rec.autos.simulators

I'd like to know something about Indycar 2.0 for DOS. How 32-bit it
really is?
<<<

The application itself is virtually entirely 32-bit (I think there's some
real-mode 16-bit code for dealing with the modem port). Of course DOS is
still performing disk I/O for us, but we do everything else.

Rick Genter
Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II
Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

[snip]
: As an ardent fan of your NASCAR sim, when (best guess) will we be seeing a 95
: version and what features/improvements, most notably, the advantages of the new
: operating system, will the game possess?
[snip]

Oh dear, PLEASE guys, DON'T ASK FOR WINDOWS 95 GAMES, the only advantages
you'll get are: SLOWER FRAME RATES and LESS MEMORY!!
OK, it is true, that WIN95 makes a lot things easier (especially with your
hardware), so you don't have to set up your sound card, your joystick etc.,
BUT: DOS is a single-task system, so, as soon as your game starts, DOS will
NOT eat up your processor time, it just uses a bit of your memory; whereas
WINDOZE will continue DOING BACKGROUND JOBS, which uses not much but
sufficient processor time to be relevant (esp. with driving sims). Therefore
WINDOWS WILL  N E V E R  BE A GOOD GAME PLATFORM !! (I think it will never
be a good system anyway; have you ever tried Linux or X-Windows? You would
LOVE it!!). BTW: what are the advantages of running NASCAR in a window?!?
So, why do you need Windows?

What I want to say: I WILL NEVER BUY A GAME FOR WIN 95, because it is just
very silly to sacrifice driving quality because of being too lazy to use a
DOS prompt (I hope Papyrus are reading this: Please don't develop your
games [which are really great, BTW] for WIN 95; this is just silly and
ridiculous). I will buy INDYCAR II as soon as possible, but I will surely
purchase the DOS version.

SORRY, JUST MY OPINION, etc, etc. Please don't take it personally ;-)

so long, Michael

 -----------------------------------
| Michael Koppenhoefer at           |
| University of Karlsruhe, Germany  |

 -----------------------------------

  Well I really don't want to get started on all this ***
since this group isn't about OS's but I can't resist a couple
of my personal observations.
  Everything that I've read over the past four months or so
seems to verify that the future of pc *** *is* Win95. Sure
it may take a year or two for all the game developers to hop on
the wagon and for the standard on the 3D boards and code to get
worked out, but eventually it's coming guys.
  I have no problem with dos (use it every day) but I've given
win95 a chance and so far I'm impressed. As for frame rates, I
can play Nascar or the ICR2demo in either dos or in win95 (not
ms-dos mode) and there is no apparent frame rate loss at all.
ICR2 is honestly smooth as silk; so what am I to expect from
the win95 version?? I can run the demo in win95 and my buddy
can't even get the laguna track to load in dos due to a
insufficient memory message which I still can't figure out
since he's getting 621k conventional.
  On a side note, Aces of the deep for win95 is much better
than the dos version but I admit there's not much frame rate
involved with a sub sim... but the graphics are killer.
  So this is not to start a flame war or an OS firefight...
merely my own experience so far. As for not ever buying a win95
game; well, sometimes you just have to go with the flow. I've
owned 6 computers since 1987; in order, apple IIgs, amiga 500,
amiga 3000 and 4000, 486 and P90. My point is I can remember
when the Amiga was THE *** computer... anybody remember
those days?

Hey Rick.. bring it on man!

                                         Later...
                                            Sandman
--------------------------------------------------------
Erik Sanders          "It's not that life's too short'
Hickory, N.C. USA        it's just that we're dead

The new DirectX Game SDK for Windows 95 allows a program to take over 100%
of the processor, just as DOS does. On top of that, you get hardware
independent graphics that allow the programmer to take advantage of any new
video technology that comes along, even if it comes out years AFTER the
game was designed. I was pessimistic myself, but it does work pretty well.

Dave

: The new DirectX Game SDK for Windows 95 allows a program to take over 100%
: of the processor, just as DOS does. On top of that, you get hardware
: independent graphics that allow the programmer to take advantage of any new
: video technology that comes along, even if it comes out years AFTER the
: game was designed. I was pessimistic myself, but it does work pretty well.

: Dave

Well, right. Maybe Windows '95 could be better for Games; but I just want to
save my bucks... ;-)

Bye, Michael

 -----------------------------------
| Michael Koppenhoefer at           |
| University of Karlsruhe, Germany  |

 -----------------------------------

: : The new DirectX Game SDK for Windows 95 allows a program to take over 100%
: : of the processor, just as DOS does. On top of that, you get hardware
I would question that. DirectX gives you full control of the video card, not
the CPU. If there will be a VBE 3.0 specification, which supports the use
of hardware acceleration, that advantage of Win will vanish completely.

: : independent graphics that allow the programmer to take advantage of any new
: : video technology that comes along, even if it comes out years AFTER the
: : game was designed. I was pessimistic myself, but it does work pretty well.

: Well, right. Maybe Windows '95 could be better for Games; but I just want to
: save my bucks... ;-)

Don't feel bad Michael, as long as i can't play a game with full detail at
the game's highest possible framerate i won't sacrifice one single cpu-cycle
for a multitasking environment.

Regardless if it were windows or linux or anything else.

FYI i'm using linux for work, dos for games. Wouldn't even think about
using a game under linux.

Ralf

There is a DirectX API call that allows you to suspend multitasking and
take control of the CPU. Like it or not, a lot of developers are working
very *** converting to Win'95. Within a couple of years, you're not
likely to see any major publishers publishing new DOS games.

Dave

The new DirectX Game SDK for Windows 95 allows a program to take over 100%
of the processor, just as DOS does.
<<<

Well, DirectX as it currently stands does *not* let us take over 100% of
the processor. It does give us convenient access to video and sound cards,
however.

I do find it amusing that Microsoft is coming out with all of these
"Direct" technologies that are basically allowing us to turn Windows 95
back into DOS...

Just my opinion.

Rick Genter
Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II
Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

As an ardent fan of your NASCAR sim, when (best guess) will we be seeing a
95
version and what features/improvements, most notably, the advantages of
the new
operating system, will the game possess?
<<<

There will not be a Windows 95 version of NASCAR Racing.  As for what is
coming down the road for Windows 95 (other than IndyCar Racing II), we
don't talk about unannounced products.

Rick Genter
Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II
Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

: >>>
: As an ardent fan of your NASCAR sim, when (best guess) will we be seeing a
: 95
: version and what features/improvements, most notably, the advantages of
: the new
: operating system, will the game possess?
: <<<

: There will not be a Windows 95 version of NASCAR Racing.  

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  May I be one of the many that are
relieved to hear you guys say that!  There's no reason to slow down
and degrade the product by sticking it into that MS Windows crutch they
dare call an operating system.  Thanx for letting us continue to use the
full capabilities of our machines!

Matt

Since the promo catalog I recently received from Papyrus said that the Win95
version of NASCAR would be out in 2nd qtr 96, and you're saying it's not, that
it's a direct result of the sale to Sierra.  It's a shame.  Is there going to
be a NASCAR racing 2?  With all of ICR2s improvements and smoother play, it
would have been exciting to see what you could do to NASCAR.  I suppose I've
already bought everything I'm going to buy from Papyrus...  At least NASCAR was
released before they got sucked up by Sierra..  :(

Bob

that
it's a direct result of the sale to Sierra.
<<<

No it wasn't. We made the decision to not do a Windows 95 version of
NASCAR before the acquisition.

Is there going to
be a NASCAR racing 2?
<<<

No comment.

Rick Genter
Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II
Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

Can I hope against hope?  I'm patiently waiting.

Rick, i heard that papyrus , is developing some kind a
multiplayer online service for ICR2 and NASCAR, where 32 real
opponents can play together, at the same time.

Is that true, and if it is, when is it coming out.

Rick, i heard that papyrus , is developing some kind a
multiplayer online service for ICR2 and NASCAR, where 32 real
opponents can play together, at the same time.

Is that true, and if it is, when is it coming out.
<<<

It's true. I don't know what the release schedule is, but it's in beta
testing for NASCAR now.

Rick Genter
Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II
Papyrus Design Group, Inc.