other drivers.
There are many geniuses out there that have built some unbelievably accurate tracks-tunable cars-and programs that would set up a field easily. In GTR2 (another game) they even have Motec info gatering that can go to+ from the game. Real easy you could have all the read outs from a run you could digest.
If Rfactor 2 (due soon) has point A to B capibilities-someone out there will have everything you'd want+ more.
Nitromater Fri nite 64 funny car shoot out anyone?

 

[cantdrive55]

Yes there are, but since its been so long since we worked on it, could be forever before I find everything... The project still isnt finished, but with rFactor 2 finally nearing release it might be worth it to drag it out and finish it...

If you ever come across those templates, let me know

 

[NYNitro86]

i liked Main event, but once i lost my pro stock/pro stock truck disc, i kinda stopped playing it, but i like the PS2 games even tho It does suck not having all the tracks (in countdown to the championship they fixed it kinda, missing the brutton smith tracks, but I got E-Town and doing match races under the lights at that track w/funny car doing dry hops and all that was a joy).

In main event i would do the old Pro Stock Testing the starting line dry hops that were discontinued in the late 80s for shorter dry hops.

lastly i remember the G4 show X-Play previewing the NHRA 2005 PS2 game and how much of a Joke they were playing on drag racing, just racing in a straight line, racing at fictional tracks (they mentioned route 66, that was the only real track) talkiing sarcastically about champions tony schumacher and John Force and even having host Adam Sessler in Drag (i've seen enuff Drag at the Drag Races with Team Geico's shenanigans). it was almost embarrasing. it's a damn shame.