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N3 and GPL Physics...

14 posts by 8 people · 16 May 1999 - 17 May 1999

Chris 16 May 1999#467954
I just found out that N3 will NOT use the GPL physics engine as everyone previously thought. My first reaction was to be sick. Then I got to thinking about it. I was really only looking forward to N3 based on the GPL engine because I knew somebody would make the tracks interchangable between N3 and GPL, i.e. NASCAR stockers at all the cool 1967 tracks that are in GPL. My interest in N3 doesn't go any further than that. Driving in circles bores me to tears. I suspect that I would have had fun with a GPL based N3 for a few weeks and then fallen back into my pattern of driving GPL. Now, my only concern is this: What happens to the GPL engine??? I certainly hope it doesn't get dumped. I'll be perfectly happy if somebody at Papy would confirm that the GPL engine will be used down the line. If they would confine the GPL engine to GPL, CART3 (I'm hoping, but I haven't heard anything at all that this title is even in development) and GPL2 (Again, I'm hoping, but given GPL sales, I'm not holding my breath) I'll be happy. NASCAR is just a passing interest for me, like SCGT and Viper are. They're diverting now and again, but GPL is where it's at. I strongly suspect that N3, even based on GPL, would have been, for me, just another interesting diversion (except for the track swaping, that is). What will be a crying shame is if the GPL engine gets permanently dumped for a less realistic, easier engine because of the dumb- redneck-NASCAR-watching-football-loving-all- I-want-to-do-is-drive-in-circles-for-hours-and-win- by-three-laps-and-watch-cool-crashes-and-drink- beer-and-eat-hotdogs mentality. Things should not be easy. What ever happened to satisfaction stemming from a job well done? I weep because of the attitude that has emerged in our society in which everyone wants to have everything and pay nothing for it. To win instantly and not have to work for it. To be the best in a competition where all the other players are not as good as you. To take the easy route because it means more money sooner. *THAT* is what truley makes me sick about the change in the physics engine for N3. Because it indicates a trend for the future from Papy (puppet of Sierra) in which I will no longer be able to enjoy the realism that makes GPL truly enjoyable and satisfying to me. Just my opinions. They could be wrong, but, then again, so could yours. "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." -- Robert Frost ----------------------------- -Chris- | Two wheels are better | |Proud owner of a 1998 ZX-9R| ----------------------------- --== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ---Share what you know. Learn what you don't.---
Quoted text (14 lines)> I just found out that N3 will NOT use the GPL > physics engine as everyone previously thought. > My first reaction was to be sick. Then I got > to thinking about it. I was really only > looking forward to N3 based on the GPL engine > because I knew somebody would make the tracks > interchangable between N3 and GPL, i.e. NASCAR > stockers at all the cool 1967 tracks that are > in GPL. My interest in N3 doesn't > go any further than that. Driving in circles > bores me to tears. I suspect that I would > have had fun with a GPL based N3 for a few > weeks and then fallen back into my pattern > of driving GPL.
That's exactly what I would be doing too! But, Being an F3 ***, and hoping like anything, N3 comes with some of the lesser powered cars. I'd probably run the lesser powered cars on the GPL tracks ;-) Careful now, That statement describes 99% of the "TEN" drivers. <g> -- ========================================= Mike Barlow of Barlow Racing? ========================================= Member of R.O.R. 1999 http://w3.ime.net/~marknjess/ror.html ========================================= Racing online with the help of...... Race Communications Association http://members.xoom.com/RCA/toc.html Holodyne Engineering Mystic Music mikeba.vcf < 1K Download
Ken Beard 16 May 1999#467956
Well, I for one don't care for your little diatribe on NASCAR fan's, you'd be shocked to know a lot of us are into the RACING aspect of it, don't throw chicken bones at the track, aren't drunk out of our mind, have college educations, and find on-track passing somewhat more interesting than driving around a road course and putting 3 laps ahead of the field because everyone else broke down and passing only in the pits of today's Formula 1 (no flames, I like and watch it but it usually IS boring). Just because YOU don't like it doesn't mean you need to look down on those who do - this open-wheel, anti-oval elitism get's real old, real quick. And, since you didn't really WANT a NASCAR sim, other than one based on the GPL engine, you aren't the target audience. You already HAVE GPL, so what they do with their NASCAR sim shouldn't concern you terribly. I'll reserve judgement on the N2000 engine depending on how well it simulates NASCAR, and how much they improve the AI and such. It's entirely possible that what they come up with will be better suited to NASCAR than shoe-horning the GPL engine (that doesn't have to deal with aerodynamics and the like that is quite significant in NASCAR or modern open-wheel racing) - or it could suck, we won't really know until it's out. -- Ken's Sig 2.01 "Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony." Go #43 and #44! volksy (at) geocities (dot) com volksy (at) yahoo (dot) com >I just found out that N3 will NOT use the GPL >physics engine as everyone previously thought. >My first reaction was to be sick. Then I got >to thinking about it. I was really only >looking forward to N3 based on the GPL engine >because I knew somebody would make the tracks >interchangable between N3 and GPL, i.e. NASCAR >stockers at all the cool 1967 tracks that are >in GPL. My interest in N3 doesn't >go any further than that. Driving in circles >bores me to tears. I suspect that I would >have had fun with a GPL based N3 for a few >weeks and then fallen back into my pattern >of driving GPL. >Now, my only concern is this: What happens >to the GPL engine??? I certainly hope it >doesn't get dumped. I'll be perfectly happy >if somebody at Papy would confirm that the >GPL engine will be used down the line. If >they would confine the GPL engine to GPL, >CART3 (I'm hoping, but I haven't heard >anything at all that this title is even in >development) and GPL2 (Again, I'm hoping, >but given GPL sales, I'm not holding my >breath) I'll be happy. NASCAR is just a >passing interest for me, like SCGT and >Viper are. They're diverting now and again, >but GPL is where it's at. I strongly suspect >that N3, even based on GPL, would have been, >for me, just another interesting diversion >(except for the track swaping, that is). >What will be a crying shame is if the GPL >engine gets permanently dumped for a less >realistic, easier engine because of the dumb- >redneck-NASCAR-watching-football-loving-all- >I-want-to-do-is-drive-in-circles-for-hours-and-win- >by-three-laps-and-watch-cool-crashes-and-drink- >beer-and-eat-hotdogs mentality. Things should not >be easy. What ever happened to satisfaction >stemming from a job well done? I weep because of the >attitude that has emerged in our society in which >everyone wants to have everything and pay nothing for >it. To win instantly and not have to work for it. >To be the best in a competition where all the other >players are not as good as you. To take the easy route >because it means more money sooner. *THAT* is what >truley makes me sick about the change in the physics >engine for N3. Because it indicates a trend for >the future from Papy (puppet of Sierra) in which >I will no longer be able to enjoy the realism that >makes GPL truly enjoyable and satisfying to me. >Just my opinions. They could be wrong, but, then >again, so could yours. >"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- >I took the one less traveled by, >And that has made all the difference." > -- Robert Frost > ----------------------------- >-Chris- | Two wheels are better | > |Proud owner of a 1998 ZX-9R| > ----------------------------- >--== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==-- >---Share what you know. Learn what you don't.---
> I'll reserve judgement on the N2000 engine depending on how well it > simulates NASCAR, and how much they improve the AI and such. It's entirely > possible that what they come up with will be better suited to NASCAR than > shoe-horning the GPL engine (that doesn't have to deal with aerodynamics and > the like that is quite significant in NASCAR or modern open-wheel racing) - > or it could suck, we won't really know until it's out. Based on the interview I listened to with David Kaemmer, I got the impression that N3 was the ultimate goal for that physics engine and that they chose '67 GP cars to show it off. David L. Cook
UnserFan 16 May 1999#467958
N3 not using the GPL physics engine? Not what I heard recently! I've heard that NASCAR Racing 3 as it is commonly called will be as was originally planned, like is shown in the N3 demo movie, (www.papy.com) but it is being delayed heavily as those bastards at Sierra would rather release one to two more NASCAR sims based on the N2 physics engine, because they know that they have no other competition (where the hell does EA Sports think it's going with NASCAR Road Racing? I thought that 3 games with the Andretti Racing physics engine was enough!). Dan Belcher Team Racing Unlimited
Ken Beard 16 May 1999#467959
It was always mentioned as the engine for future stuff, mainly N3/2000. What could've happened was somewhere along the line, to make GPL what it is, they pushed the engine too far into simulating those particular cars, and in now trying to adapt it to other things they ran into things they just didn't expect. It *could* well be more difficult to remove this stuff from the GPL code and get it to simulate something different (N2000) than to try to add some lessons learned from GPL to the N99 engine. I'm just saying that there IS a possibility that the new engine may feel as right for the stockers as GPL does for what it's simulating, where a modified GPL may just not work and *feel* right. Maybe Papy is doing this for a GOOD reason, to provide the best feeling NASCAR sim in a reasonable time. Or the suits at Sierra are screwing us over to get $$, I won't argue that this isn't a definite possibility - just look at what they did with the Football Pro series and this year's release. That's why I'm saying I'll reserve judgement for the actual release. -- Ken's Sig 2.01 "Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony." Go #43 and #44! volksy (at) geocities (dot) com volksy (at) yahoo (dot) com >> I'll reserve judgement on the N2000 engine depending on how well it >> simulates NASCAR, and how much they improve the AI and such. It's entirely >> possible that what they come up with will be better suited to NASCAR than >> shoe-horning the GPL engine (that doesn't have to deal with aerodynamics and >> the like that is quite significant in NASCAR or modern open-wheel racing) - >> or it could suck, we won't really know until it's out. >Based on the interview I listened to with David Kaemmer, I got the >impression that N3 was the ultimate goal for that physics engine and that >they chose '67 GP cars to show it off. >David L. Cook
Chris 16 May 1999#467960
In my own defense, and not intending to be sarcastic, notice in the following section from my original post what I refer to: I'm simply refering to a mentality and an attitude, not to NASCAR fans specifically. Unfortunately, this attitude manifests itself pre***ly in the stereo- typical NASCAR fan. I'll grant you that stereotypes are unfair and prejudicial, but the fact remains that this type of attitude is present in a large portion of NASCAR fans. Every stereotype is has its foundation in truth. My job gives me occasion to travel to some of the less populated, small town areas where NASCAR is very popular. Almost every one of the fans I've run across falls more or less into this stereotype. I witnessed six guys in a lunch room talk about how boring Talladega is but that they would drive all the way from Pennsylvania to the race just to see "The Big Wreck". One of these same gentlemen expressed frustration at the lack of passing at some of the more recent NASCAR races, and that he would gladly "sacrifice" the driver he was rooting for to a wreck if it would spice up the show. He owns season tickets to Bristol and told me that he goes mainly to watch the wrecks. Among the casual NASCAR fans of my own age who own computers, all expressed interest in N2 and all have tried it at one time or another. They all, however, lose interest if they don't win immediatly. They aren't willing to put the slightest bit of effort into learning how to "drive" the game, and degenerate into driving backwards withing a half an hour. Agreed. I'm *NOT* the target audience for N3, but my greatest fear is that Papy (or Sierra in all likelihood) will not base any future sims on a phenominal physics engine like the GPL engine simply for the fact that the people like I mentioned above *ARE* the target audience. These are the very people who show up in droves to buy re-badged titles like N1999 and low quality titles like NASCAR Revolution. What I don't understand is why both of us can't be satisfied at the same time. After all, N2 has a "sim" mode and an "arcade" mode. Why not do the same thing again? Both of our groups could then be happy. -Chris- ---Two wheels are better ---Proud owner of a 1998 ZX-9R --== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ---Share what you know. Learn what you don't.---
> But, Being an F3 ***, > and hoping like anything, N3 comes with some of the lesser powered > cars. I'd probably run the lesser powered cars on the GPL tracks ;-) You big woose!!! ROFLMAO Actually.. that may describe a very large portion of Sierra's target market for NASCAR sims. Scott PA-Scott G.T.S. Racing - http://www.GTS-Racing.com -- Scott B. Husted PA-Scott on TEN [link lost in import: /~sbhusted] ICQ# 4395450
Chris 16 May 1999#467962
This certainly sounds like a reasonable explanation and I rather expect that it holds more truth than any other speculations I've read in the last couple of days... Including my own. <VBG> How does the side of you that likes "Monty Python" co-exist peacefully with the side of you that likes NASCAR? I'd think that the two sides were mutually exclusive. 8^) I know that *MY* "Monty Python" side tries to squish the small part of me that lands on NASCAR when channel surfing. -Chris- ---Two wheels are better ---Proud owner of a 1998 ZX-9R --== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==-- ---Share what you know. Learn what you don't.---
Quoted text (41 lines)> x-no-archive: yes > >I just found out that N3 will NOT use the GPL > >physics engine as everyone previously thought. > <snip> > The last I heard - which was some time ago, granted - was that Nascar > 3 _was_ going to be using the GPL engine. The hype around Nascar 3 has > been created because everybody is looking forward to seeing this in > action. If this has been removed, I expect we will see quite a few > tears around the place. ;) > >Driving in circles > >bores me to tears. I suspect that I would > >have had fun with a GPL based N3 for a few > >weeks and then fallen back into my pattern > >of driving GPL. > Nascar racing is _not_ about driving in circles. Actually, it is. But > only technically. Most of the tracks in Nascar racing are oval, true, > but they're by no means all the same, and none of them around _round_ > like most people think. Some races (the Glen, for example) take place > of proper tracks. Other races are on steep banked ovals, like > Tallegeda. And some, like Loudon, aren't oval at all. Two straights > and two corners may seem boring from the outside, but I can't remember > a simulator quite as ***ive as [not inc. GPL] Nasca Racing 1 and 2. > Nascar 3 with the GPL engine would have been astonishing and I > certainly do hope that they continue, as promised. Imagine the > spectacular bumper-to-bumper racing, mixed in with better graphics > than we saw in GPL, plus cars leaving the track for the skies in the > most breathtaking accidents on record. > Oh yes... they should most definately stick with the GPL engine! > Spirewolf
You get everything out of GPL and road courses as you described about the ovals. What you don't get out of ovals that you do out of road courses is the technical know how. after all, what effort and/or knowledge does it take to drive in circles? hehe -- ========================================= Mike Barlow of Barlow Racing? ========================================= Member of R.O.R. 1999 http://w3.ime.net/~marknjess/ror.html ========================================= Racing online with the help of...... Race Communications Association http://members.xoom.com/RCA/toc.html Holodyne Engineering Mystic Music mikeba.vcf < 1K Download
Jan Kohl 16 May 1999#467964
Quoted text (20 lines)>> >What will be a crying shame is if the GPL >> >engine gets permanently dumped for a less >> >realistic, easier engine because of the dumb- >> >redneck-NASCAR-watching-football-loving-all- >> >I-want-to-do-is-drive-in-circles-for-hours-and-win- >> >by-three-laps-and-watch-cool-crashes-and-drink- >> >beer-and-eat-hotdogs mentality. >My job gives me occasion to travel to some of the less >populated, small town areas where NASCAR is very popular. >Almost every one of the fans I've run across falls more >or less into this stereotype. I witnessed six guys in >a lunch room talk about how boring Talladega is but >that they would drive all the way from Pennsylvania >to the race just to see "The Big Wreck". One of these >same gentlemen expressed frustration at the lack of >passing at some of the more recent NASCAR races, and >that he would gladly "sacrifice" the driver he was >rooting for to a wreck if it would spice up the show. >He owns season tickets to Bristol and told me that he >goes mainly to watch the wrecks.
Eh....WHAT? Where do you go to meet these people? I know a ton of NASCAR fans, and I've yet to know any that have this mentality. I'm sorry, but if you're going to protray a stereotype, try and find a realistic one. This is ludicrous. Mmmmmhmmmm...yeah, and what were these same people doing with GPL? Driving backwards in 15 minutes? ??Jan Kohl?? **The Pits Performance Team** Computer Systems Programmer USAF Air-Ground Operations School Hurlburt Field, FL Castle Graphics - http://www.castlegraphics.com/ The Pits - http://www.theuspits.com/
Ken Beard 17 May 1999#468237
Well, growing up and living here in C***te you can't help but to get into NASCAR. C***te has most of the teams in the immediate area, and it gets tons of press coverage here. While the segment of fans you talk about certainly exists, there are a lot of Lexus's, BMW's and the like seen leaving the parking lots after the races here - not as many as Ford F150's, etc but the demographic that goes to the races is upper middle class and college educated. I'd imagine the same if you grew up in Indianapolis, it'd be hard not to be into IndyCars - and I assure you from folks I've known that have been to the Indy 500 that just as many of those fans are rednecks getting drunk wanting to see wrecks ;-) Don't get me wrong, I watch *ALL* motorsports, just that being NASCAR bred I tend to like it the best - and still find it more often than not to be the most competitive. I don't get drag racing, other than that anything with wheels is fair game :-) I know several people around here who are the same, and just as nuts about Python. -- Ken's Sig 2.01 "Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony." Go #43 and #44! volksy (at) geocities (dot) com volksy (at) yahoo (dot) com >This certainly sounds like a reasonable explanation and I rather >expect that it holds more truth than any other speculations I've >read in the last couple of days... Including my own. <VBG> >> Or the suits at Sierra are screwing us over to get $$, I >> won't argue that this isn't a definite possibility - just >> look at what they did with the Football Pro series and >> this year's release. That's why I'm saying I'll reserve >> judgement for the actual release. >> -- >How does the side of you that likes "Monty Python" co-exist >peacefully with the side of you that likes NASCAR? I'd think >that the two sides were mutually exclusive. 8^) >I know that *MY* "Monty Python" side tries to squish the >small part of me that lands on NASCAR when channel surfing. >-Chris- >---Two wheels are better >---Proud owner of a 1998 ZX-9R >--== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ >---Share what you know. Learn what you don't.---
Chris 17 May 1999#468238
I'm sorry if you find this ludicrous, but these are real people that I've met. I did not make them up. Unfortunately, their attitude represents about 60-70% of the NASCAR fans that I've met personally. Maybe it's the part of the country, maybe it's because it's extremely rural. I don't know. I do realize that there are a whole lot of NASCAR fans who don't even remotely match this stereotype, but I've not run across many of them. These people don't have any interest in GPL, but if they had the chance to drive it, that would probably be an accurate discription. -Chris- ---Two wheels are better ---Proud owner of a 1998 ZX-9R --== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==-- ---Share what you know. Learn what you don't.---

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