I've been quite a fan of the Codemasters's F1 series. I've been playing it for what must be over a thousand hours altogether. (my Steam says I played F1 2017 for +360 hours!!)
Career mode has always been a game mode for me that can really make me stick to games if they are good.

Since F1 2016 they have been developing the game significantly.
For F1 2017 I got quite hyped with the progress they have been making and the features that came with it. So much I pre-ordered it.

Now F1 2018 is not far away and once again I am really hyped and is it already in my game library.
The career mode looks even more immersive and complete than it has even been before.
Not only that, from watching the diaries they published, I notice that they push the game slightly further to sim racing, which is what I'm pretty excited about.
Here a few videos to watch:

Diary 1 (Interviews & Contracts):


Diary 2 (Research & Development revamp)


Diary 3 (Game Physics)
https://www.youtube....h?v=s4nn2KTZ0FQ (can only show two max so click on link)

So yeah, that said, any of you who are interested and what're your thoughts?

UPDATE: First bunch of reviews have come out, some have lauded it as the best F1 title yet.

Looking at the Project cars game and seeing helmet cam.

https://youtu.be/4aW6K1KPcE4

Do we need this for GPL. Would it be wanted and more importantly, could it be done.

Okay, maybe for a later mod, like 70-73, when full face helmets came in to the fashion. Or maybe replicate the scarf over the mouth affect, for earlier periods.

TP:

Brilliant look back, at a computer game history and a console battle, back in the day.

https://youtu.be/vohicxpX63U

I feel guilty, been a Madden gamer 🤔

TP:

All seems a bit quiet here! Let's not forget its 20th birthday next month

GEM+ is known (but not by many) to malfunction under some non English like windows locale (such as Japanese/Chinese/Korean), and it's one thing that keeps away people from playing GPL. Common error such as "GEM+ can't find or recognized gpl.exe", "GEM+ or GPL crash".

Here is some troubleshooting that I gathered and tested, hope it helps.

======================
First, guide on how to change and test windows locale setting (anyone can do this, whether it's a English version windows or  Japanese version or French etc.):

In Windows XP:
Go to control panel, find "Regional and Language", open and select "Advanced" tab, under "Language for non-Unicode programs", select a language you need to test, then press OK and restart computer.

In Windows 7/8 (win10 might be similar):
Go to control panel, find "Regional and Language"(win7) or "Region"(win8), open and select "Administrative" tab, click "Change system locale".

PS: If you have a perfectly working GPL and GEM+ setup and using English or similar windows system, and want to test this whole locale thing, just do the following:
1. Change your locale to either Japanese or Chinese (as both are reported most), then reboot system as asked.
2. Go to your GPL folder and remove any previous exe that created by GEM+, such as gplc67.exe
3. Start GEM+ and hit green button to run GPL.
4. Check the troubleshooting section below for reference.

======================
Troubleshooting:

The following issues would probably happen when using GEM+ under various locale setting:

Attempt to install GEM+ in a non English locale system such as Japanese/Chinese/Korean:
1. something like "code 123" or "Error 123" error (fail to create or move file) while installing, though installation can still be completed.

Assume GEM+ is installed and "GEM.ini" doesn't exist in "GPLSecrets\GEM+" folder:
1. Upon launching GEM+, you will be asked to locate gpl.exe folder. However after click "Add" in "GPL Installation Maintenance" dialogue and select correct gpl.exe, an error pops out as "An error has occurred from which GEM+ cannot recover...", and then GEM+ hangs. Click "Search" button will result the same error once it finds the exe.
(iirc some older GEM version won't create "GEM.ini" after installation. Newest version do create "GEM.ini".)

Assume GEM+ is installed and ran at least once under English or similar locale, or having correct "GEM.ini" file, then start GEM+ in a non English locale system such as Japanese/Chinese/Korean etc,
1. GEM+ will start normally.

2. Click green GPL button will generate a new (corrupted) exe. By running this exe (gplc67.exe in my example), one of following bugs may happen:
a. Field of view is broken (very low fov, see screenshot in this post http://srmz.net/inde...?showtopic=7824), adjusting the number in GEM+'s "Field of View (Dergrees)" has no effect.
b. Game will crash as soon as you on the track.
c. Car has little to no power, throttle useless, whether with "Throttle Help" or not.
d. Car cannot move, cannot shift gears.
(As always, before generate a new exe in GEM+, don't forget to delete any old exe that created by GEM+, such as gplc67.exe)

3. Attempt to "Add" other gpl.exe in "GPL Installation Maintenance" dialogue will return "Exe not valid as a GEM+ base exe" error.

4. There may be other errors too, such as this: http://srmz.net/inde...?showtopic=8242

5. This post (author from Japan seems) also confirms the locale effect on GEM+: http://srmz.net/inde...=30#entry132888

======================
Workaround:

There is no real workaround that I know, sadly. The only option is to switch system locale to English while using GEM+.
The big downside is, requiring system reboot everytime locale is changed, and running system daily under a different locale is not an option, since it will break a lot other non-English program.
However exe that generated under English locale do work under other locale. So it's a good idea to generate exe once in English locale, then switch back to your default locale.

PS: I have tested "Microsoft AppLocale", but proved no use. This topic had brought up a few times many years ago, but couldn't find those original posts. Please let me know if anything missed, thanks.