rec.autos.simulators

Patch Update #2
     Steve Myers (Papy Developer) - 11:30am Jun 27, 2003 PST
      Hi all,

      Below you will find the readme for the upcoming NR2003 patch. As I am
sure you will see, we have made quite a few bug fixes along with adding some
features. The patch has been submitted to QA and will be released when they
have completed testing it.

      Steve

      NASCAR? Racing 2003 Season PATCH README 1.1.0.0 06/25/03 [ To read
this file, select Edit/Word Wrap from the menu above ]

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      [1] WHAT THE PATCH FIXES [2] HOW TO INSTALL THE PATCH [3] ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION [4] CONTACTING SIERRA

      a.. ***********************************
      NOTE: The 1.1.0.0 version of NASCAR? Racing 2003 Season is not
multiplayer compatible with previously released versions. As a client you
will only be able to see and join 1.1.x.x servers, and similarly as a host
only 1.1.x.x clients will be able to see and join your server.

      Additionally, telemetry gathering programs built for the previously
released versions of the game will not be compatible with the 1.1.0.0
version. These utilities will need to be re-linked with the updated
papytelemapp.obj that is distributed with the 1.1.0.0 patch.

      a.. ***********************************
      [1] WHAT THE PATCH FIXES ====================================

      AI:

      a.. AI cars will now be less likely to retire as a result of suffering
damage.
      CAR FILES:

      a.. Changed the #155 to a Ford.
      CAR MODEL:

      a.. Added jack screw holes to rear window.

      a.. Fixed incorrect shininess map on steering column.
      CAR SETUPS:

      a.. Slight adjustments to the FAST and JASPER setups to account for
ride-height and front spring changes. See PHYSICS section below for more
details.
      CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON:

      a.. Qualifying results and number of poles will now be properly saved
in Event Results and Season Standings after a completed qualifying session
was restarted.

      a.. Fixed some minor sorting issues on the Event Results and Season
Standings tables.

      a.. Practice length, Happy Hour length, and the roster name are now
properly saved into the season file.
      CONTROLS:

      a.. When throttle or brake are assigned to a digital control such as a
keyboard key or joystick button, traction control and anti-lock brakes can
now be disabled.
      GARAGE:

      a.. Car setup ranges are now properly applied as a setup is loaded.
This prevents the use of setup files from previous versions which allowed
different ranges.
      MULTIPLAYER:

      a.. Fixed a bug which prevented in-car chat when the chat filter was
disabled.

      a.. Fixed a bug which prevented bosses from ejecting other clients.

      a.. The !clear command has been renamed !clear_black so as to not
conflict with the various clear password commands.

      a.. Increased timeout for Sierra.com race list download.

      a.. Hardcore mode now has separate options for driving aids and visual
restrictions. When driving aids are restricted, anti-lock brakes, stability
control, steering assistance, and traction control will be disabled for all
drivers.

      a.. Increased race session start countdown from 30 to 60 seconds.

      a.. Black flags that are issued by an admin or as the result of a poll
can now be cleared.

      a.. Non-animated opponent pit crews can now be seen in multiplayer
races.

      a.. Sierra.com system messages are now properly translated eliminating
the cryptic "@#1267ever" and similar messages.
      PHYSICS:

      a.. Updated super speedway aero drag and downforce maps based on new
data Jasper Motorsports.

      a.. Extended the non-super speedway aero-downforce and aero-balance
maps so that when the car is run very low to the ground an aero understeer
problem caused by running off the end of the aero maps is fixed.

      a.. Softened motion ratios of the front springs based on new data from
Jasper Motorsports. Slightly stiffer front springs will be required to get
the same front wheelrate as before. Version 1.0 setups will still have the
correct wheel rate, their spring rate will be displayed based on the new
motion ratio.

      a.. Slightly reduced front bump camber effects.

      a.. Front suspension geometry has been reworked to fix a camber
fall-off with steering bug.

      a.. Chassis had too much ground clearance, so bottoming out wouldn't
occur when it should.

      a.. Chassis bottoming out friction is increased.

      a.. Reduced draft effects.

      a.. Rear weight bias at restrictor plate tracks is now limited to 50%
of the car's minimum weight to match 2003 rule changes.

      a.. Tire wear is now more affected by running tires hot.

      a.. Stability Control has been tweaked to affect tire wear.
      PIT CREW:

      a.. Pit crew will no longer wave pit sign when you are serving a
drive-thru penalty unless you pull into the pit stall area indicating that
you actually want to pit (note that the drive-thru penalty will NOT be
cleared if you do in fact stop for service).
      RACE CONTROL:

      a.. Fixed a bug in Arcade mode which prevented you from being able to
clear a drive-thru penalty after speeding in the pits.

      a.. Penalties for cutting the course are no longer enforced after a
car has taken the checkered flag.

      a.. Qualifying session time will be extended for longer tracks. This
will allow the use of 3rd party tracks where qualifying laps previously
could not be completed within the game's default session time limit.

      a.. Caution periods at the short ovals (Bristol, Martinsville, and
Richmond) have been extended by an additional lap.

      a.. Fixed a bug which caused the speed/gear indicator's yellow flag to
not reset after a debris caution.

      a.. Increased caution sensitivity.

      a.. With damage enabled, debris cautions for single car accidents are
now possible.
      RENDERER:

      a.. Fixed a bug which could cause low track rail LODs in wide FOV
camera views.

      a.. Greatly reduced framerate impact of advanced "on-car shadows"
Graphics options when using the DirectX D3D renderer.

      a.. Car shadows can now use Shadow Volumes. See Additional Information
section below for details.

      a.. Slight optimization to multi-pass rendering in the DirectX D3D
renderer. See Additional Information section below for details.

      a.. Fixed bug which caused car to car shadows to appear opaque black
in the OpenGL renderer.

      a.. Fixed a bug in the DirectX D3D renderer that for some users would
cause a crash at the Eight-Bowl track (this fantasy track is available via a
separate track pack download).

      a.. Fixed a bug in the OpenGL renderer that caused some of the shadows
at Las Vegas (76 balls and the scoring tower) to not be cast onto the car.
      SPOTTER/CREW CHIEF:

      a.. Added support for "3-wide on the left" and "3-wide on the right"
messages.

      a.. If you are already on pit road, the spotter will no longer remind
you to come in and serve a black flag penalty when you cross the start
finish line. If you exit pit road without serving the penalty, the reminder
message will then be triggered.
      TELEMETRY:

      a.. Player car gauge data and opponent car track position information
are now available. See "telemetry\papytelemapp.h" and
"telemetry\tsample.cpp" for details.
      TRACK ARTWORK:

      a.. Fixed a problem with the horizon texture at Darlington when cloudy
weather was selected.

      a.. Fixed a graphical issue that could be seen in the rear-view mirror
at Texas.

      a.. Added missing wall ads back to New Hampshire.
      TRACK GEOMETRY:

      a.. Fixed an incorrect extended surface type on the apron at
Bristol-Night.
      TRACK SETTINGS:

      a.. Increased Bristol, Bristol-Night, and Martinsville pace speeds to
40 mph to prevent passing the pace car while on pit road.

      a.. Tightened up the qualifying checkpoints for Daytona and Daytona
Night.

      a.. Added a new track.ini setting "track_dir". See section below for
details.
      USER INTERFACE:

      a.. Fixed scroll bar on Sierra.com available races table.

      a.. Added a checkbox to the Options screen to disable the menu
background animations.

      a.. Fixed a typo in the garage's transmission ratio pop-up help box.

      a.. Added "Import" and "Export" buttons to the Opponent Manager
Screen. See Additional Information section below for details.

      a.. Volume of the garage background sound is now properly controlled
by the Sound Option screen's "User Interface" slider.

      a.. Added a display of the total number of servers and players to the
Available Races table.

      a.. Improved scrolling for the driver list table on the Opponent
Manager screen.

      a.. Correct manufacturer car model is now loaded on the post-race
newspaper winning screen.

      a.. Fixed a bug which could cause the displayed calibration values to
carry over from one "page" of the controller calibration dialog to another.
Note that this was a display-only issue, and in no way had any affect
whatsoever on the actual calibration data used by the game.
      [2] HOW TO INSTALL THE PATCH ====================================

      1. Run the saved patch executable.

      2. The patch should automatically detect your NASCAR? Racing 2003
Season installation directory and then begin the patching process.

      a.. Note that if you have modified any of the game's files using 3rd
party utilities, it may be necessary to reinstall the game before the patch
can successfully complete its installation.
      [3] ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ====================================

      SHADOW VOLUMES

      When using the DirectX D3D renderer Car shadows can now be rendered
using Shadow Volumes on hardware that supports Stencil Buffers. This feature
allows for more realistic car shadows that can be cast on walls. This
feature also eliminate the ...

read more »

Wowsers!

They actuyally made changes with modding in mind, such as the
track_dir line, and the longer qualifying time to support  3rd party
tracks.

That is just too cool.

read more »

--

Ian P
<email invalid due to spammers>

Whatcha whining about? -Guys who follow the "ideal line" are predictable
and, at most places, slow. <g>

Jan.
=---

But  I just have to add:

WHY NO  F'IN RACE-LIST FILTERS????

Cant't be that damn hard to do!

I'm so sick and tired of browsing thru 20000000000000000000000000000000
empty races just to find that 1 roadcourse race I was looking for!

Look at RTCW, BF1942 etc etc. *AND LEARN!!*

Arrrrrrrgghh!!!

--
ed_

Here's my reason for being upset about the ideal racing line issue.

If a driver needs the ideal racing line on during multiplayer racing, then
at some point their telling me (without actually saying it) that they must
need to look at it for reference purposes even if their actual line is
different. That's why they call it a driving aid.
If instead, they use the track itself and turn markers/green flag poles as
reference points for their turns and braking points, then they are doing
what NASCAR drivers do each week, which makes the experience more of a
simulation.

It also gives those of us trying to keep it "as real as possible" (without
using the racing line) on an even playing field with everyone else out
there. That's the point I'm trying to make.

Mr B

How many *league* drivers (as opposed to the cretins out there) use the
guideline after they have spent some time learning the track?
"*** all", I reckon.

Bruce.

With you so far...

Ah... but you see, by considering it an advantage you're somewhat admitting
the tracks, even at a high detail setting, are not detailed enough to have
accurate "marks". What if people don't have the horsepower to crank up the
detail? And, if you go that far, shouldn't you also consider on-track
shadows a driving aid, as the sun doesn't shift in the sim?

It's all a matter of where you draw the line. Personally, if it doesn't
actually help in controlling the car, I don't consider it a driving aid.
Besides, if it keeps adversaries from doing unexpected things, I'm all for
it. Nothing is more aggravating than getting spun out by someone missing
his/her mark.

It's like smoke/dirt... personally, I couldn't feel immersed without having
it on, but I don't mind racing people who turn it off for whatever reason.

Jan.
=---

Not exactly, what I'm saying is that with the line on, I believe most
drivers focus more on that line than they do on the marks around the track.
I have used the line in the past so I have experience here.  However, the
whole point of racing is that you have to pick your spots on the track that
make sense for you.  It's not an exact science, that's the point.

What if people don't have the horsepower to crank up the

Horsepower is a completely separate issue.  I'll qualify my criteria by
racing the sim with the proper equipment (steering wheel and gas/brake
included).  If someone doesn't have the horsepower, then they should
consider taking steps necessary to acceptably run the sim.....or get a PS2
and EA Sports Nascar Thunder.....

The racing line does "exactly that" by showing a driver where they are on
the track and where to gas and brake.  Let someone use the racing line all
they want in practice before the race actually starts.

While I do agree that it's aggravating to get spun out, the whole point of
this is that everyone is different.  I would rather be chasing someone for
the lead late in a race and have them make a mistake.....wide in a
corner.....and beat them, then trail them knowing that they pretty much can
see exactly when to brake, turn, and accelerate through
corners......limiting my possibilities for a victory.....if I don't use the
line to keep it more realistic....closer to real NASCAR racing.

I agree with you there.

Mr. B

--
McWhom
-----------------------------------------------------------------

: I second that, a race list filter is a MUST!
:


: > Holy crap!
: > Thanks some patch - Thanks Papy....
: >
: > But  I just have to add:
: >
: > WHY NO  F'IN RACE-LIST FILTERS????
: >
: > Cant't be that damn hard to do!
: >
: > I'm so sick and tired of browsing thru 20000000000000000000000000000000
: > empty races just to find that 1 roadcourse race I was looking for!
: >
: > Look at RTCW, BF1942 etc etc. *AND LEARN!!*
: >
: > Arrrrrrrgghh!!!
: >
: > --
: > ed_
: >
: >
: >
:
:

Bruce.

I use a joystick - and old, beaten-up unit which needs to be replaced, but
it is my favourite and I prefer it to the clutter of wheel and pedals.
I also run my display at lower-than-median detail and drive the car using
the rooftop view.

In accordance with your dictates, perhaps I should be banned because it
doesn't fit in with your criteria?

Bruce.

racing the sim with the proper equipment (steering wheel and gas/brake
included).  If someone doesn't have the horsepower, then they should
consider taking steps necessary to acceptably run the sim.....or get a PS2
and EA Sports Nascar Thunder.....