I'm stumped over two small problems.

First is setting up Tweaker to alter 3-4 different versions of the game. After installing\patching\adding No-Cd & GPxpatch, I found that the game transfers (via memory stick) onto any PC and runs fine. As each copy of the game is only about 800mb, I figured rather than fart about changing wads or using managers to change things, I could set up as many copies of the game as I wanted, even one for each season. However, at some point Tweaker has to be used during the updates\modifications and thats the first problem. I've read the txt files on parameter switches and it's as clear as mud. It seems to say that just install Tweaker once and create shortcuts dropped into each copy of GP4, then add /p after tweaker.exe, but where? I've tried altering the 'Target' or 'Start In' line in the shortcut, but that doesn't work (in fact it won't allow it). Surely I don't try to interfere with or rename the original file? Obviously many of you will have achieved this, so could someone shed some light on exactly how to do it?

The second problem relates to a question I posed on the forum over a week ago, to which I'm astonished to find hasn't had a single reply. The lack of shadows under cars in my mirrors. I can run the game with all bells & whistles activated (P4 3.2ghz, 2gb RAM, 256mb Ati Radeon), but no matter what level of detail I run, no shadows under the cars behind in mine or any mirrors. I've thoroughly checked the f1graphics.cfg (many times), testing everything I can think of, to no avail. Surely, this cannot be a problem unique to me. Yet I find it unusual that throughout the games existance of 11 years, (following a search on the forums and the internet in general) no-one else has noticed this before. So, I urge you please, if you have shadows, let me know. If you don't have shadows, let me know that, but put me out of my misery, someone say something.

Hi Butthead,

2- As I never paid attention to this because it never shocked me, I just ran GP4 to check and yes, there are no shadows under cars for me too... It might be a game design decision to save some performance for a very minor quality loss as it is barely noticeable (at least when you din't notice it once).

Butthead Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> First is setting up Tweaker to alter 3-4 different
> versions of the game. After
> installing\patching\adding No-Cd & GPxpatch, I
> found that the game transfers (via memory stick)
> onto any PC and runs fine. As each copy of the
> game is only about 800mb, I figured rather than
> fart about changing wads or using managers to
> change things, I could set up as many copies of
> the game as I wanted, even one for each season.
> However, at some point Tweaker has to be used
> during the updates\modifications and thats the
> first problem. I've read the txt files on
> parameter switches and it's as clear as mud. It
> seems to say that just install Tweaker once and
> create shortcuts dropped into each copy of GP4,
> then add /p after tweaker.exe, but where? I've
> tried altering the 'Target' or 'Start In' line in
> the shortcut, but that doesn't work (in fact it
> won't allow it). Surely I don't try to interfere
> with or rename the original file? Obviously many
> of you will have achieved this, so could someone
> shed some light on exactly how to do it?
>
> The second problem relates to a question I posed
> on the forum over a week ago, to which I'm
> astonished to find hasn't had a single reply. The
> lack of shadows under cars in my mirrors. I can
> run the game with all bells & whistles activated
> (P4 3.2ghz, 2gb RAM, 256mb Ati Radeon), but no
> matter what level of detail I run, no shadows
> under the cars behind in mine or any mirrors. I've
> thoroughly checked the f1graphics.cfg (many
> times), testing everything I can think of, to no
> avail. Surely, this cannot be a problem unique to
> me. Yet I find it unusual that throughout the
> games existance of 11 years, (following a search
> on the forums and the internet in general) no-one
> else has noticed this before. So, I urge you
> please, if you have shadows, let me know. If you
> don't have shadows, let me know that, but put me
> out of my misery, someone say something.


Regarding the tweaker thing, I was confused too, but here is what you put...

Say you have installed tweaker in "C:\Users\Butthead\GP4 Tweaker\
And say your GP4 install is C:\Users\Butthead\GP4\

Then create a shortcut for tweaker and put it in the game directory if that is what you wish.
Then right click on the shortcut, select properties, and modify the target to say this...
"C:\Users\Butthead\GP4 Tweaker\gp4tweak.exe" /P="C:\Users\Butthead\GP4\gp4.exe" Then hit apply.

Then if you have more than one GP4 install, such as a 1994 season one installed in C:\Users\Butthead\GP4 F1 1994\ for example, right click the tweaker.exe and create a new shortcut, or copy the one you made earlier, and put it in the 1994 game directory.
Then change the target to
"C:\Users\Butthead\GP4 Tweaker\gp4tweak.exe" /P="C:\Users\Butthead\GP4 F1 1994\gp4.exe"

Hope that helps!

For first question, I suggest to use CSM and you will have ONE GP4 installed on your PC and the mods will be stored on other folder.

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Lo2k. A big thanks for your input. It was driving me mad. I thought I'd screwed up something and couldn't figure it out, but if someone of your standing says he hasn't got shadows either then it must be down to the game. Odd though, when the activation lines in the f1graphics.cfg are the same for mirrors as for main view. Yet another shortfall\bug to add to the original list.

salvasirignano. Thanks for your clarification. However, it didn't work. I just get the message 'can't find gp4.exe do you want to do it manually?' which I then do and it still can't find it.
I've tried it with all three Gp4.exes. the original (7016829 bytes), the No-CD that does work (6250496 bytes) & the one that is required to run Magicdata but still says 'Insert correct CD' so it doesn't work (6275072 bytes), but each time, Tweaker can't find Gp4.exe.

kerleyf1. I appreciate what you're saying but the whole idea was to create a seperate stand-alone, no-install thus no-registry-entries, ready-to-run game for each season that can be transfered from PC to PC by drag 'n' drop from a memory stick or DVD. I was motivated to do this because despite many attempts in the past, I could never get ZAZtools to install, thus depriving me of access to CSM, TSM etc. I think this is connected to the Gp4.exe identification problem I outlined just above.

I understand your preference, but I still prefer CSM. I have all my season (almost 35) in 2 DVD's (backups) using CSM.

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PLEASE VISIT: Grand Prix Mods Blog