Vote for Best Racing Game in the 2011 Golden Joysticks
Best Racing Game is just one of the categories in the 2011 Gamesmaster Golden Joystick Awards, which are the longest-running awards in the industry, having started in 1982. And in 2010 it had a recorded 1.54 million votes from gamers, after being named as the world’s most popular videogame awards by Guinness World Records in 2009. So winning the racing category is quite an honour, and the shortlist for your votes is:
- DiRT 3
- F1 2010
- Gran Turismo 5
- MotoGP 10/11
- Motorstorm Apocalypse
- nail’d
- Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
- Ridge Racer 3D
- Shift 2 Unleashed
- Test Drive Unlimited 2
It’s a bit of a shame SBK 2011 didn’t make it into the shortlist, as we’d debate whether it’s a better motorcycle simulator than MotoGP, but on the other hand, there’s some good recognition for Codemasters, with two games shortlisted, and the reboot of the Need for Speed series has seen the awesome Hot Pursuit and pretty good Shift 2 both appear.
In terms of widespread support, Gran Turismo 5 has to be the favourite.
DiRT 3, Gran Turismo 5 and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit are also in the running for the Ultimate Game of the Year, facing the likes of Call of Duty: Black Ops, Halo Reach, LA Noire and Killzone 3.
In the Mobile Gaming category, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit makes another appearance, alongside Real Racing 2, and Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing. Meanwhile, Best Downlodable includes Sega Rally Online Arcade
“Your Ambition Outweighs Your Talent”
“Your Ambition Outweighs Your Talent” Ok hands up – who has got overexcited at the start of a race, braked too late for the first corner and punted someone off? Oh good, it’s not just me then. We’ve all done it. Not that I meant to, and I am very sorry to those that I hit… I just got a bit… ambitious.
As Casey Stoner said to Valentino Rossi after The Doctor lost control of his Ducati while attempting an overtake on the Queensland rider in the Jerez Moto GP, “your ambition outweighs your talent”. Whilst this may not be strictly true in the case of a nine-time World Champion, it is certainly true of a great number of online racers.
After a brief affair with Gran Turismo 5, I am now spending the majority of my gaming hours back with the brilliant BAFTA-winning F1 2010. I can forgive such a good game for having a few minor flaws, but racing online can be a frustrating experience as too often a race can be ruined at the first corner by racers getting too hot-headed and steaming into turn one too fast. If I can avoid first corner collisions I am almost guaranteed a podium, but should I suffer damage, my race is effectively run. I imagine it’s the same for you too.
And then there are the quitters. F1 2010’s online lobby isn’t the greatest, and it’s often pot luck as to how long you’ll have to wait before a race begins. After a long wait tension on the grid is even higher, pressure to make a good start is heightened, and the frustration of a first corner collision can be greatly enhanced – leading to many people quitting races there and then. This can be doubly-frustrating for anyone wanting a 12-car race as there are often only a few left by the end, and no deterrents are in place to stop people exiting early. I personally find it preferable to stick with a race whatever happens and enjoy the challenge of a fightback, but would love to see some kind of penalty imposed on early quitters in the forthcoming F1 2011 to ensure a little more consistency in races. Just like middle-lane hoggers and people that don’t indicate before changing lanes on a motorway, this is bad driving behaviour that is rife because it is so rarely punished.
If you share my frustrations there are a couple of things you can do. To start with, I now prefer to do longer races, as driving standards tend to be better and there is less pressure on the outcome of turn one. In a 50-lap race there is an awareness from those taking part that the race is a marathon rather than a sprint, and any first corner contact will just feel like an unwelcome time penalty come the end of the race an hour or so later – so people take it easier. I also tend to adjust my first corner strategy depending on my grid position. If I’m at the front I’ll really go for it, just to save myself the risk of being punted from behind. If I’m at the back I’ll hang around and cost myself a few seconds while watching the inevitable accident unfold, before picking my way around the cars and debris strewn across the circuit. If I am stuck in the middle, I just pray and hope for the best.
But nevertheless I would like to appeal to all you virtual racers out there to take it easy into turn one next time you’re online – nobody wants to spin and the race can’t be won on the first lap. Unless it’s a one-lap race, obviously. And don’t quit straight away next time you get hit – it happens, so practice avoiding it – and if it does happen, deal with it more maturely. Think of poor Casey Stoner, he dealt with it really matur… oh.
MotoGP 10/11 release video
Five MotoGP 10/11 Mugello screenshots
MotoGP 10/11 is due out soon from publisher Capcom and developer Monumental Games. It’ll feature all the content from the 2010 MotoGP season in the box, with downloadable updates to get you up to speed for 2011. So you’ll get to relive Jorge Lorenzo winning the championship, Valentino Rossi’s last season on a Yamaha, and Casey Stoner on the Ducati.
And once the update arrives you’ll get Lorenzo and Spies at Yamaha, Rossi at Ducati, and Stoner teaming up with Dani Pedrosa and Andrea Dovizioso at Honda.
So while you wait for the game itself, here’s 5 screenshots from the Italian circuit of Mugello to keep you going.
RIP Shoya Tomizawa
Japanese Moto2 star Shoya Tomizawa sadly died today following a crash at the San Marino Grand Prix, and we’d like to pay our respects to the talented 20-year-old who had made history by winning the first ever Moto2 race at the start of the season.
Tragically this follows the death of 13-year-old rising 125cc star Peter Lenz, who died after an accident in the support race for the Indianapolis round of the MotoGP series. Our thoughts and condolences are with the families and friends of both riders.
MotoGP at Laguna Seca this weekend
The MotoGP championship hits America this weeked with the race at Laguna Seca in California.
Sadly the American round will miss the 125cc and Moto2 classes, as they never make the Atlantic trip, which is a real shame with the current level of excitement and drama in Moto2. Then again,the prospect of 40 completely unpredictable lunatics from Moto2 all arriving at the Corkscrew at the same time fills me with dread.
For the reason why, go back to 1998 and Akira Yanagawa being skittled by the already-fallen Doug Chandler and the resulting carnage.
On a lighter note, it seems like the constantly-improving Marco Simoncelli has prepared for his first visit to the circuit in a way familiar to most of us:
‘now we go to a circuit that I only know from playing Gran Turismo on the games console. I’ve never been there before so I am curious so see how it is, also we will get an electronic upgrade in America so there will be a few new things to get used to‘
Don’t be surprised to see a PS3 joypad glued to the bars of Simoncelli’s Gresini Honda on Sunday – the only question is whether anyone told him that bike racing games are also available?
Tomizawa wins first Moto2 race – RWRR
Shoya Tomizawa, the 19-year-old Japanese rider, has made racing history by winning the first ever Moto2 race in Qatar.
A total of 41 riders made up a packed grid for the race, which replaces the 250cc GP class for the first time in 2010, and the decision to switch seemed to be justified by the action which continued throughout the race. At the start pole-sitter Toni Elias made it away with front-runners Alex Debon, Jules Cluzel, Tomizawa and Yuki Takahashi, as Alex De Angeles ran into problems in the second turn and crashed out, taking Stefan Bradl with him.
Elias, riding injured, came under pressure from Debon, Cluzel and Takahashi, with Debon and Elias touching at various points during the race. Takahashi eventually ruled himself out of contention when he lost the front midway through the race and crashed out.
In all the position-changing, it was Tomizawa who eventually managed to hit the front and through luck and skill, was able to build a small lead. Elias looked likely to close the gap with Cluzel in tow, but his tyres and injuries seemed to end his charge, leaving Cluzel to fight with Debon for second, with Debon coming out on top. Elias claimed fourth in front of a resurgent Roberto Rolfo, ahead of Pasini, Luthi, Corsi, Talmacsi and Gadea.
Britain’s Scott Redding eventually finished 23rd, whilst American Kenny Noyes moved from 30th up to 11th before dropping back to finish 18th. And to give a measure of the class, former champions and race winners such as Andrea Iannone finished 19th, Mike Di Meglio 16th, Joan Olive 32nd, and Julian Simon retired with mechanical problems, as the riders got used to entirely new machinery.
Qatar 125cc race:
In the 125cc GP class it was an all-Spanish affair as Nicolas Terol won after coming through a battling group including Efren Vazquez in second, Marc Marquez third and Pol Espargaro fourth. Sandro Cortese was top non-Spaniard in fifth. Vazquez, Marquez and Espargaro in particular swapped the lead throughout the race.
Britian’s Bradley Smith finished 8th – the former championship runner-up appeared to be down on power on the long Qatar straight. Fellow Brit Danny Webb finished in 11th, a respectable place for the first race of the season. Surprisngly for the 125cc class, only 3 riders failed to finish – Lorenzo Savadori, and the two Lambretta machines of Marco Ravaioli and Luis Salom which both retired with technical problems.
MotoGP:
Will be updated after the race.
World Superbikes:
Leon Haslam has won his second race of the season, heading Max Biaggi and a fine third place for James Toseland. The early lead went to Troy Coser as polesitter Cal Crutchlow got demoted to 7th at the start. Carlos Checa ran off the track after losing the front and saving it with his knee, leaving Haslam to take the lead from Corser.
In the lead group of five, Leon Camier crashed out, taking Sylvain Guintoli off the track, and the Frenchman returning at the bottom of the top 15. Other retirements already included Michel Fabrizio and Shane Byrne.
Noriyuki Haga took victory in the second race at Valencia on aggregate times, following a stoppage due to a big accident involving Simon Andrews and Vittorio Iannuzzo – thankfully both riders weren’t seriously hurt.
As the race restarted, Carlos Checa had a 0.658 second from Jonathan Rea, with Max Biaggi, Sylvain Guintoli, Haga and Leon Haslam. At the restart Biaggi was away first, followed by Leon Camier, who then moved into the lead and moved up on aggregate time with a clear track ahead. Camier crashed out on lap 12, allowing Biaggi and Checa to move ahead. Haga meanwhile started a massive recovery, eventually winning from Checa, Biaggi, and a British/British Superbike pack of Leon Haslam, Shane Byrne, Jonathan Rea, Tames Toseland, Sylvain Guintoli and Cal Crutchlow.
Le Mans:
Audi win as Allan McNish, Tom Kristensen and Dindo Cappello take the win at Paul Ricard, as the pace-setting Oreca-Matmut Peugeot 908 HDi encountered an air jack problem and suffered an 18-minute pitstop.
Former F1 star Jean Alesi was able to take third in the GT2 class with Giancarlo Fisichella and Toni Vilander
