rec.autos.simulators

I think, somebody should start a big signature petition about this
TCP/IP issue with FIA and let them know, what we want the customer of
those F1 game and also for the most of us, who are also Formula One Fans
!!!!!!!!!!

Thank's Coco

sign me in.

Lio

The limitation of the FIA license (I've known about this FIA online problem
since F1RS) is that the game company cannot build or add it to an existing
or future "Game Server" if you will. This does not mean that GP3 will not
have TCP/IP capabilities (there is such thing as LAN on TCP/IP... although
slower). So based on the previous work of other people in GP2 I suspect
Microprose will allow it to be played via TCP/IP and hope that some guy such
as myself will come along and create a third-party connection service.

If they do it smartly... they can avoid breech of contract with the FIA and
still have Internet play available shortly after the release.

It's important to note that this Licensing fiasco is the main reason UbiSoft
did not "Officially License" Monaco GPRS2. They (UbiSoft) have chosen to
also acquire the same licensing and will be stuck themselves with MGPRS3....
do any of these guys listen to what we want? Let's face it... liveries and
names will be added by third parties... so why spend all that money to
license it, and lose a major attraction such as online play. Yet another
screwup from the Marketing people who seem to think an Official License is
worth more than online play, and cause the game companies to make a big
boo-boo with important decisions.

Anyhow... working *** it, and be patient. It WILL be provided. Oh did I
mention that it will be free with only some annoying banner adverti***ts
to pay the hydro bills.

Cheers,

Shumi
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

Don't think Geoff has forgotten about us onliners.... I'm sure he will be
smart enough to allow a TCP/IP connection. Which is half the battle.

I am working on an online engine that is website based, but the parties
racing are not bound to the server to relay information. It will become
easier to understand once it is completed.... but it should carry the best
of both worlds as far as server based, and Direct Connection.

Keep yas posted along the way.... but I'm alone in doing this, so don't
expect something next week.

Cheers,

Shumi
http://www.rs2league.com

"Good on ya mate!"

Kurt

--
Don Burnette
Dburn in N3 and Legends

--
Don Burnette
Dburn in N3 and Legends

snip

The MAIN problem, and the thing that the FIA are banking on, is the MTU
speeds. MTU=Maximum Transmission Units (aka Packet size). 1500 is the
standard for LAN, and Win98 with an enhanced Networking capability over
Win95 can handle this just great. The problem is that standard MTUs for the
dial-up modems is 576. In fact... this is why many games are extremely laggy
over the Internet when on Dial-Up modems. Also, this is the reason why Cable
Modem users also experience this lag. You can tweak the registry to allow a
1500 MTU TCP/IP over cable (it can handle it just fine), but Win98 will
usually deault to 576 (since there are still more dial-up modem users out
there, than there are Cable Users as a whole).

As a whole... the game developers have to have a SOLID reason to port the
games to use 576 sized packets, when LAN runs on 1500 by default through
IPX/SPX. Any attempt to port it over that, will set out warning flags to the
licensor, and they had best have a darned good reason to do this (since the
most common reason is Internet Play, and forbidden by the FIA/FOA).

Of course some games just need to use higher packets to stream the
information, and if you can cut down the information that needs to be
sent/received, you have a great online engine (like Papy does).

So the game developers must do a dance on the tight-rope to apease the
masses, and still fall into line on the license.

I am currently taking shots in the dark regarding handling larger packet
sizes, and will see what I can come up with. I only pray that Geoff can come
up with a good reason, and a good method to use smaller packet sizes.

Cheers,

Shumi

: It's important to note that this Licensing fiasco is the main reason UbiSoft
: did not "Officially License" Monaco GPRS2. They (UbiSoft) have chosen to
: also acquire the same licensing and will be stuck themselves with MGPRS3....
: do any of these guys listen to what we want? Let's face it... liveries and
: names will be added by third parties... so why spend all that money to
: license it, and lose a major attraction such as online play. Yet another
: screwup from the Marketing people who seem to think an Official License is
: worth more than online play, and cause the game companies to make a big
: boo-boo with important decisions.

Well, I think that official licensing does "fill the stands".  GP2 sold
about a million copies, and I imagine only a fraction of those people even
know about, let alone accessed, the various websites to download new cars.

Stephen

In the end... I think it is MUCH more important nowadays.

Cheers,

Shumi