rec.autos.simulators

I sent an email full of questions to a rep at Papyrus.  Here is the
official info on what we will have with this next NASCAR sim.  The
numbered questions are the questions I asked and the answer is below
each one.  I cant wait!!!

Name Clarification: NASCAR 2000 was actually only a working title to
distinguish it from the development project known as NASCAR 3. We
still have not finally decided what this title will be called. The
NASCAR title shipping this fall may still be called NASCAR 3, but it
will not contain the physics engine based on GPL.

1. You stated D3D will be supported, but will N2000 still be
compatible with the 3dfx and Rendition chipsets?

This year's "Papyrus NASCAR Racing" (PNR) will support
3dfx(Glide), Direct3D, and software modes. There will be no native
Rendition support.

2. Will fire be implemented in accidents?

No

3. When is the proposed release date of N2000 and N.L.?

Both will ship this Fall.

4. Will the sound be re-done?

Yes, the sound engine has been entirely reworked, and every sound
element is new. The sound engine will support DirectSound3D and A3D
2.0. The new car engine samples are extremely impressive.

5. Will force feedback be implemented?

Yes.

6. Is smoke transparent? ...a complete remake from N2????

The smoke and dirt effects will be greatly enhanced for 3D hardware.
It will have transparency and it will hang in the air for the "wall
of smoke" effect with a big wreck.

7. Will there be 43 cars able to start a race?

Yes.

8. Any new multiplayer features?

Free internet multiplayer via a matching server, as well as LAN based
TCP/IP and IPX will be supported.

9. What is new in the N2000 engine?  What will be max screen
resolutions?

It will support 1024x768, 800x600, and 640x480.

10. I have heard that we will hear more than one voice on the radio.
Any truth to that?  Maybe a spotter and a crew chief?

Yes.

11. Will the multiplayer be Windows based so a digital wheel can be
used?

Yes.

12. Whats the scoop on Nascar Legends?  When can we expect it?

This fall, same timeframe, and same basic feature list.

13. Any idea of what the min requirements will be for both sims?  
Will a 3d card be required?

A 3D card is not required, but most of the new graphics options won't
be supported without one.

14. Will the CTS and BGN series be in N2000?

Grand National tracks and cars will be included.

<<end of message>>

My comments: no mention of physics improvements, not a really big
suprise. I wonder if the improved dirt effects could be used to
simulate dirt-track racing?

WHAT THE HELL!!!!!!!!   NO RENDITION SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!    WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG
WITH THEM!!!!!!!!!!!  I BOUGHT A RENDITION SO THAT I COULD RUN   ICR2   N99   &
 GPL      DAMN IT.  I PAID GOOD MONEY FOR MY RENDITION CARD!!!  THIS IS TOTALLY
UNFAIR!!!!!!!!!

Grow up! Nobody forced you to buy obsolete hardware just to run three
games. Personally I feel it's a good thing Papy is moving away from
the ridiculous Rendition favouritisim, which was obviously caused by
the fact that Sierra published their own rendition based card ("We
felt Rendition cards were superior to 3Dfx" - gimme a break!).

Stop, take a deep breath, ensure your CAPS Lock key
is in the proper (off) position, and re-read the
original two sentences.  No *native* Rendition support,
i.e. no RRedline rasteriser.  *Direct3D* support,
i.e. every card that supports Direct3D supports
Papyrus NASCAR Racing.  So, does Rendition
support Direct3D?  Why yes it does.  So, does
that mean Papyrus NASCAR Racing will run with
3D acceleration on a Rendition card?  Why yes it
does.

 - George

   :-)

   Thank You
     Steve-S

+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------+

| And quickly he's subdued          |           Split_S3 on IRC           |
| Thru constant pained disgrace     |           Steve-S on TEN            |
| The young boy learns their rules  |   Unforgiven (-unfg-) on Warbirds   |
|                      Metallica    |           Dweebs of Death           |
+-----------------------------------+-------------------------------------+
|         Dale Earnhardt            |          Dale Earnhardt Jr          |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+

So suddenly you can no longer run ICR2, N99 and GPL on your Rendition
card? Why is that?

You bought it so you could run those programs, you CAN run those
programs....where's the beef?

Cheers!
John

--
Tim "Calm Down" Wheatley
________________________________________________

                                  Tim Wheatley
                "Yellow menacing helmet in the mirror"
                           http://start.at/igps_stats
     IGPS - Ferrari Challenge - UKGPL - Summer Cup Driver
                      http://drive.to/grandprixlegends

                  http://website.lineone.net/~nascar
________________________________________________

IDIOTIC!!!!!!!!!!!   DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD I HAD TO WORK AND SAVE TO GET THE
MONEY FOR THE RENDITION
CARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes I am very well aware that all rendition cards do support D3D, however it is
much slower than native rendition games would be. Plus rendition looks
absolutely beautiful, unlike D3D. I'm really surprised that PAPY would do this.
All they had to do was just add D3D support, and not take away native rendition
support.  I wasn't saying it wouldn't be compatible, however, the full value of
my rendition card will not be utilized using D3D. The quality of RENDITION is
just so superrior to anything else I have ever seen.  The rendition version of
ICR2 is just drop dead gorgeous.  No other video card could possibly produce
the quality output that Rendition could put out. I just wish that PAPY would
reconsider. That's all.

Oh, I was talkoing about NASCAR RACING 2000 and NASCAR LEGENDS.

Direct3D in no way compromises the image quality of a game.
All hardware features exported by the Rendition cards are
fully supported by Direct3D.  Now if a developer chooses
to simplify his/her coding by targetting the lowest common
denominator instead of checking device capabilites then
that is not the fault of Direct3D.

Did you ever stop to think that this might have been done
for a legitimate reason on the part of Papyrus?

You haven't been looking elsewhere lately, have you?

In comparison to what?  ICR2 only supports Rendition RRedline
or a software renderer.

TNT2?  G400?  Savage4?  PVR250?  Who can tell which card will
render Papyrus NASCAR Racing the best without the game even
being out in demo form?  I think you are jumping the gun big time in
your criticism.  For all you know it will have built in support for
hardware features your beloved Rendition card can't even
handle (true hardware bump-mapped pavement/dirt/grass/rumble
strips anyone?) pushing the image fidelity to new heights.

Send email to:

and try to express your point with a bit more eloquence.  Who
nows, your voice may be the one to sway them.

 - George

Settle down guys...

says...

John Simmons - Barbarian Diecast Collector
http://members.home.net/jsimm/diecast_index.html

IGPS (Season 2) Director
http://207.104.111.77/igps2/igps2.html

If you want to send me email, go to either of the URL's
shown above & click "Send Me Mail" in the contents frame.
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