Every Nurburgring Nordschleife on PC compared

[VirtuaIceMan]

iRacing - again, not too far from reality.

Project CARS 2 - another case of the trackside scenery being lifted and tweaked from the original Project CARS.

Forza Motorsport 6: Apex - I'm blind!

Forza Motorsport 7 - my eyesight returned! The bloom effect on the trees looks much more realistic. The 3D cracks in the track surface seem to have been filled in though.

Real life

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

11. Comparing the Karussell:

Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2 - ignore this one!

Grand Prix Legends - a basic representation!

GTR Evolution - despite the age of this version, this is one of only a few games to have the drainage grill just before the Karussell, which is there in real-life (although you can't see it in the real life shot below).

Need For Speed: Shift - very close to GTR Evolution. No drain though!

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends - same as Need For Speed: Shift, but feels a bit more detailed, texture-wise.

Shift 2 Unleashed - a refined version of Need For Speed: Shift, one of the few places where the modelling still looks very close to the previous game.

Project CARS - surprisingly not that much better than the Need For Speed titles.

Ride 2 - absolutely wrong. Like so much of the track in this game!

Assetto Corsa - the drainage cover returns! Notice the grass growing through the matting on the left.

RaceRoom Racing Experience - so close to Assetto Corsa! Even an almost identical drain!

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

iRacing - the camera is a little lower here, but the modelling is close to the versions above. No drain though!

Project CARS 2 - close to the original Project CARS here. No drain!

Forza Motorsport 6: Apex - something's off here - there's not as much clear tarmac inside the concrete panels, and a lack of a drain! This is strange as it likely uses the same laserscan as the other laserscanned versions.

Forza Motorsport 7 - texturing has changed here: the sponsor boards, the grass on the left no longer grows over the tiles, and looks less fake. Again though, the cracks (up close) look almost 2D now, due to the lighting change.

Real life - can't get the same angle here, as no-one would actually drive that line in real life!

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

12. Wippermann drop compared, shape and width of track along with track writing:

Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2 - again, nothing like reality (maybe not even the right part of the track!)

Grand Prix Legends - right shape, but lacking trees!

GTR Evolution - lacks detail/drama.

Need For Speed: Shift - the shadows help a lot here, but not quite photo realistic.

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends - a shared version of the above, with better white lines along the road.

Shift 2 Unleashed - even more definition/detail, but those trees still look suspicious!

Project CARS - lovely detailed trees here, but no people/life.

Ride 2 - feels a bit wrong.

Assetto Corsa - a nice mix of detail here, but the trees seem a bit underwhelming, compared to real life.

RaceRoom Racing Experience - better than Assetto Corsa, but still looks a bit blue and washed out.

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

iRacing - a nice mix of colours here, strange writing on the track though!

Project CARS 2 - similar to other versions. Less uniform trees than the original Project CARS though.

Forza Motorsport 6: Apex - nice detail, close to real life.

Forza Motorsport 7 - two key things to note: firstly the wire fences are almost invisible compared to Forza 6, as are the skid marks. They're still there, just much less heavy.

Real life

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

13. Comparing the shape and track writing on this famous stretch of track:

Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2 - er, nope!

Grand Prix Legends - really nice trees here, but the track shape is a little bit out.

GTR Evolution - a decent attempt from GTR Evolution, but the trees are incorrect (should be more on the left and less on the right.

Need For Speed: Shift - with the bloom it feels a bit nuclear wasteland! White lines at the track edges are too small.

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends - corrects the issues seen in Need For Speed: Shift.

Shift 2 Unleashed - the monster mega background makes this versions feel a lot different. Trees aren't especially accurate.

Project CARS - it's... okay, although again the trees aren't that accurate.

Ride 2 - it's not terrible, but the grey toning again makes it feel like the contrast is broken!

Assetto Corsa - pretty close to reality.

RaceRoom Racing Experience - more trees, but otherwise not too bad.

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

iRacing - this actually looks pretty accurate.

Project CARS 2 - a spotless track, much like the original Project CARS!

Forza Motorsport 6: Apex - very close to reality.

Forza Motorsport 7 - no massive difference, though the sharper shadows stand out. The lighting does make trackside scenery feel more flat though.

Real life

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

14. The start of the long straight, compare the castle (where visible):

Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2 - now this actually does look pretty close to real life! There's even a hill where the castle is, roughly!

Grand Prix Legends - fairly low in detail, the castle is there, but behind the hedge!

GTR Evolution - not quite right.

Need For Speed: Shift - too much bloom, not enough trees, and the castle is beyond the draw depth of the scenery!

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends - same as before, but see how much cleaner things look without bloom!

Shift 2 Unleashed - the castle is visible, but the huge, unrealistic backdrop towers over it, making it look a bit lost (it's next to the tree on the right)!

Project CARS - pretty good.

Ride 2 - the castle is in the wrong place and too low down. The hills on the track look a bit off, too.

Assetto Corsa - very close to reality, but the trees on the left are a bit tall.

RaceRoom Racing Experience - almost identical to Assetto Corsa! However the trees are even taller on the left!

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

iRacing - another good showing, but the trees on the left are a bit short.

Project CARS 2 - this is more close to Forza Motorsport 6: Apex than iRacing.

Forza Motorsport 6: Apex - practically perfect!

Forza Motorsport 7 - more hazy, and the castle has pushed back a bit!

Real life

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

15. The rise up past the pitlane (for Bridge-To-Gantry runs), compare the building on the right:

Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2 - not a lot to see here, but at least the road has a hill!

Grand Prix Legends - hedges, that's all!

GTR Evolution - it's okay. I can't see the nice hedge on the left in real life! The building on the right is a bit drab (not sure if it was repainted at some point after this version came out).

Need For Speed: Shift - stupid huge signs block the building, but it's there!

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends - now you can see it! Just about...

Shift 2 Unleashed - the signs are back!

Project CARS - there's a lot of emergency vehicles in Project CARS!

Ride 2 - all looks a bit wrong, again. Not sure what the big grey slabs over the building are.

Assetto Corsa - not too bad, but there's a big tree on the right which is missing/much smaller in real life.

RaceRoom Racing Experience - good, pretty accurate.

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

iRacing - possibly the most accurate.

Project CARS 2 - trackside scenery again lifted from the original Project CARS, including the airship! I noticed they've replaced the barriers on the right with tyres though...

Forza Motorsport 6: Apex - this is pretty decent too. Interestingly has marker post 196 on the left, where it's 195 on the Project CARS games!

Forza Motorsport 7 - this comparison really highlights the change to shadows: they're now a lot sharper than Forza 6. Whether this is a good thing can be debated.

Real life

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

16. Comparing the main road outside the track on the left, where visible:

Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2 - forget reality!

Grand Prix Legends - it's okay, but lack of scenery means you can see a lot further than in real life.

GTR Evolution - not too bad, you can see the road on the left!

Need For Speed: Shift - super dense trees mean you can't see the road on the left. White lines are too small.

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends - the same as above, but improved white lines.

Shift 2 Unleashed - better trees and you can see the road ahead on the left, just about!

Project CARS - pretty realistic, much more so that the Shift games. There's a touch of road on the left!

Ride 2 - it's sort-of okay.

Assetto Corsa - pretty good, though the trees are a bit different to real life.

RaceRoom Racing Experience - marginally better than Assetto Corsa, though not sure about the tree on the left.

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

iRacing - very good, very realistic!

Project CARS 2 - pretty consistent with other laserscanned versions.

Forza Motorsport 6: Apex - I think I snapped this one a bit too high up the road, otherwise it'd be as good as iRacing!

Forza Motorsport 7 - I snapped this one at the same point as Forza 6, so again, it's a bit higher up than other games. There's little change here, but the trees on the left don't look as good with the new lighting model, as they seem a bit washed out.

Real life

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

17. Finally, just for fun; comparing the warning sign (and people) on the first corner (where it's present):

Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2 - there's a sign, but it's not right!

Grand Prix Legends - no sign here. I doubt it was there in 1967 anyway!

GTR Evolution - the first game with the sign! A bit low detail, texture-wise, but it's there!

Need For Speed: Shift - no sign in the first Shift game. Apart from the Need For Speed Live silly one!

Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends - similarly none here. More people, though they look pretty awkward!

Shift 2 Unleashed - still no sign in the newer Shift game! Well, apart from the one with a Need For Speed logo on it! No people either!

Project CARS - amazingly, Project CARS has no sign too.

Ride 2 - the sign is there! But it looks like it's been recreated, rather than photographed, as the title isn't italic and the fonts look wrong!

Assetto Corsa - the sign is present-and-correct.

RaceRoom Racing Experience - here's the sign in RaceRoom Racing Experience.

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

iRacing - iRacing has the sign, too!

Project CARS 2 - the sign is missing, as with all of Slightly Mad Studios previous games.

Forza Motorsport 6: Apex - this version of the sign is a bit faded out, not so bright red. Although that could be caused by the time-of-day Forza Motorsport 6: Apex uses.

Forza Motorsport 7 - this feels all a bit light (I think the lighting plays up a bit with a faux HDR effect here). Scenery is unchanged, although at least here you can see the wire fence!

Real life - a bit far away, as no one would obviously drive right up to the sign in real life! But it's there, you see?!

 

[Kurupt CDN]

Alot of work was put into this thread
Was your raceroom track review done after the june 30th 2017 when it was updated to the 2017 track visuals?

Nürburgring & Nordschleife: updated to 2017 visuals after our visit to the 24H earlier this year. Main pitwall logos, old pitwall color, BMW bridge, BMW sign at Brünnchen, T13 pitwall, NGK chicane logo, carousel banner, armco flags, graffitis, new fencing.

Also inside your main raceroom folder theres a folder called moods inside that you can change the lighting and get rid of the bluish tint....i prefer "realistic mood"
I like the trackside 3d animations, moving marshalls/fans and the suddle swaying of the trees in Raceroom just adds to the immersion and brings the track to life.
Really enjoy the road textures in iracing.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

Also inside your main raceroom folder theres a folder called moods inside that you can change the lighting and get rid of the bluish tint....i prefer "realistic mood"

I will have a look for this thanks

 

[Rupe Wilson]

its a nice visualization of how far gaming has come over the years.

 

[snyperal]

Wow! A great amount of effort went into these comparisons, thank you.

Pretty impressed with the quality and detail of ac, rr, ir and forza. It just shows how close these companies are trying to get their products to real life.

Also, in some of the shots on my phone the real life track looks like a game too!

 

[VirtuaIceMan]

Alot of work was put into this thread
Was your raceroom track review done after the june 30th 2017 when it was updated to the 2017 track visuals?

I think so, as the screenshots were made on 13th July.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I used to do complete F1 screenshot comparisons in the past, and have some lined up in future (there's over 103 games with F1 cars in on PC these days!). Also I have plans for a rally comparison too.

It is hard to keep up though, as most games are becoming ongoing projects, those updates to the Ring for RaceRoom being a case in point!

I plan to add Project CARS 2 and Forza Motorsport 7 after they're released.