rec.autos.simulators

Seeking suggestions:

I'm helping a friend setup GPL, Logitech FF Wheel and a Creative USB modem
for online racing.  He has already installed the modem and his online
connections are working pretty nice although he hasn't tried GPL yet.

The question is:
The Logitech wheel has both serial and USB connections available.
Considering he is using the USB modem, should he use the serial port for the
wheel so that the bandwidth is available for the USB modem or will the USB
be ok for both devices for online VROC racing?

His system is:

Micron PIII-600
PC133 128Meg RAM
SB-Live
Creative USB modem
GeForce (yeah I know, there's another GPL hurdle ahead, probably will
convince him to buy a Voodoo2)
Logitech FF Wheel

Thanks in advance.

-- GaryR

Use the USB for both.

No need for that, his system should do fine with the right
settings/drivers.

Remco

Thanks for replying Remy!.

I'll use your suggestion and tell him to try it on USB first.

The problem with the GeForce.....

After reading countless posts here in this newsgroup (as well as other
places) I still have not been able to determine the "right
settings/drivers". It seems everyone is having failures or success
with the same and/or different group of settings, drivers and configs.

AGP aperture size? Limit RAM? Enable Block transfer? Driver 3.68 or
5.14? blah blah...

And I suspect that the "successes" are really compromises.

Bottom line, a Voodoo2 is cheap (after rebate about $40) and it will
at least have good graphics, good mirrors and most details on at
36FPS. Can we really claim that the GeForce can do all that (in the
current state of GPL, not withstanding the rumors of 3rd party 3d3
versions of GPL)?

If someone could help define for me (or point to the information) the
correct settings for the GeForce, and the results we can truly expect
in regards to real world FPS/graphics, it would be great.

Thanks again,

-GaryR

I have almost the exact same setup, except my Micron is a PIII 533.  All
else is the same.
The GeForce runs like a dream.
I use Nvidia reference drivers version 3.68.  They are official and they are
stable.
In the advanced settings, "Enable Block Transfer" is set to get rid of
mirror problem.
I run 1024x768 with detail set to about 1 third.
I get consistent 36fps except at the start where it can drop to about 20
fps.
AGP Aperture size is 64Megs.
VSync is off.

VERY IMPORTANT:  Download the motherboard 4in1 drivers from www.via.tw
(assuming he has a VIA Apollo chipset on a Tyan motherboard like mine)

Cheers,
...Colin

Thanks Colin,

Is there a OpenGL DLL file or something similar that he will need to
download/install? If so, where is the file to be located, in the GPL
directories?

Is the proper install for GPL:
Install full version.
Select Software mode.
Install OpenGL (where?).
Launch GPL and change video mode to OpenGL and 1024x768, set detail to
about 1/3.

What did I forget or get wrong?

Thanks,

-GaryR