Darren S
ClioSport Club Member
With my new-found liking for racing sims recently, I decided to opt for Assetto Corsa Competizione on the PC. As you'd expect, its from the same team that brought out Assetto Corsa, but focuses solely on the Blancpain GT series.
www.assettocorsa.net
That in itself is a double-edged sword. It dramatically reduces the amount of choice in terms of vehicles you get to drive - along with the number of circuits. However, that smaller scope brings with it a significant level of detail to the cars themselves, their handling characteristics and backing audio.
I jump straight into some practice laps at Laguna Seca, knowing the circuit quite well and picked the compulsory Porsche GT3. Go balls out and selected Expert Mode and why the hell not - made the practice late evening.
Seconds later, I'm sat in the Porsche, headlights reflecting brightly back from the facing pit wall. Press the accelerator and nothing. Engine start? I can see a 'Start' button on the left-side of the steering wheel itself but have no idea which key is needed to activate it. I press random buttons on the G920 wheel and notice traction control settings being changed and stop immediately. Quit back to the Option Menu and scroll through the inputs - apparently 'S' is the button needed for starter. Ok - back I go.
Holding down S sees the driver's thumb press the button whilst a spinning starter motor being heard. Still no engine start. Hmmm - Alt&Tab to Google and a quick search later revealed that I needed to press Shift&I in order to switch on the ignition. Back I go again and try it - this time the driver's right hand flicks a centre console switch and I follow that up with the S key. Sure enough, the car fires up and having engaged 1st, I crawl down the pit lane and out onto the track.
With the headphones at a decent volume, this sounds immense. Down to the first left-hander and working down the gears, it's popping and banging like the best McDonalds Focus ST. The brakes are way too cold and I almost head straight into the litter, managing to have the right-hand wheels rumble on the red and white strip at that side of the track. Nail 2nd, then into 3rd before easing through the apex onto next right hander. Turn 4 comes up as does 4th and 5th shortly afterwards, before dropping back to 3rd for the left hand rise through turn 5.
I find that Expert Mode is that perfect challenge. It is difficult and laced with minutiae like the starting sequence - but in the same sense it is bloody rewarding. Push too hard and you lose the car - simple. Try to find those nine-tenths and the speed and momentum you can carry though the corners is impressive. It's not forgiving, but it's far from pummeling you into submission in every corner.
Hats off to the developers and the studio for taking the brave decision making something so focused. It could have backfired tremendously, but it works and works very well indeed. It has even got me considering venturing out into online multiplayer races as this is the kind of sim racing that I think (and hope) will be devoid of knobheads out on track. I've added a couple of quick screenshots from the inky blackness of nighttime Laguna Seca - nice little touch how the backbox is glowing orange too.
Assetto Corsa Competizione
Assetto Corsa Competizione is the official GTWC videogame developed by KUNOS Simulazioni: take a look to our features, cars, tracks and more!
www.assettocorsa.net
That in itself is a double-edged sword. It dramatically reduces the amount of choice in terms of vehicles you get to drive - along with the number of circuits. However, that smaller scope brings with it a significant level of detail to the cars themselves, their handling characteristics and backing audio.
I jump straight into some practice laps at Laguna Seca, knowing the circuit quite well and picked the compulsory Porsche GT3. Go balls out and selected Expert Mode and why the hell not - made the practice late evening.
Seconds later, I'm sat in the Porsche, headlights reflecting brightly back from the facing pit wall. Press the accelerator and nothing. Engine start? I can see a 'Start' button on the left-side of the steering wheel itself but have no idea which key is needed to activate it. I press random buttons on the G920 wheel and notice traction control settings being changed and stop immediately. Quit back to the Option Menu and scroll through the inputs - apparently 'S' is the button needed for starter. Ok - back I go.
Holding down S sees the driver's thumb press the button whilst a spinning starter motor being heard. Still no engine start. Hmmm - Alt&Tab to Google and a quick search later revealed that I needed to press Shift&I in order to switch on the ignition. Back I go again and try it - this time the driver's right hand flicks a centre console switch and I follow that up with the S key. Sure enough, the car fires up and having engaged 1st, I crawl down the pit lane and out onto the track.
With the headphones at a decent volume, this sounds immense. Down to the first left-hander and working down the gears, it's popping and banging like the best McDonalds Focus ST. The brakes are way too cold and I almost head straight into the litter, managing to have the right-hand wheels rumble on the red and white strip at that side of the track. Nail 2nd, then into 3rd before easing through the apex onto next right hander. Turn 4 comes up as does 4th and 5th shortly afterwards, before dropping back to 3rd for the left hand rise through turn 5.
I find that Expert Mode is that perfect challenge. It is difficult and laced with minutiae like the starting sequence - but in the same sense it is bloody rewarding. Push too hard and you lose the car - simple. Try to find those nine-tenths and the speed and momentum you can carry though the corners is impressive. It's not forgiving, but it's far from pummeling you into submission in every corner.
Hats off to the developers and the studio for taking the brave decision making something so focused. It could have backfired tremendously, but it works and works very well indeed. It has even got me considering venturing out into online multiplayer races as this is the kind of sim racing that I think (and hope) will be devoid of knobheads out on track. I've added a couple of quick screenshots from the inky blackness of nighttime Laguna Seca - nice little touch how the backbox is glowing orange too.
