Or, GPL on a notebook - now we're cooking with gas!
I decided to give GPL one more try on my notebook. I've been through the
Glide wrappers, OGL betas, D3D patch etc. without luck. Then I stumbled
across a newer driver for the Savage IX chip in my Toshiba on another
manufactuer's web page. I crossed my fingers, installed it, then fired up
GPL. It worked. I was somehow stunned, as I had grown to expect a black
screen, or a dump back to the desktop. OK, let's choose car, and certainly
it will crash when I go to the cockpit. Nope. Hmmm... frame rate is
pegged. Let's try bumping the resolution. To cut it short, I'm getting
36fps at 1024x768 with all details and full mirrors... on a midrange
notebook computer. I'm a happy camper! Now that is in free practice.
Sitting at the back of a full grid, it drops to 21 or so, but picks up soon
after the start.
Is it perfect? No. The menus flicker, as do the replays. Also, some
textures flicker in and out (I can see the suspension ghosting through the
cockpit, and occasionally a building will pop through an earth embankment),
but I will put up with a few minor problems to run top framerates at XGA,
rather than software mode, absolutely no details and 640x480.
As for the subject line, I take the 7:11 train to work each day. I turned a
few 1:17 laps at the Glen with the keyboad while on the way to work. Maybe
there's another few seconds there, but the serious fun will be at home with
my little Interact controller.
Stephen
