13 replies to this topic

[EzaBlade]

I remembered this game from the demo I had in the late 90s and on my PC back then it was pants and I was gutted. I rediscovered this whole community etc and bought a copy of the game from Amazon - great stuff. I would just be grateful for some advice about installation if anyone can help.

I decided to follow the guides I found here to the letter, hence I now have driver names graham_hobson65, graham_hobson66 etc. I then installed the mods as described.

Anyway this means my name in all screens is displayed with this numerical suffix - not particularly nice. IN You Tube videos I have seen this doesn't seem to be the case.

During my browsing I have come across things people have said on forums etc. that seem to suggest I could have installed GPL several times in different locations (one for each mod). I noticed in GEM that there is a drop down for the location.

1. Is this true?

2. Is it advisable? Does it make installation and modifications easier or harder?

3. If I stick to a single installation and I want to set up a new user (i.e. for my son to play and create his own times/seasons etc) does this user also have to have the numerical prefixes?

Any advice on the best way to set up would be gratefully appreciated.

Thanks.
Eza

[webfoot]

Eza,

1. Single or multiple location install?  You can do either.  It comes down to personal preference.

2. Which is better/easier?  I have a single install.  As I see it the plus and minus points are as follows (I'm sure other will chip in with other valid points).

• Multiple installs can take up more disk space.  The main reason is the tracks are not shared between installs so every track you want to use in multiple mods will have to have a duplicate folder.
  
• Any updates to these tracks (or some core components) will then need to be applied multiple times.  Any new track would have to be installed multiple times.
  
• The mods give you a good degree of tracks being tailored/adjusted automatically on a mod by mod basis.  AI, track graphics, Program covers etc can all be different for different mods in a single track folder.  AFAIK there is only 1 minor annoyance that the track's GEMPIC can only be a single version.  If you have separate installs then you could have more control over differences for the same track for different mods
  
• With a single install you do need to have a separate driver name for each mod. I find this is an easy way to keep things separated (using GEM's drop downs selections).

3. No a driver name does NOT have to have a numeric prefix.  It is only a suggestion to clearly identify which version of your driver is used in each mod.  This way you can save yourself driving a mod with the wrong driver and trashing all your fastest laps.  E.g. if you accidentally drove the 69 mod with your 65 driver you would quickly beat all your existing 65 records.


Overall I would guess that multiple installs is a bit more effort and takes up more disk but gives you a bit more flexibility.

Edited by webfoot, Jan 31 2017 - 09:20 AM.

[John Woods]

My preference is separate installs.
Less risk, mod/season specific tracks, no name issues.
But it is user option and seems you already have things working well.

You can have multiple users either way.

Welcome back to GPL and SRMZ.

Edited by John Woods, Jan 31 2017 - 09:09 AM.

[Stefan Roess]

Hi Eza

welcome to SRMZ.

It sounds like you have used my https://gplworld.org/...tion-guide.html

You can install all mods in one GPL installation as described in my guide.
Therefore I highly recommed different drivers for each mod, like:

Quote

Firstname_Lastname65   (1965 Mod)
Firstname_Lastname66   (1966 Mod)
Firstname_Lastname67   (1967 Original)
Firstname_Lastname69   (1969 Mod)
Firstname_Lastname69x     (1969 Extra Mod)
Firstname_LastnameCA71 (1971 Can-Am Mod)
Firstname_LastnameF2 (1967 Formula 2 Mod)
Firstname_LastnameGT   (1967 Sports Cars Mod)
Firstname_LastnameN65   (1965 Night Mod)
Firstname_LastnameN67   (1967 Night Mod)
Firstname_LastnameRX   (Stratos Mod)
Firstname_LastnameTC   (Thunder Cars Mod)

It does not look that nice to have a number or letters suffix after the name but I don`t think it is so bad.
It is the easiest way to install GPL with different mods.


Of course you can also have separate installations of GPL for each mod / season / year.
But then you will have files (e.g. tracks) double on your hard drive.
Both installation versions have it pros and cons.
I still use one single installation that also contains beta mods. And never had any problem.


If you use a single installation you should also create seperate drivers for your son with numerical suffixes.

I hope this helps.

Edited by Stefan Roess, Jan 31 2017 - 09:56 AM.

[EzaBlade]

Thanks to all for your replies - they are much appreciated. Yes Stefan it is your guide I followed.

I think I'll continue as I have it now - mind you why I bothered to install all the mods with so much still to achieve in the original I don't know - over-excitement I think.

[Andy Clegg]

EzaBlade, on Jan 31 2017 - 09:27 AM, said:

Thanks to all for your replies - they are much appreciated. Yes Stefan it is your guide I followed.

I think I'll continue as I have it now - mind you why I bothered to install all the mods with so much still to achieve in the original I don't know - over-excitement I think.

I always install mods like that. I make more work for myself.

[John Woods]

First off, over excitement seems to not fade over time.

Its about the Art of Driving Well and the Challenge of Perfection.
Or in my case just giving up and driving anyway.

Try them all, mods and cars.
No doubt you will each find something that just clicks right off and that is the short cut to way more fun.

Learn to drive and make setups is imo the long term key to success.

Big Hint: Calibrate your display.

If not already go here gpllinks

(2cts)

Edited by John Woods, Jan 31 2017 - 10:13 AM.

[EzaBlade]

Ha!

Thanks John I was reading that only yesterday and planning to give it a go. But had forgotten which link had sent me there on the https://www.gpllinks.org/ website.

[Lalethor]

webfoot, on Jan 31 2017 - 08:56 AM, said:

Eza,

• Multiple installs can take up more disk space.  The main reason is the tracks are not shared between installs so every track you want to use in multiple mods will have to have a duplicate folder.

This problem it's solvable easily with a utility that permit to use only one folder for multiple uses

like this https://www.rekenwond...m/linkmagic.htm

or this https://schinagl.priv...nkshellext.html

[ginetto]

Yes Lale, I just tried Junction Link Magic from my basic GPL install in D:/sierra/GPL/tracks folder to an empty C:/Sierra/GPL/tracks and now the new empty install in C: has all the tracks that are actually in my D; drive

Very cool tool , in 3 click the job is done!

Thank you for sharing the info.

[Andreh]

About the od namenumber thing. What I do is to use the year as a middle name. So it would be Graham 65 Hobson,. At the replay and grid list it appears as G. Hobson.

[twinpotter]

Good links Lale. Thanks !

Nice tip Andreh too. Thanks for sharing.

I have one install of gpl with all mods inside dir root (gpl 67 copied before mods installed)I once had seperate driver names (ficticous) inaide the Gem interface.
I then decided to try the gpl career app and decided to change the various names by renaming the original made up names to one driver name,in the gpl player folder. So I could see if the app worked.
Unfortunately I haven't got that far as yet,to see if it works ?

TP:

Edited by twinpotter, Jan 31 2017 - 06:45 PM.

[EzaBlade]

Thanks Andreh that's a good idea!

[Pete Gaimari]

I use different first names. I never have more than two mods and the Papy. I use Pete, Peter, and Pietro. I always laugh when I see Pietro in the headlines on the newspaper.