Be Excellent To Each Other

Yes, I know I'm a twat and a sad, old one at that, but hey. I live with it.

Anyway, I learn today that RR is being developed for the new PSP2 or 'Vita'/whatever it is.
Whatever it's feckin' called though, I'm so getting one, for this reason alone:

http://www.facebook.com/notes/namcoband ... 2191122908

As if that wasn't enough, Namco have apparently finally pulled their corporate finger from their arse, and RR4 is now available on PSN? Haven't had the opportunity to check this out yet, but man alive, I certainly will be doing.

I know RR is as old as the hills and about as fashionable as my shoes, but I don't care. Viva Ridge Racer, baby! Yeah!

What? Everyone in the world loves Ridge Racer, fool.

Really? Cool!

I'm such a fanboy of this series, it's frankly embarrassing. My greatest achievement was to complete all 25 UFRA Special Events (the Ultranova time trial was a bitch) and get to 2000th best RR player according to the World Rankings lol (from 400,000 to be fair!) Not bad for an old man eh?

Even I like Ridge Racer (RR6 being the one I sank most time into) and I'm generally not keen on driving games. I do usually hit a brick wall (often literally) with them though as I can never get the hang of the drift cars.

I managed a few goes on the Full Scale Ridge Racer when it was in Hollywood Bowl at Teesside Park. It was excellent fun.

The difference in the middle rankings must have been tiny! say 2/10ths a sec between 300,000th and 265,000th!

I've had a go on that!

So have I! In America though.

I've seen it a couple of times, but it was semi broken every time.

Oh man, that full size RR just looks awesome! Something tells me I'd e brassic after an afternoon playing around with that!

Thankfully, it's done on 'Fame Points' Mali, rather than fastest lap times, which are variously earned in AI and online battles/time trials (obv. the really hard ones like the UFRA Special Events, or a string of first places amongst similarly ranked players net far more FP etc.). At least it was on RR7.

(The was a big kerfuffle at some point apparently, back in the game's heyday, as various hacker types sussed out how to award themselves a zillion FP and credits, thus screwing up the top 100 at least lol.

I've been a massive fan of Ridge Racer ever since the first one came out in the arcade (it was £1 per go in the Manchester city centre arcades!), and of course absolutely had to buy a PS1 just to play that game. Then came Ridge Racer Revolution, anyone remember how bastard hard it was to beat that evil black car? (I forget its name.)

The only problem with the series is that it has very cheaty AI, to the extent that RR6 on the 360 very nearly had me launching my gamepad at the telly and setting fire to my 360.

Still a fab game though.

I thought I'd just gone shit at Ridge games... the very worst thing you can be screaming at your console is "HOW?????"

Glad it's not just me.

Nice one mate! Always knew you were a man of taste, naturally.

Must admit, I am pretty late to the party. Whilst I vaguely remember (very briefly) playing the first incarnation of RR on Teen Angel #1's PS1, waaaay back in the day (I hired it for one night IIRC), it's only RR7 that I actually know at all, and even then only started playing it when it was already a really old game. Oh well, better late than never, eh?

Anyway, I'd guess the 'evil black car' you refer to would be the Monstrous or Crinale, if RR7 is anything to go by.



Yup, it's the same deal with RR7/PS3 - the AI cheats like a bastard in certain situations, especially when you're duelling against the AI for the top tier 'Special Machines' like the Monstrous and Crinale - particularly the latter. Even now, beating the Crinale is fairly tough, and that's using my best player machine (Himmel EO, Druagba engine, Astaroth +2 tyres, Galaxian nitrous +U charge etc.) with every conceivable part tuned and specced to perfection. But when you *do* get the Crinale, you find it isn't actually capable of anything like the feats of the AI car, and as a Special Machine it can't be customised in any way. (All the other Special and even Complete Machines before them, are shite).

I can *sort of* see why they've done it, at least to a degree - the focus of the game is customising your own machines, building up your garage, trying different parts and all the rest. If a complete 'special' was as good or better, no-one would bother with player machines at all - we'd all be in Devils or Angels and all be identically specced. (The way round this, of course, is to make Special Machines equally player-customisable... how about it Namco? )

The 'rubber banding' is a bit shit as well, but at least that can be turned off when you're not up against the AI (e.g. playing real people online or in split screen mode).





Mind you, the PS3/XBox sequel looks truly shit - crashing, destruction, urban setting etc., non-Japanese developer... that's not RR!

The forthcoming PSP2 version that I linked to looks very much like the real deal though - and it's that that I'm really waiting for. Smashing up cars and playing gangsters can GTFF.

The upcoming 'Ridge Racer' game is actually a sort of sequel to Flatout Ultimate Carnage (same developer), they've just stuck the Ridge Racer label on it for the 'brand appeal'.

This isn't necessarily any bad thing though, as whilst RR6 was a great game it was still, effectively, the same Ridge Racer we were all playing on our Playstations in 1995, except with even cheatier AI.

Flatout Ultimate Carnage was (is!) an awesome game, although very much not a Ridge Racer game.

I gave up with it during the last series of races IIRC, I wouldn't have kept at it that long except I was chasing Trousers' progress.

After one too many, as you so succinctly put it, 'HOW?????' moments, I turned my 360 off and never played it again.

Difficult, I don't mind, ruthlessly difficult I don't mind. By all means give the AI a better car and make him drive damn near perfectly - (thinking back to Ridge Racer Revolution on the PS1, for the hardest duel race that unlocked the evil black car, I recall you had to do three perfect laps of the track, and the opponent AI would make only one scripted (i.e. always the same) mistake on one of the laps, and that was your ONLY passing opportunity. Fuck me it was hard, but it was also FAIR, I didn't mind that.) - but please don't give the enemy cars fucking super powers that completely negate anything I do by simple virtue of cheating.

In RR6 more than anything the AI could conjure up boost out of thin air, to the extent it became ridiculous. That's my recollection anyway.

Grrrr, it's making me cross just thinking about it again

Indeed, all while the hooting blowhard commentator is shouting about KERAZY NITROUS every 5 seconds, and it's a race where you're not allowed any at all.


Indeed, it's ensured I'm not touching it again. And probably none of its sequels.

I remember a white one as well, were they called Angel and Devil (something Namco obviously liked sticking in their games around that time)? I remember the white one just stayed still while you drove past, then you had to keep an eye on your rear view mirror to keep blocking it all the way round the track.

White car = Angel = Angelus

In RR7, an excellent choice for non-nitrous races, thanks to good top speed. Nice handler too, unlike all the other Special Machines, Age Ultranova excepted. (That has the most unforgiving nitrous charge though - get it right, every time, or lose horribly)

Racist.

Played a celebratory game of Ridge Racer 3D earlier. It's Ridge Racer 6 and 7, miniaturised, but on Nintendo hardware. And in 3D. The elastic-banding starts to get frustratingly noticeable at 70% through the game. Tcch, eh?

It was sounding great, until the last bit - not a dealbreaker though?
How do you rate it as a game? (The 3DS just looks so fiddly and basically crap to me, I have to be honest, and pricey for what it is? I dunno though, what do I know about such things).

In other news, downloaded RR4 last night and took it for a quick spin. It's a bit cheesy and very blocky, to be expected I guess. (One 'Sophie Chevalier' looks to be quite a fox though )

I did love my 3DS and Ridge Racer 3D is probably the best thing on it... but I'm steadily getting bored of the whole thing now. Mine hasn't been touched in a few weeks (other than a quick download and blast on Excitebike).

Not a dealbreaker, and certainly live-able with. Rate it as a game? 7/10. I've enjoyed it, and err, enjoy it. The negatives are the same as the 7, basically. Also the graphics are (inevitably) poorer, but the 3D effect adds something to the experience. And it's portable, and arcadey, so very pick-up-and-play and not just in the literal sense.

The 3DS can feel a bit 'cheap', I guess. It feels designed more like an old-style handheld, i.e. a bit toy-ish, rather than a sleek lifestyle accessory. Nice slidey thumbstick though, better than the PSP one. I don't actually own the 3DS I play on (it belongs to my g.f.) but I don't think she minded the price, and I hear that if you shop around you can get one for £160 at the moment.


Did you ever play it with a JogCon on the PS1? Interesting idea for a controller, but not too great to play anything with, really.

Certainly the lack of available software hasn't helped the 3DS. I'll echo my opinion that the 3DS seems prematurely rushed-out, before Nintendo and other developers had a good range of software under development....

NeGcon was the controller to use for driving, it was excellent both for Ridge Racer and Gran Turismo. I still have one, but few games supported it after the Dual Shock came out, sadly.

I always thought the neGcon looked interesting, but I've never had a chance to use one.

Reading the Wikipedia page, it suddenly occurs to me that I never thought of using the neGcon on the PC for driving games and MAME stuff, despite me having had a PS2-to-PC converter for years and playing games with PS2 controllers and joysticks.

That's interesting Zio. Pretty much everywhere I looked online when RR 3DS was in development, everyone was slating it something rotten, saying how primitive the graphics were likely to be, how RR itself is a totally lame franchise now, you'd have to be a dick to even consider buying it, Namco are so shit etc. Thing is though, everyone I've spoken to who has bought the actual game thinks it's at least 'good' and many, like yourself (fairly hard-headed gamers, not like hapless old buffoons like me with RR-fanboy rose tinted specs), actually really like it/think it's the best thing on the 3DS.

It was exactly the same with the PS3 and RR7 - a humble release title, but I reckon Namco really nailed it and there are still people racing each other online, last I looked, some 5 years or so after this game's release.

I just can't wait for the Vita version of this game, which is being done by the same geezer who did the PSP version of RR, which was again absolutely awesome at the time and surely one of the best games on that platform as well.

The only thing that really worries me is the mainstream RR sequel, the Flatout/Burnout thing. I just know this is going to be shit and will break a lot of hearts.

Interesting, thanks for that.
I really must blag a go on this at some point.



I daresay £160 isn't too bad really, I thought they were more than that.



Never heard of the JogCon to be honest; only ever played with the standard controller.

I played it with a negcon once but could never get the hang of it. I like the idea of using one on my PC though. I kick myself that whilst working at Game, I never picked up the jogcon and RR4 pack. That was lovely.

Best get to eBay.

The RRP is £219.99, but there's been an aggressive price war so it's buyable at £160, possibly less. No idea where my g.f. bought her 3DS, but she definitely didn't pay RRP.


Weird PS1 controller with a "steering wheel" in the place of the DualShock's nipples. Was bundled with RR4 to start with over here. Not to be confused with the earlier twisty-middled NeGcon. (The standard controller was the best bet, incidentally.)

Been playing some more RR 3DS today and it's still at the point where you can be in first by the beginning of the 3rd lap. That's after 5 hours on the game.

The thing is I don't need a gentle introduction to the tracks as most of them are recycled anyway so it would have been nice to get at least some semblance of challenge without the now obligatory grind.

RR6 I got close to comleting right up until the last 4 races where the AI starts with full nitro and you need a perfect drive, bang on ultimate charges and keep blocking the AI drivers to come anywhere near 1st. It was truly hateful at that point.

RR7 running at 1080p and 60fps should be the benchmark for all arcade racers. I've still got mine 'cos it's an Asian copy. If anyone on here wants it gratis PM me and I'll send it ye.

Heh, good to see you Trousers mate! Sounds like you're a real RR fiend; although I (was) pretty damn good and made a good account of myself online, I'm thinking you - and probably Chopley as well - would kick my arse.

I'd love to have had a go on RR6; the Crinale looks much more usable in that than RR7, where's it's just crap. (Looks great though).

RR7 had its fair share of hateful final races though; that UFRA Special Event Time Attack with the Age Ultranova was almost impossible. I had dozens and dozens of attempts, got all the nitro points/ultimate charges right (as of course one must do with the Ultranova), perfect line - still failed. I eventually did it with a few thousanths of a second to spare only - 200FP well earned. Do you know the one I'm one about here?

Tried it again for lulz the other day and was feckin' miles off the pace.



Excuse my ignorance, but is 60fps any quicker than the 'usual' Euro Namco release? If so, I'd certainly like a copy mate.

I thought all the versions ran at 60FPS TBH Cavey, so not sure what Trousers is on about

It's not a question of 'speed' as such, but smoothness.

60FPS is the holy grail, basically, that's the same as the screen's refresh rate and pretty much at the limit of human perception, so it's as smooth as the 'real world' if you will.

As frame rate decreases, so the smoothness of the experience declines and the controls get less responsive.

A lot of console games are locked at (or try to maintain) 30FPS, at which point the experience is visibly jerkier, below 30FPS and things really start to get flaky.

http://www.boallen.com/fps-compare.html

Sorry the two statements are unrelelated. The 1080p/60fps thing applies to all releases.

I am saying mine is available simply 'cos I can't trade it in at Gamestation due to its forrin origins.

On a slightly related note the drifting in NFS is easily the most unsatisfying thing about the game. Ridge Racer and Outrun 2 make drifting fun and controllable, if slightly mental. NFS drifts shed half your speed and still put you in the fucking barriers 50% of the time.

I was trying to find a decent controller to play Colin McRae 2 (PC version) with earlier and the discussion of the Jogcon prompted me to dig this unofficial version out ...



It's really not an intuitive controller though - I like the way the wheel auto-centres though.

Ridge Racer Unbounded in 'pretty damn good' shocker!

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012- ... ded-review

Released tomorrow apparently, erm, where do we get it now that GAME are gone?

Tesco!

I'm tempted. It's a fiver and a traded in Fifa Street at grainger games. Although there's no split screen which is a bit of a dealbreaker.

We do have a Tesco here, but I don't like to step inside for fear of being part of the CYCLONE OF UNFETTERED RAMPANT CAPITALISM EVIL.*

I suppose I could make an exception for this game though, it looks ace.


* I like Shoprite, a supermarket chain that has several stores over here which I believe is from Scotchland originally and is so dramatically amateurish in everything it does you'd swear blind they didn't want to make any money. Best moment so far was when I perusing the selection of low energy light bulbs (I swear blind up until about two years ago they still had boxes of ten floppy discs in the 'random techno' section) during a bad storm and I felt water dripping onto my head.

I informed one of the dudes working in there about it and in all fairness they did have a bucket down before I got to the checkout.

I've pre-ordered this for the PS3, being the RR fanboy that I am.

Can't wait to give it a bash!

I had hopes this would be good, being as it seemed to be nothing to do with RR apart from the name, yet I see from the video that they have kept the awful throwback of the RR drift mechanism, so i'm out

Hmph!

I've never actually got on with the controls of any RR game, and I have tried. I just don't like that to get round a corner, you need to start turning 3 corners before...

£29.99 on Steam - downloading now! Will report back later.

(I note that at zavvi.com both the 360 and PS3 versions are £37.95, and the PC version is £24.95. Gaming really is cheaper on PC once you've made the initial investment.)

It'd better be fucking 60FPS, the console versions are 30FPS.

I'm basically thinking of it as a sequel to Flatout Ultimate Carnage, rather than a Ridge Racer game.

Do you not like Outrun 2 either?

I don't

Trooper is officially broken.

Oooohhh 'Ridge Racer Unbounded' is very good.

It's a bit stripped down and basic, you get a terrible intro sequence which makes no sense, then you're dumped straight into what would be traditionally regarded as 'campaign mode', and then you work it all out for yourself from there.

It's tough, but so far it seems fair, it took me six attempts to get first place in the first race. The AI didn't appear to be doing anything daft and cheaty that I could see, but it does drive a hard race.

Graphics are unspectacular but do the job (I mean, it's nice looking, but it's not going to give BF3 any sleepless nights), soundtrack is thumping, sound effects are solid, controls feel right - the drifting mechanic isn't entirely intuitive, still getting the hang of it and TBH I wish they'd just kept the 'classic' RR drift model.

Definitely some value in learning the tracks, remembering where you can use the power charge to start chaining the MEGA DESTRUCTION stuff is important - it's sort of like Burnout Paradise but with old fashioned style tracks instead of open world.

Up to now, looking good.

Eurogamer's game of the week!

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012- ... -unbounded