GP2: Very slow, what am I doing wrong?

I'm running a Dell Dimension XPS PPro200 with a #9 332 and can't get GP2 running fast without turning off all the options. With the options on, it feels like I'm racing in slow motion. With the options off, the game moves okay, but the graphics are nothing like ICR2 or Need for Speed, which run fine with everything on. I'm running it in Win95. Do I really need to run in DOS to make it work right? I'm a recently converted Mac Weenie, so right now I can't even get my CD-ROM to work in DOS. If I do need DOS, is there a web site or something that tells me how to set up autoexec.bat files, etc.? Also, I have fastvid, but every setting that I run it at seems to give me the same numbers with vidspeed. Do I still need this with a recent (~1 month old) Pentium Pro? Thanks! Ashok Rodrigues

Could it be the fact that Pentium Pro's are optimized for 32bit programs and GP2 is a 16bit program? I've read this kind of thing before and have heard that P166's are better than PPro200's when it comes to 16bit software. It's the other way around though when it comes to 32bit software such as Windows NT or OS/2. Tony

Perhaps, but it was my understanding that many DOS games have been 32-bit for some time. That's why many need some form of DOS extender like DOS/4GW. I recall Rick Genter (formerly of Papyrus as the Lead Technical Director for IndyCarII) discussing this very issue when the PPros were first released. -- Emory University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Nascar Setups Page: http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~ebusch/

There was a thread here recently that (I thought) clearly explained that most of GP2 was true 32-bit code. I suspect that the problem is that the Pentium Pro disable (by default) several 'fast video' modes that were enabled (by default) on the the Pentium chip. There is a utility program called FASTVID that is supposed to be able to correct this and enable the 'fast video' modes on the PPro. Maybe this will help? 12:07 am

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>Perhaps, but it was my understanding that many DOS games have been 32-bit >for some time. That's why many need some form of DOS extender like >DOS/4GW. I recall Rick Genter (formerly of Papyrus as the Lead Technical >Director for IndyCarII) discussing this very issue when the PPros were >first released. >-- >Emory University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences >Nascar Setups Page: http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~ebusch/ >> Could it be the fact that Pentium Pro's are optimized for 32bit >> programs and GP2 is a 16bit program? >> I've read this kind of thing before and have heard that P166's are >> better than PPro200's when it comes to 16bit software. >> It's the other way around though when it comes to 32bit software such >> as Windows NT or OS/2.

< Paul Challinor > < The Bama Companies, Inc. > < Tulsa, Oklahoma >

When I boot up GP2, it says DOS/4GW as the game loads in, so from what I understand, it is 32-bit and should really fly on this PPro200. Actually, I messed around with Fastvid some more, and I think I have it configured wrong. Vidspeed actually slows _way_ down when I enable the last setting (using the memory location it provides). I think this mem location is wrong - how do I find out what it is for a #9 332? And does anyone know if I truly need to run this from DOS? If so, any ideas on web sites or books that tell you how to configure a CD-ROM, T2, etc.?

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>Perhaps, but it was my understanding that many DOS games have been 32-bit >for some time. That's why many need some form of DOS extender like >DOS/4GW. I recall Rick Genter (formerly of Papyrus as the Lead Technical >Director for IndyCarII) discussing this very issue when the PPros were >first released. >> Could it be the fact that Pentium Pro's are optimized for 32bit >> programs and GP2 is a 16bit program? >> I've read this kind of thing before and have heard that P166's are >> better than PPro200's when it comes to 16bit software. >> It's the other way around though when it comes to 32bit software such >> as Windows NT or OS/2.

Ah yes I forgot about Dos extenders :) I'm not sure if GP2 uses one though. Any ideas? Tony

: >running fast without turning off all the options. With the options on, it : >feels like I'm racing in slow motion. With the options off, the game moves : Could it be the fact that Pentium Pro's are optimized for 32bit : programs and GP2 is a 16bit program? GP2 is a 32bit program. : Tony -carlos

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>I'm running a Dell Dimension XPS PPro200 with a #9 332 and can't get GP2 >running fast without turning off all the options. With the options on, it >feels like I'm racing in slow motion. With the options off, the game moves >okay, but the graphics are nothing like ICR2 or Need for Speed, which run >fine with everything on. >I'm running it in Win95. Do I really need to run in DOS to make it work >right? I'm a recently converted Mac Weenie, so right now I can't even get >my CD-ROM to work in DOS. If I do need DOS, is there a web site or >something that tells me how to set up autoexec.bat files, etc.? Also, I >have fastvid, but every setting that I run it at seems to give me the same >numbers with vidspeed. Do I still need this with a recent (~1 month old) >Pentium Pro? >Thanks! >Ashok Rodrigues

Other owners of ppro's have posted high framerates, so it isn't a matter of the ppro being bad at dosgames or anything. The only suggestion that I have is to set the actual framerate 2.0 lower than the suggested,estimated framerate. This should keep processor occupancy below 100% (check with the "o"-key when playing the game) It seems unlikely though that this is the reason for your slideshow. Maybe mail microprose? success, Jo =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= The most civilized civilizations are as close to barba- rism as polished iron is to rust. Rivarol =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

GP2 does you a Dos Extender ----------------------------------------------------------------- Park Group, Southend, Essex. UK -----------------------------------------------------------------

writes My machine is at the other extreme of the spectrum (DX2-66 16meg running W95) and it doesn't make all that much difference wether I launch from W95 or boot to dos first. BENCH W95 42.1, Dos 43.2 SVGABNCH W95 12.9 Dos 13.4. No discernable difference running the game. If you think your machine is slow, you should try mine:) -- Trevor Farrell

Is that a Pentium Pro trying to run a 16-bit program? > I'm running a Dell Dimension XPS PPro200 with a #9 332 and can't get GP2 > running fast without turning off all the options. With the options on, it > feels like I'm racing in slow motion. With the options off, the game moves

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> okay, but the graphics are nothing like ICR2 or Need for Speed, which run > fine with everything on. > I'm running it in Win95. Do I really need to run in DOS to make it work > right? I'm a recently converted Mac Weenie, so right now I can't even get > my CD-ROM to work in DOS. If I do need DOS, is there a web site or > something that tells me how to set up autoexec.bat files, etc.? Also, I > have fastvid, but every setting that I run it at seems to give me the

same > numbers with vidspeed. Do I still need this with a recent (~1 month old) > Pentium Pro? > Thanks! > Ashok Rodrigues

I don't know anything about your video card, I have the Millennium 4 Meg. But the rest of the system should be fine, if it has the Natoma, or the debugged Orion (B step) support chips. I am assuming the computer is recent, and Dell doesn't have some particular problem. My P6 was dog slow until I got fstvid. Once things are tuned, I believe every P6 owner is happy. I have an older B step Orion PPro/200. No interleaving on the ram. This is as slow as they get, I run full detail, but no detail in mirrors. Just the cars floating in a field of blue. This has an estimated average frame rate of 23.2. I follow the convention and run at the next lower setting, 21.3. I hopped in the ***pit of the last computer car which has to draw lots of cars in front, and watched the processor occupancy for a lap around Suzoka. It spiked to 300% for a fraction of a second at that first right hander. After that the occupancy hovered at about 90 - 100%, maxing at 125% and bottoming out at about 75%. To me, this looks like TV coverage, in terms of frame rate. Fastvid can be found at: [link lost in import] Read the instructions. Post here if you need help. As far as 16 bit code crippling the P6, I think that's BS. But there have been hundreds of posts, it's Saturday night, I'm going racing. Good luck. Larry =========================================================================== Larry Lindstrom. Consultant - Unix - X Window - Comms