VirtuaIceMan

To Codemasters: the details below don't explain how to defeat the protection system on the game, nor do they provide any links to help do that, simply to remove it, in order to protect the user's PC. It's up to the user themselves to then find the required file to allow the game to work. I hope this doesn't contravene your rules, as I'm just trying to help people play all the ToCA and GRID games on their one PC (much as I do!). This game relies on the Starforce protection system, which works fine in Windows XP and might work on Windows 7 if you install the SFUPDATE patch before running the game, which you can get from their official site here: http://www.star-force.com/support/drivers/ (find the link under "2. Versions before 5.5"). However, the early version of Starforce used will NOT work on Windows 8 (it may even prevent your system from booting) and won't work in Windows 8.1, so you'll need a workaround, as detailed below. 1. Install game from DVD-ROM, then DO NOT START THE GAME. 2. If you installed the game from the autorun menu, Exit it. 3. Download and install the 1.2 patch, this can be found on the Patches Scrolls site, again DO NOT START THE GAME. 4. At this point, and if you're feeling brave AND running Windows 7, you can try the SFUPDATE mentioned above, then run the game. However if you're worried Starforce might break your PC then read on... 5. Download the Starforce removal tool from http://www.star-force.com/support/drivers/ (find the link under "2. Versions before 5.5"). Run this to ensure Starforce is removed. With any luck (i.e. you didn't run the game yet) then no Starforce drivers will be found! 6. You now need to locate a ToCA Race Driver 2 "No-CD" patch. I can't help you at this point, but searching online should help. Make sure your download is for version 1.2 of course, as you installed the patch for that in step 3 above. Also, please virus check whatever you download, as there's no guarantee it'll be virus free. 7. The file you download may be a replacement RD2.exe file, in which case, just copy it into the folder you installed the game into, overwriting the original. 8. If you do use Creative ALchemy, set up a path in it to the game's install folder, so that the EAX (environmental audio) can be enabled in-game. 9. Run the game's "Setup ToCA Race Driver 2" link, to set up the graphics and sound. Note: the maximum refresh rate available under "Graphic -> Advanced Settings..." might not be the highest your monitor can take. So once you've applied the settings you with, click "Save and Exit", then open the pchardwareconfig.ini file (in the game's install folder) and change the "FullScreenRefresh=" to the maximum refresh rate you wish to use (on my monitor it would only let me select 120hz in the settings, but I changed this to 144hz in the .ini file, which my monitor can take). Note: with regard to resolution, widescreen resolutions can be set, but the game will be stretched (fat looking images!), so best to run with a 4:3 resolution, as the game was made for that! 10. Run the game!

http://www.virtualr.net/catching-geoff-crammond-interview Go Codemasters, hook up with him, Grand Prix 5 is "unfinished business"!

Looks like a chicane into the pits now, no doubt too late for Codemasters to know:

Just came across Sega's new arcade racing game, in association with Codemasters Racing, called SHOWDOWN: http://arcadeheroes.com/2014/10/31/sega-officially-unveils-showdown/ Looks like a reworked DiRT Showdown, without the gymkhana. Probably ideal for arcades, if less so for DiRT rally racing fans! This follows the arcade version of GRID, which Codemasters did previously.

Add any reviews you find in here! Eurogamer 5/10 - http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-10-15-f1-2014-review

In free PC rFactor-based SimRaceWay. No idea how good it is, as my PC isn't online right now. First game with a 2014 car in it! http://blog.simraceway.com/2014/07/car-mclaren-mp429/ p.s. I think SimRaceWay are the reason why we can't have McLaren in Codemasters F1 classic mode... :-S

Just a quick straw poll; the ToCA Race Driver series used real life championships (DTM, V8 Supercars) and a collection of one-make made-up championships. However the GRID games seem to have instead focussed on made-up championships (excluding the Le Mans series in GRID 1). Do you prefer real-life championships (all the teams/cars/drivers/tracks), or are you happy just having real-life cars in the game (e.g. touring cars mix WTCC and BTCC, sponsors include Ravenwest/made-up teams/drivers)?

Just seen this: http://blog.codemasters.com/mobile/05/f1-race-stars-out-now-on-the-app-store/ And realised the teams are now 2013 teams! Not sure if there's any new 2013 tracks though. Any chance the original game might get an update and/or DLC for the 2013 season? The new powerslide handling model seems to fix the one big criticism of the original game... Just wondering!

I saw Lee had posted in the Steam forum http://steamcommunity.com/app/44320/discussions/0/558746745592088289/#c558754899327458570 But is there any indication of what quarter (at least) this might happen? Before or after GFWL dies off entirely? Of course whatever else DIRTi is out there comes first, just wondering, that's all :-)

I think it's more the: you have stages that look and are named the same as WRC and/or have WRC cars (Dirt Rally 1), therefore people might get confused and it's infringing on what we've licensed, sort of thing

Heh, the last time I remember you could drive an Aston Martin in loose conditions in a Codemasters game... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weLxGtt37l8

Hmm WRC8 eh? Taken a year off... I tried V-Rally 4 and I can't seem to get the car to drive properly, every time I brake it slides like its on ice. Definitely seems less playable than WRC7. Still, another one for my collection of all rally games, YouTube videos of which will be coming up over the next year! There's a preview in my channel's intro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydGwKjVOLvs I've nearly finished all the F1 games heh!

And Flatout 3 was rubbish... but it at least answered the question of that would the Nurburgring be like in an apocalypse: https://youtu.be/lAAQrlrIzkI

Going back to the "why is physical cheaper than digital" for a moment: I think stores demand it, otherwise they'd go out of business if they were always undercut by digital. It's why they have store-exclusive DLC too, just trying to economically survive!

I'd still like to know why The Crew 2 can have this: http://igcd.net/vehicle.php?id=158186 Which is also in WRC 7: http://igcd.net/vehicle.php?id=126951 Yet Codemasters would have trouble licensing up-to-date rally cars directly? We see up-to-date F1 cars in other games, licensed directly from the manufacturers, so I'm not sure why WRC would be greatly different.

The road going versions of most Group B cars (e.g. Citroen BX) and even WRC cars like the Lancia Delta are now getting pretty rare in the UK, according to MSN: https://www.msn.com/en-gb/cars/enthusiasts/best-selling-classics-that-are-now-nearly-extinct/ss-BBS4lfH

As seen in  WRC 2010: WRC 2 2011: And WRC 3 2012:

Make it so.

Back to Rally Championship again :smiley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja96h65o7sg

That takes me back... though Hamilton's Folly looks wide here; Tyrones Ditches was a particular favourite of mine though: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLqO9kjXCXk

Slightly Mad Studios made World Of Speed, then offloaded it and it died. They made Red Bull Air Race, which looked astounding... Then killed it. They've talked about a Road Rash style game, and a go kart game, and probably more... They might do a special console (mini PC?) with a game engine included, etc, but I can't imagine people would be selling their PCs/consoles for it. Anyway, fun to watch!

Whilst waiting, you could always contemplate the future of rally racing via a couple of games on Steam. Racing Glider attempts to merge Wipeout with rally off-road tracks, but it's a bit not-quite-there-yet: https://store.steampowered.com/app/644010/Racing_Glider/ However, ZEROCAR: Future Motorsport is looking more promising, with electric powered hypercars racing on all sorts of tracks. Surprisingly, one is based on Wales Rally GB and even has a rally codriver! See about the track here: https://steamcommunity.com/games/790080/announcements/detail/2530352848516492603 and here: https://steamcommunity.com/games/790080/announcements/detail/1710698895775828461 The game itself is here, plays a bit like Ridge Racer lol: https://store.steampowered.com/app/790080/ZEROCAR_Future_Motorsport/

They were planning to add the Group B Audi to Automobilista at one point, I believe

Toyota UK were highlighting all their motorsport successes on Facebook. I asked if there was any chance classic Toyotas could be added to DiRT Rally 2.0, and they replied: "The deals between games developers and vehicle manufacturers are complex and we (Toyota UK) have no say in this. This is dealt with directly by Toyota Motor Corporation in Japan. Thanks." So, that's who decides it :-)

Gravel has Toyota too, as did Seb Loeb Rally Evo. Maybe Milestone have a closer arrangement. I feel AC got them before they became more tricky to license. What's not clear is whether it's an exclusivity deal, an increased licensing cost or something else (e.g. in the past Ferrari were rumoured that they always wanted their car to be the best in class, even if in real life it wasn't; something like that could be a stumbling block!).