rec.autos.simulators

After posting the following message as follow-up to my thread of April 10
entitled "Take Up the GPaL Gauntlet?", I decided that the news here is
significant enough to deserve a top-level post so that no one misses it.

Jack

======= Post to "Take Up the GPaL Gauntlet?" Thread" ================

Well, I have some good news to report!

What I'm about to tell you, I'm told, is largely unpublicized, so I'm
revealing this with the express permission of the author.

After initiating this thread, I received an e-mail from Paul Thurston
expressing an interest in GPaL. When we discussed his extensive development
background and he explained that he was involved in the delivery of the
technique for mixing GPL engines and chassis, I knew he had the "tools" and
the interest. Paul went on to explain that he's currently close to beta on a
GPaL-like application that he and a small group have been working on for a
bit now. So I took a look...

With the help of Gary Tall and a handful of other developers and/or testers
(many with names you'd recognize), Paul has developed this little baby
called GEM+ which I think is a real "diamond in the rough." (Okay I'll stop
with the humor.) My assessment: If there is still a need for the
functionality that I built into GPaL, then I think the GPL world will love
this thing. It has essentially all the basic functionality that GPaL had on
tap, and a lot more. One of many inspired things that Paul has done, in
addition to making GPL amazingly customizable, is to make his interface very
customizable itself. So you'll be able to easily launch whatever you like
from within GEM+. Believe me, it's nice work.

So my bottom line is I think Paul and crew have what you need. I'll be
providing Paul with whatever GPaL code might help, and, if his team's
interested, will assist in whatever way I can...as time permits.

One final note: I'd encourage all of you to respect the facts that 1) Paul
and his team are working hard at bring a quality application that will
further enhance the GPL experience and 2) they have jobs, families, and
lives outside of their efforts to deliver this terrific new addition. If
you'll do that, I think you'll find that your patience will be richly
rewarded.

Thanks and best of luck to the GEM+ team!

Jack

One thing I would like to see is a chassis manager to go
with the engine switcher. I know at first that sounds
usless, but I do have a use for it.

I would like to make a different 1967/68. I want to
replace the BRM chassis with the Eagle and add
the Maserati engine. This would simulate what would
have happened if BRM would have dropped the H-16
and gone with the BRM V-12 and made a lightweight
(for BRM) chassis.

buzard

Turn your back on this NG for a bit and KAZAM; it's flashback time!  What
year IS this, anyway?

They did tell me *** weren't good for me...

SB

Nice to hear from you Stevie B! Still riding? Still in Chattanooga? Recently
got a pair of wheels from that company up there. ;-)

Miss those late-night, post-race missives of yours!

Jack

Good grief!

Turn your back on this NG for a bit and KAZAM; it's flashback time!  What
year IS this, anyway?

They did tell me *** weren't good for me...

SB

Yep on both counts, though less so.  But is there a bike company up here?
Who knew? ;-)

Yeah, your old NTT series was lots of fun, back in my early days with GPL.
It gave me plenty of opportunities to regale you with tales of how I
snatched defeat from the jaws of victory!  And lo, I too bailed on this
sim-racing stuff for about a year.  But since I never deleted GPL from my
HD, it was just a matter of time before it sucked me back in!  Had to learn
how to drive again, but it went a bit easier the second time around.  Like
most things...

Hope to see you on track sometime!

SB