Motorsims

discussed in 161 posts, 1999-2004 · overall tone positive

AMA Superbike 1999

Posts per month

How the mood changed

Starts at zero. Every post that spoke well of them moves the line up, every critical post moves it down (weighted −2 to +2).

Press releases

Key threads

• AMA Superbike open beta user interface complaints 1999-10-04 · 42 posts
  DjFIL attacked the AMA Superbike user interface as slow and confusing and reported lockups, which drew rebukes about tone and a long argument with poster MaX. Motorsims's Mark S. Miller explained why the UI was not built as a linear menu and said its texture load would be reduced. Miguel Parra and Matthew Jessick of Motorsims answered questions about track accuracy, red flags and penalties.
• Disappointment with AMA Superbike at release 1999-09-22 · 29 posts
  Reg Mucke said the newly released AMA Superbike was a let-down, citing weak physics and the ability to ride through AI opponents, and several others planned to return it, with some recommending GP500 instead. Motorsims's Mark S. Miller replied, explaining design limits on the physics model, the low-side option and an upcoming patch for collision problems. The exchange ended on civil terms.
• Motorsims announces an SCCA Trans-Am sim 1999-12-08 · 23 posts
  Motorsims announced an exclusive license for an SCCA Trans-Am simulation for PC and its online network. The poster ymenard praised the engine's track modelling, while George M. Smiley listed physics flaws in AMA Superbike and others criticised its interface. Motorsims's Matthew Jessick explained that its tracks are fully modelled so they can be reused across racing types, and posters noted that the USRRC Can-Am series had folded.
• Motorsims announces SCCA Can-Am sim with 1970 retro pack plans 1999-06-28 · 66 posts
  Ed Bain posted Motorsims's announcement of SCCA Can-Am, an online and boxed sim due in early 2000. Motorsims's Mark S. Miller clarified that the first release would cover current-era cars with Spec Racer Ford as a trainer, followed by a 1970 Can-Am 'retro pack' he was confident of licensing. He described physics features shared with AMA Superbike, such as dynamic tyre temperature, pressure and wear, independent suspension and full aerodynamics, said it would run on Direct3D, and confirmed all Motorsims titles would be standalone boxed games with online play. Fans reminisced about Chaparrals, McLarens, the Porsche 917 and Mark Donohue.
• Debate over AMA Superbike as an unfinished work in progress 1999-09-23 · 38 posts
  Charles Joyne posted Motorsims's position that the first release was a first step that would be improved with updates. George M. Smiley and others argued that buyers had paid for a boxed product that did not meet its marketing claims and asked what recourse they had if patches fell short. Mark S. Miller of Motorsims defended the company's model of free updates, compared it with other software, and suggested trying the demo or free online version first.
• NASCAR Racing 3 versus Ratbag's Dirt Track Racing 1999-09-05 · 36 posts
  John Bodin asked NASCAR fans whether they were more excited about Ratbag's Dirt Track Racing than NASCAR Racing 3. Many were keen on DTR's new classes and career mode, and a Ratbag poster confirmed it would include an online spectator mode. A debate followed over whether paid, centralised services like TEN beat free matchmaking such as VROC.
• Motorsims explains its approach to AMA Superbike 1999-09-23 · 25 posts
  Motorsims's Bob McCarth explained that AMA Superbike was a long-term project that would be improved through online upgrades, describing the purpose-built graphics engine and design choices. Reaction was split: some buyers found the game grew on them, while poster MaX repeatedly called it rubbish and praised GP500. Mark S. Miller of Motorsims hit back at the abusive comments.
• Motorsims announces a Can-Am sports-prototype sim 1999-06-02 · 44 posts
  Philster spotted that Motorsims, maker of AMA Superbike, planned a Can-Am racing game. Motorsims's Bob McCarthy and Mark S. Miller explained it would model the current SCCA Can-Am and sports-prototype classes with real tracks and licensed manufacturers such as Ferrari, possibly with historic cars as a later free upgrade, and Miller hoped to have it running online by the next Rolex 24. Fans reminisced about the 1960s-70s Can-Am, Chaparrals and McLarens.
• Will NASCAR Racing 3 succeed without strong online play? 1999-09-05 · 50 posts
  Andrew Britton argued that multiplayer support would make or break NASCAR Racing 3. TEN and OSCAR figures said online racing was the future, while Ed Bain, Bruce Kennewell and Joe McGinn cited sales data showing online players remained a small minority. The exchange turned personal, with name-calling between Ed Bain and TEN regulars, and a poster said N2 racers would be removed from TEN/Pogo in mid-October.
• Are the big sim makers resting on their laurels? 1999-09-06 · 28 posts
  John Bodin argued that with GP3 and NASCAR Racing 3 both built on older engines, the established developers were coasting, and that newcomers such as Ratbag with Dirt Track Racing and Motorsims with AMA Superbike could take over. Others added MGI, makers of Viper Racing, while Tracey Miller feared it was the beginning of the end for high-quality sims as consoles grew stronger. Posters also discussed the demise of the Can-Am series and Motorsims' planned Can-Am title, and corrected the history of Papyrus's engines.
• What is left to improve in racing sims? 2004-11-21 · 41 posts
  John DiFool asked what aspects of sims still needed improvement. Suggestions included tyre models, aerodynamics and drafting, multiplayer prediction, damage, dual-rate shocks, better force feedback and wheels, head-mounted displays and open standards for content. A side discussion clarified that physics update rates are independent of frame rate, and Greg Campbell noted Kaemmer's First Racing was rumoured to be working on a Champ Car sim.
• Using precise GPS surveys to model sim racing tracks 2003-05-14 · 23 posts
  Matt Knutsen disputed a claim from Codemasters that GPS data was too inaccurate for track modelling, describing survey-grade equipment accurate to centimetres. Doug Milliken noted that commercial high-accuracy track data already existed for teams at about US$1000 per track and that local vertical accuracy mattered most for bumps. A truck-racing team member offered to log GPS laps at Misano, and Ruud van Gaal suggested how to merge the points into a surface.
• Is NASCAR Heat going to be an arcade game? 2000-05-06 · 33 posts
  An interview with producer Ed Martin led some to call NASCAR Heat an arcade game. Others pointed out that it offered both arcade and sim modes and was built by Monster Games on Viper Racing's well-regarded physics. Toni Lassila argued that Hasbro had abandoned simulations, and Ed Martin joined to invite people to try NASCAR Heat and GP3 at Hasbro's E3 booth.

Busiest threads

• AMA Superbike open beta user interface complaints (8 posts about it)
• Disappointment with AMA Superbike at release (8 posts about it)
• Motorsims announces an SCCA Trans-Am sim (7 posts about it)
• Motorsims announces SCCA Can-Am sim with 1970 retro pack plans (7 posts about it)
• Debate over AMA Superbike as an unfinished work in progress (7 posts about it)
• NASCAR Racing 3 versus Ratbag's Dirt Track Racing (5 posts about it)
• Motorsims explains its approach to AMA Superbike (5 posts about it)
• AMA Superbikes - Why no Pikes Peak Oval? (4 posts about it)
• AMA Superbike review (4 posts about it)
• Promises, promises (3 posts about it)
• Motorsport Simulations Inc. will re-release NHRA Drag Racing (3 posts about it)
• AMA Superbike Racing, Attn:Stephen W. (3 posts about it)
• AMA superbikes gone gold (3 posts about it)
• AMA Superbike On-line (3 posts about it)
• Trans-Am (2 posts about it)

Sentiment by year

Who talked about them most

ymenard · 16 Mark S. Miller · 11 Dave Henrie · 10 George M. Smiley · 9 Chris "Hollywood" Schletter · 7 Ma · 7 Alan Orton · 5 Matthew V. Jessick · 4 Marc J. Nelson · 4 Michael E. Carver · 4 DjFIL · 4 Tracey A Miller · 4 Steve Blankenship · 3 Destroy · 3 Bill Mette · 3 Chris · 3 Kevin Gavitt · 2 Tom Pabst · 2 Travis Kallne · 2 Steve Ferguson · 2

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