This is a 265Mb download, which although rather large for those on dial up, doesn’t have the usual giveaway restriction in that it can be downloaded any time. Installation is a breeze, and it will automatically install shortcuts into the start menu and the desktop. You can choose not to have either or both installed if you wish. :) The final install size is 340Mb. Once installed you’re informed about the games use of NVidia’s shadow technology, with some screenshots to show you the difference. If you don’t know what the make of your video card is (It’s probably going to be either an NVidia or an ATI card though there are a few smaller manufacturers, these two are the major players in the Graphics department) you can easily find out by going to the start menu and selecting the run command, type in dxdiag, then click on the OK button; this brings up the DX diagnostics tool. Click on the display tab and look at the device information. If you have an NVidia chipset you will know from the information given using the DX diagnostic tool. Not that it is important. :) you just get better looking shadows using NVidia chipsets. :)
When you first start up the game, you may get a message saying that your video card needs to be checked as well as another that says:
“TmNationsESWC allows you to create internet games and exchange data with other players
(peer to peer).
We're now checking your network connection, so that you can configure your firewall</em”.
You may need to unblock your firewall for this process to be carried out, though if you only intend playing the single player game then there’s no need.
Once these have been sorted you will get a small window with the start button as well as a help configuration update and exit button; in other words the main menu. I would suggest you configure the game before you start so as to enjoy the game at its best. The choices you choose will of course depend upon the speed and memory of your computer. Any computer purchased or built over the past few years should in theory cope with most settings maxed out, but that’s just supposition from me. Check out my screen captures by following the link below to see the configuration windows. There are two. (amongst the 98 images) The first one is the basic configuration window that enables you to adjust the simple stuff like whether you want to play it in a window, the resolution that best suits your monitor and a simple performance menu (Faster, Normal and Nicer), sound and music sliders, plus a toggle for turning off all the audio as well as a menu for selecting your connection type. There is also a button at the bottom of the basic configuration window that says ‘advanced’. Clicking on this will bring up a further window with too many settings to mention here apart from saying that it allows you to fine tune the game settings, but unless you know a little about shader’s, filters and textures as well as all the terminology that goes with networks and internet gaming, I’d leave it on the default settings until you get the hang of it. The basic config’ window has several settings. The help menu leads you to an excellent FAQ document that is kept within the games folder as well as allows you to customize every aspect of the game. (I wont go into details as I’d have to do a lot more research and the review would be far too long – besides I’m not into racing games ‘at the moment’)
There is other button at the bottom of the window that allows you to benchmark your game. At the end of the benchmarking process it will come up with a frames per second (fps) figure, which is the fps at which your game will run with the configuration settings you’ve made.
Finally (with respect to setting up the game) there’ an update button that will download a patch to update the game from v1.75 to v1.79. It doesn’t go into details as to what’s been patched though. Clicking on this button will give you a downloaded ptch which you need to install yourself (by clicking on it) Then there’s also another patch which can be downloaded from the same place as the original game:
http://trackmania.filefront.com
The Game
The game opens up with some video of in game footage then you are presented with a profile set up, where you input your name and choose from several pages of flags (75 flags in total). You can also choose your nation via the profile button from the games menu. Once you’ve done that you get a green screen with the game types that you can play which are Solo (single player), Hotseat, LAN (local Area Network) or the internet.
Both single player and hot seat you can play on your own, though with hot seat you also have the option to play against seven others, but you each take your turn separately. Both modes are basically solo games and/or training levels so that you can prepare yourself for online racing. There are hundreds of tracks to choose from in these two modes and you can also build your own modes really easily via the editor that has an easy to use interface. (I was up and running building a track with no instructions within a minute). The other two modes allow you to play against others, which is were the real fun starts, though I wouldn’t throw out the fun factor with the training levels. So those who don’t want to play online, don’t disregard this game as there’s loads you can do with it. If you have more than one computer at home you can set up a local area network (LAN) and play with friends or family. Or play online with (probably)seasoned fanatics. Whichever you choose, this has to be one of the best freeware games around (apart from some of the other online games such as America’s Army) This game has so much more for the single player though. I spent quite some time in the paint shop creating a custom job on my wheels :) I briefly went to the online game where you have to set up a free account. Once that is done you’ll be given the opportunity to update he game s that it is the correct version for online play.. You may have to turn off your firewalls for this to be successful though as it’s an automatic process. I was initially shown those servers represented by my own country, then selecting all severs I was given a list of four pages full of different countries, all of which had their own numbers of servers. So there’s probably hundreds of servers to choose from. I may just try it out as the game looks extremely fun. It’s basically jumping over things and doing loops etc.
Conclusion
I was originally put off by this game when I first downloaded it a couple of years ago, and then when I got two copies free with some MoBo’s I bought early in 2007 I thought I’ll never bother installing the game as I rarely play online and if I did it wouldn’t be a racing game as I can barely win a race when playing against bots in the rally and need for speed games I buy. But as I was reviewing this I felt obliged to at least play around with the game and was extremely impressed by everything, from the game play, the graphics. Though on reflection and accessing the internet stuff from the game I may just be a devil and try it out. But not vbefore I’ve progressed through the hundreds of training tracks.
My advice, download
this and try it for yourself.
I’ve taken a large number of screen captures which will give you a good idea as to what to expect.
All on one page:
http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/gaotd/FREEWARE/Trackmania%20Nations/?start=all
As a Slideshow:
Thank you for putting this one up Freeware Fan. I really wouldn’t have bothered to even bother installing the one I have if you hadn’t have put it up in the forums. Keep up the fantastic work man.
FreewareFan posted about this game in the following thread:
http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/forums/topic/2326/page/2?replies=56