Product: Nascar Racing 2003 Season Price: HK$230 Developer: Papyrus Pros: One of the most realistic driving simulations available Cons: Beginners will have to brace for many impacts Web: games.sierra.com/games/racing2003/
Half a century ago, people would go to a car dealer , buy a car and race it. The idea of racing stock-from-the-factory vehicles, cars that 'normal' people could buy, was promoted by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (Nascar). This form of racing became very popular because most everyone could relate to it.
However, in time some rules were bent as car manufacturers began offering special racing options for their 'stock' cars. Soon other rules were introduced, usually for safety reasons. With all the bending and introductions that took place, today's Nascar cars boast about 750 horsepower and are radically different from any car that 'normal' people can buy.
Nascar Racing 2003 Season, from developer Papyrus, bills itself as one of the most realistic racing sims yet created. I am inclined to believe it.
As a beginner to racing cars, my first surprise was the absence of a speedometer - the biggest dial on the dashboard is the tachometer, which measures engine speed. A Nascar racer uses the tachometer to help judge when to shift gears and can use it to estimate speed.
The driving physics are the heart and soul of this driving simulator. It was in the tutorials that I learned how the weight of the car shifts as you accelerate, brake and turn. Weight distribution is the single biggest factor affecting your car at high speeds, more of a factor than your steering wheel.
Commonly modelled effects in driving games such as car drafting are included in Nascar Racing 2003 Season, along with many small and unexpected details. For example, players can choose the amount of tape applied to the grill at the front of the car. The tape decreases drag on the car, but less air is let in to cool the engine.