14.06.2009 - BATracer is a browser webgame similar to some racing manager style webgames. However, it is unique in that gameplay centres around the player as the driver, rather than the team manager. This introduces multiplayer team work as an important part of success. This game has a long history, the beginnings of this game goes back to 2000. At this moment game has more than 100.000 users.
At this moment there are many carsets available. You can take part in Formula 1 seasons 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2002, 1999 and 1986, ChampCar, IndyCar, A1GP, DTM and many others. And more carsets are coming soon.
I must say that there were a time I spent almost every free second browsing the Batracer web, having a lot of fun, chatting with other drivers and checking for results early in the morning or late in the evening. Simply this is the best web-based racing game all around the internet in my eyes. But come to more details first.
Game interface of this game is one of those which will not make me to play the game, colors are not very friendly. It looks too aggressive to me. Thanks god this is not so important part of the game. But if you get used to the site becomes more friendly and easy to navigate.
Tactics, or race strategy in this case, is the most important part of the game and if you set it right you can beat your opponents even if you drive worse car. You can set your driving style, qualifying strategy and race strategy.
There is not much long term strategy if you don’t count choices driver have to make at the beginning of every season, but this game really don’t need any long term strategy. That is the reason why my rating for this part of game is pretty good, however some managers would enjoy some kind of long term strategy.
Match engine or race engine is great in this game. Every single lap of the race is calculated separately and is influenced by race strategy selection. Driver can follow results of every single lap. After race there is a lot of additional race information and statistics provided so driver has a lot of tools to learn knowledge to improve next race strategy. Results really depends on experiences and analyzing ability of users. There some exceptions from real racing rules, but I consider them more like bugs in the engine not unreal features.
Economical aspect of the game is no problem, as far as there is no long term strategy. New users just come to the game and are on the same position for being successful as older ones. The only disadvantage for new users is lack of experiences, but that is okay as far as it is not very tough to learn how the game works. There is a possibility for new users to drive only against new users, and race more experienced users is possible only after a while.
I haven’t seen other formula game which is so similar to real driving management. Only few features of race engine looks like exceptions from reality, but it is just a minor thing.
Community here is pretty good, very important is ability to cooperate with the teammate. I personally have few friends only because of we became a teammates. One interesting thing is also that users can create clans which also improves the community life.
This game is very good, and does not have any major weakness. Maybe just that game interface, which would need some major improvements. I don’t think that absence of long term strategy should be considered as a major problem, because the game is not designed for that, and most of users really don’t miss it.
