GUIDE: How to run Grand Prix 3 on Windows 10

This will allow you to run GP3 on Windows 10 (and perhaps Windows 7) without needing to dual boot Windows XP, or using a very old computer.

Follow this guide ONLY if you have major FPS issues when running in Hardware Mode. You will still need a high-end graphics card to achieve acceptable FPS.

My 1GB Radeon HD5870 gives 25fps at all times, except at the start of races and from the back of the grid, where it can drop as low as 14fps, but usually stays around 20-21fps. If your card is less powerful than this, expect lower FPS still.


Instructions

1. Install GP3 as normal, update to GP3 1.13 and put the NOCD patch into the GP3 folder.
Downloads here: [www.grandprixgames.org]

2. Download the latest version of dgvoodoo2 (as of June 2016, it's v2.52)
[dege.freeweb.hu]

3. Copy dgvoodoosetup.exe into your main GP3 folder (the same as where the GP3.exe is stored).

4. Then, from the dgvoodoo zip, also copy the three DLL files which are in the MS folder into the GP3 folder. These will be labelled DDraw.dll, D3D8.dll and D3DImm.dll

5. Run dgvoodoosetup.exe from within the GP3 folder. Go to the DirectX tab, make sure the following settings are in place:
Videocard: dgvoodoo Virtual 3D Accelerator Card
VRAM: 1024MB

6. Make sure the following checkboxes are ticked: No mipmapping; Fast video memory access; Application controlled fullscreen/windowed state

7. Uncheck anything I haven't mentioned. You may now close the dgvoodoosetup program, it does not need to run anymore.

8. If you get a blank screen when you load GP3, right click on the EXE and set the Compatibility Mode to Windows XP (Service Pack 3)

9. Once loaded, you should be able to set the resolution within GP3 to 1280x1024 if you have a very fast, modern computer. If the FPS is too low, reduce the resolution lower to suit. I have a computer that was average/fast in 2009 and it struggles above 1024x768.

The first corner is especially slow FPS if I'm at the back of the grid, after that it's fine. Perhaps someone with a faster PC can verify whether they have any better performance. Remember dgvoodoo2 is a DirectX wrapper/emulator and the reason this game is slow out of the box on Windows 10 is because DirectX7 apps are not supported natively anymore.

Notes
For even higher performance, try the following:
1. Go into Catalyst Control Centre or the nVidia Control Panel and make sure all AA and AF settings are set to OFF
2. Set Mipmap level and Texture Filtering to "High Performance" if on ATI, or look for similar settings in nVidia Control Panel
3. Try the 4GB Patch! [www.ntcore.com]



Cheers





Edited 12 time(s). Last edit at 04/21/2017 01:56AM by PTRACER.

Thank you very much for this fine toturial for installation of GP3 on Win10.... Would be great with some feedback from users on Win10... If it works for all it might be a fine idea to make this tread a sticky first on the forum listing...

You're welcome! It would be nice if it could be stickied. The latest FAQ is dated 2004 and it seems crazy that the same questions get asked over and over and not always the best answer is given.

I still think installing the game on a Windows XP machine is preferable, but as dgvoodoo2 gets improved, hopefully so will the performance of GP3. Failing that, when I next buy a new graphics card, I will post an update and tell people if my performance has improved still.

I get a message "Direct Draw not installed" when trying to run the game. Probably something related with my crappy Inter HD3000 chipset.

I should have said in the original post - you will need a dedicated graphics card in order to play this game under these conditions. The DirectX wrapper is not intended for onboard graphics.

My 1GB Radeon HD5870 gives 25fps at all times, except at the start of races and from the back of the grid on the first lap, where it can drop as low as 14fps, but usually stays around 20-21fps. If your card is less powerful than this, expect lower FPS still.

EDIT: You could try this fix though. I had to install DirectPlay in order for the game to work, but it asked me the first time I ran the game:
[www.youtube.com]





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/2016 10:00PM by PTRACER.

Will give this a go later on! Thank you!

Had a go this evening. definitely improves performance of GP3, though I still struggle, especially on the grid or any external camera shot with more than a few cars in it. Still at least the game is playable now so thank you very much for this post.

Ajayrious schrieb:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Had a go this evening. definitely improves
> performance of GP3, though I still struggle,
> especially on the grid or any external camera shot
> with more than a few cars in it. Still at least
> the game is playable now so thank you very much
> for this post.


plz tell us your HW-specs!

I tested on my i5-6600 CPU 3,3 GHz
& NVidia GTX970

resume:
with all NVidia-setting optimized
&
when in a duel with just 1 oponent

GP3v1.13 on track melbourne
in 1024x768 resolution a PO (prozessor occupation) of around 90%
in 1280x1024 a PO of around 100%

GP3-2000 running Belini-track melbourne
in 1024x768 resolution a PO (prozessor occupation) of around 150%
in 1280x1024 a PO of around 170%

What about frames per second during a full grid?

Load Montreal and start from 22nd. Before the race begins, navigate to the external camera and press pause. What is your FPS?

Intel Core i5-4210H 2.90GHz
12.0GB RAM
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860M

and I'm running GP3 2000, vanilla install so no GPxPatch or extra tracks/carshapes etc.

Montreal, starting from 22nd, on external camera i get 8 FPS

I'll try soon...


One Racing driver and team manager
GPGSL-3: champion in 2007/2013/2014!
GPGSL-4: testdrivers champion in Season 11!

PTRACER schrieb:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What about frames per second during a full grid?
>
> Load Montreal and start from 22nd. Before the race
> begins, navigate to the external camera and press
> pause. What is your FPS?

GP3v1.13: 25,6fps (1024x768 - all game-features on)
22nd on grid -> PO: 150% in external view (from trackside) / 60% in cockpit view

1280x1024 -> PO: 170% in external view (from trackside) / 70% in cockpit view

GP3-2000 Bellini Montreal (1024x768, same settings as above)
PO: 270% from trackside / 170% cockpit



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/2016 01:50PM by pirx.

So does that mean your FPS is very low?

PTRACER schrieb:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So does that mean your FPS is very low?

for driving on tracks full of details this wrapper is a little bit to slow. for simplier designed ones it´s ok.

It doesn't work for me!


One Racing driver and team manager
GPGSL-3: champion in 2007/2013/2014!
GPGSL-4: testdrivers champion in Season 11!

link doesnt work anymore

PTRACER Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So does that mean your FPS is very low?


GP3 uses fixed FPS. You don't get higher FPS if your system is fast, but you get slowdown if your system is slow. 25.6 is the highest FPS allowed and PO means Processor Occupancy. When it is bellow 100%, you are fine. When it is above 100% you get slowdown. The game is still trying to output 25.6 FPS but your processor can't handle it, so it takes more than a second to output the 25.6 frames.

My game open menu, but doesn't open race. Can I use this with GPxPatch?? Who anyone help me? =D


One Racing driver and team manager
GPGSL-3: champion in 2007/2013/2014!
GPGSL-4: testdrivers champion in Season 11!

yes, works with gpxpatch