So what are you waiting for, order GPL NOW. Then spend time in VROC chat so
your'e ready when you get enuf practice to race online, it's way better than the
sim itself. I'll share this with you .
> I must confess that I hate driving cars. It's a lot of concentration for
> little intellectual or physical gain. I've never even owned a car, because
> I've never needed one, living in a big city with excellent public
> transportation. So I suppose it's no surprise that I was never taught how to
> drive with manual transmission; the less training time I required for my
> license, the better, so naturally I chose automatic. As for car racing,
> prior to this year I'd watch my country's favourite annual event (Bathurst
> 1000) and the occasional F1 grand prix, but that's about it.
> On the computer, the first racing game I tried was Indy Car Racing. Because
> I only had a keyboard, I mostly restricted my racing to the ovals - New
> Hampshire is one I recall. Then a few years (and a couple of computers)
> later, I tried out Powerslide and was mesmerised by it. Despite only having
> a keyboard (and sticking with automatic gears) I became one of the top 5
> 'sliders, with my name featuring prominently in the hot laps lists. But
> slowly, I started to crave a steering wheel, especially after coming across
> a few great-looking games which were only playable that way. So a couple of
> months ago, I finally bit the bullet and bought the Logitech Wingman Formula
> Force.
> Coincident with my craving for a wheel was my burgeoning interest in motor
> sports. From rallying to F1, CART to touring cars, I lapped it all up. My
> Sundays are now consumed by watching motor racing on the idiot box. I'm
> devouring what little my local library has on motor racing, and I dare say
> the local book store will be my next target (if anyone knows of a good book
> detailing the history of racing at Bathurst, I'd be grateful if you would
> let me know about it).
> Bundled with my LWFF wheel was a game called Sports Car GT. I tried it - not
> impressed. I tried it again - thought it was OK. I tried it yet again -
> loved it! I've spent the last month playing this game to an obsessive
> degree. I've won all the championships, downloaded cars and tracks
> (including the Bathurst track) and enjoyed the whole experience thoroughly.
> And guess what? I was still using automatic gears. How embarrassing! :o But
> with poor AI and average physics, SCGT could only keep me entertained for so
> long.
> So the time came for me to briefly renounce my contrarian nature and give
> the most popular, or at least best regarded, racing sim a go: Grand Prix
> Legends. I downloaded the demo early last night, it's now almost 6am and I
> haven't slept a wink (fortunately, today is my day off work). What's more,
> I've learnt how to drive with manual shifting. :) Yesterday, I wouldn't dare
> touch the neat-looking shifters that come with the LWFF wheel. Today, I'm
> gear-changing with panache, with no second thoughts about it. Yee ha! :)
> OK, so this is supposed to be about a newbie's impressions of the GPL demo,
> not about a *** with a phobia of gearsticks and how he overcomes it! ;)
> Firstly, the graphics are not something which set my world on fire. But
> they're only below average in the***pit department. Secondly, the sound is
> not great, but I don't really care too much about that. Thirdly, the
> physics. The physics. Hmmmm, ummm ... FREAKIN' UNBELIEVABLE MAN!!!! In other
> words, despite this only being a demo, I was actually able to appreciate the
> fact that my car appears to obey Newton's laws (in addition to some
> thermodynamic ones) to the letter.
> The learning curve is a big one. It's more of a learning mountain. And
> despite the fact that I'm still struggling in the foothills, I've enjoyed
> myself a little too much, as this late hour confesses. I tried the training
> car first, and after a couple of hours was able to run at least 4 or 5
> consecutive laps without crashing. This is without brake or traction help (I
> hate them things anyway). I can't recall my lap times with the trainer, but
> they were nothing to write home about. Then I tried the advanced trainer,
> and had to deal with a 5th gear and a bigger engine. Ever the impatient one,
> I quickly moved on to the grand prix car.
> Fast is an understatement for this baby. And very temperamental. But now I
> can do 2 or 3 laps without crashing, and even managed (or fluked) a 1:10.35
> at the Watkins Glen circuit (the one that came with my demo). The replay
> that comes with the demo records a car which does the circuit in 1:06.91.
> The thing that impressed me about the replay was the on-edge driving
> displayed by the driver, or the amount of sliding about on the corners.
> Watching this, and the gear changes, helped me to get my 1:10. But the only
> thing, I believe, that can help you get consistency is practice, practice,
> practice. I might be able to fluke a 1:10 every 10 laps or so, but I'm more
> interested in (for example) 10 consecutive laps under 1:12.
> It's a bit of a shame that the demo comes without the AI drivers, but on
> second thought, I don't really care. I'm hooked and in a few hours I'll be
> scouring the city for a copy of the full game, I don't care how much I spend
> or how long it takes me. I want this game: NOW! Meanwhile, I'll browse a few
> GPL web sites (I'm too e***d to sleep!) Let me put in a good word for the
> following site, by Eagle Woman:
> http://www.racesimcentral.net/
> Sites such as these make it easy for newbies like me to get up to speed with
> the game.
> Bendito;
