rec.autos.simulators

For some reason I don't quite understand where some of the pessimistic
remarks on GP3 come from. I hear people complaining about how GP3 'looks
more like GP2.5', 'has unimpressive graphics', 'is missing the boat
because of lack of Force Feedback or lack of Internet-support', 'won't
ever come near to the driving model of GPL', etc.

I would like to argue that I never expected GP3 not to look like GP2.
What should Crammond have done, throw his work on GP2 out of the window?
It is by far not easy to create such an immense simulation. If Crammond
has managed to lift GP2 up to a much higher level with improved
graphics, improved AI, an improved driving model and an improved weather
model, all by his own in less than four years, then we should be glad to
be able to play this game in July.

(I may be going out on a limb here, but I would like to point out that I
think GP3's graphics for instance are better than those seen in F1 2000
(based on the screenshots and movies of both simulations I saw on the
Internet). As SCREAMIN pointed out in the GP3 forum, the graphics are
more crisp. I would like to add that the F1 2000 shots look too glossy.
The first time I saw the 38 Mb Gamestar GP3 video full screen on my 17"
monitor my jaw dropped to the floor. When I saw the F1 2000 video I
thought "so these are the superior graphics? Where's the background in
Monaco for instance?")

Of course, I would really love to race online. I would be thrilled to
see an animated pit crew. It would add to the realism if I could drive a
formation lap, or a victory lap into parc ferm. I would feel like I
competed with the great if the cars looked like those in the 2000
season.

It is not to be in GP3. But I won't complain, because I am confident
that Crammond has real heart for making simulations that stay, that keep
me on the edge of my seat and that satisfy my hunger for speed,
competition and accuracy of simulation. I may be too sentimental about
this, call me a Crammond-fan, but then again, he hasn't disappointed me
or screwed up in a big way ever.

An eagerly waiting F1-fan.

(This message can also be found on the GP3 forum at
http://www.racesimcentral.net/ )
--

<rant mode>
Crammond this, Crammond that.... this is really getting to me. Is this man
like a CE-label?? A guaranty for the pinnacle in simracing? He's just a
coder... one that hasn't done a 32-bit windows game before at that.

Admit it, here and now. Knowing what you know about GP3 and imagining for a
second this was being made by some upstart company you'd never heard of
before (like RatBag when they made DTR) without an impressive ***
pedigree behind them. Would you be "eagerly awaiting" this title? -NO!! IMO,
a Crammond game should bring more than just his name on the box.

GP3 is several features short of a modern racing sim (and in a "sim" I'm
willing to overlook graphic issues), fact. It now even appears some of the
annoyances that were in previous versions aren't fixed. Is it any wonder I,
and many others, aren't very optimistic about it??
<rant off>

This is not to mean GP3 will not be a good F1 game. For from it more than
likely. However, I think we can be pretty confident it will not raise the
bar for simracing games. Crammond appears to be resting on his laurels
instead of pushing the envelope, which I find very disappointing.

GP3 should have been the game to blow GPL out of the water, just like it's
demo sunk GP2 nearly 2 years ago. GP3 doesn't appear to even challenge GPL
(except for the weather, maybe), which means Crammond has failed, IMO. I bet
Cassidy, Keammer and Co are reading all this with a very smug grin on their
face and so they should!! -As long as they don't start resting on their
laurels too and get right back to work on GPL2. ;-)

I am calling out in the vain hope some of this will trickle down to the
development team, but even if it does, it's probably too late anyway. I will
give GP3 a go, but without internet mulitplayer, FF and with those
<censored> instant black flags (to add insult to injury when you lose it) in
place, it'll have to be <f-word> incredible before I'm actually buying a
copy.

Hopefully the "Crammond believers" will come crashing down off cloud nine
when the game ships so we can form a united front to put some pressure on
GP4.

Jan.
=---

Looks like we think the same Jan (on many other points also on various
different subject).  I consider myself a *** racing simulation fan.  I
personally do not mind having the same game engine in GP3, as I found it had
great potential and good versalitity.  I also found the graphics pretty
good, actually.  If you go to http://www.racesimcentral.net/'ll see a new
video for the software with some great TV-camera shot.  The car model is
incredible, I will now say.  Graphics is not important to me really, except
that they need to be accurate for a racing simulation.  GPL achieved that
for me.  Graphics actually benefited from the game engine, with a great
virtual***pit (which GP3 will have and Im happy), great pallette and great
versatility in the 3d structure of the tracks.  I do hope GP3 will have
complex track accuracy, it has to.  I know that GP2 can have a complex track
accuracy from some of the user-created tracks I've seen.

But it's normal some of us whine.  No sorry, we aren't whining, we are just
very dissapointed.  Some features after 4years will not be fixed nor simply
advanced.  Geoff Crammond has been I would say a synonym of "technology
pusher" in all the products he has released.

If this was the real case, then for GP3 we would have Force Feedback.  We
would have Internet racing at least.  For me internet racing isn't simply
the average.  Look at Papyrus, they give us "Community online tools" as I
would name them.  Geoff will not even give us TCP/IP racing!!!!

I have my doubts on that.  They will all buy Gp3 whatever the case.  It
looks like a good quality title in terms of physics and gameplay.  But every
other essential isn't really pushed like a Geoff Crammond software should be
pushed.  Or like a Kaemmer software is.  Microprose/Hasbro are known to have
a poor service.  Probably 1 patch, but nothing more.  They just want our
money, you know...

--
-- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard>
-- May the Downforce be with you...
-- http://www.racesimcentral.net/
-- People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realise
how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world.

Whoa, back up here! No FF in GP3? I did not know that. I'm looking
forward to F1 2000 even more now. (of course i'll still by GP3)

Ivan

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

--DK

raised his pale head and moaned in message

It's already blown GPL out of the water.

David G Fisher

Jan.
----

GPL was a royal pain in the a** online, so even with no internet play at
all, Crammond has no reason to feel inferior to Papyrus in that department.
If GP3 would would have similiar online performance to GPL, then I'm glad
they left it out. I dont want to waste more hours of my life trying to pound
a square peg into a round hole.

MS and Ratbag know how to do it right.

David G Fisher

It's just how things are here.

David G Fisher

% > If this was the real case, then for GP3 we would have Force Feedback.  We
% > would have Internet racing at least.  For me internet racing isn't simply
% > the average.  Look at Papyrus, they give us "Community online tools" as I
% > would name them.  Geoff will not even give us TCP/IP racing!!!!

% GPL was a royal pain in the a** online, so even with no internet play at
% all, Crammond has no reason to feel inferior to Papyrus in that department.
% If GP3 would would have similiar online performance to GPL, then I'm glad
% they left it out. I dont want to waste more hours of my life trying to pound
% a square peg into a round hole.

I beg to differ!  I have adminstrated several online GPL leagues and
host events on Monday and Thursday night for quite some time now.  GPL
online is a royal BLAST!  I think you should go to your doctor as the
pain in you ass may be something you should have looked into.  <G>

% MS and Ratbag know how to do it right.

% David G Fisher

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

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

Square peg.

Round hole.

Cause of pain.  :-P

David G Fisher