rec.autos.simulators

Hi,

In shopping for a new computer I noticed that the 200Mhz Pros are geared
for 32 bit applications as well as they come with MS Windows NT=AE
Workstation 4.0 .  Should I stay away from this and get a 200 Mhz
pentium with Windows 95 instead?  I cuurently run Nascar and ICRII and
plan to run other sim games like Nascar II and Grand Prix II.

Thanks,
John

In general, the Pros are geared towards 32-bit and are good for both
Windows NT and Windows 95.  However, they don't affort an advantage over a
Pentium when running 16-bit applications, like Nascar racing.  There have
been discussions about the Pro being slower running 16-bit applications
than the Pentium, however I think the official story is that they are just
not faster.  I have tried running Nascar Racing on a Pro in my office and
find the speed not impressive.  It was not slower than my P-120 at home,
but it was not really faster either.  I have not tried a faster Pentium, so
I cannot compare to a P-200.  If all you want is speed for running games,
don't pay the price for the Pro.  If you are looking for a workstation that
will run NT and power applications such as CAD etc., you may want to
consider the Pro.  Don't buy a Pro to run Nascar Racing, it will affort no
speed advantage and may actually pay a penalty.
/THansen

Hi,

In shopping for a new computer I noticed that the 200Mhz Pros are geared
for 32 bit applications as well as they come with MS Windows NT?
Workstation 4.0 .  Should I stay away from this and get a 200 Mhz
pentium with Windows 95 instead?  I cuurently run Nascar and ICRII and
plan to run other sim games like Nascar II and Grand Prix II.

Thanks,
John

----------

From what i have been reading about Pentium Pro or not, i believe that
the Pentium Pro is the best choice. The Pentium 200MHz is the limit for
the Pentium processor. The Pentium Pro at 180Hz is already faster than
the Pentium 200Mhz. I think that for the Pentium Pro 200MHz you have
30% or even more speed compared to the Pentium 200MHz.
And most important the price is almost the same now, and the Pentium Pro
will get lower.

Hope this helps you,

JP

Regards,
John

FWIW, I disagree with this.

The Pro is the better (read : faster) system, and not only that but many
can be overclocked to 233Mhz. Intel have enough trouble making Pentiums
run at 200Mhz, never mind overclocking, so the Pro wins on that score
too.

Just my opinion, but NASCAR2 _seriously_ shifts on a Pro-200, much
better than my Pentium.

Cheers!
John

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Most DOS games (like Nascar and Indycar) have been 32-bit for a while now,
that's why they need a DOS extender like DOS/4GW loaded.  With a highly CPU
intensive game, the PPros can be much faster then a regular Pentium, but it
is by default very slow on writes to video memory.  The PPro can be sped up
(often doubling framerates) through the use of John Hinkley's program
FASTVID, which can be obtained from
ftp://members.aol.com/JHinkley/fastvid.zip.

--

Emory University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
Nascar Setups Page: http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~ebusch/

J. Villanueva
--
The views expressed by me are not the views of my employer

No.

--

Emory University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
Nascar Setups Page: http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~ebusch/

Go #6 Mark Martin,#16 Ted Musgrave & #99 Jeff Burton - Jack Roush Racing!!
NASCAR Racing!!

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

Doesn't Nascar racing use a dos extender to "enter" 32bit-protected mode
(just like practically every game nowadays) ?
Did the Pro you used have 'Fastvid' installed ?

See ya...

Alex

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

/Thomas

I have a Dell PPro200 with a #9 ViRGE card.  Fastvid did not do anything
for me.  ICR runs much faster than Nascar, and GP2 runs best at a mid
level af detail on most tracks (texture on track and curbs only).  I
hear that s3spdup helps with my video ut I haven't seen it posted for a
while.  Anybody out there care to post?

: I have a Dell PPro200 with a #9 ViRGE card.  Fastvid did not do anything
: for me.  ICR runs much faster than Nascar, and GP2 runs best at a mid
: level af detail on most tracks (texture on track and curbs only).  I
: hear that s3spdup helps with my video ut I haven't seen it posted for a
: while.  Anybody out there care to post?
I have to install FastVid and s3spdup (make a archie search to S3SPD302.ZIP)
to improve my video performance from 20mb/s to 79mb/s. Unfortunately you
have to remove EMM386 to run FastVid.

I've a PPro200, ASUS P6NP5 and a Diamond Stealth 64 Video 2MB VRam.

With fastvid and s3spdup I can run GP2 with most details enabled (exapt sky,
mirrors and the mappings for the houses (I've the German version :-)) in
SVGA, 19fps with maximum 110% in Monaco (track testing without cometitiors).

Greetings
        Bernhard

Stuart

--
Stuart Booth
Somewhere in Oxfordshire, England, UK

Cheers!

Stuart

--
Stuart Booth
Somewhere in Oxfordshire, England, UK