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GTR2 - FIA GT Racing Game

Under the Hood

Simulations are excellent tests of the complete gaming package, from audio capabilities, to video quality to raw processing power. GTR 2 is no exception, and the experience scales nicely with hardware. The detailed textures, superbly modelled cars and realistic effects make use of all available graphics horsepower, while behind the scenes the AI opponents and physics and driving models put a fast CPU to good use. But GTR 2 is a relatively forgiving title hardware-wise: it's also one of those rare titles which have practical minimum requirements printed on the box. In testing, I even dipped below the minimum to find a playable game, albeit with significantly lowered visual settings.

GTR2 on a YouGamers minimum system - not bad, yes?

Step up to a YouGamers recommended setup and enjoy all of the visual feast.

While the graphics engine in GTR 2 is the same used in SimBin's other 2006 title, GT Legends, the game assets are more polished. The cars have a much higher polygon count than in GT Legends and are textured with great detail. Race tracks are faithfully represented, although track buildings and on-track objects are lacking in detail. This is a common tradeoff in racing games; more often than not, you're speeding past buildings and pit areas at high speed and focusing on the road ahead.

The lighting model is simply stunning. Shadows are real-time cast by the sun, which changes position based on time of day. In a mid-day race, the bright sun casts a glare on the cars and through the windscreen. When night falls, headlamps facilitate cast a glow on the road ahead, facilitating racing in the dark. The lighting model applies to weather as well; conditions such as a torrential downpour or overcast skies affect the distribution of light. The first time that the clouds opened up during a night race, I was impressed by the way the headlamps illuminated other cars' reflections on the wet pavement. Immersive is word which most appropriately describes the lighting model in GTR 2.

Powerful car, night time, rain - how much more difficult can you get?

The full tweaking panel for graphics - fiddle to your heart's content!

Of course, these visual niceties come with a price: capable hardware. Reaching a suitable compromise between a system's hardware and visual effects is never an easy task. For example, it took a full 2GB of system RAM to remove all of the hitching in crowded situations. Thankfully, GTR 2 makes the process a bit easier with a vast number of graphics settings. Low-level options are set using a separate program, GTR2Config. Here, options such as Resolution, Refresh Rate, Shader Level, Antialasing Level and Vertical Sync are set. Once the game is loaded, fine-grained settings such as the number of visible cars and track detail can be adjusted.

Speaking of visuals - widescreen gaming is gaining momentum, as more games are shipping with support for popular widescreen resolutions. With shooters and strategy games, a 16:10 or 16:9 aspect ratio is a nice extra. But with a racing game, proper support affords you the ability to view more of the track at once. The advantage over a traditional 4:3 display is evident as you speed into your first corner, as the additional viewing area on each side provides a better view of the full sweep of the corner.

Using the in-cockpit camera - and you really should be using this view - the widescreen view is simply more authentic. With 4:3 resolutions, such as 1600x1200, and the popular 5:4-ratio 1280x1024 resolution, the sides of the view are cut off dramatically. You're left with a view port that doesn't resemble reality, and the driving experience is made more difficult. A non-widescreen ratio is akin to driving with blinders on, and I'm pretty sure most driving instructors discourage that practice. Larger aspect ratio displays are coming down in price, so look into purchasing one when it's time to upgrade from your current display.

If any portion of GTR 2 is lacking, it's the audio. Thankfully, car audio is represented well: the hollow roar of an engine revving from a full stop to 100 Mph is eerily real. Shifts are accompanied by a punctuated drop in RPMs, followed by a distinct snap as the transmission engages the next gear. When driving with the in-cockpit camera, outside sounds are somewhat muffled by the engine noise. Individual sounds, however, are lacking in depth - there's a somewhat lacklustre feel to the audio, as if stock sounds were used in more than a few places.

Thankfully, the audio doesn't detract from the experience, but this is the one area not up to the standard set by the rest of the game. Also, it's completely a matter of personal taste, but I found the menu background music to be horribly cheesy. Audio options abound, however, so the various audio settings can be adjusted to suit individual taste.

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