I've had GPL for about two weeks now and thought it was
about time to share my experiences. (By the way, GPL is
my first racing sim, if you discount a little while spent
with GP2, and Pit Stop on the C64)
Just like everybody else I spent my first few days crashing,
spinning, and crashing again. This was not helped by the fact
that I was using a joystick and running a Riva 128 under the
beta openGL drivers. Monza, stock Eagle. Which leads us to our
first lesson - buy a wheel (or pedals to go with the joystick,
but a wheel is more fun for me.) I got a Thrustmaster GP1 -
$20.00 at Electronics Boutique. Bring it home, plug it in -
boom - 2 seconds a lap improvement. So I platued (sp?) at
something pathetic like 1:37:xx, always overcorrecting and
weaving back and forth across the track.
Lesson number 2: crank up that frame rate. needless to say
the Riva on a PII 266 wasn't up to the task of GPL - and
was just plain ugly besides. So I ordered a Voodoo2 from
***ian Outpost, whom I highly recommend. $160 for a 12MB
Creative (-$50 rebate at the time) and free shipping the
month of November. Ordered the card Friday, it showed up
Saturday. Let me tell you, I was psyched. Whoa what a difference!
I've been set at 800 x 600, most details on for training, 640 X
480, medium details for a race with a full field. Except at the
start frame rates are pretty steady at 36. (sometimes a car
in the mirrors will slow it down to 30. Haven't tried much Monaco,
though.) I'ld love to try a Rendition v2200. Keep your frame rates
high, it'll prevent much frustration! Crank the graphics back up
for replays.
Anyways, back to driving. I've probably run around 300 laps. Maybe
400. My best time so far is 1:33:09 in the stock Eagle at Monza,
and I know I can squeeze some more out of the first Lesmo. (my
times have been getting better every night) Does
anyone have a list of best times in the stock setups? I've found
that turning in a little early, sometimes with a throttle lift,
helps keep me on the racing line. Read the guide that comes with the
game to get an idea of how to drive each circuit. Watch replays of
yourself. As far as racing is concerned,
if you can keep decent fps with a full field, there's no reason
to tinker with the AI settings. A 1:35:00 or so will put you near
the back, but not all the way, and you'll be able to fight a few
battles in your first races. So what if you don't finish in the
top six? How many drivers scored points in F1 this year?
anyways, I hope this was useful to somebody.
Like you, I'm a newbie to racing sims and I am having a great time with GPL.
I've had GPL for a little over 2 weeks. I turned my best lap at Monza today
at 1.30.89 during practice. That was with the default set-up.This was enough
to get me second position on the starting grid. I got real lucky when Clark
dropped out on the 2nd lap all I had to do was lead 4 more laps to win the
race! I did win the race but better still, I did'nt cause any accidents. Now
I realize winning a 6 lapper is'nt that big of a deal but it still feels
good and I did it without any AI tweaks! I use a joystick. I had a wheel
(Nascar sprint) but just could'nt get the hang of it. I quickly returned it.
My favorite car is the Repco Brabham. My best lap with it is a 1.31.20 with
my own set-up. My times at Monza are, Eagle 1.30.89, (default) Lotus
1.31.09, (default) Brabham 1.31.20,( my own) Coventry 132.43(using Alison
Hine's set-up) BRM, 134.29 (using Steve Smith's set up) Honda
133.78.(default) and 131.41(default) with the Ferrari. I think these are
pretty decent times for Monza. Nowhere near the hottlappers but I feel i'm
getting my moneys worth. My times at Spa and the 'Ring are a joke but i'm
sure with some time and hard work they will come down. I tried a full GP at
Monza but I dropped out after about the 12th lap with a bad clutch. It's a
good thing you can save those practice sessions. I'm now considering buying
Nascar99, but having cut my teeth on GPL it might be a let down. I really
hate Nascar but i'll give anything a shot. Is it going to be follow the
leader with a rolling billboard like it is on T.V.?
My grandfather was big into racing. When I first got GPL I took a look at
his scrapbook and found a picture of him standing with Jim Clark at the
Trenton Speedway back in 1966. It's funny. I have a weird sort of respect
for the AI drivers. It almost feels like you are racing a real person. I've
duked it out with Rodrigeuz so many times for10&11 position at Monza he
almost feels like a friend. I bet racing online is awesome. I'll give it a
try as soon as I master some more tracks.
Mike
Mike
Quoted text (47 lines)
>I've had GPL for about two weeks now and thought it was >about time to share my experiences. (By the way, GPL is >my first racing sim, if you discount a little while spent >with GP2, and Pit Stop on the C64) >Just like everybody else I spent my first few days crashing, >spinning, and crashing again. This was not helped by the fact >that I was using a joystick and running a Riva 128 under the >beta openGL drivers. Monza, stock Eagle. Which leads us to our >first lesson - buy a wheel (or pedals to go with the joystick, >but a wheel is more fun for me.) I got a Thrustmaster GP1 - >$20.00 at Electronics Boutique. Bring it home, plug it in - >boom - 2 seconds a lap improvement. So I platued (sp?) at >something pathetic like 1:37:xx, always overcorrecting and >weaving back and forth across the track. >Lesson number 2: crank up that frame rate. needless to say >the Riva on a PII 266 wasn't up to the task of GPL - and >was just plain ugly besides. So I ordered a Voodoo2 from >***ian Outpost, whom I highly recommend. $160 for a 12MB >Creative (-$50 rebate at the time) and free shipping the >month of November. Ordered the card Friday, it showed up >Saturday. Let me tell you, I was psyched. Whoa what a difference! >I've been set at 800 x 600, most details on for training, 640 X >480, medium details for a race with a full field. Except at the >start frame rates are pretty steady at 36. (sometimes a car >in the mirrors will slow it down to 30. Haven't tried much Monaco, >though.) I'ld love to try a Rendition v2200. Keep your frame rates >high, it'll prevent much frustration! Crank the graphics back up >for replays. >Anyways, back to driving. I've probably run around 300 laps. Maybe >400. My best time so far is 1:33:09 in the stock Eagle at Monza, >and I know I can squeeze some more out of the first Lesmo. (my >times have been getting better every night) Does >anyone have a list of best times in the stock setups? I've found >that turning in a little early, sometimes with a throttle lift, >helps keep me on the racing line. Read the guide that comes with the >game to get an idea of how to drive each circuit. Watch replays of >yourself. As far as racing is concerned, >if you can keep decent fps with a full field, there's no reason >to tinker with the AI settings. A 1:35:00 or so will put you near >the back, but not all the way, and you'll be able to fight a few >battles in your first races. So what if you don't finish in the >top six? How many drivers scored points in F1 this year? >anyways, I hope this was useful to somebody.Good observation. I know exactly how you feel :-)
Andrew McP
> I bet racing online is awesome.
It is :) Especially with a cable modem.
I started racing online once I spent 2 days learning the
handling of the cars. After that, you need lots of
time to learn tracks. Why not just jump into a
online game and take it slow. You can learn how
to drive the tracks by watching the faster drivers too :)
--
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Jason Monds
(Please remove 'no extra spork' when replying)
