rec.autos.simulators

        I just finished my 1st test session with the patch
installed,and I'm impressed with it so far.  My frame rates are up in
the mid to high ***s,and the sim is much smoother. The brightness
issue is much better when I increased the brigthness to 90%,but I
still find it too dark to race comfortably at Fontana. The steering is
more stable than before,but still isn't as precise as it is in ICR2.
But I think that this is a setup issue rather than a bug in the sim.

                   As far as the AIs are concerned,they don't run into
the back of you anymore. So racing with them shouldn't be anymore
difficult than in ICR2.

                  While trying out auto shifting at laguna Seca,twice
the car slowed down all by its own,then refused to move. I had to
restart the session inorder to get tothe car to go..

                  I do have one question for you guys. In the graphics
setup screen you can either pick software only or D3D. When I tried
D3D the sim would boot back to my desktop.  I have a Diamond Stealth
3D 3000 graphics card with a Diamond Monster 3d accelerator card,so
shouldn't I be able to pick the D3D option? I also use a small program
called 3D control center with the secondary video device option
selected.

Joel Willstein

HI IM MIKE CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHY THE SOUND WILL NOT WORK ON MY APTIVA FOR
NASCAR II.
I GET AN ERROR IN THE UNIVBE SOUND. IT SAID THAT THE SOUND BOARD IN MY COMPUTER
IS NOT DISABLED

PLEASE HELP I WANT SOUND,   THANKS MIKE.......

     Well tonight I downloaded the final version of the patch after
having installed the Beta version earlier this week.  As I stated in
my earlier review for the patch,my frame rates had improved to
20-27fps while practicing at Mid Ohio. I had only raced against the
AIs for a brief time with a field of 12 cars,and my frame rates went
down to 14-18 fps.

     Tonight I ran against a field of 20 cars at Mid Ohio,and to my
shock my frame rates went down to 10-15 fps,and at the start of the
race it was as low as 9. Needless to say that this didn't make for a
very smooth ride.

      At this point I'm seriously considering returning the sim to
Microsoft for a full refund since I'm still within my 30 day period.

Joel Willstein