rec.autos.simulators

I have both NSR and NR2003. Though I have hopes for the future of NSR its
present incarnation is lacking and EA seems in no hurry to make it playable.
So I dust off NR2003.

Looking around Black Hole Motor Sports I see a LOT of downloades for NR2003.
I suspect that out off all the downloads there are only a few that are
actually used by most folks with the rest of them having been superceeded or
otherwise left alone.

Could someone here tell me which I should get and which not to bother with?

Any assistance appreciated.

1.  Hard question to answer really, because more than what you need is what
do ya want?  there are at least the physics Mods for the game on the CD.
trucks, BGN, and trans-am type.  Then there are the 1984 era "aero war" mod
that uses the Trucks physics and setups.  There was a GTP mod, unsure about
it's fate though.

2.  if you just installed the game to the PC, you of course would need the
patch.

3.  there are tracks that have been updated and the grip altered to give new
grooves, to aid in reality or just better online racing...

This guy was keeping a decent set of links to the mods and other updates,
prolly still is http://www.ncracer.com/

this guy has a nice track database w/links...
http://www.simracingconnection.com/nascar/n2k3tracks.shtml

Joe enlightened us with:

Read this again...
Plowboy enlightened us with:

 Joe,

1.  Hard question to answer really, because just as important as 'what you
need'  is what do ya want?  there are at least three physics Mods for the
'original' game (WINSTON/Nextel CUP CARS).  You can download these series
too: Craftsman Trucks Series, BGN, and trans-am type.  Then there are the
198x era "aero war" mod that uses the Trucks physics and setups.  also There
was a GTP mod, unsure about it's fate though.
At one time it was mostly easy to find at the US Pits, but then the former
head honcho of Papy caused a stink about the mods and everything, the pits
dropped everything last I knew...

So way at bottom of this post, I link you to a site that had SOME links.
Another alternative BTW, is ONLINERacin.com.  It is like the TEN  of years
ago (assumed maybe you were online back then by your post?) Where you pay
and create an account and race, some nice user tools, great league admin
tools, and many leagues to join, you can host races on dedicated servers (I
cant host as well even on broadband, nor without paying 25-60 bucks a month
server fees BTW, OLR's servers are private though, so there is a trade off).
To some of us it is nicer than through the free sierra system at times, you
know when the riffraff are out in force, with it being lobbies, bboards and
such for paying customers, usually rids us of rifraff, but not all you
know...

2. Now since you just installed the game to the PC, you of course would
need the patch no matter wich online you want to go to,  to join everyone
online at Sierra (through the multiplayer built in) PS BGN & Trucks are also
supported online through onlineracin.com or free Sierra system, as well as
the 2 transam (one callted Trans Am, the other called TPTCC version 2 mod.)
Last I knew tptcc and TA arent on Onlineracin.com.

3.  there are Newly modeled tracks, plus those 'stock' tracks that have been
updated gfx (heck even Homestead has been remade to match the banking they
now have, and the in some cases the grip altered to give new grooves
(refered a lot as BR tracks{brian ring is the author/editor of those}) , to
aid in reality or just better online racing...

 This guy was keeping a decent set of links to the mods and other
 updates, prolly still is http://www.ncracer.com/

 this guy has a nice track database w/links...
 http://www.simracingconnection.com/nascar/n2k3tracks.shtml

Sorry for the bad typing and bad info (if you read it), I was in a hurry....

++
Fillyourboots

I have not been online yet but I was kind of saddened to hear that the
"wreckers" are still at it. I would have hoped that those who bought the
game when it was new got bored and moved on and any new crop would be
detered by the entry fee. Oh well.

NR2003 no cd launcher: (it costs about $80 to replace the NR2003 cd-rom).
http://members.cox.net/savefiles/NR2003NoCD.rar

GTP, a good mod, but a pain to install. If you want GTP, you need
to install two copies of NR2003. Do the GTP version first. Install NR2003
to it's own directory, I used \program files\GTP11, then install GTP to
this same directory. Next re-install NR2003, by running setup.exe from
the cd-rom, and install to the default directory or one of your choice
I used \program files\Nascar Racing Season 2003.

GTP 1.1 mod:
http://www.redlinedevelopments.com/gtp2/gtpscreens.php

GTP 1.1 no cd launcher: (it costs about $80 to replace the NR2003 cd-rom).
http://members.cox.net/savefiles/gtp11_launcher_nocd.zip

The project wild fire and similar mods are available at the link below:
These mods become selectable on the main menu screen of NR2003.
http://www.raceservers.net/Software_Downloads.htm

There's also an official hot fix in case the secure rom cd-checker has
a problem with your system, but it's no longer available at the
Sierra site. I found it here:

http://members.cox.net/savefiles/NR2003_1201_Fix.exe

Considering that NR2003 is going for about $80 at Ebay, you may want
to use the no-cd launcher:

http://members.cox.net/savefiles/NR2003NoCD.rar

The no-cd version can't be used for online play though, however,
if you're running on Windows XP, you can create a batch file
to work around this, and use it for online play:

Rename no-cd version of NR2003.EXE to NR2003N.EXE.
Leave the 1.2.0.1 standard version of NR2003 named as NR2003.EXE.

Create and run this batch file from the main NR2003 directory:

if not exist nr2003c.exe ren nr2003.exe nr2003c.exe
if not exist nr2003c.exe ren nr2003.exe nr2003n.exe
ren nr2003n.exe nr2003.exe
start nr2003.exe
ren nr2003.exe nr2003n.exe
ren nr2003c.exe nr2003.exe

if not exist nr2003c.exe ren nr2003.exe nr2003c.exe
if not exist nr2003n.exe ren nr2003.exe nr2003n.exe
ren nr2003n.exe nr2003.exe
start nr2003.exe
ren nr2003.exe nr2003n.exe
ren nr2003c.exe nr2003.exe

++
Fillyourboots

Why two copies?

Eldred

The RedLine developers want GTP installed in its own copy of the N2K3
directory. If nothing else, it does overwrite the sound files, so you
get the British accent for your pit crew chief for NASCAR races if
you try to use GTP in the same directory as your "working" copy of
N2K3 Cup, CTS, GNS, etc.

There was also something about GTP conflicting with the other mods,
like OWR and Aero '88. I don't use them, so I can't speak to that.

I just installed GTP into my (one and only) copy of N2K3 and -- other
than the accents for the spooters and crew chief -- everything is
fine. So it _isn't_ mandatory to have two copies of the N2K3
directories. But, as they say: your mileage may vary....

--
  Darryl

There are very few true wreckers online. Most of the wrecks are from
aggressive driving. A lot of players try to force their way up front
very early on in a race, looking for any gap they can squeeze into.
The result is other drivers get too close to the cars ahead, to
eliminate the gaps, but this too, also results in bumps and nudges
that often create wrecks.

If you care about rank, you should know that if all players in a race
have the same rank as you, you only need to finish in the upper half
to gain points. Most players online are level 5 or higher. This means
that a new player will gain points just completing a race if the
player can avoid the typical early wreck fest or two. It's a bit
easier if you avoid races with a lot of players in them. You can
reach a rank of 6 in super speedway fairly quickly if you just
complete races. It also helps if you pick severs with a minimum
rank requirement that is the same as your current rank. Again
you only have to finish in the upper half to gain points. This
works until you get to level 7, and race on the FLM server.
Since there aren't any 8 or higher minimum requirement servers
(that I know of), you have to start finishing in the top
1/3rd or top 1/4th to continue gaining points.

Another tip if you're concerned about your rank or laps per incident
is to create a 2nd or 3rd persona to practice new tracks with online.