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CART Precision Racing FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) January 1998 (c) Copyright 1997, 1998 Microsoft Corporation. This document includes answers to commonly asked questions about playing and optimizing the performance of CART Precision Racing, and about what changes are made to CART Precision Racing when you install the patch. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: To read this file in Notepad, click Word Wrap on the Edit menu. ----------------------------------------------------------------- OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON CART PRECISION RACING: Gameplay Help, the online Help system for CART Precision Racing, includes helpful information on playing the game and maximizing your performance. To access Gameplay Help, click the CART Precision Racing Help menu and then click Gameplay Help. Also, don't forget to visit our World Wide Web site to obtain the latest information. The URL for the CART Precision Racing Home Page is: http://www.microsoft.com/games/precisionracing/cart/ ================================================================= Table of Contents ================================================================= (1) What changes are made to CART Precision Racing when I install the patch? (2) How can I make the game run faster? (3) How do I hook up my steering wheel and pedals to work correctly with CART Precision Racing? (4) When switching views while driving, what's the fastest way to switch back to cockpit view for my car? (5) The game looks kind of dark on my machine. Is there anything I can do to fix this? (6) I'm running CART Precision Racing using Hardware Acceleration, and I'm not getting the results I expected. Is there anything I can do? (7) How can I reduce the "popping" effect of buildings and trackside objects in my forward field of view while I'm driving? (8) Why do I hear a "banging" noise when I set the boost pressure past 5? (9) What's that noise I hear when I'm driving in the pit lane? (10) Why does the game sometimes appear to pause briefly while I'm driving? (11) Can I change the paint job on the cars featured in the game? (12) Is there anything I can do to make my joystick (or steering wheel) a little less twitchy? (13) Can I adjust the amount of force I can feel with my force feedback controller? (14) Is the way the car handles on sand and grass different when you're driving at the Professional skill level? (15) How can I change the name of one of the CART drivers in the game? (16) How can I adjust the volume of music in the game? (17) How can I adjust the angle of the rear view mirrors? (18) How can I display frame rate? (19) Can I view Instant Replay files in full-screen mode? (20) When I'm driving at the Rookie or Intermediate skill levels, are my computer opponents driving slowly? (21) Is there any way to change the behavior of computer opponents more precisely than switching skill levels? (22) How does increasing or decreasing the steering ratio setting affect handling on tight corners, like Laguna Seca's Corkscrew? ================================================================= (1) Q. What changes are made to CART Precision Racing when I install the patch? A. When you install the patch, you can expect the following changes to CART Precision Racing: Improved graphics performance in both software and hardware rendering, controls in the game to set brightness for objects, a null-zone control that helps you tune your controller's sensitivity, improved default garage setups, improvements in the artificial intelligence (computer-controlled cars), additional documentation in the online Help file, FAQ, and readme files, and bug fixes. ================================================================= (2) Q. How can I make the game run faster? A. While you are driving, press LEFT BRACKET ([) to reduce the size of the simulation window and improve frame rate. Press RIGHT BRACKET (]) to increase the size of the simulation window. You can also set the default size of the simulation window using the Window Size slider control in the Graphic Options dialog box (Graphics command on the Options menu).To reduce the size of the simulation window and improve frame rate, drag the Window Size slider control to the left. Reducing the clipping pane, which affects how far ahead you can see in your forward field of view, can also make the game run faster. While you are driving, press CTRL+H to reduce the distance you can see in front of you. (To increase the distance, press CTRL+F.) You can also set the default clipping pane using the Clipping Pane slider control in the Graphic Options dialog box (Graphics command on the Options menu). To reduce the clipping pane, drag the Clipping Pane slider control to the left. Other suggestions to make the game run faster: Experiment with turning Graphics options (Graphics command on the Options menu) on and off to find the right combination of graphics and speed. For example, set Image Quality to Good, turn off the Textured Sky, Draw Hills, and Track-Side Objects options. You can also try setting Tire Effects to Tracks Only or None to speed up the game. Reducing the number of computer opponents you're racing against may also make the game run faster. To reduce the number of computer opponents, click Realism on the Options menu, and then drag the Maximum Field Size (Single Player) to the left to specify the number of opponents, and then click OK. ================================================================ (2) Q. How do I hook up my steering wheel and pedals to work correctly with CART Precision Racing? A. For complete instructions on how to install specific types of race car controllers for use with CART Precision Racing, see the "Configuring Your Race Car Controller" section of Gameplay Help (Help menu in CART Precision Racing), or the "Controller Configuration Notes and Troubleshooting" section of readme.txt (included in the folder where you installed CART Precision Racing). These sections include topics on installing the following types of controllers: ThrustMaster NASCAR (R) Pro Racing Wheel (outside U.S., ThrustMaster Formula One Racing Wheel), ThrustMaster Formula T1 and T2, ThrustMaster Grand Prix 1, and CH Products Pro. ================================================================= (3) Q. When switching views while driving, what's the fastest way to switch back to cockpit view for my car? A. Press HOME to return to cockpit view from any game view. (You can change views while driving by pressing V; you can also jump into your opponents' cockpits while they're driving by pressing K.) ================================================================= (4) Q. The game looks kind of dark on my machine. Is there anything I can do to fix this? A. Some computer monitors and some video adapters have a dark gamma setup, which can be contribute to a dark appearance. Check the brightness and contrast controls on your monitor. If you have a 3DFX control panel, you should be able to adjust the gamma there. Also, when you set Image Quality to Best (Slower), you can use the Object Brightness slider control (Graphics command on the Options menu) to make adjustments. Finally, setting Image Quality to Good (Graphics command on the Options menu) can also change some of the lighting effects, which may make things brighter. ================================================================= (5) Q. I'm running CART Precision Racing using Hardware Acceleration, and I'm not getting the results I expected. Is there anything I can do? A. First, confirm that you have Direct3D (Most Hardware) selected in the Renderer list box (Graphics command on the Options menu). Second, when you start a race, press F4 to switch to full-screen mode (no menu bar visible across the top of the screen). This is crucial, since Hardware Acceleration only works in full-screen mode. ================================================================ (6) Q. How can I reduce the "popping" effect of buildings and trackside objects in my forward field of view while I'm driving? A. While you are driving, press CTRL+F to increase the distance you can see in front of you. This reduces the "popping" effect, where billboards, flag stands, and other scenery objects in your forward field of view appear to suddenly "pop" into view. If the game runs too slowly as you increase the distance, reduce the distance by pressing CTRL+H. You can also set the default forward field of view by adjusting the Clipping Pane slider control in the Graphic Options dialog box (Graphics command on the Options menu). ================================================================= (7) Q. Why do I hear a "banging" noise when I set the boost pressure past 5? A. The noise you are hearing is the pop-off valve that controls maximum boost pressure of the turbo charger. In the real world, CART teams are limited to 40 inches of boost pressure. To regulate the pressure, a pop-off valve, or waste gate, is fitted on the turbo (it's the round thing you see sticking up on the cowling behind the driver's head.) When the boost pressure exceeds 40 inches in the turbo charger, the waste gate opens up and releases the excess pressure, producing the "banging" noise. You don't want this to happen in real life because the pressure drops well below 40, which causes a temporary but substantial loss in horsepower. You can see this happening in the game by setting up your Pi dashboard to display boost pressure (Pi Display Setup command on the Options menu). Once you've done this, play with the boost knob and notice how the pressure changes. When its at 5, the pressure is 40; when you move it to 6, the pressure drops drastically because the waste gate is constantly opening. ================================================================= (8) Q. What's that noise I hear when I'm driving in the pit lane? A. The noise you hear when you're driving in the pit lane is the sound of your car's rev-limiter kicking into to control your speed through the pits. The rev-limiter is a device used on all CART cars to limit the RPMs and the cars' speed to a certain preset value specified by CART officials. The rev-limiter in CART Precision Racing prevents drivers from exceeding the 60 MPH speed limit while driving through the pit area. ================================================================= (9) Q. Why does the game sometimes appear to pause briefly while I'm driving? A. If you have other programs running in the background while you are playing CART Precision Racing, you may experience brief pauses while you're playing. Hard disk activity, incoming email, and other background activities can cause the pauses. It is highly recommended that you exit all other programs before starting CART Precision Racing. If you are using a digital controller and you are experiencing brief pauses while you are playing the game, making a change to your game controller configuration may also resolve the problem. Follow these steps: Click Start, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click Game Controllers. Click Advanced, and then click the Poll With Interrupts Enabled check box. Click OK. Important note: Turning on Poll With Interrupts Enabled may improve or worsen your joystick control. In general, turning on this option is recommended only for digital controllers, not analog controllers. ================================================================= (10) Q. Can I change the paint job on the cars featured in the game? A. A car painting utility kit that allows you to create your own custom car textures for all cars featured in CART Precision Racing is available for download from the World Wide Web. To download this paint kit, connect to the Apex Web site, located at the URL listed below, and go to the Downloads page (no direct URL): http://cart.gamestats.com ================================================================= (11) Q. Is there anything I can do to make my joystick (or steering wheel) feel a little less twitchy? A. Yes. Adjusting the Null Zone setting for your joystick or steering wheel may help make your driving experience a little less twitchy. To increase the Null Zone setting and reduce the twitchiness, click Controls on the Options menu, confirm that the controller you want to adjust is selected under Primary Driving Control, and then click Customize Controller. Drag the Null Zone slider control to the right to increase the Null Zone setting. You may have to experiment to find the perfect setting for your driving style. ================================================================= (12) Q. Can I adjust the amount of force I can feel with my force feedback controller? A. Yes. By adjusting the Crash Force and Center Spring settings, you can tweak the feel and response of your force feedback controller. To adjust the settings, click Controls on the Options menu, and then click Customize Controller. Confirm that the Use Force Feedback check box is selected, and then drag the Crash Force and Center Spring slider controls to adjust the amount of force you can feel with your force feedback controller. You may have to experiment to find the perfect settings for your force feedback style. ================================================================= (13) Q. Is the way the car handles on sand and grass different when you're driving at the Professional skill level? A. Yes. When you're driving at the Professional skill level, you can expect a challenging and slippery ride when you go off on grass or gravel. In interviews, real-world CART drivers often compare driving on sand and grass to "being on ice," and that sensation is included in the game for those who are skilled enough to drive at the Professional Skill level. If you can't handle the challenge, you may want to consider driving under the Rookie or Intermediate skill levels. ================================================================= (14) Q. How can I change the name of one of the CART drivers in the game? A. You can change the names of the drivers featured in CART Precision Racing by following these steps: Open extras.ini (file located in the system folder where you installed CART Precision Racing). Search for the name you want to change, delete it, and then type in the new name you want to use. Save and close the file. You may have to restart Windows in order for the change to take effect. ================================================================ (15) Q. How can I adjust the volume of the music in the game? A. Use the Windows 95 Volume Control to set your audio level, and keep in mind that you can insert and play music from any audio CD while you are playing CART Precision Racing (works best if you chose the Complete option when you installed the game; otherwise, you may have to swap CDs in the drive.) =============================================================== (16) Q. How can I adjust the angle of the rear view mirrors? A. You can adjust the angle of the rear view mirrors on the Miscellaneous tab in the Garage. Use the Test Drive button to head out onto the track to check your adjustments. =============================================================== (17) Q. How can I display frame rate? A. Type FRAME while you are driving. The frame rate calculation appears in the lower right corner of the screen. To turn it off, type FRAME again. ============================================================== (18) Q. Can I view Instant Replay files in full-screen mode? A. Yes. Click the Zoom button on the Instant Replay screen to play Instant Replay files in full-screen mode. Press ESC when you're finished. ============================================================== (19) Q. When I'm driving at the Rookie or Intermediate skill level, are my computer opponents driving slowly? A. In Rookie and Intermediate modes, some of your computer opponents may drive slowly--they are designed to help beginners get comfortable behind the wheel and enjoy the game. When you're ready for fast opponents, try racing at the Professional skill level (Driving Aids command on the Options menu). ============================================================== (20) Q. Is there any way to change the behavior of computer opponents more precisely than switching skill levels? A. Yes, you can change the skill of your computer opponents more precisely than the Rookie, Intermediate, and Professional skill levels included in the game. Here's how: Open cart.ini (located in the system folder where you installed CART Precision Racing). Find the "skilltrack" entries, which include each track name followed by 6 numbers. Find the track that you want to edit and adjust the numbers, which are organized according to the following format: - <rookie_min, rookie_max, intermediate_min, intermediate_max, professional_min, professional_max>. The numbers represent percentages of skill and top-end speed (999=100%, 499=50%, etc.); the "min" number is the setting for the slowest computer opponent car on the track, and the "max" number is the setting for the fastest computer opponent car on the track at each skill level. Important note: You cannot change the "max" setting for computer opponent cars at the Professional skill level. Regardless of any changes you make to the Professional settings in cart.ini, they will default to the maximum, 999, to ensure the ultimate racing challenge. ============================================================== (21) Q. How does increasing or decreasing the steering ratio setting affect handling on tight corners, like Laguna Seca's Corkscrew? A. The steering ratio setting, on the Suspension (Axle) tab in the Garage, affects how much steering angle you get for a given amount of input from your joystick or wheel. On ovals, a low ratio is typically used, since the turns are all fast and large radius. On road/street circuits, more steering ratio is used so that high steering angles are available for super-tight hairpins. With too high a steering ratio, you can get some undesirable results. For example, you may find the car twitchy at speed because small inputs from your wheel/joystick result in larger steering angles. Driving with too high a steering ratio setting can also mean you'll have trouble cornering. If, in the course of driving Laguna Seca, you are using full steering lock anywhere other than in 1st or 2nd gear turns, you are probably generating overly high slip angles on the front wheels. You can tell if the "tire squeal" noise is excessive and the car doesn't turn in well. Many drivers assume this is terminal understeer; what they don't realize is that it isn't a setup problem, it's a driver problem. If you practice turning in earlier, WITH LESS WHEEL, you'll find the tires stick better and the car turns in dramatically better. Also, since you're not scrubbing off speed, you'll cut your lap times as well. More steering ratio makes this harder to do. If you're having trouble getting the car to turn in, and you find your wheel/joystick cranked over full lock on most turns, try REDUCING the steering ratio setting. Once you get the hang of driving with smaller slip angles, increase it so you have it available for slow turns. Remember, too, that once the wheels are cranked to full lock (at low speed), almost no acceleration is available to you. Why? Because in 1st or 2nd gear, any touch of the throttle will transfer virtually all the weight off the front wheels and the car will understeer badly. Wait until the wheel is almost straight before getting on the gas. A helpful tool included in CART Precision Racing is Pi Analysis. Use the graph of steering angle to help refine your steering technique. If you see large steering angles on large radius turns, you're probably cranking on the wheel excessively and getting a lot of push as a result. If you find yourself going through a hairpin in 1st or 2nd gear and you still can't get around the turn, before you crank up the steering angle, use Pi Analysis to check your speed through the turn. Because you have limited sensations of speed in the game, you can be going a lot faster than you think when you give the car full steering lock. If you hear tire squeal at very slow turns, you are probably trying to turn faster than the adhesion of the front tires will allow. Try braking longer or starting earlier to kill more speed before turning in. There are tracks where you need a lot of steering angle just to get around (Vancouver is an excellent example). You'll want a steering ratio of 11 for Vancouver to get your around the two really tight 1st gear turns, but then you have to be extra careful to avoid overdriving the car on the faster turns.