GPL: viable on mid-to-low system?

GPL looks like a mighty great sim that I desperately want, but I'm not sure it'll run worth a darn on my system: AMD-K6/233 64MB RAM Win95/DX5 Viper V330 (Riva 128) I know I can't run the Glide or Rendition graphics. How good/fast is the software rendering? Does the OpenGL patch work well with the Riva 128? In short, can I get playable detail levels at playable framerates on this setup? Thanks for info, -- Matthew A. Davis http://www.hubwest.com/userpages/azami/hideout.htm No one ever cried at a parent's grave for the big house they didn't live in or the expensive toys they didn't get.

it will run ok, that is to say almost all graphics off, minimum ai cars = 25-30 fps. i upped my system and in testing it seems that to run 30 fps with almost all graphics on and a full field of ai cars (19) you need 350-400mhz and a good video card. the cpu is most important for tha ai cars. an abit mb and 300a celeron overclocked to 374 -450 is a great combination for reasonable dollars.

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> GPL looks like a mighty great sim that I desperately want, but I'm not > sure it'll run worth a darn on my system: > AMD-K6/233 > 64MB RAM > Win95/DX5 > Viper V330 (Riva 128) > I know I can't run the Glide or Rendition graphics. How good/fast is > the software rendering? Does the OpenGL patch work well with the Riva > 128? > In short, can I get playable detail levels at playable framerates on > this setup? > Thanks for info, > -- > Matthew A. Davis > http://www.hubwest.com/userpages/azami/hideout.htm > No one ever cried at a parent's grave for the big house they didn't live > in or the expensive toys they didn't get.

You'll do better with a Rendition or 3DFX card. Mike Grandy Powered By ECCI driving controls http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/extreme/ GPL looks like a mighty great sim that I desperately want, but I'm not sure it'll run worth a darn on my system: AMD-K6/233 64MB RAM Win95/DX5 Viper V330 (Riva 128) I know I can't run the Glide or Rendition graphics. How good/fast is the software rendering? Does the OpenGL patch work well with the Riva 128? In short, can I get playable detail levels at playable framerates on this setup? Thanks for info, -- Matthew A. Davis http://www.hubwest.com/userpages/azami/hideout.htm No one ever cried at a parent's grave for the big house they didn't live in or the expensive toys they didn't get.

I'm running on a P200 MMX with an 8MB Hercules Thriller and with a field of 11 AI I'm getting 26-32fps with virtually all textures on. Of course there are some concessions to be made but there are things other than textures which can affect your fps..... I'll explain more if anyone needs it although most of the info has already been posted to this NG a few times. Cheers! -- Graeme Nash You know what to do with "don't_spam_me"... http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk/ ICQ# 11257824 "Do I know what rhetorical means?!" - Homer Simpson

The two replies I've seen give feedback that is different from my POV. I do agree that the software driver is a non-player. To see what it would do, I enabled it on my 200mmx oc/225 and it gave sub-10 fps. To get in the low ***s, I had to disable so much that it was just hideous. Looked like a 1990 sim. Believe me, you don't want to rely on it. As to the OpenGL patch on a Riva128, I can't say. I think the game runs quite acceptably on my system with Voodoo1 (Pure3D). In a 12-car race, I do get the 10fps right at the start, but once the pack is moving, it stays over 20 with most graphics on. However, I must admit that the framerate readout strikes me as "optimistic". It'll read 25-30 when it appears slightly jerky to me. And this game does cry out for extremely high framerate to maintain controllability. Bottom line, I'd tell you to pass unless you get info saying the OpenGL really does work well on the Riva. Sorry to say it (well, not really), yah really should get a 3dfx :-)

I agree with you here - I used to run GP2 at 23fps and it went as smooth as a somewhat smooth thing. Now GPL is only truly driveable at around 32-36fps.... So one of them has to be "wrong". Cheers! -- Graeme Nash You know what to do with "don't_spam_me"... http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk/ ICQ# 11257824 ---------------- Bart : No one listens to you when you're a kid! Grandpa : No one listens to you when you're old! Homer : I'm a white male aged 18-45. Everyone listens to me! ----------------

Second that. I'll be driving and notice the framerate suddenly going from smooth to jerky. I'll grab a quick peek at the FPS readout and it'll be high 20's to near max, though it had been smooth at the same displayed rates before. My HD light's not blinking, so it's not paging. It's all a bit puzzling. Leads to grief usually; by the time I get refocused, I'm generally upside down, or about to be. As to playability on a mid-range PC, it's probably only viable with a Thriller or Voodoo 2 card installed, at least until the OpenGL drivers get more sorted. A note on framerates. Rates in the mid 20's are acceptable on simpler courses like Monza or Spa that don't require such a delicate touch, but on tricky ones like Zandvoort, it's a different story. I have to dumb down the options much more to get decent driveability there. Still fun, though! Steve B.

I agree I would. Anyone want to donate? :-) -- Matthew A. Davis http://www.hubwest.com/userpages/azami/hideout.htm No one ever cried at a parent's grave for the big house they didn't live in or the expensive toys they didn't get.

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> GPL looks like a mighty great sim that I desperately want, but I'm > not sure it'll run worth a darn on my system: > AMD-K6/233 > 64MB RAM > Win95/DX5 > Viper V330 (Riva 128) > I know I can't run the Glide or Rendition graphics. How good/fast > is > the software rendering? Does the OpenGL patch work well with the > Riva 128? > In short, can I get playable detail levels at playable framerates >

on this setup? Hi, I have just upgraded to a new system (BX m/b & CeleronA cpu & 8Mb 2D card & 12Mb Voodoo2 3Dfx) but my *old* system is very similar to yours: K6 200 (clocked to 225) 64Mb SDRam & win95/dx5 ATX case & Supermicro LX m/b 4Mb Mystique & 4Mb 3Dfx card GPL runs *great* on my old K6 set-up, I have the graphics set to few details, only car and track in mirrors, and the detail slider about 1/3rd from the *left*, and all unnecessary textures turned *off* (horizon, crowds, etc) and get a steady 27 - 30fps in training mode, and around 20 - 25 in races (with slight dips in fps at race starts or major pile ups) which is very acceptible to me, but I'm sure others will say they can only race at 36fps and nothing less!!!! BTW, you will see an improvement in performance if you overclock/overbus your system to use 3 x 75 = 225 instead of the 233 you are currently using. As this uses a 3.5 x 66 = 233. If you increase the buspeed from 66 to 75 you speed up your *whole* system. 8-) *Peter* 8-) (NB: remove asterisk to e-mail)