rec.autos.simulators

Secondly, I'm not sure if there are two warez versions out there because the
release I have looks to be the final. Some people have mentioned that there
is no 20 sec replay, no FF and no 3-way axis. These are all there in this
version.

The following is my opinion of what I feel is good or bad in the game. Only
my opinion so forgive any mistakes.

What's here:
- Beautiful Wet Weather: By far the best representation I have EVER seen of
wet racing. Reflections on the track, dry sections, different lines.
Excellent!
- Gorgeous high-res backdrops: It's hard to concentrate on the road when you
see the backgrounds used at some tracks. Austria, Spa, Monaco, the list goes
on. Wow!
- Framerate: Very playable. Unlike GP2 which didn't run at full speed for a
few years, this game runs beautifully with existing hardware!
- Sounds: Some are improved, some are so-so. Downshifting sound is my fave.
Replays now have sound!
- Gameplay: Similar to GP2 but with better braking and less grip in corners.
If you like GP2, you'll enjoy GP3. With all help (steering, throttle) off,
the car is pretty difficult to control.
- Improved tracks: Not perfect but improved over GP2. Banking is everywhere.
- Network ***: With GP2, I had to hook-up a null modem cable to play
multiplayer. Not anymore!
- High-res AI cars: All the AI cars look very nice even when up close to
them. I was playing in 1024x768 and the AI cars look very convincing. Can't
wait for 3rd-party tobacco carsets and track graphics!
- Improved AI: AI cars will challenge you into the corners. I've been
launched into the air a few times : )
- Little graphical touches: Engines on fire, Tire smoke, body parts flying
across the track, etc...

What's missing:
- No AI car sounds: I can't believe the AI cars still don't make any
sounds!! But they do on replays, go figure.
- Some (not all) blocky track graphics: For some reason they opted not to
use filtering on trees, shadows and tire barriers. Yet guardrails, AI cars
and some other objects are fine when you get up close.
- AI cars are partially in the air:  when going down a banking (Monaco, Spa)
part of an AI car will be in the air.
- Lighting effects: All the fancy lighting (wet weather excluded) effects
we've come to expect from 3D games are subdued. There are shadows, but they
don't look very convincing because they're blocky.
- Some tracks still inaccurate: Many tracks are very improved from GP2 but a
few still have inaccuracies.
- True racing line: No tire *** to represent a true racing line. We still
have the old dotted line from GP1 and GP2.
- Tire temps and pressures: Still can't adjust these.
- Pit Communication: Would be nice. That's one the few things I liked about
F12000.

Being that this is the Warez version, I'm hoping that the released version
is improved over this one. It's a long shot, but I hope the retail version
has some of these gripes removed. I'm looking forward to next Friday when
all the reviews of the retail release will be up on RAS. The thing I am
happy about, is that until the game is released in North America and I can
get my grubby hands on a copy, this version will keep me amused.

Michael M

JoH

------- The best way to accelerate a Mac is 9.81 m/s2 --------
--------------------------------------------------------------

That is great, but it won't make GP3 any better will it?

there

Of course it is.

Wow...

Are you taking into account that the tracks in GP2 were modeled after
the real tracks in the early 90's and the tracks in GP3 are modeled after
the 98 season? Do you have accurate track maps for each game to
compare with? I think you are a little mistaken with this track accuracy
stuff.

You most certainly can adjust the temps. That is what chassis
adjustments do. Also are F1 teams allowed to alter tire pressures?

Yep.

I thought you said it looked like the final...

Please keep in mind that the warez reports for F1 2000 was absolutely
spot on. I expect the same here.

--

**ElfKing**
T'was in a kingdom long ago and far away......

I don't think I'm mistaken. One example is at Hockenheim at the chicane
before Ostkurve (the last chicane on the front stretch), there is a slight
elevation change that is evident on Television and on every updated track
created for GP2. Again, this elevation change is missing. At Monaco, when
exiting the tunnel, the first chicane has a wall that's supposed to
represent a tire barrier. If you've seen F1 races for the past few years,
you're aware that most drivers outbreak themselves and just go straight
through that chicane. As long as they don't gain an advantage, they're not
penalized. The other flaw that comes to mind is at the Nurburgring. On the
last chicane, there is also an alternate route that in GP3 doesn't exist. It
is also a chicane that a lot of drivers skip across. Do any of these errors
take away from the game? No. At the same time, many tracks are improved (and
I'm not referring to the changes made in real life since the 1994 season
represented in GP2) from GP2 with the addition of banking being the most
obvious.

Yes, I said it "looked" like the final. However, bear in mind that I have
seen many Warez that were released as *final* only to have a competing
release expose them. The program shows up as version 1.0, the readme is
dated within the file as July 13 (which would sound about right if that's
when it went gold) and most files are dated anywhere from July 3-July 12.
Like I said, if anyone wants to fudge these, they can. Also,
F1grandprix3.net did mention that the version going around was a Beta. So,
despite what I've played and such, there is a bit of doubt.

Michael M

--
Slot

www.slottweak.com
Tweaks & Reviews

Blaze

JoH

------- The best way to accelerate a Mac is 9.81 m/s2 --------
--------------------------------------------------------------

20 sec replay. hit space bar to pause then hit R key

TM SS wheel

Martyn_D

Andre

Well it is totally there in F1 2000 :-) I took my foot out of my brace and
ran a few laps there yesterday. I was oging to do a seperate post about
it. But all I thought was *WOW*...

--

Blaze