GPL Engine Manager/FD Question

Hi, I've just discovered GPL Engine Manager and the FD "class". I'd like to start practising against the AI cars, but I'm wondering whether the engine changes affect only theplayer car, or the AI cars as well. Obviously, if the AI are not affected, racing an F2 engine against F1-engined competitors will bea bit frustrating. Does anyone have any information on this issue? Thanks, Chris

On Fri, 05 Jan 2001 02:31:40 GMT, "Chris Helps" <[email hidden]> wrote: >I've just discovered GPL Engine Manager and the FD "class". I'd like to >start practising against the AI cars, but I'm wondering whether the engine >changes affect only theplayer car, or the AI cars as well. Were you to only put the F2 engine in one of the makes of car, then only the AI drivers driving that make would have it and all the rest would kick your butt. <g> If you change all to F2 engines, then everyone drives them, too. With the greater control possible for the average GPL racer in the FDs, you get a great opportunity to really run with the AI competitively without having to achieve "alien" status on GPLRank. Regards, Brett C. Cammack Regards, Brett C. Cammack brettDOTcammack@worldnetDOTattDOTnet (remove the DOTs from my return address to reply privately)

Excuse my ignorance, but what *is* the GPL Engine Manager and where do find it? In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Brett C. Cammack) wrote: > On Fri, 05 Jan 2001 02:31:40 GMT, "Chris Helps" <[email hidden]> wrote: > >I've just discovered GPL Engine Manager and the FD "class". I'd liketo > >start practising against the AI cars, but I'm wondering whether theengine

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> >changes affect only theplayer car, or the AI cars as well. > > Were you to only put the F2 engine in one of the makes of car, then > only the AI drivers driving that make would have it and all the rest > would kick your butt. <g> If you change all to F2 engines, then > everyone drives them, too. With the greater control possible for the > average GPL racer in the FDs, you get a great opportunity to really > run with the AI competitively without having to achieve "alien" status > on GPLRank. > > Regards, > Brett C. Cammack > > Regards, > Brett C. Cammack > brettDOTcammack@worldnetDOTattDOTnet > (remove the DOTs from my return address to reply privately) >

-- Email: [email hidden] Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/

Thanks for the info. I had discovered this for myself by, as you say, replacing all the cars with F2 engines. And you're right - it did make me much more competitve against the AI than I had been in the past running F1 or F2. Chris Brett C. Cammack <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > On Fri, 05 Jan 2001 02:31:40 GMT, "Chris Helps" <[email hidden]> wrote: > >I've just discovered GPL Engine Manager and the FD "class". I'd like to > >start practising against the AI cars, but I'm wondering whether theengine

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> >changes affect only theplayer car, or the AI cars as well. > > Were you to only put the F2 engine in one of the makes of car, then > only the AI drivers driving that make would have it and all the rest > would kick your butt. <g> If you change all to F2 engines, then > everyone drives them, too. With the greater control possible for the > average GPL racer in the FDs, you get a great opportunity to really > run with the AI competitively without having to achieve "alien" status > on GPLRank. > > Regards, > Brett C. Cammack > > Regards, > Brett C. Cammack > brettDOTcammack@worldnetDOTattDOTnet > (remove the DOTs from my return address to reply privately)

GEM allows you to put any engine in any chassis. This has created several new gnerally used classes, most popular apparently being the FD class - F1 chassis with F2 engines (in GPL, Advanced Trainer = F2, Basic Trainer = F3. They had to use Trainer names because they lacked an F2 or F3 license). The F2 chassis has narrow tires, narrower track (I think) and a smaller difference between front and rear track. Putting an F2 engine in an F1 chassis thus allows something equivalent to the old F2 GPL class, but with much better handling - it's a delight to drive. For more information, go to: http://www.simracing.com/alison/gpl/gem.htm Chris markgame <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:934m1o$hcm$[email hidden]...

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> Excuse my ignorance, but what *is* the GPL Engine Manager and where do > find it? > > In article <[email hidden]>, > [email hidden] (Brett C. Cammack) wrote: > > On Fri, 05 Jan 2001 02:31:40 GMT, "Chris Helps" <[email hidden]> wrote: > > >I've just discovered GPL Engine Manager and the FD "class". I'd like > to > > >start practising against the AI cars, but I'm wondering whether the > engine > > >changes affect only theplayer car, or the AI cars as well. > > > > Were you to only put the F2 engine in one of the makes of car, then > > only the AI drivers driving that make would have it and all the rest > > would kick your butt. <g> If you change all to F2 engines, then > > everyone drives them, too. With the greater control possible for the > > average GPL racer in the FDs, you get a great opportunity to really > > run with the AI competitively without having to achieve "alien" status > > on GPLRank. > > > > Regards, > > Brett C. Cammack > > > > Regards, > > Brett C. Cammack > > brettDOTcammack@worldnetDOTattDOTnet > > (remove the DOTs from my return address to reply privately) > > > > -- > Email: [email hidden] > > > Sent via Deja.com > http://www.deja.com/

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Brett C. Cammack) writes:

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>Were you to only put the F2 engine in one of the makes of car, then >only the AI drivers driving that make would have it and all the rest >would kick your butt. <g> If you change all to F2 engines, then >everyone drives them, too. With the greater control possible for the >average GPL racer in the FDs, you get a great opportunity to really >run with the AI competitively without having to achieve "alien" status >on GPLRank.

Well, you could also do that with AI-Tweak...<g> Eldred -- Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999 Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett GPL F1 hcp. +28.80...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73 Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

On 06 Jan 2001 05:20:29 GMT, [email hidden] (EldredP) wrote: >Well, you could also do that with AI-Tweak...<g> True, but it's just not the same experience. I've used AI-Tweak for ages to keep the AI drivers in sight... <g> Regards, Brett C. Cammack brettDOTcammack@worldnetDOTattDOTnet (remove the DOTs from my return address to reply privately)

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] (Brett C. Cammack) writes:

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>On 06 Jan 2001 05:20:29 GMT, [email hidden] (EldredP) wrote: > >>Well, you could also do that with AI-Tweak...<g> > >True, but it's just not the same experience. I've used AI-Tweak for >ages to keep the AI drivers in sight... <g> >

I didn't use the program for the longest time. I'm trying to get good enough to stay with the AI naturally. However, I tried to speed up some of the slower AI drivers. There's typically a spread of 20+ seconds in qualifying on a track like Zandvoort or Silverstone. That's TOO slow. But, it didn't seem to make any difference. The slower AI *still* qual very slow, and also still seem to be slow on the track. I'm not sure what I did wrong... :( Eldred -- Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999 Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett GPL F1 hcp. +28.80...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73 Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

"EldredP" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet news:[email hidden]...

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> In article <[email hidden]>, > [email hidden] (Brett C. Cammack) writes: > > >On 06 Jan 2001 05:20:29 GMT, [email hidden] (EldredP) wrote: > > > >>Well, you could also do that with AI-Tweak...<g> > > > >True, but it's just not the same experience. I've used AI-Tweak for > >ages to keep the AI drivers in sight... <g> > > > > I didn't use the program for the longest time. I'm trying to get good

enough > to stay with the AI naturally. However, I tried to speed up some of theslower > AI drivers. There's typically a spread of 20+ seconds in qualifying on atrack > like Zandvoort or Silverstone. That's TOO slow. But, it didn't seem tomake > any difference. The slower AI *still* qual very slow, and also still seemto > be slow on the track. I'm not sure what I did wrong... :( > > Eldred >Making the file player.sts "read only" perhaps? That's a trick I've seen recommended here to stop the AI from improving as you get faster. This file keeps an average of your fastest laps from a number of races and qualifyings. I have left this file alone and the ai.ini as well, and get a spread at Silverstone of about five sec. (Pb 1.30,02) Zandvoort about 3,5 sec. (Pb 1.26,88) \�ke Gpl Hcp +21,67

In article <Y9966.3864$[email hidden]>, "�ke Larsson" <[email hidden]> writes:

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>"EldredP" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet >news:[email hidden]... >> In article <[email hidden]>, >> [email hidden] (Brett C. Cammack) writes: >> >> >On 06 Jan 2001 05:20:29 GMT, [email hidden] (EldredP) wrote: >> > >> >>Well, you could also do that with AI-Tweak...<g> >> > >> >True, but it's just not the same experience. I've used AI-Tweak for >> >ages to keep the AI drivers in sight... <g> >> > >> >> I didn't use the program for the longest time. I'm trying to get good >enough >> to stay with the AI naturally. However, I tried to speed up some of the >slower >> AI drivers. There's typically a spread of 20+ seconds in qualifying on a >track >> like Zandvoort or Silverstone. That's TOO slow. But, it didn't seem to >make >> any difference. The slower AI *still* qual very slow, and also still seem >to >> be slow on the track. I'm not sure what I did wrong... :( >> >> Eldred >> >Making the file player.sts "read only" perhaps? That's a trick I've seen >recommended here to stop the AI from improving as you get faster. >This file keeps an average of your fastest laps from a number of races >and qualifyings. I have left this file alone and the ai.ini as well, and >get a spread at Silverstone of about five sec. (Pb 1.30,02) Zandvoort >about 3,5 sec. (Pb 1.26,88)

Good call - I made the player.sts read only. Ok, that explains the slow AI, but why didn't they speed up after I used AI-Tweak? That doesn't have ANYTHING to do with player.sts... Eldred -- Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999 Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett GPL F1 hcp. +28.80...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73 Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

"EldredP" <[email hidden]> wrote: > Good call - I made the player.sts read only. Ok, that > explains the slow AI, but why didn't they speed up after > I used AI-Tweak? That doesn't have ANYTHING to do > with player.sts... I think AI Tweak just modifies the 'global hype scaling' for each driver. So if you open up your driver.ini file you should see the values for this field as you set them using AI Tweak. Is this the case? Regardless, AI Tweak attacks the problem on one end, another solution (as you found out) is the player.sts file. I have created an editor for this file which can be downloaded from: http://home.swbell.net/gmsmiley There are also parameters in the gpl_ai.ini file that can turn on/off all of the above or subtly tweak it. These can show up in the track.ini files as well. Somewhat confusing, isn't it? I have also seen cases where the GPL AI scaling engine gets stuck at a certain level for reasons I have yet to fully understand. The only way I solved this was to unfortuantely reinstall GPL. Eventually, Kari and I will figure out the AI scaling formulae down to the last variable and release a master AI editor entitled GPal. ;-) - George

"George M. Smiley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > Eventually, Kari and I will figure out the AI scaling > formulae down to the last variable and release a > master AI editor entitled GPal. ;-) > > - GeorgeDUCK!!!! dh

In article <qbK66.25$[email hidden]>, "George M. Smiley" <[email hidden]> writes:

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>"EldredP" <[email hidden]> wrote: > > > Good call - I made the player.sts read only. Ok, that >> explains the slow AI, but why didn't they speed up after >> I used AI-Tweak? That doesn't have ANYTHING to do >> with player.sts... > >I think AI Tweak just modifies the 'global hype scaling' >for each driver. So if you open up your driver.ini file >you should see the values for this field as you set >them using AI Tweak. Is this the case? >

Hmm...yes it is. But, there's another 'hype variable. On some, like Clark, it's greater than 1. On others, like Ickx, it's less than one. I assume that means Clark responds more to your improvements than Ickx does...? Oy, too much crap to worry about...<g>

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>Regardless, AI Tweak attacks the problem on one >end, another solution (as you found out) is the >player.sts file. I have created an editor for this >file which can be downloaded from: > >http://home.swbell.net/gmsmiley > >There are also parameters in the gpl_ai.ini file that >can turn on/off all of the above or subtly tweak it. >These can show up in the track.ini files as well. >Somewhat confusing, isn't it? > >I have also seen cases where the GPL AI scaling >engine gets stuck at a certain level for reasons >I have yet to fully understand. The only way >I solved this was to unfortuantely reinstall GPL. > >Eventually, Kari and I will figure out the AI scaling >formulae down to the last variable and release a >master AI editor entitled GPal. ;-)

Whoops... Clue, write the installer program FIRST... :-) Eldred -- Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999 Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett GPL F1 hcp. +28.80...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73 Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

In article <scO66.247081$[email hidden]>, "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> writes:

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>"George M. Smiley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message > Eventually, Kari >and I will figure out the AI scaling >> formulae down to the last variable and release a >> master AI editor entitled GPal. ;-) >> >> - George >DUCK!!!! >dh >

COW!!!! -- Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999 Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett GPL F1 hcp. +28.80...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73 Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

"EldredP" <[email hidden]> wrote: > Hmm...yes it is. Out of curiousity, what are some of the larger values for the 'global hype scaling' in your driver.ini file? > But, there's another 'hype' variable. On some, like Clark, > it's greater than 1. On others, like Ickx, it's less than > one. I assume that means Clark responds more to your > improvements than Ickx does...? Still trying to figure out that one, all I know is like most of those values, bigger than 1.0 means faster, less than 1.0 means slower. ;-) I don't think those are modified by any AI tweaker program out there though. > Oy, too much crap to worry about...<g> Yes, a single slider that goes from 0% to 110% is certainly easier. > Whoops... Clue, write the installer program FIRST... :-) D'oh, static linking - no installer required. - George

"EldredP" <[email hidden]> skrev i meddelandet news:[email hidden]...

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> In article <qbK66.25$[email hidden]>, "George M. Smiley" > <[email hidden]> writes: > > >"EldredP" <[email hidden]> wrote: > > > > > Good call - I made the player.sts read only. Ok, that > >> explains the slow AI, but why didn't they speed up after > >> I used AI-Tweak? That doesn't have ANYTHING to do > >> with player.sts... > > > >I think AI Tweak just modifies the 'global hype scaling' > >for each driver. So if you open up your driver.ini file > >you should see the values for this field as you set > >them using AI Tweak. Is this the case? > > > Hmm...yes it is. But, there's another 'hype variable. On some, like

Clark, > it's greater than 1. On others, like Ickx, it's less than one. I assumethat > means Clark responds more to your improvements than Ickx does...? Oy, toomuch > crap to worry about...<g> >The slower drivers should respond more than the faster ones, but this is complicated. A quote from a very unlikely source, the readme file: (Someone suggested here earlier that they should name the readme something like "hot xxx-rated pics" to get people to actually read them!) "Much of the behavior of GPL's Computer Opponents is controlled by various parameters stored in the games INI files. Global AI behavior is controlled by the gpl_ai.ini file, individual driver personalities by the driver.ini, and track specific information in each of the separate track.ini files. The interaction of these variables is quite complex, and it is NOT recommended that you alter their default settings. Please keep in mind that the results may be quite unpredictable and it would be quite easy to make the game completely unplayable. Don't say we didn't warn you. If needed you'll find the original files on CD which can be copied and pasted into your GPL directory." It says a lot more about how to modify the AI, but the safest bet would be to leave this alone and live with the fact that we won't ever win at some tracks. \�ke +21,67

In article <Y2c76.452$[email hidden]>, "George M. Smiley" <[email hidden]> writes:

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>"EldredP" <[email hidden]> wrote: > >> Hmm...yes it is. > >Out of curiousity, what are some of the larger values >for the 'global hype scaling' in your driver.ini file? >

Going totally from memory(I'm at work now) the values range from .04 or so(Clark) to .8xx(Parkes or some other slow guy...). What I'll probably do is find a driver who's close to my speed, and make all the slow drivers at LEAST that fast. That way, I won't have such a disparity in speed... Eldred -- Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999 Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett GPL F1 hcp. +28.80...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73 Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.