***Official Formula One 2012 Thread***

[CaptainRAVE]

F1 2012: Codemasters reveals first details, plus new family F1 title

Codemasters has always been skilled at coming into an ailing sports genre and totally reviving it. The Warwickshire-based developer made the tennis sim enjoyable again via its nineties Pete Sampras titles, then brought offroad racing into the mainstream with the brilliantly accessible Colin McRae Rally titles. Then, in 2008 it won the license for F1.

Sony had given it up. Selling barely half a million of its final title, the PlayStation giant pulled out of the sport. Codemasters took it on, shook it up, pushed its "be the driver, live the life" philosophy, promising to convey every nuance of the F1 competitor's experience. F1 2010 sold 2.5m copies, and in 2011, it was the best-selling third-party racing game of the year.

Now the publisher has signed a new multi-year deal with the F1 organisation and is working on its third sim in the series. Naturally, F1 2012 will have all the latest drivers, teams and races, and naturally, Codemasters is keen to stress that this is the least of what players can expect. The company is not saying much just yet, but here are the foundations of the game, due for release in September.

First, while F1 2011 concentrated on improving the multiplayer mode, it seems the 2012 will be all about evolving the lone experience. "We're putting time into expanding the career mode and several other single-player modes," says creative director Stephen Hood. "We've carried out a lot of research and many people do just play it in single-player.

"Accessibility and rewarding casual players is important. I want to get more people who used to be into F1 or watch it occasionally, who don't know the rules, the complexities of it, and get them into the game. It comes across as an intimidating sport and the TV commentators do a great job of explaining these things to viewers on the race days – we need to capture that."

Part of this will be via a new introductory mode based around the sport's young driver tests, held toward the end of every season (Abu Dhabi has hosted the last few). This is where the teams leave one car and some race engineers behind for a day and give up-and-coming young drivers a chance to try out an F1 car, often for the first time.

"It's interesting how the teams go about working with those guys, telling them about the controls and what is required of them," says Hood, "It's not about going out and smashing the fastest lap, it's about being consistent, not damaging the car, getting used to the basics. We want to use that as our tutorial at the start of the game."

Here players will learn about the intricacies of F1 driving – the use of the apex and the racing line, etc – but tests will also be timed, so more experienced players can also compete for the best scores. Performing well unlocks contract offers from racing teams during the career mode – the better your performance, the better the teams making contact. Interestingly, players will have to complete at least a couple of tests before going into the main game modes.

What? Why? Well, because this section is used as a kind of set-up sequence allowing players to configure the camera, the controller and other game settings to their requirements. "We want it to be part of the story rather than giving you a load of option screens," says Hood. "We've turned it into an interactive sequence. I think we've got it sorted in terms of the amount of time you have to spend with it."

Elsewhere, the development team is doing new stuff with the weather and lighting, and there are "significant" changes to the underlying physics engine. One aim is to make the game more intuitive to play via the joypad, which is how most people experience it. Codemasters has also changed the tests that drivers need to complete in order to earn vehicle upgrades. There was a feeling that these tasks became repetitive over a whole career, so now they're more varied – but it's still about achieving certain standards so that the team trusts you with fresh hardware.

Hood also wants the game to look a lot sleeker from the moment it boots up. "There are a lot of sports games out now – most obviously from EA – that have very sexy user interfaces. They might not always be easy to navigate for the new player, but there's a certain standard they've achieved, and I don't think the F1 games have got there so far. There's more we can play on with the history, the logos, the teams, the look of the cars – we're changing the UI dramatically for this season."

And what else? They're not saying yet, but Hood is keen to stress that the F1 license is an ongoing project – they have grand plans: "There are so many things we want to put into our F1 games that we've been trying to do since 2010. We want to build it around the whole world of Formula One, the kinds of things the commentators go on about: upgrading the cars, beating your team mate, the strategy of the different teams. That's all part of the sport, and we're trying to replicate that."

Codemasters has also revealed that, alongside this year's iteration of its console Formula One series, and the forthcoming F1 Online team management sim, it will be releasing a third F1 title aimed at families and casual gamers. The publisher would not say anymore, but it is likely this is a reference to the Wii U F1 game mentioned by CEO Rod Cousens last August. This version is likely to use the forthcoming console's tablet style controller as an F1 steering wheel complete with driving computer. It is due out this Christmas.

One key thing F1 fans may be able to look forward to in the future – especially in light of the multi-year license extension – is a consistent driver profile, which they can carry through subsequent iterations of the main F1 2012 game. Perhaps the aim is a driving RPG, a Formula One Mass Effect in which decisions and achievements carry on through the years. And on top of that, there is the Racenet community, and the launch next month of F1 Online, a browser-based team management sim with top-down visuals that may remind veteran gamers of another great Codemasters license, Micro Machines.

This great British survivor has been somewhat pushed to the side of the industry by heavyweight rivals over the past few years. But with Dirt Showdown on the way, a new Grid title surely in the making and a range of F1 titles, it is playing to its strengths once again. It is pushing back.

 

[Murray]

Looking forward to this, can hopefully get a league started this time unlike the failed attempt last year

 

[Spils]

Fool me once shame on me, fool me twice shame on you.

This saying defo rings true to code master and there heap of junk f1. I'm a huge f1 fan have been for what 26 years now think I've owned and played every single f1 game realised. I'm that sad Ill watch the f1 race Sunday afternoon and rewatch it again in bed Sunday night.

Basically I'm a huge f1 fan and love everything to do with it. I preordered both other game and was like a kid at xmas when they came out "IE i couldn't wait till the 25th so was naughty and opened them early using a VPN I was that excited"

But what a heap of junk both games turned out to be and a huge disappointment, terrible support, lie and lie from the devs and PR team.

The game runs on a terrible engine that performs pretty bad once you have played something like Iracing or any game coded well for that matter. The game doesn't even look that great but runs really really bad. "Codemasters" my backside.

The visuals in Iracing blow f12011 away yet f1 2011 runs terrible on anything but a super pc. Yet Iracing can run on a toaster. I wont compare the physics and the support you get from a game like Iracing compared to this rubbish Code master release, it just wouldn't be fair.

Im sure we will have the community manger in here soon enough just like we have the last two years feeding us his PR ****. Then the day the game comes out he disappears never to be seen again.

I'm a sucker so I will pick this up when its in the bargain bin on steam. Its about all the other two are worth..

PS does the AI still drive into the back of you on straights or have they finally coded something that can overtake correctly.

Fingers crossed for a huge flop so someone much better can take the licence from them they really don't deserve such a privilege.

As for Mr Hood the mans going straight to hell the amount of lies he tells.

[/bitterness and disappointment]

 

[coupe69]

Moany, whiny post....snip

I enjoyed the last two F1 games from Codemasters, and while yes there were a few minor issues with the gameplay I certainly didn't need a "supercomputer" to run it. My PC is a couple of years old and ran it fine locked at 60fps. My Dads even older and outdated PC ran it fine to.

I'd be interested to know what PC you were actually trying to run it on

 

[stoke1863]

Here we go again...

People complaining its not as simmy as iracing. Ill say it once to get it across

ITS A CONSOLE GAME MOSTLY PLAYED ON A CONTROLLER

Sim is a niche market and it BARELY even exists on a console it makes no sense what so ever to make a super sim game when codemasters target audience is the console.

I have friends who have bought F1 2011 for the console and have complained that its too realistic and hard.

Yes for most of us here we want the iracing style game but please look at the mass market and see where the money is for codemaster. Hell this game could be even less sim like and end up like GRiD thank fully at least they have made it playable for people who want a realisitc game.

Codemasters owe you nothing so just stop moaning and dont buy it. PC gamers are by far the most Whiny customers. You have to realize they are making a game for the public not for the individual.

Saying that i have enjoyed playing F1 2011 a lot especially on the co-op championship. I am playing co-op with a mate of mine who has no desire to play a sim game but he is enjoying playing F1 2011 with all the assists

 

[Spils]

lap it up then boys, I'm not comparing the handling to Iracing that would be stupid. Its plain and clear its not a hardcore sim.

I was comparing the performance vs visuals the lack of support and the empty and broken promises. You have some of the best looking tracks in games like Iracing and cars etc and they all run really well even on older hardware the scaling is great.

F1 on the other hand visually is nothing special if anything its a little dated but my god does it run poorly. Tried to set this up for my brother last year on an old e6600 i think his chip is and a 4870 the frame rate was terrible. No its not cutting edge but neither is this game.

You also have there way of fixing things, theres two results to this
A. they brake the feature or something else regarding the feature then drop support for the game

B. Just remove the feature from the game as they cant be bothered to fix it.


Well done at totally missing my point and jumping the gun guys. I'd love this game to be great but really the last two have been poor. I see no change with this one.

 

[stoke1863]

lap it up then boys, I'm not comparing the handling to Iracing that would be stupid. Its plain and clear its not a hardcore sim.

I was comparing the performance vs visuals the lack of support and the empty and broken promises. You have some of the best looking tracks in games like Iracing and cars etc and they all run really well even on older hardware the scaling is great.

F1 on the other hand visually is nothing special if anything its a little dated but my god does it run poorly. Tried to set this up for my brother last year on an old e6600 i think his chip is and a 4870 the frame rate was terrible. No its not cutting edge but neither is this game.

You also have there way of fixing things, theres two results to this
A. they brake the feature or something else regarding the feature then drop support for the game

B. Just remove the feature from the game as they cant be bothered to fix it.


Well done at totally missing my point and jumping the gun guys. I'd love this game to be great but really the last two have been poor. I see no change with this one.

Well my mates hardware is

AMD X2 with a 4870 and it runs absolutely fine

Rant not aimed at you it is aimed at the no doubt very tedious and boring gang of people who complain every year when this thread is made. Its simple really dont like it dont read and post

 

[Spils]

I enjoyed the last two F1 games from Codemasters, and while yes there were a few minor issues with the gameplay I certainly didn't need a "supercomputer" to run it. My PC is a couple of years old and ran it fine locked at 60fps. My Dads even older and outdated PC ran it fine to.

I'd be interested to know what PC you were actually trying to run it on

Multiple system ranging from my brothers outdated system which I think is a e6600 and a 4870 or it could be a 4850.

My system when the game launched was a q6600 and a 460gtx the game was installed to a Intel SSD and I was using 4 gig of ram. Game ran at around 30 fps average on high 2xaa 16 Af I had to knock the odd thing down to get anything near a playable game.

I got much better performance with dx9 on the f1 2010 but f1 2011 in dx9 mode for me was totally broken the game didn't even load textures and would just lock up.

I tired every thing I could find on the forums it still ran poorly. Lag spikes every 5 minutes also which I couldn't fix in any shape or form I tried moving the replay to numerous drives same result every time.


Fair enough if you guys loved it that's cool I didn't and its a shame as somewhere in there, there's a good game.

Fingers crossed I'm wrong on this one and Ill gladly eat humble pie and post you guys the video.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

Well my mates hardware is

AMD X2 with a 4870 and it runs absolutely fine

Rant not aimed at you it is aimed at the no doubt very tedious and boring gang of people who complain every year when this thread is made. Its simple really dont like it dont read and post

Yep, happens every year. The game has its flaws, but I think a lot of people miss the point of it - it isn't meant to be a realistic race sim (Codies say this all the time in interviews).

Whatever the issues, many of us here had an absolute blast racing online in 2011. Hoping 2012 is just as good.

 

[Spils]

Yep I'm clearly missing the point of it mate.

F1 game, aimed at the masses on all platforms with a hint of sim to keep the hardcore happy and a hell of a lot of arcade fun, for the everyone else.

Do I have the game wrong ?

 

[Kosmiche]

I enjoyed playing F1 2010 with a wheel, sadly theres never anyone online. I thought about getting F1 2011 but not sure if anyone playing that either. Anyone know?

 

[AWPC]

Codemasters can keep it. F1 2010/2011 both had issues which were never fixed & endless menu screens/loading times multiplatform design garbage

Instead of patching those they make a new game to sell & abandon the older titles

Codemasters just leave the PC out in future few will miss your games or companies lack of customer care you learnt to make new games instead of DLC or essential patches well done you must be very proud

 

[stoke1863]

Yep I'm clearly missing the point of it mate.

F1 game, aimed at the masses on all platforms with a hint of sim to keep the hardcore happy and a hell of a lot of arcade fun, for the everyone else.

Do I have the game wrong ?

again hes not directing at you

 

[arknor]

is this basicly f1 2010 with a mod that adds this seasons tracks , this seasons driver names and this seasons car skins sold as a full price game?

i wish geoff crammond would make an f1 game again

 

[Murray]

I enjoyed playing F1 2010 with a wheel, sadly theres never anyone online. I thought about getting F1 2011 but not sure if anyone playing that either. Anyone know?

When 2011 came out there was a lot of us playing online every night, maybe around 5-7 most nights? It slowly faded away around January time but I got around 130 hours on it. Great fun.


I thought 2011 was much better than 2010, lets hope for the same from 2012.

 

[trickycurve]

I'm not exactly a hardcore racing gamer, despite owning a PWGT2, but I do love racing games to bits and thoroughly enjoyed Codemasters' previous instalments. I do tend to veer more towards semi-realistic racing games (I play Forza quite a bit), but I'm not into hyper-realistic sim racing (I did try iRacing on a trial, but I don't think I have the patience or time to get really good at it).

Anyway, I can't wait for F1 2012

 

[SPARC]

F1 2010 wasn't great however F1 2011 was a far improved game. We had great fun playing online here so I'll probably pick this up if it's going for £17 again. For the amount of time (plus I'm a F1 whore) I put into F1 2011 then the next installment should pay back that money in no time at all.

Edit: I look forward to "OMFG ANARUJ STOP ******* RAMMING !!! RAGE!!"

 

[anuraj]

F1 2010 wasn't great however F1 2011 was a far improved game. We had great fun playing online here so I'll probably pick this up if it's going for £17 again. For the amount of time (plus I'm a F1 whore) I put into F1 2011 then the next installment should pay back that money in no time at all.

Edit: I look forward to "OMFG ANARUJ STOP ******* RAMMING !!! RAGE!!"

We do need a hamilton don't we

 

[Username Mike]

Looking forward to this, can hopefully get a league started this time unlike the failed attempt last year

Or join another league like myself and Inam did.

Also you guys should not really give up on something not out and just complain about how it might suck. Soooooo boring and negative you people. Just be quiet.

Looking forward to the game. It is about the great racing you have with others.

 

[CaptainRAVE]

F1 2010 wasn't great however F1 2011 was a far improved game. We had great fun playing online here so I'll probably pick this up if it's going for £17 again. For the amount of time (plus I'm a F1 whore) I put into F1 2011 then the next installment should pay back that money in no time at all.

Edit: I look forward to "OMFG ANARUJ STOP ******* RAMMING !!! RAGE!!"

Very true, the previous two have been £17 and I definitely have gotten my moneys worth. The Anuraj rage was classic...so many lol moments (mainly because I managed to avoid him most of the time).