...computer.
Been a few weeks actually. I bought an Athlon 1600XP+, MSI K7T266 Pro2 (non
RAID), 256mb of 266DDR ram (The guy said I wanted 2100 speed, I said I
thought 266 was the speed, he said don't think and take the 2100, I did.), a
USR PCI 56k modem, Sound Blaster PCI512, Cambridge FPS1800 4.1 speaker
system, and an ATX case with a side and top fan. The box and computing
hardware was 630USD and the sound card and speaker system were 50 and
100USD. The chip/board/case/modem is an insanely good deal, I am finding
out. So is the sound system.
Naturally, the first place I went was GP32K. I put everything flat out,
except mirrors, at 1280x1024 and ran under 100 PO at Monaco from 6th place
all the way around. GP3 is a gorgeous looking game. I also have the new (to
me) EAX and Direct Sound sound card. The sound of the cars in position has
added so much to GP3. It seems like it's exactly what the game was missing
and now it's perfect. I tried 1024x768 and seriously cannot tell the
difference graphically but I can feel the difference in the car. I have to
say that the physics in GP32K are the best I've ever felt by a huge margin
and they are very realistic. There is so much depth and fluidity to the tire
model. Racing in the rain is pure joy. It seems like the AI got better too.
Without question, this is the finest driving sim I've ever driven and it
really didn't get that way until the computer got faster.
SBK2K&1 became drivable all of the sudden. I cranked the graphics up
absolutely all the way. Everything as far as it would go. The game got real
smooth. The chicanes are no longer the impassable obstacle they used to be
and the cornering speeds came up. Everything is fluid now. I would race
online this minute, the controller is that much better. It's very easy to
see the difference between 1280x1024 and 1024x768, worlds different, but
1024 is still the best looking game I've seen and the controls are slightly
smoother. The sound in SBK is the best.
STCC2 is weird. Didn't change much at all and won't run above 800x600. Maybe
it doesn't like the Voodoo5. Actually, I did Max all the graphics and it is
much more fluid and expressive. A good drive, no doubt. Now, if only I could
find another driver on one of the servers.
CPR. It's tempting to say this is as good as GP32K. It's certainly holding
it's own. It looks pretty good considering the max res is 640x480. The
chassis dynamics simply got better. It holds the title of having the most
race car like feel and best sense of speed, acceleration and deceleration.
The bumps are excellent. The way the suspension bottoms and lifts and
transfers, wow.... it's unbelievably good. But the tire model is slightly
off. Dependable, you can anticipate it and drive the car very hard at the
limit, but off the realism chart to some degree. Also the perspective is
slightly off. Hard to put the car to the inch. Easily as fun as anything
else, though. The new computer made it better again. It's sad that the AI
are ludicrously poor and no one is online anymore because with the slightest
tweak to the perspective and tire model it would be the best racer ever.
Everyone else would have to hide their heads.
GPL. The distance from GPL to GP32K/CPR grew substantially. GPL has dropped
further off the chart in terms of physics and racing car feel and fun and
realism. That being said, it's about 30% closer to what I wish it could be
and I'm enjoying it more than ever.
Overall the new computer gave everything a lot more depth. Graphics are
important if you can have the luxury of having them. The illusion is more
impressive. But most important is fluidity and controller immediacy because
they allow us to react in a more realistic manner. This new computer changed
everything for me. And showed me how good GP3 and CPR really are.
If you're thinking of upgrading, you won't be disappointed with the new gear
that's available. We are at a lull in sim production and the computers are
lulling enough that a good machine is very reasonable.
--
"Racing! - Science for the action minded."
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