rec.autos.simulators

From when I started long ago with Chequered Flag, Pitstop II and Revs to
this fridays release of GP3...its been a long haul and more years than I
like to think of.

Had ups - GP1/2, GPL, F12000 had downs - Toca, JHerbert GP, Le Mans...but
there's been one constant.

Its been a blast....and all these years later I'm still playing 3D
Deathchase via a Spectrum emulator.

Ah..memories.

Now where did I put my hanky...sniff.

Ian.

"The release of GP3 is the best hope we have ever had of a really good modern
Formula One simulation in the 3D card age."

<LIBERAL SNIP>

I agree with you on most points, Chris, and I applaud you for such a
well thought-out post, but I already see the potential for GP3 to blind
people to what else is out there, in much the same way that GPL has
made many of us blind around here for the past couple of years.

Yes, GP3 stands to move the hobby forward, but that's happened SEVERAL
times in the past couple of years.  Witness some recent examples that
have enriched our genre greatly:

Viper Racing -- brought us the first good implementation of a career
mode.

Grand Prix Legends -- the most astoundingly-complete physics model to
date.

Driver -- introduced a successful storyline-based element to the
driving/racing genre (Interstate '76 did this nicely, too, but cars,
combat, and weapons just don't sit well with me).

Dirt Track Racing -- brought us the first truly DEEP implementation of
a career mode, spanning several different series and car types.

Need For Speed: Porsche Unleashed -- featured a completely unique
implementation of a career mode (Factory Driver mode), plus an
astounding "history of the marque" time-based career mode that let you
explore the evolution of Porsche cars from the beginning to the present
(Evolution mode).

These are just a few shining examples that often don't receive their
due around these parts.  I think that the level of detail with weather
conditions alone in GP3 will serve as a benchmark for future sims, and
I applaud that -- maybe the time spent in development was time well-
spent, and perhaps the similarities between GP2 and GP3 are
intentional, rather than the result of laziness.  Familiar interfaces
help make a game more accessible, and the one thing that put a lot of
potential players off with GPL was its almost total lack of
accessibility for the beginner.  Maybe Mr. Crammond is on the right
track with GP3.  If so, GP3 could help usher in a true golden age for
us sim fans.

I hope that's the case, but while we're all busy fawning over things
like GPL and GP3, let's not forget to look around occasionally to see
what else is happening in the realm of our genre -- you might just be
surprised at what you find!

-- JB

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

 I have no problems with that because they know what the game might look or feel like.
Besides, there is no demo.  Folks in the US may be in a better position since the game
won't be available until 8/00.  So, we can find out what's up with this game before
buying it.

So what he himself is so hyped too?

I have V5 and a PIII550E at 814 MHz and I want to see GOOD graphics, not some cheap 3D
imitations.  Physic?  I don't know since I have never driven a F1 car before nor to have
driven 200 mph.

Hey man, not everyone loves to race in the rain.

Not just the physic is realistic in GPL.  The graphics are fine, at least on a V5.  The
game does not suffer from mipmapping problem as in F12000.  Cars in front of you look
very clear, not just when they are up-close.  The graphics in the game has a 60s feel to
it.

Ubisoft also implemented incredible AI, some of the best pure 3D graphics
seen in an F1 sim, a great damage model and an extensive career mode over a
year ago in MGPRS2.

Ubisoft also developed hands down the best MOD setup to date allowing free
and open access to almost every graphic in the game. (sure, maybe because
their hands where tied by a lack of a license but still they gave their game
a longevity out of the box that other games only gain after months of work
from their respective communities).

In my opinion Ubisoft was the one out there sweating and innovating and
working toward building a better sim while everyone else was resting on
their laurels.

So, hold on to the past legends; and I, with you, will hope they can still
find a glimpse of the brilliance [gp3, n4, icr3] that lead them to
greatness - but let us not forget about the talented young future prospects
[rs3, wsc, nh] that will someday themselves produce a legend --- more than
not it will be one of these budding stars who moves our genre forward a
leap.

Sometime in September 2000 - RS3

That is almost as bad as repackaging some old software porting
it as is to W98 adding weather and calling it GP3... Who is ripping
whom off???

release

Oh please... This week is no more important than the last... I'll bet
you were crying as you were writing this.

Are you for real with this??? If anyone was responsible for this genre
is was David Kraeme with the Indy 500 Simulation in the last 80's.
You must be totaly freaking or something...

It will. It will give a demonstration if a shitty attempt to repackage
old stuff (GP2) and claim it is GP3.

In fact it is pointless to reply to any more of your gushy dripping
post.

--

Do you think that before you begin next time you could fix the clock on
your computer? :-)

--
Cheers!
Graeme Nash

But physics are physics, they haven't changed since the dawn of time
(assuming that gravity has reamained relatively constant).  The forces
applied to a book sliding across a table, and a F1 car (be it 1967 or 2000)
are the same.  The behaviour of the car may be different, but the physics
are exactly the same.

I find it hard to believe that we as a sim community can comment on the
behaviour of a modern F1 car, but we can address the physics.  I'm not sure
that most of us make that distinction, but I do believe that there are a few
here that have tried.  All of them have felt that the physics of GP3 (not
the car behaviour, although that has been called into question too) is not
entirely lifelike.

The designer of TOCA2 once stated something in an interview that I've always
taken to heart while reading RAS.  This is paraphrasing but here goes... The
*** comunity doesn't want a perfect driving simulation, rather they want
what they feel a perfect driving simulation is.  In other words, We don't
know how an F1 car drives but from watching races and real life experiences
we have expectations of how a F1 car should drive.  When a sim doesn't meet
our expectations, then it is flawed, whether or not it is accurate or not.
Whether you buy that or not, it's something to think about.

And in conclusion to an incoherent post, the F1 2000 and GP3 warez reaction
is something that is bound to be repeated time and time again.  Game is
about to be released, an illegal bootleg copy is obtained and distributed,
game is thoroughly criticised for each and every flaw,  positive posts roll
in when reality sets in, game is released and more praise rolls in.

Brian

As for adding "it failed" to that, I'll leave it to someone else.

-lark-

"I SEE", says the blind man.   <VBG> ;)