rec.autos.simulators

--
Scott Moore
Hoosier MotorSports
http://www.racesimcentral.net/
Sports *** Network
http://www.racesimcentral.net/***.com

- Eric

     I broke down and did something yesterday.  I got tired of waiting
for the release of GPL (which I have on order) and loaded the Watkins
Glen Demo to goof around with until the simulation is released in a
few weeks.

     What I found appaled me.  I just got through upgrading my
computer (at pretty high expense I might add) and find the entire sim
runs with a "choppy" frame rate. and is undrivable unless nearly ALL
the details are turned off.

    I have a Pentium 233 MMX (NOT pentium II) 64 meg of ram 6.1 gig
hard drive, and a two meg video card that is NOT 3dfx or anything else
because I still want to play the sims INDYCAR II,  NASCAR II, and GP2.

   IT is a shame that GPL will not be a DOS -------- or -------- WIN95
simulation.

   It seems that I will probably be delegated to leaving it in the box
once I get the damned thing.

   I sincerely hope this issue was addressed before final release so
that the mere mortals of the earth don't have to go out and UPGRADE to
something like a 460 CPU and all that other high priced crap, just to
play the sim.

  I would be interested to know about this and the answers to it.

   Doug

Being 1998, you need to go get yourself a 3d card.
 spend another 75 bucks and atleast get a Monster 1.  You will not be
disapointed

Devon

I'd say get the 3dfx if you play many other games, it is very well supported
(i.e EVERY 3D game runs on it), but the Rendition is also a very good card,
especially if these are the only games you play much.

Should run GPL fairly well with either on your system, probably have to turn
off a few things.  But for GPL, other future games, and even your existing
N2 (and ICR2 if you get a Rendition) - one of these 3D cards is about the
best dollar-for-dollar upgrade you can add to your computer, and there
really isn't any downside, other than parting with $50-200.  The difference
in the speed AND quality of the visuals with even that $50-$60 Stealth II
S220 will amaze you.  N2 will be super smooth and look better on your
system.

Ask around here, do some research (say on Deja News) and you'll figure out
what will suit you best.  Just remember that a lot of these "super-fast" new
3D cards DON'T help many games at all, just the ones that support
Microsoft's Direct 3D.  A growing number of games are Direct 3D, but a lot
of significant games only support 3dfx / Rendition, or run better with 3dfx
/ Rendition.  N2 and GPL are in that latter group, they ONLY work with 3dfx
or Rendition.

My guess is the Stealth II S220,or a Hercules Rendition card - any of the
ones with a V2100 or V2200 chipset, not the older V1000 - would suit your
needs well, and pretty cheaply.

Ken

keep in mind that a v2200 chip does not support icr2! although it is the best
for n2 soda and GPL. hercules thriller 8 meg rips!!!

A 3d card is really worth it's money. Just to give you an example. I
have a (small) network at home, with a 486 NT server, a fairly good
client PC that I use for my daily work and a low end client PC that I
use mostly for network games. That low end PC is a P75 clocked to 90Mhz,
with just 32Mb of RAM AND a voodoo1 card. And guess what.... Quake2 runs
perfectly smooth!!

So what I'm saying is. Real game power does NOT come from the best
Pentium with the fasted 'normal' video card. The 3d card is what makes
it run.

// Johan

And don't worry about your old games they'll run just like they did
before...

DOS is gone, dead, etc...

I have a Pentium 200MMX, 32meg ram, 2.1 h/d and a 2meg 2d video card. The
difference is that I also have a 12 meg voodoo card that outperforms the
rest of my system by miles. (in readiness to slot into a new machine
whenever that happens). Of course, I will have 64 meg of ram for the full
release :-)
GP2 and the rest will still run quite happily after installing a new 3d
card. Quite simply, They do not use it and continue running off the normal
video card. Maybe you are under the impression that the 3d card replaces
it. Not the case. They co-exist.

Is that Dos version 5?  Come on pal, that's called progress. I'd love to
play GPL on my Amstrad C464 circa 1987 at blazing framerates and hence
negating expenditure on hardware.

Hi Mika !

MV>      What I found appaled me.  I just got through upgrading my
MV> computer (at pretty high expense I might add) and find the entire sim
MV> runs with a "choppy" frame rate. and is undrivable unless nearly ALL
MV> the details are turned off.

Absolutely no problem here (AMD K6 200, 64 MB SDRAM, Monster 3D).

MV>     I have a Pentium 233 MMX (NOT pentium II) 64 meg of ram 6.1 gig
MV> hard drive, and a two meg video card that is NOT 3dfx or anything else
MV> because I still want to play the sims INDYCAR II,  NASCAR II, and GP2.

Well - now it's clear to see, why your frame rates are so low...go and
get a 3dfx-card and you will not believe your eyes.

BTW: why aren't you able to play the above mentioned games if you have
a 3dfx-card ?? It's no problem, 'cos those older games detect your
normal 2D-card...

MV>    IT is a shame that GPL will not be a DOS -------- or -------- WIN95
MV> simulation.

??? It runs under win95 ?!

MV>    I sincerely hope this issue was addressed before final release so
MV> that the mere mortals of the earth don't have to go out and UPGRADE to
MV> something like a 460 CPU and all that other high priced crap, just to
MV> play the sim.

See above - 3dfx ;-)

Also, man mailt sich...

.\\atze        [ FmMW2109 - FmMB2139 ]

*home* : http://www.home4u.de/buesing/

Michael.

Heh-heh. With a track ball? Good luck! ;-)

--
Cheers, Tilman
                          *   *   *
`We have art, in order that we may not perish from the truth.'
                                    -- Friedrich Nietzsche