Hello there,
This is pretty long, but worth reading so brace yourselves.
Excellent post.
I've been playing Formula 1 '97 since Wednesday 24th and have experienced
the problems you've faced, and more.
Karlheinz Agsteiner <k...@informatik.tu-chemnitz.de> wrote in article
<60gr3d$fh...@narses.hrz.tu-chemnitz.de>...
> Oh well, Im just playing F1'97 for two hours new and already having
> problems... But maybe I should first give you my first impressions of
> the game (only played championship with the NegCon, not tried another
> controller, the arcade/split screen modes) first.
I'm playing using the standard Sony SCPH-1080 Controller. > problems... But maybe I should first give you my first impressions of
> the game (only played championship with the NegCon, not tried another
> controller, the arcade/split screen modes) first.
Finished doing Round 2 of a Full Race Expert Championship yesterday.
Currently leading the Championship with two Grand Prix wins with Jean Alesi
in the Benetton Renault, but really struggling at Round 3 Argentina being 2
seconds off the pace, doing high 1.16.00's, where the pole time is in the
high 1.14.00's.
Willing to swap Car Set Ups for 1.25.00's at Australia, and 1.10.00's in
Brazil, for any help at Argentina.
> The game's presentation is ok. Graphics and sound have been updated
> but the difference to the old F1 is nowhere as noticeable as in
> eg. Wipeout vs. Wipeout 2097 or Ridge Racer Revolution vs. Rage
> Racer.
Agreed. > but the difference to the old F1 is nowhere as noticeable as in
> eg. Wipeout vs. Wipeout 2097 or Ridge Racer Revolution vs. Rage
> Racer.
The Formula 1 '97 graphics have been refined, and are nowhere near the new
look of Wipeout 2097 or Rage Racer.
I like the new opening sequence, as well as the Grand Prix tunes
Hatzenbects Boden, and Rascasse.
The glowing dics brakes is a very nice touch.
> The blue lines problem has been reduced (not fixed) and the
> higher resolution makes the image a bit cleaner. The framerate is
> always perfect because of the more intelligent displaying algorithm.
> However now sometimes a part of a distant wall is missing because this
> algorithm decided that this part isn't that important.
My problem though is that compared to the original there is even more > higher resolution makes the image a bit cleaner. The framerate is
> always perfect because of the more intelligent displaying algorithm.
> However now sometimes a part of a distant wall is missing because this
> algorithm decided that this part isn't that important.
slowdown when racing, even when alone, and missing graphics in the distance
when racing to line up your car for the upcoming corner.
I've found this to be particularly bad at Interalgos, Brazil, where the
first corner and the surrounding features are blued out.
Doesn't affect Australia or Argentina though.
The slowdown though seems worse than Link Mode racing with the original,
especially in traffic.
> You'll be
> pleased to hear that there's a real cockpit view now (even with
> dirt and these strange "remove a layer to clean" helmets).
The real cockpit view is a nice feature, but due to the limited resolution > pleased to hear that there's a real cockpit view now (even with
> dirt and these strange "remove a layer to clean" helmets).
and viewing range I find it almost impossible to race competitively for a
complete lap.
If they hadn't dropped the excellent Repaly Mode of the original, I would
have liked to view my races from this viewpoint.
> Sound has
> supposedly been improved, too but I didn't notice much of a difference.
Soundwise the cars now have a distinctively different tone engine to > supposedly been improved, too but I didn't notice much of a difference.
engine, even though the Mugen Honda and Peugeot engine's sound suspiciously
similar.
I don't like the fact that the sound of your chosen car IMO is too low
level, inparticular when you're racing with others, you can barely hear
your own engine.
Also unlike the first game, when you're on your own you can't hear the
other cars around the circuit.
I loved how on the earlier game you would hear them first before you see
them, this includes on certain tracks where the layout would bend back on
to itself and you could hear the cars on those parts of the circuit.
The new game seems to lack the sound scale of Formula 1 car sounds that the
earlier version tried to replicate, and is actually there in real life.
> The only major update there has been the commentary: The guys now tell
> you a lot of background stories (eg. that Williams and Jordan have
> redesigned their cars) and actually _remember_ what they said. For
> example:
I notice Murray Walker updates a lot less than the original, which might > you a lot of background stories (eg. that Williams and Jordan have
> redesigned their cars) and actually _remember_ what they said. For
> example:
irritate some people, but when you're racing in the lead, and there no
commentator talking to you, it gets pretty lonely.
Even if like the original all he's doing is updating the running order lap
after alap, it beats nothing like in Formula 1 '97.
Updates on battles throughout the field to pass time would be nice.
> * I drive my car into the grass and leave the game alone
> * announcer: "he drove right into the grass"
> * 30 seconds later: "he seems to have stalled his engine"
> * another few seconds later: "you could expect that - he's driven into
> the grass after all"
> While the first two phrases are pretty obivous, the third one
> really impressed me.
Interesting that, I haven't heard that one. > * announcer: "he drove right into the grass"
> * 30 seconds later: "he seems to have stalled his engine"
> * another few seconds later: "you could expect that - he's driven into
> the grass after all"
> While the first two phrases are pretty obivous, the third one
> really impressed me.
> All in all IMHO you shouldn't get F1'97 if you just want the same
> game with improved graphics/sound - there's not that much of
> a difference to the already excellent F1.
There IMO is enough detail difference for Grand Prix Mode racers to get the > game with improved graphics/sound - there's not that much of
> a difference to the already excellent F1.
game.
It's just disappointing that Bizarre Creations and Psygnosis didn't not
take this oppportunity to to develop, maximsie, and refine many
areas of the classic Formula 1 game, leaving for many of us IMO a game that
comes up short and disappoints, and Bizarre Creations and Psygnosis giving
us a reasonably OK sequel, not great, just OK and an opportunity missed.
> The gameplay however has changed drastically. Frankly, I don't know
> where to begin - everything that players complained about in F1
> has been fixed, a lot of other things have been added:
The addition of both Jerez in Spain, and Estoril in Portugal was an added > where to begin - everything that players complained about in F1
> has been fixed, a lot of other things have been added:
> * All the 1997 tracks and drivers (except one, see below) are there
> in the same quality as before. So we can drive the last grand prixes
> just when they are happening.
bonus.
I like the Melbourne, Australia layout.
Disappointing though that the Lola Ford Formula 1 Team weren't included.
Likewise it is frustrating to see that you can still Corner Hop/Cut at
places like Italy, Germany, San Marino, etc just like in the first game,
where's the sport in that?.
> * There's a real complete flag system in there. Try driving the
> wrong way and the race is over. Crash and you'll get a yellow
> flag (I'll have to pull off a "Schumacher" this evening to see
> if I can pass during yellow-flag phases without problems :) ).
I've found the Flag system very inconsistent, and in a lot of ways > wrong way and the race is over. Crash and you'll get a yellow
> flag (I'll have to pull off a "Schumacher" this evening to see
> if I can pass during yellow-flag phases without problems :) ).
frustrating when you get mauled from behind by a bcakmarker you're lapping
for the third time, only to get flagged for it.
Also no Yellow Flags when a car has spun, stalled, recovered from a spin,
or slowed, and no Blue Flags to lapped traffic to get the hell out of the
way, though it is challenging not having it.
I have passed cars under a Yellow Falg situation and received no penalty,
pity as I would've enjoyed the challenge of a stop go penalty in the pits.
> * The weather changes during races and this affects your car's
> performance beautifully (not as crude as in F1 where you just
> couldn't steer anymore).
Yes, it's great. > performance beautifully (not as crude as in F1 where you just
> couldn't steer anymore).
I love to see how long I can stay out on slicks on a wet track and take
positions (I too can be Jean Alesi or Ayrton Senna).
The game still suffers though from the AI being too slow when it's wet, I
mean I won the Australian Grand Prix from Micheal Schumacher who was three
laps down in second place.
I know I'm good, but not three laps over second placed Michael Schumacher
good.
Has anyone figured out how to and/or when to use the Monsoon tyres?
Evertime I go to use them my car won't gain enough speed to change into
third gear, and the cornering performance is only a little better than
slicks in the wet.
I do like the lighting flashes, thunder roar, and raindrop sounds, very
nice touches.
> * The "starting lights" now behave correctly - the go read one
> by one, when they're out again the race starts.
Indeed they do, and how crisp they look too. > by one, when they're out again the race starts.
Likewise the colours of the cars look vibrant, and very close to the real
thing.
> * If you lose a wing your car will have problems in turns, just
> as I expected
Yes, I'm quite suprised people claim to be faster without their wings with > as I expected
the first game.
I could never do a 1.20.00 at Brazil in Formula 1, unless I had all my
wings.
Likewise the complaint about fuel not affecting performance, I could only
achieve the above lap time with 23 percent or less fuel.
> * you have all kind of weird car configuration options (actually
> too much for my a bit arcady tastes :) ) including hard/soft
> slicks, size of the brake thingies, front/rear downforce, ...
> There's no adjustable gear ratio however (at least I haven't
> seen any).
The suspension setting makes a world of difference to your cars handling, > too much for my a bit arcady tastes :) ) including hard/soft
> slicks, size of the brake thingies, front/rear downforce, ...
> There's no adjustable gear ratio however (at least I haven't
> seen any).
and drivability.
> * There's a great pit communication now - if it starts raining
> they'll tell you that they've got the "wet tires" available and
> that you should enter the pits.
Yes, it's a good feature if a little loud compared to the rest of the audio > they'll tell you that they've got the "wet tires" available and
> that you should enter the pits.
mix.
I love how he asks what happened there, when you make an absolute horror of
a mistake like punting your teammate, or when you're about to have your
engine misfire, and if you don't pit soon it'll blow.
> * There's even a car performence statistics graphics that lets
> you see everything you did in the last lap (gear, throttle,
> speed, and so on) but I actually did find no use for it. A
> comparison to the best lap would have been good.
Yes, as it is right now on its own during practice and no comparison > you see everything you did in the last lap (gear, throttle,
> speed, and so on) but I actually did find no use for it. A
> comparison to the best lap would have been good.
against fastest laps, or pole, it's pretty much window dreesing.
Obviously a feature not fully exploited or implemented, but influenced by
Grand Prix 2 and the real thing.
> * other cars will actually be affected now if you crash into them
> (huh huh :) ).
I don't ever know what you mean (joke), yes indeedy they'll spin and/or go > (huh huh :) ).
flying and pit for repairs.
Wonder if they've programmed PAYBACK in to the AI?
> And here's my big question: Am I just being stupid or is there
> _no way_ at all to "accelerate the
...> _no way_ at all to "accelerate the
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