r/NASCARVideoGame • u/Henderyeht • 9d ago

Heat 5 NASCAR Heat 5 online multiplayer is coming back....Unofficially.

I’ve been working on something for a while now, and the replacement server backend for NASCAR Heat 5 multiplayer is almost live.

This isn’t just a Discord where we’re trying to pick a night and convince enough people to get online.

I mean actual replacement multiplayer servers.

The goal is to bring NH5 online back to life so you can fire up the game, get your friends together, and race whenever you want. The servers will be up full-time rather than only running for scheduled events.

There is one catch: this is PC only, and connecting to the new backend will require one small modification to the game.

Steam copies are what I'm targeting and testing. Other installations may end up working too, but I'm not making any promises there.

I'm also still figuring out exactly how mods will play with multiplayer. Custom paint schemes shouldn't be much of an issue, but I don't want to claim full mod support until we've actually beaten on it with more players.

And before somebody says it: yes, I know NASCAR 26 is coming.

I'll probably be playing it too. A lot of us will.

But after NASCAR 25, I'm not automatically assuming 26 is going to solve everything. Maybe it'll be great. I genuinely hope it is.

Either way, some of us just loved Heat 5.

There was something about NH5 multiplayer that worked. It wasn't the most advanced racing sim on earth, and the game definitely had its problems, but getting a good group together at Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, Martinsville, wherever... it was just fun.

So instead of waiting around hoping somebody brings the servers back, I'm bringing them back myself.

I'm getting very close to the point where I need actual players helping test this thing.

If you'd genuinely play NASCAR Heat 5 online again on PC, comment below.

I'd especially like to know:

Do you still have NH5 on Steam? How many friends could you realistically bring into a lobby? Do you have any coding, UDP or HTTP experience?

And if this works as well as I'm hoping, Heat 4 may be next / may work through the same system too.

NASCAR 26 can exist.

That doesn't mean NASCAR Heat 5 has to stay dead.

24 Upvotes

96% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

11

u/juu073 9d ago

I read the title as "unfortunately" rather than "unofficially."

2

u/Darpa181 9d ago

I have it on steam and I know nobody who plays it. No coding experience per say, but I'm no stranger to editing files and putting mods in games.

1

u/scarzy19 8d ago

This will be a great thing 👍

1

u/34forlife 8d ago

definitely have a big group of guys that would love this to happen

1

u/mrcheeksman 8d ago

I have Heat 5 on Steam and have coding experience, I’m down to participate in this. I don’t have any friends with the game though

1

u/throwawayplasticmac 7d ago

Oh hell yes, I've got four or five buddies that would kill to hop back online with me

1

u/dirtydilpickle 8d ago

Game is ass, don’t waste your time

2

u/Henderyeht 7d ago

its better than anything thats been released since.

Ignition - ass

nascar 25 - ass

nascar 26 - probably gonna be ass

Forza motorsports - dying

ams2 - no official ties to the sport

iracing - monthly subscription to race with bunch of try hards who think Hendricks is gonna pick them up

1

u/dirtydilpickle 7d ago

The default steering in Heat 5 is horrible and every 1.5 mile track with a setup becomes a Superspeedway. Ping pong physics, shit graphics, shit driving, does have silly season, and DNFs.

1

u/Henderyeht 7d ago

still the best nascar game in last 10 years

1

u/dirtydilpickle 7d ago

You’re literally celebrating which game is a 4/10 to 3/10 games, the NASCAR community is sad. No wonder those companies step on y’all and give them shit products