rec.autos.simulators

Of course the real F1 cars of sixties didn't have telemetry, but I hope
Papyrus will include it in the final version of GPL.  It would be a
waste of that excellent physics model, if we couldn't study the car
behaviour a little closer!

        Jari Jokinen

- Matt

I hope that Papyrus totally ignore your suggestion, to be perfectly blunt.
The last thing an "historical" sim needs is technology from the
future.....it then ceases to be "historical".
If you wish to study the car behaviour, simply save a replay and then cycle
through the available camera positions.

However, it's interesting to note that the Chaparral team from the same
period (with engineering help from Chevy R & D under the table) had basic
telemetry in their Can-Am cars, and even sent realtime data to Detroit by
phone (on occassion).  So the technology was available...

This is certainly a matter of opinion, but consider this: If GPL was a
REAL simulation/educational tool for learning how to drive and setup
real F1 cars of 1967 (and not "just" a very good entertainment title),
there would propably be telemetry; All the things needed for it are
modeled anyway, so why should they be hidden from the end user?
  I just think telemetry would be interesting.  Replays are no
substitute for it and besides they didn't have THAT much cameras filming
the races on the sixties ;)

        Jari Jokinen

Yes.....true indeed.
BUT.....GPL is not a depiction of either Can-Am in general or the Chapparal
team in particular.
However....having said that....perhaps Papyrus could add another string to
their bow by producing a Can-Am sim, with lovely McLarens and Chaparrals and
Lolas and big, brutish Porsches and, and.........mmmmmmm!

No, not at all, Matthew.
But I think that it would be somewhat unrealistic to include such a feature that
was never available in reality at that time.
Why stop there?  Why not, for instance, include the ability to have wings?  This
would cater for those who may want to see what one of these things may have
handled like with some downforce. Or how about semi-automatic gearboxes,
two-pedal braking systems and mandatory pit stops?

To each his own.

What I'd like to see also:

World of Outlaws dirt sprint sim
Nascar dirt modifieds
Early Trans Am

Trev

I'm with you on this Trev, on all three counts!!!

Dan

The Trans Am simulator will be out around Sept 1998.  Here is a press
release from the Trans Am web page.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

  TRANS-AM'S "GLORY DAYS" TO BE CAPTURED IN NEW DRIVING
  SIMULATOR FROM GT INTERACTIVE

  ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (March 2, 1998)The rich heritage and e***ment of
Trans-Am
  racing will soon arrive to corner and personal computer arcades with
the newest racing
  simulator, Trans-Am Racing, set to bring the thrill of the Trans-Am
"glory days" to the
  public this fall.

  A collaborative effort between GT Interactive, Engineering Animation
Inc. and SCCA Pro
  Racing, Trans-Am Racing captures the 1968-1972 Trans-Am seasons,
complete with the
  legendary drivers and machines. EAI, a leading producer of
enterprise-wide product data
  visualization and collaboration software solutions, brings its
unrivaled fusion of 3D imagery
  and visualization technology to Trans-Am Racing, creating the most
realistic automobile
  physics and crashes ever created on a PC.

  "The Trans-Am Racing series of the 60s and 70s were truly some of the
most influential
  and classic series in auto racing history," said Richard Burns, Vice
President, Domestic
  Publishing for GT Interactive, a leading global publisher of software
for personal
  computers and video game systems from Sony and Nintendo. "By melding a
timeless
  property like Trans-Am Racing, with the technology and expertise of
EAI, we can bring to
  life all of the e***ment, charisma, and nostalgia of the hot muscle
cars that defined a
  legendary era for auto racing."

  By securing the exclusive worldwide rights to the sights and sounds
that were the
  backbone of the "glory days" Trans-Am, GT Interactive plans to treat
fans to the actual
  drivers, tracks, cars, and images that helped establish the Trans-Am
as the era's premier
  racing spectacle. Every featured track, most of which have never been
seen before in a
  racing simulation, and some of which no longer exist, will be
period-correct to meticulous
  detail, from elevation changes to trees and track signage. The
carsincluding such
  classics as the 1968 Chevrolet Camaro, 1970 Boss Mustang, 1970 Pontiac
Firebird, 1966
  Dodge Dart and 1972 AMC Javelinwill encompass the high-horsepower,
small-tire
  characteristics of a period when racing truly separated the "men from
the boys."

  "We're e***d with this new partnership that will bring the history
of America's muscle car
  road racing series to life," said John Clagett, Vice President, SCCA
Pro Racing
  Communications and Marketing Services. "The early years of the
Trans-Am featured the
  greatest cars and racers of the era in fender-banging, drama-filled
competition. The
  Trans-Am Racing simulation game will rekindle interest in the roots of
the Trans-Am, and
  bring new fans to today's NTB Trans-Am Seriesstill the most
action-packed,
  ground-pounding road racing anywhere."

  Following the game's expected September, 1998 release, Trans-Am Racing

  demonstrations will be set up at select NTB Trans-Am Series venues.

Scott B. Husted
http://www.racesimcentral.net/~sbhusted

  Jari,  I may be mistaken, but he only "telemetry" available in 1967 came from
the driver and his foot and backside.   Other than driver input, I don't think
any sort of electronic information gathering device was used in the '60s.  So if
GPL is a '60s sim.....that sort of thing should be left out.
  It would kinda be like mounting Sidewinders on a Sopwith Camel in a WWI flight
sim.
dave henrie

Section times would be nice. I'm sure a driver could afford
a groupie or two if no one on the team would help
with a stop watch.

Etc. I think one could pick and choose TM that would
make some historical sense to have, to complement what
info we can't get while driving in the sim, and
compensate for the rest of the team or vicious journalists.

- Matt

- Matt