rec.autos.simulators

I am having a problem with very low frame rates in GP2 when connected via a
modem with a friend of mine. While not on-line, things run fine ... 19+fps
with all graphics on. My friend gets decent frame rates but he has to
switch a few graphics off. However when we connect, we can't really drive
it is so slow and choppy. Both of us also race ICR2 on-line and that works
like a charm, no problems at all.

We have tried a few things like, turning most of the graphics off, trying
both computers as the host, even using VGA instead of SVGA but nothing
seems to make any improvement. It remains VERY choppy and slow. We are
connecting at 19200bps. My machine is a P200MMX 32meg RAM and my friends is
a P100 with 40meg RAM.

ANY suggestions would be most appreciated ... thank you.

  I've never used gp2 to connect with modems, but here's a little story that
might explain why gp2 works so poorly modem to modem.
  My first experience with modem racing was GP1.  We each had 386-40 computers
and it ran very well solo.  But with a modem race, the thing was like a slide
show.  Unbelievably we kept at it and raced over half a season with the herky
jerky slowness.
  Then ICR came along and besides the obvious tires...it too promised modem
racing.
But that didn't work.  It took Papyrus about 6 months to get the modem to modem
racing figured out.  When they did we were blown away!  No pauses, no slowdown,
no decernaable difference from offline racing.   Unbelievable!
  Skip ahead a year or two and along comes gp2 which is supposed to be a
revolutinary product.  What it really is, is an evolutionary product.  Many
parts of the old gp1 are still there, just with fancy new clothes...obviously
even with 2 more years to work on it, they didn nothing to update the modem
section...a pity...Leaving out Networking altogether....which, just like ICR2
was incredibly short-sighted..
  the m***of the story...
   You can tweek all you like but the modem to modem section is 5 year old code
and you won't get anywhere near offline performance from it..
  dave henrie

I tried GP2 H2H once using a direct serial connection (most likely faster and
more stable than you'll ever get with a modem, and we were in the same room, so
we could easily communicate and test things).  It was awful - maybe the worst
game I've ever played head-to-head.  I think this is a tribute to the god-awful
design that slows the game down rather than dropping frames.  I remember a few
hot lap competitions that were dominated by people running the game in slow
motion and using the keyboard, but I digress...  As best I remember, the major
problem we encountered was that it would constantly adjust the game speed to
try and sync the two computers.  Even if we minimized processor occupancy, we'd
still get hit with unexpected slow-downs on one system triggered by something
done on the other...it was pointless.  What's really funny is that they were
originally discussing a network expansion for the game!

Sean

Or, IMHO, get Nascar2 and the NROS. 20human drivers is a unique experience
;-)

Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard> Sponsored by http://www.racesimcentral.net/
Good race at the Brickyard, (-o-)

Official Mentally retarded guy of r.a.s.
Excuse me for my English (I'm French speaking)
Excuse me for being provocative (I'm dumb speaking)

--"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realise
how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."--

On Thu, 19 Mar 1998 12:05:04 -0500, "Edward Chelminiak"

Tried 9600 BPS - performance improved, and game is playable.  We get
something like 13fps.

Also be sure to use -use16550 (I think) at the command line.
try gp2 -? or gp2 /? to find out exactly what it is.

Paul S.