Advice for a Gaming Novice

[Super Hans]

What PC racing game would you recommend for a novice, using a laptop, who wishes to race online?

[Tathrim]

more specific specs?

rFactor may be worth a look.

[DAVID PATERSON]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

What PC racing game would you recommend for a novice, using a laptop, who wishes to race online?

Are you looking for a game or a sim?

Do you lean towards single seaters, sports cars or touringcars/saloons, race or rally?

[Fox89]

Originally Posted by Super Hans

What PC racing game would you recommend for a novice, using a laptop, who wishes to race online?

Well if you're a novice on a laptop my guess is you don't have a steering wheel, or perhaps not a great one if you do? If I'm wrong then look into rFactor, but if not I'd suggest something like Racedriver GRID from Codemasters.

It's not as realistic as a game like rFactor but it is much simpler to set up (dont have to worry about installing mods etc) and is designed to work better with keyboards and gamepads if you dont have a wheel. Its from a big publisher which means alot of support for it and there's a big community for it as well. You don't get F1 but you can race a variety of cars. Open wheelers, stock cars, sports cars, you name it.

[Super Hans]

Cheers for the tips guys. Fox, you're spot on, I don't have a steering wheel or even a gamepad. I'm starting from scratch! I'm off to the shops today so I might give Racedriver a try.

[nea]

Hoping this isn't too late but you need monster specs to run GRID properly. I've got a C2D E6600, 4GB and 8800GTX and it can, on occasion, run like a dog.

[Super Hans]

Originally Posted by nea

Hoping this isn't too late but you need monster specs to run GRID properly. I've got a C2D E6600, 4GB and 8800GTX and it can, on occasion, run like a dog.

Thanks nea, but sadly it is too late! I downloaded GRID over the weekend and it wouldn't run at all. £20 down the drain. I guess that's what happens when you don't check the spec requirements. I am a pillock.

[nea]

That's a shame! Whilst it's a long way from realistic, it is a great fun game if you don't take it seriously. And the graphics are stunning, although I'm not a massive fan of the bloom Codemasters seem to apply with vigour.

Wouldn't go so far as calling you a pillock though, I've made that mistake on many occasions (I had to wait 3 years after buying Grand Prix Legends before I had a PC that could run it, and I still play it now!). And I'm a PC technician/builder so I have no excuse for doing that. Flight Sim X is one I'm still waiting to play properly at anything other than a slideshow frame rate.