GPL Review

This months PC Gamer (UK) has a review of GPL, they say it's a classic, 93%. Plus they say next month they will have screen shots of GP3!!!?! Tim.

Those $%^&ing morons only gave it a 93%!?! Are they high or something? Arthur Stealth Racing http://www.***sys.com/stealthracing.html

> Tim, what did they score it down on? (i.e., why 93% and not 100%?) I'm not Tim (but I play one on TV)...They were probably pissed that Sierra promised them an early look at Leisure Suit Larry-9, and when it didn't arrive, they knocked 7-points from GPL. Yep, makes sense to me. -- Marc J. Nelson The Sim Project - http://www.simproject.com * No animals were harmed in the making of this e-mail *

Anyone could have rated it as "a classic" simply based on what we've seen so far! :o) Tim, what did they score it down on? (i.e., why 93% and not 100%?) > This months PC Gamer (UK) has a review of GPL, they say it's a classic, 93%. > Plus they say next month they will have screen shots of GP3!!!?! > Tim. -- Regards, Bruce. ---------- The GP Legends Historic Motor Racing Club is located at:- http://www.netspeed.com.au/brucek/legends/

93% for PC Gamer is a good score, they rarely give any higher. The main concern for them is that it might be too difficult for most mortals. They praised the detail and AI of computer opponents and say the Nurburgring is awesome (tell us something we don't know). Tim.

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>Anyone could have rated it as "a classic" simply based on what we've >seen so far! :o) >Tim, what did they score it down on? (i.e., why 93% and not 100%?) >> This months PC Gamer (UK) has a review of GPL, they say it's a classic,

93%.

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>> Plus they say next month they will have screen shots of GP3!!!?! >> Tim. >-- >Regards, >Bruce. >---------- >The GP Legends Historic Motor Racing Club is located at:- >http://www.netspeed.com.au/brucek/legends/

LOL!! Thanks for that insightful guesstimation, Marc!! :o)

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> > Tim, what did they score it down on? (i.e., why 93% and not 100%?) > I'm not Tim (but I play one on TV)...They were probably pissed that > Sierra promised them an early look at Leisure Suit Larry-9, and when > it didn't arrive, they knocked 7-points from GPL. Yep, makes sense > to me. > -- > Marc J. Nelson > The Sim Project - http://www.simproject.com > * No animals were harmed in the making of this e-mail *

-- Regards, Bruce. ---------- The GP Legends Historic Motor Racing Club is located at:- http://www.netspeed.com.au/brucek/legends/

Thanks, Tim. > 93% for PC Gamer is a good score, they rarely give any higher. The main > concern for them is that it might be too difficult for most mortals. They > praised the detail and AI of computer opponents and say the Nurburgring is > awesome (tell us something we don't know). > Tim. -- Regards, Bruce. ----------

Don't hold your breath, they said they would have GP3 screenshots *last* month but didn't! 8-( -- *Peter* 8-)

Someone wrote a letter to the mag (I think it was this months actually?) asking why they never give a 100% score, their answer was that there is no such thing as the perfect game? which is true I suppose? we can always ask for more....... GPL wishlist = weather? more? 8-) -- *Peter* 8-)

Yeah, but this time they said 'definately'....so it must be true.

@cts.com Newsgroups: rec.autos.simulators First, PCGamer obviously reviewed a beta copy of the game, something they and every other games magazine does to "bring the the first review". I haven't heard of the game even going gold yet, and with lead times required for publishing, the GPL they reviewed is probably not even the same copy beta testers have today. So don't read too much into thier "review" of the game. I'm sure the reviewer(s) didn't have a full, final release to base thier review from. Just another reason most PC game mags are full of it......

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>> Anyone could have rated it as "a classic" simply based on what >we've >> seen so far! :o) >> Tim, what did they score it down on? (i.e., why 93% and not 100%?) >Someone wrote a letter to the mag (I think it was this months >actually?) asking why they never give a 100% score, their answer was >that there is no such thing as the perfect game? which is true I >suppose? we can always ask for more....... >GPL wishlist = weather? more? >8-)

I wouldn't give it a 100% score because it doesn't support Win98. Racer X Veteran Sim Racer Victory Lane- http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1423/

Ah shit, I must have just imagined it's been working fine all these months... ;-) Don't worry, it's perfect on Win98 (which is more than can be said for Win98, but that's another discussion). Cheers! John

> Don't worry, it's perfect on Win98 (which is more than can be said for > Win98, but that's another discussion). Ah-hah! Another Win98 bug...It refuses to allow you to type "Win95!" ;) -- Marc J. Nelson The Sim Project - http://www.simproject.com * No animals were harmed in the making of this e-mail *

Oh, wake up, for Christs' sake!! It simply doesn't support the *DEMO*, which was in creation before Bill Gates even *thought* about Windows 98!! > I wouldn't give it a 100% score because it doesn't support Win98. > Racer X > Veteran Sim Racer > Victory Lane- > http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1423/ -- Regards, Bruce. ---------- The GP Legends Historic Motor Racing Club is located at:- http://www.netspeed.com.au/brucek/legends/

> Just another reason most PC game mags are full of it...... Just out of curiosity, what did this mag score for CPR?

GP2 95% F1 Racing Simulation 83% NASCAR 2 87% CPR 74%

It will work in Win98. I don't know if techs will support it fully in Win98 but it does work in 98. -- Brian Tate BTate80 on TEN Zanzibar in Quake2 (The guy running around with the middle finger up) Assist LA for THOMAS ENTERPRISES HAWAII ACE LEAGUE http://dithots.org

You guys should really wait and play the release copy before getting all worked up about this. I'm living proof that the driver feedback is well than enough to keep you on the track because I absolutely suck at road courses. In our 44 driver online Nascar league, I'm probably 30th to 35th fastest at Watkins and Sears Point. I think the sound is great but I have not seen the demo either. -- Brian Tate BTate80 on TEN Zanzibar in Quake2 (The guy running around with the middle finger up) Assist LA for THOMAS ENTERPRISES HAWAII ACE LEAGUE http://dithots.org

Marc! Shut up now, you're beginning to _really_ confuse me :-) Cheers! John

Then either I read a review wrong, or just imagined it, because a worker from papy said there was no support for Win98 in the *GAME* Racer X Veteran Sim Racer Victory Lane- http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1423/

> >Oh, wake up, for Christs' sake!! > >It simply doesn't support the *DEMO*, which was in creation before Bill > >Gates even *thought* about Windows 98!! > Then either I read a review wrong, or just imagined it, because a worker from > papy said there was no support for Win98 in the *GAME* Everything I've seen posted by anyone from Papy regarding this issue has made it clear that the released game WILL support Win98 just fine. Trips

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> Now this really pisses me off.They have great graphics,great physics > modeling,virtual***pit,but sounds that dont even come close to Playstation > titles from a few years ago(NFS was excellent in giving the feel/tire slip > angle of the cars).The driver feedback is not good due to how badly the > sounds are done in the demo.This sim with its extra hard driving model should > of had superb sounds so that there is more feedback for the driver.The tire > sounds are too high pitched and at times you cant distinguish between them > and the engine making it hard to concentrate on oversteering out of turns > with throttle.I hope that it at least includes things like different pitch in > sounds as you enter tunnels and even the sounds of flying by trees and other > objects at these speeds. > Dan

I agree, Dan. Papyrus sims, with the exception of the original Nascar, have always been weak in the sound department. N2 doesn't compare to its predecessor, ICR2 sounds like mosquitoes on steroids. SODA, while not a true Papy sim, has probably the worst sound of any sim I've played. They're all good racing sims, but rotten sound. I've given GPL the benefit of the doubt since it's essentially a beta, but I don't have high hopes for it (sound-wise) based on past efforts. Luckily we can edit the sounds; I've lowered the tire squeal (making it more of a moan than a squeal), as well as the engine sound. Papyrus have told us that the sounds in the demo are "place holders". Maybe Eric or some other Papyrite can comment on whether we can truly look forward to an audio experience with GPL. I imagine the beta testers are bound by their NDA's to withhold comment. -- Neil Yeatman Ajax, Ontario, CANADA

> N2 doesn't compare to its predecessor They actually share the same file...N2 though, uses 2 versions of the original N1 sound sampled at a different rate. Papy couldn't resist a good thing and placed the N1/N2 engine file into the GPL demo...Hell, Bethesda liked it so much they used it in X-Car - along with a piece of GP2's engine thrown in for good measure! LOL! Oh, I don't know about that...seems like a pack of drunken bees to me. ;) All too true. =( Keep that sound handy...GPL has superb graphics and devine physics, but has sound that would cause anyone to have fits. Doesn't seem like such a big deal, as I've tried my hand at sound...Got lucky a couple of times (no cracks, eh!), but when it comes right_down_to actually filtering noise, distorting a wave form, or boosting a signal I find I'm way outta' my league. Sound can be a very important part of any game/sim, and if done well enough can help you overlook certain odities elsewhere. I, however, am willing to allow Papyrus to have good (but not great) sound in exchange for awesome gameplay, visuals and the like. I can easily "fix" the sound to my liking, but if the physics are poor, or the rest of the code isn't up_to_snuff, then what could I do? While I feel the sounds by themselves are no better than previous work, one thing that stands out from anything else I've played (by anyone) is that each car has it's OWN sound! Sitting in the pits, you could close your eyes and literally name the make of each car that just screamed past. Yowsa! This is gonna' be great! =) Cheers! Marc -- Marc J. Nelson The Sim Project - http://www.simproject.com * No animals were harmed in the making of this e-mail *

Thanks Tim. They sound pretty reasonable then. > > Just out of curiosity, what did this mag score for CPR? > GP2 95% > F1 Racing Simulation 83% > NASCAR 2 87% > CPR 74%

I think what is being missed in any discussion about sounds is that, to be realistic, we need to hear what the *driver* hears....not what a spectator or TV viewer hears. Now, if the producers did that, we'd be ***ing about the shocking buzzing noise that sounded nothing like what we as spectators hear! Even the sound of a F1 car in full flight, as picked up by the microphone that accompanies the on-car camera, sounds woeful when compared to the phenomenal noise that we hear from microphones around the circuit. > stuff -- Regards, Bruce. ---------- The GP Legends Historic Motor Racing Club is located at:- http://www.netspeed.com.au/brucek/legends/

When the sound is recorded by a stationary microphone, then the tone of the sound is higher when the car approaches and lower when it goes away. This is the so-called Doppler-effect. When you're in the car, you always travel at the same speed as the car, so the engine should sound much more monotone. That's the difference Han Monsees

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> I think what is being missed in any discussion about sounds is that, to > be realistic, we need to hear what the *driver* hears....not what a > spectator or TV viewer hears. > Now, if the producers did that, we'd be ***ing about the shocking > buzzing noise that sounded nothing like what we as spectators hear! > Even the sound of a F1 car in full flight, as picked up by the > microphone that accompanies the on-car camera, sounds woeful when > compared to the phenomenal noise that we hear from microphones around > the circuit. > > stuff > -- > Regards, > Bruce. > ---------- > The GP Legends Historic Motor Racing Club is located at:- > http://www.netspeed.com.au/brucek/legends/

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I wouldn't give Win98 a 100% score because it doesn't support GPL! -- Richard Cowl

Um, ok...the game is supposed to be compatible with the computer, not the other way around. Racer X Veteran Sim Racer Victory Lane- http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1423/

On Sat, 5 Sep 1998 11:06:40 +0100, Richard Cowl >I wouldn't give Win98 a 100% score because it doesn't support GPL! <sigh> Okay, one more time. YES.....IT.....DOES!!!!!! ;-) Cheers! John

I feel like making pointless remarks tonight...So, GPL will work on all Win98 machines without having to edit files? Racer X Veteran Sim Racer Victory Lane- http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1423/

GPL is designed to run on win95 and win98 without the user needing to do anything other than install the product (that is, one won't have to edit anything by hand). The GPL demo was designed only for win95, though some seem to have made it work on win98 by following a particular procedure. Randy

Don't know if not supporting 98 is really true, I am getting the game to work fine in 98, it even worked in the beta copy of 98, and nothing worked in that! Cya, Stuart Becktell >> >Oh, wake up, for Christs' sake!! >> >It simply doesn't support the *DEMO*, which was in creation before Bill >> >Gates even *thought* about Windows 98!! >> Then either I read a review wrong, or just imagined it, because a worker from >> papy said there was no support for Win98 in the *GAME* >Everything I've seen posted by anyone from Papy regarding this issue has >made it clear that the released game WILL support Win98 just fine. >Trips