rec.autos.simulators

Don't know how old this info is from the APEX site, but that would be a
useful indicator. I also have a couple three other questions:

1. I assume that APEX is not officially affiliated with MS or TRI, is
that correct?

2. If it's true that APEX is not officially affiliated with MS or TRI,
what exactly is the arrangement? I'm not looking for conspiracies, just
curious as to why a company with MS resources can't issue there own PR,
or support their own sim site.

3. Everyone is enjoined to go fill out the "New Patch feedback form",
yet two sentences later there is the caveat "There is no guarantee of
another patch but if you don't make your voice heard I can guarantee you
there will not be another one. In the next day or two I will stop taking
feedback and will compile the results." Again, I'd like to know the time
frame of the original posting, and (believe me, I'm not trying to be
argumentative) how it is you cannot guarantee there will be another
patch, yet you CAN guarantee there WON'T be another patch, if people
don't fill out APEX' feedback form. Something doesn't quite line up
here.

4. Then there is the ambiguous "Please fill out the form with the items
that you think need to be fixed in a patch before version 2.0 or [SIC]
CART Precision Racing." Notwithstanding what must be a typo (you DID
mean to say "before version 2.0 *of* CART Precision Racing, correct?),
there still seems to be some ambiguity -- perhaps I'm not reading it
correctly -- concerning another patch. First, there is the question of
whether or not there will be another patch, the answer to which you
don't know, and MS/TRI isn't talking. Then there are the most important
implied questions: is there going to be a final patch of v.1? Will there
be requests for feedback to that hypothetical final patch, in the
not-unlikely-event there are still lingering problems, before the
release of v.2, or will v.2 be released as essentially v.1 with the
hypothetical final patch? What I'm trying to ask is, if there actually
IS a final downloadable patch, will it give those people who bought v.1
the same operative functionality as those who buy v.2, or will v.2
incorporate FURTHER improvements over the hypothetical final patch,
which would then make it necessary for purchasers of v.1 to shell out
AGAIN for v.2, if they wanted to maintain parity for online racing? If
this is the case, then doesn't it seem logical that MS/TRI owe the
people who bought v.1 in good faith some sort of break on v.2?

Sorry to be so long-winded, but these questions seem simple to me; I
just don't understand why it's so difficult to get a definitive answer
as to what MS/TRI's commitment is actually going to amount to, if
anything, to the guinea pigs who bought CPR v.1, and acted as their
unpaid beta testers. I relaize that YOU can't answer the question, but
we all know who can.

Bart Brown

<<Thanks to everyone that filled out the New Patch feedback form. Right
now there have been over 200 replies! If you haven't given your feedback
yet head over to the online feedback form and fill it out. There is no
guarantee of another patch but if you don't make your voice heard I can
guarantee you there will not be another one. I will post a summary of
the results in the news section so people
can see what others had in mind.

Please fill out the form with the items that you think need to be fixed
in a patch before version 2.0 or CART Precision
Racing. Remember that MS and TRI will not have an infinite amount of
time and resources to fix everything so make
sure that you pick the items that are the most important to you!>>

<<Since you are great at correcting spelling (especially in my posts), I
am wondering what the heck a "relaize" is?>>

Ahhh...."relaize":

r?laz verb, intransitive

To take one's ease, specifically in a chaise lounge or other
non-specific lounge chair; to rest in such a chair or chaise lounge.

"I should have checked over my message before I *relaized* for a few
moments in my nuclear-powered Panasonic Shiatsu chaise lounge; I would
have *realized* I had made a typo."

No synonyms found for "relaize"

Bart Brown

This brings to mind a question I have.  I coulda swore that there was to
be a "patched" demo with the fixes incorporated with "the" patch.  To my
knowledge the demo is still the original one.  Is there going to be a
patched demo?  If not, does this indicate the lack of further work on
CPR v.1?

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./.  [-  < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

correct?

I believe there is no "official" relationship between APEX and MS.  However,
APEX is a CPR fan site, and is therefore MS "friendly".  Its pretty clear that
the fact that Dean feels comfortable posting on the APEX message board is a
sign that he feels he's among friends (CPR fans) there, as opposed to Usenet,
where he got routinely flamed.

exactly is the arrangement? I'm not looking for conspiracies, just curious as
to why a company with MS resources can't issue there own PR,
or support their own sim site. >>

My guess would be beauracracy (sp?) and accountability.  I figure that if MS
wants to put something on their web site, they have to go through whatever Web
site management layer there is at MS *and* anything they put up there they can
be held accountable for.  So its more "official" dissemination than informal
and friendly give and take between CPR users and development team.  Dean can
say something on the APEX and its not really "official" in the sense that stuff
they put up on their site is.  I see nothing wrong with an informal
relationship that fosters continued communication between users and the
development team in a more friendly environment than Usenet.  Besides, I
suspect that the CART team at Microsoft and at TRI do read Usenet messages,
even if they don't respond to them.

another patch but if you don't make your voice heard I can guarantee you there
will not be another one. >>

Interesting choice of words.  I don't read that much into it, except common
sense does dictate that if no one is complaining, then there's nothing to
patch, right?  (If it ain't broken...).  Obviously John is trying to rally as
much support for another patch as he can.

As far as whether or not the current patch is final before a full version
upgrade...who knows?  I sure don't.

Randy

Randy Magruder
Staff Writer
Digital Sportspage
http://www.digitalsports.com/

Yes, I'm interested in this observation also. Anyone confirm any info
about a new demo with these improvements in AI & Framerates that some
are claiming after retail version patch? I recall the Microsoft rep.
that once participated in this group mentioning an improved demo in
the works back when claims were also made to the theory of native
"Glide" support being out-performed by D3D in the construction of the
"patch" which resulted in the dumping of that port. I would personally
be very interested in seeing this first hand without being obligated
to a purchase. Seems like a major leap in development which would be
well worthy of ALL resources applied to releasing a revised demo.

Ron L.

(Please remove the extra letter(s) to respond)

Home of the SSC http://www3.pgh.net/~lazer/    
For Nascar2 & Winston Cup Fans!

<snipped-discussion about ?patch?>

     The following is the post from Dean about a week or so ago with a
bit on the end from my good self :) Rest assured that Dean is not
crawled to by all at the APEX :)

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   >We are constantly looking for ways to bring CPR closer to the
"ideal" sim but everyone's opinions differ on what that means.

know that many people recognized their suggestions in version 1.01. We
are listening.

See this all you anti whiners? Dean is here with this message because
CGW rated CPR as game of the year? Or because you all claim it's
so good? Aint that right now? (VERY sarcastic GRIN). So you all go back
to the Zone and to kidding yourselves that it's right and let us
see if we CAN get it RIGHT for you. We'll see if we can wake you up out
of your coma when we get there (VERY sarcastic GRIN).

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