F1GP2

I've read a couple of articles and seen some screenshots of the forthcoming F1GP2 from MicroProse. The major enhancement programmer Geoff Crammond has made over the original F1GP is in the graphics department. The ( VGA only ) screenshots look really cool - much better than IndyCar. The texture mapping is much clearer and light source shading is used to create subtle shading effects on the cars bodywork. Also, a technique has been implemented to add 'shine' to the surface of the car just like in real F1. Basically, Crammond says that he likes to design his games with his own direction - he doesn't like to copy what others have done before so he's only had a brief look at the competition ( e.g. IndyCar ). Screenshots so far are from the completed Suzuka circuit in Japan. Cars displayed all have correct liverage for the 1994 G.P. season. In addition, the cars are each shaped slightly differently ( e.g. raised nose on a Ferrari, droop nose on the Williams ). Textured sand-traps are visible at certain corners around the track which will be a welcome addition in the realism department. Also, the drivers turn their heads in the direction the car is turning into a corner in a much more realistic fashion than F1GP. Each car will have its own individual***pit layout. Crammond claims that PC hardware has just about kept pace with his algorithm developments - expect around 20 fps on a "top-of- the-range" Pentium ( whatever speed that is? ). Graphic detail can be turned off to achieve a good frame-rate on lower spec machines. The majority of the processor time goes on the texture mapping with a smaller fraction on the lightsourcing and shine and a smaller again amount on the 'simulator'. Despite this, Crammond insists that the simulator ( physics, AI etc.. ) has been greatly enhanced for F1GP2 with drivers that block and get upset. Variable weather has also been included in the race. In the sound department, we are promised realistic 'doppler-effect' sonics. The game is due to be released in September '95 ( read December for a realistic release date!! ) on one CD. It should support head-head play with network play a possibility. MicroProse originally indended to release with SVGA intros and VGA in-game graphics but they have decided to upgrade the in-game textures for optional SVGA play, presumably in reaction to other new SVGA games on the market ( NASCAR and the forthcoming IndyCar2 ). Fraser

I have had several long and frustrating conversations with a Microprose rep. on AOL about the lack of car reliability in WC 1. I truly like the game but without any chance of having a car DNF due to mechanical ills, I look at it as just a game rather than a simulation. If it were a true simulation, the cars would not just run forever without breaking down. The only way to DNF is to hit something! It does not sound like this concept has been introduced into WC2 either. Any commnets?

> I have had several long and frustrating conversations with a Microprose > rep. on AOL about the lack of car reliability in WC 1. I truly like > the game but without any chance of having a car DNF due to mechanical > ills, I look at it as just a game rather than a simulation. > If it were a true simulation, the cars would not just run forever > without breaking down. The only way to DNF is to hit something! True, mechanical problems are a common place in F1. How bout that the McLaren Peugeot last season. Gearbox, hydrolics, and electronics problems cause at least every team a DNF or more a season. This would be great addition. Nathan

If it were true, I would probably be dead from all the *** wrecks I had. I see your point, but i would rather race the car then watch if from the pits. I rather watch a tape of an actual F1 race on TV as opposed to sitting in the pits due to a mechanical.

: I have had several long and frustrating conversations with a Microprose : rep. on AOL about the lack of car reliability in WC 1. I truly like : the game but without any chance of having a car DNF due to mechanical : ills, I look at it as just a game rather than a simulation. : If it were a true simulation, the cars would not just run forever : without breaking down. The only way to DNF is to hit something! : It does not sound like this concept has been introduced into WC2 : either. : Any commnets? No thanks for me! My favorite would be an IROC style race, my driving skills count rather than my willingness to spend time tweaking car settings. I would still like to have a feature like adjusting the computer cars in case my driving was not adequate. If I were to be stuck with too much realism, I'd take the 1994 Ford Bennetton. That car could always win except for breakdowns and crashes, it was even the best car on the track when stuck in 5th gear! (or was it second place for Schumacher in that race?) -- Brian R. Mayer Regulatory Systems "Consensus is the negation of leadership." -Margaret Thatcher

Having this type of feature in a racing simulations opens up so many other thinks. You could actually plan team tatics and plot a race strategy. If I know that I am following a car with questionable reliability, I do not need to risk an accident by immediately trying to pass him. How many races did Lauda, Stewart and Prost win by paitently waiting for their opponents to crash or break down? In 1975, J.P. Jarier had pole in Argentina only to have his car break on the warm-up lap! As it stands now WC is nothing more that a glorified video game and totally un-realistic. The support rep. at MicroProse was just to dense to grasp the comcept that a "simulation" is just like the real thing, and WC is no where near real F1 racing. WookMan

Ultimatly, all a software writer has to do is have a menu with all the options available. For example, many people agree that F1GP's long success was the fact that it was very easy to drive straight away, unlike Indycar which took me a few months to master. If they can cram a game with as much realism as possible but have the option to turn things off, surely the game will appeal to a wider rage of game players from those who like arcade style games to serious racing sime drivers. Jed

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|> : I have had several long and frustrating conversations with a Microprose |> : rep. on AOL about the lack of car reliability in WC 1. I truly like |> : the game but without any chance of having a car DNF due to mechanical |> : ills, I look at it as just a game rather than a simulation. |> |> : If it were a true simulation, the cars would not just run forever |> : without breaking down. The only way to DNF is to hit something! |> |> : It does not sound like this concept has been introduced into WC2 |> : either. |> |> : Any commnets? |> |> No thanks for me! My favorite would be an IROC style race, my driving |> skills count rather than my willingness to spend time tweaking car |> settings. I would still like to have a feature like adjusting the |> computer cars in case my driving was not adequate. |> |> If I were to be stuck with too much realism, I'd take the 1994 Ford |> Bennetton. That car could always win except for breakdowns and |> crashes, it was even the best car on the track when stuck in 5th gear! |> (or was it second place for Schumacher in that race?)

A *LITTLE* realism would be great. For example, if I set the gear ratio too slow and over-rev the engine, then the engine will over-heat and even catch fire (or loses reliability). This simple thing is missing from WC1. Another example, if I shift gears at the wrong time then I would damage the gearbox or whatever bad might happen... However, I agree that too much realism is no good. I don't want to be forced to drop out for oil pressure or electrical problems etc. And it is a good idea to have the option to adjust the realism levels. BTW, the level of realism of the good old INDY 500 is just about right... What I expect from WC2/F1GP2: - Tire blow if worn out excessively - Engine blow if over-revved - Non-race-ending damage other than just front and rear wing (e.g. tire blow) - More mechanical break-down by AI cars - you add more BTW, Michael Schumacher did finish 2nd in the 1994 Spanish GP in Barcelona. His car was stuck in 5th gear half-way through the race and was able to continue. He even made a pit stop and was able to launch the car from a stand still using 5th gear. I went back to my computer to try this out after I watched that race and I found that my time wasn't terribly bad. I was only 2 to 3 seconds slower than that with a fully functional gearbox. Perhaps it depends a lot on the circuit itself. I doubt I would do it similarly on Monaco, though. Happy waiting for F1GP2... -- Computer Systems Engineering | FIAT -- Fix It Again Today Carleton University, Ottawa | What does BNR stand for? Bell-Northern Research Ltd. (BNR) | "Brain Not Required."

Yes! I think F1GP2 should be both a real racing simulator. (i.e. Car breakdowns) and a game (i.e. Can't die if I try). If it's not going to have proper car malfunctions, then I won't be happy. It won't ever be a REAL racing simulator if the car runs reliable the whole race. How many times has a driver been in with a real chance only for their car to expire? I know I've been there! I think ESSENTAIL introductions to the next game/simulator are.. 1). Ability to Change Qualifing Fuel Loads / Race Fuel Loads 2). Brake Balance Adjust while driving 3). Engine failures / Misfires (Due to miss use or following other cars too much) 4). I think intelligent opposition are a must. i.e. push in different parts of a race / driving defensibly / Aggressive 5). Data Logging facilities built into the simulator. With recommendations for improvements 6). Tracks that dry out after rain / variable weather 7). Gearbox problems (Gears missing / Sticking) 8). Gravel Traps 9). Damage from Kerbs (i.e. Slight setting changes) 10). Two Seperate Qualifing Sessions !! (Different Conditions) 11). Loss of downforce on corners when following other cars 12). Proper grass 13). Greater undulation 14). Bumps 15). Oil on visor from following cars closely 16). A dedicated Steering Wheel and Pedal Set. Things which should be missed out. 1). Race Refuelling (Oh..hang on a minute!) 2). A GAME which is just basically just a graphical improvment on the first ** ANY ONE GOT ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? ** Can I mail Microprose direct? Regards <Mark 'A Racing Driver' Gibbons>

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|> I think ESSENTAIL introductions to the next game/simulator are.. |> |> 1). Ability to Change Qualifing Fuel Loads / Race Fuel Loads |> 2). Brake Balance Adjust while driving |> 3). Engine failures / Misfires (Due to miss use or following other cars |> too much) |> 4). I think intelligent opposition are a must. i.e. push in different |> parts of a race / driving defensibly / Aggressive |> 5). Data Logging facilities built into the simulator. With recommendations |> for improvements |> 6). Tracks that dry out after rain / variable weather |> 7). Gearbox problems (Gears missing / Sticking) |> 8). Gravel Traps |> 9). Damage from Kerbs (i.e. Slight setting changes) |> 10). Two Seperate Qualifing Sessions !! (Different Conditions) |> 11). Loss of downforce on corners when following other cars |> 12). Proper grass |> 13). Greater undulation |> 14). Bumps |> 15). Oil on visor from following cars closely |> 16). A dedicated Steering Wheel and Pedal Set. |> |> |> Things which should be missed out. |> |> 1). Race Refuelling (Oh..hang on a minute!) |> 2). A GAME which is just basically just a graphical improvment on the |> first |> |> |> ** ANY ONE GOT ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? **

I agree. I'll add some more: 17). Different pit-stop times for different teams, some teams have efficient pit-stops (e.g. McLaren, Bennetton), and some have lousy pit-stops (e.g. Ferrari, Williams) 18). Better replay facility 19). Better sound 20). Option to not replace tires on a wing(s) damage (WC1 was dumb!) -- Isaac Wong Protel Compiler Group | Department of Systems and Computer Engineering Bell-Northern Research Ltd. | Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

You'll have to wait until F1GP2 (WC2 in your case) then. It looks *superb*. Anyway, the backgrnd looks fuzzy, but maybe because they were driving fast when making screenshots :) Regards --------------------------------------- This message was brought to you by ---------------------------------------

I just want to add one more thing: Some of the circuits are way too narrow compared to the real ciruits out there. I hope the F1GP2 would improve this a bit... Eric

>I think ESSENTAIL introductions to the next game/simulator are.. >11). Loss of downforce on corners when following other cars Clearly you've never been through the Peralta right behind another car. -- Gizmo http://www.mal.com/~dgymer/ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Launchpad is an experimental internet BBS. The views of its users do not necessarily represent those of UNC-Chapel Hill, OIT, or the SysOps. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Hi wk, There is no preview available yet. A few of the guys on CServe saw some of what was done a couple of months ago and say it's fantastic. There's a conference on CS this afternoon and I think some of the Microprose guys may be there, maybe they'll give us some official info as to the scheduled release date. For now you might take a look at MP's web page there are some screen shots that show you what it will look like. The address is http://www.microprose.com Peter T Naples, FL