rec.autos.simulators

I get these things from AOL's news servers every now and then...
usually they say not to copy or re-transmit them, but this one
didn't... since it's a press release, I further assume it is meant
to be copied and re-transmitted...

So, Business Wire, if you're reading this, my apologies for
spreading this if you didn't want it to be.......

- Mike.

      ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 19, 1997--Selling over one million
units world-wide, Psygnosis' Formula 1 gears up for the new season
with Formula 1 '97!  Developed by Bizarre Creations, Formula 1 is the
ultimate game for realistic racing e***ment.  Acclaimed for its
blend of arcade action and authentic handling, Formula 1 '97 features
the latest '97 statistics, all the teams and drivers of the 1997
season, 17 circuits, arcade and championship options, new tracks, and
commentary by professional Formula 1 race veterans, Murray Walker and
John Watson.
          Experience the thrill, speed and e***ment of the ultimate
***
challenge.  Undergo the same dynamics, real car engine noises, pit
stop tactics as any driver does in the world of F1 today by driving
the painstakingly accurate representations of the world's finest
tracks.  Legendary locations like Silverstone (UK), Adelaide
(Australia) and Monaco (Monte Carlo), along with 14 other tracks are
featured.  Formula 1 '97 offers a range of in-game options including
steering and braking assistance, manual or automatic transmission,
random and statistically correct weather conditions, multiple
viewpoints and a comprehensive replay feature.
          Players will also experience the fierce rivalry amongst teams
and
racers as a built-in sophisticated artificial intelligence algorithm
crunches raw data such as car reliability and aggression level.  
These parameters, based on real-life driving styles, give each gamer
a unique personality.  Audio options include Dolby Surround and
Q-Sound support and definable ambient and engine noise levels (from
DAT recordings taken from a real Formula 1 race car).
          Psygnosis employs over 600 people with publishing and
development
offices in the US, UK, and across Europe.  Working with over 30
development teams and six internal development sites, the company is
now the largest development house in Europe.  Psygnosis is a
subsidiary of Sony.
          -0-
      Note to Editors:
      Psygnosis' Formula 1 '97 for the PC and PlayStation will be
available at retail computer and software specialty stores
everywhere.  Reviewer's copies and screen shots can be obtained from
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.  Customers
can order Psygnosis products by calling 1-800-GET-PSYG
(1-800-438-7794).  Visit us on the Web.  Psygnosis' latest offerings,
including current and future titles, game tips, contests, all press
releases and company information, are accessible at
www.psygnosis.com .

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

 R.I.P. Jeff Krosnoff: Sep 24, 1964 - July 14, 1996
====================================================

"Latest 1997 statistics"? Adelaide bit the dust in 1995.

"Great". Where are the...

Detailed setup options?
Realistic handling?
Accurate fuel stops?
Accurate regulations?
Proper inclusion and use of flags?
Engine braking, individual wheel locking, wheelspin, punctures from
debris, non-icy grass and all the other things expected from a sim?

I'm not saying that Formula One 1997 doesn't have these things, it's
just that for something touted as a simulation it's pretty worrying
when the press release talks only of the frills.

Cheers!
John

Am I the only one confused by this press release? AND, could THIS one (if not
the old? F1 by psygnosis) be "Starting Grid"?

And if so....whatta shitty way to rip people off. Put out a substandard racing
game and then after it sells, anounce another one with updated features.....

Ken Tarvin

http://www.racesimcentral.net/
San Diego, CA

"When things are made idiot-proof,"
"Then the world will make better idiots."

You know we don't write the press releases - we thought some of it was
funny too! Come and get your multiple viewpoints here!!

Sarah

Except you are missing the most important viewpoint of all (i.e. from
the***pit)

According to "Playstation Pro" magazine (July ish'), :

..... "F1 97 will improve both arcade and simulation modes, moving
both further away from each other in terms of style. The arcade mode
will now feature power slides and other Rage Racer style trickery,
while the simulation Grand Prix mode promises even more technical
accuracy than ever before. Using the most up to date season
information, and with drivers AI actually based on their real life
counterparts, Psygnosis is confident that this'll be the most
complete Formula 1 game on the shelves when it goes head to head with
Eidos' sffort later this year."
"A split screen mode is included, in both arcade and sim modes, so at
least you can tear around Monaco with a mate. The graphics are
hi-res, the only driving game on the Playstation to use such complex
graphics at high speed, and more polygons than you can shake a stick
at have been thrown into the mix as well"

Apparently there are new comments from both Murray Walker and Martin
Brundle, including them talking about the specific bend your on
instead of random phrases.

Apart from that - and more importantly for the sim aspect - the
screen shots show a***-pit view complete with outstretched drivers
arms!! That was a shot of Eddie Irvins car, but the front looked a
bit strange above the steering wheel. Maybe he'd had a smack.

Hopefully this'll get ported over the the PC and make everybody a bit
happier! Pity they didn't do it with the original version tho'.
--
To reply, remove NOSMEG from end of e-mail address.

When approaching corners I found myself not needing to use brakes very often
at all, since since getting off the trottle slowed me to the point where
I could make the turns. Combine this with AI that bring back recollections
of F1GP1, ie. they follow their own preset line regardless if you passed
them and have the line for the corner, and you could soon become very
frustrated by this game, if like me you are at all spoiled by the modern
improvements in AI and physics of GP2/ICR2/N2.

On the other hand, the graphics and eyecandy were *amazing*, really very nice,
especially the very realistic tracks and nicely done wet-weather racing.

Sadly I doubt if I will be purchasing this once it is available here in the
US, although I am eagerly anticipating the *first* auto-sim to take advantage
of my 3dfx voodoo card, F1 Racing would get little use from me other than to
take a spin around the tracks for familiariztion prior to watching the F1
Grand Prix on TV.

Cheers.

--John (Looking forward to Papy's F1 Grand Prix Legends with 3dfx support)
--
 Note: my real e-mail address is below. Delete the asterisks.
------------------------------+--------------------------

  Seattle, Washington USA.    |    http://www.cool.com/~jsilva

Yep, there are flags in F1 97

There are supposed to be engine fires, wheels locking under braking,
mechanical faliures, loss of wheels in crashes and deformable bodywork
depending on the severity of the collision (a bit like destruction derby)
when the press release talks only of the frills.

F1 97 also has an in***pit view.

Kev

Nope, unless sitting on the nose of the car is a***pit view 8^)

I sold this piece of .... after a few days. I wouldn't even give it high
marks as an arcade. I never thought I move a car, not even remotly!

l8er
ronny

On Tue, 24 Jun 1997 12:42:32 +0100, K Clark

There are also flags in GP2 but not very good. By "proper use of
flags" I meant black flag, blue flag, oil flags etc. The usual green
and chequered flags don't add anything by comparison.

There has been talk of a lot of features, and I spoke about a lot of
things when I visited last time, but the critical part is how they are
implemented. "Wheels locking under braking" is all very well, but look
at the way it is implemented in the original. GP2's wheel locking is
implemented pretty well, the original arcade F1 was not. It is only a
"sim" feature if implemented in a realistic manner (i.e. SIMulating
real life).

There are quite a lot of sims coming out soon, CART, Andretti, XCAR,
GPL, Ubisoft etc, so I wonder if Psygnosis are confident going
head-to-head with them or if they will release as another primarily
arcade title? I hope that will not be the case but it is my concern at
present. I already returned the original "F1" to the shop as I was
pretty disappointed with what it was when considering what it could
have been, and also with how unrewarding it was to drive (not good
when a driving game isn't good to drive!), and I hope that F1'97 will
not go the same way.

Cheers!
John

Kev

Thats true. I think Bizzare/Psygnosis vastly underestimated the number of
people (and I'm talking from the playstation camp here) that wanted a
proper sim. I would have thought it was obvious from the demographics
(average psx owner being 24-28) that we had had enough of boggo racers and
wanted something a bit more involving. This has also shown itself in the
numbers of people who picked up on the pit bug in the original which only
manifested itself when playing full race distances with a fuel load set up
for 2 or 3 stop strategies. I suspect this wasn't picked up in testing cos
they didnt think mnay people weree going to do a full length season. As a
result the game has a very arcady feel to it despite claims of realistic
physics (I've played indycar and THATS what I call realistic physics). But
to give them credit they seem to have taken some, if not all, of the
criticism of the original in hand and separated the arcade and sim modes
much more and so the sim mode should be a lot better this time round. (I
wonder why they dont market the sim and arcade versions as separate games).

Yes I also hope that F1 97 will be much more sim like. I enjoyed the
original but found that the one thing that really pissed me off was the
(lack of) AI. Being chopped by backmarkers gets on yer wick when it happens
for the ump***th time! But apparently thats been sorted now so here's
hoping.

Kev