By Adam Smith on June 26th, 2012 at 7:00 pm.
Codemasters’ cars wot go fast management game, F1 Online, has now entered open beta and since it’s a microtransaction-scoffing online sort of a thing, that means anyone can play it right now without spending so much as a penny, in any sense of the phrase. Ace car-pilot Brendan took a look at the game for us almost exactly a month ago today and found it an enjoyable snack rather than a feast, although not without complaining about how “Facebookey” the whole thing can be. I’m tempted to try it as building a team from scratch sounds like fun, but if it starts trying my patience I’ll probably forget about it, leaving Team Pay To Win languishing in a garage with a half-built car. Sign up or watch the trailer below.
You know what? A Death Rally management sim would be awesome.
26/06/2012 at 19:09 Hoaxfish says:
F1, as to motor racing as golf is to ball+stick games.
Entirely unrelated, I don’t really get sports games, unless it’s micromachines or sensible soccer.
26/06/2012 at 19:48 joel4565 says:
I am not sure if that is an insult or compliment. Maybe it has been too many years since I had to do SAT analogies. Yes F1 is a type of motor racing and golf is a stick+ball game, but I don’t understand the comparison.
As for sports games, I don’t normally play many sports games except the occasional racer or unrealistic sports game like my beloved NBA Jam TE on SNES (now emulator).
26/06/2012 at 20:16 dE says:
I’d like to solve. What is dull and pretentious?
/edit: Better edit that: Not directed towards people.
26/06/2012 at 20:38 Claidheamh says:
Oo, I know! Passing judgement without knowledge!
26/06/2012 at 21:23 dE says:
I don’t think you understood the game. You’re not meant to do what you said. Your question needs to fit the answer of the opening post.
26/06/2012 at 21:39 dE says:
I see, you’re dead set on trying to act smug with an unyielding immunity versus cynism and small doses of humour. Move along then.
26/06/2012 at 21:41 Stochastic says:
I don’t understand the analogy either. Are you saying that F1 is only tangentially related to other forms of motor racing? That it involves a very different skillset? That it’s expensive?
26/06/2012 at 19:47 Simes says:
I think I’d like it better if it didn’t have the crappy mouse controlled car-driving bit. It’s supposed to be a management sim!
26/06/2012 at 20:00 Hunchback says:
Can’t you set the cars drive themselves and only occupy yourself with the actual management ?
26/06/2012 at 22:47 Simes says:
I couldn’t find a way of doing so. There are some races where you can’t even use the auto-braking.
26/06/2012 at 23:51 Tams80 says:
That’s what I was hoping it would be like. The FM of F1.
If the driving bit was at least optional, it would be better.
26/06/2012 at 20:07 Moni says:
Bit disappointed that it might take a bit of effort before my penis livery can really start to take shape. I’ve signed up as Team PinkMusket.
26/06/2012 at 20:35 faelnor says:
I remember Vroom.
You could make your car jump by having your front tyres touch the other cars’ back tyres. Good fun.
Oh and all those metal frames on the side of the track? Now that I think about it, they weren’t quite safe, were they? Pesky little things.
26/06/2012 at 21:13 niussw says:
http://is.gd/PFQQs4
26/06/2012 at 22:55 bob. says:
Know what? I’ll sign up AND watch the trailer below. Nothing you can do bout it.
26/06/2012 at 23:01 Adam Smith says:
Anarchy!
26/06/2012 at 23:57 Tams80 says:
Having played the closed beta, I can’t recommend it. I doubt most of those who like F1 will enjoy it.
It’s rather tedious and seems to suffer a bit from the bad microtransaction curse that most F2P games do (i.e. it seems to be microtransactions that aren’t great; not terrible, but still annoying). I also find the graphics of the management part to be a bit ‘childish’ (I don’t like that term, but I couldn’t think of a better one). It doesn’t seem graphically refined. It does feel like a glorified Facebook game.
Basically I wanted an F1 Football Manager style game and this game is not it. I’m sure enough people will like it though.
27/06/2012 at 06:08 Vurogj says:
Thanks, especially for the last sentence. SI’s stubborn refusal to countenance any sport outside of foot-to-ball does leave me wanting someone, anyone to go for a proper F1 management sim, but I guess I’ll keep waiting.
27/06/2012 at 02:09 The Infamous Woodchuck says:
I stopped playing after a month or so. the game starts to get old after several podium finishes, and it gets kinda ugly when the race approaches a tight turn, switches to demo derby mode instantly…..
27/06/2012 at 12:09 Jason Moyer says:
Where is Edward Grabowski when you need him.