Hardware requirements for Indycar Racing

Hi there! I have a 386DX-33 with 8 megs ram and a crappy ISA bus Trident 8900 video card with 1024K video dram. What I want to know is, does using a much better ISA bus video card speed up Indycar frame rate? On a track like Laguna Seca, I can barely do a race with just skids/paint and trackside objects (but no texture) turn on. It is just too jerky. Maybe I expect too much. :-) Is it worth getting a better card like the S3? Thanks in advance...

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|> Hi there! |> |> I have a 386DX-33 with 8 megs ram and a crappy ISA bus Trident |> 8900 video card with 1024K video dram. |> |> What I want to know is, does using a much better ISA bus video |> card speed up Indycar frame rate? |> |> On a track like Laguna Seca, I can barely do a race with just |> skids/paint and trackside objects (but no texture) turn on. |> It is just too jerky. Maybe I expect too much. :-) |> |> Is it worth getting a better card like the S3? |> |> Thanks in advance... |>

I doubt that getting a better card would help much. Most of the help these cards provide is in drawing hardware which is exploited via drivers in Windows. DOS games like IndyCar don't use drivers, they store directly to the video ram. The things that really make IndyCar run well are a fast processor and local bus video. -- Mike Corrigan

>I have a 386DX-33 with 8 megs ram and a crappy ISA bus Trident >8900 video card with 1024K video dram. >What I want to know is, does using a much better ISA bus video >card speed up Indycar frame rate? ... >Is it worth getting a better card like the S3? A better card can help, but not by much. But *not* an S3! While some of them are fast (ones based on the s3 928, 801, 805, I think the 801 is the only ISA version), some are dead slow for DOS (old 911, 924). The cheap, and fastest, ISA cards to get are Tseng Labs ET4000ax based. Going to an ET4000/ax based card will buy you some framerate, maybe 20-30% based on my own testing and analysis of the old 3dbench list of reported benchmark results (don't know where you can get this now). That's nothing to sneeze at, but I doubt it'll make a night-and-day difference for you. An ET4000/ax will probably cost you (guessing) $60-70(?), so it isn't that bad an idea to upgrade. Frankly, your best choice, albeit more expensive, is the CPU upgrade. And when you do that, get a VLB (or even PCI) motherboard. Then when you have stored up extra $$, get a VLB/PCI video card, preferably based on the ET4000/w32 (a windows accelerator card that is compatible with their old ET4000/ax). By all reports, it is as fast as any in DOS (if not faster) and a very good Windoze performer too. As to recommendations on CPU's, I'll leave that for another day. I upgraded from my 386/33 to a dx2/66 about a year ago. I don't think I'd settle for less now. Dave

>Subject: Steering wheel recommendations for ICR >Date: Sun, 26 Jun 1994 18:55:11 GMT >Hello all, > I just bought ICR and totally love it, but steering with the joystick > isn't the greatest. I was looking for some recommendations on steering > wheels for the game. I've seen some in magazines. These vary from the clamp I'd suggest the Thrustmaster Formula T1. Make sure you buy it from a place that accepts returns. If ya don't like it, no biggie :). Prices range from US$110 to US$150. --- Gavin "Visualize Whirled Peas!" -------------------------------+------------------------------------- -------------------------------+-------------------------------------

Hello all, I just bought ICR and totally love it, but steering with the joystick isn't the greatest. I was looking for some recommendations on steering wheels for the game. I've seen some in magazines. These vary from the clamp on the table type to the stand alone***pit type setups. They were all just under $200. I would like to spend from $150-200. Also, are there some good ftp sites with tips, hacks, etc for the game? Thanks in advance. -------- Darrel Cherry AFM #184

Hello all, I just bought ICR and totally love it, but steering with the joystick isn't the greatest. I was looking for some recommendations on steering wheels for the game. I've seen some in magazines. These vary from the clamp on the table type to the stand alone***pit type setups. They were all just under $200. I would like to spend from $150-200. Also, are there some good ftp sites with tips, hacks, etc for the game? Thanks in advance. -------- Darrel Cherry AFM #184 ================================================== The Thrustmaster T1 is *great* and so is the customer service. It has steering wheel, brake & gas pedals, gear shift, and two extra buttons. You will improve your time *GREATLY* with this, and I have seen it for as cheap as $109.91 at the local Incredible Universe, and for around $120.00 at mail-order places. Rob

Hey Darrel,just thought i'd throw in my $.02 in.I also have the thrustmaster T1 and it is KILLER!!!!!!!! You'll never go back to a joystick.Was about $114.00 at Chips and Bits.Happy motoring.

Hey Darrel,just thought i'd throw in my $.02 in.I also have the thrustmaster T1 and it is KILLER!!!!!!!! You'll never go back to a joystick.Was about $114.00 at Chips and Bits.Happy motoring. Do they do mail order? What's their number? Does any other sim use the T1? Expect the NASCAR one to support it, but how 'bout the rest of the industry? thanks david sampson -- --------------------

Chips and Bits "IS" mail order. Phone 1-800-753-GAME

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> Hey Darrel,just thought i'd throw in my $.02 in.I also have the thrustmaster > T1 and it is KILLER!!!!!!!! You'll never go back to a joystick.Was about > $114.00 at Chips and Bits.Happy motoring. >Do they do mail order? What's their number? Does any other sim use >the T1? Expect the NASCAR one to support it, but how 'bout the rest >of the industry? >thanks >david sampson >-- >--------------------

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