Reviews of SuperCar Challenge

[jjaisli]

(Can you get a time up the leaderboard when driving alone with SCC ?)

Yes, that is one nice thing about SCC. So long as you're logged onto the PSN, your times will update to the leaderboard no matter what mode you're running (arcade mode, challenge mode, time trial, off-line, online, against AI, human opponents or just yourself while running alone). So basically, no matter what you're doing, if you set a quick time, you get your name in lights for all to see. And they developed a great system of white lap/red lap. If you really drive off the track or cut corners (or a number of other circumstances), you'll get an immediate time penalty where it slows your car for a few seconds. But if at any time, you put more than two wheels off the track, your lap time will change from white to red. And red times will NOT upload to the leaderboard. So it prevents it being stacked by corner cutters. With a few exceptions, if somebody has a time on the leaderboard, it's legitimate.

The only thing I don't like is that it makes no distinction between (a) stock setups and modified settings or (b) dry and wet running. It does at least tell you what, if any, assists the person was using. So if somebody sets a time using the Racing Line, ABS and traction control, that will show next to the person's leaderboard time.

So the point is, if you want to set a quick leaderboard time, you really need to tweak the car and suspension settings for that particular track. But of course, so few people are playing SCC that it's really not that hard to get your time up. And the fact that Eutechnyx wiped the leaderboards (twice) after they eliminated bugs in the game didn't help.

 

[Minardi]

Amazing feature, thanks ! I especially like the white lap/red lap system.

 

[jjaisli]

Yes, and the nice thing about the white lap/red lap was that it was developed and added in after the fact through feedback from the SCC community on the Eutechnyx website. They really listened to what their customers and beta testers were saying. And in practice, it allows a little flexibility where you don't get an actual time penalty if you're having a great side by side battle and run a little wide (although this can happen in some corners too) but it prevents people from running in TT and purposely running wide or cutting corners too tightly to gain an unfair advantage. It's also particularly useful in our organized races when running qualifying. If you put in a red lap, your time doesn't count so you're regulated to the back of the field. So running that one lap of qualy is really a pressure cooker to be fast and accurate.

 

[arvore]

Yes, It was the time attack online mode of SSV8NC that made me realise how fun It is to just set lap times and compare them. And SSV8NC's time attack in fact is not that great at all. You need to be with 2 players at least (Can you get a time up the leaderboard when driving alone with SCC ?), and you have to sit out the whole time attack period, leave 1 sec. before and your time is not registered. So a definite YES, I can get joy out of setting leaderboard laptimes.

You can forget the leaderboards in SSV8NC there is no way you can pull a top ten time whithout cheating...hell the PUNTERAZZI used to do "jam" sessions in TT,online,where they theached each other the best places to cut...

.

The only thing I don't like is that it makes no distinction between (a) stock setups and modified settings or (b) dry and wet running. It does at least tell you what, if any, assists the person was using. So if somebody sets a time using the Racing Line, ABS and traction control, that will show next to the person's leaderboard time.

Those features would be very nice especcialy Wet conditions leaderboards...
Let's hope they include it on their next release...

Yes, and the nice thing about the white lap/red lap was that it was developed and added in after the fact through feedback from the SCC community on the Eutechnyx website.

Yep!That's what I like about Eutechnyx.👍

 

[vompatti]

The only thing I don't like is that it makes no distinction between (a) stock setups and modified settings or (b) dry and wet running.

May I add: (c) drafted laps.

 

[Alan_G]

May I add: (c) drafted laps.

That's an interesting point. Practically, with the current popularity of SCC, it works out okay. Personally, I never end up in the situation to do a good lap with some slipstream put in the mix; the traffic always seems to slow you down somehow. It seems most people are not bothered to do this.

But the problem would start if this game were more popular, as 2 or more players may orchestrate a lap so one person gets a slipstream at one or more points. It sounds like a lot of effort, but it would happen! Just imagine the situation if GT5P took race laptimes for the leaderboard.

 

[Biggles]

I think, all things considered, the stock set-ups offered in FC resulted in more interesting leaderboards. You could jump into any car on any track & try a few laps to put a time on the leaderboards. Now, you need to tinker around with the tuning to put up a meaningful time, so I think most people don't bother, & far fewer cars seem to be driven.

It would be nice to have wet times listed separately, because the rain physics are really pretty well done.

 

[Alan_G]

Yeah, I preferred the time trials in FC because it was purely down to doing a good lap. With SCC, because of the terrible inadequacy of the setup physics, it allows some groups to figure out some setup tricks and put in the fast laps, while everyone else wastes time applying actual real life reasoning to the setups.

 

[jjaisli]

I think, all things considered, the stock set-ups offered in FC resulted in more interesting leaderboards.

Agreed. In principle. However, in reality, there were some serious flaws with the FC leaderboards as well.
- TT times not uploading to the leaderboards. (Infuriating when you put in a good time and had no proof)
- Lots of tracks with corner cutting issues. The first 200~300 times at Monza in the F430 are impossible to duplicate.
- Several tracks with serious bugs where you could record times of just seconds by backing over the line or what have you.

So rather than say the FC leaderboards were more interesting (they weren't--they were a horrible mess), let's just say, it may be more beneficial to have a different or secondary leaderboard for stock setups.

 

[klondike]

Oke, thank you for the info. I have seen a copy of 23 Euro, which Is a good price. Hope to get back on topic soon and add my point of view to this game (a little late, I know). Look forward to some online racing !

You can get it much cheaper than 23 EU these days.

At zavvi they have it for 15, 95 £ or buy two games for 25 £ if there is another of the games the offer your interested in.

http://www.zavvi.com/games/offers/2-for-25-on-ps3-and-xbox.list

I finally bought this game myself.

I was always a very big fan of FC despite it had some flaws, but i somehow felt when SCC was released that there was not enough new content to justify byuing it.

Anyhow I sold FC long time ago when i got all the trophies. And i somehow missed the joy this game was. Then when i saw SC at this price i just had to have it lol.

Honestly FC and SCC are the best racers at the PS3 system by far. Graphics, menu's, carraer mode and all that stuff may be a litle subpar, but when it comes to the realism and enjoyment of driving the actual cars, nothing comes close to it.

 

[Minardi]

You can get it much cheaper than 23 EU these days.
Honestly FC and SCC are the best racers at the PS3 system by far. Graphics, menu's, carraer mode and all that stuff may be a litle subpar, but when it comes to the realism and enjoyment of driving the actual cars, nothing comes close to it.

That's what I was hoping to hear ! At the moment I am trying to get a good deal from a local supplier. I will get 3, may be 4 copies at once + 2 copies of SSV8NC so I hope for some discount. Yes, I am very good at persuading friends to buy these games to have some online racing.

 

[Minardi]

Picked up the games yesterday, and had my first experience with this game. Coming from ssv8nc, what a difference in force feedback. In a positive way that is. Not wanting to stay behind with the pro's, I immediately turned of TC and SC, left ABS on. Wow ! This must come close to the real thing, combined with the very good sounds, this is a true experience. Just started time trial at Spa with an Aston as I know that circuit quite good, It is even difficult to make a legal time. But when you do, It feels great.

Also started the challenge. With the assists off, It took me 5 races to finish 5th. And than you see were SSV8NC shines. AI. A SSV8NC you are battling the whole race, with competition that feels like real human drivers (the serious kind of racers that is), SSC, well, some idiots behind the wheel. Nevertheless the feeling was good when completing my first challenge. So, the verdict, thank you guys in here for convincing me to buy this game, It is great, however SSV8NC deserves an occassional drive too. In fact, I think It will be 50/50. Planning to do some competition with the guys I bought the other copies for, one week SSV8NC, other week SSC. But you really need to to take SCC serious to be of any competition. Think I start practice now, as long as the other guys don't have their copy yet. But It will take me a hell of a lot more practice to compete with the GTplanet racers. (2.06 on Spa ?!?!?!)

 

[Biggles]

AI is a disaster in SCC.

I wouldn't recommend the Aston. Like a lot of the "super" super cars in SCC it's not all that convincing. Try something like the 348 Challenge if you want a better feel for physics & FFB.

 

[Alan_G]

Minardi; if you're mad enough, try to join the event tomorrow. I have a feeling there'll be a couple of free slots. You just need to somehow unlock and buy the 355 Challenge car, and do a bit of practice at Spa (it's a very neutral handling car, easy to get used to). The pace is irrelevant. The aim is to have fun, make it to the end, always through clean driving.

 

[Minardi]

Yes, I have thought about that, thanks for the invitation. Any idea where/how to unlock the 355 the easiest / fastest way ? Just catcing up on the threads here. I saw It was the last in a series, I hope there are more to follow.

 

[Alan_G]

Unfortunately I can't remember much about the offline mode. I think it was mentioned somewhere in the '355 Challenge Event' thread.

 

[Redgate]

Minardi you need 30,000 RP to unlock the car, i think you have to complete challenge mode to get enough. The other option is to download a save file, theres a thread here with one.