23 replies to this topic

[ChrisG]

So after a few days of play F1 2012 (20 hours), I have no problem with how the car controls and have got some very strong lap times (within the top 20 in the world on leader boards) so first of all, there is no problem with my pace.
Codemasters have made a significant step up in making the cars performance more realistic to each team. I started my career with Torro Rosso and qualified 12th to which I would normally be very annoyed with but in 2012 that is pretty good. This however, only seems to be the case for career and not season challenge as I was able to easily beat the field by over 5 seconds in a caterham at monza with Vettel as my rival. While it was great to get a win, I didn't really fight for it like I do in career.

1. My first race in career at Melbourne with Torro Rosso, I had huge problems with my engine blowing up (http://f1carsetup.co...ine-blowing-up/ - a discussion I started relating to this problem). The issue was getting so annoying that I had to turn damage to visual only in order to enjoy and finish at Melbourne. I started 12th on the grid and was able to finish 5th with 12 laps of vigorous defending. I was very happy with this result as it was so hard to achieve because of the way codemasters have made the teams pace much more realistic and I love this. In f1 2011 I was able to wipe the field in a Sauber, race after race and get pole by over 1 second each round but in 2012 this has changed and for the better.

2. Now to address the issue as to why I decided to write this post. The next race at Kuala Lumpur it was dry in practice and I was able to get 8th which I was again happy with. It was forecast to rain during qualifying so I knew that result didn't set a great picture on where I would qualify. I make a wet setup and set a time for Q1 in the rain and am way down the field in 18th place, struggling to make the cut off. I try a few different setups without prevail and end up restarting the session a few times. I go out on full wets as the first sector is soaked but as soon as I reach the 2nd and 3rd sectors there are large dry sections across the track which makes my car understeer completely off the track or spin in the slower corners. While I'm struggling with the changing conditions, the other drivers around me aren't having a problem at all on the time sheets and keep posting 1:46's. I decide to use inters and am only able to get consistent 1:49's while trying different setups. I had to shave 1.5 sec off my time in order to get into Q2 so I end up turning the engine up max and treating it as though I'm in Q3, eventually I get a 1:47 on inters and am able to go through to Q2 by the skin of my teeth. To get this time I had to use a wet setup but now in Q2 the track is bone dry and I'm needing a dry setup but because of parc ferme I can't change my setup. I go out on track with a wet setup with the option tyres on and turn my engine up full and do the best lap I can which ends up being 1.5 seconds slower than Ricciardo who is sitting in 16th leaving me dead last and no way of getting any higher because I can't use my dry setup.

With the new features of F1 2012 like parc ferme and the changing conditions, I like these, I like them a lot but they haven't been done properly because while they may affect you, they have no affect what so ever on the AI and the other drivers. This makes it extremely frustrating as I have no way of being able to be competitive and enjoy the game because the computer will always be one step ahead. If every track is completely dry in each session, I can be competitive but I don't want race after race in the dry. It is fun if it changes up and I like the idea of sections of the track having dry patches and the inclusion of parc ferme because that's how it is in real F1 but codemasters needs to make the things that affect us also affect the AI and at the moment it ruining career mode for me.

3. Now that the rant is out of the way, there are just a few more things which codemasters need to touch up in a patch. These are very small but a lot of them can make for it pestering as a whole. Turn 19 at Austin, there is an issue where if you nail the apex (one wheel on the curb and one on the track) and run out onto the ripple strip on the exit, it says you cut the corner.

4. To get use to the new braking markers in 2012, I use the racing line as a guide but at hockenheim at turn 8 and 15 the racing line braking markers are way to short and need adjusting.

5. Codemasters introduced a new feature where if you run off the track it slows the car down, this doesn't happen in real F1 so why should it happen in the game, I know that it is there to make you stay consistent and stay inside the track but instead of slowing you down, maybe they should impose a warning or penalty (on repeat offences) if you set your fastest sector time when you have gone outside the race track.

6. The last problem is with the way the car handles if you get into a skid, in 2011 they changed it from you automatically spinning like in 2010 and allowed you to counter steer and correct it, this made for great fun and allowed you to really hang it out on the curbs when you're heavy on the throttle. But in F1 2012, they have reduced the ability to correct and counter steer and the only way you can save yourself is by braking to straighten your car up just like in 2010, this needs to be changed back to the way it was in 2011.


Now after picking apart things that codemasters should fix and change, I actually genuinely like F1 2012. I feel they have advanced on the game in many aspects but these things are holding it back, if these get fixed it will easily beat F1 2011. Season challenge is a great addition, Champions mode is a great addition, the young drivers test is a great addition and the teams realistic pace is what we have all been waiting for, codemasters are doing things right and most F1 fans are happy but they will make everyone happy and F1 2012 the best F1 game yet if they make a patch that fixes these issue.

-Chris

[TMDoll]

2. I found the same issue on 2011, could never match AI in changing conditions, and with the introduction of parc ferme for 2012, problem is now worse! Hopefully they can patch this but it can't be an easy fix.

5. I have mixed feelings on this. I was running 9th in Melbourne on career with Force India, went slightly wide on turn 9 the penultimate lap slowing the car right down allowing 3 cars to drift past. Incredibly annoying at the end of a 50% race for the sake of one minor mistake. I race a lot of sprints online though, and I like this feature here. It prevents people from corner cutting and using wide off track lines before straights. After all, on 2011 you could get away with a say 4-5 corners cut meaning people would strategically pick which to cut. It's perhaps not the best solution though and seems too much of a reduction in speed.

[Shadowstriker]

yeah, the flashback bug needs fixing, but on the whole a fantastic job codemasters.

A few things missing (P1 and 2, tyre scaling) but the other areas of the game are fantastic, the ai now makes mistakes. They are more human this year, but yeah, they do need to struggle with the weather more

[ChrisG]

Yeah I agree with you TMDoll, online it can be very hard to have nice and clean, proper racing so the car slowing when going out side the track would be good for this but in single player I think a change should be made to it.

Shadowstriker, the fact that the AI does make mistakes is great as it makes it way more exciting, for example in my race at Melbourne, Hamilton went wide and I was able to pounce. The tyre scaling could also make for a good and bad situation in that you can run very aggressive setups which are harsh on the tyres but you may only need them for 6 laps in a 25% race before pitting. I did enjoy the challenge of having to save tyres though last year, made victory much nicer if you could push at the end because of good tyre management.

[Jaysysum]

Hi all, this is my first post and I have a few points I feel I'd like to add if we're picking faults with the game.

F1 is awesome I watch it every year and this is my only sport... No football or rugby etc F1 and that's that. My console of choice is the Xbox and I have all the new titles from 2010/11 and now 2012.

The replay situation really annoys me every time they release this game. The stupid camera angles which glide around the car just make it look so unrealistic. I always think if the camera angle isnt achievable in reality it shouldn't be in the game. It's not how we see it on the tv so it shouldn't be how we see it in the game.

I also don't understand why they can't produce a way of saving your replays like on forza or why you can't watch replays from online races. If other games can achieve it it's not impossible.

The biggest failing this year has got to be tuning setups. I've spent hours tuning my car for Singapore going through countless permutations and in all honesty they make little difference. If you run the standard setup in the dry and alter only the gear ratios you can shave 3seconds off the time. Any other adjustments make very little difference from wing set at 11 or 1 or camber 3.50 or 3.00.

This series is absolutely desperate for telemetry as tuning is more like guess work with absolutely no science to it at all. It's more luck than judgement. Real life tuning parameters just don't seem to apply with balance and suspension settings. The car seems to maintain the same levels of grip with even the most useless setup which shouldn't work at all.

I would also like to be able to have a choice when looking for lobbies to race in which are at the lobby stage or qualifying or currently racing. What's the point of viewing lots of races you can't join. I would like a search option where I can only view races currently in the lobby.

I would also like to be able to join qualifying sessions which have already started in short qualifying sessions even if I only have 5 minutes left rather than not have chance to set a time.

Also where is the podium celebration once again? Why is this so hard to put in the game. You think of games like forza with over 500 different cars and interiors with all the different designs and handling characteristics with loads of different tracks. What have you been doing for the last year because the graphics aren't much different if I'm honest. The menus look much better and the presentation looks classier but there is so much more to this game which is being missed. I think it's time someone else had a go or turn10 should get involved or at least poach a few of the team.

Telemetry is a must in f1, contact patch, tyre wear etc... Do we just guess, is that how it's done in the real world. No, there's data after data for people to analyse so why not even the smallest amount in the game.

Anyway on and on I could go... Lots of issues and sick of playing the same game with a different year in the title.

Some nice new touches but not enough time spent listening to people who buy the game... Take next year off and come back with the full game in 2014

[HAMEU]

I addressed a problem with Canadian GP and its 6th corner. It's a serious problem!!

See: http://f1carsetup.co...th-canadian-gp/

Further, there are problems with blowing/smoking engines. Many users have addressed this (including myself). Engines will blow on McLarens, Ferraris, Mercedeses, and probably other cars. Also, I know engines will blow in Canada and America. Probably in other tracks too.

Also, I'm not satisfied with other cars crashing into me. I never had problems with it in 2011, but in 2012 I'm being crashed onto constantly. It's not even my fault - they just brake too late and crash into me. Maybe it's my fault in a sense that my racing lines are not perfect.. but other drives should be able to take notice on them. Not be ''surprised'' and crash into me. I'm kind of tired getting penalties because of other moron-drivers (in Legend mode!!!!).

[luke.s]

Toooooooo many crash for just a Light touch Is tooooo Much. Rain Is nice some time but net for severa time it's un real...on linea I found it 8 times :-/ only by This game Is possible fin ra in in Bharein and Abu Dhaby....2 town in the middle off desert. Rain a lot .......but sorry I never seen safety car more real frequenty than rain

[darkcat12]

Has anybody noticed that even after a DRS zone that it is still activated? I just got the game and in Australia this happened to me after going through turn 1 and 2

[ChrisG]

Has anybody noticed that even after a DRS zone that it is still activated? I just got the game and in Australia this happened to me after going through turn 1 and 2

In the 2012 season there are two DRS zones in Australia because the easiest corner to overtake on the track is turn 3, here is a link that shows the DRS zones - http://www.formula1....it_diagram.html
Click the DRS information button "on" on the website

[Cogsy666]

Hi all new to the forums loving the game but had a weird bug today, i was in Q3 for the Malaysian GP tapped wheels with a Red Bull and got 10 place grid penalty fair enough i thought so i tried to get as high up the grid as i could. Qualified 4th so thought i would be 14th but when the race started i was 24th.

[ChrisG]

Codemasters are fixing the game bit by bit and have addressed the issue of the engine blowing up after being on full throttle and using a flashback but after having a go at F1 2011 for the first time in a few months I saw the huge difference in 2011 and 2012 and lot more easily than what I did when I first started playing the game. The cars in 2011 are so much more direct and to get a very quick time you have to be extremely aggressive which I really enjoy. The difference in the traction in 2011 and 2012 is huge as well with 2011 be a lot more realistic as you need to gradually ease on the accelerator but in 2012 you can slam your foot down without a worry. I think that if codemasters reverted the traction model for 2012 back to 2011 it would go a long way to help being able to hang the car out on curbs, the cars are no where near as direct as they were in 2011 and it seems as though in comparison, in 2012 there is either understeer or no understeer but in 2011 there is understeer, no understeer and oversteer which a lot more enjoyable. I'm happy with where the game is heading, even if it has taken 5 patches rather than being ready on release, at least codemasters are listening to their customers and addressing the issues so I say well done to them but keep the fixes coming!

[Lioretha]

I hope the new patch for PS3 bring alot of difference, i just did my second season in career mode and i had 18 wet races of the 20 ???? ok with the global warming is it maybe realistic but common do a little bit normal.
Setup is totaly not working here with me, i have try all setups that i can find from everyone not 1 is working, i just use the setup that the team give and win all races exept from australia there is nothing posible my highest result there is 5 place.
The Press is really anoying, it is nice to read some news papers but always about Rosberg and Schumacher? i think there are 22 other drivers on the circuit than just only those 2.
Sound for some reason the team sound is not working anymore from the race of Japan till the end of the season? i have checked my settings over and over again and it will not work anymore from Japan.
The funny'st thing i had in trainig was when i was crashed both front wheels broke off and front wing gone and pit crew said 'back to the box'

In short terms, i hope the new pach bring alot of improvement, because this game is going be fast boring.

[Shadowstriker]

the press system this year is terrible, bring back interviews, the email idea is good, but gets too repetitive

[Vito]

The press system is not so important. Race bugs should be fixed first.

[Derrick]

Agreed.

[EnvoyExtreme]

The press system is not so important. Race bugs should be fixed first.

Definitely, I done the Belgium GP and when I went into the pits, the main screen went black but the speedo, times and my position were still visible, It went back to normal after I exit the Pit Lane.

[Cogsy666]

Just had to do R&D for Canada i have to do 3 laps with DRS open for 46.6% which is fair enough but the whole practice session is wet at no point in the hour i had was it even dry enough for slicks so i had to fail an the R&D.

[Banton]

Anyone noticed that if you're coming to lap a car during a dry race and you're within one second of the backmarker at the activation point, you get DRS for that lap.

[ChrisG]

Anyone noticed that if you're coming to lap a car during a dry race and you're within one second of the backmarker at the activation point, you get DRS for that lap.

This is actually correct. In F1 the DRS does get enabled if a lead car is within a second of a back marker in the DRS zone. So this does represent the current rules in the F1 season

[EnvoyExtreme]

Just had to do R&D for Canada i have to do 3 laps with DRS open for 46.6% which is fair enough but the whole practice session is wet at no point in the hour i had was it even dry enough for slicks so i had to fail an the R&D.

I had the same issue in China GP.