I just got through comparing the FSONE 2008 mod for rFactor with F1 Challenge '99 - '02. Yes, I still have that sim on my hard drive. My version of F1C is enhanced with the 2003, 2004 and 2005 seasons with car graphic upgrades from Ralph Hummerich. Here's what I concluded:

1. Engine sounds are identical. I'm very suspicious about that but it's true.
2. Ralph Hummerich's cockpit graphics are outstanding. They are the equal of those in the mod, although I enjoyed the steering wheel in the car I drove in the mod a bit more.
3. Track graphics were about even in Suzuka. I preferred the F1C version of Interlagos. Sky graphics, sunny or overcast, are better in the mod, but where's the helicopter from F1C?
4. The mod has more cockpit shake but the road surface feels more realitic and bumpy in F1C.
5. I don't feel much difference in the physics models, with similar aids turned either on or off.

This oldie but goodie - F1 Challenge '99 - '02 - especially with Ralph Hummerich's 2003 - 2005 season add-ons, holds up as well as attempts by modders in 2008-9 to recreate F1. And for single-player racers, the tweakability features in the A.I. drivers individual skill levels enables one to set it all up exactly the way that works most competively for you. Of course, it is also complete with the Season Driver's and Constructors Season point tallies to track your progress. With the Hummerich add-ons, it's seven complete F1 seasons, 1999 - 2005, including car changes for each season.

The only legitimate racing simulation ever branded under EA still holds up chest to chest with the best today.

... until you want to race online.

Hi

F1C is a classic for sure.
Some of my best gaming experiences were found behind the wheel of a car in F1C.
And those were Online play.

I liked CTDP F1 mods better than RH's though.

I no longer play it, as I have moved on to rFactor. But I still have fond memories of it. I miss my pit crew and the rain.

Tailflamer: Ya, I have the CTDP F1 2005 mod for rFactor too. It's great. Now I have the FSONE 2008 mod. I probably race 90% of the time offline. But I still have fun with F1C and GPL and NASCAR Racing 2003 Season occasionally.

JOe: When I'm available to race online, nobody from SimHQ or anyone else is around. When SimHQ is racing, I'm doing something else like watching NFL football on Sunday. I"d like to race more online, but the drawbacks reduce the fun. In Single-Player, I get to choose the venue; I get to choose the cars or the car series; I get to choose the rules and the race conditions. On the rare occasion that I get to do multi-player, I usually have fun but I don't get to pick anything. But I have at least as much fun racing whole championship seasons offline. Why would I give it up to do online racing only? I don't see how my life would be improved by becoming a great online racer versus being a pretty good offline racer.

Just pointing out a frequent problems with older titles that have high-quality mods available: usually the original online code is unmodified. That results in the situation you describe - lots of added value offline but not as much online.

The fun of online is racing against real people with real reactions. Since rFactor's AI is often so poor, the contrast between online and offline in that title is huge. I started sim-racing too late to become involved in F1C, but it definitely sounds like a good one.

Yeah, the net code wasn't the best with F1C, but it wasn't all that bad either. I used to host races with 512kb upload and could handle 12 drivers fairly well. 8 or less was much better though.
So no, it wasn't great by no means, but doable.

rFactor's net code is loads better as I have been in races with 32 drivers and didn't experience any real problems.

And rF's AI is sometimes not so good. F1C does have a better raceable AI. In rF, sometimes it seems they have no clue where you are. But, rF was really meant as a online racer, more than single player. I did do the default race series with it offline though. Didn't have too much trouble, but do remember I got hit by the AI a lot. In F1C, they would avoid you pretty well.

For single player offline, F1C is the best? I have GP3, GP4, is it worth it to get find a copy (expensive) of F1 challenge or just stay with GP4/3? I havent loaded them in a bit, but i do remember issues with the controllers.. I have a MS sidewinder nonFF wheel that i really like. any help?

I liked it better than GP4. I may have played GP4 20 hours tops, but F1C probably 2000.
Both are good, and GP4 is fantasic looking in the wet, compared to F1C. But overall F1C was my favorite. I recommend it.

well, I loaded GP4 and it seems to run fine. It must have been GP3 that i had issues with. I ran rfactor, and i do like the graphics, but not the interface menus...

Any good GP4 download sites? GP4 looks, once i get all the settings down and controls... it looks good...

IMHO GP4 can't touch F1C. Especially if you can still find Ralph Hummerich's mods which updates liveries, enhances cockpit, tire and wheel graphics, all for three additional seasons: 2003, 2004, and 2005. So you will then have seven complete seasons. The main game is 1999-2002.

Well, i bought off ebay a copy of F1C 2009 update, which has 2007, 2008 and 09 in one... supposedly its a complete setup...

http://www.charismapro.co.uk/images/F109/F12009/news.html

I hope i didnt make a mistake..

Wow, I never heard of 2007, 2008, 2009 all in one. I never heard of Charisma. I don't know if that's a modification of the original F1 Challenge 1999-2002" from EA Sports or something completely different. This is the sim I own: http://www.gamespot.com/pc/driving/f1challenge9902/index.html
http://www.amazon.com/F1-Challenge-99-02-Pc/dp/B00008LUMT


I don't know if I trust that company "Charisma." There is no information on their web site about this product. You have to become a member to find out any product details. That's very suspicious. This can't be an update to the original F1 Challenge. You may have purchased the wrong game.

Sounds to me like a Mod and that your going to need the original game installed to run it.

That would appear to be correct; at the top of the Charisma page it says (in faint lettering) "f1c update".

Is it even legal for mods for F1C to be sold. Unless I'm mistaken, that's not allowed.

EDIT:
I would also bet unless Bernie Ecclestone is getting a cut, it certainly isn't legal.
He gets his wig on backwards over FREE F1 mods. I'm sure he would pitch a fit over this one. And I see no official FOM endorsement. These cats are bold, I'll give them that.

Response i recieved was thats its a complete updated game, can update F1C or stand alone... a few have bought them from ebay, no problem... we will see i guess...

Better off finding the original F1C from EA, then visit Blackhole Motorsports. They have like 64 add-ons for F1C that you can download free.

Good luck Ronbo, I hope it works for you.
I just saw F1C used, disk only on ebay for like $95. Makes me consider putting mine up for sale. I have the complete package with a perfect disk only used for installs.
If you do have to have F1C before you can use the one you bought, you may have a difficult time finding it at a fair price.

Now, if you don't have to have the original F1C (meaning the one you bought is indeed stand alone), then I really do feel sure this probably isn't legal. They would have to have gotten a license from not only FOM (for the use of any likeness related to Formula 1) but also EA Sports, maybe ISI too for the use of the game and the engine.

It's very possible they did get all the permissions to do this legally. I can't help but to wonder though.

ill report what i find when i get my copy. Amazon can get used copies for around $35, but it goes up from there. Ive seen 95-119$ on ebay, and I just started looking for them recently for gee whiz...

GP4 can be modded, but it looks like a looong list to do...if its not in an a couple downloads, i dont mess with it anymore...

Well, I finally recieved my copy of Formula 1 09 the other day. I loaded it on my second hard drive as it takes 4.9G to install.

First impressions: Since i had never owned F1C, the controls are going to be different. After navigating through, I finally tested it out. It has some errors and my machine isnt the fastest by no means, but would have been considered futuristic for the time frame GP4 and F1c came out.

This is an outstanding buy! It is definately an 2007-09 update but is complete. There are some errors, but there are also some outstanding visuals. From the loading, music, sound, details etc, this is well worth it and perhaps one of the better mods to a defunct (not supported by company) I have had the privelege to own.

Granted, i have some errors and it seems on my machine, 2007 is the most stable of the 3 seasons. Right now, my textures in 08 and 09 seem blocky at interlagos and when cars are a certain distance to me, the screen goes jagged. 2007 is very stable it seems. It could be my graphics card (probably).

It does take some to load, and i cannot just do a quickrace like in GP4. Im glad i have both.

Im very impressed.

Sounds good

I'm really too old for F1, even though it is my favorite sport and about the only one I really keep up with.
I may buy it sometime though, just to play around.

Well,
An update. After tweeking with the detail settings, I can now have the cars go by me without the jagged graphics glitch. So far, i still must use one of the drivers to not have it crash to desktop in 08-09 season, but i can deal with it.

I can see why Plainsmen likes this over Gp4, it does have that twitchy feel of a F1 car. The sim is more in depth that GP4, so its learning curve will be stiff. I need alot of practice... Im using Interlagos as my test bed, as its a more flowing course than the others to me.

I still highly recommend this Full Updated Sim. Very well done and supported.

ISI were the originally developers; EA was just the publisher. ISI is why F1C was (and is) so great. That "twitchy F1 feel" is awesome, ain't it? But I have the original with the Ralph Hummerich updates for '03 - '04. Can't say what this newer "modder" has done to it.

I suggest trying it out. Its worth the $20 to have 3 seasons and he will be working on 2010 as well.

I did not know ISI was the original developers.