dh
Jan.
=---
I don't know Francois, that's perilously close to actively exploiting
shortcomings in the model to exceed what is physically possible in reality,
a.k.a. hotlapping.
I think it does require some effort on the part of the driver to maintain
proper technique and hence "complete" the simulation.
And ourselves... it's not just the cars.
Interesting as an excercise of one's "sim perception", perhaps. <g>
Jan.
=---
No wonder they rarely performed slides like these, you know. (We, unlike
them, can go up 'n over the limit as many times as we like, producing
slides like these as many as we'd want.)
There's always next race, and you'd want to live another day to
participate again.
Well, let me put it this way. I've been testing F1 CS 2000 for the Mac
and after a few weeks or so went back to slide 'round Spa in GPL. It
felt so much better - more difficult to control, but more
'controllability feel' built-in. It kinda felt like 'being set free',
feeling far more aware of the car, and feeling more like 'being there'.
GPL feels like it gives way more feedback of the virtual car to the
driver. F1CS feels 'crude' in comparison (in realism terms, it *is*
kinda crude too). GPL also feels more 'precise', and it also feels more
'pure'. Less computerised, more driving impression, more spatial awareness.
"Pure" is a pretty good word to describe GPL in comparison to other
racing sims. It just seems to fit this one pretty well.
Regards, Ruud
"John Simmons" wrote
DOH! I remember watching them my senior year of high school.
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"Tim O" wrote
You have to remember that I (or probably any one of us) could grab the nose
of one of these cars and lift the front wheels off the ground. Flying 30
feet into the air and doing a few flips did happen on occasion. Certainly
not as much as it happens in the game, but that's because the real drivers
were a bit more careful. Also, 4 wheel drifts were very much a part of
driving these things. I think I remember some mention of it in the manual,
if not, it's certainly covered in many good books about the cars of that
era.
When I first got GPL, I tried the F3 cars. I couldn't drive them at all. I
switched to F1 where the handling was much better as long as you take it
easy on the gas. After a few months of that, I went back to F3 and really
enjoyed it. The cars are slippery and you have to keep the speed up in the
corners because you don't have the power to catch up. I found it less
forgiving. With all the new games out and a shortage of time, I ended up
running GPL only a couple times a month for the last year or so. But now
things are different.
I've found the FV class and a great online league. The thing is, GPL is a
totally different game now than it was when it came out. First, the new cars
are gorgeous and the new tracks and updated graphics for the original ones
are spectacular. With the engine swapper and the new classes, anyone can
drive the cars. The FG class is F3 engines with F1 chassis. A little boring
driving Spa by yourself, but good online racing. FV is F3 engines with the
F2 chassis (my favorite and one you might like, too, Tim). A great
combination for online racing. For those who want a bit more speed, FD
offers F2 engines with F1 chassis. I now find myself enjoying racing in a
great looking, hi-res***pit looking at spectacular scenery, and all at
1600x1200 with 3xFSAA. Unfortunately, I also enjoy watching the
photo-realistic rendering of the other guys' engine - in front of me :-)
The physics model is quite convincing and the force feedback is good enough
for me to feel tire grip and wheel loading while cresting hills. Setups,
which have often been a problem for some people, can even be handled pretty
well with some new software. Even the AI drivers can be tamed.
I enjoy NR2002, F1 2002, the LFS demo and a few other games, but I would say
that the "New" GPL is as complete as any of these and offers more driving
options than any of them. I certainly wouldn't want to change your mind
about what GPL was for you, Tim. Your opinion is just as right as anyone
else's and I, myself, have never been one to follow the crowd. But, if you
try the "New" GPL, you might find an enjoyable game. I can honestly say that
if it wasn't for the many new upgrades, I would have tired of GPL a while
ago.
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The title? ;-)
Malc.
Right on. Every time I "slow down" in my appreciation of GPL, another
car or interesting track comes out, and it's e***ment all over
again. The new cars are stunning, and this week I answered the
statements of many posters that my video was too slow and installed a
ATI 9500 Pro, and WOW! Total smoothness with everything on full,
richer colors, and everything so pretty I can hardly stand it! Wheeee!
There may be faster cards, but I only run GPL, and I can't imagine I
need anything more. Sam
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> > Also, 4 wheel drifts were very much a part of
> > driving these things. I think I remember some mention of it in the
manual,
> The title? ;-)
> Malc.
Thanks for the suggestion but I was just trying to jog your memory ;-)
I still have Steve Smith's book that came with gpl & it's been read so many
times the first 20 or so pages are loose ;-)
I own NR2002 too, and although I don't use it much, I found the manual with
that was an excellent read too. F12002's one however... ;-)
Malc.
You must be thinking N4, because the manual that came with (admittently, the
UK version) of NR2002 was F1 2k2 standard, i.e. just basic game functions
explained.
Jan.
=---
Nope, I don't own N4. It's a little 6"x4" booklet and although it doesn't go
into as much detail as gpl's, it's still far more comprehensive a guide than
I've seen in any other title (bar gpl). Papy do this very well imo.
The best book though was the one that came with Elite for the BBC. Still got
it somewhere but I can't remember what it was called. Really set the scene
for the game ;-)
Malc.
massivechicken
> >As a long time sim fan I can remember playing the GPL demo of the
> >Monza track, I think I had a Voodoo 2 then and a Thrustmaster Wheel.
> >Man it was great, like a lot of people I spent hours going round Monza
> >trying to reduce my lap times.
> [snip GPL lovin']
> I've asked myself the same question in your header numerous times, but
> from a different perspective...
> I played the demo a lot when it came out, and bought the full version
> on the day it was released. I messed around with it for a few weeks,
> tired of it, and basically quit playing.
> The newsgroup gushed on and on about it. I must be missing something.
> I kept going back, and kept coming to the same conclusion. I just
> couldn't get into it. I read about the totally realistic physics while
> watching replays of cars flying 200 feet in the air and pulling off
> lurid full corner slides that real GP cars of the era never performed.
> I must've tried coming back to the game half a dozen times, forcing
> myself to play it, trying it online, reading the posts, messing with
> setups... Low Rider, High Rider, cheatin' Rail Rider, all to no avail.
> I actually felt I had to be missing some key aspect. It was like the
> movie everyone loves, but you dislike. What was I missing? What was
> the plot point that brought it all together that I wasn't seeing (was
> the evil Darth Enzo actually Colin Chapmans father?!?)?
> I never found out, and I still don't get it. I avoided the flame wars
> about it, but occasionally piped in with some "not too critical"
> comment that'd get me branded a fool for not knowing old GP car
> physics, despite knowing that real race clips from the era on
> Speedvision looked nothing like what I was seeing on my computer
> screen. I'm not a super stickler for perfect physics either, I really
> just care if a game is fun, and couldn't have fun with GPL.
> To this day, I feel like I missed out on something special because
> everyone holds GPL in such high regard and I never "got" it.
> "Tim O", you are my saviour. My personal Jesus Christ. I thought I was mad.
> I thought I was alone. Now I know there are others. Others like me who never
> really "got" GPL. I'm tempted to elaborate but TIM O you've already said
> everything for me. Perhaps GPL 2 will do "it" for me :)