Driving pleasure with steering wheel (review for Windows version)

Grid Autosport I own since the date of publication and go again and again and like to race with it. For races with me a force feedback steering wheel, gearshift and pedals to the application. Online race I ride Grid Autosport and can not report anything to their expiration here. Besides being with me Grid 2 in use and can therefore draw appropriate comparisons.

Graphic

The graphics are very good in my opinion. Even on a large 55-inch TV can convince 11 mM to more fully in the resolution of Full HD taking advantage of DirectX. All routes (landscapes with shrubs, trees, cities, etc.) are rich in detail worked out (much better than in Grid 2). Great attention to detail can be seen on the included animations. Shrubs and trees move in the wind, leaves fall (funnily enough is ALWAYS fall in every race since constantly leaves fall), moved, individually animated spectators, flags and lighting effects. This has what and contributes a lot to the atmosphere in a race at. Almost all routes are available for day and night tours.

The only drawback is the representation of a lot of grass (more than half of the screen) that even a slightly overclocked 1100 MHz AMD R9 280X graphics card brings to twitch slightly at Full HD with all switched-effects (Ultra) at 60 Hz. The curiously but only in view of repetitions. In the race itself is nothing to notice. However, I must point out to the fact that I have a monitor in operation and not three (as in some common).

The Menu

is functional, but kept very simple. Since Grid 2 had to offer something more. Anyone already in the menu an emerging Rennathmosphäre or even a story will be disappointed. For all the menus and options are easily accessible.

The game scenario and vehicles

is broad. Individual race and / or a career mode is available, where a lot has to be driven freely only in Career Mode before a choice is possible.

The vehicles are plentiful and each is actually running a little different. Unfortunately, the vehicles are divided into classes and the type of race are only individual vehicles and not all available. The ambitious screwdriver is here not be happy because special settings / tuning for each vehicle are virtually non-existent.

Difficulty levels

A total of 5 levels of difficulty can be selected, where the most violent is not even to create for me initially. In addition, individual driving aids can still be enabled or disabled. Autosport is therefore ideal even as entry-level product in the virtual racing. With all the driving aids and lightest difficulty it is light as an arcade racer and very demanding in the heaviest mode without driving aids. The damage simulation is satisfactory, but limited mostly to a fast no longer properly functioning steering. With a geplatztem tire it can be, however, some still good drive on the rim. As is necessary in any case, still finishing the developer.

The artificial intelligence

While the AI ​​inclined at Grid 2 in the higher difficulty levels to unfair racing behavior and escalating aggressiveness, which is in Autosport not so bad. While it comes sporadically before (even in the crowd of a city course); in return for the AI, however, become really human and makes mistakes to spectacular accidents. It's also nice that the opponent not only follow stubbornly the racing line. Races with AI opponents act by much more alive and simply fun.

Shortcomings or downer

Since times of Dirt 3 or Grid 2 there are the annoying clutch problem. It happened again and again that uncontrolled running when using an H-circuit during the game the gear in neutral. This is rarely the case with Grid Autosport. There is a new problem that the clutch is no longer recognized. The manufacturer does not help here. In the forum of virtualracing.org I ... published under the heading Setup Forum clutch problem in Grid Autosport to a workaround. Meanwhile, concerned not only Fanatec pedals, but also other manufacturers (eg Logitech G27 and Thrustmaster).

The second shortcoming relates to the well for Dirt 3 and Grid 2 raises the problem that after starting only 30 Hz refresh rate is active, although 60 Hz is set and the hardware are also possible. Workaround: In the graphics settings every time you restart the program switch once frame synchronization and reset again. Then everything runs on 60 Hz.

Nevertheless, there are of me to a very rich star deduction :(

Force Feedback

The force feedback is just gorgeous :)). Each sod, edging, pavement etc. generates its own FFB effects. A grin is barely rid of my face. Anyone who is not afraid, can tease out in the associated XML files the last of the FFB by manual changes outside the marginal settings of the menus.

The steering wheel with steering wheel is very precise. Vehicles can be controlled very well and the degree of realism (with disabled driving aids) with active FFB is in my opinion highly.

For all Fanatec CSW V2 owners I left at virtualracing.org in Setup Forum in thread Fanatec CSW V2 control files for some Codemaster title a guide to make the CSW V2 for Codemaster title prior to publication of the CSW V2 fit.

Summary:

Grid Autosport stage I as a fusion of arcade racer with a strong tendency towards a simulation. I love it even after a long time with steering wheel and pedals a lot of fun. But for the above shortcomings there trotzigerweise a fat star deduction from me. I can recommend it anyway :)