NTG:IL Released

[Fisha695]

Well today is the day, the game has been released and because today is also the Halo 4 release date several people were able to get it at the stores doing a Halo 4 Midnight Release.

Don't have my copy of the game yet but so far reviews have been all pretty positive (except for a few nitpicking things). A few users are saying it's the best handling console NASCAR game since Dirt to Daytona & Thunder 2002/03, and some are also saying that using a wheel is actually faster then using a controller (which usually isn't the case in any console racing game).

 

[celticfang]

I'm wondering how truthful the reviews are though after the past few weeks and what went on at Eurogamer/Penny Arcade's reports.

I'll pick it up when I got cash though

 

[Relly]

If they're comparing it to Thunder 03 then it had better be that good. I'm going to wait to buy it until GameStop has it used between wasting money on the last one and wasting money on Madden 13 brand new I'm not throwing 60 more bucks out the door.

 

[Phantomguy24]

I preordered it a few days ago but went with free shipping, so it should be getting here early next week for me.

 

[Elio Lugaru]

I'm gonna pick this up when i get my PS3.

 

[ShorTrakRacer]

If it's ANYTHING like NTG '11, I'm not even gonna waste the money.

 

[Phantomguy24]

Frankly i'm surprised by how overwhelmingly favorable the reviews are. It's hard to believe they took as big a step forward as some people are saying but I guess we'll see.

 

[Pabig]

I'd love to get the game early bu the import prices are horrendous, thankfully the PS3 has no region block so I know it will run fine once I get it.

 

[Phoenix]

the BEST game I ever slided into my PS3! It's so realistic, a few problems (damage is a little wierd online) just 6 problems I've found, 4 are online, I'd give it 5 stars, it's freaking amazing!

 

[Fisha695]

Frankly i'm surprised by how overwhelmingly favorable the reviews are.

Yeah honestly I was prepared to have to be swinging the banhammer all day long but so far I haven't had to because the game is just getting overall amazing reviews.

 

[dalejrgamer]

They still have hilarious bugs and glitches, tho...
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkkymUve7Qo]NASCAR The Game: Inside Line Glitch - YouTube[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKIBZgIJ_2c]NASCAR Inside Line Dale Jr Goes Super Saiyen @ 260 MPH!!! - YouTube[/ame]

And my personal favorite (so far)...
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1ppgZb5Uaw]NASCAR Inside Line Realism At Its Best! ... - YouTube[/ame]

I'm sure they'll sort it out, but I'm gonna hold off for a while.

 

[Phantomguy24]

Got mine in the mail today, I'm just trying it out. It already feels like one of the best driving console nascar games I've played in a while.

 

[Fisha695]

<Snip>

I hate when that first one happens in NR2003 too, it's kind of funny though.


The second two are challenges that use Telemetry Data, what that means is the line & lap times the cars are running is based off of the GPS captured from the cars in real life during that race done by 5 GPS samples per second. In the first Challenge video because he slowed down the Telemetry car said car had to accelerate super fast to get back to the position it was supposed to be at & in the second one the Telemetry cars are just following the line they did in real life nomatter the obstruction. Not really glitches.

Think of it as like a Slotcar where it has that specific lane that it runs in & that lane only, if something somehow gets in its way it's going to knock it out of it's way.

 

[ckgordon24]

I want to love the game ,but I can't. The driving model and graphics are great. Can't say the same for the ai and atrocious online. The game has a solid foundation. I just can't recommend buying it.

Here is a list of problems I have with the game

1. The ai seem to run in perfect single file lines and the leaders won't lap cars.

2. The ai green flag pit stops are broken. Either you get a wreck coming in or a wreck coming out of the pits. They also like to pit at the same time. So you get a clusterfudge getting to pit road.

3. The setups like to change by itself after the player makes a adjustment.

4. Online for the most part unplayable. You get booted right before races 75% of the time. Once you get in their are restart glitches and just a mess of other things that just ruin it.

That's just some of the few problems that plague this game. I was happy when I first started playing it because of just getting a new Nascar game. Now I just regret buying it. Maybe they can patch it ,but don't hold your breath. Just remember the 2011 patches.

 

[Mystical]

So I spent a good hour in the paint booth and already impressed with the game. I can actually feel comfortable painting in this game like Forza 3 / 4 are in terms of the flexibility of layers and tools it gives you compared to 2011 crap version where I didn't enjoy it at all.

Will do a race sometime later but so far so good. I don't think I will try online much though since I am more of a single player racer so will give feedback with the career mode mostly.

 

[B.McKeever]

I bought NTG the day it came out - played it 3 hours, haven't touched it since. I went back to Nascar Thunder 2004. Why can't they just pay EA for their platform, update the graphics and BAM! there is a game.

 

[Phantomguy24]

After several hours of gameplay I am very satisfied with this game. Obviously a huge step up from 2011, since offline is actually a very enjoyable experience. As far as the problems people have had with AI, I have yet to experience any of them, except that pit road entry is a mess unless you've had a long green run or are running on 1x tire wear. However I've found the AI to be quite racy, not only with myself but with each other, I found them going 4 wide at auto club, and even after things settled down they still all stuck to their lines and raced each other. I've even had several cautions caused by the AI without my assistance, so that was a pleasant surprise. And just for some perspective I've done every race on champion difficulty with 15% races and 3x tire wear, so that's the AI data i'm pulling from.

As far as online, I've only done 4 or 5 races, however the only trouble I had with the lobbys was getting in one's that were already racing. I never got booted from any and didn't see anyone else get booted. The huge problem with online is the restarts, as they are all over the place and rarely go correctly. If they can get those patched up, and I know they can since they did in 11 for the most part, I think online will be very enjoyable.

Graphically I absolutely have to give this game a 10/10 as it is just stunning. The damage model is much improved, and although it can be inconsistent, it definitely looks a whole lot better.

Career mode is a lot of fun and also almost impossible at the beginning. I have only one finish so far in the top 30 at Bristol, but I'm still enjoying myself. The garage menu is great as well, and one little feature that made me surprisingly happy was the fact that for tracks that had both practices before qualifying, that was the case in game, and tracks that had three practices also had that in game. A nice little touch for me. One of the biggest problems CK touched on, and that is the tuning of setups from the race menu. I found that the default setup for phoenix was good, but I wanted it a little looser, and I thought all I adjusted was the wedge. Yet for some bizarre reason, from that point on in the race weekend the car was undriveably loose and I couldn't make any adjustments to fix it.

I have yet to touch the paint booth but I already have some ambitious plans since I hear it's much more similar to Forza's now.

If I had to give it a number grade, it'd be a 7/10 and i'd definitely recommend it for offline play for anyone who was worried after last years. As far as online i'd say wait and see, although it's certainly functional, just not polished.

 

[Markfan]

I hate when that first one happens in NR2003 too, it's kind of funny though.

What in the world are you doing in NR2003? lol

The only places I've had this happen are custom tracks that don't properly make the sides of track strips inaccessible. I've never had it occur in the middle of a track like that.

in the second one the Telemetry cars are just following the line they did in real life nomatter the obstruction. Not really glitches.

Erm, it's either a glitch that the cars are not exactly where they are supposed to be during the telemetry or it's really bad physics that are allowing cars to catapult over each other (much like in it's predecessor).

 

[Mystical]

Career mode is a lot of fun and also almost impossible at the beginning. I have only one finish so far in the top 30 at Bristol, but I'm still enjoying myself.

this sounds promising. I loved Nascar thunder 2003 and 2004 for giving you a bad car from the start and getting a 35th place was a huge victory. If this game can emulate that as you build up your racing career then it'll be fun.

Is there a way to start career's over if you want as well? Also can you race custom schemes in career too?

 

[ckgordon24]

Auto Club is a good track on this game. Tracks like Phoenix not so much. I saw the top 5 cars after 20 laps be nose to tail not passing each other. Another 2 seconds back it was 10 cars nose to tail. I just wish they had more of a natural look. Also sucks that when the leader catches the back of the field at a track like this. He is not smart enough to just pass them. That's how I catch the leader half of the time.