rec.autos.simulators

So tomorrow I'll give you the performance results for GP2 on an
overclocked P166 (running at 200 - It really works!), triton II MB and a
Diamond Stealth 3D card...  Smokin' :-)

Greets,

Yves

Spent last night with F1GP2 (my wife wasn't exactly happy :), and here
are some impressions:

SPEED
the game was faster than I feared; the automatic graphics config
offers a frame rate of 16 fps with some textures and mirror detail off
on SVGA (P90, Diamond Stealth SE, 24 MB RAM), but this cuts down the
trackside objects. I liked it better to use all trackside graphics,
and textures only on fence and smoke.

OLD F1GP
the game is clearly a descendant of F1GP: the keys and controls are
the same, the replays are the same (this is bad. Only 20 secs of
replay which you can't rewind/fast forward. But there are now the
hotlap replays, see below). If you run the game on VGA graphics, all
textures switched off, you have the old F1GP _plus_ car textures (not
switchable), more trackside objects, much better mirrors and good AI).
These are the major things the original F1GP missed, so I'd be happy
even if these were the only new features.

"BAD" THINGS
- the brakes seem to bite too hard. If you are using keys or a
joystick button to brake, you'll get smoke and  screech on every
corner. Apparently the game doesn't simulate flat spots on tyres :)
- the tyres are not motion-textured. They look funny on several
camera angles.
- the cars' flight model (!) is somewhat weird, and it's quite easy to
get airborne.
- tyre compounds are not selectable, or at least I could't find it
- pit stop menu (fuel, tyres) uses gas/brake control _only_ for
selections. I'd like to see the menu/arrow keys working here, it's
awkward if you are using wheel and pedals.

"GOOD" THINGS
- hot lap replay saving. The game stores several (depending on the
amount of free memory) hot laps, which you can extract to files. But
only one lap/file. If you could save all the recorded laps, you'd have
almost the papyrus-like replay feature (minus the tape controls).
- the graphing and analysis tools

Well, that's all for now. Gotta get back to work.
BTW, the game available here in Finland is the UK version, 1.0B.
Copyright dates are 1995 on all printed material. Makes you wonder...

I agree about those brakes...but they really arent bad if U brake
early enought(right time)...yep...it doesnt flatspot em - luckily

- the tyres are not motion-textured. They look funny on several

well...IMHO its exellent when U hit a curb but yes...when U hit an
opponents tyre - its flytime...but thats not bad either...

 And U wont find it either...Goodyear brings only one compound of
tyres in races nowadays so...

so...looks like at that stage they thought implementing the
rain....WHICH ISNT IN THE FINAL PRODUCT - SO NO RAIN!
...and looks like the weather stays the same all time...
...dunno if the track conditions change...but I doubt it

...Ive played it 1 night now and I can surely say its the best game
Ive ever played.

...better stop here :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ville Kopu~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ViK at IRC, #f1 & #gp2        http://koti.kolumbus.fi/~vkopu
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Second is first of loserS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

......

Could you name some of those 'more important things' ? I can not even *imagine*
1 (one/un/n/unos/ein/uno)  :-)

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

: Spent last night with F1GP2 (my wife wasn't exactly happy :), and here
: are some impressions:

: SPEED
: the game was faster than I feared; the automatic graphics config
: offers a frame rate of 16 fps with some textures and mirror detail off
: on SVGA (P90, Diamond Stealth SE, 24 MB RAM), but this cuts down the
: trackside objects. I liked it better to use all trackside graphics,
: and textures only on fence and smoke.

In practice (solo), qualifying or race? Other cars around seem to make
big difference in performance.

With similar setup in ThinkPad 760CD, practice is OK, qualifying
so-and-so, race (start) awfull experience in SVGA.

: "BAD" THINGS
: - the brakes seem to bite too hard. If you are using keys or a
: joystick button to brake, you'll get smoke and  screech on every
: corner. Apparently the game doesn't simulate flat spots on tyres :)

Both keys for braking are on/off type controls. Try joystick or pedals,
makes both acceleration and braking more sensitive. But I did like the
'suddeness' of braking and acceleration: this is a F1 car after all!

: "GOOD" THINGS
: - hot lap replay saving. The game stores several (depending on the
: amount of free memory) hot laps, which you can extract to files. But
: only one lap/file. If you could save all the recorded laps, you'd have
: almost the papyrus-like replay feature (minus the tape controls).
: - the graphing and analysis tools

Definate plus. Makes me wonder if one really needs the analysing tools
to beat ace computer cars. We shall see!

        Marko

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        no .sig
        no .plan

:
: What about the sound? Many different sounds? Good quality? Is it real samples or FM synthesis generated sound?

Very good, I think. Realistic at least on SB 16.

: Does F1GP2 have the same gameplay ('feel') as F1GP1? Better?

It's clearly better. Rather fantastic, I'd say. A real joy to play =) !
It isn't fast on SVGA, but worth every (put your own currency here ;-) you
paid for it.  It's THE game - no matter how much I feared I'd be disappointed..
No need to worry.  For people using Pentiums it's great. For slower PCs things
may be different.. I think a 486DX4 is enough when using VGA.

Tommi

says...

Univbe is a Universal (at least, they call it so ;-) VESA driver
which supports a lot of video cards currently on the market. It
expands the (very often built in) in-card VESA support by adding
several video modes to the ones already supported. It's widely
used (and suggested) 'cause there are some cards which don't
support VESA standard in-bios (in the card itself) and mainly
because the registered version offers a "linear framebuffer" which
can increase gfx performances by a factor of 20/30% .

You must keep STRONGLY in mind however that a program has to be
specifically tailored to make use of this feature (as an example,
ICR2, DN3D and Descent II make use of this feature); if the
program (like GP2) does not make use of it, then it's unlikely
(not impossible 'thou) that you'll get some sort if improvements.

I didn't notice any improvement in terms of frame rate by using
SDD52 - UNIVBE with GP 2 but I have seen some command line
parameters you could start GP2 with which refer to VGA & VESA
mode but I have still to fiddle with 'em. You can get a complete
list of 'em by referring to the little addendum which comes with
the game or (if I remember correctly) by typing GP2 /? at the DOS
prompt.

Hope this helps (& forget this bad English) !

Best,
Roberto
--
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Reggio Emilia      ITALY
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Acca', nisciuno e' fess !
                              (TOM - the red cat, Silvester's friend)
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