rec.autos.simulators

: I called Microprose to find out a little info on F1GP2.
: The woman I talked to gave me absolutly no information
: about it. She said if there was any info to be given out,
: (sys requirements,features ect) she would have been given
: that information, yet she had nothing at all.  I asked
: her are they involved in such a project?  She once
: again said she has no information on it at all.
: So my question is.  Will there really be a
: Microprose F1GP2 or is this just wishfull thinking.
: Microprose seems to know nothing about it.

I don't believe there is one in the making at all. I think the whole thing
is just a rumor. Fact is, everyone except Microprose is telling everyone
else that F1GP2 is coming out in 1995. I don't believe MP is even involved
in such a project.

Anand

In the new PC Zone it says that F1GP2 will be a CDROM release, is thsi
true?

Microprose, like almost any other vendor, is not going to discuss their
plans in public.  Anyone ever heard of Osborne?  Osborne was one of the
great early home computer companies.  they sold a kajillion (for the time) of
their home computers.  then they mentioned that they had a new one coming
out in about a year, and all of a sudden customers decided to wait until
the new one came out - and with no revenue stream, Osborne *FOLDED*.

How many people would buy F1GP if they knew F1GP2 would soon replace it?
Not a lot, espeicallyi not in the F1 off season.

A *new* product with no competition, or a product which is late to market
behind competitors, would be announced with fervor long before it was
available.  For example, if (hypotehtically) Papyrus were going to do an
F1 game, they might well talk early, to stall customers from buying F1GP.

I am *quite* confident that the woman that Chris talked to was either
lying or deliberately was not told of the future plans.  I don't blame
her if she was lying.  Since there are pretty consistent and strong
rumors around, combined with a "No Comment" from MicroProse, I am
about ready to presume that there is an F1GP2 very much in the wings.

--

Brian Wong                              Product Marketing Engineering

thing is just a rumor.
Chris:
The Computer *** World I got today says F1GP2 is due out "first
quarter of '95", which is the same thing I'm hearing everywhere else
including from a Microprose rep on CIS

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Organization: IQuest Network Services
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(Brian Wong - SMCC Product Marketing Engineering) says:
Brian:
I think Kattywumpus should go international when F1GP2 comes out... :).

 | )/-\(_)|__                  "Everything you know is wrong."          

Microprose F1GP2 is being largely written by Geoff Crammond and as such is
the charge of Microprose U.K. When I contacted them some time ago, the
woman on the phone was cagey but after some persuasion told me that F1GP2
WAS in the pipe-line, but that it was 'top secret' ( if such a thing can
be said of a computer game! ). She also said that if I mailed any
suggestions to Microprose U.K., they would be passed onto the F1GP2 team.
There are a number of other reasons to believe a F1GP2 is in the pipe-line:
1) 'Add-on' upgrade track/season packs for the original F1GP were not
allowed to be made by Microprose by Geoff Crammond, presumably to increase
sales of an entirely new upgrade.
2) Hardware available is considerably better now. Original F1GP was
intended for Atari ST and Amiga - the PC versions only extra features were
link-play and textured track. As such, F1GP is really showing its age -
both in the graphic and A.I. department.
3) Market for simulation games has grown considerably in size. Many people
will be prepared to buy NASCAR, IndyCar, F1GP etc... and also more driving
arcade games have appeared ( e.g. Virtua Racing ).

F1GP2 will definitely include extensive texture-maps a la IndyCar, but I
don't know whether SVGA version is planned. I certainly hope so, because
it makes a hell of a lot of difference to the graphics and should
accomadate futher advances in computer technology. If rumours that the
game will be released on CD are true then we might well expect SVGA
graphics.

Fraser  

I believe the real reason, as stated a number of times on this group,
is that they could only get a license for '91 tracks and cars.  Also,
ICR was obviously designed with expansion packs in mind (look at the
directory structure), F1GP was not (the data is all wrapped up into
bizarre files).

I hope they don't; NASCAR SVGA sucked big time.  A SVGA car texture/paint
editor would be nice, though.

-- Gizmo

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        Better AI in general.

        Fast frame rate on 486DX/33 (ie 20+fps)

        OK, I'll agree with the car editor.

        Modem AND Network Support.

If you want fast frame rate on a dx33 I'd stick to the current version.
the rest of us want something to grow with. I am very grateful that
Papyrus does not limit itself to the current crop of mass hardware that
already is obsolete.  

I'd settle for a World Circuit with a real joystick routine.............

No, instead they dump a SVGA version on us that won't even run properly
on a Pentium 90. Geoff Crammond & Micrprose should avoid SVGA and
concentrate on really good AI.

-- Gizmo, a grumpy old sod

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-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Launchpad is an experimental internet BBS. The views of its users do not
necessarily represent those of UNC-Chapel Hill, OIT, or the SysOps.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --