372 mega bytes worth of racing goodness which includes the
following defaults:

Canvas (25 of 343 in this build): Paintbrush:
* Watkins Glen Grand Prix Circuit * Brabham BT24
* Brands Hatch * BRM P115
* Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe * Coventry (Cooper T81B)
* Le Mans Circuit Bugatti * Eagle-Weslake T1G
* Desert Winds Raceway * Ferrari 312
* Dubai Autodrome * Lotus 49
* Goodwood Motor Racing Circuit * Murasama (Honda RA300)
* Imola
* Jokimaa Grand Prix Circuit (Finland)
* Kyalami Motor Race Track
* Autódromo de la Ciudad de México
* Circuito di Milano
* Circuit de Monaco
* Autodromo Nazionale di Monza
* Mosport Park
* Nuernberg Grand Prix
* Nürburgring
* Osterreichring
* Pants Ring
* Road Atlanta
* Circuit Rouen-les-Essarts
* Silverstone Circuit
* Solitude
* Circuit National de Spa Francorchamps
* Circuit van Zandvoort


Mark, Phil, Graham, Guys, I now know what you mean This is it,
the real deal!

Got slapped on my wrist straight away for daring to take the 312
out on my first outing, on a track which I thought was easy, Imola.
Switched to the RA300, and became immediately competetive! Infact
took it out with just a couple of hits!

And LOL, no wings!

This is going to go a long way...

(While I attempt to by heart the 10 commandments of a baseline
setup):

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF A PERFECT BASELINE SETUP
http://www.gpladdicts.speedgeezers.c...etupguide.html

Thou shalt:

* Start accelerating hard from a standing position without
losing control
* Engage in a controlled accelerating slide (exiting a turn)
* Engage in a controlled decelerating slide (turning-in)
* Engage in a very hard straight-line braking movement with
losing directional stability
* Transition smoothly and successfully from a controlled
decelerating slide to a controlled accelerating slide
* Successfully maintain a constant and accelerating speed in
a high-speed turn
* Change direction or speed in a high speed turn without losing
control or speed
* Negotiate hairpin turns quickly and under control
* Negotiate consecutive opposing turns (Esses) without losing
speed or control
* Recover from putting a wheel in the dirt without spinning
off uncontrollably

--
Downforce is for people who can't build an engine

Anand Nene wrote:
<snip GPL specs>
It's certainly addictive. I'd persevere with the Ferrari though, it's by
far and away my favourite, when it's set up right. If you want to scare
yourself silly, try driving the Lotus around the Nurburgring. Solitude
is also an excellent track, and the AI cars aren't too quick - good for
a confidence boost after the terror of the Nordschliefe , although
learning all 170something corners is compulsive. I need to get back into
GPL at some point, I still want to have the patience to learn the
Nurburgring well enough to win a race.

--
Phil

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmc1979/

On Fri, 13 Apr 2007 at 00:25 GMT, Phil Newnham wrote:
Another realistic thing, which was a pleasant surprise was vibrations!
At near idle, the whole front will vibrate courtesy the 400bhp engine!
All the pointy, aerodynamic, traction controlled, winged cars I driven
for years now never did that! I mean never as much compared to GPL. To
switch from digital to analog meters is quite unsettling too, can't
see a thing. 3 options offering throttle, steering and etc help in the
novice mode setup are an absolute lie. There is absolutely no help for
crying out loud. I actually fell down in the steep run off area at the
Watkins Glenn (on the left side before a right hander). I am spoilt in
a sense that I use the best line option to learn tracks, ofcourse that
is taken care of here too, no help. :7

With my initial attempt in the Ferrari, it appeared I was driving drunk.

343 official tracks available for download, 365 days in a year...

--
"I think [Marques] already knows he's not on the pace and he's driving
like a rock ape."

On Fri, 13 Apr 2007 at 00:25 GMT, Phil Newnham, wrote:
Having my hands full here; Love the circuit, Brands, but my lap
times aren't up there...

Being used to breaking really late, courtesy modern F1 sims, where
breaks work like a dream, and you can power up with full throttle
once you hit the apex, I find GPL requires you to be progressive,
a bit too much actually. Negotiating turns is virtually a slide,
always, its a real test of throttle control.

If somebody can pen down how different was the break setup in 67
from new age F1? (technically)

--
"Ralf looks like he's been on a rally, doesn't he Several of the cars
out there looking a bit scruffy, and we're not even at the half-way
point yet."

On Sun, 29 Apr 2007 20:11:42 +0000 (UTC), Anand Nene
<anandnNOSPAM (AT) gmx (DOT) net> wrote:
Holy crap, the Solitude track is absolutely *amazing*, Imo it flows
even better than the hoary old Bremgarten does. And to think that
people were brave enough to drive that in real life!


While you're learning you might want to try downloading easier tracks
like Avus and Reims, in order to get your eye in.


--
- Jones

On Thu, 03 May 2007 at 05:10 GMT, Mark Jones, wrote:
Will do, thanks.

While you are at, do guys have something like must have tracks to
race on. I don't mind the technicality, but purely in terms of
track layout, tracks which you think are the "best of the best",
designed to perfection (non-GPL folks could comment on this?).
I know where to get them, but there are so many!

To have tracks sitting right in front of me, to be explored and learnt,
of which I just keep on hearing from folks is like woo hoo! :-)

--
"If there was a film about Heinz-Harald Frentzen this season it would
have been in the horror category."

On Thu, 3 May 2007 21:03:17 +0000 (UTC), Anand Nene
<anandnNOSPAM (AT) gmx (DOT) net> wrote:

It's probably mostly a personal preference thing, but my list so far
would be the old, fast, road-type tracks:

The Ring (natch)
Solitude
Bremgarten (both are like rollercoaster rides, with controls)
Tripoli/Mellaha Lake (brutally fast, and satisfying)
Le Mans (surprisingly fun to just hammer around)
Montlhéry (the 1934 one without chicanes in the oval)
Charade/Clermont-Ferrand (great track)
Rouen
Spa (both as gpl standard, both just really great road tracks)
Watkins Glen (challenging to get the groove right)
Reims
AVUS (interesting, in the sense that it's interesting how *insane*
the north curve is)
Monza10k (with the oval, makes it more of a balance. Plus more fun)



--
- Jones

Mark Jones wrote:
Archived the ones I don't already have for when I finally get my PC set
up on a desk again.

I agree especially about Watkins Glen - I think I've gained more seconds
per lap there by continual practice, practice, practice than anywhere
else, and nailing a lap there just feels so great, car sliding around
through the esses, nailing the Big Bend just perfectly, flying down the
straight, getting the braking right for the next right hander and then
slipping the car nearly through the lefthander faster than seems
possible before nailing the brake pedal again, flicking the car to the
right and racing for the line... fantastic. And then next lap I
invariably brake too late for Big Bend and fly off the road

Leipzig is a good circuit, although it's hard work to get right, and the
lampposts are annoying.
Laguna Seca is one I want to get hold of for GPL, it's an ace circuit
and I think it would be fun with '67 F1 cars.
Brands Hatch is an awesome track but again I've not raced there in GPL.

The other thing I just found for GPL, surfing the alternative tracks
database (http://gpltd.bcsims.com/), is this:
http://1969gpl.speedgeezers.com/
A 1969 mod! With wings! Back in the day when they had downforce but
power was still greater than grip. This, I have to try - I love the GPL
cars but the braking performance isn't great and the cornering speeds
mostly aren't that high - the early years of wings should be just as
much fun, I think, with the added bonus that I'll have more of a clue
about setup than I do on a car that doesn't have any aero.

--
Phil

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tmc1979/

On May 4, 6:37 am, Phil Newnham <pnewn... (AT) yahoo (DOT) com> wrote:
<CLIP>

My wife has driven the Glenn (in real life) in anger in her father's
911. It was her favorite track after Bridghampton.

I don't think I saw Bridgehampton listed, but you might want try it if
it is available for GPL. My father in-law almost hit an 8-point buck
while going full chat down one of the straights!

Where can I get GPL? Did you all buy it from a retail outlet or
download it? I found a GPL 2004 demo for download at 3dgames.com, but
would like to try the full version. Thanks!

- Marc

On Fri, 4 May 2007, Phil Newnham wrote:

Big Bend is at Lime Rock, not the Glen.

Steve