Thanks for an "unbiased" and extremely informative review.
That's the kind of real world, end user, non-professional writer, kind of
review that I come to this newsgroup searching for. I look forward to any
future reviews on your part jbeckett, on future sims.
Thanks.
lol...Im running on a P200 (less than min spec) in software mode at around
12-15 fps at 100%cpu...if you dont like the wheel moving around...switch off
the virtual cockpit...
my only gripe is the bugged control system.....WHENS THE PATCH COMMING?
pez playes GPL for an hour a day....
Jonathan Beckett wrote in message
<[email hidden]>...
Quoted text (71 lines)
>I've been playing it on and off all evening (I would have posted >earlier, but my ISP's news server died this evening). > >So... GP3... my two penneth : > >Good Things >- Excellent new physics model >- Excellent AI (diving for corners, blocking) >- Lovely graphics >- Fantastic rain > >Bad things >- Some strange design quirks >- Slow >- bad cockpit display > > >Right... a bit more detail. I took all the help off straight away and >spent about fifteen minutes going from silverstone to the setup menus >to get my control device working as I liked. > >The physics is wonderful - really gives a good impression of a modern >F1 car - at high speeds it sticks to the ground like glue (even in the >rain) - at low speeds it's a twitchy pig. Once you start taking >downforce off the car's a handful all the time :-) > >Braking is much more as you would expect of an F1 car - very late, and >very hard, then get off them damn quick before you lock up. All very >precise too - satisfying to get right though - same goes for power out >of slow corners. More than about 2 degrees slide, and you've lost it. > >The lifetime of the tyres is simulated very well too - you get a >couple of great laps out of them, then they stabilise. The first quick >lap is good fun - how late can you brake? hehe > >The AI of the computer cars is outstanding - they fight! It's somewhat >disconcerting to think you've defended the inside, only to find a >certain man's Ferrari squeeze into the gap that's not there... and >blocking maneouvers too! > >I don't agree with people over the graphics. They are not anti-aliased >- and this makes them look REAL at high resolutions. It helps disguise >the "computer drawn" look... > >The rain really is something else. You get lulled into a false sense >of security by the amount of grip you have - until you hit standing >water... Monaco becomes a deathtrap (the hill up to Casino in >particular). > > >The only really weird thing I've found so far is when you are low on >fuel, as you pass the pit, it slows you ON THE TRACK... I don't like >being told what to do like that. > >Also, I can't say I like the virtual steering wheel on-screen at all. >It's tremendously off-putting - mainly because it's not "live" - there >is a delay (unlike the front wheels of the car, which ARE live. > >Summary.... >Overall I like it a lot. I expect many hours will be spent with it >over the coming months. Championships to be fought... races to be >won... arrogant German Ferrari drivers to push off the track... > >Warning - you need a monster of a computer to run it. I've got a >750Mhz Athlon, 100Mhz motherboard, 128Mb RAM, 32Mb Matrox G400 Max >graphics card, and races come out at about 100% occupancy doing 25fps >with everything on... the start goes to about 150% for a few seconds. > > >Jonathan Beckett >[email hidden]I've been playing it on and off all evening (I would have posted
earlier, but my ISP's news server died this evening).
So... GP3... my two penneth :
Good Things
- Excellent new physics model
- Excellent AI (diving for corners, blocking)
- Lovely graphics
- Fantastic rain
Bad things
- Some strange design quirks
- Slow
- bad cockpit display
Right... a bit more detail. I took all the help off straight away and
spent about fifteen minutes going from silverstone to the setup menus
to get my control device working as I liked.
The physics is wonderful - really gives a good impression of a modern
F1 car - at high speeds it sticks to the ground like glue (even in the
rain) - at low speeds it's a twitchy pig. Once you start taking
downforce off the car's a handful all the time :-)
Braking is much more as you would expect of an F1 car - very late, and
very hard, then get off them damn quick before you lock up. All very
precise too - satisfying to get right though - same goes for power out
of slow corners. More than about 2 degrees slide, and you've lost it.
The lifetime of the tyres is simulated very well too - you get a
couple of great laps out of them, then they stabilise. The first quick
lap is good fun - how late can you brake? hehe
The AI of the computer cars is outstanding - they fight! It's somewhat
disconcerting to think you've defended the inside, only to find a
certain man's Ferrari squeeze into the gap that's not there... and
blocking maneouvers too!
I don't agree with people over the graphics. They are not anti-aliased
- and this makes them look REAL at high resolutions. It helps disguise
the "computer drawn" look...
The rain really is something else. You get lulled into a false sense
of security by the amount of grip you have - until you hit standing
water... Monaco becomes a deathtrap (the hill up to Casino in
particular).
The only really weird thing I've found so far is when you are low on
fuel, as you pass the pit, it slows you ON THE TRACK... I don't like
being told what to do like that.
Also, I can't say I like the virtual steering wheel on-screen at all.
It's tremendously off-putting - mainly because it's not "live" - there
is a delay (unlike the front wheels of the car, which ARE live.
Summary....
Overall I like it a lot. I expect many hours will be spent with it
over the coming months. Championships to be fought... races to be
won... arrogant German Ferrari drivers to push off the track...
Warning - you need a monster of a computer to run it. I've got a
750Mhz Athlon, 100Mhz motherboard, 128Mb RAM, 32Mb Matrox G400 Max
graphics card, and races come out at about 100% occupancy doing 25fps
with everything on... the start goes to about 150% for a few seconds.
Jonathan Beckett
[email hidden]
Great review! Thanks for taking the time, and for all the helpful
info! Can't wait to get to try it! Glen Priest
* Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet's Discussion Network *
The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet - Free!
Thanks Jonathan,
At last some sense in a newsgroup full of people who REALLY know how a f1
car feels. They've all driven them for real, HaHa. (Joke)
I have a P111-800/Voodoo 5500 system. I'm running at 1280/1024 res(max).
everthing on even 2x FSAA sampling for sheer graphic smoothness. Even with a
full field of cars during a monsoon processor occupancy is only at 50%. This
sim has been incredibly efficient in the programming.
Only one niggle. I allowed the graphic test to be carried out by the game
and it recommended 640x480 res or 800x600 for software mode! strange
considering my system. So to newbies with great systems, ignore the test.
I find the AI excellent
The sense of speed excellent
the twitchiness of the cars (at lower speeds) excellent
the weather excellent
Sod the gripes about graphics, the gameplay is superb!
I have two computers and linking them over a lan was a doddle.
All in all, a hell of an improvement over GP2#
regards,
Alan
Jonathan Beckett <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted text (71 lines)
> I've been playing it on and off all evening (I would have posted > earlier, but my ISP's news server died this evening). > > So... GP3... my two penneth : > > Good Things > - Excellent new physics model > - Excellent AI (diving for corners, blocking) > - Lovely graphics > - Fantastic rain > > Bad things > - Some strange design quirks > - Slow > - bad cockpit display > > > Right... a bit more detail. I took all the help off straight away and > spent about fifteen minutes going from silverstone to the setup menus > to get my control device working as I liked. > > The physics is wonderful - really gives a good impression of a modern > F1 car - at high speeds it sticks to the ground like glue (even in the > rain) - at low speeds it's a twitchy pig. Once you start taking > downforce off the car's a handful all the time :-) > > Braking is much more as you would expect of an F1 car - very late, and > very hard, then get off them damn quick before you lock up. All very > precise too - satisfying to get right though - same goes for power out > of slow corners. More than about 2 degrees slide, and you've lost it. > > The lifetime of the tyres is simulated very well too - you get a > couple of great laps out of them, then they stabilise. The first quick > lap is good fun - how late can you brake? hehe > > The AI of the computer cars is outstanding - they fight! It's somewhat > disconcerting to think you've defended the inside, only to find a > certain man's Ferrari squeeze into the gap that's not there... and > blocking maneouvers too! > > I don't agree with people over the graphics. They are not anti-aliased > - and this makes them look REAL at high resolutions. It helps disguise > the "computer drawn" look... > > The rain really is something else. You get lulled into a false sense > of security by the amount of grip you have - until you hit standing > water... Monaco becomes a deathtrap (the hill up to Casino in > particular). > > > The only really weird thing I've found so far is when you are low on > fuel, as you pass the pit, it slows you ON THE TRACK... I don't like > being told what to do like that. > > Also, I can't say I like the virtual steering wheel on-screen at all. > It's tremendously off-putting - mainly because it's not "live" - there > is a delay (unlike the front wheels of the car, which ARE live. > > Summary.... > Overall I like it a lot. I expect many hours will be spent with it > over the coming months. Championships to be fought... races to be > won... arrogant German Ferrari drivers to push off the track... > > Warning - you need a monster of a computer to run it. I've got a > 750Mhz Athlon, 100Mhz motherboard, 128Mb RAM, 32Mb Matrox G400 Max > graphics card, and races come out at about 100% occupancy doing 25fps > with everything on... the start goes to about 150% for a few seconds. > > > Jonathan Beckett > [email hidden]In article <8m1ad9$qqf$[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] writes:
>In article <[email hidden]>,
>[email hidden] (EldredP) wrote:
>
>> >I have two computers and linking them over a lan was a doddle.
>
>He means it was *EASY*. Doddle is slang for easily achieved.
Ok, thanks. I learn such *interesting* expressions from an international
newsgroup... :)
Eldred
--
Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
GPL hcp. +60.31
Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.
In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] (EldredP) wrote:
> >I have two computers and linking them over a lan was a doddle.
He means it was *EASY*. Doddle is slang for easily achieved.
8-)
*Peter* - http://www.cix.co.uk/~peterpc/home.html
In article <iKHg5.1454$[email hidden]>, "Alan Coates"
<[email hidden]> writes:
>I have two computers and linking them over a lan was a doddle.
Is that good or bad?
Eldred
--
Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
GPL hcp. +61.25
Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.
