rec.autos.simulators

I happened to see it in my local Walden Software... looked damn good
too. Detail looked amazing, compared to GP2 in VGA. I don't have a
playstation, but at $200, it is between 10 and 20 times cheaper than
getting a new computer to play GP2 in SVGA! Is it out yet, or coming
out, for PC?

More questions:
Anybody know if there are known hardware hacks to get a t2 wheel to
operate on a playstation? Racing won't be any fun on a playstation
without a wheel.  Also, how (or does) one save setups/races/etc. on a
playstation? Are there a lot of extras stuff (memory, etc.) that one
needs to buy with a playstation?

Any ideas, please post in this thread.

I don't know if you can use a wheel, but it is possible to use analog
joysticks or "gamepads".

The problem with games on the Sony Playstation is often the lack of
possiblites to adjust and setup stuff. There is very few possibilites in
this game to adjust the car. One can adjust the downforce only. But it
is great fun!

/Anders

The Mad Catz wheel for the Playstation costs only a little more than a
Playstation game.  You can get them for as little as $59.  Formula One
will likely set you back $49-$59.

As far as setups, races, etc, the setups are nowhere near as complex
in F1 as in GP2.  All you can set is overall downforce and slicks or
wets.  You do have full rain race support with great flumes of water
and dark, dreary fogginess, along with a glowing red orb-light on the
back of each car.  As a simulation engine, this one doesn't come close
to GP2, but the circuits are more accurate to the real thing (For
instance, in Brazil, the final turn onto the front straight is banked
in real life and in F1, not so in GP2.  The chicanes in Hockenheim are
off camber and have elevation changes moreso in real life and F1 than
GP2, etc) and you can replay an entire race with much better camera
angles than Gp2.  But again, if you're a stickler for full simulation
features, F1 might leave you flat as the # of setup options is
miniscule compared to Gp2.  I love 'em both....but graphically, I wish
I had a Rendition enabled GP2.

Randy

<being a Playstation owner, thought I'd ***in :)>

:But before I go to the store, is the Playstation going to be around
:for awhile?

   Definitely.  It's currently the most widely owned *** console.

:This new Nintendo 64 thing seems inpressive (but looks
:like a kid's toy [not an ***'s toy!])...

      The N64 is definitely geared towards a younger audience, but
there are more than a few ***s who've bought them.  (They sold
350,000 units during the first 3 days of its launch :)).  That aside,
the N64 will only have a handful of games available for it during the
next few months, while the Playstation already has dozens upon dozens.
The N64 is a bit more powerful (or 32 bits more, to be precise), but
the Playstation uses Compact Discs instead of cartridges, giving it
the ability to hold more and higher quality video and audio at a lower
cost per game (by $10-$20 in many cases).    

:Playstation still got a
:future? Of the major gamestation, playstation seems to have the most
:"PC-like" look to the games. But then, what do I know; I own only an
:old 486 PC.

       Then I would *strongly* urge you to get a Playstation.  Many
games on it that are only rivalled by the fastest of Pentiums.  :)

:Oh, and what about an extra memory cartridge- do I need it? If so, how
:much mem?

      Be sure to buy one mem card (that's all I've really needed to
this day)...should just cost around $25.

:Anyway, having that F1 sim/game might make it worth owning a
:Playstation anyway. And how about the Andretti racing thing? That
:almost got me to the store, but I never heard anything plus or minus
:about it.

      Andretti Racing isn't bad....many people swear by it.  But if
you're looking for another racer to get with F1, you should get
Wipeout XL.  It is, without a doubt, the best anti-gravity sled racer
you'll ever see.  :)  Seriously, it's a must-buy just like F1.

:It certainly doesn't look up to Psygnosis' F1.

       True, not quite in the same league.

:Thanks again.

       Hope that helps...have fun!

   Bear

   Bear

You can not only look at the processor when comparing machines. Sony P.S
has lots of hardware support for graphics processing which you have to
take in account. Check a Sony P.S FAQ and compare with a PC.

Yes, you should. It is not a very advanced SIM, it is more a driving
game. But it's a very good driving game!

This new Nintendo 64 thing seems inpressive (but looks

Games for PC and PSX are easily ported between the two systems so chances of
getting a game on either system is good.  You will always get a crisper image on
the PC (provided the game is SVGA) but the PSX is built to handle hi-res graphic
quickly.  When the SVGA version of F1 hits the PC it will be as slow as GP2.

Yes - in fact you may as well buy two (the unit has 2 slots) - they are only
$14-19 each and will save you a lifetime of writing down humongous passwords to
resume your games.

Andretti is cool and okay (it has a***pit w/ instruments for all the
complainers of F1 which doesn't have one).  It is more arcadish than F1 although
F1 does have an arcade mode - the Grand Prix sim mode is hard as hell and while
F1 cannot touch the setup options that GP2 for the PC offers - its is still the
best racing sim available for a home console at this time.  The tracks are
flawlessly rendered and the cars are detailed - you can read the lettering on
the tires as you pass your opponents.  The commentary is amazing - you hear the
guy calling out YOUR name and all the others as you drive, pass and smash into
other drivers.  It's almost like driving the car and watching the race on TV at
the same time.  PLUS you can REPLAY the entire race - something GP2 cannot even
come close to.

<< Yo Randy, You may have sold a Playstation. Thanks for the indepth
reply...
But before I go to the store, is the Playstation going to be around
for awhile?>>

Oh yeah.  As of a month or so ago, there are over 7 million Playstations
in use worldwide. Sony has shut down its San Diego manufacturing facility
and put all its manufacturing back in Japan, but they are ramping up
production to 700,000 units a month -- um. yeah I think its going to be
around for awhile!

like a kid's toy [not an ***'s toy!])... >>

Basically the Nintendo 64 offers all the stuff we're drooling over in the
Rendition and Voodoo boards in an affordable game console.  The problem is
that it doesn't have a lot of memory, not much permanent storage and darn
little room to store a game on in a cartridge, so they are very limited in
the sound and graphics department from a digital standpoint, so its better
for more 'virtual' games than it is for rugged realistic sims like Formula
1.

much mem?>>

There are memory cards available for ~20 a pop which are for saving games
on.  You can save 15 slots on a card, and games can take any # of slots to
save (usually 1-3).  That's the only extra 'memory' you'd need to buy, and
in many cases you don't need it, but its still adviseable for instance if
you were going to run an entire full length season -- saving would be nice
huh? <G>

Playstation anyway. And how about the Andretti racing thing? That
almost got me to the store, but I never heard anything plus or minus
about it. It certainly doesn't look up to Psygnosis' F1.>>

Andretti is a very nice little IndyCar racer with very believable physics
but has over exaggerated grip and horsepower, phenomenal player boost (as
compared to the computer cars) and the races are much shorter, with a
maximum of 12 laps.  On the other hand, tire wear and fuel usage are done
nicely, also scaled down into the # of laps you're running, and you have
more car setup options in Andretti, as well as a very nice***pit view,
excellent brake locking effects & graphics, great oversteer/understeer
handling, picture-in-picture rear-view mirror, replay of the last several
seconds of racing, even with an analog controller (F1 doesn't with
analog), VCR style controls to run the replay (F1 doesn't), more
spectacular crashes, and various other little nice touches.  But its
physics model was exaggerated to make gameplay easier, so I would take sim
points off and point it at about a 6 or 7 on the Arcade->Sim scale,
whereas F1 would be a solid 9.

Randy

Tim

SVGA) but the PSX is built to handle hi-res graphic quickly.  When the
SVGA version of F1 hits the PC it will be as slow as GP2. >>

Sorry, but that is very far from true.  First of all, its well known that
Crammond didn't optimize GP2 particularly well.   SVGA doesn't have to as
slow as GP2.  (When I was using my S3 based board I ran a utility called
S3SPDUP, which enabled linear frame buffering in VESA --something I guess
Geoff was unaware of). Secondly, there is no support for Direct3D, or any
hardware 3D acceleration in GP2.  With the emergence of Rendition based
boards from Sierra, Creative Labs and Intergraph and the Direct3D
standard, there's no reason why a game should run slowly in SVGA anymore
-- hardware acceleration is there.   I have a Rendition board and my frame
rates with ICR2 for Rendition, Rendition Quake and Win95's Monster Truck
Madness are all quite nice in hi-res SVGA, AND I get texture filtering,
anti-aliasing, etc.  Microprose, according to MPS US Tech Support, is
working on a patch which will optimize for Rendition, and that ought to
give this game a real shot in the arm.

Randy

Yo Randy,

You may have sold a Playstation. Thanks for the indepth reply...

But before I go to the store, is the Playstation going to be around
for awhile? This new Nintendo 64 thing seems inpressive (but looks
like a kid's toy [not an ***'s toy!])... Playstation still got a
future? Of the major gamestation, playstation seems to have the most
"PC-like" look to the games. But then, what do I know; I own only an
old 486 PC.

Oh, and what about an extra memory cartridge- do I need it? If so, how
much mem?

Anyway, having that F1 sim/game might make it worth owning a
Playstation anyway. And how about the Andretti racing thing? That
almost got me to the store, but I never heard anything plus or minus
about it. It certainly doesn't look up to Psygnosis' F1.

Thanks again.

Even though hardware accelerators are out there - game companies have to program
for the lowest common denominator they want to market to.  I can just see it now
- walking into EB and having 8 version of NASCAR 2 on the shelf - one ATI
Accelerators; one for Diamond 3D; one for Orchid...so on and so on...

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to program for the lowest common denominator they want to market to.  >>

That's true, but its also irrelevant if they support the most popular
accelerators.  The real long term direction is Direct3D, where you have
just ONE .EXE that calls Direct3D, which is the layer between a common API
and the underlying hardware.  All of these new accelerator boards are
supporting Direct3D, and it doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out
that writing the code ONCE is better than writing several
hardware-specific versions of it.  For the time being, the lowest common
denominator (VESA) will still be supported.  However, that will not stop
companies from getting together with Rendition, 3DFX etc and doing custom
versions until Direct3D really hits its stride.  If you don't believe me
go to the web pages of Rendition, Intergraph, Creative Labs, etc and look
at the game release lists.

2 on the shelf - one ATI Accelerators; one for Diamond 3D; one for
Orchid...so on and so on... >>

They would all be on the same CD...so your point is moot.

Randy