30 replies to this topic

[Cam Camber]

Have been reading the last couple evenings to get caught up with the state of the GPL community and wonderful to see it is still the #1 Racing sim on the planet. So much love and hard work in this piece of art...

I've decided to build a box specific to running GPL and have various pieces around. I could use some help in regards to hardware suggestions to run the game in its 2012 state.

Would a multicore phenom chip (a couple years old) 3gigahertz be ok ?
How much RAM ?
What OS?
Also plan to run the game to a wide plasma screen, what video card would be acceptable? In the parts bin. I have an Nvidia FX9500 and a couple ATI X1850XT.
What OS would be best ?

Lastly I see there is a patcher that brings the game up to date. Is this up to date, any recommendations ?

Thank you for any knowledge you wish to share.

Cam Camber

[Michkov]

GPL runs quite good with modern hardware so there should be no need to go over the top with the specs if you use the machine just for GPL. Every off the shelf PC should be able to run GPL, maybe a better GPU because of the screen you want to use. Do you know the resolution? Windows7 should work with GPL aswell even the 64b version

As to patch the game to its latest version, I heart the  GPLPS installer  does a good job installing it with everything you need

[jgf]

GPL seems quite happy with any version of windows from W95 on; I currently have it on an XP Pro and Vista.

I don't think GPL will take advantage of multi cores but on my Vista system I've seen no improvement setting its affinity for a single core.  For reference, this is a four year old system with an Athlon 64 dual core 2.4gig, 2gig RAM, X-Fi Fatal1ty sound card, HD5670 vid card with a 23" wide screen monitor;  GPL runs fine on this so anything newer/faster should have no problems.

[Bob Simpson]

Regarding the installer, the latest one is at http://srmz.net/inde...indpost&p=59946 and it makes installing GPL a breeze.  The mods and mod patches can be found at http://gpltd.bcsims.com/?ir=Mods as well as the almost 600 add-on tracks.

[jgf]

Bob Simpson, on Jan 24 2012 - 10:14 PM, said:

... the almost 600 add-on tracks.

600 tracks, allowing a 1 hour practice, 1/2 hour qualifying, and 2 hour race at each, that's 2,100 hours

Considering only the "F1" option in each mod and the default, there are 63 cars

One race weekend in each car at each track would take 132,300 hours ...that's 5,512.5 days ...or 15.1 years

[isamu]

jgf, on Jan 25 2012 - 12:42 AM, said:

Bob Simpson, on Jan 24 2012 - 10:14 PM, said:

... the almost 600 add-on tracks.

600 tracks, allowing a 1 hour practice, 1/2 hour qualifying, and 2 hour race at each, that's 2,100 hours

Considering only the "F1" option in each mod and the default, there are 63 cars

One race weekend in each car at each track would take 132,300 hours ...that's 5,512.5 days ...or 15.1 years

LOL crazy right?

Welcome to the community. I too, am a fresh fish into GPL waters  

[svenvangent]

Welcome Cam Camber ,
Have fun with GPL you wont regret it    

[Stefan Roess]

Hi Cam Camber,

this could be helpful for you:

Grand Prix Legends (GPL)
Easy Installation Guide
http://en.gplworld.e...tion-guide.html
(Note: In case you should use the 60 fps patch activate V-sync in your GEM+ settings, if you use standard 36 fps turn V-sync off).

GPL works on my Win 7 64 bit system best in Open GL v2.

Welcome back do addiction

Edited by Stefan Roess, Jan 25 2012 - 04:20 PM.

[Ginetto]

Welcome Cam Camber
Better Nvidia than ATI
no matter if W98 or XP or WIN7
Use the rasterizers V2 which are included into the installer.

Then you will see yourself

[Lee200]

jgf, on Jan 25 2012 - 12:42 AM, said:

One race weekend in each car at each track would take 132,300 hours ...that's 5,512.5 days ...or 15.1 years

In 15 years, we'll still be here and have at least 15 more mods.  

Welcome to the GPL community Cam Camber.

[dbell84]

Hi Cam,

  Welcome back. I'm sorry to hear you had 8 lost years without GPL.  I had a couple of lost years myself a while back.     GPL is even better the second time around.  More mods, tracks, and other goddies to enjoy to enjoy.  Good to have you back in the GPL fold.

  Dave

[Cam Camber]

dbell84, on Jan 25 2012 - 10:04 AM, said:

Hi Cam,

  Welcome back. I'm sorry to hear you had 8 lost years without GPL.  I had a couple of lost years myself a while back.     GPL is even better the second time around.  More mods, tracks, and other goddies to enjoy to enjoy.  Good to have you back in the GPL fold.

  Dave

Thanks guys. Really appreciate the greeting !

Regarding resolution its a Samsung 60 inch plasma screen. Resolution is 1920 x 1080 I was thinking outputting to hdmi and building a race station and just rolling it in front of the screen when needed ( She ... you know the she isn't going to be impressed) but the she has had an 8 year vacation.

I guess I will have a few questions over the coming weeks.

Is there any problems using the 60fps patch for online racing or some of the mods ?
Any directional audio possibilities ? (four channel ?

This track IR that I have read about. Anyone using it. Does it add to the immersion or is it more of a "gimmick" "toy"

Anyone using wireless adapter to router ? Would it add much latency ?

Does anyone have the 600 or most tracks available zipped in a Torrent ?

I've dowloaded the 2 gigs of material to HD but it looks like building the track library will command 60 hours or so LOL ! It would be great to pull it as a big multi gig RAR off torrent.

Thanks again !

Edited by Cam Camber, Jan 25 2012 - 09:22 PM.

[WalterC]

Welcome back Cam - Happy Motoring

[jgf]

There is, to my knowledge, no megafile of all tracks.  But you probably don't want them all.  There are numerous duplicates (either from different creators or updated versions from one person), also variations of the same track (with or without a chicane, etc.).  There are older conversions from GP and ICR2 (though I personally prefer the ICR2 Mid-Ohio to the newer "Canam" version).  There are night versions of some tracks; a series of "one lap" rally tracks; and tracks designed for online racing - smooth, wide, acres of run-off area.  I finally whittled my track folder down to 225 tracks;  this gives me accurate seasons from 1959-1971, a collection of "essential" tracks never part of the F1 calendar (Road Atlanta, Dundrod, Bridgehampton, Pebble Beach, Laguna Seca, Sachsenring, etc.), and an assortment of realistic fictional tracks (I deem Machwerk essential, and recommend Gyral, Jops, Jokimaa, Cerne Woods, and Beal Valley).

Audio is still problematic;  I've not had truly good sound from GPL since W95, and quality seems greatly system dependent.  One thing that can make a major difference is to open "static.wav" in an editor, reduce its volume to zero, and save.

I don't use the 60fps patch since hearing some mods and some AI have issues with it.  But others swear by it.

[M Needforspeed]

jgf, on Jan 25 2012 - 12:42 AM, said:

Bob Simpson, on Jan 24 2012 - 10:14 PM, said:

... the almost 600 add-on tracks.

600 tracks, allowing a 1 hour practice, 1/2 hour qualifying, and 2 hour race at each, that's 2,100 hours

Considering only the "F1" option in each mod and the default, there are 63 cars

One race weekend in each car at each track would take 132,300 hours ...that's 5,512.5 days ...or 15.1 years

When do you sleep and eat ?