rec.autos.simulators

For this season's races, ITV are using F1 to show the punters the
layout of the track. Melbourne looked quite ordinary (but it is pretty
characterless in real-life), but yesterday it was Brazil, and the
detail was stunning. All the gradients were there, as were the banking
and the off-camber turns.

Does anyone know what machine spec is running that? It looked to be
doing around 15 fps in 640x480. Could this be the killer title that
makes me take the plunge and buy a 3D board?

And who cares if it is arcade-like as the general concensus of opinion
suggests? With the courses that accurate, it should make a good blast
when I cannot be bothered with GP2's full realism.

Ken
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Here's the scoop as best as I know it.  F1 is a 3d accelerator REQUIRED
game.  That's why it was so smooth.  In fact, the 15fps you were seeing is
due to the way PAL displays images (this was explained to me in
news.3dfx.titles) so the actual game will have that same detail but run at
30fps, not 15 as you saw.  To really take advantage of this title, purchase
any of the 3dfx related cards.  They're cheap now, and fast.  In fact, I
hedge a bet that after playing an accelerated game on a 3dfx, you will have
a hard time going back to unaccelearted games.  Just my opinion, and I'm
waiting for this title also (and waiting for the D3d patch for I76 'cause I
am having a really hard time going back).

Dean Olmstead

Yep. I'm on 3Dfx and there ain't noway I'm going to give this up.
But when is Formula 1 coming out?

--
Kulvinder Singh Matharu

(SNIP my own BS)

Dean Olmstead

The ITV F1 runaround is running on a Pentium Pro 200 with a Monster3D, but
RELAX, this is just overkill (I wanted it to look as fast as possible). I
think that it loses quite a bit of framerate due to the video convertor.
You will probably see much better results on a P166 with a conventional
monitor setup.

As for the release date, as far as I'm aware it will be at the end of
April.

Mark Craig (Lead Programmer F1 PC)

The above views and opnions are my own and in no way reflect the views of
my company 'Bizarre Creations' or our publisher 'Psygnosis'

Darn right. F1 is great. The Playstation version has 2 modes - Arcade
(great for newcomers and laughing at the outrageous shortcuts and
shunts you can produce) and a Simulation mode which feels good and
needs some practice to get good at. Sure its not as detailed a sim as
GP2, but it is great fun and looks fab.

If the PC version's frame rate is near the Playstation's and the
graphics are higher res then it'll be a winner.

A big thankyou to Mark Craig, the F1 lead programmer for PC , for
participating in this newsgroup - it's always good to get the real
scoop.  

Hiya Ken!

Psygnosis (or Bizarre Creations) "F1" runs on both Voodoo 3dFX and
Rendition based 3D cards, and also on Direct3D if you don't have a 3D card.
I tried the 3dFX version which was gobsmackingly gorgeous and 30fps in
SVGA, and from chatting with the team the Rendition one is equivalent (I
haven't seen this since it wasn't finished when I last visited). The
Direct3D version was noticably slower than the 3D versions (obviously) but
the frame rate could be cranked up if you're willing to sacrifice some
detail.

Take a look at the Flash-3D 3dFX board. Less than 120 here in the UK and
ideal for this game. If you thought Brazil looked nice wait till you see
Hockenheim and Adelaide with the trees and inclines. Lovely!

Cheers!
John

PS - Did you know I'm now staying about 200m from you? I moved house over
to Newington!

I've seen Flash 3D for 130 quid (sold out), what's your source?  I'm
disappointed with rendition.

Mark
Reading, UK

On Wed, 02 Apr 1997 23:41:15 GMT, "Mark Craig"

I read somewhere that Formula 1 will support in-car "cockpit"
view but I've also read somewhere that it will be "behind and
above" view. Who's right?

--
Kulvinder Singh Matharu

:
:> Does anyone know what machine spec is running that? It looked to be
:> doing around 15 fps in 640x480. Could this be the killer title that
:> makes me take the plunge and buy a 3D board?
:
:Hiya Ken!

Hi John! Long time no talk.

:Psygnosis (or Bizarre Creations) "F1" runs on both Voodoo 3dFX and

Yes, I should have said Bizarre, not Psygnosis (and it's a damn site
easier to spell!)

:Rendition based 3D cards, and also on Direct3D if you don't have a 3D card.
:I tried the 3dFX version which was gobsmackingly gorgeous and 30fps in
:SVGA, and from chatting with the team the Rendition one is equivalent (I
:haven't seen this since it wasn't finished when I last visited). The
:Direct3D version was noticably slower than the 3D versions (obviously) but
:the frame rate could be cranked up if you're willing to sacrifice some
:detail.
:
:Take a look at the Flash-3D 3dFX board. Less than 120 here in the UK and
:ideal for this game. If you thought Brazil looked nice wait till you see
:Hockenheim and Adelaide with the trees and inclines. Lovely!

Sounds great - just a few more weeks to wait...

:Cheers!
:John
:
:PS - Did you know I'm now staying about 200m from you? I moved house over
:to Newington!

Oh gawd, there goes the neighbourhood!

Ken

PS: Yesterday I signed away my life savings <g> to go to Monaco next
month - 3 nights in Nice and a grandstand seat by the chicane past the
tunnel :-)
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