NFSU competitions / online play not really fair

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jeffr
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NFSU competitions / online play not really fair

Post by jeffr »

This is because NFSU doesn't run the same on all PC's. Lap times are actually slower on faster machines with NFSU, about 1/2 to 1 second per lap, depending on the track. A very fast player, Skroting, has confirmed this when he upgraded to a new machine. Using fraps slows down a fast machine a bit, and can help up to 1/2 second, but some PC's are going to have a bigger advantage than others.

For example, high 57's and low 58's are possible at Stadium with a NFSU "friendly" PC system. Most of the fast players will be about 1 second slower than this. One obvious difference is the 2nd wall bounce area if the right fork path is chosen. On the "friendly" machines, the RX7 speeds up to 194mph quite a ways before scraping the wall and comes off at 184mph, ending back up at 194mph as it enters the alleyway. On "non-friendly" machines, the RX7 barely reaches 192mph just before wall contact, and regardless if you bounce or scrape, speeds slow down to around 170mph, an over 10mph handicap in just this one spot.

NFSU "friendly" machines also lose less speed when landing from drops or jumps, and from just taking corners.

One indicator of this during an online race is the total distance traveled. The differences will be small, but "friendly" systems always end up with less distance traveled (asssuming the racers don't make mistakes). The difference in distance isn't as much as the difference in time, but it is a good indicator.

Here's a video of a "semi-friendly" machine (not mine) running at Stadium, where the car ends up going 191mph into the tunnel, a 58.16 lap time. stadium4.wmv.

I've been online with players that get 9 laps (all but the first) in the low 58 second range at Stadium.

Here's hoping that this is fixed in NFSU2.
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Post by jeffr »

Force Feedback wheels are like having stickier tires

I just recently got a Momo Racing wheel (FF), and tried it out with NFSU, using the RX7 at Olympic, Stadium, and Market Street. Using the wheel, I can take some corners flat out, where previously, the car just wouldn't turn enough to make the corner without hitting the outside wall, for example, the archway at Olympic, the entrance near the restaurant at Market Street, and the left turn just after the big jump at Stadium. It was also more stable, like in the alleyway at Stadium. This was with an RX7 with engine, ecu, turbo.

If I was still interested in NFSU, I'd combine using the wheel while having fraps capturing in the the background (to slow my machine down), both of which help improve lap times.
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Post by Mistral »

Maybe caused by the understeer you have while playing with the keyboard... But let me tell you something... NFSU sucks with a wheel. Strange force feed back, no sensation.
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Post by jeffr »

I had to cut down the range of motion (using dxtweak2) to only 1/4 turn either way, and set the other values to 0 except for centering force.

I normally use twin joysticks, left for throttle/brake, right for steer.

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orvnahum_
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Post by orvnahum_ »

Nice setup man.
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Post by Mistral »

:shock: :shock:
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TheStig
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Post by TheStig »

lol running NFS 3 or 4 with a Mercedes CLK GTR on hometown :P
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Post by jeffr »

TheStig wrote:lol running NFS 3 or 4 with a Mercedes CLK GTR on hometown
NFS4, getting air after the end of a race, as you approach finish line, you aim car for the corner of a fence next to a sloped section, it's a NFS4 tradition.
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VPNeverLoser
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Post by VPNeverLoser »

lol i tried that before :lol:
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Post by jeffr »

There's a small group of us that still race NFS4 online. There's a program called IPLounge that includes a chat room and a list of TCP-IP hosted games. We patched NFS4 so that collision (between cars) can be turned off (previously, this was only possible through EA online racing). Then there's an expansion pack to add tracks, cars, and a "mixer" to select a set of tracks automatically when joining a IPLounge race.

Here's the info if you're interested:

Everything is in place for High Stakes (and PU) Online Racing with IP Lounge!! IP Lounge was created by [RS]JMac of Team[RS], with some help from a few other NFS fans. IP Lounge is currently in full public beta testing, but it is working near perfect at this point. It has been countless hours of work to get things to the point where everything works as it should. We now have an integrated stats system that you can see here. Below is everything you need to get to the NEW HS Online racing setup and the choices you have (choose ONE of these 3):

Basic IP Lounge (1.1 MB): This is for folks who like to do everything manually, and also for folks who will be racing PU only. This includes an installer for WinPcap, which you will need to install before IP Lounge will work. Unzip this file's contents to a unique directory and then run the WinPcap install, create you IP Lounge shortcut, and then run IP Lounge and use the Register button to set up your Username/Password. This will be your racing name that appears in stats. After you get your password via email, you can choose the HS Server, fill in your Login name and Password, and Login. Once logged in to IP Lounge, you should set your Options with the Options button. Be sure to set Capture ON before trying to host, as this is how stats are gathered.

IP Lounge with HS Patches (3.3 MB): This is a custom setup that includes all of the nifty HS patches you will want to race the Stock HS game online. This includes the latest IP Lounge, the 4.50 patch for HS, JeffR's No-Collision patch, the No CD Patch (requires copying some files from your CD), the WinXP 1 MB error patch, some Menus customized for racing in TCP mode, and a choice of replacement d3da.dll files to help you get your HS graphics working right.

IP Lounge with the HS Expansion Pack (EP2) (129 MB): This custom setup includes everything above PLUS 20 user-made tracks, all of the official EA download and "other game version" cars, 10 extra user-made cars, and a few "Fun" cars like the F-16 and the Titanic ship, and also includes a custom version of JimDiablo's HS Mixer which works with IP Lounge. All of these tracks and cars are valid for scoring except the Fun cars, and IP Lounge has integrated functions to allow a host to choose a set of tracks for his pit, and all joiners get automatically matched to this list. It is also just as easy for a host to make a pit that is compatable with people who have the Stock HS Game only. To use these tracks and cars online, a host creating a new pit chooses which of 9 optional tracklists to use ("default" list indicating stock game), and then before the game runs IPL runs the Mixer to set the cars and tracks to match this list. Then it does the same thing for anyone who joins that pit. People with Stock Game Only (i.e. without the EP) are automatically restricted from joining pits using Expansion cars and tracks. Be sure to leave the Mixer closed when doing all of this, as IP Lounge will run it automatically only if it is not already open.
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TheStig
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Post by TheStig »

so if collision is off... you can't hit each other... am I right....

btw... long time ago I found out that when doing the track backwards... you could get huge air... by staying on track...

but I tried to connect it by lan... but didn't work.... can't use IPlounge instead of lan connection like I do in nfs U1 cause the damn thing gives a error cause we are on the same IP :?

so can't play with others with my complete wicked updated carlist... (realistic looking and driving cars)
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Post by Andre_online »

Actually, there used to be a replay at Need for Better Speed.com on the Mercedes GT-R in NFS4: High Stakes at Hometown...

The driver lauched it up onto the air... After it launches, it spun about more than 10 revolutions until it came onto the ground with a hard land...
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Post by jeffr »

so if collision is off... you can't hit each other... am I right....
Yes, that's correct. For LAN play you wouldn't use IPLounge, just the updated NFSHS.EXE (for the no collision option) and the updated menus. The collision variable isn't sent from host to client, so I used the damage variable instead (it is sent). If damage is anything other than on, collision is off. If you want damage on, just select physics only, this will have the same effect as damage on, only you won't see it on the cars, just on the damage display and the effect it has on driving.
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Post by jeffr »

btw... long time ago I found out that when doing the track backwards... you could get huge air... by staying on track...
Yes, sometimes you can clear the entre covered section beyond the jump near the end of the lap (when going backwards).

If you really want big air, you could use the "moon" cheat.
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TheStig
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Post by TheStig »

I always drive with full damage... I like to completely wreck my cars... especially when they have good damage :D
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VPNeverLoser
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Post by VPNeverLoser »

but then you'd have to pay a big result :wink:
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