F1 2000, What do you think?

[Jay]

Has anyone else tried this game?

I obtained a copy last night and gave it a try. I must say, it was quite disapointing. THe only thing that this game has going for it is that it has the 2000 cars, tracks and drivers, which something that no other sim comes with.

The graphics are Ok, but still not as nice as GP3. When you are driving along a stretch of wooded area in GP3, the trees hang over your car and cast a shadow like they do in real life. In F1 2000 they sit there like pieces of cardboard that occasionally pop out when you get close to them. Put simply, the 3D graphics are awful.

The cars are very easy to drive and there is no learning curve at all. It is possible to sit down and immediately turn laps that would qualify you for a GP. However if you want to qualify at a higher skill level it will require setting up the car, which is also far too easy. The tyres also lock up far too easily. If you slam on the brakes at 330 km/h they will not lock up until you are below 200 km/h, yet in this game they lock up at any speed. Also the handling is far too neutral for a modern F1 car.

The other little details are good. The pit radio is quite nice. This is also where the game scores over GP3.

AI is awful. The cars smash right into you for no good reason, and knock you out at every opportunity.

Overall, this game has some nice features, but the graphics, driveability and computer opponents are just awful for something that calls itself a realistic sim.

If your machine can handle it (like mine )GP3 s a ton better.

[Minardi fan]

When it comes down to it, F1 2000 is not very good.

At first I thought it was great, but little things soon appear which change your opinion of it.

The graphics for the cars are dismal, and the colours used are far too subdued and muddy. The tracks however I think are done very well.

The AI is atrocious, just as it is in GP3. Cars do indeed just drive into you, or into the barrier, for no reason. Sounds like Diniz...

And what kills the game is the fact that it's too easy. Even Expert level is simple. This in turn makes it boring - within a few laps I'm in the lead, I get bored, deliberately chuck it into the wall and quit.

F1 '97 is STILL the greatest F1 game ever.

[Jay]

Actually I thought the AI in GP3 was quite good. They were agressive, but knew when to cool it, and occaisionally made the human error. But, then I have not tried F197.

I will say one other thing about F1 2000, which is that the tracks are more accurately portraid in some ways than in GP3, jhowever it is still far to easy to drive them. For example I can go through Eau Rouge flat out regardless of setup or the line I take into the corner. When in reality you have to get it just right to be able to do it. This is true in GP3, if you don't have the perfect line going through there flat out, you will be in the tires.

[steve nielsen]

I also have problems with the AI in gp3, when you try to overtake someone they just steer into the corner like you were'nt there, GP3 has been tested also by Jos Verstappen and Pedro de la Rosa, they said it was pretty good, only according to them the cars had to much grip.
And indeed: F1-2000 is not as good as you would expect from EA sport, having seen their other sportsims, but knowing that I also think F1-2001 will be a lot better.

[Jay]

I go for realism in a sim, which probably means that EA will never produce a racnig sim that I like. They have had some really good sports games, however they're sims are more arcade games than actual racing sims.

steve, its funny, I don't notice that at all in GP3. I though that the AI cars were all very respecting of your position on the race track, however they were willing to take it if you gave them the chance. Gerard said the same. I must not have run into the righ situation yet.

But, yes GP3 probably does have too much grip. The rear end should probably be a little less stable. Although I do seem to manage to lose it going through Eau Rouge a lot. I usually have to drop a gear, and have only gone through flat out once.

[Minardi fan]

The AI cars in GP3 drive like idiots, chucking their cars into you for no apparent reason.