Driver (PC) - A Patch Is Coming? ( long ) ( again )

One of the Tech Support people at GT Interactive responded to my email about the game-function-mapping problem for controllers with few buttons. He seemed pretty sure that they are working on a patch, but was not sure if that particular issue would be addressed. And, no, he most definitely did NOT mention a possible release date. Be cool. Anyway, for what it's worth, below is a copy of the email I sent back, hoping to influence what might make it into the patch. (Thanks Andre for your observations I included.) ...207 - - - - <copy of email to GT Interactive support> - - - - Thanks for the quick reply Dan. I'm glad to hear you folks are working on a patch. Driver is a pretty bug-free game but there are a couple that should be squashed. Could you please pass on this email to someone on the "patch team"? I've listed some items based both on my own experience and that of others as posted in the r.a.s. newsgroup. Bugs: 1. Allow mapping of game functions to the keyboard when using a joystick or steering wheel. (I don't think there's a single model of steering wheel on the market that has enough buttons for all functions - that's why I consider this in the 'bug' category.) 2. Check elevation of program-placed replay cameras to make sure they aren't below the road z-coord. (We can always fix it with the Film Director, but shouldn't have to.) 3. Disable force feedback effects while viewing replays. (My wheel gets enough wear & tear without having it thrash around during replays too!) 4. The left arrow key will sometimes not function when trying to navigate the after-mission menus or the Film Director's icon menus. Seemingly random occurance, can't find a pattern or method to reproduce bug. Sorry. Design Decisions: (as opposed to bugs, these are suggestions about decisions the team made during development) 1. If your graphics engine will allow it, provide an 'Ultra' graphics detail option to allow drawing of scenery much farther away and thereby reduce the dreaded 'pop-up' effect. (I've got a monster home system, give me a chance to use it! Midtown Madness sets the standard for this right now.) 2. Replays and saved game positions could be saved by a filename instead of to a limited number of 'slots'. Load replays or saved games from a list of saved files. Dreams: (I won't hold my breath for these, but just something for you folks to think about.) 1. Provide a way to load a specific .dms file, either from the main menu or as a command line parameter for the game's shortcut, e.g. "C:\Driver\Game.exe -m Mission999.dms". If you provided this, I'll bet you would see an bunch of user-created missions popping up on the internet, increasing people's interest in purchasing the game. Look what the availablity of 'mods' did for Quake! Yes, this means that someone could 'skip ahead' and play one of the standard missions out of sequence if they wanted, but that would just mean they would miss out on the enjoyment of your storyline, so it's their loss. Keep up the good work! ...Colin French

"Klinn" <[email hidden]> wrote: >One of the Tech Support people at GT Interactive responded to my email about >the game-function-mapping problem for controllers with few buttons. He >seemed pretty sure that they are working on a patch, but was not sure if >that particular issue would be addressed. And, no, he most definitely did >NOT mention a possible release date. Be cool. [snip letter to GT Interactive] Good work, Colin! Allow me to add a few points: I just got Driver and I found some design decisions in the game unlucky. Not actually bugs, with one or two exceptions, but a tad annoying anyway. Driver for the PC shows many signs of being a ported console title (which it is, but anyway) and therefore does not fully use the potential of the PC. - Controller setup: It should be possible to fine-tune an analogue controller, i.e. there should be a steering sensitivity slider and, most importantly, realistic gas, brake, and reverse. As is, I use the keyboard to drive the car, since this is the method that works best. But I would love a *real* opportunity to use my wheel. - Cinematic cutscenes: Sometimes, you see them just once and have no option to watch them again in case you missed something which might be important for the understanding of the story. At other times, you have to watch them again and again (or 'ESC' them away) until you managed to solve a mission. There should be an option to access old cutscenes, and an option to immediately restart a mission without having to watch the preceding cutscene. - Replays: In a replay, I don't care to see a huge red arrow pointing to the car I'm pursuing. It's necessary during the mission, but detracting in the replay. - Why do you have to press ESC to exit the 'save game' screen? Everytime I save the game, I think something has gone wrong since it takes so long to finish saving - until I remember that I have to leave the screen explicitly. - Why does the game always ask me "Are you sure?" when I want to do non-destructive things (watch replay etc.) but does not ask (or does it?) when I press 'exit'? Those questions should be limited to 'dangerous' operations. - The in-game music should be selectable seperately for the hotel room (I want to turn it down there to understand the messages on the AM) and for driving (I like it there). Also, there is a bug that stops the music during a mission once I've selected the overview map. - The automatic transmission of the cars is broken. Unless you use the kick-down feature, the tranny of a standard full-size US boat of the 70s should shift into third once you reach approx. 30mph. The cars in the game react like my old Olds - shift into 3rd only when going 50 mph or faster. No problem during the missions, but a bit annoying when sightseeing. Other than that, I like the game. It took me a while to get started in the 'driving test', since I had a hard time finding out that the game accepts a 180 only when done by handbrake... :) And there seem to be two kinds of cops in this game: the 'Clint Eastwood Make-my-day-punk' variety which does not care about innocent bystanders, and one variety which is modeled after the chief from 'The Simpsons': "Was that a get-away car coming around the corner with 55mph, squealing tyres, ignoring a stop sign?" "Yes, but he wasn't going faster than 59, he didn't run a red light, and we could only see him in the mirrors, so we might as well keep eating our donuts..." :) This game could be so much better than it is.... a shame. Hopefully, some of the points will be taken care of in a patch. -- Wolfgang Preiss \ E-mail copies of replies to this posting are welcome. [email hidden] \ Spam (UCE) is not welcome will lead to the cancellation [email hidden] \ of your account. I mean it. Spammer, you have been warned.

Why are people discussing the lack of "Realistic" controls in the PC Game DRIVER. I've played this game. IT'S A GAME...a VERY arcade like game. So a)Why talk about it in a Simulators Channel b)What the hell's the need for realistic controls...that's not what it's about. Doug Wolfgang Preiss wrote:

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> > "Klinn" <[email hidden]> wrote: > > >One of the Tech Support people at GT Interactive responded to my email about > >the game-function-mapping problem for controllers with few buttons. He > >seemed pretty sure that they are working on a patch, but was not sure if > >that particular issue would be addressed. And, no, he most definitely did > >NOT mention a possible release date. Be cool. > > [snip letter to GT Interactive] > > Good work, Colin! Allow me to add a few points: I just got Driver and > I found some design decisions in the game unlucky. Not actually bugs, > with one or two exceptions, but a tad annoying anyway. Driver for the > PC shows many signs of being a ported console title (which it is, but > anyway) and therefore does not fully use the potential of the PC. > > - Controller setup: It should be possible to fine-tune an analogue > controller, i.e. there should be a steering sensitivity slider and, > most importantly, realistic gas, brake, and reverse. As is, I use the > keyboard to drive the car, since this is the method that works best. > But I would love a *real* opportunity to use my wheel. > > - Cinematic cutscenes: Sometimes, you see them just once and have no > option to watch them again in case you missed something which might be > important for the understanding of the story. At other times, you have > to watch them again and again (or 'ESC' them away) until you managed > to solve a mission. There should be an option to access old cutscenes, > and an option to immediately restart a mission without having to watch > the preceding cutscene. > > - Replays: In a replay, I don't care to see a huge red arrow pointing > to the car I'm pursuing. It's necessary during the mission, but > detracting in the replay. > > - Why do you have to press ESC to exit the 'save game' screen? > Everytime I save the game, I think something has gone wrong since it > takes so long to finish saving - until I remember that I have to leave > the screen explicitly. > > - Why does the game always ask me "Are you sure?" when I want to do > non-destructive things (watch replay etc.) but does not ask (or does > it?) when I press 'exit'? Those questions should be limited to > 'dangerous' operations. > > - The in-game music should be selectable seperately for the hotel room > (I want to turn it down there to understand the messages on the AM) > and for driving (I like it there). Also, there is a bug that stops the > music during a mission once I've selected the overview map. > > - The automatic transmission of the cars is broken. Unless you use the > kick-down feature, the tranny of a standard full-size US boat of the > 70s should shift into third once you reach approx. 30mph. The cars in > the game react like my old Olds - shift into 3rd only when going 50 > mph or faster. No problem during the missions, but a bit annoying when > sightseeing. > > Other than that, I like the game. It took me a while to get started in > the 'driving test', since I had a hard time finding out that the game > accepts a 180 only when done by handbrake... :) And there seem to be > two kinds of cops in this game: the 'Clint Eastwood Make-my-day-punk' > variety which does not care about innocent bystanders, and one variety > which is modeled after the chief from 'The Simpsons': "Was that a > get-away car coming around the corner with 55mph, squealing tyres, > ignoring a stop sign?" "Yes, but he wasn't going faster than 59, he > didn't run a red light, and we could only see him in the mirrors, so > we might as well keep eating our donuts..." :) > > This game could be so much better than it is.... a shame. Hopefully, > some of the points will be taken care of in a patch. > > -- > Wolfgang Preiss \ E-mail copies of replies to this posting are welcome. > [email hidden] \ Spam (UCE) is not welcome will lead to the cancellation > [email hidden] \ of your account. I mean it. Spammer, you have been warned.

Douglas Ellison <[email hidden]> wrote > Why are people discussing the lack of "Realistic" controls in the PC > Game DRIVER. Because it's a race game. I do not know why you put down games that much, but I personally feel that whatever it is a simulation or an arcade game, the user should have the possibility to have a realistic controller input to race it. It's just common sense. I mean his request are nothing impossible, mostly gameplay problems (or lack of). > I've played this game. IT'S A GAME...a VERY arcade like game. So > a)Why talk about it in a Simulators Channel Because if you read the FAQ you would know. > b)What the hell's the need for realistic controls...that's not what it's > about. It's about racing a car, and you should have the option to get realistic controls no ?

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> Wolfgang Preiss wrote: <snip> > > - Controller setup: > > - Cinematic cutscenes: > > - Replays: > > - Save Game: > > - "Are you sure": > > - in-game music: > > - The automatic transmission:

-- -- Fran�ois M�nard <ymenard> -- 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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>> Why are people discussing the lack of "Realistic" controls in the PC >> Game DRIVER. >Because it's a race game. I do not know why you put down games that much, >but I personally feel that whatever it is a simulation or an arcade game, >the user should have the possibility to have a realistic controller input to >race it. It's just common sense. I mean his request are nothing >impossible, mostly gameplay problems (or lack of).

Thanks for stepping in, Fran?ois. [Look, in order to honor you, I even searched for the code to produce the '?' - hope it makes it to your end of the line. :) ] I have nothing to add. Usually, I wouldn't have responded at all, but I feel I have to praise your considerate way of snipping and t*** down the previous message:

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>> > - Controller setup: >> > - Cinematic cutscenes: >> > - Replays: >> > - Save Game: >> > - "Are you sure": >> > - in-game music: >> > - The automatic transmission:

Lately, there has been a tendency in RAS to do fullquotes and only add a line or two. Even (time) honored personnages of the Commonwealth are among the offenders. I won't name names - heck, I will: Bruce, it isn't necessary to quote more than 300 lines just to add a remark, even if it helps to preserve the English language! :) -- Wolfgang Preiss \ E-mail copies of replies to this posting are welcome.