rec.autos.simulators

A friend of mine is impressed with my IndyCar Racing II (DOS), and wants to
purchase it for himself.  He has an ATI Rage 2 3-D accelerator card, a P133
with 32MB RAM, blah, blah, blah.  He would like to be able to race over a
LAN, and I told him that the DOS version does not have that capability.  He
wants the Windows 95 version anyway, but should he pursue the 3-D enhanced
version?  Will it work with his card?  Do any of the three releases of
IndyCar Racing II (DOS, Window 95, 3-D enhanced) provide LAN capabilities?
Your advice would be appreciated.

Cheers.

Pooch

   A short ICR2 primer...  ;)

   There are 3 releases of ICR2:

   The original DOS-only program (version 1.0.0) from November 1995.
Probably available from retailers if you look carefully for it.  This
can be patched to 1.0.2 (highly recommended).

   The DOS (1.0.1) / Win 95 (1.0.0?) / Mac programs from July 1996.
This is the most common version on the shelves today.  Performance of
the Win95 version is hardware-dependent, but generally you will lose a
small amount of performance (~5-10%) from the DOS version.  The DOS
version can be patched to 1.0.2 and the Win95 version can be patched
to 1.0.1.  A better deal since you get the Win95 version for a similar
price (even if you don't want it ;).

   The DOS Rendition Verite-specific program from October 1996.  So
far, this is only available bundled with the Intergraph Reactor and
Sierra Screamin' 3D video cards.  You must have a Rendition
Verite-based video card to run it (ATI Rage 3D I or II won't work).
Other Rendition cards are the CL 3D Blaster PCI and Canopus Total3D.

   All PC versions allow head-to-head competition via modem or direct
connection, but none allow a network connection.  (For up to 8 players
via IPX (or TCP/IP via Kali) try NASCAR2, the newest Papyrus release.
Or maybe wait for Indycar 3?!? :)

Pick one or more: Model Rockets (competition-NERCB) / PCs (even Atari!) /
Papyrus ICR-ICR2-NCR / Who needs a life when you have multiple non-lives?

From the home of Mark and Cheryl Ferris

It is a DOS version, just like the original.  You should be able to use
the Win95 patch that Sierra has posted, but you'd loose all of the
Rendition version's 3D enhancements.  It includes all the tracks
(including 5 that have been redone with 16-bit graphics), the paintkit,
etc.  The only thing you don't get (at least from Intergraph) is a box
and manual.

--

Emory University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
The IWCCCARS Project: Q & A Representative
Nascar Setups Page: http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~ebusch/

   BTW, the Canopus Total3D *will* include the Rendition version of
ICR2.

Pick one or more: Model Rockets (competition-NERCB) / PCs (even Atari!) /
Papyrus ICR-ICR2-NCR / Who needs a life when you have multiple non-lives?

: It is a DOS version, just like the original.  You should be able to use
: the Win95 patch that Sierra has posted, but you'd loose all of the
: Rendition version's 3D enhancements.  It includes all the tracks
: (including 5 that have been redone with 16-bit graphics), the paintkit,
: etc.  The only thing you don't get (at least from Intergraph) is a box
: and manual.

And I would add that the Win95 edition of ICR2 isn't worth the disk
space it requires.  The only good thing I saw in it was the paintkit
(which kept bombing on me).  

I am pretty sure that the paintkit that comes with the Rendition cards
is the "broken" version.  You can get the patch to fix it at:
        http://www.teleport.com/~mcarver/autosim.htm
Just follow the Indycar link....

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

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