Interesting N2Demo learnings...

I don't know if many of you remember, but I made a post a few days ago asking why my car constantly pulls hard to the left on the demo. I am using a T2, ACM and the same speed setting on the ACM as I do all my other sims. Well... strangely enough I got it to stop. In the "options" section I changed the manner of control from "wheel" to "joystick" and it stopped. Kinda' odd, dontcha' think? I went on to race Atlanta and WGI and won at both starting from the back (the AI on the demo don't put up much of a fight <g>). The graphics are wonderful. I really enjoyed the detail. As well, WGI looks marvelous... it actually resembles the real track rather than the version in NASCAR Racing. The dimension and model of the track looks more accurate as well (I hope the rest of the tracks have the quality of WGI). This game seems to be a hog as well. A lower Pentium and graphics cars will not really cut it as well and with the satisfaction that a user will want. It's all worth it, IMHO. The spotter makes the game so much more fun. It's one of those things that you really didn't know you missed because you never had it. It made racing on both courses in the demo much more confidence-inspiring. There are a few rough points (no mirrors?) however this is a demo and I'm quite sure they'll be worked out. I can honestly say that this game will beat and has aleady beaten my expecations in demo form. Nick _______________________________________________________________ #6 and #94 in the *real* quest for the Cup! My home away from home... http://www.mindspring.com/~ntotoro/ _______________________________________________________________

On Fri, 27 Sep 1996 15:26:20 -0400, Nick Totoro >I don't know if many of you remember, but I made a post a few days >ago asking why my car constantly pulls hard to the left on the demo. I >am using a T2, ACM and the same speed setting on the ACM as I do all my >other sims. Well... strangely enough I got it to stop. In the "options" >section I changed the manner of control from "wheel" to "joystick" and >it stopped. What sound card are you using?? Is it a Gravis?? Well, initially, I thought the graphics of N2 were on-par with GP2, maybe even better. Now I beg to differ. For starters (I know it's a demo,but...) the annoying switch-detail during replays blows. Bigtime. Blimp view?? Hahahahahaha. I am really annoyed, though, at the armco (guardrail) lines flickering all the time. I don't see this in GP2 at all. What gives? This is really annoying, when this happens, the game stops being a sim. Fix this. Please!! P166, 32MB RAM, 512K Burst, Matrox Millenium. Slower frame rate than Gp2, I even played with it a lot. I hope that this improves, since there's a helluva lot less to show than Gp2 and it's slower anyway. Damn. Jeff

I have a P133, 32 meg EDO, 512k pb cache, Triton II mobo and an STB Lightspeed, I am able to run the demo with ALL detail on at a btter framerate than Nascar1 and comparable to GP2 with less detail turned on. The demo has been said to run slower than the finished product so I for one am really going to be happy with the framerate :) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas Enterprises Makers of the TSW the best racing controller. http://www.ia.net/~thomas Lifetime warranty. Solid steel construction. -------------------------------------------------------------------------

We can only hope- I am still bummed about that line-zipping thing going on at WG...looks worse than TV... Jeff PS- I am using SDD 5.3, and changing it on/off didn't help. Thoughts? Maybe the linear stuff isn't implemented yet or something.

: Well, initially, I thought the graphics of N2 were on-par with GP2, : maybe even better. Now I beg to differ. For starters (I know it's a : demo,but...) the annoying switch-detail during replays blows. Bigtime. : Blimp view?? Hahahahahaha. I am really annoyed, though, at the armco : (guardrail) lines flickering all the time. I don't see this in GP2 at : all. What gives? This is really annoying, when this happens, the game : stops being a sim. Fix this. Please!! I will agree. The moire-ing of the armco at the Glen is very distracting. It sorta reminds me a a blue & white barber pole. : P166, 32MB RAM, 512K Burst, Matrox Millenium. Slower frame rate than : Gp2, I even played with it a lot. I hope that this improves, since : there's a helluva lot less to show than Gp2 and it's slower anyway. : Damn. Am sure this will be improved. This is a demo and has not been optimized yet. Knowing this I am impressed. However, the graphics still seem to be pixellated. Until I get a 3-d accelerator I will just pretend that this is from the "pitting" of the windshield. ;-) -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

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>On Fri, 27 Sep 1996 15:26:20 -0400, Nick Totoro >>I don't know if many of you remember, but I made a post a few days >>ago asking why my car constantly pulls hard to the left on the demo. I >>am using a T2, ACM and the same speed setting on the ACM as I do all my >>other sims. Well... strangely enough I got it to stop. In the "options" >>section I changed the manner of control from "wheel" to "joystick" and >>it stopped. >What sound card are you using?? Is it a Gravis?? >> Kinda' odd, dontcha' think? I went on to race Atlanta and WGI and >>won at both starting from the back (the AI on the demo don't put up much >>of a fight <g>). The graphics are wonderful. I really enjoyed the >>detail. As well, WGI looks marvelous... it actually resembles the real >>track rather than the version in NASCAR Racing. The dimension and model >>of the track looks more accurate as well (I hope the rest of the tracks >>have the quality of WGI). >Well, initially, I thought the graphics of N2 were on-par with GP2, >maybe even better. Now I beg to differ. For starters (I know it's a >demo,but...) the annoying switch-detail during replays blows. Bigtime. >Blimp view?? Hahahahahaha. I am really annoyed, though, at the armco >(guardrail) lines flickering all the time. I don't see this in GP2 at >all. What gives? This is really annoying, when this happens, the game >stops being a sim. Fix this. Please!! >> This game seems to be a hog as well. A lower Pentium and graphics >>cars will not really cut it as well and with the satisfaction that a >>user will want. It's all worth it, IMHO. >P166, 32MB RAM, 512K Burst, Matrox Millenium. Slower frame rate than >Gp2, I even played with it a lot. I hope that this improves, since >there's a helluva lot less to show than Gp2 and it's slower anyway. >Damn. >Jeff

I am running Nascar2 on a p5-166 w/ 24megs and a Lightspeed 128 and it is smooth with all details on. I would say propably 22-25 fps. You should keep in mind that this is strictly a demo and Adam has said that there will faster frame rates in the final.

<<I will agree. The moire-ing of the armco at the Glen is very distracting. It sorta reminds me a a blue & white barber pole.>> I understand how you feel, especially considering that most players are accustomed to the NASCAR Racing version of WGI, however the armco barrier as represented on the demo is actually how the track is. I found it to be actually a little smoother and easier to run after a few tries. <<Am sure this will be improved. This is a demo and has not been optimized yet. Knowing this I am impressed. However, the graphics still seem to be pixellated.>> Speaking of improvements, I did notice one area this morning where I had a little scuffle. For some reason, the timing is misjudging my laps. At AMS, I was running what were clearly laps in the high 170's and the timing said I was going 155. Strange, especially considering that you never go that slowly there, even in the turns. Nick _______________________________________________________________ #6 and #94 in the *real* quest for the Cup! My home away from home... http://www.mindspring.com/~ntotoro/ _______________________________________________________________

<<What sound card are you using?? Is it a Gravis??>> I'm using an older SB16 (not P-n-P) but have disabled the joystick port and am using a Thrustmaster ACM for a game card. <<I don't see this in GP2 at all. What gives? This is really annoying, when this happens, the game stops being a sim. Fix this. Please!!>> It's just a demo. That being said, I'm sure they realize the problem and will have it corrected by the time the actual game is in production. That is the reason for a demo. I feel the replay function is pretty useless in demo form, so it really can't possibly be staying the way it is. Nick _______________________________________________________________ #6 and #94 in the *real* quest for the Cup! My home away from home... http://www.mindspring.com/~ntotoro/ _______________________________________________________________

maybe even better. Now I beg to differ. For starters (I know it's a demo,but...) the annoying switch-detail during replays blows. Bigtime. Blimp view?? Hahahahahaha. I am really annoyed, though, at the armco (guardrail) lines flickering all the time. I don't see this in GP2 at all. What gives? This is really annoying, when this happens, the game stops being a sim. Fix this. Please!! << Nascar 2 *is not* a game, or sim, or anything but a demo ... yet. Wait for the final release to pass judgement, eh? !^NavFont02F01D9000BQGJHH7CHHDAFBC8 -- Posted 09/29/96 at 21:31

> Speaking of improvements, I did notice one area this morning where >I had a little scuffle. For some reason, the timing is misjudging my >laps. At AMS, I was running what were clearly laps in the high 170's and >the timing said I was going 155. Strange, especially considering that >you never go that slowly there, even in the turns. If I'm not mistaken, the F1 screen is currently displaying the average lap speed/time, not the last lap. Dave (davids) Sparks Late Night League http://www.sequoia-dev.com/Hawaii/latenite.html

: P166, 32MB RAM, 512K Burst, Matrox Millenium. Slower frame rate than : Gp2, I even played with it a lot. I hope that this improves, since : there's a helluva lot less to show than Gp2 and it's slower anyway. : Damn. I would keep playing. I have a P133, 32 megs EDO, 256k burst, ATI Mach 64 2Meg Vram, and I get perfectly smooth frame rates (by this I mean that I cannot tell a slow down at all, in fact I have clouds set to auto, with the minimum F.R. set at 27, and they stay on all the time.) That is also drawing 15 cars ahead, and 8 or 9 behind, and the mirror on. Are you trying to run it through win 95? BTW this performance was achieved as per the readme, with the computer shut down into MSDOS mode. Good Luck -- __________________________________________________________ Member Alpha Psi chapter __________________________________________________________

<<If I'm not mistaken, the F1 screen is currently displaying the average lap speed/time, not the last lap.>> I'd agree except for a few things. One, there are no cautions on to slow the field. Hence, the leader, at least, is always at speed and a 20mph+ variance is quite large. Second, when I raced WGI and chose to monitor lap times rather than speed, I was seeing lap times that really shouldn't have been if that were the case. For instance, I started a race there last in the grid (no big deal... seventh). Conservatively, I made my way to the lead by mid-lap three. The AI cars love to block, don't they! Quite dangerous if you're not careful... I love it 8 ) After I got through the traffic my next lap time, with a clear track, was a whopping six seconds faster! Is that possibly right? I'm sure it wasn't an average of six seconds because, after four-five laps of racing, I don't think I ran quickly enough in one lap to lop off six seconds from the average race speed. Heck, I know the blocking slowed me a little, but I didn't even think I ran *one* lap six seconds more quickly! If we could get an answer on what type of model is used I'm sure many would appreciate it. Nick _______________________________________________________________ #6 and #94 in the *real* quest for the Cup! My home away from home... http://www.mindspring.com/~ntotoro/ _______________________________________________________________

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> : P166, 32MB RAM, 512K Burst, Matrox Millenium. Slower frame rate than > : Gp2, I even played with it a lot. I hope that this improves, since > : there's a helluva lot less to show than Gp2 and it's slower anyway. > : Damn. > I would keep playing. I have a P133, 32 megs EDO, 256k burst, ATI Mach 64 > 2Meg Vram, and I get perfectly smooth frame rates (by this I mean that > I cannot tell a slow down at all, in fact I have clouds set to auto, with > the minimum F.R. set at 27, and they stay on all the time.) That is also > drawing 15 cars ahead, and 8 or 9 behind, and the mirror on. Are you > trying to run it through win 95? BTW this performance was achieved as per > the readme, with the computer shut down into MSDOS mode. Good Luck > -- > __________________________________________________________ > Member > Alpha Psi chapter > __________________________________________________________

I dont understand why some guys are complaining that N2 runs slow, I have a 133, 32 meg EDO, 512k cache, Triton II mobo and N2 runs way faster with full detail than N1, GP2. The only one that is comparable is ICR2 where I can get some slowdown but very little. Maybe the machine is a dog, a benchmark test seems in order. Trev ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thomas Enterprises Makers of the TSW the best racing controller. http://www.ia.net/~thomas Lifetime warranty. Solid steel construction. -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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>: P166, 32MB RAM, 512K Burst, Matrox Millenium. Slower frame rate than >: Gp2, I even played with it a lot. I hope that this improves, since >: there's a helluva lot less to show than Gp2 and it's slower anyway. >: Damn. >I would keep playing. I have a P133, 32 megs EDO, 256k burst, ATI Mach 64 >2Meg Vram, and I get perfectly smooth frame rates (by this I mean that >I cannot tell a slow down at all, in fact I have clouds set to auto, with >the minimum F.R. set at 27, and they stay on all the time.) That is also >drawing 15 cars ahead, and 8 or 9 behind, and the mirror on. Are you >trying to run it through win 95? BTW this performance was achieved as per >the readme, with the computer shut down into MSDOS mode. Good Luck

--snip-- I am running the demo on a P133, 16 megs EDO, 512k Burst, Matrox Millennium. Frame rate is fantastic. I have everything on, but asphalt texture. Clouds on auto and Min. F.R. at 20, and the clouds stay on constantly. And as above, this was achieved as per the readme, with the computer shut down in MSDOS mode. J. Villanueva

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> > : P166, 32MB RAM, 512K Burst, Matrox Millenium. Slower frame rate than > > : Gp2, I even played with it a lot. I hope that this improves, since > > : there's a helluva lot less to show than Gp2 and it's slower anyway. > > : Damn. > > I would keep playing. I have a P133, 32 megs EDO, 256k burst, ATI Mach 64 > > 2Meg Vram, and I get perfectly smooth frame rates (by this I mean that > > I cannot tell a slow down at all, in fact I have clouds set to auto, with > > the minimum F.R. set at 27, and they stay on all the time.) That is also > > drawing 15 cars ahead, and 8 or 9 behind, and the mirror on. Are you > > trying to run it through win 95? BTW this performance was achieved as per > > the readme, with the computer shut down into MSDOS mode. Good Luck > > -- > > __________________________________________________________ > > Member > > Alpha Psi chapter > > __________________________________________________________ > I dont understand why some guys are complaining that N2 runs slow, I > have a 133, 32 meg EDO, 512k cache, Triton II mobo and N2 runs way > faster with full detail than N1, GP2. The only one that is comparable is > ICR2 where I can get some slowdown but very little. > Maybe the machine is a dog, a benchmark test seems in order. > Trev > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Thomas Enterprises Makers of the TSW the best racing > controller. > http://www.ia.net/~thomas Lifetime warranty. Solid steel construction. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have tried the demo on 3 PCs. It seems to be spotty on the performance. My 166/32/diam. 3400 runs good. My dads 166/16 matrox runs bad. And my buddies 100/16 ATI runs better than dads 166. RAM does not seem to help, but the video card manufacturer does seem to change things. Rich Des Moines, IA

Uh, no. The track is waaaay too simple, but that's another story. The graphics are not accurate. Not unless you see life thru horizontal slits. I don't think I explained this well enough. If you watch a news broadcast, and the idiot with the blow-dried hair wears a suit with a herringbone pattern, and the thing looks like it 'moves' ...that's what we mean. US TV's show this problem constantly- the resolution is about 1/2 of a VGA system..that's why there's been a push for HDTV, and that's also why a well-written (this is uncommon) program for a low-tech box like a Playstation can look as good as it does for such a low price. Demo or not- this is something that they really need to address. It looks like crap. Same thing with the details switching while watching replays.

<<If you watch a news broadcast, and the idiot with the blow-dried hair wears a suit with a herringbone pattern, and the thing looks like it 'moves' ...that's what we mean.>> My bad... I understand exactly what you mean. I'm sure this can be attributed to just pre-production jitters. Like I said before, that's why demo's are used. I'm sure they see the same things we do and that any company wanting to survive with a decent customer base will correct them. Nick _______________________________________________________________ #6 and #94 in the *real* quest for the Cup! My home away from home... http://www.mindspring.com/~ntotoro/ _______________________________________________________________