more "patchy" observations - (long)

Howdy all, I just wanted to weigh in with a few more observations on "The Patch". I had posted earlier that my only complaints were online, while offline was fine. I've since done a bit more poking around and found that offline is changed for the worse in a couple of ways as well. To compare the two versions, I kept both exe's and core.ini's in my GPL folder and appropriately renamed whichever one I wanted to use, while keeping the new 3dfx rasterizer for both. Then I entered practice at two races at Brands Hatch (only short course where my original setup was over 2.5in), one with each version of GPL in succession. I drove some easy laps, trying to get a couple of nearly identical laps to compare. I ended up saving a 1:36.93 in 1.0 and a 1:37.03 in 1.1, both over two seconds off a flyer, with no heroics at all, thus good for comparing. Then I used Spygirl to merge the two, so I could compare them more easily (especially with Brian Heiland's car camera files, which have an excellent direct-overhead view for comparing lines-nice job Brian!). My offline observations follow. I had been seeing 37fps nearly all the time in 1.1(vs.36 w/1.0), which I didn't think was a problem, at least offline. However, it happens that all the than clock time. DUH. A 1:37 lap actually takes about 1:33.5. Going back to 1.0, the replays all run in correct time, even those laps recorded with 1.1. I suspect this timing error in 1.1 is what's causing the new sync method to result in the bizarre speedups and slowdowns in online races. I'd seen some comments about the cars being easier to drive in 1.1, but hadn't really noticed it yet. Now, though it IS anecdotal, I'd have to agree after running this back-to-back test of the two versions. Brands was MUCH less tricky in 1.1 (with the same setup), and the difference was quite noticeable in driving as well as in the merged replay. The saved lap done in 1.1 was far cleaner, with much less squirming and tire squeal, and more easily held (and tighter) lines, in spite of much later braking. For example, Surtees(the uphill left) remained tricky as ever in 1.0, but was a relative breeze in 1.1, lap after lap. Still, the greater speed through the corner didn't translate into greater speed down into Hawthorne. It's as if they upped the grip a bit while reducing the power to keep laptimes stable. Sort of makes you wonder if they haven't dumbed GPL 1.1 down just a bit, all statements to the contrary. A reaction to all the complaints about difficulty, perhaps? You can't help but wonder.. Whatever the case, 1.1 definitely takes the edge off of driving the Lotus, and I find the new "feel" less engaging (though admittedly still better than anything else). I'd be interested in any other comments on the new "feel". Probably those without FF wheels are best positioned to address this. Cheers, Steve B. remove "edy" from address for email

Me again..... :-) This time to add that I just tried an online race with the sync method set to 0 and the clock adjust at 12 and the strange framerate fluctuations were indeed gone as predicted by others, but the 37+fps faster-than-life gametime was just as it had been offline. And at my first trip to Monza with 1.1, the handling of the car is definitely different. Much better grip and straighter tracking. Hmmmmmm. Think I'm going back to 1.0 until Papy gets it sorted, which I'm sure they will. Steve B. remove "edy" from address for email

Thanks for the most interesting comments Steve, I can't wait to hear Randy's comments on this. I did notice that driving was easier with 1.1, but I thought it had to do with the ff, it gives me so much more feeling to the cars (and makes all the troubles with the new patch worthwile for me!). Also on Monza, since a few weeks I could easily drive constant 1:28 laps. Now I have to fight for a sub 1:30 lap, most lap times are around 1:30:50. Ofcourse the rideheight has been raised from 1 to 2.5, but could this make so much difference? And Steve, if you set your sync to 0 again, are your real times vs GPL times ok again or do you still have differences then? Andre

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>Howdy all, > I just wanted to weigh in with a few more observations on "The Patch". I >had posted earlier that my only complaints were online, while offline was fine. >I've since done a bit more poking around and found that offline is changed for >the worse in a couple of ways as well. > To compare the two versions, I kept both exe's and core.ini's in my GPL >folder and appropriately renamed whichever one I wanted to use, while keeping >the new 3dfx rasterizer for both. Then I entered practice at two races at >Brands Hatch (only short course where my original setup was over 2.5in), one >with each version of GPL in succession. I drove some easy laps, trying to get >a couple of nearly identical laps to compare. I ended up saving a 1:36.93 in >1.0 and a 1:37.03 in 1.1, both over two seconds off a flyer, with no heroics at >all, thus good for comparing. Then I used Spygirl to merge the two, so I could >compare them more easily (especially with Brian Heiland's car camera files, >which have an excellent direct-overhead view for comparing lines-nice job >Brian!). My offline observations follow. > I had been seeing 37fps nearly all the time in 1.1(vs.36 w/1.0), which I >didn't think was a problem, at least offline. However, it happens that all the >than clock time. DUH. A 1:37 lap actually takes about 1:33.5. Going back to >1.0, the replays all run in correct time, even those laps recorded with 1.1. I >suspect this timing error in 1.1 is what's causing the new sync method to >result in the bizarre speedups and slowdowns in online races. > I'd seen some comments about the cars being easier to drive in 1.1, but >hadn't really noticed it yet. Now, though it IS anecdotal, I'd have to agree >after running this back-to-back test of the two versions. Brands was MUCH less >tricky in 1.1 (with the same setup), and the difference was quite noticeable in >driving as well as in the merged replay. The saved lap done in 1.1 was far >cleaner, with much less squirming and tire squeal, and more easily held (and >tighter) lines, in spite of much later braking. For example, Surtees(the >uphill left) remained tricky as ever in 1.0, but was a relative breeze in 1.1, >lap after lap. Still, the greater speed through the corner didn't translate >into greater speed down into Hawthorne. It's as if they upped the grip a bit >while reducing the power to keep laptimes stable. Sort of makes you wonder if >they haven't dumbed GPL 1.1 down just a bit, all statements to the contrary. A >reaction to all the complaints about difficulty, perhaps? You can't help but >wonder.. Whatever the case, 1.1 definitely takes the edge off of driving the >Lotus, and I find the new "feel" less engaging (though admittedly still better >than anything else). > I'd be interested in any other comments on the new "feel". Probably those >without FF wheels are best positioned to address this. >Cheers, >Steve B. >remove "edy" from address for email

Driving ain't any easier... it's just that game hick-ups are smoothed over, making them easier to handle.... god; I love this patch. Jan. ------- >Thanks for the most interesting comments Steve, I can't wait to hear ><for god's sake... SNIP people!!>

Hi Andre, I can't say about that because I got disco'ed from that particular race (right after I'd barely squeaked into pole!) and couldn't save it. I'd had a .333 ping with .983 quality when I joined, but saw someone on the chat page comment about latency going too high right before I got zapped. But from the fact that I was showing 37+fps and it "looked" too fast, I'd guess the timing error remains. I think if they can sort out the timing bit the new sync method will probably be a real improvement for online play, but we'll just have to wait a bit longer to find out. And we should be good at that by now, eh? :-) Cheers, Steve B. remove "edy" from address for email

Uhhhhhhh.........didn't have any hiccups before, thanks. 36fps all the way, thanks to judicious application of $$$. Glad you're happy, though. You wouldn't just have an FF wheel, would you? :-) Cheers, Steve B. remove "edy" from address for email

mmmmm.... if all goes well I will in about an hours time... <vbg> Never any framestutter in V1.0, even with a full grid?? -Wow, $$$ well spent my friend. Jan. ------

Oh well, I really hope that Papy is reading these posts regularly, so that they know what's going on. Or did someone e-mail them already? Dex