Ok, so I'm not a big fan of driving games, as I prefer the old FPS style. However, I'm still open to other genres. So I came across a few reviews and comments about DIRT. I thought, "hmm this sounds pretty good". So I went off to my usual supplier of games (ebay) and found DIRT for a very reasonable price. So here is what I think of it:
Installation was on a Dell XPS quad core with dual Invidia Geforce 9800GT graphic cards, 3 gig of memory, Windows 7.
Installation was no problem. Same old same old for installing most games.
Upon starting the game up, you are immediatly blown away by the demo of a rally car going up a dirt track on the side of a mountain, which turns into a buggy race and then into a rally in the rain and mud. In a word FANTASTIC. I still like to just sit there and watch it run for a few times. Most games you just want to get the intro over and done with. Not so DIRT.
At first you think, "Oh yeah, another rendered intro, I wonder what the game is really like". I'm happy to say that the game is just the same. Really excellent graphics. On my machine I can push everything up to max and still have no problems with the old frames per second. On lesser specced machines, there could be a problem, but you can cut down on a few of the fancy options which should help things.
For most driving games, the controls are really the important thing. Initially I opted for only the keyboard, as I didn't want to spend money on getting a controller that I would only use a few times. But while you can get pretty good at using the keyboard, it does have a steep learning curve and is by no means the easiest way to control your cars. So while I would have loved to have purchased a driving wheel, I still couldn't justify the purchase considering I don't usually play driving games. So while I looked at the Xbox 360 gamepad for the PC, I ended up going for the Logitech dual action gamepad. This does the job but I think the 360 controller would probably be better to actually use. For me the Logitech is a bit uncomfortable to use, but the discomfort is not so great that it effects the game play (at least not too much).
You can customize the controls i.e. change what keys do what, which is pretty standard for all games. For the Logitech, you can install the software that comes with it, and you start this up before you start the program up. You can create different profiles in the software for a variety of games. You can then either start the game from the software, or else start the game in the usual way. Pinnacle Game Profiler is very similar in lots of ways, but is more powerful in that through their software you can set your gamepad up to control normal windows operations. However, the Pinnacle software you have to buy. So Logitech was my choice.
Initially I had problems with getting the Logitech to work correctly in DIRT. I had set up the controls in the Logitech software ok, but when I wanted to control the cars, I could only get full lock left or full lock right or straight ahead, as well as full power or no power/ brake etc. With analog joysticks, I should have been able to apply a little power, or turn only a little bit. However, no matter what I tried, I couldn't get it to work. On looking on the internet, I found others with the same problem and thought it was how DIRT's implementation of the controls was the actual fault.
Let me say that with the controller like it was, trying to do the rallys where there are narrow roads and lots of curves is at best frustrating and at worst, a candidate for throwing the whole lot out the window!! The circuits aren't too bad. Some of the other rallys aren't too bad and I got some reasonable times at them.
However, things still weren't as they should be. Eventually I tried the Pinnacle software as I hoped something might click. But to no avail. However, when I was in DIRT in the customize screen, this time I actually selected a direction to change and then moved the joystick in the vain hope that this might register, and IT DID. It selected, "Y-axis". So I did this for the others, then went ito the Logitech software and selected the action for each joystick as being the X or Y axis option and I now have proper analog controls. Yippee. Might I just add, that this makes a HUGE difference. Not as good as a wheel, but so much better than it was before. Probably lots of others didn't have this problem as they would have cottoned on to it straight away, but I can be a bit sloooooow sometimes. But now it works and if you were having the same problems, well now you don't :)
Overall, game play is really good. Maybe the simulation puritans might have some comlaints but for me, I just love it. Being able to select the level at which you compete is really the secret. Select Rookie, and with only a modicum of practice you can start winning races. However even on rookie, some of the rallys that have lots of curves and on narrows roads can be a challenge to win.
The game allows you to select a variety of rally styles and vehicles and then to race them as either a single race or as part of a career challenge. The career option has you getting podium places in order to win points and money. When you have enough, other races are unlocked for you to compete in. You can also select the degree of difficulty in each of these races, with the harder the race, the more money you can win. With the money you win, you can buy new cars etc. The new cars have to be bought in order to be able to compete in certain races. You can even race things like trucks, however this didn't really appeal to me. They are just slow lumbering beasts that I tried a few times and then tried to avoid them.
One negetive side to the game, is that there is no training area. You can before a race setup your vehicle by adjusting a variety of options such as wheel camber, suspension, gears etc, and then you can practice with the new setup before commiting to a race. However for me, the game was really crying out for a training option. This I would envision as being something like a basic track where you could learn power slides and hand brake turns etc. It would include things like a tutor who would tell you/ show you how to do something then you would have a go. There could be things like markers showing you the line to take through a corner and when to apply the brakes and when to apply the power etc. For people who have no real idea of how to rally drive, this would have been such a useful thing. For me, I have a basic idea of how to rally drive, but just to have a short track where you could go around and around trying various things would have been great.
The races themselves are more often than not more like a dodgem competition to begin with as all the cars jostle for position. You also always start near the back, which can be a bit unfair at times. But mostly they are a great hoot and in the higher levels, once you are in front, trying to keep the lead can be a real challenge. At the rookie level, once you have the lead and so long as you don't do anything too silly, then you should win the race.
As you race and you hit the enevitable other vehicle or a tree or fence or something else that always seems to spring in front of you ;) your vehicle will start loosing bits and pieces. A door might even fly open and swing around for a while before closing again. The damage to the vehicles is really excellent.
The reaction of vehicles to corners, bumps, mud, wet roads etc is to my mind very good. Mind you, I haven't had a car game for a long time, so others who may use racing games a lot might disagree, but to someone like me, I am very impressed with it.
Of course the graphics overall are just super. Not just the vehicles, but also the detail in the scenery is really good. Trouble is you usually don't have time to look around you as you are racing. Just trying to keep the car on the hard stuff can be enough to do at times.
The sound in the program is also very good. Even the music is quite catchy. Some music in games become annoying very quickly, but in DIRT this doesn't seem to be the case. Mind you, I always like to have the music turned way down and the effects maxed out. So this might be why as well.
So out of a rating of 10 I would have to give DIRT an 8. If it had a practice/learning option, then I think it would have been at least a 9.
I would thoroughly recommend this game to anyone. Even if, like me you haven't had a driving game for years, then give DIRT a go, you might be pleasently surprised. I've already been playing this game constantly for a few weeks, and I think I'll be playing it for quite a while to come. It's just so much fun to play.
Windows 7 (review)
I have been a long time Windows user, and so have progressively worked my way through the various Windows permutations over the years. So is Windows 7 any different/better than Vista or XP? Is it worth upgrading to? Well read on and see.
Firstly, I have now been using Windows 7 since virtually its release. So my initial opinion? It is to Vista, as Windows ME was to XP. By this, I mean that on my computer setup at that time, ME was absolutely horrible. I had so many errors and problems while using it, that as soon as XP came along, I jumped on the band wagon straight away and upgraded. The difference was huge. The stability was great. All the previous errors just simply no longer existed under XP.
Under Vista, I believe the biggest problem was that they tried to screw the security down too tight. This was such a cause of frustration for me. Folders I could previously access and write to etc under XP just weren't available to me under Vista. The old "you do not have access" error would come up again and again. Then you had to go through the convoluted rigmarole of changing owners/permissions etc. etc. just so you could do something to your own computer. Totally ridiculous. Eventually after much heart ache, I managed to get Vista mostly working the way I wanted. It still was by no means perfect, but at least it was a bit less frustrating.
Still on Vista, I know of a number of people who don't really tinker too much with their computers. They simply install programs and go about watching the odd video, access the internet a few times a week and do some general document editing etc. These people have had no real problem with Vista, and love the fact that they can restrict access to the computer so that their kids can only do certain things on it. So I guess Vista was a bit of a horses-for-courses type of thing. BUT, if you wanted to be even a little more adventureous, prepare for some major hair pulling.
So on to Windows 7. My general opinion? Definetly worth the upgrade from Vista. Most of my security issues have vanished. Not all of them mind, W7 still restricts you in regards to accessing some folders, but so far I have only really had one issue with it. Under Vista by this time, I had too many to count.
Overall, W7 seems more like XP. Somehow it just feels more stable and easier to work with than Vista. Just like XP was easier than ME, but this time it has to be said, that the difference isn't quite so dramatic.
Most people if they haven't had the problems that happened to me under Vista, probably won't see a huge change when they go over to W7. As far as cosmetic changes go, you could probably do most things in Vista as you can in W7. Things like slideshows for your desktop background are implemented under W7 as part of the themes. I have never been one to load my computer with all sorts of desktop extras as I prefer to have it as lean as possible so I can not only have access to as much memory as possible, but also to get every last bit of speed out of it that I can. So under other OS's I have simply had a coloured background, a basic screensaver, virtually no desktop icons etc etc. This time, I actually have one of W7's themes up and running with some wonderful pictures forming a slideshow as a desktop backdrop. The themes even include and Aussie theme. This probably changes depending on which country the windows version is released in, but not sure.
As for other desktop bit and pieces. The taskbar is still there and can be repositioned onlong whichever edge you want it to be. As standard it is quite large, but can be made smaller, as well as the icons which apprear on it. One handy thing, is that you can actually "pin" various programs onto the taskbar by simply right clicking on the program listing in that start button menu and selecting the pin option. You can then use these shortcuts to find and start the program quickly. The only problem with this, is that the icons don't stay in the one position as they did in the previous OS's. Once you start opening windows, the other windows icons can be placed in between your pinned programs icons. So if you want to start a pinned program you sometimes have to search through the other windows icons on the taskbar in oder to find it. There may be a way around this, but at this stage I am yet to find it.
A couple of handy features in W7 are: If you have a number of windows expanded on the desktop, if you grab the top window's top border and then shake the mouse making the window you have grabbed shake, the rest of the opened windows will be minimised automatically.Also, if you grab a window and then drag it to the left or right edge of the screen, the window will automatically be expanded to fill half of the screen. This allows you to quickly have two windows up on screen to enable you to compare the details between the two windows. If you drag a window to the top edge, then this automatically maximises the window. Another nifty feature of this, if you drag a window to an edge, the window won't immediatly expand, but only a border will be shown so you can see where the window will expand to. If you are happy with that, then release the mouse and the window will expand to those dimensions.
Now to the start button. Firstly, when you have used a program and it is listed in the start menu. It will have an arrow next to it. If you click on this, it will show a list of recently opened documents for that program. Very handy.
When it comes time to shut down, the shut down option is now right there on the menu. To the right of it is an arrow and when you click on it, it then gives you the other options of sleeping etc.
These are just some of the features that W7 has in it and which I have found to be useful. Now to some of the programs that are in W7 and how they run.
Number one on the list is Media Centre. I watch TV on my computer, so MC was something I was eager to try. Under Vista, it worked ok, but under W7 it is so smooth and easy to work with. Firstly, to get my Hauppauge TV card working, I simply downloaded the driver listed in my windows update notification. Then I ran in MC the option to detect the TV channels and that was it. Under Vista it listed all the channels available in my area, but there were some which I was never able to actually see. Under W7 all were listed and all watchable. This was amazingly smooth and had not one problem with it. Under Vista, I also had to have a third party guide set up. Under W7, this is a thing of the past as it now automatically brings up a guide listing. I can't praise this side of things highly enough. MC takes a little getting used to under W7 opening screen with the selections is a bit different, but you soon adapt and it is in fact very easy to use.
The controls for watching video/ recorded TV is also better. While the TV show is being watched, if you touch the mouse the control panel will open. If you click on the bright dot, which shows how far through the show you are, and you drag this to the right or left, a little window appears and shows you a preview of the TV show at that particular point in time. Very handy and much improved over VMC.
The whole setup with recorded TV is so much better. When you click on a recorded show it brings up an option screen that allows you play the show, but if you press the right arrow key, it scrolls to other screens which allow you to change series recording as well as giving you info on the show.
I think that upgrading to W7 is worth it just to get the new Media Centre.
Firstly, I have now been using Windows 7 since virtually its release. So my initial opinion? It is to Vista, as Windows ME was to XP. By this, I mean that on my computer setup at that time, ME was absolutely horrible. I had so many errors and problems while using it, that as soon as XP came along, I jumped on the band wagon straight away and upgraded. The difference was huge. The stability was great. All the previous errors just simply no longer existed under XP.
Under Vista, I believe the biggest problem was that they tried to screw the security down too tight. This was such a cause of frustration for me. Folders I could previously access and write to etc under XP just weren't available to me under Vista. The old "you do not have access" error would come up again and again. Then you had to go through the convoluted rigmarole of changing owners/permissions etc. etc. just so you could do something to your own computer. Totally ridiculous. Eventually after much heart ache, I managed to get Vista mostly working the way I wanted. It still was by no means perfect, but at least it was a bit less frustrating.
Still on Vista, I know of a number of people who don't really tinker too much with their computers. They simply install programs and go about watching the odd video, access the internet a few times a week and do some general document editing etc. These people have had no real problem with Vista, and love the fact that they can restrict access to the computer so that their kids can only do certain things on it. So I guess Vista was a bit of a horses-for-courses type of thing. BUT, if you wanted to be even a little more adventureous, prepare for some major hair pulling.
So on to Windows 7. My general opinion? Definetly worth the upgrade from Vista. Most of my security issues have vanished. Not all of them mind, W7 still restricts you in regards to accessing some folders, but so far I have only really had one issue with it. Under Vista by this time, I had too many to count.
Overall, W7 seems more like XP. Somehow it just feels more stable and easier to work with than Vista. Just like XP was easier than ME, but this time it has to be said, that the difference isn't quite so dramatic.
Most people if they haven't had the problems that happened to me under Vista, probably won't see a huge change when they go over to W7. As far as cosmetic changes go, you could probably do most things in Vista as you can in W7. Things like slideshows for your desktop background are implemented under W7 as part of the themes. I have never been one to load my computer with all sorts of desktop extras as I prefer to have it as lean as possible so I can not only have access to as much memory as possible, but also to get every last bit of speed out of it that I can. So under other OS's I have simply had a coloured background, a basic screensaver, virtually no desktop icons etc etc. This time, I actually have one of W7's themes up and running with some wonderful pictures forming a slideshow as a desktop backdrop. The themes even include and Aussie theme. This probably changes depending on which country the windows version is released in, but not sure.
As for other desktop bit and pieces. The taskbar is still there and can be repositioned onlong whichever edge you want it to be. As standard it is quite large, but can be made smaller, as well as the icons which apprear on it. One handy thing, is that you can actually "pin" various programs onto the taskbar by simply right clicking on the program listing in that start button menu and selecting the pin option. You can then use these shortcuts to find and start the program quickly. The only problem with this, is that the icons don't stay in the one position as they did in the previous OS's. Once you start opening windows, the other windows icons can be placed in between your pinned programs icons. So if you want to start a pinned program you sometimes have to search through the other windows icons on the taskbar in oder to find it. There may be a way around this, but at this stage I am yet to find it.
A couple of handy features in W7 are: If you have a number of windows expanded on the desktop, if you grab the top window's top border and then shake the mouse making the window you have grabbed shake, the rest of the opened windows will be minimised automatically.Also, if you grab a window and then drag it to the left or right edge of the screen, the window will automatically be expanded to fill half of the screen. This allows you to quickly have two windows up on screen to enable you to compare the details between the two windows. If you drag a window to the top edge, then this automatically maximises the window. Another nifty feature of this, if you drag a window to an edge, the window won't immediatly expand, but only a border will be shown so you can see where the window will expand to. If you are happy with that, then release the mouse and the window will expand to those dimensions.
Now to the start button. Firstly, when you have used a program and it is listed in the start menu. It will have an arrow next to it. If you click on this, it will show a list of recently opened documents for that program. Very handy.
When it comes time to shut down, the shut down option is now right there on the menu. To the right of it is an arrow and when you click on it, it then gives you the other options of sleeping etc.
These are just some of the features that W7 has in it and which I have found to be useful. Now to some of the programs that are in W7 and how they run.
Number one on the list is Media Centre. I watch TV on my computer, so MC was something I was eager to try. Under Vista, it worked ok, but under W7 it is so smooth and easy to work with. Firstly, to get my Hauppauge TV card working, I simply downloaded the driver listed in my windows update notification. Then I ran in MC the option to detect the TV channels and that was it. Under Vista it listed all the channels available in my area, but there were some which I was never able to actually see. Under W7 all were listed and all watchable. This was amazingly smooth and had not one problem with it. Under Vista, I also had to have a third party guide set up. Under W7, this is a thing of the past as it now automatically brings up a guide listing. I can't praise this side of things highly enough. MC takes a little getting used to under W7 opening screen with the selections is a bit different, but you soon adapt and it is in fact very easy to use.
The controls for watching video/ recorded TV is also better. While the TV show is being watched, if you touch the mouse the control panel will open. If you click on the bright dot, which shows how far through the show you are, and you drag this to the right or left, a little window appears and shows you a preview of the TV show at that particular point in time. Very handy and much improved over VMC.
The whole setup with recorded TV is so much better. When you click on a recorded show it brings up an option screen that allows you play the show, but if you press the right arrow key, it scrolls to other screens which allow you to change series recording as well as giving you info on the show.
I think that upgrading to W7 is worth it just to get the new Media Centre.
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