WRC8 WRC 8 The Game

[Paul Jeffrey]

Kylotonn Racing Games have confirmed this September will see the release of the next officially licensed World Rally Championship video game - WRC 8.

Imaginatively titled as always, the eighth instalment to the steadily improving WRC franchise of games is set to launch on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC this September, and promises to be an all round improvement on previous iterations of the long running franchise.

New for WRC 8 will be a revised physics system across the many varied different racing surfaces within the game, plus the inclusion of what looks to be an already very impressive looking dynamic weather system, presumably adding a feature to allow the 100+ official WRC stages to be experienced in a variety of different weather conditions.

Of the new dynamic weather, Bigben and Kylotonn had the following to say during a brief press release to accompany the brand new announcement trailer:

"A new dynamic weather system has been developed to add random elements to the driving experience, but also to increase realism in the game. Managing the weather is a real challenge for the drivers: modified grip, car settings adjustments, tyre selection optimization, weather team relationship to ensure the best tips and information on the latest conditions. More than mere visual effects, climatic conditions become crucial, especially in the management of your career"

Of course with the title coming out toward the end of the year, the new WRC 8 release will replicate the 2019 FIA World Rally Championship season, including the latest cars and drivers from the official teams' of the category. Featuring over 50 drivers, including the returning multiple champion Sébastien Loeb in his new Hyundai, 14 different events across over 100 individual stages, WRC 8 certainly lacks nothing in terms of scale.

Most importantly of all for sim racers looking to get their rally kicks, Kylotonn have promised that "WRC 8 will go above and beyond WRC 7, especially in the steering requirements and the realistic physics of the vehicles" - one of the weaker points from previous releases.

As well as the class leading WRC cars, the new game is also set to feature a selection of vehicles from the WRC 2 and Junior WRC categories, alongside a number of historic cars. Team management is also set to play a role in the expanded career mode, with the player able to improve their car by way of upgrades and team developments, of which more details are expected to be revealed in the near future.

Exciting times for fans of sideways action.

WRC 8 releases for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Steam/PC September 2019.

Check out the upcoming WRC 8 sub forum here at RaceDepartment for the latest news, discussions and conversation prior to the big game reveal this September!

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[gamer19]

Quite a mess about the release, don't you think ?
Strangely enough... first reviews are ...quite positive.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattga...d-patience-to-know-what-that-is/#14953c58690a

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2019-09-04-wrc-8-review-a-new-pretender-to-the-driving-crown

https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2019/09/05/wrc-8-review/

Review: ‘WRC 8’ Is Everything You Want It To Be, But You’ll Need Patience To Know What That Is
:-O hmm...

 

[jimortality]

I thought it was released today but they're now showing 20th on cd keys

 

[Case_]

It was released today, it is available on the Epic Store. It's just the reseller sites that have changed the availability from today to 18th to 20th and are still listing it as a pre-order of an unreleased game.

I would honestly be quite cautious about the reseller sites this time, because some of them are even still selling the game as Steam release and the whole thing with them moving to the Epic store was simply a mess, even without involving resellers.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Quite a mess about the release, don't you think ?
Strangely enough... first reviews are ...quite positive.

They also say, that while it's not DiRT the graphics are very nice.

It might just be me, and being biased due to (not-so)Epic. But those spectators, and that landscape isn't very 2014 even.

 

[Case_]

From what I've seen on YT before release, the graphics can vary quite a bit depending on stage/country/conditions.

 

[CDwyer]

I can.

What makes you think that you can?
Good luck to you if it is the case, but I would be very suspicious from anyone telling me that.

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Epic store? Okay, hope the sales are booming.

 

[jimortality]

What makes you think that you can?
Good luck to you if it is the case, but I would be very suspicious from anyone telling me that.

You just activate as a non steam game.

 

[jimortality]

It was released today, it is available on the Epic Store. It's just the reseller sites that have changed the availability from today to 18th to 20th and are still listing it as a pre-order of an unreleased game.

I would honestly be quite cautious about the reseller sites this time, because some of them are even still selling the game as Steam release and the whole thing with them moving to the Epic store was simply a mess, even without involving resellers.

I buy all my games from cd keys or instant gaming, been using them for a number of years and never had any problems. Even got a refund when I double ordered something.

 

[Case_]

Yes, but as I tried to point out, there were various issues with the release of this game even without involving resellers due to their sudden (almost) last-minute decision to move to Epic Store. I mean they even couldn't get the game in the store in time for the 48h "early access" bonus to work and had to resort to offer their customers a different compensation.

Add to that the fact for all of the resellers, the release date of the game now suddenly seems to be between September 18 and 20, even though that wasn't the case earlier, and at least for some of us, all this might be reason enough to just stay away from resellers, at least for now. But hey, if you're a more adventurous type and/or don't mind waiting 12+ more days to find out what actually happens, by all means, don't let me discourage you.

 

[jimortality]

Yes, but as I tried to point out, there were various issues with the release of this game even without involving resellers due to their sudden (almost) last-minute decision to move to Epic Store. I mean they even couldn't get the game in the store in time for the 48h "early access" bonus to work and had to resort to offer their customers a different compensation.

Add to that the fact for all of the resellers, the release date of the game now suddenly seems to be between September 18 and 20, even though that wasn't the case earlier, and at least for some of us, all this might be reason enough to just stay away from resellers, at least for now. But hey, if you're a more adventurous type and/or don't mind waiting 12+ more days to find out what actually happens, by all means, don't let me discourage you.

Thank you for your explanation Martin, I understand now what you're saying. If I were to buy it now from epic, I'm assuming I just add it to steam as a non steam game and I'll be able to play it? Cheers

 

[gamer19]

They also say, that while it's not DiRT the graphics are very nice.

It might just be me, and being biased due to (not-so)Epic. But those spectators, and that landscape isn't very 2014 even.

Ok, but let's all agree that you took the worst screen from all these reviews to prove your point.
Literally every other screenshot looks miles better.
As Martin said... looks like graphic vary from stage (country?) to stage. And conditions maybe too.

Those first two are from same review, somehow I got a feeling that this guy didn't crank graphic up to a max. By mistake or on purpose, I don't know.
The rest reviews looks way better:

Night looks great imo too:

But I agree... in graphic department this will never be on DIRT 2.0 level.
And maybe not only graphic.
But, I have to admit...
I'm a sucker for championship licenses, you know... Dirt series for me is great but it's kind of like we have F1 2019 with some fantasy cars. Here I can compete with Tänak, Neuville, Meeke, Latvala, Lappi, Sordo, Séb Ogier, even Séb Loeb for gods sake... I mean... what else ??

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

Ok, but let's all agree that you took the worst screen from all these reviews to prove your point.

Indeed, but we got a saying where i live. "The workshop isn't better than their worst trainee".

 

[Case_]

If I were to buy it now from epic, I'm assuming I just add it to steam as a non steam game and I'll be able to play it?

I believe the option to add a non-steam game is only to add a shortcut to that game into your Steam client, as in you will still have to activate it on Epic Store and install it through there, you'd just then be able to launch it from the Steam client (instead of using the shortcut it likely puts on your desktop, or launching it via the Epic client). It will not make your game run from Steam, since it is not physically available on Steam and will not be for the next year.

 

[CDwyer]

You just activate as a non steam game.

The word "activate" is the confusion

You just activate as a non steam game.

I see we should have thrashed out a definition of activate before I commented.

 

[Case_]

BTW, regarding FOV - this game has the weirdest FOV option I have ever seen in my life. And no, that is not an exaggeration.

I could overlook the fact the FOV (and camera position) settings are somewhat limited in range, so you might not be able to set the position you'd like. I could also overlook the fact the FOV settings are not in degrees, but it's simply an arbitrary value, so if you're after some exact setting, you're left guessing. Both of these also apply to DR2, after all.

What, however, is a lot harder to overlook, is how the FOV setting is actually applied. See, the FOV setting somehow only applies to the outside world, not to the car itself. If it sounds weird, that's because it is. But that's how it works - if you adjust the FOV slider for a camera, the outside world "zooms" in and out exactly as it should...but not the car. The car itself is somehow displayed using a fixed FOV (and a fairly wide one at that), so no matter what you set the FOV slider to, the view of the car (for example in cockpit, but it's not limited to cockpit) stays the same. So if you, like me, have to use a narrow FOV to get close to a realistic setting, you will be presented with a very mind bending image of a narrow-FOV outside world viewed from a wide-FOV cockpit, creating an impression of the inside of the car stretching much further into the distance than it should, and also making pretty much any seating adjustments feel wrong in the process (because due to the wide FOV of the car, it always feels like you are sitting too far in the back).

It's super awkward. No idea why they decided to do it like this. One would think this has to be harder to implement than regular FOV slider as well. I like that there's finally an FOV setting, that was one of my main complaints regarding this series, but this is just weird.

 

[woz9us]

Has anyone got a key from a re-seller yet or are they waiting until the 18th/20th to force initial buyers to the Epic store?

 

[gamer19]

I've noticed that too Martin, I also can't really force myself to play with big, unrealistic, FOV and it does look weird ...somewhat. Somehow.
But, to be honest... seems like reading your gigantic text about it... it doesn't bother me as much as it bothers you.
My first impressions are that game is actually better than I expected !?!
It's miles ahead of any other WRC from the series and car physic is very enjoyable to me. Seems pretty realistic too.
Graphic looks great (although not on par with DIRT 2.0 ofc), sound, force feedback - it actually surprises me how much options there's for it, fov is weird but I find myself a suitable position, you can play with bonner I mean bonnet too you know...
Anyhow...
I just had time to test it in open world (was it test area?) and one stage (Mexico) so... can't give some proper review. Funny thing is that when playing in something that supposed to be open world test area - if you go off the road by inch or two - you got warning to "stay on track" so forget about actual "free roaming".
But truth be told... area is pretty big and there's enough to test for everyone, just don't expect to GTA on it. Another minor thing would be a optimisation. On my semi-potato pc I have to turn off a few things to manage ~60 fps. I had to do it in DIRT 2.0 too but D2 is on another level, graphically, and not only that.

But like I said on other topic here - this has WRC championship license.
Competing against real world WRC drivers means a lot to me (and I bet many others) - let me tell you... after my that very first stage feels like cold beer on a particularly hot day when you see that you're faster than some bad*ss WRC driver. Craig Breen - suckit mate !
Gosh... look at the clock...
I'm actually at work, I better pretend I do something... useful. See ya later!

 

[Case_]

But, to be honest... seems like reading your gigantic text about it... it doesn't bother me as much as it bothers you.

Well, you also have to bear in mind that my idea of "a gigantic text" is not the same as many people seem to have nowadays. This, to me, is a short comment with only a couple of sentences

It bothers me somewhat. Mostly because I can't set the view the way I would like, and also because it is incredibly weird to do it like this and doesn't make the slightest sense to me.

 

[gamer19]

Funny thing is that mine is even bigger than yours.
Text, do I need to say it again...
It DOES feel weird and kinky, I agree. To be honest... I don't know how did they manage to produce it like that, maybe we should give them the credits for this... invention.
And I wouldn't say anything if you didn't first but when you first mentioned it... had no choice... I have to agree that this issue really exist. It's not all just in your head, don't worry.
But, like I said, game for now seems better than I expected.

Forget about weird fov, you didn't said anything about the game itself, didn't you ?