Review: The WTCC game
RACE – The official WTCC game was released worldwide the 24th of November. The game features all cars, drivers and tracks from the past WTCC 2006 season. Two additional classes are also available – WTCC 87 and Mini Challenge. Eurosport/KSO hired the Swedish company SimBin for the development work of the game.
SimBin has produced popular titles such as GTR 1 and 2, plus GT Legends. When GTR 1 was released it took the racing simulation genre to a new level. The sounds were awesome, the graphics were top notch and the simracing fans absolutely loved it. One of the founders of SimBin is Swedish racer Henrik Roos. He has previously raced FIA-GT and involved a lot of people from real racing in developing games for SimBin. And it was a successful strategy.
The WTCC-game is no exception. During the season all drivers of the WTCC got the opportunity to test their cars and give input on how far or close the feeling was to reality. Rickard Rydell was one of them.
“Together with the other drivers in WTCC I had the opportunity to try the game at Oschersleben. I had a few opinions with regards to bumps and curbs that I shared with the developers,” Rydell said to TouringCarTimes during the official release party.
When the demo for the WTCC-game was released a few weeks prior to the official release the reception was lukewarm. The demo featured Brands Hatch GP with two cars – Tom Coronel’s SEAT Léon and Diego Romanini’s BMW 320i E46. Even I, a die hard touring car head, had my doubts of the game by that point.
Things did not get better when I received the official review version of the game, featuring all cars and tracks. Sadly it also featured an enormous amount of bugs. My first outing on the track, Priaulx’s BMW 320si on Monza ended only a few hundred meters on to the main straight when I smashed in to an invisible wall. Instead I awaited the full version of the game, hoping for fewer bugs.
The first impressions of the official release were much better. I took out Priaulx’s BMW on the famous Macau-track. My pulse for sure increased when revving up the BMW 320si, the right sound was there. Even better when selecting first gear and roaring out of the pits with the well known transmission noise from the BMW. For me the sounds of cars in a game are a very important part. SimBin has previously done a very good job sound-wise. The WTCC-game is sadly not top notch when it comes to the sounds.
The right ingredients are all there. The cars sound very close to their real cousins. But, and this is one very big but, there is an annoying looping-sounds on almost all cars. Going down the long Macau-straight it becomes very obvious. Being in top gear, touching almost 250 km/h, should be a great experience sound-wise, not an annoying one with the engine sounding looped. Another disappointment is the sound of the two WTCC 87 cars – BMW M3 E30 and Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo. The distinctive howl of the BMW is long gone, replaced by a much more civilised engine noise.
Another important area is the graphics. Here SimBin have done a better job. The cars look very good as do the tracks. However, it requires quite a lot of computer power to fully utilise the looks. For example – a graphic card that supports DirectX 9 is a must, or the game will not run.
Sound and graphics are important enough, but a racing simulation goes nowhere without the right feeling when driving the cars. Here the WTCC-game delivers. If we go back to my first outing with Priaulx’s BMW at Macau, I soon found out that this is something extra.
I found my self several times laughing out loud while driving of cheer joy. The car is so easy controllable but still challenging and fun. After a few laps you can clearly feel the tyres getting worn and the back starts to slide. But unlike the previous SimBin games, GTR 1 most notably, the slides are controllable and great fun. But at one point I ask my self if they have done it too easy for us, to make the game more fun but more unrealistic, something that Rydell does not agree with.
“It’s a very realistic game,” Rydell said. “What impresses me most is that all the bumps and markings are in the right place. I can feel how the car goes light at the right places. I can use the same braking points, the same gears as I use in reality.”
A very good certificate from an experienced touring car driver.
“The feeling of a front wheel drive is also correct. I use the same reflexes to correct the slides. As a driver I can drive exactly the same in the game as in reality. The only thing a game can’t replicate is the gut feeling you get behind the wheel.”
Despite the absolutely awesome feeling of the cars, I still feel that something is lacking. Eurosport decided at late stage that they wanted the game ready by the season end. Obviously this was too little time for SimBin to get the game ready. A fact that becomes clear when racing online.
New and more sophisticated multiplayer systems are ready and available, but the WTCC-game uses an older one. I joined one server which quickly got full with 25 drivers on the grid. When entering the grid I find my car standing inside another car! And while waiting for the lights to go green a very strange count down timer starts, waiting for all cars to get on the grid. Sometimes the count stops and resets and the number of drivers waiting to get out on the grid jumps all over the place. Confusing and frustrating!
But if you manage to get past all bugs, you have a real killer. The racing online is extremely intense. The cars are so evenly matched which provides for excellent fights. After only a couple of days playing the game I have already done a couple of races that I rank as some of the best I have ever done online.
The WTCC-concept is certainly perfect for online racing. One qualifying session followed by two races with the second race having the grid order decided by the results of the first race. It all makes for great fun, trying to get as good results in both races for the total points.
Sadly with all the bugs, the joy disappears.
This is something that goes for the entire game. It is like an unpolished diamond. Some times it completely shines, outpacing all other racing games, only to be frustrating when crippled by bugs.
SimBin has already announced the second WTCC-game to be released late next year. Here they have the chance to do everything right. Use the new graphics engine, use the new multiplayer system and bug test the game longer!
The current WTCC-game is incomplete. But if you have patience and overseeing with the bugs it can be a real thrill. SimBin have announced that they will launch more updates and bugfixes for the game. A bit late, but I will for sure continue playing this game; the online racing is too addictive!
Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 6/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Multiplayer: 6/10
Total: 7/10
