I just spent the last hour or two, checking out N/02 and playing around with
some video/BIOS settings and N/02 ini file settings to see what I could come
up with for a good quality pic.....and decent FPS. Here's my "report" on
that stuff.
The "basics" System:
Mobo: MSI K7 Master
CPU: AMD 1.4 oc'd to 1.6
RAM: 512mb PC2100
Video: GF3 (ASUS V8200 Deluxe)
NV Drivers: Ref 23.11's
Sound: SB Live 5.1 X-Gamer
OpsSys: Win98SE, IE 6.0
DX = DX 8.1
Monitor: 21" dot23, NEC MultiSync (Sony FlatScreen tube) - running "3Deep"
color balance/calibration.
**BIOS Settings:
All standard...except I use AGP set to 2x (not 4x) because the performance
on 2X is 98% as good as 4X and the system stability is 100% better (3DMk01
scores on 2x are only 100 less than 4x = 6900 verses 7000 - no big deal).
**Video Card Settings (using Riva Turner):
(This is exactly how I have my card set for F1-2001 and GPL)
Note: every other setting option is at Riva Turner "default"
I then installed N/02 demo and at 1600x12x16 and left all N/02 Graphic
settings at their "default" level...as they installed after the system/video
card test. As is.....my frame rates at Atlanta (testing session) 26 FPS
static in pits.....bounced around between 26 FPS to 29 FPS on track.....and
I considered this not acceptable...it was choppy and lots of flashing and
gator back edges of walls, poles, etc. The colors looked washed out to me
as well...but that is maybe a bit subjective?
Leaving everything else unchanged, I went to N/02 graphics
screen...unchecked "anistropic filtering" - went back to Atlanta. New FPS
in pits was 46 FPS static - on track it was from 46 FPS to 57 FPS....very
smooth...but graphic quality was unchanged from above. Not acceptable (my
GPL tracks look better than that in D3D...and N4 tracks in OpenGL look
substantially better than that....like 30% better!). F1-2002 tracks and FPS
far outperform the N/02 tracks....graphic quality...so far at least.
Next, I fooled around with the graphic card settings....trying out several
"combo's" and came up with this:
All video card settings as above, but using "anti-aliasing at Quincunx" and
moving the LOD to -2. I got what I would call "parity" to track graphic
quality in F1-2002 and GPL, slightly below N4 in OpenGL still....but much
closer now. My FPS was 36 FPS static.....to 42 FPS on track....smooth and
acceptable.
Generally, my opinion of the current N/04 demo, D3D rasterizer, is that its
the "weakest" on the market so far....at least with the 23.11's NV
drivers...and DX 8.1. I'm sure they'll keep working on it however.
A few other observations and comments on the N/02 demo:
**Sound: The engine sounds are excellent. "Thank you" Papy....for the
first time in five years I don't have to re-make your engines sounds the
first hour I install your sim......so I can stomach driving the car! Except
for some replacement of the chassis sounds I made that I think are
better....I'm leaving these engines as they are. By the way, I found that
if I did not use 3D sound and let my SB Live Environmental FX do its
tricks.....the N/02 engine sounds were much fuller, deeper and maybe 50%
better than with 3D Sound checked......you should give this a trial on your
system. I do have a Dolby 6.1 Home Theater surround system on this
particular computer....so that may make a huge difference if some of you
don't have something like this....but you should at least try not using the
3D surround sound in N/02.
**Track Graphics: From what I could see for only two tracks....they look on
par with N4 and that's a compliment.
**Cockpit Graphics: I was disappointed. The N/02***pit is a bit more
"Spartan" than the N4***pit....and I thought a tad on the "gamy"
side......but I'm hoping we can hack the***pit graphics anyway on the
final. I've notice a few posts about an improved FOV.....I didn't see one.
**Clutch Implementation: I'm surprised I've not seen a post about
this....maybe I've just missed it. I think its very well done
now.....better than N4 for sure (which is terrible) and better than GPL
which is "okay".....on par with Viper which is excellent. I also tested to
see if I could do a "J Turn" which was not possible in N4....it was easy
after a couple tries in N/02. I also could do a "victory burnout" very
easily....took a couple tries, but could wheel spin the car "in place" and
fill the***pit and the area with lots of good old "Dale Jr. Burn Out
Smoke"......took a few minutes to figure it out....but easy to do after I
did.
**UI/Sound Interface: I liked the sound interface on N/02...and I usually
don't. I think the UI screen graphics and layout....along with the new
sound - is the best of current sims I have installed. Nice job Papyrus.
If I didn't mention something above, its because I didn't try it (like the
"driving school") or it was on par with N4.
Here's something I tried that worked out great:
If you want to see how the N/02 WC car might behave on the road
courses.....go to your N4 Watkins or Sears setup folder, copy your N4 setup
to the Atlanta N/02 setup folder. Run it on Atlanta....and using the flat
infield access roads...make yourself up a little road course to run. It was
a blast...and I did this for around a half-hour.....it gave me an excellent
idea of driving the N/02 car on a road course...down shifting, clutch use,
trail braking, etc.
Cheers....
Tom