| F1 2010 | |
|---|---|
F1 2010 cover art |
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| Developer(s) | Codemasters Birmingham |
| Publisher(s) | Codemasters |
| Series | Formula One |
| Engine | EGO Engine 1.5 |
| Version | v1.01 |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows[1] PlayStation 3[1] Xbox 360[1] |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Online Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | |
| Media/distribution | BD-ROM, DVD-ROM, digital download |
System requirements
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F1 2010 is a BAFTA Award–winning[5] video game based on the 2010 season of the Formula One world championship.[1][6] It is the sequel to the 2009 video game based on the same series.[1] The game was released in September 2010[2][3][7] on the Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms.[1] It has sold 2.3 million units worldwide.[8] The game engine is based on the new EGO 1.5 engine, an unofficially titled evolution of the EGO 1.0 engine that was created specially for the title.
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F1 2010 features "the most complicated weather system ever seen in a racing game" [9] which is integral to F1. When rain starts to fall, the track will gradually lose grip, with some areas losing grip faster than others. "Overhanging trees, for example, will shelter the track, while dips and indentations in the tarmac will hold more standing water and provide a greater risk." [10]
When the rain stops, a "drying line" will start to appear which will provide more grip which will make it easier to drive. If a car strays from the dry line, the tyres will lose grip and it will be harder to drive. Evolving tracks are also featured elsewhere in the game; at the start of a race weekend, the track will be "green" and therefore have less grip, but as the weekend progresses, rubber will be laid down onto the track, increasing the grip.[10]
Research also features in F1 2010. Consistently out-race a teammate, and the player will receive new parts, updates and upgrades as they are developed. The player's team will develop new parts and updates for their car throughout the season, evolving the car as the season progresses.
The game features a career mode consisting of either three, five or seven seasons (depending on the user's choice). Where players can drive for any team, each having their own objectives – "For example, race for Ferrari and anything other than winning the Driver's and Constructor's Championship would be a failure, while a mere points finish when driving for Lotus would be a huge success."[10] Media interest will also change, depending on whether the player is racing for one of the top teams, or a team at the back of the grid and will reflect the progress the player makes, more success will equal more media attention and more points. Impromptu interviews will take place alongside the official interviews following each race. The developer diaries released by Codemasters have revealed that impromptu interviews will be more sensationalist than formal press conferences and that the player may need to be wary of what they say to the media lest they say something they should not and upset their team. Players will be forced to retire after the end of the third, fifth, or seventh season.
In addition to single player, F1 2010 has a feature-rich online mode that has remained popular since its launch. Players can choose from a multitude of options, whether they are looking for a quick fix or want to participate in the full procession of Qualifying and Race. There are also various options if the host is frustrated with other players' lack of caution on the track, such as making flags harsher or even turning off collisions, which enables ghost cars. Dedicated players can even choose to play a race with no driving assists, although for it to apply to all players the host must specify it, and it tends to leave those without a wheel and pedals at a significant disadvantage. Other options include whether to use 2010 or equal car performance and the ability to play a custom championship with between 2-19 tracks and choose the weather conditions.
After release, users on all three platforms reported corrupted game saves. Codemasters confirmed that a save file could become corrupt if a certain sequence of actions were performed, for example, exiting the game after completing an R&D objective and unlocking a new upgrade in a practice session. To avoid this, the user should continue progress to the qualifying session before exiting the game. A patch to address the issue has been released.[11]
The Technical Support FAQ also states that a save file could become corrupt if completing an R&D objective in the practice session and then:
This problem will not occur as long as you progress to the qualifying session after completing a practice session before quitting the game. PlayStation 3 users may experience corrupt data problems at other areas in the game[12]
Codemasters have also stated that some users have made "incorrect assumptions" about the game's AI, and wrongly assumed it to be a bug[13] by claiming that lap times were fake during a race,[14] however it was later announced that the lap times during practice and qualifying were fake because of the function of speeding the session up to x30. Codemasters stated that they will fix issues with the game that are not AI specific, but are adding to the confusion around the AI.[13][15]
On 18 October 2010 a community manager posted on the official Codemasters F1 2010 Forum that work was ongoing on the patch and announced most of the fixes the patch will include. Almost all the bugs have been reported to be fixed and some new features for the game will be included in the patch.[16] On 1 November 2010 the patch was released for the PlayStation 3 in Europe and Japan after two months of work.
After the patch, tyre wear and fuel simulation bugs still persist. Codemasters have declined to say whether a second patch will be released.[17]
| Reception | |
|---|---|
| Aggregate scores | |
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 81.28% - (PS3)[18] 82.23% - (X360)[19] |
| Metacritic | 84 - (PS3)[20] 84 - (X360)[21] 84 - (PC)[22] |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| Edge | 8/10[23] |
| Eurogamer | 8/10[24] |
| GamesRadar | 9/10[25] |
| IGN | 8.5/10[26] |
| Official PlayStation Magazine (UK) | 9/10[27] |
| Official Xbox Magazine (UK) | 8/10[28] |
| VideoGamer.com | 9/10[29] |
The game was received positively, with developer Codemasters receiving praise for their attention to detail when it comes to developing racing games. The weather system which Codemasters aimed would be "the most comprehensive and impressive weather system ever seen in a racing game"[30] and the execution was given a rave reception by reviewers including Official PlayStation Magazine (UK) who said "It's one of the most terrifying and intense racers ever made", giving the game 9 out of 10 overall.[31] IGN UK gave the game 8.5 out of 10, citing its impressive dynamic weather system as a plus point and even going as far to say "...it's possibly the best iteration of the sport of all time". However, they criticised the career mode, the game's in-game HUD and "forgettable" soundtrack.[32] A number of reviews (e.g. SimHQ.com and Techtree) have also specified that F1 2010 is not geared towards simulation driving model enthusiasts but offers a more arcade driving model, stating "The impression is that the engine handling the driving physics has been tweaked very well to simulate basic car behavior in a detuned, toned-down version suitable for a game that has to gain broad market appeal, but lacks the extra bit of finesse and driveability that should be an objective for a simulator as well as for a game."[33] [34]
F1 2010 won the Best Sports Game category at the BAFTA Video Game Awards beating other games such as FIFA 11 and Football Manager 2010.[5]
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