First, I got a lathe and I could spend a weekend making something that I
probably could have bought from Pegasus for $20. Next, I got Photoshop and I
found I could spend a week tweaking an image and still not be quite
satisfied with it. But now I have found the ultimate way to waste time and
have a lot of fun on a cold Michigan day. Grand Prix Legends.
My first warning is don't by this simulator if you have to work for a
living. It is an addictive for the unemployed or soon to be. My second
warning is don't buy it unless you have a really hot 'puter with lots of
goodies like beaucoup ram, a great graphics card with lots of ram and a 3D
video accelerator with lots of ram. In short, if the lights in your
neighborhood dim when you turn on your computer, then you probably are OK.
If you have messed with any of the other racing simulators then you are in
for a new experience. The graphics are fantastic. You can get airborne and
even flip, roll and get upside down. These are great to watch in the various
modes of instant replay.
What is truly amazing are the performance parameters of each car. To
experience it, take different cars out on the same track and see the
difference in performance and difficulty. Predictably, the better the
performance the more difficult to drive. You can truly spend hours just
experimenting with the limited slip diff. If you want to really get serious
about the setup, you better set up a database to manage your records.
And then there are the tracks! Monaco is scary! Stone walls that suck you in
like a magnet. And then there is The Ring.... How can anybody learn to drive
a 14 mile track? It is more like driving a rally.
I hate to think how much time I have spent on it and I have only been
practicing and testing. I haven't gotten up the courage to take on the likes
of Sir Jack, Jim Clark or Dan Gurney. When I do, I am pretty sure what the
outcome will be. But anyway it will still be great fun.
Guess you know who will not be watching a football game on New Years.
GJB
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