rec.autos.simulators

*Sigh*

Here we go again.  Another company pats themselves on the
back for crafting a true 'simulation' when in truth they have
fallen short of the mark again.  Is marketing more important
than content?

Another group of *** related 'e-zines' pushes out a preview
that is little more than a repackaged press release.  What
happened to looking out for the interests of your readers?

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against motorsport games
that seek to ease up the difficulty of what they are attempting
to model in an attempt to capture a larger market share.  I
do however have a real problem when they put the all
encompassing stamp of 'realistic physics model' on their
product when it really is nothing more than an advanced arcade
game.

Today's example: GP500 'previewed' at Games.Net
(http://www.racesimcentral.net/,1034,7487,00.html)

Read the review, catch the buzzwords (I particularly like 'applied
mathematics to effectively recreate the science of matter in motion').
Now go on to the screenshots page and marvel at the second shot
of a rider at full lean on 500cc GP bike on the grass!

 - George

Isn't Infogrames the ones doing the LeMans title too?

As for the 2nd shot...hard to tell, but I have a feeling that its definetly
a shot of the bike sliding or starting too.  At least thats what I hope its
doing. :)

Prezactly; the poor ***'s obviously in the middle of a lowside.  Apparently
some miscalculation on his part!   Actually, I thought the write-up sounded
promising.  We'll see........

Steve B.

remove "edy" from address for email

You BETA tested the game then? Funny, never seen you at the test sessions.
The sim also has an arcade mode, similar to EA Superbikes, that does allow
some odd physics but what the heck I occasionally might want to do a
Biaggi wheelie when crossing the line or similar antics. Comments like
this, on an unreleased product you have no first hand experience at,
degrades both the efforts of the programmers and honest comments of the
previewers.

Any sim fans who appreciate the physics of GPL will swoon over the physics
of GP500.

This has been an unpaid community service announcement in the interests of
accurate and honest reporting!

I look forward to being the judge of that :)

Mike
(Yamaha YZF-R6)

ps. Nobody _wants_ to do a Biaggi wheelie....

Everybody woud rather do a wheelie over Biaggi!

When is this game comng out?  I just bought Superbike World Championship a
pretty good game compared to what weve had in the past.  Definately stepping
into the sim area instead of arcade.
Gary