rec.autos.simulators

Microprose have officially informed all distributors that Grand Prix 2
will be removed from sale on December the 31st 1997. It seems that the
circumstance surrounding the untimely end to this classic game are
directly related to the non renewal of the FUJI FOCA license. This
comes at a time when Psygnosis are the subject of legal action in
response to releasing F197 prior to the issue of a license from the
Formula One Association (CTW). Sega Ozisoft will be supplying Grand
Prix 2 until December the 31st or until stock runs out.
[http://www.racesimcentral.net/]

get your classic while you can..

Go on, give Bernie a call, send him a 3dFX equipped PII and a copy of
GPL and give him something other than Michael Schumacher to occupy his
mind over Christmas...! ;-)

Cheers!
John

% Okay Papyrus gang, now's your chance to apply that fantastic slidy new
% physics engine to the lovely slidy new Formula One cars for 1998! What
% do you say.....?

% Go on, give Bernie a call, send him a 3dFX equipped PII and a copy of
% GPL and give him something other than Michael Schumacher to occupy his
% mind over Christmas...! ;-)

Too bad that the only thing Bernie listens to is the sound of the
armoured car as it takes his money to the bank.

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

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

I was banking on the fact that GPL would tickle even Bernie's joy
department, but it could be that the rustling of all that paper is the
only thing that makes its mark! I could be wrong, but I would have
thought that with the engine they've developed and the talent they
have, Papyrus would be eminently qualified to make whichever game
would demonstrate F1 in the best possible light. In that case rather
than purchasing the license up-front for a huge amount of cash,
perhaps a percentage of the profits could be offered instead?
Considering the well known phenomenal succeses of GP2 and Psygnosis
F1, that's the sort of money that should turn the heads of even the F1
head honchos.

Cheers!
John

Papyrus is dead !

The future of racing sims is now inextricably bound to 3D graphics
cards. 3DFX (Voodoo graphics) has already won the 3D battle.

Unfortunately, Papyrus is now owned by Sierra who have a vested
interested in Rendition based 3D cards. Corporate stupidity will
not allow them to get their head out of the sand and develop
titles for 3DFX. We will be sorry to see their demise.

This suicide course can only be averted if we lobby them with
an avalanche of requests !

Papyrus is dead?? Somehow, I don't think so.  In my opinion, Papyrus has
been and will continue to  be the leader in racing simulations. I agree
with you that 3dfx seems to be winning the battle on the graphics cards,
but it will be interesting to see what the newer rendition cards  do . I
suspect if 3dfx indeed does become the pre*** gameing graphics card,
Papyrus will start supporting it. I just wish they'd all settle on one
platform, but I guess competition keeps everyone healthy and helps keep our
costs down.
--
Don Burnette

Unfortunately, the gross profits from GP2 and Psygnosis F1 combined
don't even amount to "chump change" for the real F1 guys. One
licensing deal is the same as another to them. They prefer getting
their money up front and leaving the financial risk to others.

Jack Russell

Yeah!

For a taste of what the slidy new GPL cars will act like, I fired up
ICR2, went to Watkins Glen, took my favorite setup, and cranked the
wings back to minimum.  Then I turned down the turbo boost, and switched
to hard tires all around.  Very interesting!  I worked hard to get down
to 1:03 with this configuration, whereas I can do 54's with the normal
setups.

Great idea!  Papyrus forever!!

Incidentally, I've noticed that CART seems to be blessing Papyrus'
re-release of ICR2 as CART Racing.  Since they must have seen MS CART
Precision Racing by now, it seems not too wildly impossible to imagine
that perhaps CART is beginning to consider getting back into bed with
Papy for a real updated version.  

It shouldn't be too hard to convert California, Gateway, and Homestead
from the new Busch expansion pack for N2 (since Web denizens have
already created conversions for the N2 tracks to ICR2), and perhaps it
wouldn't be impossible to transplant the N2 menu system and network-play
modules into ICR2 to make CART 98.  

Or, perhaps more logically, start with N2's basic structure, insert the
vehicle dynamics engine from ICR2, convert the existing ICR2 tracks to
N2 format, and write a new, multipage garage sheet for the ICR2 car
settings.  Voila!  Networked CART 98, with modern menus and current
tracks.

Pure speculation on my part, but I think that the technical challenges
would be quite readily met if the financial (licensing) issues were
resolved.  

From the very mixed reaction that MS CPR seems to be getting in this
newsgroup, perhaps market forces will motivate CART to resolve these
financial issues.  

Can you imagine: GP Legends, GP 98, and CART 98, all by Papyrus?  All of
them allowing network play, all of them running in DOS or Windows 95
with native Rendition support?  I'd be in Sim Racer Heaven!

I can dream, anyway!

Alison

Remove the spam blocker NOSPAM to email me.
http://www.nh.ultranet.com/~alison

            and 3dfx support dammit! :-)

Aren't everyone else's always? :-)

I see it as CART's attempts to further market their brand
name and get the confusing, inaccurate, and no longer
used "IndyCar" name off the market... a wise move...

Me too...

- Mike.

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 Mike Holthouse - Indianapolis, IN
 I'm sick of spam!! To e-mail me, remove the "x"...
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