|
| By Brad Cook You’re on your way home, moving through heavy traffic. Suddenly, you’re not driving your car — you’re behind the wheel of a sleek F1 racer. You stomp on the gas pedal and roar toward your destination at speeds up to 200 MPH, weaving in and out of traffic and triumphantly crossing the finish line in your driveway. |
|
 Keep your hands on the steering wheel and your tires on the ground. |
The game recreates the 2000 F1 racing season with loving accuracy, complete with all 17 tracks and 22 drivers, including Michael Schumacher and Mika Hakkinen. The developers at EA Sports painstakingly recreated the original cars, right down to the ads that cover them, as well as all the little nuances that make each track unique, such as the ferris wheel at Suzuka, Japan. If that doesn’t get you in the mood, the high-pitched whine of the cars’ finely-tuned engines and the squeal of their tires as they take hairpin turns will make you feel like a world-class race car driver.
One false move and you’re airborne.
And if your Mac is equipped with a high-performance 3D graphics card capable of supporting full screen anti-aliasing (FSAA), you’ll enjoy sharper, smoother images and a superior gaming experience. Cards that support FSAA in Mac OS X include NVIDIA GeForce3, GeForce4 MX and Titanium, or any one of the Radeon card family from ATI, including the line of Radeon mobility cards available for the iBook and Titanium PowerBook G4.
Want to learn more about the tracks and gameplay modes offered in F1 Championship Season 2000? See the sidebar “Pit Stop” on page two.
Select your car and driver. You can even rotate the
3D models to see the care and detail that went
into their creation.
3D models to see the care and detail that went
into their creation.
Powerful Realism
“The physics engine which runs the game is extremely powerful,” explains Feral Interactive. “Its flexibility gives you the ability to set the level of challenge from easy to as-difficult-as-the-real-thing.”
You can also change the weather effects in the game and race on rain-slicked tracks or under overcast skies. If you really want to know what it’s like to be an F1 driver, turn off all the computer-assisted settings in the Difficulty menu and race in the rain with 21 other drivers who are jockeying for position with you. It certainly makes those hairpin turns a challenge.
And you better make sure you have full control of your car in such conditions, because F1 offers realistic damage that will prematurely force you into the pit lane to have your tires replaced or the front or back wing on your car repaired.
 |
F1 Championship Season Media |  |
|||||||
 |
|
 |
|||||||
 |
 |
 |
One extra pit stop can mean the difference between the checkered flag and last place, so pay attention to your pit crew leader. As you drive, you’ll hear him advising you of accidents, how far ahead and behind the nearest cars are, and whether or not it’s time to make a pit stop. Listen to him carefully, because he’s your eyes and ears for what’s happening around the entire track.
Each track sports its own unique details.
Steering You in the Right Direction
Unlike most games you play on your Mac, you won’t get much enjoyment out of F1 with just your mouse and keyboard. At a minimum, you’ll need a gamepad or joystick to play. If you really want to get the most out of the game, purchase a steering wheel and set of pedals to recreate the feel of real racing.
 |
||||||
|
|
|
|
||||
 |
||||||
You'll get to see your trusty pit crew often — especially if you’re one to
wear out the tires.
F1 Championship Season 2000 will be available soon at the online Apple Store, a Apple retail store, or an Apple authorized reseller near you, so get out your racing gloves and get ready for some action. Just don’t break any traffic laws if you leave the house to pick it up.
If you liked this game, check out:
4x4 EVO 2
 |
|||||
|
|
|
|
|||
 |
|||||
While you’re getting your tires changed and fuel pumped, check out the modes of play and track selections.   
|
Do you have comments for this game article? Send us a note.