rec.autos.simulators

The car has more grip and is less likely to spin out if you make a small
error, but perhaps that's simply the setup's that come with the game?

The graphics are a bit better, and some say the tracks (and the surrounding
scenery) are more accurate.

The cars are up to date for this season, with the current teams and paint
schemes, and the game also have 2002 features like auto-shifting and launch
control.

The, menu is improved imo, but the best improvement has to be improved
framerate!

I'm running a PIII 933 with a GeForce 2 GTS 64meg card and 384meg of PC133
ram and when running 1200x1600 16bit w/out FSAA I can get 30+ fps
consistently!

Regards,
Jay J

The car dynamics seem improved, too (I think the front end on the car feels
different).

The interface and track textures are improved, although some tracks still
need to be brought a bit more in line with reality!

Split axis controllers are still not handled perfectly (although pressing
both throttle and brake while the game loads seems to do the trick). The
multiplayer is apparently not quite there yet, although I haven't tried this
much myself.

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There are improvements and not all are on the surface. But I don't think it
is worth the full price to upgrade from 2001 so long as you are willing to
***around with the FFB settings in F12001.Maybe wait for the price to
drop then buy it.

I was going to skip this update, since the changes seemed minor when just
looking at the specs. Having read some in-depth reviews, I changed my mind,
and I'm glad I did. It's the most worthwhile F1 game yet, if you have the
machine do run it.

Physics are greatly improved with the double-rate physics engine and
completely new tire model. The unrealistic tire wear model from F1 2001
(evidently worsened by the patches) is gone, tire wear is more progressive,
and the tire heating is more controllable.

Split axis control problems ARE solved (but you need to tweak the values
for the controller axis directly in the player.cfg file).

Many track alterations have been made. I don't particularly care if they
are always within the proverbial inch of reality, but many corners at least
seem more logical and driveable from a racing point of view -- i.e., you
see the "logic of the racing line", especially when you miss it and mess
up...  (For the first time ever in an F1 game, I feel the ideal curb-riding
line over the chicanes at Imola to be spot-on! Also, Silverstone looks much
more like Silverstone now, I think -- not a 6-lane highway :)

Tha A.I. behaviour has been greatly improved, (although they can still
behave like morons at times). The best thing is, their behaviour is much
more human. They are not consistantly slower or consistantly faster;
Instead, when you lower the A.I. setting, they don't so much slow down as
start to make human-like errors like underbraking, putting on gas too early
at corner exits, etc. This makes racing them much more enjoyable -- if you
mess up, chances are the guy in front is going to do the same when you
catch him again two laps later!

The new telemetry system seems impressive, but I haven't started to look
into it yet. The rather nice default setups will do me for a while longer,
thanks. The setup files are somewhat better organized and easier to manage
now, but no more than should have been in F1 2001 already.

To sum it all up, even if none of the changes are revolutionary, i find F1
2002 just so mch more fun and satisfying to drive. Which is what should
count, really, rather than "how many changed code lines' worth does this
update buy me?"

From the box cover, you'd be forgiven to think the ISI boys were just
resting on their laurels this year. I'm glad to say they weren't. (Now just
bring out the safety car for next year, and finally get a decent replay
system going, for chrissakes!)

It's worth every penny. The super physics combined with the better
driving model makes this one much much more fun that F1-2001.

Just my 5c.

And they have to stop the cheatin' AI before I buy the 2003 version. AI
still cuts corners at times to pass you that in RL would result in a black
flag.

I also don't like them bumping into my rear when I slow down half a second
too early when entering the pit lane... Bastards!

--
"Walk like a Syrian"

Per Thulin

Visit Jane The Hamster (and Pelhamina & Grenville) at

http://w1.541.telia.com/~u54108168/

(Spamblock in operation - remove "hamsters" in email address to reply by
mail.)

Yea, but that's nothing compared to the ***ous AI in F1RC by Ubisoft.

  It will be when the ALMS/FIA GT/&LeMans 2002 get released for it.  Until
then it is just another F1 title with proper cars and most likely the best
physics model of any modern sim.

dave henrie

Can you possibly elaborate on tweaking the values for the controller axis?

Thanks,

Don Burnette

Sure. First off, the file is named "<player name>.plr", and is located in
the "<player name>" folder inside the "Save" folder.

There's a [control] section with a humongous amount of options. Look at the
lines similar to:

Axis [00, 00] Center="0.50000" // 0.0=min, 0.5=center, 1.0=max (use to
correct centering or split-axis

The first number after "Axis" is the controller number (-1), the second the
Axis number for the controller (-1).

For my trusty old LWFF, I just had to change the values for axis 01 and 02
to "1.00000", and voil. (I guess some wheels would require "0.00000"
instead.)

Don Burnette

I also just found that the same settings seem to work OK with MS Sidewinder
Force Feedback, don't know if it actually uses them or works regardless of
these settings...

--
"Walk like a Syrian"

Per Thulin

Visit Jane The Hamster (and Pelhamina & Grenville) at

http://w1.541.telia.com/~u54108168/

(Spamblock in operation - remove "hamsters" in email address to reply by
mail.)