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Rec.Autos.Simulators Archive

Avault review

4 posts by 4 people · 29 Oct 1998 - 30 Oct 1998

Jeff Johnso 29 Oct 1998#431234
The thing that I don't get is the reason everyone on this newsgroup read the review in the first place. Most people read them to learn about a product. That clearly wasn't the case in this instance, since almost everyone here's mind is all ready made up about GPL. From where I'm sitting, it appears to be some kind of witch hunt to find everyone who doesn't agree with the newsgroups opinion of this sim. Whoever isn't a sim racing freak or who doesn't live (if you can call it that) and breath Papyrus and GPL must be taught a lesson. But guess what. Freedom of speech belongs to everyone not just rec.auto.simulators folk. I also don't buy fact you guys (and gals) object because it was reviewed without having all of the manuals. The majority of negativity toward the review was hurled before that fact can out. And by the way. Isn't that sort of like the pot calling the kettle black. You folks have been slamming stuff for years without ever seeing any documentation what so ever. Sometimes things are slammed without having seen any part of anything (software included). And I'm sure you've influenced the buying habits of just a many new racers as Avault will with their review. Even though it's a sim, it still only a game. Try treating it as such.
You're right, everyone has a right to their opinion. Ald if someone dpesn't like GPL then be it. Thoug this guy is a reviewer who is ment to be objective and even though he might not like the game, he should still point out the good points (which the Avault review didn't) as well as the bad ones. That way people can make up their mind about which of these good/bad points are important to them. He could have esily fininshed with a sentence like "...I hate this game but anyone who likes their racing games "real" will love it". That states an opinion and stays objective. Regards, David
Quoted text (18 lines)>The thing that I don't get is the reason everyone on this newsgroup read the >review in the first place. Most people read them to learn about a product. >That clearly wasn't the case in this instance, since almost everyone here's >mind is all ready made up about GPL. From where I'm sitting, it appears to >be some kind of witch hunt to find everyone who doesn't agree with the >newsgroups opinion of this sim. Whoever isn't a sim racing freak or who >doesn't live (if you can call it that) and breath Papyrus and GPL must be >taught a lesson. But guess what. Freedom of speech belongs to everyone not >just rec.auto.simulators folk. I also don't buy fact you guys (and gals) >object because it was reviewed without having all of the manuals. The >majority of negativity toward the review was hurled before that fact can >out. And by the way. Isn't that sort of like the pot calling the kettle >black. You folks have been slamming stuff for years without ever seeing any >documentation what so ever. Sometimes things are slammed without having >seen any part of anything (software included). And I'm sure you've >influenced the buying habits of just a many new racers as Avault will with >their review. Even though it's a sim, it still only a game. Try treating it >as such.
Joe Walsh 30 Oct 1998#431464
>You're right, everyone has a right to their opinion. Ald if someone dpesn't >like GPL then be it. Thoug this guy is a reviewer who is ment to be objective >and even though he might not like the game, he should still point out the good >points (which the Avault review didn't) as well as the bad ones. That way >people can make up their mind about which of these good/bad points are >important to them. He could have esily fininshed with a sentence like "...I >hate this game but anyone who likes their racing games "real" will love it". >That states an opinion and stays objective. >Regards, >David I agree David, I just looked at the review now to see what every one was complaining about... they do however have --- [Editor's Note: Due to the fact that we were missing a vital game manual when we reviewed Grand Prix Legends, and didn't realize it at the time, The Adrenaline Vault will be re-evaluating the game in the next few days based on this new information. --- At the top of the review now if it wasn't there when you saw it before. When I first installed GPL, my wife had to use the computer to do a report up for the morning, it forced me to sit down and read the manual (both... cover to cover... twice, I have to build her her own computer!). I have to say though, that I benefited from it, and playing the demo because I knew not to expect an easy ride. But I think the reviewer was out of his element. He did have some positive comments about it on the first page, but he doesn't sound like a sim driver. Let's face it, most people who would be interested in GPL, would pretty much already have it, and those that want a new 'driving sim' shouldn't be put off by setups and 'difficult' driving model. Aero keeps modern cars on the road and makes them 'easier' to drive to a newbe, well guess what, no aero in '67. And he kept referring to it as a 'game', and although it is at heart a game, anyone that would enjoy it, wouldn't refer to it exclusively as a game.... The first time I sat down with the full version I tried to go in to a turn too hot and lost it... so did the reviewer evidently. I decided I needed a lot of practice so I drove Spa in the Lotus for about 2hrs until I could put in a clean lap (not a fast one... just kept it on the black stuff)... the reviewer tried to mow down track officials, and got cranky about that too. Maybe he was looking for Carmageddon, I was looking for a sim. I think AVault should have a policy like CGW does (or maybe did, I haven't looked at it in about a year). Sim pilots review flight games, RPG players review RPGs. That way the game gets reviewed by a sample of the potential market. Someone who plays Carmageddon, and Monster Truck Madness more than Nascar, IndyCar, Cart or GP2 is going to have a heck of a time getting a clean lap in their first sitting with GPL. He did comment though "Finally, they need to make the learning curve a little more forgiving so it is fun to learn how to drive the car. Simulation fanatics will probably love this game -- I just don't think that anyone else with a lower level of enthusiasm will get much out of it." like you mentioned and "I can't recommend this game to the majority of people out there. If you like difficult, ultra-realistic driving games, then by all means rush out and buy it. " It was probably his first time with a wheel too... I remember it took me a few days to be able to drive Nascar and IndyCar properly again. He's probably used to a gamepad or the keyboard from Carmageddon. (I still can't believe that Nascar ever shipped bundled with a game pad.... talk about a waste of time...) Aside from harping on the negatives that were delivered from a 'non-sim-racer' I agree with the reviewers comments (particularly the ones I quoted). I would have had more fun, and probably would have been able to progress to the full GP car faster if the driving model was more forgiving in the trainers, and not just having less power and torque. And I think he's right, you have to be a serious sim racer to be able to get enjoyment out of the game, because unless you're drunk with a half dozen of your buddies, spinning down the track and through the grass is just no damn fun. I think he was right on with the marks he gave for the graphics... they aren't stunning like so many games that are coming out now that try to awe you with eye candy. Papyrus sims have always been that way, they don't go crazy on graphics that will take away from the driving. And we've all complained about the sound in some way. Gameplay... yes starts are a pain when the framerate drops out... that's why I personally run 3dFX at 640x480. Music... who cares? Might have been nice in the menus but even today there aren't stereos in GP cars... let alone in '67 :-) But the intelligence and difficulty... he's not a sim racer, and that's where the 'sim' shines. I had a friend over last night who drives 1600's. I thought 'I've got the perfect game for you', and I was right. Took him about 15min in the trainer to get the feel of the Canadian GP... he already knows the course, and knows how to drive. He loved it. But he did have the comment 'High frustration factor eh!' Because the other cues aren't there, just sight and sound. And after half an hour he was driving the full GP qualifying in the top 10.... (took me 3 weeks to qualify anything higher that 18.... bastard ;-)) He's got a Mac though... and sometime next week... he's going to have a PC... a wheel... and GPL. (And I'm just the one to sell it to him!) Cheers Joe Walsh
Wrong. Folks here took issue not because the "reviewer" didn't like GPL, but because he obviously didn't know enough about the sim's features to review it honestly and coupled that with some outright falsehoods. People who like "realistic" simulations of any type have never seen the likes of GPL before, and it is in our interests to see that companies like Papyrus continue to make them. Toward this end, it is *not* in our interests for a highly popular game site to potentially reduce GPL's sales by publishing a half-baked review done by someone who obviously doesn't even know what he's talking about. And that, my friend, is what incensed folks here--the fact that he didn't know what he was talking about. Had he stated a dislike of GPL from an informed position, you'd probably seen some grumbling, but not much more. Jerry Morelock <snip> From where I'm sitting, it appears to <snip>

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