You are exactly right! You can thank Sierra once again....for that! The
downgrading of Viper Racing from a "sports car" racing sim (several
well-known sports cars of the Viper class were to be included in the
"game").....was primarily due to Sierra dictating "release conditions" to
MGI. Additionally, a "patch" was created with lots of upgrades to the
***pit, UI screens, sound, weather, spotter, etc.......was "killed" by
Sierra....even after it had already been created (I know...I helped create
several of the items in this patch).
Clearly.....Sierra is in the mas-production, pc-game business. Papyrus is
in the racing simulator production business. The two don't mix! That
doesn't make Sierra "the bad guy"......or Papyrus the "good guy."
The "revenue" model for making a profit on a racing sim is completely
different than that for pc-games! A company will emerge that will know
this.......produce what "you" want.....but are you willing to pay for it?
Here's an idea of what it would be....and cost you (the user):
A gpl-like racing sim with modern race cars......several
types (classes) modeled in the same simulation...but probably not both open
wheel, and closed wheel (sedan/GT type cars) in the same sim (would you buy
two of these?). A small number (probably not more than six to ten
total).......but highly detailed and accurate race tracks would be included
in the "base" simulation program. Add-on tracks would be produced on an
ongoing basis....and could be purchased "at will" by users (probably via
Internet download and credit card sale). Upgrades, patches would be
available for the tracks.....and when new equipment (controllers, sound
cards, video cards, etc.) came into the market......but they would need to
be paid for also. The sim would be "generic" in the sense that it would be
"cars" and "tracks"...but not carrying the names of the "brands" and track
names in real racing. The "licensing fees" structure has gone way through
the roof......its one of the biggest problem out there in producing
profitable racing simulations. And last but not least.....there would be no
AI cars. This would be a human-to-human Internet racing
simulation......period! This will not be distributed through standard
retail "***" stores or Internet sites...and it won't be highly advertised
in the traditional "*** biz" rags. But, it will be highly visible in all
the real racing world magazines and at race tracks during "event races"
(like at all Winston Cup, CART, IRL racing events).
The "numbers" will look something like this:
Base price (6 - 10 race car types....and 6-10 race
tracks)...............$200.00
Additional
tracks.....................................................................
$50.00 each
Core Patches and Upgrades (not bug
fixes)............................... $30.00 each
A "Companion" Racing School/Driver Licensing - Add-on pack....
$75.00
Well...those are "the numbers"......in ballpark form!
Is there a market out there for this racing simulation? Maybe we're going
to find out.
Regards,
Tom Pabst
PS. "Hello" to all of you who I have missed......not talking to you in the
various newsgroups, website forums and race chat rooms has been very much
missed by me....as well as not being able to "just race" much myself either.
I've been a little busy....but I'll catch up with all of you soon!
> > Well.....
> > Since GPL hcame along, I haven't heard a good word for another sim, I
> > haven't bought any other sims in the past year because I'm told they are
> > crap, but I'm realizing now that people hear ad-mouth quite good games
> > becaseu you jsut can't give up GPL.....
> > ....... well, there has to come a time when you say...oh, yes, this is
the
> > new GPL!!
> > What does that sim need?
> > The best I have heard in the last year is...."It has potential but still
> > does not rate like GPL......."
> > Thats the absolute BEST thing I have heard about any sim since
GPL........
> > .......what will it take to un-hipnotize you???
> A sim that is as hard as GPL! ;-)
> Seriously, I'd say a sim that gives the same feel of being in the car
> as GPL,
> A sim that models all the effects that GPL has,
> A sim that is as close, or closer to driving a real car as GPL that GPL
> gives
> When all of the above is met, I'll be racing GPL *AND* the new Sim.
> GPL, to date, is in a class of it's own! Unfortunately, there's too many
> people out there that think that a Sim has to be a game, or has to be
> easy to be enjoyed.
> The closest Sim that would work would have to be Viper Racing. If it
> had the capability of racing 20+ drivers online and had tracks that
> resembled (or closer resembled) real tracks.. Viper would have been in
> direct competition with GPL. I think those are the only reasons why
> Viper Racing is seldom heard on this NG. In my opinion, Viper Racing is
> a Sim that was degraded or marketed for the arcade racers.
> --
> =========================================
> Mike Barlow of Barlow Racing?
> =========================================
> http://www.racesimcentral.net/
> Racing online with the help of......
> Race Communications Association
> Holodyne Engineering
> Mystic Music
> (have Your !!Name/Address!! placed here)