GP3 and The Patch - First Thoughts

To nail my colours to the masthead - I liked GP3 *before* the patch was released. I like it a lot more now. The controller issues have been fixed - I can now have split axis or not, as I choose, on my LWFF (using the LWFF pedals - they discourage my tendency to 'leadfootedness'). You also no longer need to rely on the mouse in menus in 'control driven calibration' mode - the wheel, pedals and paddles work here as well. The graphics 'diagnostic' has improved - I get more intelligent results from the self-calibration feature, and better processor occupancy figures (even with mirrors 'on'). The car is definitely more 'twitchy', and setup changes have more of an effect than before. It takes much less effort to go from an understeer across the gravel into collision with the armco to an oversteer into a spin and collision with the armco... ^_^ I haven't exhaustively tested the new grass and kerbs effects as I confess I try to stay off them, nor have I really tested the AI improvements as I've only run a 25% race so far, with no pitstops or weather changes. The 'save game' problems also appear top have been fixed although again I haven't tried all of them yet. FWIW - my system is a TMC T15VG+ mobo, K6-2 450mhz CPU, Guillemot TNT2 M64 graphics card - not a high-end system by today's standards. Verdict: If you liked the game already, get the patch - you'll probably like it a lot more. If you didn't like the game before, or you haven't bought it because of the negative press in here, get it, get the patch and give it a whirl. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. GP3 is now - for me - the definitive *modern* F1 sim... Martin D. Pay About to try and go flat-out through Eau Rouge... ^_-

Unless it patched it to GPL2 it probably won't please alot of people :) cheeky, "Martin D. Pay" wrote:

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> To nail my colours to the masthead - I liked GP3 *before* the > patch was released. > > I like it a lot more now. > > The controller issues have been fixed - I can now have split axis > or not, as I choose, on my LWFF (using the LWFF pedals - they > discourage my tendency to 'leadfootedness'). You also no longer > need to rely on the mouse in menus in 'control driven > calibration' mode - the wheel, pedals and paddles work here as > well. > > The graphics 'diagnostic' has improved - I get more intelligent > results from the self-calibration feature, and better processor > occupancy figures (even with mirrors 'on'). > > The car is definitely more 'twitchy', and setup changes have more > of an effect than before. It takes much less effort to go from an > understeer across the gravel into collision with the armco to an > oversteer into a spin and collision with the armco... ^_^ > > I haven't exhaustively tested the new grass and kerbs effects as > I confess I try to stay off them, nor have I really tested the AI > improvements as I've only run a 25% race so far, with no pitstops > or weather changes. > > The 'save game' problems also appear top have been fixed although > again I haven't tried all of them yet. > > FWIW - my system is a TMC T15VG+ mobo, K6-2 450mhz CPU, Guillemot > TNT2 M64 graphics card - not a high-end system by today's > standards. > > Verdict: If you liked the game already, get the patch - you'll > probably like it a lot more. If you didn't like the game before, > or you haven't bought it because of the negative press in here, > get it, get the patch and give it a whirl. I think you'll be > pleasantly surprised. > > GP3 is now - for me - the definitive *modern* F1 sim... > > Martin D. Pay > About to try and go flat-out through Eau Rouge... ^_-

-- Rob Swindells ''

I think the patch kicks ass. Martin D. Pay <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> To nail my colours to the masthead - I liked GP3 *before* the > patch was released. > > I like it a lot more now. > > The controller issues have been fixed - I can now have split axis > or not, as I choose, on my LWFF (using the LWFF pedals - they > discourage my tendency to 'leadfootedness'). You also no longer > need to rely on the mouse in menus in 'control driven > calibration' mode - the wheel, pedals and paddles work here as > well. > > The graphics 'diagnostic' has improved - I get more intelligent > results from the self-calibration feature, and better processor > occupancy figures (even with mirrors 'on'). > > The car is definitely more 'twitchy', and setup changes have more > of an effect than before. It takes much less effort to go from an > understeer across the gravel into collision with the armco to an > oversteer into a spin and collision with the armco... ^_^ > > I haven't exhaustively tested the new grass and kerbs effects as > I confess I try to stay off them, nor have I really tested the AI > improvements as I've only run a 25% race so far, with no pitstops > or weather changes. > > The 'save game' problems also appear top have been fixed although > again I haven't tried all of them yet. > > FWIW - my system is a TMC T15VG+ mobo, K6-2 450mhz CPU, Guillemot > TNT2 M64 graphics card - not a high-end system by today's > standards. > > Verdict: If you liked the game already, get the patch - you'll > probably like it a lot more. If you didn't like the game before, > or you haven't bought it because of the negative press in here, > get it, get the patch and give it a whirl. I think you'll be > pleasantly surprised. > > GP3 is now - for me - the definitive *modern* F1 sim... > > Martin D. Pay > About to try and go flat-out through Eau Rouge... ^_-

I still don't like the way the AI block you. It seems unfair and unrealistic to me. They'll swerve in front of you at the very last moment, forcing you to rear end them, and they'll change line several times to block you, which is against the rules. In real F1 you're only allowed to change line once. To be perfectly honest, I just haven't figured out a really safe way to pass these guys. -A "Martin D. Pay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> To nail my colours to the masthead - I liked GP3 *before* the > patch was released. > > I like it a lot more now. > > The controller issues have been fixed - I can now have split axis > or not, as I choose, on my LWFF (using the LWFF pedals - they > discourage my tendency to 'leadfootedness'). You also no longer > need to rely on the mouse in menus in 'control driven > calibration' mode - the wheel, pedals and paddles work here as > well. > > The graphics 'diagnostic' has improved - I get more intelligent > results from the self-calibration feature, and better processor > occupancy figures (even with mirrors 'on'). > > The car is definitely more 'twitchy', and setup changes have more > of an effect than before. It takes much less effort to go from an > understeer across the gravel into collision with the armco to an > oversteer into a spin and collision with the armco... ^_^ > > I haven't exhaustively tested the new grass and kerbs effects as > I confess I try to stay off them, nor have I really tested the AI > improvements as I've only run a 25% race so far, with no pitstops > or weather changes. > > The 'save game' problems also appear top have been fixed although > again I haven't tried all of them yet. > > FWIW - my system is a TMC T15VG+ mobo, K6-2 450mhz CPU, Guillemot > TNT2 M64 graphics card - not a high-end system by today's > standards. > > Verdict: If you liked the game already, get the patch - you'll > probably like it a lot more. If you didn't like the game before, > or you haven't bought it because of the negative press in here, > get it, get the patch and give it a whirl. I think you'll be > pleasantly surprised. > > GP3 is now - for me - the definitive *modern* F1 sim... > > Martin D. Pay > About to try and go flat-out through Eau Rouge... ^_- >

[email hidden] (Aubrey) wrote in <m8BK5.3614$[email hidden]>: >I still don't like the way the AI block you. It seems unfair and >unrealistic to me. They'll swerve in front of you at the very last >moment, forcing you to rear end them, and they'll change line several >times to block you, which is against the rules. In real F1 you're only >allowed to change line once. In opposite, I find AI very good. I didn't notice AI drivers changing the line several lines on the straight. They like to take inside if you are close, but that's the same thing the human driver does. It's not easy to pass, but it isn't in modern F1 either. Actually, I think it's easier to pass than it should be. Couple of laps are usually enough to overtake. Another thing I like that AI drivers are actually trying to pass you. For example, when running with high downforce, after passing then on the twisty part, I had hard time defending on the straights. > To be perfectly honest, I just haven't >figured out a really safe way to pass these guys. > >-A On every track there's one or maybe even more places where it's relatively easy to pass. Don't try to pass somewhere else, just follow them, concentrate on getting the last corner before the passing spot nicely and then you'll have a good run on them. Alex.

"Alex" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> [email hidden] (Aubrey) wrote in > <m8BK5.3614$[email hidden]>: > > >I still don't like the way the AI block you. It seems unfair and > >unrealistic to me. They'll swerve in front of you at the very last > >moment, forcing you to rear end them, and they'll change line several > >times to block you, which is against the rules. In real F1 you're only > >allowed to change line once. > > In opposite, I find AI very good. I didn't notice AI drivers > changing the line several lines on the straight. They like to take > inside if you are close, but that's the same thing the human driver > does. It's not easy to pass, but it isn't in modern F1 either. > Actually, I think it's easier to pass than it should be. Couple of > laps are usually enough to overtake. > Another thing I like that AI drivers are actually trying to pass > you. For example, when running with high downforce, after passing > then on the twisty part, I had hard time defending on the > straights.

What seems to happen to me a lot, is they will cover the inside, which is fine, but then when I try to pass them around the outside they'll move back to the outside line to block me again. This all happens before we even get to the corner.

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> > > To be perfectly honest, I just haven't > >figured out a really safe way to pass these guys. > > > >-A > > On every track there's one or maybe even more places where it's > relatively easy to pass. Don't try to pass somewhere else, just > follow them, concentrate on getting the last corner before the > passing spot nicely and then you'll have a good run on them. > > Alex. >

Yes, that works, but it takes too much patience! :)

[email hidden] (Aubrey) wrote in <p0DK5.3178$[email hidden]>:

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>"Alex" <[email hidden]> wrote in message >news:[email hidden]... >> [email hidden] (Aubrey) wrote in >> <m8BK5.3614$[email hidden]>: >> >> >I still don't like the way the AI block you. It seems unfair and >> >unrealistic to me. They'll swerve in front of you at the very last >> >moment, forcing you to rear end them, and they'll change line several >> >times to block you, which is against the rules. In real F1 you're >> >only allowed to change line once. >> >> In opposite, I find AI very good. I didn't notice AI drivers >> changing the line several lines on the straight. They like to take >> inside if you are close, but that's the same thing the human driver >> does. It's not easy to pass, but it isn't in modern F1 either. >> Actually, I think it's easier to pass than it should be. Couple of >> laps are usually enough to overtake. >> Another thing I like that AI drivers are actually trying to pass >> you. For example, when running with high downforce, after passing >> then on the twisty part, I had hard time defending on the >> straights. > >What seems to happen to me a lot, is they will cover the inside, which >is fine, but then when I try to pass them around the outside they'll >move back to the outside line to block me again. This all happens >before we even get to the corner.

It reminds me moves of many real F1 drivers:) But in GP3 I didn't notice that kind of behaviour where the straight is really straight (like Nurburgring, Silverstone or Suzuka), though I can imagine this happening in the gentle curves, like in Imola for example, where it can be caused by the fact that racing line is not actually straight itself. Alex.

After my first weekend with GP3, I gave up on the game, with the bad support for the MSFF and my Voodoo5. With the patch, I'm now playing the game. It fixed the controller problems for me. Didn't fix the Voodoo5 issues but tips from other users here fixed things. 1280x1024 @ 2xFSAA gives a better performance than with no FSAA. Looks and feels great. Michael Martin D. Pay <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > To nail my colours to the masthead - I liked GP3 *before* the > patch was released. > > I like it a lot more now. >[snip]

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> > Verdict: If you liked the game already, get the patch - you'll > probably like it a lot more. If you didn't like the game before, > or you haven't bought it because of the negative press in here, > get it, get the patch and give it a whirl. I think you'll be > pleasantly surprised. > > GP3 is now - for me - the definitive *modern* F1 sim... > > Martin D. Pay > About to try and go flat-out through Eau Rouge... ^_-

I wasn't too impressed with GP3 before the patch but I believe the patch has significantly improved the game. Despite the lack of improvement to the interface (see 'dumb controller setup' thread) the graphics and physics fixes have made it a much more enjoyable and playable game.

GP3 didn't blow me away at first, but the more I played it, the more I liked it and now I love it with the patch. The most frightening thing is that there's room for improvement - bring it on!

On Sat, 28 Oct 2000 13:06:16 +0100, Martin D. Pay <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>To nail my colours to the masthead - I liked GP3 *before* the >patch was released. > >I like it a lot more now. > >The controller issues have been fixed - I can now have split axis >or not, as I choose, on my LWFF (using the LWFF pedals - they >discourage my tendency to 'leadfootedness'). You also no longer >need to rely on the mouse in menus in 'control driven >calibration' mode - the wheel, pedals and paddles work here as >well. > >The graphics 'diagnostic' has improved - I get more intelligent >results from the self-calibration feature, and better processor >occupancy figures (even with mirrors 'on').

Martin, I have the same videocard and I was wondering how much improvement you saw in the FPS? JoH

>>The graphics 'diagnostic' has improved - I get more intelligent >>results from the self-calibration feature, and better processor >>occupancy figures (even with mirrors 'on'). The graphics are the only thing that annoy me at the moment. Despite the fact that I'm running the most current Direct X installation, despite the fact that my video card (Intel 833) works with every other game I own (admittedly a tad wonky in GPL, but it works), GP3 steadfastly refuses to cooperate with it. When I go to the graphics screen, the card is listed on the menu, but it is greyed out, so I can't select it. Fortunately, my processor seems more than up to the task of running the game adequately, but I'd really prefer to get out of software mode. On the bright side, it is quite an enjoyable sim from this old GP2 fan's perspective. Theron Houston

On Mon, 30 Oct 2000 11:29:08 GMT, [email hidden] (Jo Helsen) mangled uncounted electrons thus: <snip> >>The graphics 'diagnostic' has improved - I get more intelligent >>results from the self-calibration feature, and better processor >>occupancy figures (even with mirrors 'on'). > >Martin, I have the same videocard and I was wondering how much >improvement you saw in the FPS? Ah. I didn't take notes, I'm afraid, and I can't help with that one now, as I just replaced my M64 card with a GeForce MX today. (Not specifically for GP3 - FlightSim 2000 will hopefully be the major improvement here.) Hope to test the new configuration later this evening... ^_^ Martin D. Pay Inveterate tweaker...