21.05.2012 - Ok, so this is not going to hold a candle to F1 on PS3 or Xbox, the interface is clunky and the game play is slow and unrealistic. The graphics lack any of the sophistication that has been applied to many of the motor racing games that there are out there, but there is something weirdly addictive about this game. It is difficult to say exactly what it is at first, but a lot of it is down to the level of control you have over the set up and the vehicle, and the buzz that you get from sending a car out to race after investing the time, effort and mental energy into balancing all of its features for the race track. Then, of course, there is the fact that you are online and racing against teams from around the globe. The real addiction is right there, competing and winning. The fact that the game is a bit basic and rudimentary, for some inexplicable reason, actually makes it a little bit more enjoyable.
Once you have joined, and this process does just take a few seconds as it says on the webpage, (enter your email address and you are in), the first place to go to is your Team Page. Initially you will have a basic racing chassis, an engine and tyre contract and a single driver. On starting you will be entered into a basic level competition which will begin once the other 22 drivers have entered. This could take up to two hours which is fine because it gives you plenty of time to set things up, check your emails and keep up to date with any other games you have going. You will receive an email notification when the race is about to begin as well as an alert within the game interface.
The interface makes a really strong attempt at creating a Formula one workshop feel. It manages to keep this well organised. It does feel like you are in the kind of building that would require a robust content insurance policy to protect the huge array of valuable equipment. All of the elements that you need to create a top end competitive formula one racing car are there.
The first racing session lasts for 48 hours which will allow you time to adjust your vehicle and get your head around how the whole thing works. The race does have a countdown clock timer which lets you know how long until the race session has ended. After the session has begun you have to log in and send your driver out before the racing session times out.
Setting Up
To start the set up you need to click the green ‘Go Racing’ button on the Team page. One of the more intriguing features of the game are the number of different variables in the set up. It is possible to balance out lots of features in a number of different ways to give your car the edge in race conditions.
Getting The Tyres Right
The first thing to check for is the weather conditions. This will define the kind of tyres that you require. For hot weather the required tyre type is hard compounds. You can check on your tyre allocations at the bottom of the screen. It is possible to select a combination of compounds to use in the race. It is worth noting that the tyre choice cannot be changed after the driver has set off so it is important to take the time to weigh up your options. Once you have decided click on ‘Select Tyres’ and you are ready to go.
The Track Information Page
This is where the mental energy requirement really kicks in. The track information page will provide you with some guidance on how to set up your vehicle for the optimum race performance. It will give you some indication of the suspension requirements. This may be set at low medium or high depending on the track surface on the circuit. Using the track information provided you can adjust the car set up and once you are happy click on update settings for these to take effect.
Driver Feedback
As is the case in Formula 1 the driver is a key player on race performance and a really neat feature of the game is that after every run the driver can offer some pointers on how to readjust the set up in order to maximise the potential of the vehicle. The set up suggestions will appear in a green when new advice is given. A good tip here is to send the driver out on longer runs (of about 16 laps) in the early stages as this will result in more tips and, theoretically, a much better set up.
