51 replies to this topic

[Umpire]

Greetings fellow racing sim enthusiasts,

I just got a copy of the 6 year old GPL game, and I'm trying to get started with it.

I need some help though,

the maximum I could get is 640X480...I used a unsupported beta patch from Papyrus which allows D3D graphics rendering.......any ways to increase the resolution?

Edit: Well, I guess I gotta install it correctly. I read some modifications in the core.ini file are in order...And I suppose this file is created after the game is patched to 1.2 or so.

I found a site with the official patches - it said that I should pay attention to the game language version. Well, mine's in English, but is it UK or USA version? How can I figure that out?

what other patches - official/unofficial do I 'need'?

I drove a couple laps on keyboard and hey - this is difficult.

I have a MS FF wheel which I use for my other games, but haven't put it yet to use in GPL. Will it work properly?

Last, anyway to make it run problem-free on Win 2000? I tried it and failed. It works fine under Win98 on my puters, and I haven't tried it yet on XP Pro version...any tips for them too?

Any other tips greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[Umpire]

Well, I managed to patch it correctly and get the resolution up. What a great game!

[wati]

Drive the GRAND PRIX car. Turn off al the helps. Drive the lotus, it's the most difficult, you learn to drive this one, you can drive any other.

[ray b]

yes the MS wheel will work

I would try the cooper first and let the lotus be intill you can stay on track for a race

the 65 mod with the improved traction and less power maybe a even better starting point

if the sim asks for the CD to be in the tray at startup you have the UK version
the USA version does not ask for the CD

GPL will work in XP but most run it in 98

the GPL forum http://forum.rscnet....daysprune=&f=36

lots of links and upgrades there

[Dudley]

I found a site with the official patches - it said that I should pay attention to the game language version. Well, mine's in English, but is it UK or USA version? How can I figure that out?

Where did you buy it?

[Umpire]

It's the US version that I have.

Bought it from the net.

[green-blood]

mine has not been laoded for 2 years, Its going back on tonight, thanks for the kick up the arse

[Vunz]

I managed to install mine under XP but somehow it won't run. Does anyone know how to handle it?

[FucF1]

How do you increase the resolution from 640x480?

Thanks

[Garagiste]

Load of hints, tips, links etc in the archives:

http://forums.atlasf...=&pagenumber=20

http://forums.atlasf...ghlight=legends

http://forums.atlasf...4&highlight=gpl

http://forums.atlasf...ghlight=carsets

I also need to re-install it.

[Wolf]

OK, I've done this for my league newbies, so here are some important things for GPL:

'All In One Patch'

Mod '65 - definitely a *must*, improved physics and online races are fantastic

GPL Shift - a *must*
Pribluda - telemetry data in car (tyre temps, sector times, race info)
GPL Digital Display- go to GPL++ The Addons, utilities > Steffen & Lee - see digital info in car (as in F10 view, ughh)
GPL Glance - head-movement simulation
GPL Sound Overlay - improved sound
Björn's Mirrors - 'realistic' mirrors

GPLRA - Replay Analyzer
GPL Race Engineer
Setup Assistant 65
GPL Racing Line - change grooves (WRs, or of choice)
GPL Ring Trainer- start anywhere on Ring
GPL Forever CCM
GPL TV- watch races
Four Wheel drift- PDF handbook

Cars
GPLEA - all cars
Bruce's Brabham
Micha's Lotus - good replacement for GPLEA Lotus in case of on-line CTDs
Irridux's '66 Carset
Irridux's '68 Carset
Irridux's '69 Carset

GPL Rank- a *must* site
GPL Track Database?- if there is a track made for GPL, this is the place to look
GPL++ The Addons- a *must* site, with anything from utils to track updates
JC's Fx Site- excellent site for lower (car ;)) classes- from F2, F3, FG, FV, FD...
Legends of '67
Legends of '65
Paul Jackson's Setup Guide


That should be it (for a start ).

P.S. I've posted my online guide somewhere here, but can't be arsed to look for it.

[JacnGille]

I still can't get the Force Feedback to work despite consulting several web sites with the instructions.

[ray b]

Originally posted by JacnGille
I still can't get the Force Feedback to work despite consulting several web sites with the instructions.

thru start , all programs LEFT CLICK on GPL and find "CORE INI sample"
open that in note pad and change the FF line to 1 from 0
then delit the sample from the name of the file leaving just core ini

then go to windoz controls panel , printers and other devices, game controlers, propertys and check the FF box there

then in your wheel softwarefind and check the FF box

do all three

[FucF1]

Originally posted by Wolf
OK, I've done this for my league newbies, so here are some important things for GPL:

Tyler Durden, is that you?;)

[MonzaDriver]

VUNZ,
I brought a version of GPL at this site

www.sold-out.co.uk

Is a version of the game for WIN XP,
It works right from the beginning, no problem.

MonzaDriver.

[JacnGille]

Originally posted by ray b


thru start , all programs LEFT CLICK on GPL and find "CORE INI sample"
open that in note pad and change the FF line to 1 from 0
then delit the sample from the name of the file leaving just core ini

then go to windoz controls panel , printers and other devices, game controlers, propertys and check the FF box there

then in your wheel softwarefind and check the FF box

do all three

OK, when I tried to rename the file from Sample Core.ini to plain core.ini I discovered that the Edit Box only says core.ini, but the file icon remains labled Sample.core.ini.
Any ideas since I still have no force feedback????? BTW, it works fine for all my other race sims.

[ray b]

make a new folder
rename it core ini
copy contents of core ini sample in to that file
delete old sample core ini or save in a outside GPL file

sorry but the monkey motions are needed
you MUST have a core ini without sample for FF to work

[simpson]

Originally posted by Vunz
I managed to install mine under XP but somehow it won't run. Does anyone know how to handle it?

Go to the folder properties > advanced > make sure that the "allow indexing" is enabled. Also, GPL must be patched to run. Do the all-in-one patch at http://trackdb.d2g.com/all-in-one.asp

[simpson]

Originally posted by JacnGille
OK, when I tried to rename the file from Sample Core.ini to plain core.ini I discovered that the Edit Box only says core.ini, but the file icon remains labled Sample.core.ini.
Any ideas since I still have no force feedback????? BTW, it works fine for all my other race sims.

You should set the view in Windows Explorer to not hide file extentions or else you won't know the real names and extentions of files.

Find this setting under View > Folder Options > view. Then what you see will be what the file is really named.

[Punisher6]

Oh well...... I felt compelled to reinstall GPL again as well! I was pleasantly suprised to get in to the 1:06's at the Glen after not playing for a year or so, that's only .3 off my best. I know it's not great, but it's ok for a normal guy like myself!

[JacnGille]

Originally posted by ray b
make a new folder
rename it core ini
copy contents of core ini sample in to that file
delete old sample core ini or save in a outside GPL file

sorry but the monkey motions are needed
you MUST have a core ini without sample for FF to work

GRRRRRRRRRR! I'm about ready to pull my hair out...or just give up. I made a new folder named core.ini, I copied the core.ini.sample file into it, and moved the old core.ini.sample file to a new location. When I open the new core.ini folder I still see the previous core.ini.sample file icon!!!!!! If I try to rename it the "blue edit window" reads core.ini. And the "hidden" box is not checked as simpson suggested. Any ideas before I give up????????

[Arturo Pereira]

Originally posted by JacnGille


GRRRRRRRRRR! I'm about ready to pull my hair out...or just give up. I made a new folder named core.ini, I copied the core.ini.sample file into it, and moved the old core.ini.sample file to a new location. When I open the new core.ini folder I still see the previous core.ini.sample file icon!!!!!! If I try to rename it the "blue edit window" reads core.ini. And the "hidden" box is not checked as simpson suggested. Any ideas before I give up????????

Ok, let's see if this works.

Open Windows Explorer and move to C:sierragpl . There you should see your core.ini.sample file. Click once on it's name and press F2. Rename the file as core.ini .

Open the new core.ini file and look for the [Joy] section .

It should read like this (though not neccesarily the same !!)

[ Joy ]
allow_force_feedback = 0 ; 0 = No * 1 = Yes
force_feedback_latency = .001 ; Default = 0.085 ANTERIOR=0.001
force_feedback_damping = 50 ; Default = 40.0 ANTERIOR=50
max_steering_torque = 300 ; Default = 225.0 ANTERIOR=300

Now change the line
allow_force_feedback = 0 ; 0 = No * 1 = Yes

to

allow_force_feedback = 1 ; 0 = No * 1 = Yes

Save the file and start GPL. Now move to the Options/Controls menu and set the throttle/brake/etc , move the Linear tab all to the left (Fully linear) and calibrate the wheel/pedals. Check you have separate axis for throttle/brake pedals.
Click on the Green button and move to any track to test the results.

For this to work you must have the core.ini file into your C:sierragpl folder !!!

[JacnGille]

I want to thank everyone for their help this past week. My pea brain still can't get the Force Feedback to work so I give up. But the track intallation tip worked fine.
Thanks again!

[kamix]

Man someone tell me if it is worth it!

I played GP3, GP4, F12001, F12002, and now F1C9902-RH2004... and I don't know whether to bite the bullet and buy GPL. I play with a momo racing... although after about 5 years of playing I have still not ever used the advanced setup screens

[Wolf]

Originally posted by kamix
Man someone tell me if it is worth it!

I played GP3, GP4, F12001, F12002, and now F1C9902-RH2004... and I don't know whether to bite the bullet and buy GPL. I play with a momo racing... although after about 5 years of playing I have still not ever used the advanced setup screens

If You want proper cars (no wings, >400BHP, 500-600kg), definitely yes. If You want proper physics (GP cars being a b**ch to handle, slides, spins, lock-ups under braking), definitely yes. If You want great online racing, definitely yes. If You want proper racing tracks (Nurburgring as it should be, ditto for Spa), few hundred add-on tracks (like Bremgarten, Bathurst, Isle of Man, Solitude, 10km Monza), definitely yes. But it takes an effort and some determination to learn to drive properly and to become competitive, at least (mind You, the hardest part at the beginning is to drive a lap of easy track without spinning and crashing- if You get through that phase safely, You're hooked).

Don't worry about setups- You can download hosts of setups made by experts and see which ones fit Your drivning, so You'll not need any particular skills with that either.

[Arturo Pereira]

Originally posted by JacnGille
I want to thank everyone for their help this past week. My pea brain still can't get the Force Feedback to work so I give up. But the track intallation tip worked fine.
Thanks again!

Sorry to hear it did not work. Let us know if there is something else we can do.

[Arturo Pereira]

Originally posted by kamix
Man someone tell me if it is worth it!

I played GP3, GP4, F12001, F12002, and now F1C9902-RH2004... and I don't know whether to bite the bullet and buy GPL. I play with a momo racing... although after about 5 years of playing I have still not ever used the advanced setup screens

As Wolf said

+

just do it

If a car racing sim is still well and alive after nearly 6 years of its release, you can't miss it

[ehagar]

The tracks aren't the only add ons...

The 1965 Mod is absolutely fantastic... and there might be a few other seasons on the way.

Arturo would know more about what is going on with the mods than I do, but I gather there is a 1969 Mod in the works... and a 1955?

Someone has made a patch for GPL to model downforce, which means we can a reasonable simulation beyond 1968.

My only question is, what year would that this make it possible to make a mod to? 1973 or so? What I mean is, I can't conceive the patch allowing the driver to readjust the wing angles specific to a circuit... but just have general set ups. When did the Grand Prix teams have adjustable flaps and Gurney flaps etc?

[Wolf]

Originally posted by FucF1


Tyler Durden, is that you?;)

Yep, it's me... BTW, I've dropped in to tell You that the track You might want to take a look at has been recently released: Dunrod.

[Wolf]

Ehagar- it's in very early stages of development, but I think many things will be possible with wing demo (I see no reason not to have adjustable wings, like Lotus had). I don't believe, just as Rindt did, that wings have anything to do on a car, but I drool over the prospects of using that method to add the rain to GPL (which, I think, authors originally intended to have in GPL)...

[ehagar]

Originally posted by Wolf
I don't believe, just as Rindt did, that wings have anything to do on a car

Ah... but to 'compete' against Rindt, Stewart, Courage, et all....

[FucF1]

Originally posted by Wolf


Yep, it's me... BTW, I've dropped in to tell You that the track You might want to take a look at has been recently released: Dunrod.

Yeah downloaded that, thanks, reminds me of my commute to work each morning.

[polendo]

Originally posted by kamix
Man someone tell me if it is worth it!

I played GP3, GP4, F12001, F12002, and now F1C9902-RH2004... and I don't know whether to bite the bullet and buy GPL. I play with a momo racing... although after about 5 years of playing I have still not ever used the advanced setup screens

Hell yeah.

GPL is a true racer sim.

[Nasty McBastard]

maybe someone can answer me this.

ive downloaded a few car update things from GPLEA...pretty spiffy.

anyway. it seems that whern i update a car, the lap records in the 'best laps' bit dont update if i set a new record....

they do show up in GPL Replay Analyzer, so its all good...just wondered if there was a way that you could make the game itself 'recognise' that, for example, what it sees as a Honda, is actually a murasma, etc.

[simpson]

There's no connection to installing newer cars and GPL not recognizing records. In the GPL.EXE, it's a murasama no matter what, I believe.

It's more likely that your sierragplplayers(yourname)player.ini file (where PB times are saved) is read-only. There's a utility called CROA which will help you find the read-only files in the sierrar directory at http://www.davidcrowell.com/croa.html

[Nasty McBastard]

nah, player.ini isnt read only.

technically, i was a bit off about it not 'updating' records....since i installed GPL on the new PC, id not got around to running the murasma at zandvoort. then i whacked on the update that turned the murasma into a honda, and went and ran some laps to 'look' at it...which i did at zandvoort.

the time shows up in the PB bit on GPL replay analyser, but in the game, (or in the ini file actually) theres no honda nor murasma time for that track.


it doesnt really matter i guess, like i said, in GPL replay analyser it works, and as far as laptimes and replays and uploading for gpl rank etc i use that thing anyway. just wondered if it were a bug or soemthing.

[Stefan Schmidt]

If GPL is running and this happens at Kyalami.. something must be wrong!

[FucF1]

I've finally got it working in a higher resolution, (1024 x 780(?)) and it looks *fanastic*.

Couple of questions though:

I've installed several extra tracks to try them out but how do you restore the original default tracks?

What are reasonable times for a complete newby on the original tracks? (67 season but also the 65 Mod)

I suppose broadband is needed to play online?

Lastly....in hints for someone just starting to play? (e.g. set-up hints)

Thanks

[ray b]

Originally posted by FucF1
I've finally got it working in a higher resolution, (1024 x 780(?)) and it looks *fanastic*.

Couple of questions though:

I've installed several extra tracks to try them out but how do you restore the original default tracks?

What are reasonable times for a complete newby on the original tracks? (67 season but also the 65 Mod)

I suppose broadband is needed to play online?

Lastly....in hints for someone just starting to play? (e.g. set-up hints)

Thanks

go here
http://forum.rscnet....daysprune=&f=36

with GEM2 that you got with the 65 mod you can swap tracks in or out up to 64 tracks per season

yes there are benchmarks
GPL rank is all about that

no you donot need broadband dialup will work

hints DUMP THE FUEL LOAD down to 5 laps or so
and drive a slow lap or two intill the tyres heat up
smooth is faster then ruff
slow in to a corner fast out
practice practice practice practice practice

[FucF1]

Great, thanks

[JacnGille]

"Track records" can be found at this download site:
http://trackdb.d2g.com/

[vandem]

Originally posted by FucF1
...What are reasonable times for a complete newby on the original tracks? (67 season but also the 65 Mod)

I suppose broadband is needed to play online?

Lastly....in hints for someone just starting to play? (e.g. set-up hints)

Register on GPLRank, and try to set your own targets. When starting try to hit 110% of default times, then 107%, then 104%.... There are GPL rank times for 67 and 65 cars.

Dial-up is fine. You need to slow your modem down for a steady connection. See this thread on RSC: http://forum.rscnet....ead.php?t=29194. There are several beginners leagues that can provide a friendly introduction to on-line racing.

For hints check some of the links from http://www.gpllinks.org/., and check this thread: http://forum.rscnet....ead.php?t=91999. Don't worry too much about setups, learn the racing lines on each track first. Late braking is not as fast as early power-on at corner exit. "Slow" is fast ;)

HTH

[FucF1]

Originally posted by vandem

Don't worry too much about setups, learn the racing lines on each track first. Late braking is not as fast as early power-on at corner exit. "Slow" is fast ;)

Thats were I'm having trouble, I'm a great fan of late-braking, especially in RL and I'm having trouble changing driving styles.

Despite your advice on not bothering with set-ups I'm wondering how you're supposed to get this Lotus uber-setup installed and working, I've downloaded the file (which seems to end in a .lo extension) but I can't get it to display on the GPL setup screen.

http://forums.atlasf...light=setup fun

[simpson]

The setups go into sierragplplayers(name)setups(trackname). The .lo1 setups are for the Grand Prix or F1 cars (lo = Lotus, fe = Ferrari etc) a .lo2 named setup will appear when you select the "Advanced Trainer" or F2 cars etc.

The car class is selected in the track selection menu in GPL.

So if I have an x.lo1 setup for Monza, I'd put it into the sierragplplayersSimpson_Bobsetupsmonza folder. It would only show up in my setups menu if I'm driving the Grand Prix car that it's named for (by its extension) at Monza, although you can actually select a setup from a different track in the GPL setups menu.

By all means play around with the setups and braking styles. That advice is usually for those who find that they're in over their heads. For most the default setups with less fuel and adjusted steering ratio and maybe brake bias are pretty good.

The general advice for these cars is to be accelerating before the apex to maximize strainghtaway speed, but if you compare your lap replays with faster ones using GPL Replay Analyzer (find the World Record ones at GPLRank > show world records > verified) you'll see where you need to improve.

[simpson]

BTW, I see that you've linked to a thread about 3 years old. I'm sure the setup is fine, but there are links to many more at the sticky "Need a Setup?" thread at RaceSimCentral's GPL Setups forum

[Nasty McBastard]

setups are the one part of GPL i find a bit frustrating.

ill freely admit, that barring 'minor' adjustments like brake bias, tyre pressures, and stuff like that, i have no idea what does what and how.

if i had to sit down and make myown setup id be ****ed...coz i dont have a clue, or the desire.

ive seen and printed out a few things over the years.....
www.theuspits.com had a 'cheat sheet' of what things do what and what to fiddle with to fix certain problems....it was mostly aimed at the nascar games i think, but it still works to a point. you know what springs to soften or stiffen etc if your thing is a bit loose or tight etc.
and theres a thing at that speedgeezers site that goes through making a setup for GPL....its about the closest thing ive seen to describing it in 'real' english.

the other problem is in using other peoples setups.... ill often see people raving about soandso's setup for a car/track and ill give it a go and 95% of the time it just feels wrong to me...usually WAY too loose...sometimes way too tight... hardly ever drivable (for me).
the only setups ive found that i liked ALL of, at ALL tracks, were alison hines setups for the ferrari.

so you cant really rely on other peoples setups either.



in the end all i do is either download a bunch of setups and just wade through them all untill i find something that seems to work for me, and be an improvement on what im using... or just go with the defaults.
from there i go as far as tweaking gear ratios and pressures etc, but thats it....just have to live with what i have.

and to be fair, i find the default setups half way decent anyway, unlike some games whos defaults are just shite.

ive managed to claw my GPL rank down to 30, and have all my times under 107% by basically just using the defaults........

if i could make myown setups id be dangerous........ lol

[eoin]

Hey

Anyone here got the Logitech Formula Force GP Steering Wheel. Can be seen in this link second one-red
If it aint any good could some recommend a good/cheap steeting wheel, cheers.

[smithy]

Originally posted by eoin
Hey

Anyone here got the Logitech Formula Force GP Steering Wheel. Can be seen in this link second one-red
If it aint any good could some recommend a good/cheap steeting wheel, cheers.

Yep, I have the red one and it works fine. Having said that, I have a friend who bought one but it never worked straight out of the box. He got that one replaced, new one worked OK for a while but then had problems with the pedals. He tried taking it apart to clean it and things like that but never got it work again.

Two lessons: (1) Don't take it apart, and (2) Keep your reciepts so you can take it back if there are problems!

Enjoy......

[JacnGille]

The red force feedback one is the one I use now. It has worked fine (except for FF in GPL) until I got Colin McRae 2.0. I think all the bouncing and shaking from the gravel stages had loosened things up as it is sometimes grabby and feels as if it "skips a tooth" once in a while in F1 Challenge and other pavement race sims. Soooooo, I just won an ebay aution for the Momo model.

[ray b]

Originally posted by eoin
Hey

Anyone here got the Logitech Formula Force GP Steering Wheel. Can be seen in this link second one-red
If it aint any good could some recommend a good/cheap steeting wheel, cheers.

that wheel is OK maybe the best cheap wheel
but good and cheap are not the way to go in race wheels
red momo is the wheel unless you spend real money

I had the Logitech Formula Force GP Steering Wheel
and replaced it with the red momo
much smoother, less geared feel and no slop
much better non plastic look and feel too


saddly the red momo is out of production

but worth the hunt on E-bay to get one
about 100-200 US$