Found the following in the March 97 issue of Popular Science. This is a
portion of the article "Racing Simulations: Armchair Adrenaline" by
Robin Nelson. The article is accompanied by "screen shots from NASCAR2,
An in-car shot with dash, Dale Earnhardt's Driver info, and the garage
setup sheet.
"To warrant taking this kind of plunge, a computer simulation has to do
at least one of three things extremely well:
1. Create a cult. NASCAR Racing from Papyrus has done just that.
The program is based on the 1994 NASCAR racing season, duplicating it in
exhaustive detail, from nine classic ovals -- Atlanta to Talladega to
Watkins Glen -- right down to each car's layout and setup. Without a
real-world driving feel in its guts, NASCAR Racing would merely be plain
fun, but this simulation's got all the tweaks and feedbacks --
everything from spoiler adjustment, to the little gauge that tells you
individual tire pressures, to that great air-impact wrench squeal during
pit stops. The program is wide open to customization, and as a result,
NASCAR cultist Web sites have bloomed spontaneously on the internet,
where an updated version based on the 1996 season can be downloaded,
along with car models that sport authentic decals of auto racing
sponsors from Advil to Zantac."
#2 is Push the simulation envelope -- covering Grand Prix II
#3 is Eploit the hardware -- covering Monster Truck Madness
I think Pop Science needs a "fact checker". They also say that one
needs a Pentium 133 (or equivalent) 16MB of memory and a 6x CD-ROM
driver or faster. "With a slower CD-ROM, you dcan still install the
entire program to a hard disk for brisk action... And to ultimately
get your head into the game, you'll need a premium sound card purchased
within the last six months. Upgrading a system that's not more than two
or three years old to these specs should involve an investment of less
than $500; a brand new system will cost at least three times that much."
Let's see I have a 2x CD-ROM and an ancient ProAudioSpectrum soundcard.
I guess I shouldn't be racing sims on my computer. ;-) Of course I did
upgrade my motherboard/CPU to a P5-166 and new memory, bought an
Integraph Rendition video card. This was close to $950, according to
Pop Science I still need to spend another 200-400 for a new soundcard
and CD-ROM. No, wait a minute, I should have just spent $1499.00 for a
new system... I must be doing something wrong. I still can't get GP2
to move at Monaco, it's still basically a view-master at this track.
Oh well, at least I am part of the "Cult" ;-)
--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
It is kind of fun to see how high the processor occupancy will go:) Last
time I turned everything on at monaco with my p75, I was half-racing, and
half waiting for my processor to grow an arm, then reach out and slap me
silly.
As a cult, I wonder if we could take over the Microprose building and force
them to finish GP2.?!?
--
Brian Fox
Geocities' MotorCity Community Leader
Get your own free homepage at http://www.geocities.com
The Fox Den: Nascar 1 and 2, ICR2, GP2 and my Streetrod.
http://www.4w.com/pages/fox AND/OR
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/1238
> Oh well, at least I am part of the "Cult" ;-)
> **************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
Well, I guess since we all gather regularly here and chant the same
things over and over, engage in the same activities religiously, and
clearly demarcate who constitutes the "us" and who constitutes the
"them" in the simracing world, that makes us a cult. I'd have to
agree.... ;-)
--
Matt & Audrey Lewis
> > Oh well, at least I am part of the "Cult" ;-)
> > **************************** Michael E. Carver
So where's my membership card?? The secret handshake?? And most
importantly how do I get my wife in the cult?? :)
Seriously though, I have a bunch of co-workers who spend there nights
shooting people on doom and other games. At least in simracing you
are trying NOT to hit anything!
[How 'bout that Kyle Petty making the 500?? Skin of his teeth.]
--
::::::::#########::::::::::David Burton aka Vetteracer
:########################::http://www.rust.net/~daland
########################:::"You have to first finish,
:::::::#########:::::::::::before finishing first"
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Personally I feel Cult is the wrong word.
For some reason when I think of cult I think of ***, ***, Controversy
and strange people in general.
I think Nascar Racing is clean straightup fun. It's more fad'ish in a sense
for now. It has to stay a while longer and get a little bigger to become
mainstream. IMO the only thing holding it back is proper marketing, letting
people not only know it exists but how good it can be with the right system.
This is the program grease monkeys would like to know exist, ya know they
don't like pc's much, because nothing has ever grabbed them. Well I've
impressed a few so far.
Also Nascar can be tricky as well. If you don't have the proper hardware it's
not nearly as fufilling. Papyrus should put a sticker on the box stating what
is needed to really open the game up to it's full extent and the CD-Rom isn't
one of them.
IMO it should state:
P100+
Verite Chip.
Steering Wheel.
16 meg of ram, perferably 24-32 meg for a little more detail.
Then....
Any Compatible Soundcard
Any CD-Rom
Almost all the people I've met that play N2 were playing with a joystick and
SVGA and they ended up playing it sparingly. Well everyone now has a steering
wheel and a verite chip and play it much much more.
Q.B.M.
