rec.autos.simulators

Should I get GPL?  It doesn't support D3D so how
will the graphics look on my system?  Will it be in a rendered
mode leading to a slower frame rate?  Is there
any unsupported way I can take advantage of my video
card (see below for what I mean...)

The only sim I currently have is Need For Speed III.
Its setup selected rendering; didn't recognize my video card.
I overrode this with D3D during the setup, but according to
the setup program, my D3D is not supported.  BUT, it works
fine.  All display options are set to HIGH and I get
a smooth display/high frame rate.  Reflections of the
scenery on the hood, etc.  No system crashes yet.

Does someone have screen shots of the GPL game running in
a rendered mode so I can see what it will/might look like
on my computer?

Thanks

--
Doug Appleyard
"Bound to cover just a little more ground"

Sent via Deja.com http://www.racesimcentral.net/
Share what you know. Learn what you don't.

There's a beta2 OpenGL driver that works quite well with TNT/TNT2.
You can download it from here: http://www.papy.com/gpl/download.html

AFAIK, the only real downside is the mirror problem. You'll have to
reduce the refresh rate of mirrors to make it playable at all times
(i.e. in a race where you're often surrounded by other cars).

With your hardware, you'll easily get constant 36-37 fps (that's max
in GPL) in 1024x768 when hotlapping, with all graphics on EXCEPT the
mirrors. In race the framerate is bound to drop at the start and at
various points when the screen gets crowded by competitors' cars. But
still, it will be very much playable, IF you just remember to reduce
the mirror refresh rate (by editing the core.ini file) and lower the
mirror detail level (from in-game graphics options).

You ask whether you should get GPL. I don't think it's a hardware
question at all (in this case). It's gonna take a whole lotta more
patience and time than the NFSIII you mentioned. But eventually it can
really pay off, big time.

Check these out:
http://www.tol.oulu.fi/~midpro/GPLshots.html

If you prefer a less filtered look, you can have that too. Just edit some
variables in the infamous core.ini file under the heading [ OpenGL ]. The
instructions come with the OpenGL driver. I was using tri-linear
filtering when I took those screenshots.

---
Antti Markus Peteri

       15 miles. your dim light shines from so far away

                                 - Soul Asylum, Promises Broken