Sim Racing Blog

Getting started in simracing (Games)

There are many games, or sims as what we sim racers like to call, out there for you to choose. There are many racing games out there that are compatible with a wheel, but it isn’t necessary. In contrary, there are some games that really requires a steering wheel in order to properly play the game.

I admit, I am going to be very biased to Assetto Corsa as I mostly play it. Anyways, these are the games I have played so far.

Assetto Corsa

Assetto Corsa, or AC for short, is the most popular sim out there. Oh, and don’t get confused with Assetto Corsa Ultimate Edition. The ultimate edition is the same game but with all the dlc included.

Also, playing this game really requires a wheel. With a keyboard or even a controller, it is near impossible to drive. With a wheel, it is very realistic (not with a logitech wheel), the way the car behaves in the game and the way the game feeds info to the wheel, it is satisfactory. Drifting in this game however, it is a pleasure.

This game, in my opinion, is the best game out there for you to train your driving skills and improve your track knowledge. If you want to hone your racing skills, drifting skills, improve your track knowledge, and practice setting fast lap times, this is the sim for you.

rFactor 2

rFactor 2 is currently a sim with the most realistic overall physics. The way the tyres in the game flex when you accelerate, brake and corner really gives you an idea of how the car is handling. With a steering, you can feel how the car is behaving, how the tyres feel, how the game feeds info to your wheel. It is the most realistic sim out there.

However, there are very little content. There are DLCs for you to buy and mods for you to download.

Even so, I don’t think rF2 can be my favourite sim.

iRacing

I’ve driven iRacing for a couple of months, and it is safe to say that this sim is NOT good to start with. There are very little content available and you have to pay 13usd a month to play. There are other contents you can buy for a one-time payment of 11usd but only as a single product. You cannot buy them in a single pack.

Physics and FFB wise, it is very close to driving a real car. It simulates driving very well which is one reason why iRacing has the largest online community. It is definitely better than AC. Not sure about rF2, as I rarely play it.

This game in my opinion, is where you put your skills to the test. It’s a place where you can compare yourself with the others and race closely, wheel-to-wheel, with the others. It is the most immersive racing game out there.

Raceroom

This game would be the underdog game of simracing and it is very similar to iRacing in many ways. Like iRacing, you get some free contents and a lot of paid ones. Unlike iRacing, it is free. You don’t need to pay monthly in order to access the game and you can play this sim whenever you want. On the other hand, the physics and FFB is commendable.

The only problem would be the online community, which I think is dying. It is a shame to see this sim to be this unpopular. I think as a game, it is overall better than iRacing.

Assetto Corsa Competizione

ACC is currently the best overall sim out there. If you like GT3 racing, then this game is definitely the game you must have.

Some people would argue that iRacing has better physics than AC or ACC. But that’s not entirely true. Yes, iRacing has realistic FFB and physics, but when it comes to simulating a GT3 car, ACC is definitely better than iRacing. The GT3 cars in ACC is much more accurate than iRacing.

Only problem is the amount of content you get. You only have GT3 cars from as late as 2014. Earlier models like 458 or SLS or Z4 GT3 are not in the game. There aren’t even GT2 or GTE cars. The same story goes with the tracks. There are only Blancpain tracks in the game. And the new Intercontinental GT DLC adds only four tracks to the game.

Despite all the flaws I mention, ACC has a place in my heart. Racing the AI in this game is so exciting. Driving the cars gave me happiness that I don’t think I will ever have.

GT Sport

Yes, I know. GT sport is not a proper sim. The physics in the game is not accurate but I want to include this game for a reason. It is a good game to start with.

You buy this game and play it. This game has loads of content. You can buy the cars with in-game credits, which is earned when you play it, or you can buy them with real money. The tracks however, there’s a lot to list, but they are free, unlike iRacing or Raceroom.

Physics wise, the cars are too easy and predictable to drive, even with the default setup. The FFB is definitely alright, the game knows how to tell the wheel to center back, like a real car. The game knows how to tell the wheel to countersteer, like a real car. But still, driving in this game is predictable, it is not easy to spin out like the other titles.

The only reason why I like this game is because I had loads of fun. But it is not serious enough to be called a sim. Other games I mentioned like AC, ACC, iRacing, rF2 and Raceroom, they are serious game titles and deserves to be called a sim.

Dirt Rally and Dirt Rally 2.0

If you like rally, then these two games are the ones for you. These games have loads of content for you. From the rally cars of the 60’s like the Mini Cooper, to group B legends like the Audi Quattro, to modern speed machines like the Volkswagen Polo.

These two games simulate dirt driving extremely well. You can slide around the gravel track and feel the grip of the cars you drive, or not feel it and crash the cars. It is, like what people say, the Dark Souls of racing games.

The first game has all the contents, but the second game requires you to buy some of the contents as a DLC.

My only critic of the game is the tarmac physics. When you drive on gravel or snow, the physics is excellent. However, when you drive on asphalt or tarmac, the physics is horrible. It does’t feel like driving at all. Even the second game has similar issues.

WRC 8

I have not yet played this game, but I can roughly tell that this game will be a dangerous competitor to Dirt Rally. Partly is because the gravel physics is very close to Dirt Rally, but it is also because the tarmac physics is a lot more superior than DR and DR2. You can actually feel the physics and FFB of the car when you drive on the tarmac, or as I have been told.

Content, not very sure. I am pretty sure they will add every 2019 WRC cars and past WRC championship winning cars.

Richard Burns Rally

It’s an old game but it still deserves a mentioning as a rally-sim. This game, when driven with a wheel, is outstanding. Even with modern wheels, the game feels immersive.

The way the this old game feeds info to the wheel really shocked me. I was expecting it to be an arcade or even a sim-cade game since it was old, but it’s a true rally-sim. The way the game centers my wheel, the way the game countersteers my wheel, it is a big surprise to me.

The tarmac physics is also very good. Probably not as good as AC or iRacing, but it is good enough to feel the road.

Since the game is old, you can download this game for free somewhere on the internet.

Games I have yet to play

Automobilista and Live for Speed are games I have yet to play. But they have similar issues as Raceroom, they are the underdogs of racing sims. But I’ve heard that they are proper sims and are worth mentioning. But I doubt they are going to be a good choice for starters.

Summary

So, what is a good starter sim? I’ll be very frank.

Assetto Corsa. It is a good game to start with, even though it is quite pricey. But this game as the best overall experience. You can race, set fast laps times, learn the tracks, practice drifting and you have a big modding community.