Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!cbmvax!jesup From: jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.games Subject: Re: Indianapolis 500---is it any good??? Keywords: Indy 500 Message-ID: <21991@cbmvax.commodore.com> Date: 29 May 91 04:48:05 GMT References: <4003@ux.acs.umn.edu> <11489@mirsa.inria.fr> Reply-To: jesup@cbmvax.commodore.com (Randell Jesup) Organization: Commodore, West Chester, PA Lines: 68 In article <11489@mirsa.inria.fr> colas@celeste.inria.fr (Colas Nahaboo) writes: >AMiga version is excellent, the PC version was very good too. It's beyond excellent. >BUT: it is not playable as a game. it lacks a lot of playabilty, it should have >been better beta tested. You can buy it, you won't feel ripped off, the >programmer have made some real good work, you will show it to you friends, and >be amazed by the instant replay features... but if you try to play a game, >either you play in no crash mode (no interest), or are forced to run 50 turns, >and in the event of any crash between two cars you must wait doing NOTHING for 2 >minutes while the track is cleared!!! > >One more technical masterpiece ruined by poor beta testing... This is a SIMULATION (as opposed to a game). They got it _just_ right. If you've ever watched an Indy race, that's exactly what they do after a crash - they put out a full-course yellow, the pace car comes out, and everyone lines up behind it while the track is cleared of debris. Of course, this is a favorite time to come in for fuel/tires/etc, since you don't lose much (at worst you go to the end of the line of cars following the pace car). Of course, they don't actually have a pace car - so it's not perfect. In a real race car, if you hit the wall or another car with any speed, it really does nuke your car (and maybe you too). Minor quibbles: They could have simulated indy qualifying (bubble, etc). However, since you have good equipment always, a good driver can easily qualify on the front row every time. Though if you hit the wall and had to use a backup the next session... They also don't simulate weather at all, really. Weather _does_ occur - in different races different cars will be faster, and the optimum setup and top speed changes. However, you have no way to find out what the weather is before going out (I suspect the reason is that it's just random, and there's no "weather model"). Note also there are 32 cars instead of 33. Minor quibble (and I can guess why). I haven't noticed any way to call for wing changes in the pits. Maybe it can be done - I haven't tried (pits are enough trouble - I overshoot 90% of the time). Other things I'd like to see: ability to watch replay from an arbitrary spot, ability to slow-mo replays, ability to save replays, HD INSTALL, black-flags/penalties (a nasty trick is to bump your opponent when he tries to pass you, or a backmarker if you need a yellow to make your fuel mileage - in a 60 lap race, you only want to pit once, but 9 boost the whole time without yellows will give you about 28 laps/tank. I've noticed you never get any flats from debris in a crash area or from bumping another car (I actually stopped after a serious bump from another car to change tires just in case, but they seemed fine). And, of course: MORE COURSES!! How about a whole championship?! An IMSA GTP version?! A F1 version?! (ala the old F1 Ferrari game, which was actually QUITE good). Le Mans? Hell, SCCA road racing. Given the engine they probably have under the hood of Indy 500, all of these should be doable without immense problems. BTW, I still haven't won a 60-lap race - I'm too daring in passing backmarkers. I've been leading at 48, and just moments ago was leading after 44 when I hit the wall coming out of 4, all by myself. -- Randell Jesup, Jack-of-quite-a-few-trades, Commodore Engineering. {uunet|rutgers}!cbmvax!jesup, jesup@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com BIX: rjesup Disclaimer: Nothing I say is anything other than my personal opinion. "No matter where you go, there you are." - Buckaroo Banzai