NASCAR 2/99 WINSTON CUP SEASON PATCH (N99Real Project) Requirements: Nascar 2 1.03 or Nascar 2 1.03 BGN patch (N2bgnsep) or Nascar99 DOS/Win version Quick explain from Chas Bornemann: "This util will allow you too race your championship seasons outside of the champ season mode currently available in the sims. One of the key features of the patch is that you will run your race against the actual starting lineup of the event. This means you will qualify for the event and be placed in the lineup just as if you had actually run the race yourself. For example, if you had qualified with a 196 mph at Daytona, you would have the pole and not Jeff Gordon. But Jeff would lineup right alongside of you and each of the other drivers would fall into their proper places right behind. The best thing about the patch is that it allows you to be able to edit the calendar and adjust things inside and outside of the game to suit your own driving style and ability. And of course the latest carsets are available for each race shortly after the race itself. The utility allows the user to qualify, race and then generate season standings after every event." ============= INSTALLATION: After downloading 'carset.exe', 'n99r.exe': a) copy 'carset.exe' to your CARS directory and run it - it will create basic carset for using with N99real util b) Copy n99r.exe to your nascar2/nascar99 - run it - it will create N99real directory (with all the data) + 1999rwc.cal (calendar for the sim) ! A new directory will be created in your Nascar2 or nascar 99 directory called N99REAL. ! ==================================== AFTER INSTALLATION: After installation procedures you will find following files in your N99REAL directory (or directory which you chose during setup): 1. N2real.exe - utility DOS version for using with N2/N2bgnsep/N99DOS 2. N99real2.exe - Win 95/98 util for using with N99DOS 3. N99real.exe - Win 95/98 util for using with N99Win 4. N2real.cal - calendar file (see below) - setting for the races 5. docs directory with N99real.faq - some frequently asked questions N99real.txt - this file calc.exe, calc.txt - util for calculating speeds 6. 'Races' directory - the setting for all the races, starting grids etc. RUNNING THE GAME FOR THE FIRST TIME: ==================================== 1) Make sure that your car is stored in t_player.car file !!!! 2) go to N99REAL directory (in most cases it will be in main Nascar 2/99 directory) and take a look at 'N99real.cal' file: This file stores all important information for each event and some of them you'll have to edit if you want to be competetive with AI cars. The given v alues are average values so every user can change them to suit his racing skills etc. Of course YOU WILL HAVE TO EDIT this files, because some of the tracks may not be stored on your drive or some track names may be different Format of the CAL file will be explained below. If you make any changes to this CAL file located in your N99Real then probably you'll have to change track names in CALENDAR files in your Nascar 2/99 directory. NOTE: If you're nascar2 bgnsep or nascar99 user - please use 1999rwc.cal file - this file must have synchronized track names with n99real.cal file used by the realism project. We prepared 2 calendars: "1999rwc.CAL" for BGN update users and Nascar 1999 users "1999rwc" for pre-BGN update users Setup program will store those 2 calendars in your Nascar 2/99 dir. NOTE: preBGN user - if you wnat to use '1999rwc' calendar file you'll have to rename it as 'calendar'. 3. From your N99Real directory simply select the N99real.exe (or the version you want to use) Running for the first time you will be prompted to enter the full-path to your nascar2 game. For example, if the path to your nascar99 game is c:\Sierra\nascar99\nr1999.exe then enter it exactly like that !!! NOTE: rendition or 3dfx users of N2, N2bgnsep - probably youre starting the sim from the BAT file - so except giving the util the path of EXE file, please give the path of the BAT file. Each time you start the Winston Cup patch afterwards, it will never ask you again. It will be stored in a a file called n99real.ini (for WIn versions of the sim) or n2real.ini (for DOS versions of the sim). If for some reason you change the directory your nascar2/99 game is in, please contact us to help you change it with the Winston Cup patch. ======= SPECIAL NOTE for Windows 95/98 Users running DOS version of the util !!! Occassionally you may receive a message that the patch must be run from a full-window. This is ok. Simply hit any key and continue and the patch will correct itself. This is because the DOS version of the game itself needs to be run in full window. ======= ============================ USING THE WINSTON CUP PATCH: The menu setup is very simple. When you are in simply select qualify to start the game. You will then be prompted to update the carset. ALWAYS CHOOSE YES !!! This ensures that the proper drivers are installed for the race. If for some reason you'll be informed about missing cars then make sure that you installed carset update for the current event. NOTE: N2/N99 has limit of 128 cars in CARS directory - so make sure that number of cars is not greater than 128 - if yes try to move somewhere else not used cars (I reccomend N2HQ from Dane Johnson for manipulating with the cars). The game will then start up (DOS version users: you have the ability to add options to start the game such as the -st and -j) as well. FOR EACH EVENT YOU MUST CHOOSE "QUICK RACE" from main menu ! Then in race options remember to select correct calendar: choose "1999 Winston Cup N99 Realism" (BGN update, Nascar 99) or "1999wsc" in "Season Schedule" (nascar 2 original) Entry list should have been already set to "N99real" by the patch. At the addon directory you will find "setting.jpg" picture - with simple set of option. Qualify at the track (quick race mode) and save the qualifying results as xxqual.stn where xx = the race number. For example, the Daytona race would be 01qual.stn. Then save the race, exit the sim and it will generate the proper starting lineup based on your qualifying effort. This simply means you will be placed in the starting lineup based on the formula in the calendar (see the calendar section below for more details). Then you will be prompted to run your race. Go into the sim and restore the game and run your race (quick race mode) (you may change any options in the sim you want to, and when finished with your race save the results as xxrace.stn (where xx = race number) and then exit the sim (returning to the Winston Cup Program. The program will then generate and display point standings. NOTE: a) if you want to exit the race during it - do not save the standings using NNrace name - exit the game and then exit the util. You may continue the race using option 2 of the util and then restore the race in the sim. b) remember to let the race to finish (after pressing ESC - the screen with your cars winning or finishing and then there should be "Race Over" message on the screen) !!!!! When crashed use "Accelerate" feature to accelerate the race, save the results and then exit the game. ============= THE CALENDAR: Ok, so now it gets a little complicated . I'll try to make this as easy as I can. Below are the first lines from the calendar (N2REAL.CAL file can be found in N99real direcotry): NOTE: THIS CALENDAR IS USED BY THE UTIL ITSELF (NOT BY THE SIM) TO SET UP SOME INTERNAL OPTIONS !!!! SIM USES THE CALENDAR FILES FROM MAIN "NASCAR 2/99" DIRECTORY. 34 No Event Track Cars AI_f AI_str Q/S/R Temp Wind WDir 1 Daytona 500 USA 39 100 100 1 56 15 NE a) No 34 is the number of races in the calendar. b)Event The first event is Daytona 500 c) Track The event takes place at "USA" track. Since we haven't 'real' Daytona in the sim itself, you'll be using probably track converted from Talladega (we're using Alex Santantonio's USA track), and it's file name is USA (there should be USA track in your TRACKS directory) - if you're using different track name, simply edit the N99REAL.CAL and change the name: No Event Track Cars AI_f AI_str Q/S/R Temp Wind WDir 1 Daytona 500 FIS 39 100 100 1 56 15 NE NOTE1: Remember to set all the variables in exactly the same columns as in default CAL file !!! Simply DO NOT USE "TAB" key in your text editor, use "SPACE". NOTE2: IMPORTANT - track name in N99Real.CAL file must be exactly the same as the track name in the tracks directory, d) Cars It has 39 cars in it. e) AI_f The next entry AI_f is the AI factor. If you multiply your qualifying speed by this number you will end up with your actual qualifying speed for the event. For example if you qualified at 196.5 mph (in the sim) simply because the sim speeds are not realistic to the real racing world we adjust them by a factor to make them more realistic. So in this case that 196.5 would actually be a 194.53 mph - with AI_F factor set to 101. Here's how we do it. (((100-102)+100)/100)*196.5 = 194.53mph or easier formula: ((200-102)/100)*196.5=194.53 Consider this AI_F value (in our example 101) as the AI cars strength compared to 'real cars' strength: so in this example AI cars strenth is 101 % of 'real cars' strength. Sound complicated enough? Ok, it is !!! But try to experiment with the value to set up it for your skills. See calc.exe and calc.txt files in DOCS dir which will help to compare your speeds with 'real' speeds. We're preparing the factors using speeds from Nascar2 records pages - some 2-3 mph slower and compare them with average speed from 'real' starting grid (around places 5-10). f) AI_str The next number AI_str is simple enough - it's AI Cars strength. It tells the sim what AI% to run at. So 100 simply means your AI opponents will run at 100% !!! (This is "Opponent Strength" in Race Options menu) NOTE: all races have 40 cars in the starting grids. We tested and verified that all the Winston Cup track will run with full set of cars without problem. Please adjust your track.txt files (CARS value) if you have less cars in those tracks. ie: CARS 40 40 in Atlanta.txt file Or decrease number of cars in N2Real.CAL file. See track.txt file in DOCS directory. g)Q/S/R Q/S/R values are internal values for Winston Cup Season Patch, and you shouldn't modify them. The value should always be '0' (zero) except fro track which emulate "Daytona 500" race. h)Temp Temperature - set in as for the values you want ! i)Wind wind speed - as above j)WDir Wind direction - simply sue N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW So you're now ready to run the util !!! VIEWING THE RESULTS: ==================== After events following files are located in N99REAL directory: - 'N99real.pts' - points standing after event No NN, DO NOT DELETE THIS FILE !!!!!! - 'NNstand.stn' - season standings after the race NN - 'NNrace.stn' - race results - 'NNqual_r.stn' - qualification results - user is placed in the correct starting position. Also the util will display the qualifying and race results itself right after the event. ADDING THE PATCHES AND RACE STARTING GRIDS: =========================================== All the new carset patches (car schemes and starting grids file) + will be published at Simulator Cyberworld, after the real race is over and new cars are prepared (painted). When you download it - further instruction will be given at the SCW Pages. ADDITIONAL INFO: ================ 1. The AI cars speeds during quals are not important, they won't be used, only player's speed is important. 2. The AI car parameters (strength,power, aggresion, drag) will be generated by util - basing at the 'real race results. This idea I borrowed from IWCCCars starting grid proggy and from "Real Race Files 98 Winston Cup Page at Storm Motorsport" so credit for the idea are for those guys. Enjoy !!!! Chas Bornemann (general directing and testing) Jaroslaw Polewka (programming and not testing ;( 1999 NASCAR 2 WINSTON CUP SEASON PATCH TEAM at Simulator Cyberworld