> I am convinced that CPU speed and memory help with lap times. I am
> running a 486-100/8 megz.
Graphics cards will also help. But yes, the CPU can be a major factor. I don't know that more
memory will buy you that much, but it couldn't hurt. I have a simple rule for memory: you can
have enough, but you can never have too much. By upgrading from whatever no-name card I got
with my system, I was able to make major improvements. Going to a DX4/100 also helped, but
not, IMHO, nearly as much as the graphics card.
Clark
>> I am convinced that CPU speed and memory help with lap times. I am
>> running a 486-100/8 megz.
>By upgrading from whatever no-name card I got
>with my system, I was able to make major improvements. Going to a DX4/100 also helped, but
>not, IMHO, nearly as much as the graphics card.
Sounds promising...
I've got a Tseng4000 graphics chip (1meg) on my mother board, no fancy
bus either, just an old, 1994-vintage 486 motherboard upgraded with a
DX4/100. Would putting a faster graphics card in one of my EISA slots
still make a major improvement? Or am I already limited by my slow
bus?
Also, what graphics board did you buy?
I had the same problem until about a week ago. ICR1 and ICR2 have very
different driving models - i.e. ICR1 was easy :) The key to improving
your laptimes is smoothness - honestly ! Be smooth and progressive
onto the throttle and brake. Don't just slam them into the floor
(this, by the way, was my biggest problem). If you are progressive you
spend less time sliding and more time accelerating / decelerating The
other trick is that speed into the corners is less important than
speed out of them. It is critically important to get a good line
through the corners. Keep it tight and get a good apex and you will be
able to accelerate out of the corner much more quickly. If anyone
disagrees (or agrees !!) with this advice I would be interested in
their comments.
I don't consider myself to be an ICR2 expert either ! I have managed a
52.8 at Long Beach (but not with the setup that was posted here - I
could only manage a high 53 with that). Also, have a look at some
replays of other drivers to see if you can pick up any pointers. The
king of Long Beach appears to be Michael Wollenschein who has done a
low 51 second lap. The replay of that lap is available on his home
page. Sorry, I don't have the URL to hand (I've just upgraded (!?) to
32 bit Netscape and it trashed all my bookmarks) but if you do an
altavista search (www.altavista.digital.com) on Michael's name you
will find it, and some other ICR2 pages.
As for processor speed affecting lap times, well I don't know. I can't
see why it should - but then again I am using a P90 :)
I am really enjoying IndyCar Racing 2. But here is my problem: I am
no where near the lap times that are posted. **I DO know how to setup
a race car** For example, I pulled a 239MPH at Michigan in ICR1. And
in NASCAR Racing, I have pulled a 131MPH at Bristol (I don't play
NASCAR all that much).
I downloaded a setup of the net and the person that set it up said he
had done a 52.9. I took that setup and barely got under 56 seconds
(with warm tires!). I understand that setup's and driving style are
linked, but how could I still be 3+ seconds off the pace?!?!?! I then
loaded in my setup and only did a 55.6?
I am convinced that CPU speed and memory help with lap times. I am
running a 486-100/8 megz.
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Quoted text (7 lines)
| John William Smith | Student, University of Western Ontario | | |Fan of: Greg Moore, 1995 Indy Lights Champ | | | #99 Player's Ltd. Reynard/Mercedes | | London, Ontario, CANADA | Paul Tracy, 1990 Indy Lights Champ | | GO MUSTANGS!!! | #3 Marlboro Penske/Mercedes, 10 IC wins |Where you racing? It sounds like Long Beach to me, by the times you
mention. I've been struggling with Long Beach for around two weeks
now, and I've broken in to the 52s just once (52.9). I'm usually
around 53.1-53.9, on a clean lap.
Laguna seems easy to me compared to Long Beach, and I beat Michgan's
"Track Record" in a few hours. But with Long Beach, it seems that even
the smallest mistakes leave one struggling to keep under 56. In fact,
for me, most of the problem comes at the last turn before the final
straightaway. I find I can usually get to it in 43 seconds... but what
happens during that turn determines whether I get a 53.1 or a 56, and
I've been left many times swearing as I do a slow 180 coming out of
it. Anybody else see this as the most critical part of the course?
Let us know if you find any difference using different CPU or graphics
card. I have a 486-100/12, so we're in the same boat.
Quoted text (14 lines)
> I am really enjoying IndyCar Racing 2. But here is my problem: I am > no where near the lap times that are posted. **I DO know how to setup > a race car** For example, I pulled a 239MPH at Michigan in ICR1. And > in NASCAR Racing, I have pulled a 131MPH at Bristol (I don't play > NASCAR all that much). > I downloaded a setup of the net and the person that set it up said he > had done a 52.9. I took that setup and barely got under 56 seconds > (with warm tires!). I understand that setup's and driving style are > linked, but how could I still be 3+ seconds off the pace?!?!?! I then > loaded in my setup and only did a 55.6? > I am convinced that CPU speed and memory help with lap times. I am > running a 486-100/8 megz.> If you want to score good lap times, you have to drive
> on the edge all the time. for this you need. A. good setups B. a good steering
> device C. driving skill D. a good frame rate
The order I would put them in: A) Driving skill, B) car setup, C)
steering/pedal devices, d) frame rate.
I've been driving with Michael W.(Wolenstein, I believe)'s setup at Long
Beach, and the best I can do is a 52.964, while he is in the 51s with it,
so I have to admit it ain't my setup that's hurtin'!
I am not using a great steering wheel tho- CH products yoke (flight pro,
or whatever) and CH pedals. They should be good enough, I would think. One
thing I do notice is that I must typically cut my wheel-lock in half from
what everyone else is using, i.e., 18 is typical for people with good
wheels, it seems. I use 9, even as low as 7, and that hurts when I get in
a bind- forget K-turns after a spin!
I'm in the same boat as you- but getting a new machine, whoa... that'll be
another year... at least! I turn everything off except tire marks, road
surface, and wall detail. It's good enough frame rate for me. I'm afraid
F1GP2 will blow my machine out of the water... But hey, we're all going to
have to get it... right? I bought Descent II yesterday, and was pleased to
discover it is *faster* than the old one, so you never know, maybe at low
detail FIGP2 will be plenty fast.
The ICR2 cars are definitely "twitchy", as you put it. I've only been
racing on a computer for 4 months, and only with ICR2, but it wasn't
really until a month ago that I decided it was *me* and not the game that
sucked! I still wish the game had a lot more features, and made some
aspects of testing setups less tedious, and gave us some sort of
line-analysis (just a visual line on the track respresenting my lap would
be enough... perhaps color-coding it to show speed/accelleration/braking-
that would improve my times *immensely*!).
It is a great and highly ***ive game... I think of it almost as
"computer chess on wheels"; no other computer game can really compete with
it for me.
>Wrong... Darrel Cherry has done a 50.8 second lap...
Wow ! Is his car fitted with warp engines ?
Quoted text (7 lines)
> I've got a Tseng4000 graphics chip (1meg) on my mother board, no fancy > bus either, just an old, 1994-vintage 486 motherboard upgraded with a > DX4/100. Would putting a faster graphics card in one of my EISA slots > still make a major improvement? Or am I already limited by my slow > bus? > Also, what graphics board did you buy?Believe me, he is the king when it comes to one fast lap. I have done
some races via modem with him. In qualifying he did beat me every time
but as far as I remember he never finished a race in front of me. <g>
Oh, his URL: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/ATB.
Or you could check my homepage at .../homepages/GNaujoks.
Georg Naujoks
But the leaders went 243 mph with Mendards, and I even managed a 240.8 with
an *ILMOR* engine....
I used his setup to get pretty consistent 53.3's, and of course I'm nowhere
near the pace either.
It does, but I have only a 486/DX2-66 with 8MB.
--
Brian Wong Systems Engineering Group (Servers)
>I don't consider myself to be an ICR2 expert either ! I have managed a
>52.8 at Long Beach (but not with the setup that was posted here - I
>could only manage a high 53 with that). Also, have a look at some
>replays of other drivers to see if you can pick up any pointers. The
>king of Long Beach appears to be Michael Wollenschein who has done a
>low 51 second lap. The replay of that lap is available on his home
The best time I've heard of is Darrell Cherry's 50.8... and he's got a
486 too, if I'm not mistaken. I think he drives with an SSI AutoCockpit.
In my OPINION, it makes it easier to do the really fast laps, but not much.
Better drivers can always get more out of even minimal systems - check out
50.8 seconds at Long Beach for evidence. However, the processor speed DOES
help a faira mount in race situations, where the system can really bog down
and get very choppy, making it VERY hard to control.
--
Brian Wong Systems Engineering Group (Servers)
