rec.autos.simulators

I haven't had any problems so far with ICR2 and the patched v1.0.2.  I
don't get any screen blanks or control twitching.  Which track are you
refering to when you have the "twitch"?  Maybe you haven't calibrated
your joystick/wheel properly?

I wouldn't give Sierra another $15-20 US for something I should have
received for free.  Add on the exchange rate from Canada and I'd have to
pay about $30.  They already have my money.  1.0.2 works fine for me,
just my $.02 worth.

--
Kenny Ho

******** WHO'S PATCH IS THIS ANYWAY ********
I can list a few good reasons to question the validity of the 1.02
patch for Indycar Racing 2.  The letter below from Sierra Tech Support
is the clincher.  Who wrote this patch anyway.  I have not seen any
"official" acknowledgement of it's existance, let alone it's release.

Reason 1: No official release from Papyrus or Sierra.

Reason 2: No official acknowledgement on any Web site of its
existance.

Reason 3: Owners of the original ICR2 AND the new Win95 version have
reported  the DOS version on the new CD is the same old version.

Reason 4: The 1.02 Patch is unstable compared to the original. For
example the screen blanks out occassionaly, and the controls seem to
randomly "twitch" making me eat concrete.  If I play from the original
version it works great.

Reason 5: This email from Sierra (below).
________________________________________________

Subject: Indycar II - DOS Patch and Win95 Upgrade Reply-To:


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______________________________________________

Sorry but we currently have no information on a patch for Indycar2.

Thanks for your patience.

Our upgrade policy for Indycar 2/DOS to the Windows 95 version:

Your may upgrade by sending in your floppy disks or cd rom and a
check/money
order or credit card number. The price of the upgrade/replacement will
be $15.
There is no additional charge for shipping and handling.

The upgrade/replacement will be sent to you by US Postal Service. If
you wish to
receive faster delivery, you need to pay the cost of shipping via the
alternate
method. ie., if you wish to receive the CD within next two days, there
would be charged
$5.75 for Airborne Express delivery (bringing the total upgrade price
to $20.75).

If you wish to upgrade within the 30 day no-risk return period, there
will be a $5.00 charge
for shipping and handling.  If you wish expedited shipping methods
must pay for that
service; ie., $5.75 for Airborne Express (the total price in this
instance would be $10.75).

Conditions:

1.  We must get the original disks back from you; photocopies are not
acceptable.

2.  The default method of shipping will be US Postal Service.
Expedited shipping
is charged at the current rate for that service.

3.  You will be sent the following:  CD in jewel case and any specific
doco (if applicable).

Let me know if you have other questions. Thanks Jason/SierraTech

The patch is available in the Sierra forum on Compuserve.  It was posted
by Sierra tech support.

: ******** WHO'S PATCH IS THIS ANYWAY ********
: I can list a few good reasons to question the validity of the 1.02
: patch for Indycar Racing 2.  The letter below from Sierra Tech Support
: is the clincher.  Who wrote this patch anyway.  I have not seen any
: "official" acknowledgement of it's existance, let alone it's release.

The following is from Sierra On-Line's web page:

icr100_2.exe (DOS, hard drive installation only!)
1.23M, posted on 07/17/96

Fixes yellow flag problem with race order being corrupted, and
understeering problem after driving a long time. This patch upgrades
version 1.0.0 of the game to version 1.0.2. It will not work with the
CD-ROM installation of the game. If you are uncertain about which
version you have, download this patch as it will work on both versions
(1.0.0 and 1.0.1).

------------end of message from S.O.L. ---------------

My question is what problem did it fix with the yellow flag?  I liked it
better the old way.  Then I might just be the last guy on the restart,
but at least I could still be on the lead lap.  As it works now, with
the patch I could be 2 laps down (even if I come out of the pits as the
leader).

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./.  [-  < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

 >: ******** WHO'S PATCH IS THIS ANYWAY ********
 >: I can list a few good reasons to question the validity of the 1.02
 >: patch for Indycar Racing 2.  The letter below from Sierra Tech Support
 >: is the clincher.  Who wrote this patch anyway.  I have not seen any
 >: "official" acknowledgement of it's existance, let alone it's release.
 >
 >The following is from Sierra On-Line's web page:
 >
 >icr100_2.exe (DOS, hard drive installation only!)
 >1.23M, posted on 07/17/96
 >
 >Fixes yellow flag problem with race order being corrupted, and
 >understeering problem after driving a long time. This patch upgrades
 >version 1.0.0 of the game to version 1.0.2. It will not work with the
 >CD-ROM installation of the game. If you are uncertain about which
 >version you have, download this patch as it will work on both versions
 >(1.0.0 and 1.0.1).
 >
 >------------end of message from S.O.L. ---------------
 >
 >My question is what problem did it fix with the yellow flag?  I liked it
 >better the old way.  Then I might just be the last guy on the restart,
 >but at least I could still be on the lead lap.  As it works now, with
 >the patch I could be 2 laps down (even if I come out of the pits as the
 >leader).
 >

Hey Michael,

I'm with you on this one....  For whatever reason, the fellow flag bug is now
at least twice as bad as it used to be.  Makes you wonder what is passing for
quality assurance these days.  If I fixed bugs the way this patch does, I'd be
looking for a new job....   Sad, sad, sad.   Why is it that the red line is
determined by the chassis instead of the engine??!?!?!?   I program for a
living, and if they've got code which determines when to turn on the overrev
light, how hard could it be to make it key off of the engine rather than the
chassis!!??   Since I'm a Honda fan, I find this particularly annoying!  

BTW, I still can't equal my old lap times on Cleveland and Michigan after a
week of trying.  (But I've got my Michigan time within a few hundredths!).  I
just don't understand what this patch really fixes.  I never noticed the
traction bug except at Nazareth.  But I still managed a 189.xxx in v1.0.0, so
what was the real problem?  The biggest thing I've noticed so far is that if
you're racing at an oval, you'd better pray there are no yellow flags or you
will be at least -1L!!!  

Oh well, at least GP2 is here!

Clark Archer    Speed Tribe
IVGA #3920      1996 Lola Honda Firestone

Don Chapman
--------------------------

I sure noticed it!  you dont remember the front tires going away way
too early?  i sure do.

where?  where?

Best work around I've found to at least stay on the lead lap is to wait
until the cars are behind the pace car before going into the pits.  At
Long Beach, this prevented the other cars from whizzing past the pace car
while I got the "Keep behind the pace car" message.  In both instances, I
was in the lead when the yellow came out (and caused the yellow in both
cases).  Still not perfect, but better than going down 2 laps under
yellow.

Neil
--
Meek and obedient you follow the leader
down well trodden corridors into the valley of steel..

       Neil Yeatman, Ajax, Ontario, CANADA

: I'm confused. I thought the bug was sort of the opposite- I thought
: the old bug was a severe "looseness" in the car for the first 15
: minutes or so of driving. Anyway, that seems to be gone... but the
: opposite problem seems to be haunting me- 4 or 5 laps in to Toronto, I
: can't stop my car in half the distance I could on cold tires.

I am not sure if Papyrus ever said whether the weigh-shift model was
correct at the start or corrected itself 15+ minutes in.  The fix seems
to make it the same as it was when it started.  At least on the road
courses the "feel" seems right.  I haven't been on Hawaii or played with
multi.exe, but I have seen reports that this how they also fixed NASCAR.

I haven't spent much time at Toronto since the patch, but I have
experienced the same thing.  It seems that the brakes just stop working
after the long straights.  This is interesting since the Toronto track's
DAT file was not changed by the patch.  The TXT file was changed, but
the only change was the number of laps.

Can anyone at Papyrus shed any light on this?  It would also be nice to
receive information at what was changed with the patch.

: Is this just my progressively lazy driving, or perhaps a setup problem
: (I'm using generic Papyrus "Ace" and "Qualace", or is there something
: in the program progressively stealing braking distance from me?

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./.  [-  < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=