Yes, this is certainly reasonable, you're right. You guys are out here
on the front linesl, and I respect and appreciate that.
No, it's cool, I was over the line there I think. I'd like to
apologize and withdraw the comments I made about you hiding from
negative feedback. That's obviously not true, you guys are here after
all, and many other big companies like EA are not.
Joe
<HTML>
Dean,
<P>I have a question about Windows95 performance with sims in general.
Ive searched the Microsoft web page and have a ton of Tips and Tricks for
improving Windows95 performance.. some work, some didn't.
Do you or Microsoft have a FAQ or a very good list of items that increase
Windows95 performance ??? Example... letting Windows95
handle virtual memory is a big performance bust... best to set 2.5 X your
RAM and the swap file works much better. Just a thought that
I thought might be helpful to everyone who uses sims as well as Windows95
and upcoming CPR revisions and sequels.
<P>Thanks for being here on R.A.S. - I for one think its a positive instance
of self torture =)
<P>Thanks again,
<P>Scott B. Husted
<BR><A HREF="http://home.ptd.net/~sbhusted">http://home.ptd.net/~sbhusted</A>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>I think people on this group will validate the efforts
we are making
<BR>to recognize, reply to and address the issues - I think it is reasonable
<BR>to say we are not releasing the game and then walking away.
<P>And before you say it, expect an announcement on the Monster Truck
<BR>Madness series shortly - this is also a long-term business for us.
<P>Can someone (unconnected with MS) answer Joe's posting?
<P>I'm a bit biased ... ; )
<BR>>
<BR>>>"As usual the critics are always the most vocal, but they are not
<BR>>>necessarily the majority."
<BR>>
<BR>>>Sums it up nicely. Thanks Neil.
<BR>>
<BR>>It always disturbs me when I see developers going out of their way
to
<BR>>justify/contradict negative feedback. It's the kind of attitude that
<BR>>prevents real problems from being addressed in the future.
<BR>>
<BR>>Joe
<BR>>
<BR>>.
<BR>></BLOCKQUOTE>
</HTML>
Don't take it too hard, CART Team... Yes, this is a tough crowd,
but keep in mind that it is human nature to be more vocal if you
dislike something than if you like it... in other words it's A LOT
easier to find faults and *** than it is to look for the good in
something and heap praise...
If you don't believe me, go to any other newsgroup, delete all
things negative, and see what you have left...
- Mike.
====================================================
Mike Holthouse - Indianapolis, IN
I'm sick of spam!! To e-mail me, remove the "x"...
====================================================
On Sat, 15 Nov 1997 11:44:47 -0500, "Jim Getzen"
>My frame rate is more than double what yours is, even though we have similar
>machines. There must be a reason for the disparity, although I don't know
>what it could be.
Michigan I have _12_ fps with smoothing on, dashboard on, everything
else set for max frame-rate. Whenever a CC appears on screen it
freezes in place for a split-second (some form of texture transfer
problem similar to what GLQuake suffered I guess) and then continues.
Turning off dashboard ups this frame-rate to 30+, but the game looked
awful at that detail level with dashboard on, and with the dashboard
off I feel like Superman, zipping around Michigan about two inches off
the ground at 200mph+.
Our frame-rate discrepancy comes from the draw distance. I have this
maxed, being the only way to avoid the bonehead AI, suddenly braking
for no apparent reason in the middle of the Michigan backstraight. I
could haul the draw distance in, but that means more accidents and an
even worse look to the game. With all details on CPR looks reasonably
nice, but when you tune it to get a half decent frame-rate it looks a
couple of years old - certainly doesn't flatter the 3dFX card which is
capable of much better.
Cheers!
John
<HTML>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF">
Dean,
<P>Thanks... Ill be awaiting that!! I think it will help and
benefit alot of people.
<P>Scott B. Husted
<BR><A HREF="http://home.ptd.net/~sbhusted">http://home.ptd.net/~sbhusted</A>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<P><FONT FACE="Arial"><FONT COLOR="#000000"><FONT SIZE=-1> Excellent
idea - I'll ask the Win95 developers to draw up a list and post it here
ASAP.</FONT></FONT></FONT>
<BR>Dean,
<P>I have a question about Windows95 performance with sims in general.
Ive searched the Microsoft web page and have a ton of Tips and Tricks for
improving Windows95 performance.. some work, some didn't.
Do you or Microsoft have a FAQ or a very good list of items that increase
Windows95 performance ??? Example... letting Windows95
handle virtual memory is a big performance bust... best to set 2.5 X your
RAM and the swap file works much better. Just a thought that
I thought might be helpful to everyone who uses sims as well as Windows95
and upcoming CPR revisions and sequels.
<P>Thanks for being here on R.A.S. - I for one think its a positive instance
of self torture =)
<P>Thanks again,
<P>Scott B. Husted
<BR><A HREF="http://home.ptd.net/~sbhusted">http://home.ptd.net/~sbhusted</A>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE = "CITE">I think people on this group will validate the
efforts we are making
<BR>to recognize, reply to and address the issues - I think it is reasonable
<BR>to say we are not releasing the game and then walking away.
<P>And before you say it, expect an announcement on the Monster Truck
<BR>Madness series shortly - this is also a long-term business for us.
<P>Can someone (unconnected with MS) answer Joe's posting?
<P>I'm a bit biased ... ; )
<BR>>
<BR>>>"As usual the critics are always the most vocal, but they are not
<BR>>>necessarily the majority."
<BR>>
<BR>>>Sums it up nicely. Thanks Neil.
<BR>>
<BR>>It always disturbs me when I see developers going out of their way
to
<BR>>justify/contradict negative feedback. It's the kind of attitude that
<BR>>prevents real problems from being addressed in the future.
<BR>>
<BR>>Joe
<BR>>
<BR>>.
<BR>></BLOCKQUOTE>
.</BLOCKQUOTE>
</BODY>
</HTML>
Of course, no one is saying otherwise. What I do dislike is lots of hype
about how "xyz" is the ultimate in reality, is going to knock the socks
off everything that has gone before, etc and it then turns out to be
aimed at the more casual user.
CPR is in an awkward position. It's way too involved for the arcade racer
but not challenging enough for the serious simmer. I don't really expect
this version of CPR to ever be a true sim but there will always be CPR 99
and CPR 2000 <g>
Cheers,
Richard
Jim,
The above is something I've long maintained. Today's sims take an
enormous amount of time and resource to develop, and the target market
for a pure sim simply appears not to be large enough to justify that
sort of expenditure. For that reason you need to have either a "hook"
to attract non-sim people to a sim (the phenomenal sales of NASCAR
Racing on the back of NASCAR is the best example), or else develop the
sim in such a way that it appeals to a wider audience (GP2's extensive
training wheels features and, to a lesser extent, NASCAR2's "arcade"
mode are examples of this). Can you imagine what fun a slidy "SEGA
Rally" style arcade mode would be in Grand Prix Legends? I suspect
that as a pure sim the number of people who could drive GPL
competitively would be scant, but add in a great damage model, good
replays and a nice sideways arcade mode and you've captured many
percentage points in magazine reviews, and with it a marked increase
in sales as you open doors to otherwise unreachable markets.
That aside, for any company who is in the market to make an auto-sim,
this (r.a.s.) is an excellent place to be, provided you can take the
rough with the smooth, the flames with the flowers. The people here on
r.a.s. may not in themselves make up any sort of market at all, but
I'd bet that if you can satisfy the people here the sim you will have
created will be far better than in would otherwise have been.
Cheers!
John
