I76- Hits the street tomorrow. My predictions....

You bought Activisions's MechWarrior2 on day one for Netmech, didn't you? -- John - See that Dani Behr? That's your bit on the side, that is.

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>Actually, there will be a large scale buying of this game, anyway. >Sight unseen. No demo. The funky,funky ad campaign will see to that. >Unfortunately, the buying will be accompanied by much whining and >posting of graphics speed complaints to this group. >What a shame. >You heard it here first ... :) >Comments?

Agree with everything you say. Just want to add a note to software publishers: "No Demo. No Buy. No Way. No How."

>Agree with everything you say. Just want to add a note to software >publishers: "No Demo. No Buy. No Way. No How." To the reggae music of "No woman, no cry": I remember when, we used to run our games on VGA computers 486 was plenty of CPU power, Now you need a Pentium just to boot No demo, no buy ... no demo no buy! Hey little sister, turn off your 3D chip ... no demo no buy! I remember when, my Commodore 64 would play Summer Games and Jumpman Now it takes 200Mhz just to scroll and run my graphics smoothly No demo, no buy ... no demo no buy! Hey little sister, turn off your 3D chip ... no demo no buy! I remember when, the 3DO came out it semed to run quite quickly Now I have drink, my only remedy for fear of scrolling chunkily No demo, no buy ... no demo no buy! Hey little sister, turn off your 3D chip ... no demo no buy! ========================================== Hope you like it, it's my new #1 hit single! ;-) Joe

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>>Agree with everything you say. Just want to add a note to software >>publishers: "No Demo. No Buy. No Way. No How." >To the reggae music of "No woman, no cry": >Hope you like it, it's my new #1 hit single! ;-) >Joe

Joe, you need some free time on your hands. :-)

: rrevved wrote... : > Unfortunately, the buying will be accompanied by much whining and : > posting of graphics speed complaints to this group. : > : > What a shame. : > : > You heard it here first ... :) : > : > Comments? : You bought Activisions's MechWarrior2 on day one for Netmech, didn't : you? Dunno about him, but I certainly didn't. A game should be purchased on the merits of it's one player quality, and the net play should be secondary. I think that I76 will turn out like Mercs, details will have to be turned down to run the damn thing decently on a P166.

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> : rrevved wrote... > : > Unfortunately, the buying will be accompanied by much whining and > : > posting of graphics speed complaints to this group. > : > > : > What a shame. > : > > : > You heard it here first ... :) > : > > : > Comments? > : You bought Activisions's MechWarrior2 on day one for Netmech, didn't > : you? > Dunno about him, but I certainly didn't. A game should be > purchased on the merits of it's one player quality, and the net play > should be secondary. I think that I76 will turn out like Mercs, details > will have to be turned down to run the damn thing decently on a P166.

Exactly. And that's why so many people are in here wondering when the damn 3d patch will be available, 'cause we want it all: high frame rates with maximum detail. I'm still grabbing this game, but since I don't even see the friggin' demo on the net yet, I'm really unsure about the 3d patch. I can't wait to buy I76, but I really wonder if it will be another shelved title as I wait for a patch. I can hear it now, "the patch is 90% ready, but there's still a few bugs left, so give us 2 months." Would someone from Activision please update us on the status of both the demo and the 3d patch? TIA. Dean Olmstead

Perhaps. However, I76 does run somewhat better than Mercs on my PPro 200 in 640x480 with all details on. This is likely because Mercs doesn't like DirectX 3 overly much, but then, I76 is more detailed. <soapbox> However, I wonder why people are ***ing about the speed of Mercs and, probably, I76, while they don't *** overly much about Quake. A PPro200 is possibly the only current processor that can currently handle normal Quake in DOS in 640x480. Why? Textures, that's why...good texturemaps in 640x480 take a ton of processor time to software render. Anyway, it seems that people are expecting Activision to accomplish a miracle that John Carmack and Michael Abrash couldn't, along with any company who's ever done a 640x480 flight simulator (Novalogic aside, but coding a FS in ASM must be hell, and F-22 wasn't much besides graphics, anyway)? Yes, space simulations like WC4 and Tie Fighter will run well in 640x480 with full detail on a P133, but neither of these space sims has a complex physics engine or non-spacecraft in the playing field (that is, space sims don't have terrain and such). Anyway... </soapbox> ---- Goodbye You can keep this suit of lights I'm not coming down... -U2, "Gone" ----

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>>Actually, there will be a large scale buying of this game, anyway. >>Sight unseen. No demo. The funky,funky ad campaign will see to that. >>Unfortunately, the buying will be accompanied by much whining and >>posting of graphics speed complaints to this group. >>What a shame. >>You heard it here first ... :) >>Comments? >Agree with everything you say. Just want to add a note to software >publishers: "No Demo. No Buy. No Way. No How."

Of course, then publishers will delay the game to put a demo out, a la Daggerfall, and people will *** and whine about game delays. :P C. tew ---- Goodbye You can keep this suit of lights I'm not coming down... -U2, "Gone" ----

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> >> Buyer Beware..... > >> Activision has not formally committed to any schedule for 3D hardware > >> support. > >I have been a beta tester of the game and I can > >tell you that, although the graphics are not as good as they'll be when > >the 3D support is in there, the graphics are terrific supporting up to > >1024x768 resolutions with all kinds of options to turn graphics on and > >off.

--SNIP-- I think you are DEAD ON here. I love Mechwarrior 2 et.al. Activision makes great games, but they always seem to fall shy of complete (not to mention bug free). With Mechwarrior2 we got a great game, many bugs, so-so graphics, false advertising, and lots of lame excuses from the publisher. I hope they have learned from MW2 and release a product that is ready and complete as advertised. I for one am looking forward th I76, but my MW2 experience dictates that I wait (many months) for the first bug fix before I buy it. I respectfully submit that we _all_ wait for the first bug fix before buying I76. And I am BEGGING all of you out there that don't wait: whine directly to Acitivision and *NOT INTO THIS NEWSGROUP*. please. ;^\ Activision are you listening? -- Ed Pickart My other sig line is a STOCK CAR. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ATTN: (ReplyTo column munged to discouraged spam) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(rrevved) uttered these pearls of wisdom: Well, I for one will let it sit on the shelf at the software store UNTIL Activision releases a patch to let me use it on my Orchid R3D. And, then, after the patch is issued (and, hopefull plenty of reviews from the scouts.. uh, my fellow gamers on Usenet) I'll pick it up. -------- "Only the crazies hang around nursery." Remove the "X" in front of my name if you want to send me email. Hopefully, this will kill some of the damn spam.

>Well, I for one will let it sit on the shelf at the software store >UNTIL Activision releases a patch to let me use it on my Orchid R3D. >And, then, after the patch is issued (and, hopefull plenty of reviews >from the scouts.. uh, my fellow gamers on Usenet) I'll pick it up. Yup. Same here. Speaking of the 3D patch, does anyone know if the forthcoming demo will also be D3D? Sure would sweeten the pot :) Jon S

Jak Crow wrote...

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> : > Unfortunately, the buying will be accompanied by much whining and > : > posting of graphics speed complaints to this group. > : > > : > What a shame. > : > > : > You heard it here first ... :) > : > > : > Comments? > : You bought Activisions's MechWarrior2 on day one for Netmech, didn't : > you? > Dunno about him, but I certainly didn't. A game should be purchased on > the merits of it's one player quality, and the net play should be > secondary. I think that I76 will turn out like Mercs, details will have > to be turned down to run the damn thing decently on a P166.

Well, no, a game should be bought on its merits for *doing what you want it to do*. If you want a game for multiplayer, or want 3D support, which is promised for "some time in the future" then there's no point buying it the game first and then complaining that the support hasn't materialised. I'd agree with you though, unless there has been some remarkable changes (ie complete rewrite) of the Mechwarrior engine, it's gonna be slow at a resonable resolution with all the features turned on, even on a fast machine. -- John - There'll be no can of beer here, not if I can help it.

Does anybody know what the minimum and suggested system requirements are /will be... Will it run at all decently (With all details off, and lowest res possible) on a Pentium 90? I really want to play it but I won't be buying a new computer until next fall :( Soren Barr

Well, I just bought it. The minimum system is a P90 with 16 megs, and a 4x speed CD. Windows 95 only, of course...

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> We're doing the best we can and working as fast as we can. The I'76 > team is very dedicated to meeting eveyone's expectations... including > our own. So right now, the D3D patch and the demo are the main focus > for us. There have been many posts already and I know that many more > will follow. I'll try my best to keep on top of all of them... > Scott Krager > Producer, Interstate '76 > Activision > By the way, our multi-player options are awesome!!!

No prob. As soon as they become available I'll consider buying it. Dave -- --=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-- -- David Potts Views and Beliefs are my own, and do not -- -- Lucent Technologies represent Lucent Technologies in any way -- -- (Bell Labs Innovations) shape or form. -- -- -- -- Remove the _ in my address to reply, it is there to stop -- -- automatic mailers -- -- -- -- "By US Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer -- -- meets the definition of a telephone fax machine. By -- -- Sec.227(b)(1)(C), it is unlawful to send any unsolicited -- -- adverti***t to such equipment. By Sec.227(b)(3)(C), a -- -- violation of the aforementioned Section is punishable by action -- -- to recover actual monetary loss, or $500, whichever is greater, -- -- for each violation." -- -- -- --=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Here's the deal so far... D3D PATCH -- We have been working on this for a little over a couple weeks now. Like someone else in here posted, a D3D port is not some magical library that you link to and that's it. We have to alter and reprocess art and go through every subsystem of our engine and covert it... and believe me we have a big, complicated engine. In short, it takes time to do these kinds of things. Rest assured, though, that we want to get this out as soon as possible and that's what we are trying to do. I want to say that we know the value of hardware acceleration and want to fully support it by taking advantage of the growing technology out there---we as a company would be stupid not to do this. This is one of our top priorities and is not something that will be pushed by the wayside. We have not scheduled an exact date because we also don't believe in empty promises. Instead, I have taken it upon myself to directly keep you guys updated on the progress of I'76 related activities good or bad because we are, after all, doing all of this for you to being with. DEMO -- The demo is almost done. Now that we finished the full version of the game, I resumed work on this and also want to get this out as soon as possible. I can say that the demo will be out before the D3D patch. My plan was to release the demo before the full game but we were unable to do this because it would have meant delaying the full game. I honestly hope to have the demo out by next week, which at this point should not be a problem. If, for some reason, it isn't going to happen (and I can't think of ANY reason why it wouldn't), then I will let you guys know. We're doing the best we can and working as fast as we can. The I'76 team is very dedicated to meeting eveyone's expectations... including our own. So right now, the D3D patch and the demo are the main focus for us. There have been many posts already and I know that many more will follow. I'll try my best to keep on top of all of them... Scott Krager Producer, Interstate '76 Activision By the way, our multi-player options are awesome!!!

I76 is supposed to run fine at 320x200 with all details _on_ on a P90. I'd underclock my P133 to 90Mhz, but, well, I don't feel like it. :) Sam -- /| http://b52-78.datanet.nyu.edu/ (currently defunct) /| PGP Key ID: 0x63A9D707 /| I speak with my voice only, nobody else's!

Isnt this Interstate 176 an arcade game? If it is, it sure is taking up alot of bandwith in a NG about auto simulators. -DG-

> A game should be >purchased on the merits of it's one player quality, and the net play >should be secondary. What the hell is this bullshit!?!?! I purchase *NO* game "on the merits its one player quality". I purchase *NO* single player games. period. Single player has only one reason to exist IMHO, and thats to practice for multiplayer. :) Net play is primary (from my POV). That must be the most stoopid broad-brushed statement I've read all year. A person buys a game for what *THEY* wanna play, there is no other merits. -Gremlin

: Here's the deal so far... <snip> : I want to say that we know the value of hardware acceleration and want : to fully support it by taking advantage of the growing technology out : there---we as a company would be stupid not to do this. This is one : of our top priorities and is not something that will be pushed by the : wayside. We have not scheduled an exact date because we also don't : believe in empty promises. Instead, I have taken it upon myself to : directly keep you guys updated on the progress of I'76 related : activities good or bad because we are, after all, doing all of this : for you to being with. <snip> : We're doing the best we can and working as fast as we can. The I'76 : team is very dedicated to meeting eveyone's expectations... including : our own. So right now, the D3D patch and the demo are the main focus : for us. There have been many posts already and I know that many more : will follow. I'll try my best to keep on top of all of them... : Scott Krager : Producer, Interstate '76 : Activision Just a short message, thanking you for keeping use posted about your product and the level of support you plan to provide. At times this newsgroup can get a little "heated", but please ignore the idiots and come back and see us some time. -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

>Isnt this Interstate 176 an arcade game? If it is, it sure is taking up >alot of bandwith in a NG about auto simulators. It apparently has quite a realistic driving model; the discussion is appropriate for this ng. Personally I find it a hell of a lot more interesting that reading the 10,000th "Gp2 kicks ICR2's ass" post or the trillionth "nascar daytona" post. Joe

>>The issue of 3D accelerators will come to the fore when (and if) >>Activision actually releases some NATIVE patches for 3D Cards. >>Hopefully, that happens before the NEXT generation of 3D cards >>arrives, Snip

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>>What a shame. >>You heard it here first ... :) >>Comments? >Well, I for one will let it sit on the shelf at the software store >UNTIL Activision releases a patch to let me use it on my Orchid R3D. >And, then, after the patch is issued (and, hopefull plenty of reviews >from the scouts.. uh, my fellow gamers on Usenet) I'll pick it up.

Same thing over here! I've had enough with the deal that Mech Warrior II had with netmech. I aint buying anything that has "promised support in the future"... Especially from activision, since we know their track record with that kind of thing <cough>. Hopefully this time they've kinda fixed up their policies on that. Anyways, just wanted to post this so all game companies reading will know how at least I feel on this kind of matter. Won't buy it 'til I see it... Hopefully it'll come out soon though cuz from what I heard its a great game <G> --- James Note: To reply by Email remove the NSPAM! from the beginning of my E-mail. These spammers have just gotten WAY too annoying.

>Here's the deal so far... [...] >DEMO -- The demo is almost done. Now that we finished the full >version of the game, I resumed work on this and also want to get this >out as soon as possible. I can say that the demo will be out before >the D3D patch. [...] Is this demo gonna be downloadable (say 10MBs max) for us UK-phone- bill-by-the-second paying types, or a mags CD only 60MB monster? Franc Kaos ~ Delete asterisk from beginning and end of email address ~ Too much spamming! ~ Cheers

> > A game should be > >purchased on the merits of it's one player quality, and the net play > >should be secondary. > What the hell is this bullshit!?!?! I purchase *NO* game "on the It isn't bullshit. But then... 'Net play is cool, when the price of phonecalls (at least local ones) is nothing or next to nothing. When you have to pay through the nose for extended 'Net-play (and I don't imagine a multiplayer game lasts for 15 minutes or so), you *do* judge a game by it's single-player quality. Furthermore, I'm living in Europe, and well, I can play decent Quake games (my ISP offers a Quake server ;) but for the rest...ping times way too high. Everything's located in the US it seems. So when I (and I think a lot of other people with me, especially the Internet-less people, yes they do exist :) buy a game, I want good single player playability. I wish we all get off the Internet and multiplay *** bandwagon somewhat and make some decent, no *awesome* single player games with good AI. Urgh...when you read all those magazines too...All writing between the lines: "Net play is the thing. Who cares when you get a $800 dollar phonebill..." Geezz. But again, it's IMHO and stuff too. Cya, -- Johan List -- (Ice rocks hitting hull) - "Captain, we're being hailed."

On Fri, 28 Mar 1997 08:30:53 -0500, David Gary >Isnt this Interstate 176 an arcade game? If it is, it sure is taking up >alot of bandwith in a NG about auto simulators. >-DG- who cares! just dont read the messages

Hi Scott, >Here's the deal so far... >D3D PATCH -- Which 3D cards will the I76 patch support? I have an ATI 3D Rage, will you be supporting this card? The MechWarrior2 I have for this card is fantastic (all textures on, smooth frame rate in 640x480). Joe

> >Isnt this Interstate 176 an arcade game? If it is, it sure is taking up > >alot of bandwith in a NG about auto simulators. > It apparently has quite a realistic driving model; the discussion is > appropriate for this ng. Really?!! The first "true" shootem up game/ Simulator! Ill have to check this out! Wheres the demo?! Personally I find it a hell of a lot more Jez, isnt that the truth! -DG-

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>>Isnt this Interstate 176 an arcade game? If it is, it sure is taking up >>alot of bandwith in a NG about auto simulators. >It apparently has quite a realistic driving model; the discussion is >appropriate for this ng. Personally I find it a hell of a lot more >interesting that reading the 10,000th "Gp2 kicks ICR2's ass" post or >the trillionth "nascar daytona" post. >Joe

Here, here.... I second that. I'm all for discussing this fun driving sim/game here, it's not like there is much happening in the "realistic" sim category lately anyhow, other than waiting for patches and whining about the same old known bugs. BTW. I-76 multiplayer over the NET is excellent, nothing like shooting it out with 7 other cars in my Hot Rod Lincoln to get the old e***ment going. I'm a pretty *** fan of "serious" driving sims like GP2 N2 and ICR2, but I-76 sure is a fun game to just load up and do some multi-player action when I don't have enough time to sit down and work on my setup for Interlagos in GP2. Cheers. --John a.k.a. "Kludger" on I-76 melee... lookout for my gold Lincoln in your rearview! -- Note: my real e-mail address is below. Delete the asterisks. ------------------------------+-------------------------- Seattle, Washington USA. | http://www.cool.com/~jsilva

REPLY: Ditto here. Magic the Gathering from Microprose is stating multiplayer in the future, this the latest example. Q.B.M.

Will it run at all decently (With all details off, and lowest I also have a P90, with 16 megs, and despite what all the whiney kids have to say, I run the game in 600x480, with all the extra goodies turned off. Plays great! I highly recommend buying this game. Of course, I am one of those wierdos who believe in gameplay over graphics. ;-)

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> Will it run at all decently (With all details off, and lowest >>res possible) on a Pentium 90? >> Soren Barr >I also have a P90, with 16 megs, and despite what all the whiney kids >have to say, I run the game in 600x480, with all the extra goodies >turned off. Plays great! I highly recommend buying this game. Of >course, I am one of those wierdos who believe in gameplay over >graphics. ;-)

It was playable (not super smooth, but good enough) on my mom's 486 DX4100 w/24megs of ram. Sure I had everything off, but it was playable, until I got back to school, and my P133 Scott Ford

I would suggest grabbing another 16megs and you will enjoy it even more!!

> >Agree with everything you say. Just want to add a note to software > >publishers: "No Demo. No Buy. No Way. No How." > To the reggae music of "No woman, no cry": > Hope you like it, it's my new #1 hit single! ;-) PPPPPPPPPFFFFFFFFFFFFFHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA !!!!!!!!! :^]= Well you're now an official cool guy of r.a.s. Good race at the Brickyard, (Old'Indytrack guy in rec.autos.simulators) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ =ymenard now!!! SPEED- http://www.nascarnet.com/~speed [===] Go Rubens Barrichello, Jacques Villeneuve, | ! | And all you that thinks that Jacques Villeneuve is |!| from Canada, your right!! He's from St-Jean sur le |o| Richelieu, 30 minutes from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. [--I--] v Fran?ois Mnard "Wasupe LeGrand" May the force be with you, always!! Que la force soit avec toi, jamais!(for you French people) Excuse me for my poor English(I'm French speaking)