rec.autos.simulators

I've been thinking about getting a copy of SCGT the next time I see a copy
(Wal-Mart used to have it but I looked for it the other day and it wasnt
available)... what addons are essential?  I know I want the Nurburgring, but
that's all I know... what else should I get?

How realistic is this game anyway?

Brian

The only really critical patches are the 1.551 (??) patch and the "Ban
Scene.mas" patch, which usually also comes with the No-CD crack and
enables a couple of other hidden features.  Realism?  Hmm.  It was
pretty good for it's time.  It was the first in the line of games that
eventually became F1 2002 and therefore has many of the same "features",
plus it was pretty buggy.  Physics can be adjusted with an available
editor, but it makes the higher class cars almost undrivable so I
wouldn't bother.  FF sucks, turn it off.  Turn off speed sensitive
steering or the handling will never feel right.  Leave sensitivity at
50% and adjust it with your wheel software if necessary, because the in
game sensitivity setting is really a linearity setting.  It has the ISI
"50% dead spot with split axis pedals" bug, so you will have to learn
how to work around that with DX-Deadzone.  IMO, the 2D***pit view
(which was grafted on as an afterthought) just is not right, so you have
to choose between either a non-functional***pit or the heads-up view.
Frame rate is marginal and drops like a rock if you enable mirrors or
force feedback or use any high poly add-on cars or hold your mouth the
wrong way.  Other than that it's pretty damn good.  ;o)  Seriously,
there is really nothing else like it available for the PC AFAIK, the
combination of multiple sports car classes on wide open tracks and a
moderately good sense of realism is not available in any other PC game
that I know of.  If you can find it cheap and you have some free hard
drive space it is worth screwing around with, if only to play with all
the add-ons or to race the wacky (but fun) AI.

Hi Brian,

I'd say the Advanced Options Editor (AOE, at USpits.com I think) is
wanted to bring some realism to the game ('full sim' settings instead of
'arcadeish'). You start and just click 'OK' in this every time you have
changed anything in the game (track, patch, etc).

Then I'd get the PlusPatch, which incorporates several other patches
like Banscene, allowing you to add new tracks/cars.

Then I'd type in the cheats (isi-iceman, isi-aardvark, isi-tbone etc) to
  give access to these extras.

Then I'd definitely download the Ring, Knockhill, and Zandvoort 2002
(very nicely done track as well, and one of the few which isn't too dark
at night and in the wet), Suzuka and Brno if you can get 'em... And then
I'd get at least Danilo Monno's updated AI ('competing drivers') files
for the other cards on these tracks.

Fairly realistic w/AOE and some other patches, but not on the level of
GPL. And it's 1998 technology, of course. You may have to turn down some
extras (like the mirror, which is not needed anyway) to get some
acceptable frame rates.

It's a "Fun with a capital Fuh" sim, though. Very good to learn the Ring
before tackling it in GPL, too. And bucketloads of add-ons available.
Visit forums.racesimcentral.com and goto the SCGT forum for some website
pointers.

Regards, Ruud