GPL Demo vs. Retail

I'm on the fence here... I recently found that I can purchase GPL for $20 at Micro Center. I've played the demo, and found it quite difficult but getting easier with time and practice. Since I've only been able to "train" in the demo, I have some questions. (1) In the demo, there is a replay of a Ferrari doing a lap at Watkins Glen. In this replay, he is sliding all over the road and it seems to be an integral part of doing a lap. Is this true of race conditions as well, or is this only for a hot lap? (2) My Voodoo 3 goes haywire over resolutions of 640x480. Strange colors, lack of detail on certain items, sometimes even wire grids can be seen. Is this a problem with the demo? (3) Are the cars always as difficult to stop in the actual game? If there was another car on the track, I wouldn't know where to pass. It seems unlikely I could do it under braking as in every other game I play. I'd love to see this physics engine in a modern F1 or CART game, it's amazing. Of course, I was playing TOCA2 all day Sunday before firing up GPL. -Andrew Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don't.

Well, you have to remember that those are Formula 1 of the 1960's, and the last year before any aerodynamics help. Back in those days it was mostly an overpowered engine for those tyres, so those cars had oversteering, and you have to master those cars that way. Can't say, all perfect for me :) This can be related to point (1). Those cars back in 1967 had extremely poor brakes for the speed and weight they had. GPL is an extreme-advanced racing simulator for the PC, you can't get anything better presently. Praise it like we all do :) -- -- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard/Nas-Frank> -- NROS Nascar sanctioned Guide http://www.nros.com/ -- May the Downforce be with you... "People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realise how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

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>I'm on the fence here... I recently found that I can purchase GPL for >$20 at Micro Center. I've played the demo, and found it quite >difficult but getting easier with time and practice. Since I've only >been able to "train" in the demo, I have some questions. >(1) In the demo, there is a replay of a Ferrari doing a lap at Watkins >Glen. In this replay, he is sliding all over the road and it seems to >be an integral part of doing a lap. Is this true of race conditions as >well, or is this only for a hot lap?

Sliding is a big part of racing GPL. Not to worry though, the setups in the demo (and to a large extend the standard setups in the game) are totally inadequate and instable. Also, it's quite possible to drive at a competitive speed while keeping the sliding to a minimum. There's a "glide wrapper" available to fix this V3 texture bug. I think all major GPL sites carry it. Again a setup issue, the cars in the demo have full fuel load (fro exmple), but even so a lot can be done to stabilise the car under braking. Outbraking the AI or another human competitor remains tough however, your best bet is out-accellerating them out of a corner. You and me both! TOCA2 is a fun diversion, but just doesn't quite cut it once you've raced GPL. Let me warn you Andrew. GPL is hard, very hard. There's also no such thing as a universal setup. Everyone has to learn about the various setup parameters and adjust them to their liking, the track and the car. Any real speed comes from the correct racing line anyway. Words fail to describe the sensations and pleasure derived from really mastering and driving these cars. There is, however, an apprenticeship to serve. It takes A LOT of practise to get proficient. But don't let that scare you, there's nothing us GPL hacks like more than talking shop with and avid learner. ;-)) Jan. ------

> I'm on the fence here... I recently found that I can purchase GPL for > $20 at Micro Center. if you ask me. Apparently the car setup for the demo was rather bad. That said is does take a bit of car wrestling to hustle around Watkins Glen. Yes and no. Controlled sliding is an integral part of any form of motorsport. However, the form exhibited in the replays aren't necessarily indicative of what you should expect. The replays are either of developers or beta testers (both rather poor drivers :-) sorry Mike and Alison, it has to be said). That said GPL can require a lot of seat time to get used to, perhaps said developers and beta-testers have improved since then. Yes, it was previously fixed by a patch I wote, more recently it has finally been fixed at the source of the problem in the GPL 1.1 patch. The cars don't stop as effectively as cars in other simulations for a variety of reasons: - The braking capabilites of the cars far exceeded the grip offered by the tires. Tire technology has improved quite a bit since that era. - This is compounded by the lack of downforce pushing the pushing the cars down onto the track surface which increases grip. - The physics model is more advanced then what you are used to seeing For the price I don't think it can be beat. To be fair though you need to understand that GPL has stiff requirements both in terms of the hardware needed to run it and the possible time and patience needed to master it. It also is in a bit of a state of flux at the moment regarding oddities with the most recent patch. - George

I haven't seen the demo, but if the replays are 'sliding all over the place' it was probably done to make the game look cool, as opposed to bad driving. Just a guess.

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> > I'm on the fence here... I recently found that I can purchase GPL for > > $20 at Micro Center. > if you ask me. > > I've played the demo, and found it quite difficult but getting easier > > with time and practice. > Apparently the car setup for the demo was rather bad. That said > is does take a bit of car wrestling to hustle around Watkins Glen. > > (1) In the demo, there is a replay of a Ferrari doing a lap at Watkins > > Glen. In this replay, he is sliding all over the road and it seems to > > be an integral part of doing a lap. Is this true of race conditions as > > well, or is this only for a hot lap? > Yes and no. Controlled sliding is an integral part of any form of > motorsport. However, the form exhibited in the replays aren't > necessarily indicative of what you should expect. The replays are > either of developers or beta testers (both rather poor drivers :-) > sorry Mike and Alison, it has to be said). > That said GPL can require a lot of seat time to get used to, > perhaps said developers and beta-testers have improved > since then. > > (2) My Voodoo 3 goes haywire over resolutions of 640x480. > > Strange colors, lack of detail on certain items, sometimes even wire > > grids can be seen. Is this a problem with the demo? > Yes, it was previously fixed by a patch I wote, more recently it has > finally been fixed at the source of the problem in the GPL 1.1 patch. > > (3) Are the cars always as difficult to stop in the actual game? If > > there was another car on the track, I wouldn't know where to pass. It > > seems unlikely I could do it under braking as in every other game I > > play. > The cars don't stop as effectively as cars in other simulations for a > variety of reasons: > - The braking capabilites of the cars far exceeded the grip offered > by the tires. Tire technology has improved quite a bit since that > era. > - This is compounded by the lack of downforce pushing the > pushing the cars down onto the track surface which increases > grip. > - The physics model is more advanced then what you are used to > seeing > For the price I don't think it can be beat. To be fair though you need > to understand that GPL has stiff requirements both in terms of the > hardware needed to run it and the possible time and patience > needed to master it. It also is in a bit of a state of flux at the > moment regarding oddities with the most recent patch. > - George

I would believe that in the replays, the back end is all over the place, because that's how you have to drive the GPL cars to go fast pretty much. Low tire grip and no downforce make it so that you have to slip and slide the car around. Dan Belcher Team Racing Unlimited

It's a mixed bag. The AI are pretty much demon brakers. OTOH, the braking zones are much longer compared to, say, GP2. bob