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Star Wars Episode 1: Racer |OT| Now THIS is podracing!

janusff

janusff

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
18,127
Austin, TX
original.png

RESETERA OT

Platforms: PS4, and Switch
Price: $14.99
Release Date: Today! (06/23/2020)
Developed by: Originally LucasArts, remastered by Aspyr

Originally released on the N64, this beloved title gets remastered...

Racer-CinematicScreens1.jpg

​

  • 25 playable racers including: Anakin Skywalker, Sebulba, and Ratts Tyerell​
  • Race tracks spanning 8 unique worlds including: Tatooine, Baroonda, and Malastare​
  • Work with pit droids to upgrade your podracer for higher top speeds and acceleration​
  • Discover short-cuts and secrets to master your lap times​
  • Split-screen multiplayer (Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4) and LAN multiplayer (Nintendo Switch)​

star-wars-racer_TALL-2.jpg



SOME INFO ON THE PS4 VERSION​

  • We uprezzed all of the FMV sequences in the game. Output resolutions have massively changed in the past 20 years, as have file size restrictions. This allowed us to natively re-export everything into greatly increased resolutions that will look better than ever on your 4K TV. Despite the age of the original models, these cutscenes look stunning and will take you back to seeing the track on Tatooine for the first time in 1999.
  • We re-mapped all of the controls to feel right for DualShock 4. This might sound trivial, but to really feel like you're piloting a Podracer takes a very special touch. The controls that captured the thrill of Podracing in 1999 simply don't feel as natural on the modern controller, but our team was dedicated to creating the ultimate Podracing experience. You can expect controls that feel natural and modern.
  • Trophy hunters will be happy to hear that we've added Trophies. You'll even be able to prove you're the ultimate Podracing champion with a Platinum trophy!

SOME TRACK TIPS VIA THE PS BLOG
blog.playstation.com

Track tips for Star Wars Episode I: Racer, out today on PS4

Race like a pro with these tips and tricks from Aspyr.
blog.playstation.com blog.playstation.com

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VIDEOS

PS4


Switch



IMPRESSIONS



ERA IMPRESSIONS

Clipse had this to say:
​

I used to love this game when it came out, so I am really excited to be able to play it on switch now. It really looks nice in the portable mode. The gameplay is solid, and the minor problems so far, was the similar ones that N64 always had (crashing in the middle of a ramp?....)

But I can see that really little details can make the experience so much better. Specially on the Switch case. It would be a great idea to join all concerns that could be a easy fix and send it to them (right now they are bombed with many random request, so it would be for sure something constructive for them to patchand who knows... maybe we are lucky!)

So far for me, I think those are little details that will make the overall experience much better:
  • Controls are great... but I see two main problems:
    • It should be map also the menu with D-Pad. Much nicer and easy to navigate and shop that way.
    • Repair is set in the new control with the R button, but the Switch a tiny one and this you have to hold on it until is repair, which make uncomfortable to hold both at the same time... it can be swap for the taunt one which is used for the X button, and is much more easy to hold while driving (unless you have to use the R Stick which is normally for a second only and not that often)
  • Sound:
    • not sure what it is, compression? but does not sound right
    • Let them play the song only in the last race! I know the PC version was like that, but I think the original was like in N64, because those songs dont last more than 2-3 minutes, which is more or less what you take each lap, and it really change the feeling in the last lap when the song suddenly play.
    • "Trading insults" Cut Scene. This will come up when you hold the R button and click start a race... but for some reasons those cut scenes does not have audio anymore!
  • Text:
    • I first put it in spanish (which I dont think the N64 version had) and the text is all over the place... sometimes missing characters in the font...
    • Ps4 has mostly of the UI with new HD font... the Switch version is missing some parts (like the Laps, or the speed). Also the blue bar is cut it in half in the switch version... it just look off when half of text is pixel and the other half is HD...(maybe I we can join a constructive list of the text missing from the PS4 in the Switch... I mean is there already done, so seems a easy fix)
    • Other languages (at least spanish) the "Trading insults" cut scene, does not have subtitles (so no voice, no text... just useless cut scene :-D). I really think they forgot about this cut scene
  • Video / Graphics
    • Maybe bad compression? they seems slower than the older versions.
    • Missing some graphics effect, like the ones mention before in dust raised by pods in tatooine (maybe we can also come up with a list)
    • PT03 is under the floor:



And I think thats all I can think for now. At least for things that would make it confortable to play, and also same as older or PS4 version in the case of the Switch.
If we get patch this, it would be a really nice way to go back to the game... motion controls (which will get patch) or another future aditions are always welcome! (please... add online gameplay!). But non of them listed above (except for the graphic effect missing and the translations that seems forced) seems to be a big request. They seems simple to add like the controls, or already done like, the missing text, HD fonts, sounds and video wrong compression...

But as many people mention before, I am really happy with my purchased! It really feels much nicer to drive now, and really nice looking in handle mode! The gameplay is great and it really feels really nice to go back to it.

...althought... is it me or it feels way more easier than before? maybe I play too much... also back in the days, I never understood the junkyard so I am pretty sure that i was playing all the time with the basic and did not buy much from Watto...
​
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Jedi2016 had this to say:
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Went ahead and picked this up on PS4 last night.

Overall, I'm happy with it. The gameplay itself is very solid when you're racing and it runs fine, nice smooth 60fps. Looks like 4K on PS4 Pro, but I'm not a pixel-counter.

You can tell it's a low-effort port, though. Little things like no remappable controls (you can only switch between two presets), no d-pad support in menus (which really threw me off, I never use analog sticks to navigate menus). The sound mix on PS4 is a little off, I can hear that the announcers are talking at the beginning of the races, but I can't hear what they're saying. But it doesn't suffer from the overdrive distortion that the Switch version has. Seems like they could have done a better job of remapping the position of the lens flares to the higher resolution screen space. I assume that's why they gave us the option to just turn them off, because they're kind of distracting.

Given all that, I'm not sure this is really worth $15. Maybe $10 would have been a better price point.
​
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MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU

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​
quick and dirty OT, will update with impressions and reviews​

​
 
Last edited:
Skel1ingt0n

Skel1ingt0n

Member
Oct 28, 2017
8,723
Res/framerate when undocked on Switch?

I used to love this game as a kid when my cousins came over.
 
sir_crocodile

sir_crocodile

Member
Oct 25, 2017
23,486
Doesn't sound like they really did much. Will wait to see if there's any reason to get this given I already have the GOG version
 
ghostcrew

ghostcrew

The Shrouded Ghost
Administrator
Oct 27, 2017
30,351
Grabbed this on GOG when it released there but dead tempted to pick it up on PS4 or Switch too... I love this game.
 
denseWorm

denseWorm

Banned
May 15, 2020
399
Update, it's on steam brah!

I've got it, but I'm afraid to play it for fear that it won't be as good as i remember. Same goes for Star Wars Starfighter
 
JB2448

JB2448

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,957
Florida
Here are links to the store pages for these games on Switch and PS4:
www.nintendo.com

STAR WARS™ Episode I Racer for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site

Buy STAR WARS™ Episode I Racer and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.
www.nintendo.com www.nintendo.com

STAR WARS™ Episode I Racer

The fan favorite racer is back Take control of a podracer speeding through flaming methane lakes, Tusken Raider assaults, anti-gravity tunnels, and much more in a pulse-pounding, do-or-die fight to the finish line. Key Features - Choose from 25 playable racers including Anakin Skywalker...
store.playstation.com
 
Jedi2016

Jedi2016

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,623
Good OT, and on such short notice!

I watched a gameplay video earlier, and the UI is definitely high-res. What's in those early screenshots was like a placeholder or something.



I kind of want to get some tech feedback, res & framerates, before deciding which platform to buy it on.
 

dedge

Member
Sep 15, 2019
2,429
Want to grab this, hoping for a version differences breakdown at some point. 4K on PS4 sounds great but the HUD looks terrible great above but still considering Switch.
 
mute

mute

▲ Legend ▲
Member
Oct 25, 2017
25,064
I was hoping the delay was to do something about the UI, guess not :(

Edit: maybe they did? Still, none of the screenshots or video on the eShop show it at all which is weird.
 

Ashhong

Member
Oct 26, 2017
16,596
Jedi2016 said:
Good OT, and on such short notice!

I watched a gameplay video earlier, and the UI is definitely high-res. What's in those early screenshots was like a placeholder or something.



I kind of want to get some tech feedback, res & framerates, before deciding which platform to buy it on.
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Thank god
 
OP
OP
janusff

janusff

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
18,127
Austin, TX
JB2448 said:
Here are links to the store pages for these games on Switch and PS4:
www.nintendo.com

STAR WARS™ Episode I Racer for Nintendo Switch - Nintendo Official Site

Buy STAR WARS™ Episode I Racer and shop other great Nintendo products online at the official My Nintendo Store.
www.nintendo.com www.nintendo.com

STAR WARS™ Episode I Racer

The fan favorite racer is back Take control of a podracer speeding through flaming methane lakes, Tusken Raider assaults, anti-gravity tunnels, and much more in a pulse-pounding, do-or-die fight to the finish line. Key Features - Choose from 25 playable racers including Anakin Skywalker...
store.playstation.com
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Cheers. Updated the OT
denseWorm said:
Update, it's on steam brah!

I've got it, but I'm afraid to play it for fear that it won't be as good as i remember. Same goes for Star Wars Starfighter
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They released this on steam as well? Or is an older version there?
 
Sleeping Lesson

Sleeping Lesson

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,378
Jedi2016 said:
Good OT, and on such short notice!

I watched a gameplay video earlier, and the UI is definitely high-res. What's in those early screenshots was like a placeholder or something.



I kind of want to get some tech feedback, res & framerates, before deciding which platform to buy it on.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Phew! Thanks for posting this. Frame rate looks great there, but I may hold off until I hear a definite answer about the Switch version.
 
.exe

.exe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,219
Huh, this is a new version over the PC release? Neat. Wonder if the updated content makes its way over.
 
Jedi2016

Jedi2016

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,623
janusff said:
Interesting. I pulled those screens from the PS Blog when it was first announced. So maybe it's been updated?
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I would say so, definitely. I think maybe what they originally posted was simply all they had at the time, running the original UI and without texture filtering, even though they fully planned to fix both before release.

I have no doubt the delay was pandemic-related, but it's nice to know the devs were still cranking away at it.
 
I Wanna Be The Guy

I Wanna Be The Guy

Member
Oct 28, 2017
16,773
Real talk: I would pay good fucking money for an all new pod racing game made for VR. I used to play the arcade pod racing game all the time and the console games never quite gave me the same feeling the arcade game did. VR would be able to achieve it.
 
OP
OP
janusff

janusff

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
18,127
Austin, TX
Jedi2016 said:
I would say so, definitely. I think maybe what they originally posted was simply all they had at the time, running the original UI and without texture filtering, even though they fully planned to fix both before release.

I have no doubt the delay was pandemic-related, but it's nice to know the devs were still cranking away at it.
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I'd love an up-rez of that UI for sure
 
Zero83

Zero83

Member
Oct 29, 2017
573
Oslo
I didn't play this much on the N64 or really remember much of it, but I may pick it up as it's not that expensive. I love arcade racers and pod racers.
 
ghostcrew

ghostcrew

The Shrouded Ghost
Administrator
Oct 27, 2017
30,351
Jedi2016 said:
Good OT, and on such short notice!

I watched a gameplay video earlier, and the UI is definitely high-res. What's in those early screenshots was like a placeholder or something.



I kind of want to get some tech feedback, res & framerates, before deciding which platform to buy it on.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...


This video looks tons better than the early screens (that are still used on the PSN store). Phew! UI looks fine and the textures aren't totally unfiltered blockiness. Looks fine.
 
Type VII

Type VII

Member
Oct 31, 2017
2,302
Is this worth playing for someone who has no nostalgia or love for Star Wars, but enjoys catching up on N64 games missed first time round?
 
Jedi2016

Jedi2016

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,623
Darknight34 said:
So does anyone know if you can use the joycons for independent engine control?
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They mention motion controls in the Switch trailer, showing two separated JoyCons, but it didn't say specifically what it was controlling. They do NOT mention motion controls in the PS4 trailer, even though PS4 has gyro too.

I think we'll just have to wait for reviews and comparisons between the versions to find out for sure. 60fps would be more of a dealbreaker for me, but if all else is the same between them (4K vs 1080p isn't important for a game like this), then gyro controls could definitely be the deciding factor.
 
aerie

aerie

wonky
Administrator
Oct 25, 2017
8,033
Oh, I forgot this was coming out. I might pick it up on the Switch. I had fun with the previous Jedi Knight ports, even if they were pretty basic, and this looks to be similar.
 
OP
OP
janusff

janusff

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
18,127
Austin, TX
So yeah, ignore the screens in the OP. The UI has been cleaned up and game features texture filtering apparently. Good news! Thanks Jedi2016 for posting them vids
 
Jedi2016

Jedi2016

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,623
janusff said:
So yeah, ignore the screens in the OP. The UI has been cleaned up and game features texture filtering apparently. Good news! Thanks Jedi2016 for posting them vids
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zyegx.jpg


This is easily one of my favorite games from the N64, and I really want to play the best version possible.

I have the original PC release from GOG, but while it runs in modern resolutions and widescreen and all, it still has the original UI and worse, the original controls. While it technically supports modern controllers, it's a true pain in the ass to figure out what does what (wtf is "Button 1"?!?) and map everything in a way that works on an Xbox pad.
 
Mandos

Mandos

Member
Nov 27, 2017
30,891
Jedi2016 said:
Good OT, and on such short notice!

I watched a gameplay video earlier, and the UI is definitely high-res. What's in those early screenshots was like a placeholder or something.



I kind of want to get some tech feedback, res & framerates, before deciding which platform to buy it on.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Looks so good
janusff said:
Cheers. Updated the OT

They released this on steam as well? Or is an older version there?
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It's the original pc release and I suggest grabbing it on GOG instead as they have better support plus no drm

Waiting for some proper reviews, but the audio might be fine, just the N64 and Pc versions had drastically different audio
 
CarlSagan94

CarlSagan94

Member
Nov 3, 2018
946
Wow the game in motion looks far better than those early screenshots. Might actually pick it up if word on the Switch version is good.
 
Porco Rosso

Porco Rosso

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,210
Canada
I have to buy both versions. One of my favourite games of all time and I'd much prefer to have it on Switch, but I think it'd be super fun to get the trophies.
 
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