GPL Disappointing

I just got a copy of GPL and I'm kind of disappointed with the graphics. I assumed that they would be as good as Nascar 3. But no antialiasing, max 640x480, and constant crashing back to Windows. I have a generic computer (Celeron 500 with Intel 810 integrated graphics) and do not have a 3DFX video adapter. Is there anything I can do to improve the graphics? Also, is there any way to import the GPL tracks into Nascar Racing 3? I'd put up with the sluggish handling of a Nascar car in exchange for some more road courses. Thanks, Ed

The best bet, and you will hear this often is to upgrade your video card. you can get a Voodoo2 1000 add-on card for around $100 or a V3 2000 for $129 or so. This will vastly improve all game performance. Best bang for buck is the V3 3000 (for the games you mentioned) They will both improve dramatically! Best overall *** card may be the TNT2. Thought Nvida recently released a GeFroce256. I do not know how well it is working for anyone yet. My 2 cents

Get yourself a Voodoo3 video card and you'll be pleasantly surprised with how good the graphics are at 1024x768 Wayne Hutchison

You have to remember, GPL is over a year old now, and when it came out the graphics were about on par with that time. With the 3dfx V3000 card, I am able to run in 1024 and it looks pretty good. -- Don Burnette Dburn in N3 and Legends

Really? In fact, they are better, so no need to be disappointed. Ah! Is there anything I can do to improve the Erm, get a descent graphicscard. Jarno

GPL looks great at 1024*768 on the TNT, and almost as good at the same res on a voodoo3 3000. How well does the 810 graphics work? Do you have to run in OpenGL? I never got a standalone Intel graphics chip based card to work with GPL in other than software mode - which is way too slow. Keith.

GPL was built in the first place to not even support software rendering for graphics. That support was thrown in at the last minute because Sierra forced them to. Go get yourself a Voodoo3 card and prepare to be blown away by the increase in framerate and by how much ass the graphics will kick compared to software rendering. Dan Belcher Team Racing Unlimited http://simcrashes.cjb.net

No wonder the graphics don't look good. You need a 3dfx card.

[This followup was posted to rec.autos.simulators and a copy was sent to the cited author.] says... Unfortunately , you're judging Grand Prix Legends on a system which it wasn't designed to run well with . You don't have a 3Dfx or Rendition card and so you're running in software rendering . Software rendering in Grand Prix Legends is so poor that Papyrus really shouldn't have included it at all . Wait until you see what GPL looks like supported by some serious hardware . You'll post a message right back here asking us to ignore your previous post . It's THAT good! When running in Glide or Rendition, everything is super smooth . Tires are perfectly rounded , the cars have beautiful lighting effects , and everything else appears entirely polished. If you like you can visit a site (www.papyrus.com for example) with some screen shots of Grand Prix Legends . Most of them will be running in either Glide or Rendition , so you can see for yourself how beautiful the games actually looks when running on a decent games system . Once you're driving at Spa with cars in front and behind you , with all details turned up high and at anything above 30fps , you won't even look at Nascar Racing 3 in the same way again . Just one mans opinion , of course . -- Best regards, The Phoenix

Sorry to sound abrupt, but get a decent graphics card! The problem is not with GPL but with your system, if you invest in a good graphics card (say a Voodoo2 or Voodoo3 card) then GPL's graphics will improve no end, and you will be able to use higher resolutions. GPL will seem like a completely different program when you have a system to match its capabilities.. 8-) *Peter* - http://www.cix.co.uk/~peterpc/home.html

Dear efd, If you are stuck on 640 x 480 and are suffering crashes I would urge that you buy a Voodoo3 card at your earliest opportunity. Until you obtain a 3-D card you will always run GPL under a severe handicap, doing yourself, and the sim, no favours what-so-ever.

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> I just got a copy of GPL and I'm kind of disappointed with the > graphics. I assumed that they would be as good as Nascar 3. > But no antialiasing, max 640x480, and constant crashing > back to Windows. I have a generic computer (Celeron 500 > with Intel 810 integrated graphics) and do not have a 3DFX > video adapter. Is there anything I can do to improve the > graphics? > Also, is there any way to import the GPL tracks into Nascar > Racing 3? I'd put up with the sluggish handling of a Nascar > car in exchange for some more road courses. > Thanks, > Ed

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> I just got a copy of GPL and I'm kind of disappointed with the > graphics. I assumed that they would be as good as Nascar 3. > But no antialiasing, max 640x480, and constant crashing > back to Windows. I have a generic computer (Celeron 500 > with Intel 810 integrated graphics) and do not have a 3DFX > video adapter. Is there anything I can do to improve the > graphics? > Also, is there any way to import the GPL tracks into Nascar > Racing 3? I'd put up with the sluggish handling of a Nascar > car in exchange for some more road courses. > Thanks, > Ed

You Really have the wrong chipset for games, the i810 is a graphics card integrated in the motherboards chipset it probably works ok for internet etc but NOT for games you should get a good 3D accelerator like a TNT 2 or if you want to play GPL at high framerates a VooDoo 3 Cya, Jarno

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> I just got a copy of GPL and I'm kind of disappointed with the > graphics. I assumed that they would be as good as Nascar 3. > But no antialiasing, max 640x480, and constant crashing > back to Windows. I have a generic computer (Celeron 500 > with Intel 810 integrated graphics) and do not have a 3DFX > video adapter. Is there anything I can do to improve the > graphics? > Also, is there any way to import the GPL tracks into Nascar > Racing 3? I'd put up with the sluggish handling of a Nascar > car in exchange for some more road courses. > Thanks, > Ed

It sounds like you're running in software-rendering mode. This looks awful, and hammers your framerate. Get a 3dfx graphics card ASAP. You can find used 12Meg Voodoo2 boards on Ebay for ~50, and get a new one for ~$85. Alternately, you could get a TNT(/2) and have a go with the OpenGL beta drivers. As I understand it, the TNT/GL-beta solution doesn't always work well on all computers, so an older Voodoo2/3 card may be a better bet. Once you get a proper video card, the game (OK,sim!) comes alive. You'll also need a joystick or wheel and pedals (preferably split axis). -Greg -- Note! Anti-spam tactics engaged! Remove the duplicate "g" and "s" before replying.

You should never criticize anything about GPL here. As you can see by the responses, people get kind of defensive.

>You should never criticize anything about GPL here. As you can see by the >responses, people get kind of defensive. I didn't see any knee-jerk, defensive responses to his question. Everyone that responded quite rightly suggested that he invest in a proper 3D graphics card. There was no flaming, no condescension, no aggressive attitude. In fact, thus far the only response with an attitude in this thread is yours. S.

I was thinking the same thing, I didn't see any defensive responses either, only people trying to help him with GPL. -- Don Burnette Dburn in N3 and Legends > >You should never criticize anything about GPL here. As you can see by the > >responses, people get kind of defensive. > I didn't see any knee-jerk, defensive responses to his question. Everyone > that responded quite rightly suggested that he invest in a proper 3D > graphics card. There was no flaming, no condescension, no aggressive > attitude. In fact, thus far the only response with an attitude in this > thread is yours. > S.

OK -- I got a 3dfx card and now I don't do anything 'cept play GPL all day long. Thank you everyone for you advice. GPL is absolutely the most incredible, accurate, realistic, superb simulator in the history of computing. The first time I went through Eau Rouge at speed it sent shivers up and down my spine. But since I installed the card (Voodoo3 3000 PCI), I've had a couple of problems with my computer. Maybe someone in this group can help me out (since it's your fault I got the new card :) ) Whenever my PC goes into standby mode, the whole computer locks up and must be power-cycled. Is this a known issue with the 3dfx cards? Also, text is not as crisp with the new card as it was with the onboard card. What I would like to do (first) is get the standby mode working and (second) figure out a way to easily toggle back and forth between the 3dfx card and the onboard display adapter. Would it be possible to get a Y-connector and connect both SVGA outputs to the same monitor, then use Windows 98 Hardware Profiles to toggle between the adapters? Thanks, Ed P.S. Did everyone read the interview with James Garner and Jacques Villeneuve in this month's Car?

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> You should never criticize anything about GPL here. As you can see by the > responses, people get kind of defensive. > > I just got a copy of GPL and I'm kind of disappointed with the > > graphics. I assumed that they would be as good as Nascar 3. > > But no antialiasing, max 640x480, and constant crashing > > back to Windows. I have a generic computer (Celeron 500 > > with Intel 810 integrated graphics) and do not have a 3DFX > > video adapter. Is there anything I can do to improve the > > graphics? > > Also, is there any way to import the GPL tracks into Nascar > > Racing 3? I'd put up with the sluggish handling of a Nascar > > car in exchange for some more road courses. > > Thanks, > > Ed

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> >You should never criticize anything about GPL here. As you can see by the > >responses, people get kind of defensive. > I didn't see any knee-jerk, defensive responses to his question. Everyone > that responded quite rightly suggested that he invest in a proper 3D > graphics card. There was no flaming, no condescension, no aggressive > attitude. In fact, thus far the only response with an attitude in this > thread is yours.

It's true that in this particular thread the response has been very positive, as you said. But there have been flame-wars in the past, usually between somebody disliking GPL and the rest of us loving it. Todd should have made it a little clearer as to which thread he was speaking of. This one, or another? -- Best regards, The Phoenix

Why should we be defensive? We just feel sorry for that guy, he's having the best game (oops, sim) ever but he can't enjoy it - yet. ;)