Viper demo

I downloaded the demo just a couple of days ago, expecting the usual brand of arcade trash, although possibly with some impressive graphics. Hmmm . . . I was pleasantly surprised. In sim mode, the car handles darned reaslistically. I'd have to go and drive a Viper itself (any offers ;-) ) to find out if the sim is as accurate as it feels. I think even seasoned GP2/GPL players would find themselves looking rather ungraceful for moments during the lap. Lay down too much power and you'll be squirming all over the place looking for grip. Brake insufficiently before downshifting and you'll soon find the rear doing its best to beat you to the line. The whole experience is about carefully balancing an overpowered brute through the corners. Probably not as difficult as GPL, but the game has its own challenges. Corrections and powerslides happen over a longer timescale than in F1 simulators, but that doesn't necessarily make driving easy. OK, I didn't spend lap after lap just trying to stay on the track, but I think the car dynamics will make a lot of people very happy. The car setup is about as detailed as once could expect on a road-going vehicle. Then on to the graphics: On my P200 (non-MMX) with an ageing STB Velocity 128, I could get a beautiful, fluid 29 fps ! IMO this points to some pretty impressive coding. Maybe once the cars get beyond "Easy" AI, the frame rate will take a dive,but I don't see it being significant. And I *REALLY* liked the fact that the entire demo interface is well-thought-out and FAST! No long waits between mouse clicks. No visible bugs. Slick ... Great replay function. It looks as if the designers were fully aware of the competition from other simulators,and the simulator seems complete in every department. I was planning on buying TOCA2 after I get GPL, but Viper may come between me and TOCA2 if money is a problem. Take my advice . . check out the demo ! (No, I don't work for Sierra or MGI. I'm just ludicrously happy at the moment) Ryan

Amen, brother. Go on spreading the good news. :-) Paul

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> I downloaded the demo just a couple of days ago, expecting the usual brand of > arcade trash, although possibly with some impressive graphics. > Hmmm . . . I was pleasantly surprised. > In sim mode, the car handles darned reaslistically. I'd have to go and drive a > Viper itself (any offers ;-) ) to find out if the sim is as accurate as it > feels. I think even seasoned GP2/GPL players would find themselves looking > rather ungraceful for moments during the lap. Lay down too much power and > you'll be squirming all over the place looking for grip. Brake insufficiently > before downshifting and you'll soon find the rear doing its best to beat you > to the line. The whole experience is about carefully balancing an overpowered > brute through the corners. Probably not as difficult as GPL, but the game > has its own challenges. Corrections and powerslides happen over a longer > timescale than in F1 simulators, but that doesn't necessarily make driving > easy. > OK, I didn't spend lap after lap just trying to stay on the track, but I > think the car dynamics will make a lot of people very happy. > The car setup is about as detailed as once could expect on a road-going vehicle. > Then on to the graphics: On my P200 (non-MMX) with an ageing STB Velocity 128, > I could get a beautiful, fluid 29 fps ! IMO this points to some pretty > impressive coding. > Maybe once the cars get beyond "Easy" AI, the frame rate will take > a dive,but I don't see it being significant. > And I *REALLY* liked the fact that the entire demo interface is well-thought-out > and FAST! No long waits between mouse clicks. No visible bugs. Slick ... > Great replay function. > It looks as if the designers were fully aware of the competition from other > simulators,and the simulator seems complete in every department. I was planning > on buying TOCA2 after I get GPL, but Viper may come between me and TOCA2 if > money is a problem. > Take my advice . . check out the demo ! > (No, I don't work for Sierra or MGI. I'm just ludicrously happy at the moment) > Ryan

Good review...but u r late...everyone has played it..and like it alot. I would also add that the multiplayer is very good over the net. I hosted a 4 player game via kali...no lag! Another *very* cool thing is that you can record multiplayer demos, and view from your opponent cars! I cant recall many other games allowing that. I think some1 also said that the game will retail for only 30 buX!

Quoted text (43 lines)

> I downloaded the demo just a couple of days ago, expecting the usual brand of > arcade trash, although possibly with some impressive graphics. > Hmmm . . . I was pleasantly surprised. > In sim mode, the car handles darned reaslistically. I'd have to go and drive a > Viper itself (any offers ;-) ) to find out if the sim is as accurate as it > feels. I think even seasoned GP2/GPL players would find themselves looking > rather ungraceful for moments during the lap. Lay down too much power and > you'll be squirming all over the place looking for grip. Brake insufficiently > before downshifting and you'll soon find the rear doing its best to beat you > to the line. The whole experience is about carefully balancing an overpowered > brute through the corners. Probably not as difficult as GPL, but the game > has its own challenges. Corrections and powerslides happen over a longer > timescale than in F1 simulators, but that doesn't necessarily make driving > easy. > OK, I didn't spend lap after lap just trying to stay on the track, but I > think the car dynamics will make a lot of people very happy. > The car setup is about as detailed as once could expect on a road-going vehicle. > Then on to the graphics: On my P200 (non-MMX) with an ageing STB Velocity 128, > I could get a beautiful, fluid 29 fps ! IMO this points to some pretty > impressive coding. > Maybe once the cars get beyond "Easy" AI, the frame rate will take > a dive,but I don't see it being significant. > And I *REALLY* liked the fact that the entire demo interface is well-thought-out > and FAST! No long waits between mouse clicks. No visible bugs. Slick ... > Great replay function. > It looks as if the designers were fully aware of the competition from other > simulators,and the simulator seems complete in every department. I was planning > on buying TOCA2 after I get GPL, but Viper may come between me and TOCA2 if > money is a problem. > Take my advice . . check out the demo ! > (No, I don't work for Sierra or MGI. I'm just ludicrously happy at the moment) > Ryan

>I downloaded the demo just a couple of days ago, expecting the usual brand of >arcade trash, although possibly with some impressive graphics. >Hmmm . . . I was pleasantly surprised. One thing that bothered me is the sense of speed. I was doing 200km/h and it felt like 50km/h. Or is it just me?

The second demo is much better sense of speed wise than the first. Be sure you are playing demo ver2.2

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> >I downloaded the demo just a couple of days ago, expecting the usual brand > of > >arcade trash, although possibly with some impressive graphics. > >Hmmm . . . I was pleasantly surprised. > One thing that bothered me is the sense of speed. I was doing 200km/h and it > felt like 50km/h. > Or is it just me?

GH> One thing that bothered me is the sense of speed. I was doing 200km/h GH> and it felt like 50km/h. GH> Or is it just me? No, I agree. And as there will be so many great releases in the near future (Trans Am Racing 68-72, PSCR, Viper Racing) I really have to think it over... Also, man mailt sich... .\\atze [ FmMW2109 - FmMB2139 ] *home* : http://www.home4u.de/buesing/