rec.autos.simulators

To all those lucky individuals who have GP2 before the rest of the
world has it, I have a question for you!

Is "weather changes" included in GP2 or not? Does it say in the manual
or what? Can you change the weather manually ?

I have heard conflicting reports that it is included in the final
version and not in the beta versions?

Thanks!

-waiting for my copy of GP2 in the States!!

You asked for it, so here are some:

1)How does the steering compare to that of F1GP1? (especially keyboard if you
happen to use that)

2)Is it possible to set a "target framerate" and let the game decide about the
detail-settings?

3)How realistic is the number of retiring computer cars?

4)Is the pit-sequence changed (apart from graphics detail) compared to F1GP1?

5)Are the camera-views completely configureable?

6)Is the data-analyser "integrated into the pits" instead of a stand-alone
program that can only be run from outside a qualifying session? Is it detailed
enough?

7)What's your impression of the performance-distribution in the computer-car
field? (Do race results more or less match the real ones from the 1994 season?)

8)What'z yous first impression of the quality of the opposition? Is ACE-level
too easy in the long term like was the case with F1GP1?

9)How is damage represented graphically? Are there a number of different
effects?

10)When you get into sand, is it thrown away from the back of the car when you
spinn the wheels?

11)Is it affordable on your system (which system?) to turn on the
light-reflections?

12)How much more difficult is it to pass AI in comparison to F1GP1?

13)eeeeeuuuh.....that's all for now, this should keep me entertained untill the
end of the week  :-)

TIA

"Gravity doesn't exist; the Earth sucks!"

How does the engine sound like in gp2. Digital as in Nascar or simulated?

--

Edward Smith
Smith's Auto Engineers

Btw: My best time in Imola so far: 1:26:280. :-(

Btw: My best time in Imola so far: 1:26:280.

  From my point of view the steering & driving handling is one of the
best parts of
  this sim. Pushing too *** the throttle when coming out of
low-speed corners
  for example will result in a wonderful 180deg. spin.
  If you lock up the brakes clouds of smoke can be seen in the rear
mirrors and
  the car begins to slide in the direction you are facing, unable to be
controlled
  until you release the brakes. Hit the curbs too hard at high-speeds
and your car       becomes airborne.
  Use a joystick or steering-wheel for control if you happen to have
one, cause
  throttle and brakes must be handled _very_ smoothly and carefully and
this
  can only be achieved by an analog-input-device of any kind.

  You can set the graphic details to 'automated', but as far as I can
remember, their
  is no possiblity to choose a 'target framerate'. Perhaps some details
are turned
  off if the processor's occupation exceeds 100%...dunno.      

  Unexperienced drivers sometimes loose control over there cars while
others retire     because of technical failures. The number of retiring
cars matches reality quite
  good.  

  I couldn't find anything new in the pitlane except the 80 kph speed
limit.
  Even today it is impossible to scroll up or down in the monitor that
shows the
  different qualification times of your opponents. ;-(

  You can choose between several different fixed camera positions.
  Be sure to try out the 'directors mode'. If you are out of the race
(which happens
  to me quite often ATM)  you can watch the race just like you were
sitting in
  front of your TV. Different cameras will always show the most
interesting part
  of the circuit. Great fun just to see those CC fighting for postions!

  The data-analyser can be directly accessed from the setup-menu in the
pits.
  To be honest, I didn't make much use of it, but this thing seems to be
a beast!    
  Speed, RPM, gears, acceleration, use of throttle/brakes, and even the
movement
  of each tyre can be reviewed. Will be very helpful when going for
those hotlaps...    

  Quite realistic, but David Coulthard wins too many races IMHO.

  Forget everything you've learned in F1GP1! I've played F1GP1 for years
and
  winning a race was no problem at all, but F1GP2 makes a rookie out of
me again.
  Now you have to deal with 30 setup-variables, super-intelligent
oppenents and
  a very complex car-behaviour. Actually I'm racing at 'semi-pro' and my
best result
  in a 25 laps Grand Prix at Imola is 12th of 25 drivers...      

  You see broken front wings flying, loose tyres jumping over the track,
cars  
  floating through the air, engine blownups and cars catching fire. Nice
effects.

  Yes, you can see the sand flying in your rear-mirros. But afterall I
don't
  like the way gravelbeds are simulated: You can _always_ make your way
back to
  the track, just costs you some valuable time.    

  As far as I know, light-reflections can't be turned _off_.
  I've testet GP2 on two different systems:
  1) A P166 with 16MB RAM.  
     After turning off sky and some unimportant mirror details the game
really flies
     at about 18-20 fps in SVGA.  
  2) A 486/66Mhz with 8MB
     I got 13-15 fps in VGA with nearly no details left.
     I must admit, VGA is a mess. All those lovely pictures we've seen
in the last
     few month were taken from the SVGA version. So, you better switch
to SVGA
     with less details than playing under VGA with all details on. Who
wants to see
     those ugly huts at the trackside anyway?            

  One might say that GP2 requires too expensive hardware. Right, but I
played GP1
  till the beginning of this week, and for sure we will be racing
against Damon Hill
  for the next couple of years. Just wait 1-2 years and all of us will
get
  full-textured rear-mirrors and sky.    

  Overtaking in GP1 was difficult? <g>
  The AI of the CC is absolutly terrific! Fantastic!  *calms down*
  I've played GP1, Nascar, IC1 & IC2 but no other game outbreaks GP2 at
this point.
  You actually get the feeling that those CC were controlled by some
little humans     living in your computer. Each driver has its on
driving style. Ever had an angry
  Jean Alesi on your back trying to pass you? At first he just sits
behind you and
  makes some 'normal' passing tries, e.g. on the start/finish line. But
after some
  time he goes totally mad. You can see him making zig-zags in the
mirror and suddenly
  he's on your side and outbreaks you with locking wheels and closes the
door.
  Never seen that in any other sim before. Of course there are more
anxious drivers
  like Damon Hill for example too.

  What I like most on this AI is the fact that each driver is totally
different from
  the others and that the CC don't 'stick to their lines'. If you lock
your wheels
  by mistake and slide into a corner, the CC will do everything to avoid
a crash.      

OK, hope you understood my terrible German-English. <g>  
I'm off to Imola...I'll get you Schumi!

Martin Koch

Sorry for the mess in my former article, but it's 5 o'clock a.m.
local time and I'm beginning to hear strange noises that sound like
a V-10 engine...

JEB in Vegas

 _______________________________________
             Tim Wortman              

      NASS '96 Series Director      


    Visit the NASS '96 home page    
 http://www.webcom.com/twortman/nasscar/
 _______________________________________

Not too keen on the kerb sounds myself and as for the "sliding along
the wall one" - it sounds like it ought to go with EGA graphics :(
Guess I'll just have to try and avoid them!  Other sounds are great
though - except the missing opponents.

Great game :)))

Richard

Boy, that sucks....well, still looking forward to GP2...

From Canada, where GP2 still hasn't been released, contrary to what
some people have said.... :(

Neil
--
Meek and obedient you follow the leader
down well trodden corridors into the valley of steel..

       Neil Yeatman, Ajax, Ontario, CANADA

No problem as long as you don't have double-vision.

PS: The info was excellent! The results of the Belgian jury: Germany 12 pts! ;-)
"Gravity doesn't exist; the Earth sucks!"

Peter Herzhoff

Sure, i never drove a Formula but did 2 years of Formula 2000. And
believe me, i never heard a sound of an engine except mine. Even on a
start with 25 cars.

I you want a simulation, not an arcade game, it's the good choice Geoff.
and it save some FPS for the graphics engine.

Chris!!!