ok...first of all this game is incredible...that is if U own a p90
atleast...
once U start the game...a moment of silence and then a brilliant intro
to the game which suits to the games atmosphere perfectly. This is
all on VGA...dunno yet if theres an oprtion to force it ti SVGA.
Next thing U see is these glorious SVGA menus...much similar to
F1GP...a little more complex but all the required R there.
Hardware and playing:
p90, 16 megs RAM and Diamond Stealth 2MB Vram:
ok...on my friends machine we desided to give a shot and we tried
monaco with full details on SVGA! (ok...u may laugh we did too :-))
IT WAS HORRIBLE, looked like 3 frames per second!!! and the processor
occupancy 300 - 350 %...phew :(...
ok...I found out that the best option is to let computer decide the
graphics and switched the detail settings to automatic in SVGA.
I found out that the speed the game runs and processor occupancy
varies A LOT from track to track.
With p90 on automatic setting the game disables most of the graphic
options and the game becomes very well playable. It gave around
silverstone 70% - 120% processor occupancy and was good.
p166, 32 MB ram and Matrox MGA:
Its too choppy for all details on SVGA...but with automatic graphic
settings(the game leaves most options on as default) its very well
playable and looks glorious...much better than on p90... very slick
and the speed...it gives much better impression of speed than F1GP
when over 20 fps.
Ok what is great is that the other cars wont affect to the frame rate
THAT much :)...even at starts...it affects but not that much as Ud
imagined which is good indeed.
If Ure following couple of cars U the frame rate wont change almost
at all...(it seemed not to lower the details)...and when Ure close on
other cars U wont belive how great they look. Take a look at the
drivers head for example as it bumps and constantly turns into right
direction, the exhaust pipes show flams as one changes down, try
following a car on the straight and U can see the car bottoming and it
gives bursts of sparks :) ...and the lightning effects...truly GREAT.
After U have tried the SVGA U wont bare the VGA anymore(IMHO).
Its that much better...I tried monaco on VGA with full details and it
ran fine...over 25fps with p166 but was too messy with 17"
monitor...and as I said once U have tried the SVGA...theres no way
back if Ure machine is capable of it.
In that respect this game is a real 486 killer...didnt install it to
my old 486 but I may do so in near future to compare the performance
of these 2 machines AND to remind me why I spend those hard earned
money to that p166...ok enough of that.
But any 486 GP2 player out there? Give us your comments about it and
the processor occupancy and the detail levels etc.
ok...to the controls:
Ive always loved F1GP with keyboard like many other...I never settled
with joystick and couldnt afford wheels and pedals...and how does GP2
compare to its predecessor?
luckily...all is FINE...its as good as F1GP or better with the
keyboard...the layout and buttons R same...GREAT!
However some fast corner were quite tricky with keyboard(like in
F1GP)...but otherwise its better than F1GP with keyboard.(dont ask
why...U have to try it yourself :))...and U will...unless U have a
pair of pedals and a proper steering wheel...
I tried many of the circuits last night...and the layout of them is
much similar to f1gp with the changes after 94 season.
ok...last night after hard test driving I decide to have a 100% race
in Silverstone...and here comes the commentary...:
I chosed a non-championship race and drove Ligier-renault. First thing
U see is that now U can drive EVERY single session of a grand prix
weekend(94 season so 2 quals.). Difficulty level was set to SEMI-PRO.
I drove with keyboard(manual gears - space for gears change...the rest
was same as in f1gp)
Started with friday qualifying...didnt setup the car at all...it
seemed fine...looks like theres always some basic setup for every
track...which is good(correct me if Im wrong :))
ok...the setup was good...quite neutral...a bit understeery
maybe...but better than in f1gp...and DEFINATELY not as twitchy as in
ICR2. Very good feeling and with good frame rate the controls R great.
NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT...ITS FAR BETTER TO DRIVE WITH A GOOD FRAME
RATE THAN WITH A GREATER BUT CHOPPIER DETAIL LEVEL. It seems that the
controls R actually better with good frame rate...when I say good I
mean some 20 or over fps...
After first qualifying I had set a time of low 1.28. which put me 15th
of the track!!! I thought I was good on F1GP I always beated f1gp with
ACE level even with those editors and my qual times were 1-2 secs off
those from HALL OF FAME.(which is quite good IMHO :)).The friday pole
was a high 1.24....and now the gaps between different cars R realistic
and guite big!!! :))) GREAT.
Very authentic...Schumi was on 2nd row and Verstappen his teammate
besides me....Hakkinen was on 3rd or 4th row and Brundle just behind
me...Hill and Coulthard very evenly matched (on 1st row:))... as were
the Ferraris(Alesi a bit faster maybe) ...but it was GREAT compared
with f1gp...even with those editors cars were way too evenly
matched...especially inside the teams.
ok...I skipped sat. practise and jumped to saturday qual. I decided to
give everything and pushed very hard...first lap was a tad slower but
at the start of the 2nd lap I pushed a bit too hard and overrun Copse
corner...went over curb to gravel and to tire
barrier..."bummer!"...had to replay...GREAT replays...the car bounced
in the gravel and hit the barrier and left front side of the car was
wiped away....hmm...enough qualifying and decided to race...(its
still possible to hit Q key and jump to pits in practise and in qual.)
I was slipped down to 16th place in the final
qualifying...hmmm...warmup...visited there to check my pitstop
strategy....1 stop...fine!...45%/55%...ok 1 stop after 25 laps. Off to
race.
The grid was formed...red lights on...revving...(starts as in f1gp)...
...green lights...a lot of smoke and wheelspin...but thanks to my
throttle help I made a great start :)("F7 - throttle help, reduces the
throttle when wheels spin. This is NOT to be performance enhancing
unlike the banned traction control!!!")...I tried Adelaide without
throttle help...and after first 1st gear coner - wheelspin and a spin!
WOW....back to throttle help...it slides with it too...
,,,ok heading to Copse passed couple of cars already...and the cars
slowed downnnnn.....much...damn...it seems computers take the 1st
corner always very carefully...and its incredibly slow to go trough
it...."heyyy...somebodys front bodywork with front wing is in the
middle of track - its Williams" ...I passed it and wasnt able to
spot whether it was Coult .or Hill...hmmm...so places to be gained
again :)
David Coulthard - out of the race...hhhmmm so it was Coult...After 1st
lap I was 11th and chasing hard my teammate Panis in front of me...
...The Becketts is a great place...U can really gain time there...and
I was always on the limit with a quick entry to Hangar straight to get
a good top speed...my renault was pulling wery well indeed...I
followed Panis for 2 laps and then on Stowe I got a perfect line and
was right on his gearbox...as we headed to club corner I slipstreamed
him and passed him inside! :)...GREAT(the slipstream is now much
better than in f1gp - I was slipstreaming a ferrari and was able to
stay in his gearbox but always as I pulled to pass it my speed reduced
and had to return behind its gearbox!!! -another GREAT! :))
the race continued like this I passed herbert and I saw Morbidelly
spinning ahead of me and as Irvine stepped on brakes to avoid him I
passed em both from left side....YEEEEEeeeeeessssS!
I was running on 8th now(hmmm...have to admit saves and couple of
spins from me happened too :))...in lap 17 - Katayama in pits...
...lap 18 schumi on pits and he rejoined just behind me...I was now
running 4th...I tried to block schu and push even harder...but the guy
was over 2 secs a lap faster than me...but my straight line speed was
great enough to keep that Benetton Ford V8 behind me...but then on one
corner I went a bit wide and he slipped past - DAMN!...now Alesi was
right on my tail...running on 5th...seemed like most of the people out
there were on 2 pitstop strategy...and I was on 1 so it looked
good...I was doing low 1.30. and best lap from schu so far was 1.28.
something...(seemed like there was variety in pitstop strategies -
most were on 2 pits. and some on just 1 - like me...)
lap 23 I was 2 laps from my stop and Alesi still behind m unable to
pass...I blocked him couple of times...but my renault pulled very
strongly...and we catched a backmarker....damn it was slow brooklands
and luffield section in the last part of the track and I was behind a
Simtek...and suddenly he goes deliberately wide and lets me by!!!!
INCREDIBLE!!! :) What a joy - Alesi was stuck couple of more corners
and I pulled a little away...
Next lap Alesi was on my tail again and slipstreaming heading to
Abbey...he moved to left at last time and I braked as late as possible
- arrgghhhh...too late brakes locked and I went straight to
gravel...(seems like the brakes lock up easily with keyboard-this
however luckily seems not to flatspot the tyres)"DAMN!...now when was
the last time I saved....hmmm guess on lap 14...whats the time?" 1
AM!!!!! argghhh....5 hours to sleep...gotta quit now playing I
thought...
so in general this game is simply AWESOME..and I bet U agree with me
when U try it...and Im very much looking for getting out of the work
and spending the weekend slipstreaming Schumacher...
...any comments?
PS...everyone interested in racing simulations and has accees to
IRC...Join EFnet channel #f1...its headed by Paul Ryder(pRy)...
...hes the one responsible for F1GP racing series in WWW(F1GPRS)
...see U :)
...
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