rec.autos.simulators

    I still have no idea why the physics model has anything to do with
sales?  Who buys game or Racing Sims because of the physics model?  The only
ones I can think of are those that frequent this group.   Last figures were
about 2,000 people mentioned in another post.  That leaves out 3800 that
never read the group. again, according to another post about the number of
GPL copies sold.

    I would assume that most everyone that grabbed a copy grabbed it because
it was on the shelf and the era of the cars were what those people were
after(?)  I would also assume that it didn't do well in sales because of the
same reason...  that type of racing.. I.E. 1967 cars.  I don't think anyone
who doesn't have a copy and doesn't read this group didn't buy it because
the physics or the AI were too hard.  I think the only way you can say that
it didn't sell is if you had the figure for how many were returned.  even
then, some of those could be returned for other reasons.

    basically, I don't think the physics or the AI had anything to do with
the sales figures.

Just my opinion,
Mike

The insistence on a Rendition or 3DFX card probably didn't help,
either.

It's also possible that this type and era of racing is simply not
sufficiently mass market (unlike NASCAR) to make a sim economically
viable.

If we can assume that the free market actually works, GPL probably
sold about as many copies as there were people willing to make the
attempt to master it.  Come to think of it, it probably sold more
copies than there were people willing to master it.

On Wed, 05 Apr 2000 21:01:33 GMT, "Mike Barlow"

So IMO there wasnt any one thing that caused GPL to sell poorly.  It was a
combination of things that eventually hurt sales.  Unfortunate too because I'm
sure other sims based on the GPL physics engine would sell quite well.  But the
sales of GPL I think scared the Sierra front office into not wanting more sims
based on this physics engine.  Well thats my 2 cents worth...

Chris
"Concerning the difference between man and the jackass: some observers hold
that there isn't any. But this wrongs the jackass."--Mark Twain

It's also worth noting that it was a lot cheaper way to get a Viper
than visiting your Dodge dealer.  :)

Oh wait, that's just one word...

Eric

I wouldn't have purchased the game if it only offered two tracks, and
I think it would have been killed in the reviews for it.

I don't disagree that Sierra should have done more to support it, but
it should have been done by giving us MORE (as in a FREE track
converter), not less.
What I want is the GPL engine with some modern sports cars.
I wasn't real big on 67 GP cars to begin with, so even with the superb
modelling, it didn't hold my attention for as long as SODA or Viper.

Tim

The game, from the strictly good design standpoint, should have been fully
modular. Any track would than "pop" into any of their games.

To a large extent the same goes for the cars. Look at what people have done
with SCGT. There are new cars, open wheel cars, even a KART ferchrisakes. It
ain't easy, but it can be done and dozens of people are doing it.

Look at what it took to get closed bodies into ICR2. Just try to get open
bodies into N3. How about closed wheel sports cars and wings in GPL. Only a
handful of wizards even consider the idea viable.

Driving sims should be just as open as Doom and Quake, with end user track
and car editors.

They think they can't make as much money that way. Well, people STILL buy
Doom! Why, because of all the add ons available.

The success of viper racing is solely attributed to AI and physics, because
the choice of cars is low, i.e. 1, and the range of tracks is limited, i.e.
8.

Chris

--
--------------------------------------------------
http://www.the.saints.btinternet.co.uk

|
|>  If Papy coulda/woulda made the phyics and ai adjustable, then gpl
|>"might" have stood a chance
|
|    I still have no idea why the physics model has anything to do with
|sales?  Who buys game or Racing Sims because of the physics model?  The
only
|ones I can think of are those that frequent this group.   Last figures were
|about 2,000 people mentioned in another post.  That leaves out 3800 that
|never read the group. again, according to another post about the number of
|GPL copies sold.
|
|    I would assume that most everyone that grabbed a copy grabbed it
because
|it was on the shelf and the era of the cars were what those people were
|after(?)  I would also assume that it didn't do well in sales because of
the
|same reason...  that type of racing.. I.E. 1967 cars.  I don't think anyone
|who doesn't have a copy and doesn't read this group didn't buy it because
|the physics or the AI were too hard.  I think the only way you can say that
|it didn't sell is if you had the figure for how many were returned.  even
|then, some of those could be returned for other reasons.
|
|    basically, I don't think the physics or the AI had anything to do with
|the sales figures.
|
|Just my opinion,
|Mike
|
|

Joel

Exactly Mike, and it's why Nascar Legends flopped also.  It's legend cars,
and Im sorry but the mass public doesn't give an arse about such old cars.
They want new stuff, fast stuff, cars that stick on the road and are easy to
drive.  NL also flopped for other reasons, still (such as the
over-saturation of the NASCAR license on the shelves imho).

Let's hope Papyrus soon will stop developping Nascar products for the greedy
Sierra.  They released another one <shudder> this week.

--
-- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard>
-- May the Downforce be with you...
-- http://www.WeRace.net
-- People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realise
how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world.

I have a *** feeling there would be huge licensing problems.

Andrew McP

Also, how do you market it?  The concept makes sense to the GPL diehards
here, but the release of converted tracks as a "product" doesn't fit with
the original market of GPL, those seeking a sim true to the era, or to the
market familiar with the tracks being converted; they might expect a more
modern car to drive the tracks with.  It's a great product, but the target
audience is what you see here - r.a.s.

Wonder how many orders Noonan has?

Stephen