Grand Prix Legends - revisited
Grand Prix Legends - revisited
Author
Discussion

timbob

Original Poster:

2,205 posts

281 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
I started having funny nostalgic feelings, reading up on the Race Sim Central forums about GPL, seeing that the full length Isle of Man, and full 72km Targa Florio tracks are in the final stages of work prior to release. I looked at a few recent screenshots, and GPL was still looking OK....

So, I found my old CD, installed the game, applied the big "all in one, totally up to date" patch, and jumped in the Lotus at Monza for some practice.

A couple of setup tweaks (emptying the fuel tank helped) and 6 laps later, I got back to 1:30.0, only about 2.5 seconds off my all time best ever laptime, and I realised something:

GPL is better than rFactor, LFS, GTL, GTR etc. The new games might look great, or have a supposedly better physics model, or laser modelled tracks... but GPL has atmosphere.

The track models might be simplistic, but the colour palette is spot on. It looks like the 60s, not a cartoon.

Feel free to discuss, I'm off for a drive!

Red Firecracker

5,346 posts

256 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
A game where they didn't have to specifically model the crashes as the physics engine is so good it just does them.

Stunning game made all the better for the community updates. So so frustrating to drive well but oh so satisfying when you do.

williamp

20,385 posts

302 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
Could never get on with this game. It seemed like anything quicker then walking pace and the car would go off the track. I might be ham-fisted, but i couldnt get on with it all

timbob

Original Poster:

2,205 posts

281 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
williamp said:
Could never get on with this game. It seemed like anything quicker then walking pace and the car would go off the track. I might be ham-fisted, but i couldnt get on with it all
Part-throttle my friend, it's all about part-throttle! That and smoothness.

williamp

20,385 posts

302 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
timbob said:
williamp said:
Could never get on with this game. It seemed like anything quicker then walking pace and the car would go off the track. I might be ham-fisted, but i couldnt get on with it all
Part-throttle my friend, it's all about part-throttle! That and smoothness.
and talent??? biggrin

FourWheelDrift

92,247 posts

313 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
Ah, memories. I uninstalled it but saved the folder on DVD just in case.


Rob P

5,821 posts

293 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
Top Man!

I'm thinking of installing it again on the current laptop.....just need a wheelsmile

A true measure of a car game in my mind is how much I play it against the clock. GPL I'm pretty sure I NEVER completed a race. Instead I would spend hours trying to nail the best laps, even had one of those replay analysis programs to help point out areas I could improve on.

I remember putting a 3dfx Voodoo card in my old PC just for this game, think it only got used on GPL!

Great, great game.


FourWheelDrift

92,247 posts

313 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
Found my GPLRank times as well smile


lord summerisle

8,173 posts

254 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
excellent, but very frustraiting!

i need a wheel... trying to control the cars with just the keyboard was an art i never quite got right. but it was great how you had to lift off to change gear, and mid corner downshift would upset the car - something the other sims forgot about till later updates

FourWheelDrift

92,247 posts

313 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
I still hold 3 Record times on GPL Rank biggrin
Quickest times around Lydden Hill in the 65mod cars, the Brabham BT11, Brabham BT7 and Ferrari.

timbob

Original Poster:

2,205 posts

281 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all


Found my times there as well FWD - seems I lose out you by a fair whack around the 'ring frown

You can tell the tracks I worked hard at - Monza, the Glen, Monaco and Silverstone mainly, and those I never did work much on (Spa, Mosport etc).

Medic-one

3,142 posts

232 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all

I'm about to buy a new wheel (just opened a topic about which one to get on here) and this will be one of the first games i'll install again once i get my wheel.

FourWheelDrift

92,247 posts

313 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
My Nordschliefe time was a one off, clean lap but I never got within 10secs again after that one.

Muz_Wez

1,399 posts

231 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
A truely stunning gaming. I just loved balancing the throttle around nearly all of the Monza circuit.

Bloody frustraing yes, but very addictive & satisfying when you got it right. I always used to put it on manual with damage and see how things went as it certainly meant your driving was clean, the slightest touch always produing a puncture or worse.

God knows how anyone could driving using keys??

Edited by Muz_Wez on Friday 21st November 16:16

dern

14,055 posts

308 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
Are all the online race servers still working? I can't remember the mechanism to access them now... was there a client you had to download?

timbob

Original Poster:

2,205 posts

281 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
dern said:
Are all the online race servers still working? I can't remember the mechanism to access them now... was there a client you had to download?
WinVROC. Although I see the name IGOR bandied around nowadays - that might be the new online client. I'm unsure as I haven't gone online with GPL for more than 6 years.... erk!

FourWheelDrift

92,247 posts

313 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
IGOR appeared in about 2005 as a replacement for VROC because it could handle the new mods and give better cheat protection.

timbob

Original Poster:

2,205 posts

281 months

Friday 21st November 2008
quotequote all
Cool smile

Incidentaly - anyone who hasn't done so MUST check out Dundrod (the Irish road racing sports car circuit) by Jim Pearson. It's a work of art.

http://jrpearson.homestead.com/Dundrod.html



Edited to say: There's that atmosphere, right there!

Edited by timbob on Friday 21st November 16:00

dern

14,055 posts

308 months

Saturday 22nd November 2008
quotequote all
Just reinstalled it and had forgotten how difficult this game is :|

marvelharvey

1,869 posts

279 months

Saturday 22nd November 2008
quotequote all
This wonderful game has come a long way...

Modern GPL:



GPL at time of release (10 years + 3 weeks ago)



GPL pre-release