rec.autos.simulators

Why NASCAR2 needs alot of work...

1>  Unless you have a "Rendition"  video card you can't play in hi res
mode which leaves you with 2D graphics.  Tech support, as rude as they
were, confirmed this.   I've got a Stealth 3D 2000XL w/ 4MB EDO ram
and I get pretty much the same graphics as a 1MB trident.

2>  The sound quality just plain sucks.  I've got a pentium pro 166,
32MB ram,  a sounblaster awe32-pnp, and TWO sets of Altec Lansing
ACS500 speaker systems - when I play the original NASCAR the room
literally shakes.  When I play NASCAR2 with the proper and same sound
setup all I get is FM quality sound (rather than the engines rumbling
they buzz)  Tech support says it's not coming out with anything to
correct this and its just the difference between the two games.  Even
if I had a rendition card to get the full 3D graphics the sound
quality is so poor I just can't justify the $50!

Basically they rushed to get this game out before Christmas and
neglecting many refinements and failing miserably!!!

I didn't know they made PPro 166's. Huh...

Has the sound changed from the demo? I bought the game (xmas gift) based
on the demo looks & sound. The demo ran sounded & looked great. I do not
expect that the game is worse than the demo.

Huh. I guess I will be dissapointed when I open & run the game on Xmas...

Sounds like you have some tweaking to do on your system. I have a p133
w/24mg edo and can run hi-res with only grass, asphault and horizon turned
off and 14 cars drawn ahead. I don't know what the frame rates are (Is there
something out there that can tell me this since the counter was left out of
the program but not the manual?) but they are at least twice as good as
nascar1. I know the frame rates are above 20, I set the grandstands on auto
and the min frame rate to 20 and the grandstands have never turned off.

Sounds like you setup the sound card in N2 incorrectly. I had the same
problem with my Yamaha sound card. I went back into setup and set the sound
card manually and now it rocks. especially went I hit something (I didn't
mean to :) ) This doesn't seem to be a problem with N2 on my end though,
I've had this happen with several programs of late.

In my opinion N2 is definatly worth it. Although just shop around a little
and you'll find it for under $50. I paid 29.99 at best buy on sale. Compusa
has it on their shelf at 39.99 and that's not on sale.

Now, if someone will just start up a league using N2......

John

I was a little disappointed running N2 on my P120 - but with a new found
P200 the sim runs well.  It is definitely a generation one product - I
suspect that it is largely a rewrite, not just an update of N1.  It needs
some fixes and features.  However, the sound is not FM.  The verdict is
still out whether or not I like the drop in engine volume when I let off
the gas - but this is the only real noticeable difference in the sound.  I
suspect you have a sound card problem.  The graphics is quite good in 2D.
Better than N1.  I still don't quite like the roofs of the new cars - they
seem too thin or something.  The driving model is very different and I will
admit that I am struggling with it.  I had gotten very good at running high
and low at most of the tracks - but now I am off the pace in any groove.
This - I think - is caused by a tighter handling race car.  I hope I can
get back on track with setup changes.

I think some of your frustration is due to hardware configuration problems
and the change from N1.  Also, some missing and unpolished items probably
also give an initial reaction of disappointment.  I have tried to reserve
judgement until I race for a while.  The faster CPU has made the experience
a lot better.  The biggest hurdle for me is the missing save race weekend
option.  I think that N2 is a good rev 1 product.  With a few fixes and
additions I hope it will be a great product.  Fix your configuration
problems and give it another try.  If you are still disappointed - make an
itemized list of missing features, bugs, etc.

/THansen

I realize this and made sure that I was speaking with a supervisor and
made sure I was perfectly clear about the problem.  I also called
again the next day and spoke with another supervisor and got the same
answer.  They acknowledged that without a rendition card you are going
to get 2 dimensional graphics not 3D...FACT

Okay maybe I wasn't completely clear, the sound that NASCAR2 put's out
is more comparable to FM sound rather than digital and I've received
plenty of email agreeing with me on this.  Believe me I've tried every
possible sound configuration including auto detect (which I am setup
on know) all to no avail.  Auto detect picked the same config that it
did in the original version.  I think that you'd have to realize the
sound quality that the Original NASCAR put out.  My full config is
P166 Pro, 32MB, 3g, 8x cd and an $1000 speaker - subwoofer - surround
system.  The original version really does make the house shake, then
when I switch to N2 I get a buzz version of the sound with practically
no bass which gives you the rumble effect of the engine.

Please - I gave sierra the benefit of the doubt time and time again,
I've had the game for a week and didn't post until today.

HAHA!! hrm.... P6-166, strange.. i always remembered that the slowst P6
intel brang out is a P6-180, whered you pull the P166 Pro from?

Alex Fernandez
Harris Corp. GASD