Attn:Ed Martin NASCAR 2.0 AI

Although the focus of NASCAR 2.0 will be the multiplayer series (and that will be where my attention is mainly focused) I was still wondering what improvements will be made to the AI? For example, in the current version the AI cars run consistent laps from the get go until they make their pit stops, while I have to fight tire wear at the end of my run. AI cars also have better grip at most tracks with cold tires than I have. Another question involves AI pit stops. At a lot of tracks the AI cars swing way out to the wall and then make a sharp cut across to pit road. If another AI car is in the way, they tend to pass right through the other car. If I'm the one in the way they just crash in to me. This action is even more prevalent when the DRIVERS2.TXT aggression levels are increased. My final comment and question involves the current state of the multi player service. It was previously mentioned that Papyrus would not use an 800 number because it would basically cost us the same to subscribe to that number as our current long distance calls cost. Has anyone at Papyrus taken a survey of how much we are spending? My suggestion is this: Offer the option to use the current 617 number and pay our own toll calls, or subscribe to an 800 number for $100 dollars a month. If half of the current users opted for the 800 number program Papyrus would generate $100,000 in revenue a month to offset the cost of the long distance, and would probably bank a few bucks to boot! If costs somehow soared out of control for Papyrus, they could do a cost analysis to determine a maximum monthly per person limit for the hours on the system, but I doubt the 800# costs would be that high. I realize that you are under no obligation to make this change, after all this is a "free" open beta session. Even if the system was down for an extended period of time we wouldn't be crying for rebates. since Hawaii is the narcotic of sim racing, we will continue to spend hundreds of dollars a month to get our "fix". However, I feel it would be a good faith measure on the part of Papyrus to give the users this option. Thanks for your time and comments regarding these matters. Regardless of some of the ***that hits this newsgroup, most of us appreciate the work of the Papyrus staff in their programming efforts and skills as well as the open dialogue between the Papyrus team and the consumer. Keep up the great work! Shawn Kosloff Hawaii Handle: Koz

Quoted text (39 lines)

>Although the focus of NASCAR 2.0 will be the multiplayer series (and >that will be where my attention is mainly focused) I was still wondering >what improvements will be made to the AI? >For example, in the current version the AI cars run consistent laps from >the get go until they make their pit stops, while I have to fight tire >wear at the end of my run. AI cars also have better grip at most tracks >with cold tires than I have. >Another question involves AI pit stops. At a lot of tracks the AI cars >swing way out to the wall and then make a sharp cut across to pit road. >If another AI car is in the way, they tend to pass right through the >other car. If I'm the one in the way they just crash in to me. This >action is even more prevalent when the DRIVERS2.TXT aggression levels >are increased. >My final comment and question involves the current state of the multi >player service. It was previously mentioned that Papyrus would not use >an 800 number because it would basically cost us the same to subscribe >to that number as our current long distance calls cost. Has anyone at >Papyrus taken a survey of how much we are spending? >My suggestion is this: Offer the option to use the current 617 number >and pay our own toll calls, or subscribe to an 800 number for $100 >dollars a month. If half of the current users opted for the 800 number >program Papyrus would generate $100,000 in revenue a month to offset the >cost of the long distance, and would probably bank a few bucks to boot! >If costs somehow soared out of control for Papyrus, they could do a cost >analysis to determine a maximum monthly per person limit for the hours >on the system, but I doubt the 800# costs would be that high. >I realize that you are under no obligation to make this change, after >all this is a "free" open beta session. Even if the system was down for >an extended period of time we wouldn't be crying for rebates. since >Hawaii is the narcotic of sim racing, we will continue to spend hundreds >of dollars a month to get our "fix". However, I feel it would be a good >faith measure on the part of Papyrus to give the users this option. >Thanks for your time and comments regarding these matters. Regardless of >some of the ***that hits this newsgroup, most of us appreciate the >work of the Papyrus staff in their programming efforts and skills as >well as the open dialogue between the Papyrus team and the consumer. >Keep up the great work! >Shawn Kosloff >Hawaii Handle: Koz

As for the AI in NCR 2, there will be some changes, but nothing extensive. Frankly, I don't know enough about it to give an accurate comment. I'm the NRL guy, remember? AI???... we don't need no stinkin' AI! <G> As for the 800 #, believe me, we have done a LOT of research on how much people are spending. There are some big problems with the 800 # idea. First, if we were to do it, we couldn't charge a flat fee. Given what we've found, people will spend tons of time online when it's "free"/flat fee. In order to not lose money, we'd have to bill by the hour/minute. Second, we do not have a billing system, and it would cost a lot to build one. We were part of the way down the line with it when Sierra acquired us, but we put it on hold, because... third, Sierra has a non-compete agreement with AT&T. Sierra used to own the Imaginiation network (INN). When Sierra sold it to AT&T, part of the agreement was a non-compete that precludes us from billing for a proprietary service like Hawaii. Ed Martin Producer, Series Director NASCAR Racing League Papyrus / Sierra On-Line, Inc.

Ahem...... $100 per MONTH!??? Now I like Nascar, Hell I like it alot but $100 per MONTH???? I don't think they would score too many popularity points with the average/lower income racers. I call Hawaii quite a bit and I don't even come close to that in LD charges. (well I did in the beginning <G>) .02 Andy

> with it when Sierra acquired us, but we put it on hold, because... > third, Sierra has a non-compete agreement with AT&T. Sierra used to > own the Imaginiation network (INN). When Sierra sold it to AT&T, part > of the agreement was a non-compete that precludes us from billing for > a proprietary service like Hawaii. Oooooops! KenH