Being a notebook user helped. I finally tried out the Watkins Glen demo
(which I gather isn't even the "good" demo) on a friend's PC. It wasn't
even a ninja PC, just a PII300 backed up with an old Voodoo I. Now I know
what you have all been ranting and raving about. I also don't think that
it is as beginner unfriendly as everyone says. I only get about 3 hours
of "seat time" on my driving sims (GP2 and ICR2) per week, and in fact in
GP2 with a stick and no steering help or throttle help, I am lucky to
string together 10 good laps in a row, so I think I am not overqualified
as a simmer. But I think GPL provides a fairly smooth learning curve if
the player can check their ego at the door and start in the novice
trainer. On top of that, Papyrus provides lots of help, I think. I
started with analog steering, keyboard brakes and throttle. The code,
like all Papyrus sims, "eases" the brakes and throttle on when a key is
pressed. I quickly moved on to full analog control, but with the helps
on. After about 2 hours, I had made it to full analog control and only
auto shifting, turning consistent (consistently slow?) laps in the
advanced trainer. The GP car was a hoot, but wheelspin in third gear told
me I still needed practice. Of course, the next step is to get my ass
kicked by AI, but I for one like this learning curve. And I find the GPL
cars easier to drive than ICR2 on a road course. There is so much
feedback (visual) from the 3D***pit, the blocking tires, the sound in
GPL that it is a joy to drive. I even found it driveable with manual
shifting and a joystick, something I have never been able to do with ICR2
or GP2.
We also tried out just about every other current sim demo. No other demo
impressed me. I tried SCGT, Viper, TOCA2, CMR... dull. I tried MGPRS,
which my friend has... a dud. I even loaded my old favorite GP2 onto his
PII. It was a nice change from my notebook, but somehow flat. And none of
the other sims come close to GPL for sound. I couldn't wipe the grin off
my face, and that was just with an Eagle... bring on the Ferrari.
So thanks, GPL, not only have you ruined all my previous sims for me, but
you've also forced me to go buy a desktop (not an easy thing for a
notebook junkie).
A question: what is better about the Monza demo, and where can I find it?
Is it still just "training", or can you race against a few AI?
Stephen
(better late to GPl than never)