rec.autos.simulators

Rick Genter
Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II
Sierra On-Line

Rick,  

Will people who recently bought the DOS version of ICR2 be able to
upgrade to the WIN95 version cheaply ?  

Thanks,

     Joey

--
Markus Pelkonen

DOS customers will be able to download a patch to upgrade to Windows 95.

Rick Genter
Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II
Sierra On-Line, Inc.

     <<DOS customers will be able to download a patch to upgrade to
Windows 95.>>

     This may have been answered at one time or another, but will there
be a patch/Win95 version available for NASCAR racing?
     Nick

_________________________________________________________________

#6 & #94 in the *real* quest for the Cup!!!
My home away from home... http://users.aol.com/ntotoro/122895.htm
_________________________________________________________________

Rick Genter
Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II
Sierra On-Line, Inc.

======= Here's an alternative idea!! ===============================
The question is: why?

Has *any* version of *any* game run faster under *any* version of Windows
than it's DOS counterpart?    How can a program be better when it now has
to share the PC's processor & memory with a graphical OS?  I'm not saying
it can't happen.... it just hasn't yet.

Has anyone asked how this new Win95 version of ICR2 will be written?  
Unless it's a *major* re-write, the 95 version will just make sure you
drop to "MSDOS mode" so it has exclusive access to the hardware, and then
run.

   **You have that now.  It's called a DOS program.**

The other option is that it will run with other Win95 programs in memory
 - all competing for compute cycles.

I've run Descent like this.  It's quite annoying when your game is
interrupted by a message that reads: You have new mail.  Do you want to
read it now?    The fix: Shut down all running programs.  Hard to do in a
multi-tasking environment that has programs and threads running that you
can't see.   The real solution: Shut down the GUI.

Again, you have that now...   DOS

Mike -who admits being a DOS Weenie, but my computer has the performance
to keep proving me right.

While the core driving engine is the same, the user interface is
completely different. In addition, you have the benefits now of long file
names, integration with the Windows 95 user interface shell (right-click
on a saved race, show its Properties, and see where you were in the race
when you saved it). If you have several people who like to play IndyCar on
your computer, you can each have your own setups and control settings and
you're a double click away from loading your setup.

Don't prejudge the Windows 95 version without having at least looked at
it.

Rick Genter
Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II
Sierra On-Line, Inc.

The answera to your question is yes.  Any program with the DirectX API will run
as fast or faster in Win95.  Programs without the DirectX won't.

-snip-

If you're annoyed by your game being interrupted by mail messages, don't run it
on a network station or while on-line.  It sounds like you play at work; on a
typical home system, you won't be trying to race ICR while downloading in the
background, or running a word processor or anything else.  If you are, you
deserve any penalties you suffer.

Incorrect statement.  Your W95 performance is based on non-DirectX (ie: NOT
written for W95) software and while running other tasks.

--
Dean Robb (WB: Raz1) (NRMP Beta Tester: Robb)
PC-Easy
On-site computer services and consulting

G'day Rick!

While all this sounds a most appealing GUI implementation, it's still
really just "Window's dressing" isn't it Rick??!..if you'll pardon my
pun. It really doesn't actually add anything constructive to the
driving or simulation aspect except than more of the same tired old
extraneous 'eye candy' & 'marketing fat' inherent in other so called
sims. If I wanted that, I'd buy NFS, Demo Derby or some other dumbass
arcade game and a Sony playstation.

I'm not being anti-Win95 and personally I welcome the Win 95 GUI
transition, which to all but the intellectually inflexible, is
inevitible irrespective of bias. However IMO the 'game' Indycar is
becoming is more suited to a games console than the PC, so perhaps
porting it to the Playstation would be a wiser and more profitible
alternative for Sierra?

What really is a tragedy is that it's not just a "a double click away"
from MP NETWORKING the game under Win95's inherent LAN client
protocols and PnP support. Now that would truly 'add value' to the
game....and to Papyrus's pocket.

*Nothing* will induce me to part with $$money$$ for PAPYRUS's (Sierra)
Indycar XX ever again until LAN support is included.

Having driven it sufficiently, I thought DOS Indycar 2 was at best a
mediocre change, with full marks for the few aspects improved (SVGA
resolution, great instrument panel and better AI) whilst others were a
downright retrogressive step. (sound effects are ***y awful,
especially the way the engine needs to be audibly shortshifted to
avoid destruction, and those pathetic squealing tyres!!) & still no
***y LAN support. Whilst I bought all 3 modules of Indycar 1, I
haven't bought Indycar 2 and won't be doing so. Indycar 3 will have to
return to fidelity, ridding itself of it's evolving arcadishness AND
support MP LAN before it'll ever be reconsidered for my $$$ donation.

Personally, I hope 'Hawaii' sinks into a financial abyss and becomes a
nightmare for Sierra, taking the marketing team with it.

C'mon GP2!! Perhaps there's hope for LAN MP yet?

Regards,

                 ---Cogito Ergo Sum---               *

* Fidonet:       (temporarily unavailable)            *
    Keiron Rado, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia     *  

?G'day Rick!
?
?
?>The Windows 95 version of IndyCar Racing II uses DirectX
?<big snip>
?>you're a double click away from loading your setup.
?
?>Don't prejudge the Windows 95 version without having at least looked at
?>it.
?
?The header says it all...
?
?While all this sounds a most appealing GUI implementation, it's still
?really just "Window's dressing" isn't it Rick??!..if you'll pardon my
?pun. It really doesn't actually add anything constructive to the
?driving or simulation aspect except than more of the same tired old
?extraneous 'eye candy' & 'marketing fat' inherent in other so called
?sims. If I wanted that, I'd buy NFS, Demo Derby or some other dumbass
?arcade game and a Sony playstation.
?
?I'm not being anti-Win95 and personally I welcome the Win 95 GUI
?transition, which to all but the intellectually inflexible, is
?inevitible irrespective of bias. However IMO the 'game' Indycar is
?becoming is more suited to a games console than the PC, so perhaps
?porting it to the Playstation would be a wiser and more profitible
?alternative for Sierra?
?
?What really is a tragedy is that it's not just a "a double click away"
?from MP NETWORKING the game under Win95's inherent LAN client
?protocols and PnP support. Now that would truly 'add value' to the
?game....and to Papyrus's pocket.
?
?*Nothing* will induce me to part with $$money$$ for PAPYRUS's (Sierra)
?Indycar XX ever again until LAN support is included.
?
?Having driven it sufficiently, I thought DOS Indycar 2 was at best a
?mediocre change, with full marks for the few aspects improved (SVGA
?resolution, great instrument panel and better AI) whilst others were a
?downright retrogressive step. (sound effects are ***y awful,
?especially the way the engine needs to be audibly shortshifted to
?avoid destruction, and those pathetic squealing tyres!!) & still no
?***y LAN support. Whilst I bought all 3 modules of Indycar 1, I
?haven't bought Indycar 2 and won't be doing so. Indycar 3 will have to
?return to fidelity, ridding itself of it's evolving arcadishness AND
?support MP LAN before it'll ever be reconsidered for my $$$ donation.
?
?Personally, I hope 'Hawaii' sinks into a financial abyss and becomes a
?nightmare for Sierra, taking the marketing team with it.
?
?C'mon GP2!! Perhaps there's hope for LAN MP yet?

             You wouldn't happen to be writing from a penal colony in
Australia, would you?  =)  Lighten up, Lanman...I somehow doubt they
just *overlooked* this option...

?Regards,
?
?                 ---Cogito Ergo Sum---               *

?* Fidonet:       (temporarily unavailable)            *
?    Keiron Rado, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia     *  
?
?

--Evan

I don't quite understand this arguement of yours.  Sure, the playstation
would be a great platform to sims, given its specialty hardware.  But being
a PC game, the game also offers much more depth and complexity than
possible on a console.  And as 3D accelerators become more affordable, the
playstation will not such a huge graphic hardware edge any longer.

You must also understand that using Win95 means alot less work for game
companies, therefore the eagerness to switch.

I think that's whay everyone wants to see, but being a PROFITABLE company,
they know how to make money.  They know people will pay good money to race
against 32 other people with just their normal hardware.  The difference is
hardware costs.  Most gamers are HOME gamers who have no access to a
network to play NASCAR, for example.  As I think about it, where would you
find a network to play these network games if not for office networks?  (I
know I sound ignorant here, please enlighten me as to where this hardware
is.)

Knowing this, they know they can make more with a service than by selling
network software for a limited market.

Gregory Fung

Vancouver, B.C., Canada

IICC3 Ground Effects/Rebel Alliance Lola-Ford-Firestone

I hope your*** falls off.