rec.autos.simulators

This weekend I had a marathon session of racing F1RS online.  I'm more
e***d than ever about the incredible realism of this sim.  There is
nothing else in the published sim world like it!  Hurling the car over
the bumps at Nurburgring, or flying through the forest at Spa...it's
hard to believe a racing sim can be so real, or so satisfying.

At the same time I'm a bit frustrated at some of the difficulties which
arise when running F1RS in networked play, particularly over Kali.  I
learned some things about how to avoid some of the glitches (more about
these on my Web site), but we need some software updates from Ubi Soft
and perhaps Kali to really resolve these problems.  

Meanwhile, I intend to persevere, for the reward of racing online far
outweighs the difficulties!

I'm amazed at the motivation generated by racing against other people
online.  Despite the networking issues, I had some wonderful races with
some very quick drivers from various locations around the world.  The
fierce competition drove my level of driving skill up a couple of
notches, which in turn helped me to appreciate some of the more subtle -
and realistic - nuances of the game's physics engine.  

All in all, fantastic weekend!

                        ***

I've reorganized and expanded the F1RS section of my Eagle Woman web
site.  Read more about my online racing experiences at:

  http://www.racesimcentral.net/~alison/sims

Go to Reviews, and then the F1RS pages.  

You'll find new information about optimizing your chances of
successfully setting up online races via Kali.  If everyone were to read
and follow these instructions, I believe we'd have a lot more
multiplayer races going on Kali in no time.

I've also added tips about where to get F1RS and about setting up the
game to run optimally.  I've identified a sizeable quantity of
information relevant to setting up a Formula 1 car, and added links to
two excellent reviews of F1RS.

One day soon perhaps I'll meet up with you on a grid online!

Eagle Woman

Remove the spam blocker NOSPAM to email me.
http://www.racesimcentral.net/~alison

Randy
Randy Magruder
Contributing Reviewer
Digital Sportspage
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

For me, F1RS is awesome, nothing comes close. I would have to think that
not having a 3dfx must have something to do with it. If you have one, my
apologies. I am not trying to be an idiot (this time :-) and flame you, but
I
truely believe that F1RS is the best racing sim so far. I have run
Silverstone,
Melbourne, Brazil, Argentina, Nurburg, Imola, Barcelona, Montreal and I am
currently doing Magny Cours . I would not still be this e***d about the
game
after doing all those tracks in 25% races if I did not feel it was awesome.
The sense of elevation changes & blind corners is awesome. Magny
Cours has a few... So when I read something like the above quote
from someone who is supposed to know what this stuff is all about,
I just don't believe it. I guess I am trying to figure out what your problem
is. Unfortunately the only logical assumption I could come up with was
that you are a 3dfx hater; the religious type :-)

--
Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes.

Different people have different tastes. I too,  agree that F1RS is the best
thing to come out  in a long, long while. However,  if everyone agreed with me
all the time, it would be a very boring world. If Randy likes GP2 better than
F1RS,  then so be it. They are both awesome games. Now if he starts liking
"ABC's Road To Indy" or CPR (in it's current weak AI state) better, we'll have
to reevaluate this different tastes thing!<BG>
                                                          Ken
The Game Pad
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

One very lovely thing (of so much)  it simulates extremely well is the
feeling of binding up the car in a corner...hard to explain except to
say that if you have been in a kart pushing to hard in corner you know
what Im talking about....excellent stuff this sim....excellent.

Pierre
..

I believe you.  I really do.  I am not at all arguing this as much as
to say that I'm trying to find out what it is that people are finding
so wonderful about this sim, because thus far, I don't have a lot of
motivation to fire it up.  There's just so many things that are
annoying to me:

1.  The "digital throttle" problem.  Its like there's a certain spot
in the accelerator travel where a touch back and the engine note drops
like I've just jumped out of the gas, then perhaps 1/4 of an inch and
its okay, and then another 1/4 of an inch (WELL short of fully down)
the pitch zooms up and the rev lights slam .  I feel like I'm playing
with a three way switch instead of an analog pedal.  There's lifting,
neutral-to-mildly accelerating, and slamming it, all in less than an
inch of pedal travel.

2.  Canned spins.  The initial spinning attempts don't bother me much.
I can correct a lot of them.  But sometimes, particularly at low
speeds after the car loses its momentum, its more or less sitting
still and some 'spin the sucker' routine kicks and slowly moves me
around some random amount.  It seems completely disconnected with the
earlier part of the spin, which was right.

3.  The pitch of the engine and the shifting sounds just totally grate
on me.  The best F1 sounds I have heard yet continue to be those from
Psygnosis F1:Championship Edition on the Playstation (not to be
confused with their first Formula One game).

I just spend too much time fighting with the unpredictable driving
model to really enjoy myself.  I'm hoping that I can find what it is
everyone is so happy about.  I really love F1 and would love to get a
breakthrough on this because its obvious a lot of people really like
it.  If I could be talked into loving something, I'd love F1RS :)

Btw, I'm also annoyed at some track inaccuracies.  Brazil was
tonight's victim.  Where's the sand traps to the right of turn one
going down the hill (you know, the ones where Jacques went off at the
beginning of the year and banged the car up pretty good..filling the
***pit with rocks!).

Nice try, but I really doubt this has much to do with the video board.
And yes, I do know what this stuff is all about.  I'm seriously
thinking of getting a Monster 3D just so I can satisfy my own
curiosity on this issue!

Randy
Randy Magruder
Contributing Reviewer
Digital Sportspage
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

 Hi all,
I know I will probably feel the flames for this but I just sold my F1rs
tonight for these very same reasons,1.) This zero to hero rpm is so
unbelievable I cant handle it period. Also the throttle zinging thru the
roof when doing quick downshifts is not caused by the I or anyone else is
downshifting. If it was it would be consistent. If you dont believe me read
a bunch of posts on Pieters F1 Forum
(not the GP2 one) could be due to the D3D who knows who cares.
2.) I complained about these spins right off although the phrase  " canned
spins" is much better than the way I described it. It just
does react like a car in a spin. Perhaps for the first fraction of the spin
but then its auto spin time.
I dont care if I haven't spun a " real" F1 car I have spun enough real cars
to know what a spin feels like.
3.) The sound hehehehe man I can handle most sounds I even have grown to
like ICR2s sound better than the couple alternative sounds available for
that sim. But this nope sorry.

problem.  Its like there's a certain spot

2.) I complained about these spins right off although the phrase  " canned
     spins" is much better than the way I described it. It just
     does react like a car in a spin. Perhaps for the first fraction of the
spin
     but then its auto spin time.
     I dont care if I haven't spun a " real" F1 car I have spun enough real
cars
     to know what a spin feels like.

 3.) The sound hehehehe man I can handle most sounds I even have grown to
      like ICR2s sound better than the couple alternative sounds available
for
      that sim. But this nope sorry.
P.S. sorry to post twice but I forgot to proof read the first one ;-)
Aloha, Mike

Rob
"Dead Meat"

Most of your points are valid IMO.

<..>
This bothered me at first also.  But after fiddling with the
accelerator sensitivity and with more practice learning the driving
model, it is now possible for me to have constantly smooth transitions
between acceleration and de acceleration (just like the AI cars do).
I think this is a key factor in being able to drive this sim: It
requires a much lighter touch of controls in order to not break the
traction.  My problems with controlling the car are diminishing as I
become more proficient in controlling the degree of movement of the
accelerator and brake (along with getting to know the effects of
parameter changes in setting up the car).

Yes they definitely are canned after about a 90 degree angle to the
road.  And I agree that the low speed rotation which continues for
ever as long as some throttle is applied is completely rediculous.
But once the car more than 90 degrees out of whack, the major racing
damage has already been done.  It is possible to correct spins prior
to about a 90 degree rotation.  Removing any acceleration and applying
some brake will reduce the spin at any point.  Whether this is totally
realistic or not is a different issue.

I know what you mean about the sounds.  Listening to the GP2 engine's
mean and complex harmonics with the occasional rapping off when
de-accelerating is much more appealing to me.  OTOH, the lack of
hearing other car's sounds in GP2 was always less then satisfying to
me (as well as not providing the audible feedback for knowing where
other cars are when in close proximity).

Well nothing is or ever will be perfect.  But F1RS does excel in many
ways over what I have seen previously and at least provides an
alternative to GP2.  Of course, everyone has different criteria as to
what is important.

Dave.

I was lukewarm about the demo -- always letting AI cars past at the
start just so I could drive the course without wrecking in T1 -- but
I jumped at the chance to order the full version and haven't looked
back!

I have been playing for 3 full weeks now and am continually amazed.
With variable weather even the rain is variable!  Running a grand
prix at Monaco, trying to qualify in a very light rain with slight
fogging and visible clouds -- looked like it would clear up any moment--
ran in wets anyway and was coming in 8-10th place on the grid --
switched to D's instead and improved to 2nd place -- Last night, went
to replay the same scenario (variable weather again), and it was
pouring, wets only!  

A new benchmark has clearly been set.  

The feel of speed and acceleration on those tight city streets is
amazing.  I'm hooked.  Oh, and look!  There are 15 other tracks to
learn!  *satisfied sigh*  

Former CPR Gold Beta Preview winner,
Jeff Antley
"Redwolf30"

http://www.racesimcentral.net/

I actually like the entire sim. For me it gives me the exact feel of being
there.
Well as close as is possible on a 17" screen.

This is a "feature" in 1st gear. And I also don't like it. I think they are
simulating how easy it is to over accelerate in 1st. If you see this
*EVERY* time you mash the gas in any gear, you have system
problems IMHO. The game is not like this other than 1st gear, or
while trying to get out of the gravel or grass.

While we have discussed this some, I'll just say this is not a problem for
me at all. I can go 25% race distances without incident like this. So
you really don't want to race me online until you get this sorted out :-)
I also do not see the spins as random in any way, but rather the result
of something substancial. Quite different from GP2. I too could catch
many spins in GP2, but more often than not, you just swapped ends
with no hope of recovery. F1RS is quite different where *YOU* the
driver are in more control. At least that is my version of what I am
doing with F1RS.

Not for me. I find it quite good (since it *IS* a Renault engine
sound) compared to what I have heard on ESPN2.

--
Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes.

YUP!

Randy
Randy Magruder
Contributing Reviewer
Digital Sportspage
http://www.digitalsports.com

Please send me your sensitivity settings.

Randy
Randy Magruder
Contributing Reviewer
Digital Sportspage
http://www.digitalsports.com