Grand Prix Legends PATCH README
Version 1.2
8/18/99

[ To read this file, select Edit/Word Wrap from the menu above ]


                TABLE OF CONTENTS

        1.  GENERAL

        2.  MULTIPLAYER

        3.  CONTACTING SIERRA


1. GENERAL
----------

This patch will upgrade GPL version 1.1.0.3 to version 1.2.0.1.


GPL 1.1.0.3 introduced a bug that could cause the game to run slower than normal.  This lead to numerous problems, most of which were even worse when running multiplayer races.  This is now fixed.


The driver selection list on the race weekend screen could contain blank entries. Also, when selecting a driver from the list, the program might focus the camera on the wrong car.  This is now fixed.


If you miss the start of the race, you must now join the race within about two minutes, or the green button is taken away and you will not be allowed to join.


If you have installed replays from many different players, the <Player> drop-down list on the Load Replay screen would expand off the bottom of the screen, instead of turning into a scrollable list of players.  This is now fixed.


If you had any saved replays from players that did not enter a driver name, the <Player> dropdown list would default to showing only replays created by these players, instead of showing replays created by "All Players."  This is now fixed.




2. MULTIPLAYER
--------------

GPL 1.2.0.1 clients and servers will not connect to GPL 1.1.0.3 clients and servers (and vice versa).  If you try to connect, you will be told that the server is incompatible.


If you disconnected from a race server, and then reconnected to the server, the server would no longer score laps driven by you during the practice session.  This is now fixed.


A new chat command has been added.  Any Boss may now tell the server to stop the current race (if any), disconnect all clients, and exit by issuing the "!shutdown" command as a chat message.


It was possible, particularly when connected to a fast dedicated race server, that your pit stall placard and lap time board would be positioned incorrectly when transitioning from one race to another.  This is now fixed.


You can now issue private chat messages to any one of the players connected to the server.  Begin your message with "/", followed by the name of the player (or #car_number), followed by the message.  For example
	/#16 Hey, John.  What's up?
	/smith What's up?
	/j.smith What's up?
	/jo.smi What's up?
	/john.smith What's up?

	The message will only be sent to the person you identify (or you will be given an error message if the program couldn't figure out who you meant).


GPL 1.1.0.3 added a new method by which a client would try to stay in step with its server.  When latencies were fairly stable, it was smoother than the original method employed by GPL 1.0.  When latencies were unstable, however, the game could speed up or slow down rather excessively, making it very difficult to control the car.  We've reworked this synchronization method to make it less sensitive to fluctuations in latency, and to prevent it from applying excessive adjustments.  It should now be much smoother than the GPL 1.0 synchronization method, even when the latency is very high and very unstable.  The new synchronization method is used by default.  However, if you had switched to using the old synchronization method with GPL 1.1.0.3 because the "turbo/slow motion" effect was destroying game play, please give the new method a try (just remove the synch_method=0 line from core.ini, or change it to read synch_method=1).


The Internet can be a harrowing medium through which to race.  Game play is directly affected by the latency, reliability, and consistency of the connection between you and the game server, so it's important that the program give you a good sense of these factors.  GPL 1.2.0.1 now has graphical displays that allow you to monitor the status of your communications with the server when you are a GPL client.  These meters can only be displayed while in the car.  They can be toggled on/off by pressing Alt-M while in the car.  They can be distracting while driving, so they are turned off by default.  You can request that they be turned on by default by adding the following two lines to core.ini

[ Communications ]
show_meters = 1

	The bar graphs are as follows...

	    (L) Instantaneous latency from 0.0 seconds (the bar is empty) to 1.0 seconds (the bar is full height).  This is the amount of time that it takes for a message to go from the server, to your client, and back to the server.  Note that Alt-L shows average latency, not instantaneous latency.
	    (Q) Quality from 100% (the bar is empty) to 0% (the bar is full height).  The more data that is lost or garbled during transmission from the server to you, the lower the quality of your connection, and the higher this bar will go.
	    (S) The time skew (difference) between your GPL client and the server.  If your current time is behind where you expect the server to be, this bar will be below center.  If it is at the bottom, then you believe that you are 1.5 seconds (or more) behind the server.  If your current time is ahead of where you expect the server to be, it will be above center.  If it is at the top, then you believe that you are 1.5 seconds (or more) ahead of the server.  If the bar reaches the top or bottom, then your client will resynchronize itself with the server (it will smash its clock).

    Ideally, no red bars should be visible whatsoever.  That is, you have 0.0 seconds of latency, 100% of data from the server is getting to you, and your client believes that it is at the same point in time as the server.  In practice, this will not happen.

	The (L)atency bar will almost always be visible since it is not possible for data to get from the server to you instantaneously.  The higher the latency, the longer it takes for data to get from the server to your computer, and so the older it is when it gets there.  The older the data is, the more "predicting" your client has to do about the positions of other cars on the track.  The more that it has to predict, the more likely that it will predict incorrectly, and the more the other cars will jump around when it realizes its error.

	It is not uncommon for the (Q)uality bar to be completely empty (indicating little or no data loss), but it is also not uncommon for a few percent of the data to be lost or garbled during transmission, showing as a small (Q)uality bar.  If the bar starts to grow steadily, then something bad has happened on the route through the Internet between you and the server (or the server has crashed).  If the route doesn't clear up quickly, you will soon be disconnected.  If it does clear up, there will probably be short period of mayhem as the route settles down, and old data that has been stuck in transit is flushed.

	If the latency is varying a bit, it can be difficult for your client to determine what point in time the server is currently at, and a small (S)kew bar is likely to appear.  If the (S)kew bar grows continuously until it hits the top or bottom, your client will smash its clock to resynchronize itself to the server.  If it does this, then either the connection between you and the server is very poor, or either your machine or the server machine is extremely overloaded, and your client can no longer stay in step with the server.




3. CONTACTING SIERRA
--------------------

A) Customer Service, Support, and Sales
B) Technical Support
C) Legal Information


A) Customer Service, Support, and Sales
---------------------------------------
United States

U.S.A. Sales Phone: (800) 757-7707
International Sales:  (425) 746-5771
Hours: Monday-Saturday 7AM to 11 PM CST,
Sundays 8 AM to 9PM CST
FAX: (402) 393-3224

Sierra Direct
7100 W. Center Rd
STE 301
Omaha, NE  68106

United Kingdom

Havas Interactive
Main: (0118) 920-9111
Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Fax:   (0118) 987-5603
Disk/CD replacements in the U.K. are £6.00,
or £7.00 outside the UK. Add "ATTN.: Returns."

2 Beacontree Plaza,
Gillette Way,
Reading, Berkshire
RG2 0BS United Kingdom


France
Havas Interactive
Téléphone: 01-46-01-46-50
Lundi au Jeudi de 10h à 19h
Vendredi de 10h à 18h
Fax: 01-46-30-00-65

Parc Tertiaire de Meudon
Immeuble "Le Newton"
25 rue Jeanne Braconnier
92366 Meudon La Forêt Cedex
France


Germany

Havas Interactive
Tel: (0) 6103-99-40-40
Montag bis Freitag von 9h - 19Uhr
Fax: (0) 6103-99-40-35

Robert-Bosh-Str. 32
D-63303 Dreieich
Germany


On-Line Sales
CompuServe United Kingdom:GO UKSIERRA
CompuServe France:    GO FRSIERRA
CompuServe Germany:       GO DESIERRA
Internet USA:         http://www.sierra.com
Internet United Kingdom:  http://www.sierra-online.co.uk
Internet France:      http://www.sierra.fr
Internet Germany:     http://www.sierra.de

Disk and or Manual Replacement:

Product Returns:
Sierra On-Line Returns
4100 West 190th Street
Torrance, CA  90504

Sierra On-Line Fulfillment
4100 West 190th Street
Torrance, CA  90504

NOTE: To replace your disk(s) please send only Disk #1 (or the CD) and copy of your dated Receipt, if less then 90 days.  After 90 days please include a $10 handling fee along with Disk / CD #1.  For Documentation, please include a $ 5.00 handling fee and a photocopy ONLY of disk #1.  Payment should be made at the time of your request.  Sorry, no credit cards.	

* Returns to this address valid in North America only.


B) TECHNICAL SUPPORT
--------------------

North America

Sierra On-Line offers a 24-hour automated technical support line with recorded answers to the most frequently asked technical questions. To access this service, call (425) 644-4343, and follow the recorded instructions to find your specific topic and resolve the issue. If this fails to solve your problem, you may still write, or fax us with your questions, or contact us via our Web site.

Sierra On-Line
Technical Support
P.O. Box 85006
Bellevue, WA 98015-8506

Main: (425) 644-4343
Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 4:45 p.m.  PST
Fax:   (425) 644-7697

http://www.sierra.com
support@sierra.com


United Kingdom

Havas Interactive offers a 24-hour Automated Technical Support line with recorded answers to the most frequently asked technical questions. To access this service, call (0118) 920-9111, and follow the recorded instructions to find your specific topic and resolve the issue. If this fails to solve your problem, you may still write, or fax us with your questions, or contact us via our Internet or CompuServe sites.

Havas Interactive
2 Beacontree Plaza,
Gillette Way,
Reading, Berkshire
RG2 0BS United Kingdom

Main: (0118) 920-9111
Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Fax:   (0118) 987-5603

http://www.sierra-online.co.uk


France

Havas Interactive
Parc Tertiaire de Meudon
Immeuble "Le Newton"
25 rue Jeanne Braconnier
92366 Meudon La Forêt Cedex
France

Téléphone: 01-46-01-46-50
Lundi au Jeudi de 10h à 19h
Vendredi de 10h à 18h
Fax: 01-46-30-00-65

http://www.sierra.fr


Germany

Havas Interactive
Robert-Bosh-Str. 32
D-63303 Dreieich
Deutschland

Tel: (0) 6103-99-40-40
Montag bis Freitag von 9 - 19Uhr
Fax: (0) 6103-99-40-35
Mailbox: (0) 6103-99-40-35

http://www.sierra.de


Spain

Havas Interactive
Avenida de Burgos 9
1º-OF2
28036 Madrid
Spain

Teléfono: (01) 383-2623
Lunes a Viernes de 9h30 a 14h y de 15h a 18h30
Fax: (01) 381-2437


Italy

Contattare il vostro distribotore.


C) Sierra Warranty & Legal Information
--------------------------------------

Sierra's end user license agreement, limited warranty and return policy is set forth in the EULA.txt, found on the CD, and is also available during the install of the product.

Copyright (1999 Sierra On-Line, Inc.)

