rec.autos.simulators

Flat Spotting Tires due to spinning/locking u pthe brakes
Tire Blowouts or Failure due to running over random debris or debris
from an accident
Being able to tape over Damage
-instead of just ripping off the fender
-useful at places such as restrictor plate and super speedway tracks
Oil/Water/metal debris if a car blows and engine or wrecks*
Visible Tow Truck/Ability to see other cars getting towed from where
they wrecked
Being able to lock up the brakes/spin wheels realiticly(Not the fake
wheelspin they have in N2)
Double File Restarts
42 car fields
Ability to have more cars in one list than 42 so that it would be
possible to not qualify in a race(AI or non-AI car)
Reverse being a gear and not a seperate button
Sun Glare & and Shadows*
-useful at races that finish later in the day
Seperate Spring and Shock
Tape on the Grille
Trackbar or Swaybar adjustments
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How about shaping the cars like the ACTAUL car...in other words a Taurus is
shaped like a Taurus, a Monte like a Monte, etc.  Instead of having one body
style and just pasting different headlights on em.  This goes alot towards
realism for a simulation.
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If I had to pick just 1 item...  I think it would be the double file
restarts.  I think that is probably the most unrealistic thing about N2.
(other than invisible tow truck and stuff like that).  I would go for
all the items for your list.  Also...  if there is to be a genuine 3D
cockpit... an OPTION TO TURN OFF THE WHEEL AND ARMS.  Thank you ;)
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    I think N3 should have possibility red flags (I know it doesn't
happen all that often in NASCAR, probably on average 1-2 times a year,
but it would add to the realism), I think it will happen with the new
3d engine being made for GPL, which will probably be used for N3 as
well. (with the chance of flipping/rolling the car, and hopefully a
more advanced damage model along with it).  The list of new features
could go on for miles however!
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I think the option to turn it off would be the best but don't shoot this
idea down before you see it.  It really looks good in GPL and I feel adds to
the experience of being in the car.  The whole virtual cockpit idea with the
new engine should give you more realisim that you can stand.  :>
Of course, there will be those who just don't like the arms in there and
feel sure it will be a option to have turned off.
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How about roof flaps popping up on a spin (sound also).
And a serious change in handling when you loose a tire.
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Possibly oil on the track... you can't always see it in real life, so
it shouldn't be too hard to do.  Maybe a spotter call every now and
then... "hey, car 12 blew the motor at the end of the backstretch -
look out, there may be oil on the track"
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All cars qualify, then take the top qualifiers and PROVISONALS for
champsionship mode.  Option for player to be excluded from race if no
provisionals available.  Cars trying to make the field would be set by
the player somewhere.  Such as 45 for 1 race, possibly 50 for a big
event.  This way you could race a BGN schedule and stuff Mark Martin
in there, and some other WC guys, but only at certain events.
Ability to go for a horsepower motor or something more fuel efficient.
Maybe a lean or rich mixture for the motor - pistons can burn if too
lean, but they don't suck up as much fuel... that kind of option would
be nice.
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Carset Management
Go back to the ICR2 style of placing the carsets in individual sub
directories so that they are easier to keep track of.
So many nice carsets out there designed by talented people, but no
clean way to keep them organized. (it is possible to get too many cars
in that one subdirectory.  :-)
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So far I like most of the ideas mentioned.  Double file restarts would be
great!  One thing I would really love to see --even since the first day N1
came
out--  Chamionship mode for multiplayer mode.  I know most of you run on TEN
and the like.  A friend and I have been racing local via modem since the
early
days keeping track manually is a real pain in the pan.  To be able to dial
him
up and then choose chamionship mode for our race series would be awesome!
Just my 2 cents worth...
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Let's hope we see some things fixed with the AI that seem to be carrying
over from one Papyrus sim to the other.
1)  Figure out a way to select the correct car that passes the
start/finish line first.  This should also help fix the problems we are
seeing with the AI acting confused and dazed after crossing the S/F
under yellow or coming out of the pits under a yellow conditions.
2)  Make the AI more competitive when they are behind the human driver.
For some reason it seems that once an AI car is passed (no matter how
hard it was to catch and pass), it says to itself, "Gosh-golly-gee, that
human guy sure is good, I think I'll just keep dropping back and not
race him anymore".
3)  Give the AI some smarts so they don't get bogged down by slower
cars.  They should be driving "ahead" and know to get out of that groove
if the car they are approaching is too slow.  Also along this thought,
don't let the AI slow down for cars down on the apron as they enter or
exit the pits.
4)  Fix the problems with the AI and tracks that have front and rear
pits.
5)  Devise another approach to the way the AI react to accidents.  It's
so weird and unrealistic to see them slow at impossible rates and then
just sit there and flop around like a poor fish out of water.
6)  Let the AI get closer to each other and the human driver before they
"freak out" and let off the gas or change grooves.  Maybe this could be
a player option.  This way those who need to have more room to run can
set the "clearance distance" higher, while those that want good fender
rubbing racing can set it real tight.  Possibly tie this to the
agression number for driver skills.
7)  Make the AI change more during the race.  Maybe a car will start out
with a bad setup and the driver and crew can get it sorted out and will
actually be very competitive towards the end of the race (and visa
versa).
8)  Changing track conditions during the race.  Let's have a reason for
having the crew change the wedge or tire pressure (or insert or remove
the spring rubbers you are going to introduce <G>) other than the fact
that one messed up with their setup.  [see I don't only think AI]
Now don't get me wrong there are some really great things Papyrus AI can
do in their current incarnation.  As a matter of fact there is alot in
the "AI engine" that is not evident until they are given better
instructions.  So for those that haven't checked it out yet, head to the
CCG N2 AI Project site and grab some of the enhanced AI available for
NASCAR2.
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-Have your set up "go away" as the race goes along like the real deal.
-When you blow a tire, the fender gets torn off by the loose rubber.
-Pit stauls choosen according to points, qualifying, etc.
-Be able to change the rear end gear to save fuel.
-Have the AI car's setups "go away" as the race goes on.
-Watch your crew work on the car while in the pits instead of the
tires mysteriously being changed by your invisible crew members :)
-Have to pull behind the wall to alter setup, etc during practice,
and to fix damage during races.
-Have the cars flip if the wreck is bad enough.
-Damage to the sides of the cars.
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I would like to see the F2 key record each practice lap time during
practice, such that 1. was your first practice lap, and 10. your tenth.
This would make dialing in the car a little easier, and give the F2 key
some functionality when in testing mode.
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I'd like to see:
oil and debris when applicable
a winshield that gets dirty/sunglare
changing track grooves
engine options that have performance/reliability consequences
more car setup options
weather that changes during a race and affects handling
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I don't understand why this is omitted from every list I see :

Fix the yellow flag pit algorythm for the AI cars.  Leaders should pit
together - when the leader comes in - the others should follow.  All too
often one or more of the lead cars stay on the track and then get killed
because they have to pit under green several laps later.

/TomH

snipage

don't forget bigger sliders and arrows in the menu's.  man what a pain it is
sometimes scrolling through the driver lists or trying to setup the car.  BIG
BUTTONS!
dave henrie

Thanks for the list - it shows how much more there is to be done to
upgrade an already great sim.

I would like to see better smoke. A track filled with smoke after a wreck or
spin ahead (like on TV) would make it very hard to avoid messing up.This is
a gameplay issue.
Thanks

Holy cow, look at this list.

Even if they do add all these things, you can't satisfy everyone all the
time.  For instance,

Like not seeing the cars stopped in the middle of the track isn't bad
enough, now we can miss the mess and still get collected.  This'll go over
big.

Ditto

Something else to avoid.

N2's wheelspin was mostly added to aide in getting out of the pits when cars
are real close.  At least, thats the way I see it.  it could be improved,
but works ok the way it is.

You never played on Hawaii I see.

Need faster computers.  Lets try to keep the game playable and not make
another GP2 Slide show.

Ever tried that in GP2 or F1rs, I prefer the button, or at least to be able
to decide how it works.

Who has time to change this ***while they're driving??

This also goes a long way tward long hours of graphic development.  Let em
get the rest of the stuff and these things will come.  With all the stickers
on a Nascar car, they're hard to tell apart at a distance in real life!

*

ONE MAMOTH SNIP

Yea, lots of the Ideas are great and show some real interest in improving
the game.  Just be careful, you might get what you ask for.  If Papy did all
the things you ask, the only way you'd be able to play the game multiplayer
is if your buddy that now races against you becomes your keyboard pit crew.

% I don't understand why this is omitted from every list I see :

% Fix the yellow flag pit algorythm for the AI cars.  Leaders should pit
% together - when the leader comes in - the others should follow.  All too
% often one or more of the lead cars stay on the track and then get killed
% because they have to pit under green several laps later.

Because Tom, we were waiting for you to say it! ;-)

Here's another thought concerning yellows.  This is something that seems
to have been lost since Papy's first sim (Indianapolis 500 the
Simulation).  Length of the yellow tied to the severity of the
accident.  If there was a major pileup, it took time to clear all of the
cars from the track.  Sometimes as you circuited the track it you would
still see wrecked cars.  The next time around 1 or 2 of the cars was
gone, but there was still another to be picked up.  However, this would
require that Papy work a little harder on the AI's reaction to wrecked
cars.  No more stopping dead on the track (ala Red Flag) and twitching
like a fish out of water until the wrecked cars vanish.  Also it would
be nice to have an "autopilot" option similar to the cruise control in
Indy 500.  Even a 2 lap caution at Sears Point or Watkins Glen seems to
take forever.  

Now why would I like to have long yellows?  Well if my car was severely
damaged, it would give my pit crew a more "realistic" time to fix the
damage.  As it is, at some tracks, the green drops too soon to get any
decent repair work done.  Also, if they implement the "behind the wall"
option for damage repair, it would be more realistic to have a 3-5 lap
caution.

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

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With points on the line over the whole season, I'd think behind the
wall option would be a great implementation!