Another GPL framerate report (long-ish)

Hi all, Since this NG has been so helpful to me in the past I thought I would post my framerate details in the hope that they may help someone who has a similar system and is still worrying about whether to buy GPL or not.. MY SYSTEM --------- CPU: MMX P200. RAM: 32Mb in SIMM format. M'Board: VX Graphics: 8Mb Hercules Thriller PCI. L2 Cache: 512k Sound: Sound Blaster Pro PCI (embarassingly crap, I know). TRAINING -------- Type: Solo. Textures: All on except clouds and beveled tyres. Objects: All. Quality: All off. Effects: All on except skidmarks. Bias: 75% to the left Sounds: 4 Framerate: Usually 36fps, sometimes drops to 31/32 in a "moment". RACE ---- Type: 11 AI Textures: Clouds, beveled tyres, horizon, objects, crowds, track OFF. Objects: All. Quality: All off. Effects: All on except skidmarks. Bias: 99% to the left Sounds: 3 Framerate: 17/18 on the grid, 20 at start, 26-32 in the race. Max 36. Hopefully this info will help someone. If you have a system like mine and still haven't got GPL, then I really would advise you to get it. You won't be disappointed..........!!!!! It is very playable even at less than optimal framerate and it really is an amazing experience. Cheers! -- Graeme Nash You know what to do with "don't_spam_me"... http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk/ ICQ# 11257824 "My car appeared to disagree with my preference for living"

Just so long as people know that the key item in your set-up is the Thriller 3D 8MB. With almost any other video card in existence, including SLI'd Voodoo IIs, your frame rates would be unplayable (single digits and ***s) in any mode where other cars are on the track. Marc.

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>Hi all, >Since this NG has been so helpful to me in the past I thought I would >post my framerate details in the hope that they may help someone who has >a similar system and is still worrying about whether to buy GPL or not.. >MY SYSTEM >--------- >CPU: MMX P200. >RAM: 32Mb in SIMM format. >M'Board: VX >Graphics: 8Mb Hercules Thriller PCI. >L2 Cache: 512k >Sound: Sound Blaster Pro PCI (embarassingly crap, I know). >TRAINING >-------- >Type: Solo. >Textures: All on except clouds and beveled tyres. >Objects: All. >Quality: All off. >Effects: All on except skidmarks. >Bias: 75% to the left >Sounds: 4 >Framerate: Usually 36fps, sometimes drops to 31/32 in a "moment". >RACE >---- >Type: 11 AI >Textures: Clouds, beveled tyres, horizon, objects, crowds, track OFF. >Objects: All. >Quality: All off. >Effects: All on except skidmarks. >Bias: 99% to the left >Sounds: 3 >Framerate: 17/18 on the grid, 20 at start, 26-32 in the race. Max 36. >Hopefully this info will help someone. If you have a system like mine >and still haven't got GPL, then I really would advise you to get it. You >won't be disappointed..........!!!!! It is very playable even at less >than optimal framerate and it really is an amazing experience. >Cheers! >-- >Graeme Nash >You know what to do with "don't_spam_me"... >http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk/ >ICQ# 11257824 >"My car appeared to disagree with my preference for living"

>Just so long as people know that the key item in your set-up is the Thriller >3D 8MB. With almost any other video card in existence, including SLI'd >Voodoo IIs, your frame rates would be unplayable On the contrary: Graeme & I corresponded about FPS on a 200mmx before he got his Thriller(wonder if that's like Stella getting her groove), and here's the text of the message. This didn't originate as a post, so forgive the length. Note: These numbers were taken at Spa, so they'll vary somewhat with other courses Training: resolution: 800x600, though 1024x768 is ok for 98% efforts(learning tracks, tuning, etc.); about a 3-5 FPS hit in solo mode mirror detail: cars only trackside objects: all detail bias: midway features: all on except; crowds(my driving must've scared 'em off), driver arms(already have some & they're distracting anyway), & clouds(the tan needs some work) quality: all on effects: fire, smoke, and sparks on(guess I like drama) - rest off --with these settings, I get FPS readings generally in the low 30's, maxing out at 36 at points, with a minimum of about 24 at La Source. The low readings are very short-lived, and driving is fine. I've run the various settings all the way down, to max out the FPS for the full lap to compare the driveability, and these settings are good. Racing: Ahh, here's the tricky bit. resolution: 800x600; I only get about a 1 FPS hit versus 640x480. 1024x768 is a bit much, though. mirror detail: cars only trackside objects: all - I like them for braking reference points; medium may satisfy you detail bias: FULL LEFT - VERY IMPORTANT - anything else, and you get MAJOR FPS drops in traffic. features: as above, but also turn off; object textures, driver texture, & ***pit texture - you don't lose much if you've got the arms off anyway. quality: all off - it's surprising how little you lose here. It's quite subtle. (note: with a V2, you can't access the anit-aliasing choice, so I can't tell you about that one. I expect you'd want to hold onto that.) effects:all off (plenty of drama without) number of competitors: I've settled on 14, for a field of 15. Less, and you don't have as many mortal-speed drivers (backmarkers) to compete with; more, and you take a greater FPS hit. --with these, I get 15-16 FPS sitting in back of the grid at Spa, quickly moving into the mid to upper 20's during the race. It generally stays around there, but will briefly drop to 19 or spike to 30+, depending on conditions. If you get into a pileup, it'll drop below 10; so....don't. The driveability is degraded a bit from training, but I'm still below 3:30 consistently while racing; my best single lap at Spa so far is 3:27.52, so that's ok. Still working on a top-five finish. End Note: These were in Novice Mode, and I've found that the more advanced damage models seem to eat up 1-2FPS more; otherwise they stil hold. Grid position will change beginning FPS slightly as well. BUT - it's still quite allright, and I've managed to win a 9-lap intermediate race at Spa from pole UNPLAYABLE. Steve B.

>Just so long as people know that the key item in your set-up is the Thriller >3D 8MB. With almost any other video card in existence, including SLI'd >Voodoo IIs, your frame rates would be unplayable (single digits and ***s) >in any mode where other cars are on the track. In my mind, you overstate. I have 200mmx oc/225 and a Voodoo1. True, I also have 64MB of SDRAM. I typically race a 12-car field with higher graphics level than the original poster: all textures excepting clouds 50% detail level "many" objects all "quality" items "cars only" in mirrors 4 sounds Yes, my FR drops to the mid-***s at the start. But it is over 20 soon after and often in the 30 range. This at Monza.

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>>MY SYSTEM >>CPU: MMX P200. >>RAM: 32Mb in SIMM format. >>M'Board: VX >>Graphics: 8Mb Hercules Thriller PCI. >>L2 Cache: 512k >>Sound: Sound Blaster Pro PCI (embarassingly crap, I know).

Hi I take all this to mean thaw with my Pentium pro 200Mhz with 96m of memory it would be best to fit a Voodoo 2 card for graphics? any advice would be helpful as i do not want to buy the wrong card! Jon -- >>Just so long as people know that the key item in your set-up is the Thriller >>3D 8MB. With almost any other video card in existence, including SLI'd >>Voodoo IIs, your frame rates would be unplayable (single digits and ***s) >>in any mode where other cars are on the track. >In my mind, you overstate. I have 200mmx oc/225 and a Voodoo1. True, I also >have 64MB of SDRAM. I typically race a 12-car field with higher graphics >level than the original poster: >all textures excepting clouds >50% detail level >"many" objects >all "quality" items >"cars only" in mirrors >4 sounds >Yes, my FR drops to the mid-***s at the start. But it is over 20 soon after >and often in the 30 range. This at Monza. snip...