rec.autos.simulators

PS: Bring it on!

He's correct... GPL is real racing ;-)

-- It's a joke :)
-- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard/Nas-Frank>
-- NROS Nascar sanctioned Guide http://www.nros.com/
-- SimRacing Online http://www.simracing.com/
-- Official mentally retarded guy of r.a.s.
-- May the Downforce be with you...

"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."

-- JB

Don't forget Andretti Racing.

I just KNOW you guys aren't down on MS CPR only because you can't keep the
cars on the track,... must be some other reasons....
W Spilman

So much potential. So little achievement.

M

Surely the criteria for being a *sim* rather than an arcade racing game
would include the following....

NB: All the following should be implemented as accurately as possible by
the designers, manufacturers, etc, but will not always be wholly accurate
due to the limitations of using a pc as a simulator.

*************************
An accurate physics model. - The car should act as closely as possible in
a similar manner to the real thing. This means it should accelerate, brake
and steer like a real car. It should suffer damage like a real car, and
the damage should affect the cars performance. If set-ups can be altered,
they should affect the cars performance as in a real car. If the car is
abused or set-up incorrectly the car should eventually suffer engine wear,
and random faults hsould occur from time to time as in real life, Eg: tyre
punctures, suspension failures, gear box faults, electrical problems,
overheating, etc.
*************************
An accurately modelled environment. - If the car hits something, it should
react as in real life, and affect the car as in real life. Eg: straw bail
or concrete barrier? Driving on different surfaces should affect the car
in an appropriate manner. Weather should be implemented and affect the
cars performance. The graphics should realistically match the area being
depicted.
*************************
Realistic rules, facts, statistics, graphics, etc. - The races should have
the appropriate rules compared to real life racing, (Eg: black flags,
penalties, etc). The cars statistics for acceleration, braking, etc should
match that of a real car. And set-up options should also match those of a
real car (Eg: max speed, BHP, etc, so there should be no grip editors or
BHP editors, etc) The graphics should realistically match the cars being
depicted. ALL cars and ALL tracks should be available to the user from the
moment the program has been installed. The user should not have to access
cheats or codes or win races to get to further cars or tracks.
*************************
An accurately modelled AI. - The AI should, as much as is possible, be
intelligent, in that they allow faster cars to overtake if being lapped,
or fight for position if necessary. The AI should have different levels
for each car as in real life. Some AI should be agressive, some passive,
some fast, and some slower.
*************************
NB: Not all (if any?) current sims meet this fairly strict criteria. This
is an *ideal* criteria to aim for (and I'm sure the criteria could be
added to?) Most sims will almost certainly be lacking in at least one
area?
*************************
The criteria for arcade driving games would obviously be less strict:

Arcade racers may not have an accurate physics model. - The cars may
accelerate at exagerated rates or have unrealistic top speeds or stopping
distances? There may not be set-up options or the options will be limited
or not affect the cars performance in a realistic manner (often the
affects will be exagerated?) Damage may not affect the cars performance?
*************************
Arcade racers may not have an accurate environment. - It may be based on
an *unreal* environment, often futuristic? The environment may not affect
the cars performance, there may not be weather or the graphics may be
based in some imaginary World?
*************************
Arcade racers may not have *any* rules or accurately based facts, etc. -
Carmageddon? They may on the other hand have some rules, or use leagues or
tables, or cheat modes to access other cars or tracks. Acceleration rates
may be exagerated, unrealistic top speeds may be acheivable.
*************************
The AI may not be very good. - There may be no AI, or its behaviour may be
exagerated to make the game very difficult, or very easy? The AI may be
unrealistically represented by monsters or aliens, etc?
*************************
Generally speaking, sims are aimed at the serious racing enthusiast, and
require a steeper learning curve, and longer time spent practicing to
obtain good results consistently.

Whereas it could be argued that arcade type games are aimed at the *quick
fix* sector of the racing market, and are therefore easier to learn, and
do not require the same amount of skill or the same amount of effort to
obtain consistent results?

Just my opinion of course...... (BTW, I own many sims *AND* arcade type
games, and enjoy *BOTH* types as they offer different things).

8-)

*Peter*     8-)

It's a sim

Pete

Dan Belcher
Team Racing Unlimited