rec.autos.simulators

1.  Get rid of scratchy background noise under digital sound option.
    It's scratchy under both a SoundBlaster Pro and SB 16.

2.  Going back to a past race during a season reveals corrupted race
    data (avg. speed, race time, etc.).

3.  Would be nice if the program kept track of more stats during a
    season, like # of laps led, # of laps completed, avg. start and
    finish, as well as other stats that are commonly kept track of.

4.  Better peripheral vision cues are needed.  The rear-view mirror
    tells you what's behind you and beside you, but not how close a
    car is.  Perhaps 800x600 resolution will allow for more screen
    space to reveal more out the left and right windows.  Something I
    think is necessary, since looking up at the rear-view mirror while
    driving in traffic is pretty risky.

5.  AI cars don't seem to suffer adversely from cold tires at the
    start of a race, nor from worn tires in the laps before a pit
    stop.  Their lap times differ very little from race start to pit
    stop.

6.  AI cars that lose a tire from spinning out into the wall are
    automatically removed from the race.  Is it too hard to program AI
    cars driving slowly back to the pits?

7.  Those AI cars that don't lose a tire from an accident are able to
    spin themselves in the right direction in record time.  On a
    similar note, the player should be able to be towed back to the
    pits when he loses 2 tires.  Currently it is impossible to make it
    back on just 2 tires and a DNF is your fate.

8.  More than 39 drivers please.  Or at least a drivers2.txt file that
    accomodates more so that there is increased variability in who
    exactly qualifies for each race.

9.  Add a security feature for Internet tournament directors (ie:
    IWCC, NASSCAR) that enables users to send up a small encrypted
    file for a race that certifies the race results as legitimate.

10. Allow more of a race be captured in a replay file.  Currently with

    16megs of RAM I can store about 10 laps around Talladega with a
     full field in SVGA mode, yet was able store more laps (not sure
     how much more) when I ran Nascar Racing in VGA mode with my old
    computer and 8megs of RAM.  This doesn't make sense, since you are

    able to record a replay in VGA and replay it in SVGA.  Isn't the
    data recorded the same,  irrespective of resolution NASCAR Racing
    is played under?

11. Allow adjustable opponent strengths for each race during a season,
    and some sort of modification of qualifying speeds at some tracks
    is necessary.

12. Replay files often reveal AI cars passing through each other and
     cars moving erratically.  This is most prevalent at tracks like
     Bristol.

13. AI drivers are able to "see" too much behind them, so much so that

      they are able to anticipate the closing speed of the player
      behind him, and thus moves out of the way of the player.  
     Uncanny, and makes navigating through traffic a little too easy
     at times.

14. Accidents - just don't happen often enough.  And when they do, it
      is invariably just one car spinning out into the wall.  AI cars
     NEVER bump into each other or demonstrate any variation in the
     line they drive.

15. Being able to determine how much damage will be repaired during a
      pit stop.

To me, the big ones are improving the driver AI and frequency/type of
accidents.  Broadening peripheral vision is also important.  How much
easier does a steering wheel make door-to-door racing?  Can't wait to
get my T2 in February (still paying off my new computer ;).

Bill.

Brad

Also, I thought of some more changes for NASCAR to add realism.  

1.  Shadows from the grandstand.

2.  Glare/Dirty windshield.

3.  Select percentage of repair.

Randy

Also it should be programmed to VESA 2.0 video specs, like ICR2.
Hires. needs the increased video speed...
Bob/NYC

I real life, the drivers have spotters that tell them on the radio if
there are cars approaching, in front, up high, down low, etc.  How about
setting up one of the function keys to display something like this

                             #1

                        #3  #94  #12

                            #17

Where #94 is the player's car, #1 is the car in front, #3 is a car on the
inside, #12 is the car on the outside, and #17 is the car in back.
The #3 and #12 would show that cannot move higher or lower without
bumping the respective car.  If there is enough room, the display would
show that car as being in front or behind you.

Also, the rear view mirror could also show just what is directly behind.

Just my $.02,
Randy

I'd like the option to repair the car but try and stay on the lead
lap.  in other words, work on the car, then let you go back out on the
track.  come back in and continue repairs.  this is more realistic.
also, if you get a lap down, there is not chance to "Start upfront"
and try and get ahead of the leaders, hoping for a caution, unless
you're lucky and were up front with the leaders (double-file restarts)

Go #6 Mark Martin and #16 Ted Musgrave - Jack Roush Racing!!
NASCAR Racing!!

http://camalott.com/~sean/nascar/nascar.htm <--NASCAR Racing Sim page

You think frame rates are bad now, try 800x600!!

Besides the 3DBlaster will do 800x600 with the memory upgrade.

Mike

I'd settle for a simple wav file that says "low"  "clear all-around"
"high" "still high" etc... but! that takes up precious ram and
processor power.  (meaning it'll slow down the frame rate)

Go #6 Mark Martin and #16 Ted Musgrave - Jack Roush Racing!!
NASCAR Racing!!

http://camalott.com/~sean/nascar/nascar.htm <--NASCAR Racing Sim page

How about changing track conditions?  Different grooves come into play
as the race progresses.  

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./.  [-  < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Depends on which ones you lose.
I've made it back to the pits with 2 missing fronts, and a few times a
missing front and rear (as long as there not both on the same side).

Another big improvement would be with the yellow flags, Which come out
much to often for minor accidents.
eg just bumping another car into the wall when they try to come up
your outside will cause a yellow to come out instantly, and the cars
affected didn't even take any damage. Just lost a bit of speed.

--
Dean Bobin

http://www.zeta.org.au/~dbobin

Actually, time of repair would be better because you dont always know
how bad the damage is.  On a yellow flag pitstop, you want to be able
to get back out ahead of the pace car.

In a real race there would be somebody from your team looking down the
track telling you where the pace car is.

CT

I'd bet that if they got the rights to do Daytona, they would have a
track pack out so fast our heads would spin.  

My wishes for future versions of NASCAR is the ability to have a field
where all drivers try to make the race, but, only the top X number make
it.  This could be done with 2 options 1- player can't be bumped ('takes
a provisional') or 2 - player can get bumped.  As a championship season
goes it might be possible to allow the player 4 provisionals for the
season and let the season begin.  Races that the player doesn't qualify
for would be run through acceleration.

Mike

--
Thomas Podewils

Go #6 Mark Martin and #16 Ted Musgrave - Jack Roush Racing!!
NASCAR Racing!!

http://camalott.com/~sean/nascar/nascar.htm <--NASCAR Racing Sim page