News Archive 1999

Features

David Noonan's Oval Converter

12/27/99 - David Noonan has published his NASCAR Oval to GPL Converter. This free utility converts eight of the best ovals from PapyrusNASCAR 3 (or earlier Papyrus NASCAR sims) to GPL.

GPL's AI does not cope well with steep banking, so there are no AI drivers for these tracks. Therefore, these tracks are best enjoyed by racing on them against other human drivers. For this reason, the Oval Converter is known as a "VROC Special". You can find other people do race with on the ovals on VROC.

Get the converter at The Pits. Go to the GPL page and look for Oval2GPL Converter.

Optimizing Your DUN

12/5/99 - I've added a new page containing an excellent article by Ron Ayton about optimizing your DUN connection. It's called Thoughts on How to Improve On-line Connections.

Ron lives in Australia, and frequently races on servers in North America and Europe. Consequently, Ron is a reluctant authority on connection problems! His article is well worth a read if you are using an analog modem and have problems getting disconnected from races when racing GPL online.

Since connection issues are an ongoing problem in online racing for many people, I've also added prominent pointers to this and another useful page, DUN and Serial Port Settings for GPL, to the GPL Online FAQ.

WinVROC Arrives!

12/5/99 - WinVROC is available! This superb new Windows native client for VROC was developed by Larry Holbert. It's based on Larry's tried and true GPL Spy Boy (which is now retired) and has numerous bug fixes, internal improvements, and enhancements.

This new client complements a new VROC server, which also uses software developed by Larry, and running on a computer and Internet connection dedicated to the task. This new server is much faster and more reliable than the old server. As a result, race list refreshes, and hosting and joining transactions happen much more quickly.

The new VROC server hardware and connection is donated by a generous GPL and VROC enthusiast.

With GPL 1.2, WinVROC, and the new VROC server, the VROC/GPL combination for racing via the Internet has truly come of age.

Check it out at VROC!

GPL Setup Utility; Ricardo Nunnini's "GPL Foolishness"

12/2/99 - Ian Withycombe has published a new utility for displaying, editing, and printing GPL setups. The utility, known as GPLSetup, allows you to edit GPL setups outside of GPL, and print them as well. It also makes it easy to compare two or more setups. You can get Ian's utility at Ricardo Nunnini's superb GPL Foolishness site.

Ricardo Nunnini's GPL Foolishness is anything but. Ricardo has an extremely comprehensive discussion of GPL setup theory and practice, setups you can download, and tips about driving.

I can't overstate the value of Ricardo's site. I don't agree with everything he says (that all cars have the same fuel economy, for example, and have the same aerodynamic drag).

However, there is so much good information and good thinking here, I feel anyone who is serious about understanding and enjoying the cars which GPL simulates must study this site!

GPL 1.2 Arrives!

11/16/99 - In case you haven't already heard, the official GPL 1.2 patch is out! GPL 1.2 features dramatic improvements in online and multiplayer racing, including a much more stable clock; smoother client/server connections; useful meters showing latency, quality, and synch; improved, more realistic collision detection; chat enhancements; and enhanced server functionality. It addresses the notorious clock bug in GPL 1.1, assorted scoring bugs, and a significant number of other bugs as well.

The result is greatly improved racing online. Among other things, you can now race much closer to other cars, with less risk of contact. If there is contact, it's much less likely to cause wild, rocket-launch reactions.

Download GPL 1.2 from Papyrus. Details about the GPL 1.2 enhancements are in the GPL 1.2 FAQ at VROC.

A new version of GPL Spy Boy which supports GPL 1.2 is also available at VROC.

Steve Smith's F2 Superguide

10/27/99 - Steve Smith has published his F2 Superguide, kindly hosted by our host, SimRacing Online. At the F2 Superguide you can download a Zip archive containing all of Steve's latest F2 setups.

Drawing on his vast experience with real cars, both street and race, Steve has meticulously tuned each car for each track. With these setups, the cars glide effortlessly over the bumps, bang over curbs with aplomb, readily recover from seriously sideways sides. Midcorner understeer is almost entirely eliminated, yet the cars are stable as a tank. And they respond; the harder you drive them, the faster they go.

Some of the setups Steve published with his Advanced Setup Guide didn't suit my style, but all of the ones I've tried from his F2 Superguide are superb. He's done a fantastic job with these setups!

If you haven't tried the F2 cars - known in GPL as the "Advanced Trainers" - you're in for a treat. These are the cars which GPL's physics guru, Dave Kaemmer, calls "the most fun cars in GPL". I started using the F2 cars to learn tracks - Monaco in particular - and wound up enjoying them more than the F1 cars! Most of my time now is spent in F2 cars.

With 270 hp and slightly less grip than the GP cars, these cars deliver performance similar to the 1965 Grand Prix cars. They are surprisingly quick, and a great deal of fun. In contrast to the brutish, violent 1967 Grand Prix cars, GPL's F2 cars favor finesse, smoothness, and precision - but they have plenty of power to allow you to toss them around, and they are plenty quick enough to get you into trouble!

Racing F2 cars online on VROC, I've found that driving mistakes are fewer, and warping is somewhat less due to lower accelerations. Because of this, the racing is closer and often very exciting. I've had some tremendous, flag to flag duels in recent weeks - exactly the kind of racing I had always hoped to experience in GPL.

You can race the F2 cars offline against the AI (see section 5.3 of my GPL FAQ), and you can race them online too, in single-class races or against the GP and F3 ("Basic Trainer") cars in online races at VROC.

Give Steve's F2 setups a try. I guarantee you'll be glad you did!

Where should you start? I suggest the Ferrari at Zandvoort and Silverstone. Awesome stuff!

GPL and the Press

10/24/99 - Racing simulations, including GPL, have begun to receive significant attention in the press in recent months.

Most people are familiar with Jacques Villeneuve and his comments attributing his spectacular pole position at Spa in his first year in Formula One to practicing in Grand Prix II. But a growing number of young drivers have gone public about using racing simulations to hone their skills and give themselves a competitive advantage over their rivals.

In addition, recent articles in major national hard-copy publications have drawn attention to GPL, to racing online, and - grin - the setups developed by Yr Hmble Srvnt.

I've created a new Press page with articles and references to some of the more interesting articles published recently.

Pete Lyons on F1 Circa 1973

10/4/99 - I've posted an excerpt from a wonderful article by Pete Lyons about the Grand Prix cars of 1973. This article makes clear what we've lost in the relentless advance of technology.

If there's ever a GPL 2, this is the era I'd love to see reproduced. Reading this article still gives me chills.

Force Feedback

8/31/99 - I've added a new Force Feedback page. I recently acquired a Logitech Wingman Formula Force, and I love it. With this device, properly tuned, GPL takes another big step to an uncanny level of realism. The experience of driving the cars in GPL with a good FF device is fantastic.

The new page includes driving impressions, installation and setup tips, and an explanation of the various parameters which you can set in GPL and in the controller's driver software to optimize the wheel's behavior to your taste.

9/6/99 - On my new Force Feedback Reader Suggestions page, you can read Brad DuTemple's suggestions for modifying your Logitech pedals, along with several other interesting suggestions for setting up and modifying the Logitech unit.

Also, I've gotten rid of the stiction that I disliked in the Logitech wheel, and as a result I like the Logitech wheel even more.

11/16/99 - I've added several new sections to my Force Feedback page. See here for details.

Sharing Connections

8/23/99 - I've expanded the Internet Plus LAN section of my GPL Online FAQ.

If you've got a high speed connection, such as a cable modem, xDSL, ISDN, or T1 line, and you have more than one machine which can run GPL, you might want to read the new LAN Configuration and LAN IP Address sections. I've got some suggestions which, among other things, can ensure that you don't make the same mistake I made when configuring my LAN for hosting behind the gateway.

Also, if you haven't already, and you're considering running a Windows machine as a gateway to share your high speed connection, please read the Sygate section. If you're running a Linux gateway, please see the Linux section.

If you're on an analog modem, and you have two or three people at your site who would like to join GPL races via the Internet simultaneously, read the Multiclient section.

Long-Awaited GPL Patch Arrives

7/16/99 - Last Friday, Papyrus released the long-awaited GPL 1.1 patch. The patch incorporates an impressive number of enhancements, many of which are targeted at improving online racing and expanding the number of servers which will be available online.

The same day, the VROC developers unveiled a comprehensively revamped VROC Web site, incorporating a dramatically new and enhanced VROC 2 Java applet for joining and hosting races, and greatly expanded and revised help facilities. Details about GPL 1.1's revisions and new features and VROC 2's expanded functionality can be found at VROC.

The effectiveness of GPL 1.1's new hosting features can be seen by the dramatic increase in the number of GPL servers present on VROC since the release of the patch.

Unfortunately, the GPL 1.1 patch has proved problematic for some users. Reacting immediately, Papyrus has isolated a bug which they believe was responsible for assorted difficulties, including inaccurate lap times and lowered frame rates offline, and varying frame rates, increased tendency to disconnect, increased warping, and certain other problems in online racing. A fix for this bug has been found, and work continues on fixing another bug which caused some drivers to get no lap times when racing online, along with certain other anomalies.

Temporary workarounds for many of these difficulties can be found in the GPL 1.1 FAQ at VROC. I will keep you posted with news of any new releases.

AI Tweaker and GPL Spy Girl

For many folks this is old news, but some people may not be aware that Kari Ikonen has written a utility known as AI Tweaker which provides a slick Windows-based interface to the various initialization file parameters which control the speed of GPL's AI cars. With this utility, you can control the speed of GPL's AI cars so you can race with them while you learn, even if you do not have the talent of a Jim Clark or a Dan Gurney. AI Tweaker can be downloaded from The Pits. You may wish to review the AI section of my GPL FAQ, which should help you understand the parameters you'll be tweaking.

The authors of GPLCAWW have recently added a Windows GUI to this utility, and renamed it GPL Spy Girl. The new version is available from The Pits. This utility combines a lap from each of two replays into a single replay file, which can then be viewed in GPL.

Replays and New Setup

6/21/99 - I've finally started building my replays page. So far, I've got replays for about half of the tracks, with the Ferrari only at this time.

Also, I've added a Brands Hatch setup to my Ferrari setup collection. This is basically my Mosport setup with Silverstone gearing, and it seems to work fairly well.

Brands Hatch

6/20/99 - David Noonan has stunned and delighted the GPL community with his fantastic new rendition of Brands Hatch. This is the one track which many people, myself included, would have most wished to have had included in GPL. Now David has filled this gap with a virtuoso accomplishment, one which many people, Papyrus included, have long thought impossible: a completely original version of a real world track for GPL.

Brands Hatch is a wonderful track, even more of a roller coaster ride than Zandvoort. It's challenging and exciting, and very rewarding when you get it right. David has done a fantastic job in laying out his version of Brands Hatch for GPL, and has elegantly captured the unique atmosphere of this exquisite British circuit.

Brands has proven to be a major hit on VROC, where there have been races hosted at Brands almost continuously during peak VROC hours since the track was made available on Thursday. One enthusiastic driver said, "This track fully reveals the capabilities of GPL's physics engine for the first time." I expect we will soon see it included in some of the many online racing series now being run by and for GPL enthusiasts.

Perhaps even more important than the Brands Hatch track itself is the fact that David's accomplishment proves that it is possible for third parties to create original tracks for GPL. I can personally attest that this track was done from scratch, as I assisted David in its development by providing him detailed feedback on earlier versions. Through the course of a number of weeks and four iterations, David's Brands Hatch evolved from a crude ribbon in the sky - whose configuration deviated noticeably from the real world - to the beautifully detailed and amazingly authentic final version. Its evolutionary process was eerily similar to the same process I witnessed during GPL's development as Papyrus perfected the Nurburgring.

The capability for original track development opens up a world of exciting possibilities, and promises a bright future for GPL racers for a long time to come.

David's Brands Hatch is a very small download, less than 400 kb, available at The Pits.

Thank you, David!

Replay Utilities

Two utilities for examining GPL replay files are now available. Both make it possible to compare two laps, which is useful for both driver development and for setup development. For driver development, you can compare your lap with a lap by a superstar driver (see the hot laps links on my links page). For setup development, you can compare two laps with two different setups.

Juha Kallioinen's excellent GPLDump shows graphs of the two laps, with an option time difference which helps to indicate where one lap loses time against the other.

GPL Spy Girl, available from the GPL Utilities area at The Pits, combines a lap from each of two replays into a single replay file, which can then be viewed in GPL. A Windows GUI has been added, as well as extensive new features.

GPL Behind Gateways

Join or Host GPL 1.0 from Behind a Linux Gateway

6/12/99 - John Simmons has posted instructions for setting up a Linux gateway so that it is possible to join a GPL race from a machine behind the gateway. Linux kernel 2.2 is required to join. Read his instructions here.

This is an addition to John's existing documentation about how to host from behind the gateway. He also specifies the changes that will be needed for the GPL 1.1 patch.

Cable Modem Sharing with a Sygate Gateway

6/12/99 - If you have a cable modem and a small LAN at home, you may be interested in an inexpensive and simple way to share the cable modem connection. Adding a second Ethernet card and the inexpensive Sygate gateway software to the machine connected to the cable modem allows all computers on the LAN to share the cable modem connection. This is a Windows-based solution which I found to be very easy to implement and which I believe is cheaper and less labor-intensive than using a Linux gateway, although admittedly it may also be less secure.

With GPL 1.0, I believe it is possible to join races from any machine on the LAN through the Sygate gateway.

With the GPL 1.1 patch, any machine on the LAN will be able to join or host GPL races. In anticipation of the release of the GPL patch, I've updated my Online FAQ with information on how to set up Sygate to allow GPL to host and join races from behind a Sygate gateway.

Sweet Red Candy

6/11/99 - My new collection of Ferrari setups exploits a radical new approach to chassis setup which I stumbled upon a few weeks ago. The gorgeous red cars from Maranello are stunning: gloriously, sensuously responsive, yet forgiving beyond anything I'd imagined possible in GPL. At last GPL's Ferrari lives up to Chris Amon's description of the real thing:

That '68 Ferrari was a gorgeous thing to drive...In terms of driving pleasure, a fast lap at Spa was a fantastic sensation. Although we were down on power...the car was working beautifully. On [my pole] lap, as I came down the Masta Straight, after the kink, I caught up to Brian Redman, and I can remember going by him on the inside, at the entry to Stavelot, with my foot buried right in it, while he was having to brake in his Cooper! The thing felt tremendous.

Here are some comments about my setups and explanation of my new setup technique:

Your Ferrari article is great! I had never seen Chris Amon's quote before--I couldn't believe how good a description it was of the GPL Ferrari! [Your new Ferrari] setups do indeed handle better than low riders...

- Dave Kaemmer

I could run comfortable through corners that otherwise gave me a heart attack when feeling a bump...With this setup I could accelerate much better out of the slow corners; the slides were way easier to control....I couldn't believe what I felt and saw....Wonderful, Alison! Soooo cool to drive....VERY impressive, it really lead me to rethink my setups.

Thanks, Alison, for giving me some really new perspectives on setting up the cars! :))

- Wolfgang Woeger

Holy moly! That's the finest setup I've ever driven in GPL, my own included. It's as easy to drive as an F2. A keeper. Congratulations.

- Steve Smith

Alison has come up with some revolutionary thinking on setting up your GPL racer. I took her loose Ferrari setup at Silverstone... Slapped my drive train on it and did a 1:27.21 in just 10 laps. Only 2 hundredths off my PB. What is remarkable about these setups is the grip out of the corners. ... The car seemed very stable all around. I felt like I was cheating. <G>

- Chris Moses

I just tried [your setup] on the Mexico track which is one of the hardest tracks for me, and after 10 laps I had a 1:49.86 lap. That's over a second better than my previous best lap in Lotus. It's all Ferrari for me from now on.

- Jan Otto Ruud

Be careful! Reading my Ferrari article and trying my setups may shatter some of your most fundamental assumptions about GPL. If you'd rather keep thinking about setups the way you always have - if you want to keep thinking of GPL as "hard to drive" - read no further.

Click here only if you dare.

Lost Papy Cup Reports Found!

5/21/99 - Okay, so they weren't really lost, but I need some sort of excuse for being six months late on these reports. So, you see, the reports on the final two Papy Cup were lost in transit aboard a Nantucket cutter that was hijacked in the middle of the Atlantic last fall, and have only just now been recovered. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

The truth is, I've finally started working on bringing the Papy Cup reports up to date. You may recall the race reports I wrote about the Papy Cup, a GPL series being run last fall on the corporate LAN at Papyrus. I was invited to participate, and very much enjoyed doing so.

However, the last two Papy Cup races were held in early October, immediately after GPL was released, and the rush to complete this site and get VROC operational meant that I was unable to complete the reports at that time.

The series has continued, with a Papy Cup 2 over the winter, and a Papy Cup 3 which is now under way. I am eager to report on the current series, which is being conducted under a new set of rules designed to add interest, and in which I'm doing very well. However, I feel that first I should complete my reports on the first series and bring things up to date with a review of the Papy Cup 2.

So I've dug out my results sheets and replays, and herewith is a report on the Papy Cup race at Watkins Glen.

I've Moved!

5/15/99 - I'm hard wired! The boys from MediaOne installed my cable modem last week, and it's fantastic! 1.5 mbps down, 300 mbps up. No waiting.

Now that I'm hard wired to the Internet, I'll be giving up my old dialup ISP, which previously hosted my Eagle Woman and Eagle Woman's Grand Prix Legends sites. These sites are now being hosted by Marc Nelson's Simracing Online. Many thanks to Marc for his gracious hosting!

Don't forget to update your bookmarks! I've left forwarding pages at the old site, but I plan to unsubscribe from that service within a couple of months.

You can always get to my sites through my Eagle Woman URLs, which have been redirected to the new location:

http://eaglewoman.maximumspeed.com/gpl/

http://eaglewoman.maximumspeed.com/

Or you can get there directly at the Simracing URL:

http://simracing.com/alison/gpl/

http://simracing.com/alison/

I was over my maximum space allocation and also well above the monthly bandwidth limitations on my old ISP's server. My GPL site was typically the busiest site in the state in my ISP's weekly usage reports! This new server should allow me to expand the site and add more content (time permitting!)

Jay Freel's "GPL Settings" Tool

5/15/99 - Jay Freel has published a new program called "GPL Settings" for viewing and printing setups from outside of GPL If you're into creating your own setups, this is a must!

New! Further to Formula 2

Steve Smith has published the latest section of his Advanced Setup Guide: Further to Formula 2. This section gives setups for the Brabham Advanced Trainer for Kyalami, Silverstone, Monza, and Spa.

New! Native Windows Client for VROC

Larry Holbert has released a native Windows client for VROC, called GPL Spy Boy. Now those who have not wanted to download Netscape, or have had trouble with it, can access VROC throught a native Windows application.

Features include:

• Native Win32 VROC Client (including hosting and joining support).
• Integrated support for GPL Address Book (including editor) and GPL NetAgent like functionality.
• Route inspector to check your Internet route to the host.
• Use of a tiny launcher program to launch GPL, completely removing GSB from memory while GPL is running and consuming almost no CPU cycles.
• Integrated IRC client to provide race chat area ... extensive customization provided to include the transferring of setups, standings,url's, server info. Ability to provide separate league chat areas.
• VROC Stamp of Approval ... fully coordinated effort with the VROC staff.

Check it out at: http://didnt.doit.wisc.edu/vroc/

New! Eagle Woman's Setups for the Brabham

4/4/99 - I've posted my setups for the wonderful Brabham. Simple, light, durable, and a marvel of elegant engineering, the Brabham BT24 was the most successful car of 1967. Denny Hulme and Jack Brabham swept the driver's championship, and the BT24 won the constructor's championship.

In GPL, set up well, the Brabham is seriously fast - and sheer delight to drive. Nimble and light on its feet, forgiving and easy to handle, and blessed with gobs of torque, in the hands of a capable driver the Brabham is a fearsome competitor.

Give this baby a whirl!

New! Achim Trensz' Mosport Track Guide and Revised Setups

4/3/99 - Achim Trensz has added a track guide for the lovely Mosport to his excellent guides to the circuits in GPL. Also, he's updated some of his Lotus setups.

New! Track Converter Update Fixes Starter Problem

3/27/99 - Jan Kohl has posted revised versions of David Noonan's CART/ICR2/N2 to GPL track converter. The new versions have a starter who drops the green flag, thus eliminating the problem of how to start races.

If you're racing on VROC, be sure to download these from from The Pits right away! Go to the News page, and click on the 1,000,000 visit celebration link.

New! Mailing Lists for GPL and VROC

3/26/99 - I've created two new Internet email lists, one for GPL and one for VROC. These lists are intended to supplement this site. I get many emails from people with suggestions and ideas, and I don't have time to post them all. Also I get a lot of questions, and although I try to answer them as quickly as I can, often I am sure that other people have excellent answers too.

These lists can be read either by having all postings sent to you (digest and summary options are available) or by viewing them on the eGroups.com Web site. eGroups assures us that our email addresses will not be used for junk mail. The service is supported by small ads appended to postings.

To join these lists, go here. 

New! Advanced Setup Guide for Advanced Trainers

3/26/99 - Steve Smith has released his latest update to his Advanced Setup Guide. In The Joy of Formula 2, Steve develops Advanced Trainer Lotus setups for eight of the eleven tracks.

New! CART and NASCAR to GPL Track Converter!

The Starter is Back! The original version of Dubai and the converted tracks didn't have a flagman at the start/finish line, so it was impossible to know when the green flag drops. However, new versions have been published with a starter which works correctly, just like all the tracks in GPL. Be sure to download the latest version of the converter and the Dubai track from The Pits. Go to the News page, and click on the 1,000,000 visit celebration link. The new versions install right over the old ones; no need to delete your old converted tracks.

3/26/99 - David Noonan has published a track converter which converts ICR2, CART Racing, NASCAR 2, and NASCAR 1999 Edition tracks to GPL!

This is, to me, the most exciting development in sim racing since VROC. Overnight we suddenly have available another six tracks for GPL. It's like a whole new game!

David's converter will convert Phoenix and Loudon from CART/ICR2, and Loudon, Hickory, Homestead, and Watkins Glen from the NASCAR 2 series. There is also an original track, called Dubai.

The converter zip file has the word "demo" in the name, which implies that David may later release a version which converts more of the CART and NASCAR tracks.

Note that you'll need to have either CART Racing or IndyCar Racing 2 to convert the CART tracks, and some version of NASCAR 2 to convert the NASCAR tracks. You'll need NASCAR 1999 Edition to get Homestead. Hickory is on the BGN expansion pack and in NASCAR 1999.

These converted tracks seem to work particularly well for online racing. I would guess that this is because there is less graphic detail (for example, no crowds) and this lightens the CPU load. I've been racing on Loudon, Homestead and Watkins Glen via VROC, and it works great.

GPL appears to deal gracefully with the situation where a player does not have a track on which the host wishes to race. If the host switches to a track the player doesn't have, GPL just gives a warning and returns to the Multiplayer screen. Also, it appears that the CART and NASCAR versions of Loudon are compatible; I used a Loudon converted from N99 and raced with a host using a Loudon converted from ICR2.

I've found some issues with the AI, and some minor graphical glitches. The main functional problem is that there are no flaggers, so there's no one to wave the green, checkered, and black flags at the start/finish line. This is ok for checker and black flags, because you get the same information on the pit board, but without the green flag it's hard to know when to start the race. See the sidebar for some suggestions.

You can get the converter and the Dubai track from The Pits. Go to the News page, and click on the 1,000,000 visit celebration link.

If The Pits is swamped, here is the URL for the converter so you can retrieve it via GetRight in the early hours of the morning:

http://www.theuspits.com/1m/i2n2gpldemo.zip

If you download this directly from this link, please visit The Pits later and let them know how grateful you are for this fantastic effort.

New! Eagle Woman's Setups for the BRM

3/1/99 - At last I'm ready with another collection of setups, this time for the Beast of Bourne. The BRM is a fascinating car, dramatically different from all the other cars in several significant ways.

With a good setup, the shrieking H-16-engined monster is a joy to drive, and Patrick's wonderful BRM V-16 sound dramatically enhances the experience. I can't think of many greater sensual pleasures in GPL than hurling the BRM around Rouen, wailing up the hill through the trees, flinging it around the long glorious undulating corners.

Furthermore, the Beast has a significant strategic advantage which, if you can capitalize on it, makes it possible to beat considerably faster cars. It's not all that slow, either; my quick times in the BRM at some tracks are faster than my best times in the Coventry and Murasama. Almost everywhere else it's very close.

Its short wheelbase makes the BRM much more responsive than the long-wheelbase Coventry and Murasama, and I feel this makes it another excellent step in the learning ladder to mastering the lightweight "glamour cars".

Unleash the Beast in your computer!

GPL is Game of the Year

2/27/99 - Computer Games Strategy Plus magazine has voted Grand Prix Legends its Sports Game of the Year. GPL won over EA Sports' World Cup 98.

Computer Gaming World magazine has voted Grand Prix Legends runner-up to EA's Need for Speed II as Driving Game of the Year. GPL beat out Microsoft's Motocross Madness, UbiSoft's F1RS, and EA's Moto Racer 2.

Submit your vote for CGSP's readers' best game of 1998 by emailing Steve Bauman.

New! PCI Sound Cards Rule!

2/27/99 - I'm getting fantastic results with a new SoundBlaster Live! Value, which recently replaced my SoundBlaster Vibra 16. Sound quality, performance, and online racing are dramaticaly improved.

I can run all graphics on at 800x600, all 19 AI cars, 16 engine sounds and still get 36 fps! Crackling and scratching is gone.

Online racing is dramatically improved. I can run full graphics at 800x600 and get 36 fps almost all the time! It's no longer necessary to get nonstop 36 fps. Clock smashes, which have plagued my PII-350 since I built it, seem to be a thing of the past, and disconnects have dropped dramatically.

The SB Live! makes a great companion to Patrick's new engine sounds for GPL (see below). Sitting in the middle of a grid of 20 cars, with a symphony of good clean engine sounds roaring all around me...the sensation is indescribable! It's the way I always imagined GPL could sound.

I got the SB Live! Value for $75, which makes it a great deal for the GPL enthusiast.

I've added a new subsection on the SB Live! in the sound section of my GPL Hardware FAQ. If you haven't already, read Achim Trensz' detailed discussion of the SB Live! in the hardware section of my GPL Reader FAQ. I've also added comments by Steve Smith and Andy Booth on significant improvements they experienced with PCI sound cards to this section of the Reader FAQ.

New! Enhanced Sounds and Graphics for GPL

2/25/99 - A number of people have created different engine sounds and car graphics for GPL. With more realistic-sounding engines and more authentic-looking paint jobs on the cars, GPL becomes an even more delightful visual and audio feast.

My current favorites are a set of engine sounds by Patrick, and a collection of '67 paint schemes by Joe Lafrite.

Patrick's sounds are from real race cars, including a Ferrari 512S V12, a Maserati 250F, a Jaguar D-Type, a Ferrari 250 GTO V12 and a 1953 BRM V16, which makes a delicious howl. I am stunned at the difference Patrick's engine sounds make in the sensations of driving the cars in GPL. Watching from outside is even better.

With these sounds, and the volume turned up, GPL creates the raw, brutal, visceral audio experience that I've previously encountered only at real race tracks. If you haven't yet connected your sound card to your home stereo, now is the time!

3/26/99 update: Working with Patrick, Thomas Brown has developed sounds for the Cosworth and Ferrari that I like even better. You can download these latest sounds from the Fast Lane.

I've also been using a collection of paint schemes by Joe Lafrite. Joe has created '67 paint jobs (including Honda and Cooper) that look better and seem more authentic to me than the originals in GPL.

See the new Add-ons page in my Help section for an overview of audio and graphical add-ons. There is a wide variety of enhancements available, including more paint schemes, engine sounds, tachometers with redlines, modified track graphics, and revised sound effects.

New! GPL Reader FAQ

2/7/99 - I've added a new GPL Reader FAQ page to my FAQ section. This page contains information supplied by readers of this Web site.

To those who sent comments some time ago, I apologize for the time it took to get to the construction of this page. I still have a few more comments to add, so check back here soon.

See the What's New section below for some highlights on this new page.

New! Expanded Controls Page

2/7/99 - I've begun developing my Controls page. Included are reader reports on several recently released wheels, a pointer to a review by Randy Magruder, and a link to the new site for Wally's World.

New! Vote for GPL as Game of the Year

2/5/99 - Cast your ballot for GPL as GameCenter.com's Game of the Year. Right now GPL is running a pitiful 7th out of 7 with 1% of the vote. Baldur's Gate is leading with 34%. Come on; we know GPL is better than that! Get out and vote!

New! Achim Trensz' Latest Track Guides

1/13/99 - Achim Trensz has added track guides for Mexico, Monaco, and Watkins Glen.

New! Steve Smith Updates the Advanced Setup Guide

1/13/99 - Steve revisits the Ferrari at Monza, and adds "The 400 hp Go-Kart" - a section on lowrider setups, featuring the Lotus at Spa.

What's New

12/5/99

Winmodem Update

I've added some positive comments about a Winmodem from a reader. See my GPL Online FAQ.

11/22/99

Replay Version Utility

I've posted Randy Cassidy's replay version display utility, rpyver. This utility allows you to determine if a replay was made on GPL 1.0 or 1.1 or GPL 1.2. GPL 1.1 had an unreliable clock, but GPL 1.2 has a clock which is even more stable and reliable than that of GPL 1.0. You can download rpyver here.

Force Feedback

I'm offering the Logitech Wingman profiles that I use for GPL and VROC. These profiles allow you to generate character strings by pushing two buttons on the Logitech Force Feedback wheel, effectively increasing the number of available buttons from six to ten. Details here.

11/19/99

Voodoo 3

I've updated my GPL Hardware FAQ with new information about the Voodoo 3 video cards and GPL, and some information about an inexpensive source for the CPU power you need to run GPL well on a Voodoo card.

Force Feedback

Brad Dutemple has revised his discussion about how to modify your Logitech pedals for more travel, and has added some excellent photographs. See the Force Feedback Reader Suggestions page.

By the way, Brad raced me very hard at Kyalami last night in a Formula 2 race, and then absolutely clobbered me in an F2 race at the Ring. So I know his pedals are working just fine!

11/16/99

Force Feedback

A new section discusses my experiences with the Act Labs Force RS USB wheel.

Logitech has begun shipping a new version of their Wingman Formula Force wheel. This version features stronger springs in the pedals, which addresses one of the primary problems with the original Logitech pedals.

I've also added new sections on Logitech Pedal Springs, Split Axis Pedals in version 3.30 of the Wingman software, and the Wingman Shift Button Function. I've also added an update of my impressions of the Logitech wheel.

I've also added some new - and interesting - notes to the update paragraphs of my Microsoft Force Feedback section.

10/28/99

Sounds

I've added a zip file containing the sound files I'm currently using to my Add-ons page.

10/24/99

Setups

I've added a setup for the GP Brabham for Brands Hatch, and a replay of a 1:37.68 lap there. I set this lap on the third lap of a four-lap practice session just now!

This new Brabham setup incorporates my latest setup philosophy, including slight positive toe-out at the front and 4+ inch ride height. The positive toe yields more linear and predictable turn-in, and is particularly nice with Force Feedback.

I've also added two setups to the Ferrari setup collection, including the one I used to set the 1:26.20 replay mentioned below, and a newer one using the same philosophy as the Brabham setup for Brands Hatch.

If you'd like to retrofit these new setup tweaks to my other setups for the Ferrari and Brabham, I highly recommend Jay Freel's setup utility for comparing setups and printing them out.

Reconfigured

I've replaced the old Review page with a new Press page. Let's face it, I'm never going to write a review of GPL!

10/11/99

I've posted a replay of a 1:26.20 lap at Zandvoort in the Ferrari, along with a slightly revised setup which is a little less tail-happy and has more optimized, asymmetrical camber. The new setup is only in the replay file for the moment.

This lap is more than a half second quicker than my previous best at Zandvoort with the Ferrari. I also easily smashed my old Brabham record there the other night, doing a 1:26.6 on the third flying lap of an online practice session. This was a full second under my previous best with the Brabham.

Now that I've become accustomed to Force Feedback and have learned how to dial in the setup for it, I seem to be shattering my old personal bests almost effortlessly at some tracks, Zandvoort in particular. I think this is because FF gives me a much better idea of what the car is doing, and encourages me to be smoother and to not overpower the front tires.

I wouldn't want to be without FF now; it's not only making me quicker, but driving is a lot more fun, too!

10/1/99

I've added a section on alternate IP addressing to the GPL Online FAQ.

Also, see the VROC site for information about the recent publication of test versions of the upcoming GPL 1.2 patch, and information about the definitive release.

9/29/99

I've again updated the Logitech Settings section of my Force Feedback page with new core.ini and Wingman driver values. These new values use the full force available from the Logitech wheel and give more progressive and natural-feeling forces in response to the car's behavior, as well as making the car somewhat more stable in a straight line.

9/13/99

I've updated the Logitech Settings section of my Force Feedback page with a new core.ini value for force as a result of moving my CH Pedals to port 2 on my PDPI L4.

9/9/99

I've added a replay of a lap with the Ferrari at Monza.

I've updated the links to GPL Spy Girl and GPLDump. See the Add-ons page.

9/6/99

I've added a new Force Feedback Reader Suggestions page with more suggestions for modifying your Logitech wheel and some other interesting observations by readers about Force Feedback.

Also, I've gotten rid of the stiction that I disliked in the Logitech wheel, and as a result I like the Logitech wheel even more.

9/1/99

Read Brad DuTemple's suggestions for modifying your Logitech pedals.

7/16/99

I've added a new link on my Setup page to a paper called Suspension 101 by Yashiki Mogi. Yashiki gives a concise description of the various setup parameters and at the end gives a brief list of symptoms and what you can do to address them. Kind of a mini version of the suspension chapter of Carroll Smith's Drive to Win.

6/25/99

I've added a Disconnects section to my Online FAQ.

6/14/99

Eric Cote's Dampers Table

I've added some comments by Eric Cote to my Ferrari page, and a link to Eric's damper table. As Eric points out, now that we're not running the cars on the bump stops, damper adjustments become much more effective and can be used to fine-tune the behavior of the car in transitions.

Murasama Zip Fix

I've made a minor change to the Murasama setups Zip file. To make it consistent with the other setup Zips, I re-zipped it with the setups folder included in the path. The omission of the setups folder from the path was causing some confusion. The setups themselves haven't changed at this time.

6/2/99

Driving Books

I've added a section on books about race driving to the Driving page.

5/15/99

Links

I've added links to several more useful and interesting GPL sites. Here are some of the new ones:

• Jay Freel's "GPL Settings" - A program for viewing and printing setups from outside of GPL
• Phil Flack's "GPL File Formats"
• Cris Eichler's "GPL Setups Explained" (Site designed by Pieter van Dieren)
• Tim Wheatley's "Honda Hotlaps"

Check out my Links page for many links to good GPL sites.

Apologies to the many folks who have sent me links that I haven't yet had time to post. I'll get to them, I promise!

Meanwhile, please post your links on the GPL or VROC Mailing Lists.

4/3/99

Setups

Steve Smith has added a setup for the Brabham Advanced Trainer at Spa.

Links

I've added links to two superb sites devoted to GPL. Michaël Hompus' The Fast Lane and Bill Tillman's Turn 1 both feature carsets, sounds, historical information, a mailing list, forum, chat, tutorials and more. The Fast Lane also features a track editor project, revised program covers and backgrounds for GPL, and more.

I've also fixed the links to Marc Nelson's site, now called Sim Racing Online, and Randy Magruder's Grand Prix Legends World Series.

3/27/99

Controllers

Keith Findlay reviews the Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback wheel controller on my Controls Reader Reports page.

I've made a correction to the controller section of my Hardware FAQ. Thomas Enterprises now equips certain models of their less expensive line, the TSW 2, with a dual-axis pedal switch. Thanks to Hena Häkkänen for pointing this out.

Sounds

Problems reported with pauses caused by Patrick's sounds seem to have been a false alarm. Also, Thomas Brown's new sound files are smaller than Patrick's. See the Add-ons page for details.

3/26/99

Sounds

Using the same techniques pioneered by Patrick, Thomas Brown has developed superb new sounds for the Cosworth (also used by the Eagle) and the Ferrari. The latter is from a 3-liter V12 312P Ferrari sports car of the same era as GPL's Ferrari 312 GP car, and it has that fabulous Ferrari sound. It's the most authentic-sounding and best sound for the Ferrari yet, IMHO. Patrick's Cosworth sound is also my new favorite for the Lotus and Eagle.

You can download Thomas Brown's superb sounds from an excellent GPL site called the Fast Lane.

Eric Cote has also developed a new Ferrari sound by increasing the pitch of the sound which came with GPL. He's also developed a Honda sound. You can download these here.

Online Series

Eric Cote is running an online series called The Ferrari Challenge.

BRM Feedback

Reader comments on the BRM have been added to my BRM page.

3/12/99

Papyrus has recently revised and expanded their web site, with screen shots of NASCAR 3. GPL screen shots and the latest GPL demo and OpenGL patch are also available at the GPL pages.

They've also posted photos of their recent trip to Daytona, where they demonstrated NASCAR 3 and other NASCAR sims. See Papyrus personnel, including Dave Matson, Matt Marsala, Joel Belog, Shawn Wise, Grant Reeve, Kathy Ott, Scott Stutsman, Rich Yasi and Cameron Daly, hanging out with John Andretti, Ricky Rudd, Bobby Labonte, Kenny Bouchard, and Robert Pressley. You can even see Bobby driving NASCAR Racing 1999 Edition. You can also see Bobby Labonte with a Havas field representative named Anna.

I feel that the fact that Havas (a French company which recently bought Sierra and Papyrus from Cendant) and Papyrus found the money and time to put on this promotion is a very positive sign. Traditionally racing simulations have been marketed primarily to the computer gaming population, leaving a vast potential market of racing enthusiasts virtually untapped. The fact that Papyrus and Havas are taking steps to raise awareness of high quality racing simulations in the real-world motor racing environment can only be good for Papyrus, their customers, and the racing world.

There is also a very active Motorsports forum at Sierra Sports devoted to their motorsports sims. This is an additional resource for help with GPL.

3/1/99

Setup

In conjunction with the release of my BRM setups, I've revamped my Setup, Setup Tips, and Setup Downloads pages. There's some new material on the Setup Tips pages, and a more detailed discussion of how to adapt my Coventry setups to the lightweight cars.

Sounds

Some people are reporting pauses with Patrick's engine sounds. I've added a note on my Add-Ons page about solutions to this problem.

2/27/99

Setup

Steve Smith has added a new section to his Advanced Setup Guide, featuring lowrider setups for the BRM at Monza and Spa. I've split the Discussion and Erata sections out into their own page and added items to each.

2/25/99

Tweaks

I've added a new Add-ons page to my Help section. The new page presents an overview of the audio and graphical add-ons of which I am currently aware. There is a variety of enhancements available, including revised paint schemes for the cars, new engine sounds, tachometers with redlines, and revised sound effects.

2/18/99

Jeff Hunsberger has updated the guage page with an explanation of why the cars in GPL have no speedometer.

Tweak

You can make GPL display a photo of you on the Player selection menu and also on the Grand Prix News newspaper that's displayed at the end of a race - if you win, that is! Details are in the photo section of my GPL General FAQ. An example of a Grand Prix News with a custom photo is on the Downloads page, and an example of a Player Info menu with the same photo is on the Driving page. Thanks to Randy Cassidy for this tip.

2/17/99

I've revised this News page to make it more readable, and split the News Archives into a page for each year.

Online

Michael Carver responds in detail to Paco Skiinoff's comments on cable modem and other high speed connections.

Bart Westra has published a detailed analysis of online issues and suggests some new settings for the core.ini.

I've added a new section to the GPL Online FAQ which lists other sources for information about the gory details of racing GPL online, including the aforementioned comments by Michael, Paco, and Bart, and comments by Doc Wynne previously posted on VROC.

VROC has released VROC Vendor Guidelines.

Controllers

Greg Hellman has published a glowing review of the Thomas Super Wheel Formula 99 at the Unofficial MGPRS2 page.

Steve Blankenship has learned the cause of the drifting-center problem he encountered with the Logitech Wingman Formula and GPL, and suggests a work-around until Logitech fixes it.

2/8/99

Controllers

After testing and rejecting two other wheels, Steve Blankenship gives the Logitech Wingman Formula a glowing review, and explains how to make a number of useful modifications.

2/7/99

USB

Achim Trensz reports excellent results with a new USB ISDN device.

Paul Jones reports excellent results with the Entegra USB to Serial Converter. This allows you to connect your existing serial port modem to the USB port, which appears to give the benefits of a USB modem without without the cost of buying a new modem. Street prices of this converter start under $60. See the USB Reader Reports page for Paul's comments.

Jason Hunsinger reports on new drivers for the MultiTech USB modem in the USB Reader Reports page.

Online

Paco Skiinoff makes a rebuttal to the suggestions for cable modem setup reported by Michael Justice. See the new GPL Readers FAQ.

Controllers

Randy Magruder reports on the new Act Labs Force RS wheel on the Digital Sports Page.

Performance

Achim Trensz reports rather astonishing results with the new SoundBlaster Live! sound card. and GPL He experienced a dramatic improvement in frame rate of up to 10 fps on a P2-400 using a pair of Voodoo 2 cards. Read his comments in the new GPL Readers FAQ.

In his comments on the USB ISDN device, Achim also notes a number of things he's done to optimize his system's performance. These suggestions are applicable to many computers running GPL, even those not running ISDN or USB devices.

John Valersky reports a source for a low cost Celeron 300A and ABIT motherboard combination which is guaranteed by the sellers to be overclockable to 450 mhz. See the new GPL Readers FAQ for details.

Jason Hunsinger reports on the performance of his AMD K6-350 with GPL in the new GPL Readers FAQ.

1/29/99

Online

Michael Justice, who has one of the most awesome servers on VROC, pointed me to some suggestions for cable modem setup. Check this page out if you have a cable modem.

1/11/99

I've revised my email response policies. I continue to read every email I receive. However, due to the enormous volume - and my huge and growning email backlog - I'm no longer able to respond to most emails personally. See my email page for information about where to get help with problems and questions.

1/11/99

I've updated my USB modem page, with test results for the 3Com 56k Voice Faxmodem Pro, setup suggestions for the MultiTech ZBA-USB, and more reader feedback. Also, I found that the ZBA consistently connected at speeds above 50k at my brother Nate's home over the holidays; apparently he has phone line quality which is significantly superior to mine.

1/7/99

Scott Moore has written an article about VROC on Sports Gaming Network's Online Racing Guide.

1/1/99

See John O'Keefe's new interview with ace sim developer - and GPL's lead engineer - David Kaemmer at The APEX.

1/1/99

Sign the petition to save the Monza banking.