A request for Rick Genter (again?)

I'd like to know something about Indycar 2.0 for DOS. How 32-bit it really is? <<< The application itself is virtually entirely 32-bit (I think there's some real-mode 16-bit code for dealing with the modem port). Of course DOS is still performing disk I/O for us, but we do everything else. Rick Genter Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

[snip] : As an ardent fan of your NASCAR sim, when (best guess) will we be seeing a 95 : version and what features/improvements, most notably, the advantages of the new : operating system, will the game possess? [snip] Oh dear, PLEASE guys, DON'T ASK FOR WINDOWS 95 GAMES, the only advantages you'll get are: SLOWER FRAME RATES and LESS MEMORY!! OK, it is true, that WIN95 makes a lot things easier (especially with your hardware), so you don't have to set up your sound card, your joystick etc., BUT: DOS is a single-task system, so, as soon as your game starts, DOS will NOT eat up your processor time, it just uses a bit of your memory; whereas WINDOZE will continue DOING BACKGROUND JOBS, which uses not much but sufficient processor time to be relevant (esp. with driving sims). Therefore WINDOWS WILL N E V E R BE A GOOD GAME PLATFORM !! (I think it will never be a good system anyway; have you ever tried Linux or X-Windows? You would LOVE it!!). BTW: what are the advantages of running NASCAR in a window?!? So, why do you need Windows? What I want to say: I WILL NEVER BUY A GAME FOR WIN 95, because it is just very silly to sacrifice driving quality because of being too lazy to use a DOS prompt (I hope Papyrus are reading this: Please don't develop your games [which are really great, BTW] for WIN 95; this is just silly and ridiculous). I will buy INDYCAR II as soon as possible, but I will surely purchase the DOS version. SORRY, JUST MY OPINION, etc, etc. Please don't take it personally ;-) so long, Michael ----------------------------------- | Michael Koppenhoefer at | | University of Karlsruhe, Germany | -----------------------------------

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>Oh dear, PLEASE guys, DON'T ASK FOR WINDOWS 95 GAMES, the only advantages >you'll get are: SLOWER FRAME RATES and LESS MEMORY!! >OK, it is true, that WIN95 makes a lot things easier (especially with your >hardware), so you don't have to set up your sound card, your joystick etc., >BUT: DOS is a single-task system, so, as soon as your game starts, DOS will >NOT eat up your processor time, it just uses a bit of your memory; whereas >WINDOZE will continue DOING BACKGROUND JOBS, which uses not much but >sufficient processor time to be relevant (esp. with driving sims). Therefore >WINDOWS WILL N E V E R BE A GOOD GAME PLATFORM !! (I think it will never >be a good system anyway; have you ever tried Linux or X-Windows? You would >LOVE it!!). BTW: what are the advantages of running NASCAR in a window?!? >So, why do you need Windows? >SORRY, JUST MY OPINION, etc, etc. Please don't take it personally ;-)

Well I really don't want to get started on all this *** since this group isn't about OS's but I can't resist a couple of my personal observations. Everything that I've read over the past four months or so seems to verify that the future of pc *** *is* Win95. Sure it may take a year or two for all the game developers to hop on the wagon and for the standard on the 3D boards and code to get worked out, but eventually it's coming guys. I have no problem with dos (use it every day) but I've given win95 a chance and so far I'm impressed. As for frame rates, I can play Nascar or the ICR2demo in either dos or in win95 (not ms-dos mode) and there is no apparent frame rate loss at all. ICR2 is honestly smooth as silk; so what am I to expect from the win95 version?? I can run the demo in win95 and my buddy can't even get the laguna track to load in dos due to a insufficient memory message which I still can't figure out since he's getting 621k conventional. On a side note, Aces of the deep for win95 is much better than the dos version but I admit there's not much frame rate involved with a sub sim... but the graphics are killer. So this is not to start a flame war or an OS firefight... merely my own experience so far. As for not ever buying a win95 game; well, sometimes you just have to go with the flow. I've owned 6 computers since 1987; in order, apple IIgs, amiga 500, amiga 3000 and 4000, 486 and P90. My point is I can remember when the Amiga was THE *** computer... anybody remember those days? Hey Rick.. bring it on man! Later... Sandman -------------------------------------------------------- Erik Sanders "It's not that life's too short' Hickory, N.C. USA it's just that we're dead

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>Oh dear, PLEASE guys, DON'T ASK FOR WINDOWS 95 GAMES, the only advantages >you'll get are: SLOWER FRAME RATES and LESS MEMORY!! >OK, it is true, that WIN95 makes a lot things easier (especially with your >hardware), so you don't have to set up your sound card, your joystick etc., >BUT: DOS is a single-task system, so, as soon as your game starts, DOS will >NOT eat up your processor time, it just uses a bit of your memory; whereas >WINDOZE will continue DOING BACKGROUND JOBS, which uses not much but >sufficient processor time to be relevant (esp. with driving sims). >Therefore >WINDOWS WILL N E V E R BE A GOOD GAME PLATFORM !! (I think it will never >be a good system anyway; have you ever tried Linux or X-Windows? You would >LOVE it!!). BTW: what are the advantages of running NASCAR in a window?!? >So, why do you need Windows? >What I want to say: I WILL NEVER BUY A GAME FOR WIN 95, because it is just >very silly to sacrifice driving quality because of being too lazy to use a >DOS prompt (I hope Papyrus are reading this: Please don't develop your >games [which are really great, BTW] for WIN 95; this is just silly and >ridiculous). I will buy INDYCAR II as soon as possible, but I will surely >purchase the DOS version. >SORRY, JUST MY OPINION, etc, etc. Please don't take it personally ;-) >so long, Michael > ----------------------------------- >| Michael Koppenhoefer at | >| University of Karlsruhe, Germany | > -----------------------------------

The new DirectX Game SDK for Windows 95 allows a program to take over 100% of the processor, just as DOS does. On top of that, you get hardware independent graphics that allow the programmer to take advantage of any new video technology that comes along, even if it comes out years AFTER the game was designed. I was pessimistic myself, but it does work pretty well. Dave

: The new DirectX Game SDK for Windows 95 allows a program to take over 100% : of the processor, just as DOS does. On top of that, you get hardware : independent graphics that allow the programmer to take advantage of any new : video technology that comes along, even if it comes out years AFTER the : game was designed. I was pessimistic myself, but it does work pretty well. : Dave Well, right. Maybe Windows '95 could be better for Games; but I just want to save my bucks... ;-) Bye, Michael ----------------------------------- | Michael Koppenhoefer at | | University of Karlsruhe, Germany | -----------------------------------

: : The new DirectX Game SDK for Windows 95 allows a program to take over 100% : : of the processor, just as DOS does. On top of that, you get hardware I would question that. DirectX gives you full control of the video card, not the CPU. If there will be a VBE 3.0 specification, which supports the use of hardware acceleration, that advantage of Win will vanish completely. : : independent graphics that allow the programmer to take advantage of any new : : video technology that comes along, even if it comes out years AFTER the : : game was designed. I was pessimistic myself, but it does work pretty well. : Well, right. Maybe Windows '95 could be better for Games; but I just want to : save my bucks... ;-) Don't feel bad Michael, as long as i can't play a game with full detail at the game's highest possible framerate i won't sacrifice one single cpu-cycle for a multitasking environment. Regardless if it were windows or linux or anything else. FYI i'm using linux for work, dos for games. Wouldn't even think about using a game under linux. Ralf

>I would question that. DirectX gives you full control of the video card, not >the CPU. If there will be a VBE 3.0 specification, which supports the use >of hardware acceleration, that advantage of Win will vanish completely. There is a DirectX API call that allows you to suspend multitasking and take control of the CPU. Like it or not, a lot of developers are working very *** converting to Win'95. Within a couple of years, you're not likely to see any major publishers publishing new DOS games. Dave

The new DirectX Game SDK for Windows 95 allows a program to take over 100% of the processor, just as DOS does. <<< Well, DirectX as it currently stands does *not* let us take over 100% of the processor. It does give us convenient access to video and sound cards, however. I do find it amusing that Microsoft is coming out with all of these "Direct" technologies that are basically allowing us to turn Windows 95 back into DOS... Just my opinion. Rick Genter Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

As an ardent fan of your NASCAR sim, when (best guess) will we be seeing a 95 version and what features/improvements, most notably, the advantages of the new operating system, will the game possess? <<< There will not be a Windows 95 version of NASCAR Racing. As for what is coming down the road for Windows 95 (other than IndyCar Racing II), we don't talk about unannounced products. Rick Genter Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

: >>> : As an ardent fan of your NASCAR sim, when (best guess) will we be seeing a : 95 : version and what features/improvements, most notably, the advantages of : the new : operating system, will the game possess? : <<< : There will not be a Windows 95 version of NASCAR Racing. Thank you, thank you, thank you! May I be one of the many that are relieved to hear you guys say that! There's no reason to slow down and degrade the product by sticking it into that MS Windows crutch they dare call an operating system. Thanx for letting us continue to use the full capabilities of our machines! Matt

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>There will not be a Windows 95 version of NASCAR Racing. As for what is >coming down the road for Windows 95 (other than IndyCar Racing II), we >don't talk about unannounced products. >Rick Genter >Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II >Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

Since the promo catalog I recently received from Papyrus said that the Win95 version of NASCAR would be out in 2nd qtr 96, and you're saying it's not, that it's a direct result of the sale to Sierra. It's a shame. Is there going to be a NASCAR racing 2? With all of ICR2s improvements and smoother play, it would have been exciting to see what you could do to NASCAR. I suppose I've already bought everything I'm going to buy from Papyrus... At least NASCAR was released before they got sucked up by Sierra.. :( Bob

that it's a direct result of the sale to Sierra. <<< No it wasn't. We made the decision to not do a Windows 95 version of NASCAR before the acquisition. Is there going to be a NASCAR racing 2? <<< No comment. Rick Genter Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

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>Is there going to >be a NASCAR racing 2? ><<< >No comment. >Rick Genter >Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II >Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

Can I hope against hope? I'm patiently waiting.

Rick, i heard that papyrus , is developing some kind a multiplayer online service for ICR2 and NASCAR, where 32 real opponents can play together, at the same time. Is that true, and if it is, when is it coming out.

Rick, i heard that papyrus , is developing some kind a multiplayer online service for ICR2 and NASCAR, where 32 real opponents can play together, at the same time. Is that true, and if it is, when is it coming out. <<< It's true. I don't know what the release schedule is, but it's in beta testing for NASCAR now. Rick Genter Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

....sounds like rick needs a vacation!!!... :)

....sounds like rick needs a vacation!!!... :) <<< Well, yes, but also I can't make any comment on future plans except for games we've already announced. I believe at this point that means the only things I can talk about are IndyCar Racing II for Macintosh and Windows 95, and the Papyrus multiplayer service. I can't talk about any of the other projects we're working on yet, whatever they are, and we have four or five other projects going on. But I am taking another break the week of Christmas (12/22-12/29), so don't expect to hear from me then... Rick Genter Technical Lead, IndyCar Racing II Papyrus Design Group, Inc.

[snip] What? Another vacation, who is your boss?<GG> You should be working on finishing up the Win95 version of Indycar and then go and help out getting that Drag Race Simulator finished<GG> Mike