Grand Prix 4 on Raspberry Pi 4 or 5

Just a few days ago, after reading some information, I was able to successfully install and (partially) run Grand Prix 4 on my RPi 4 4GB RAM running Bookworm OS 64-bit. I got the Grand Prix 4 installer from this post.

These are the steps I followed to install Grand Prix 4:

1) The first step was to install Pi Apps.
2) I installed Wine 9.3 via Pi Apps. It also installs Box64 in the process.
3) Trough Wine Program Manager, I ran setup.exe to install Grand Prix 4. After installation, when trying to launch the game, a message appear saying that DirectX 8.1 is required. I was not able to install DirectX 8.1 as I always got this message: "This version of DirectX is not compatible with the version of Windows currently installed."
4) Again, via Wine Program Manager, I ran setup.exe to install GP4_patch v9.6. As far as I know, this is the last official game patch.

To the best of my knowledge, the next steps are required to install mods.

5) Run inst-gpxpatch452.exe through Wine Program Manager to install GPxPatch.
6) Via Wine Program Manager, run inst-ZAZTools 1.27c.exe to install ZAZ Tools.

I found two ways to successfully launch Grand Prix 4 on my RPi 4:

a) Wine-Programs-Infogrames-Grand Prix 4-Grand Prix 4.
b) Executing GPxPatch (GP4) to then click on Start GPx.

Grand Prix 4 launches, there are no issues with introduction videos. I can move through all the game menus with no issues. However, when I want to actually play in any of the available modes, the game freezes but my RPi is still working out of the Game Prix 4 window, though. The only way to shut down that window is by means of Wine Killer.

Finally, as far as I know, all RPi 4 and RPi 5 models fulfill the minimum requirements to be able to play, at least on paper. This is is not the case for me though. By the way, my RPi 4 is overclocked with arm_freq = 2000 and gpu_freq = 600. To the best of my understanding, over_voltage is not needed anymore in Bookworm. At the Raspberry Pi forums, a developper suggested me to not overclock the device. Regardless, the game freezes at the same moment.

Dou you think there is a way to actually play this game on a RPi 4 or a RPi 5? Any help is very welcome.

nice idea!
many people run people GP4 on linux and wine. i tried it myself and it works just fine.
try to add the d3d8to9 converter to your GP4-folder, maybe that helps (like that the game runs on dx9 - make sure to select "all" in gpxpatch CPU options): [github.com]

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GP Files | GP Videos | Discord: Carl_gpgames#2350

Thanks for the advice.
I just downloaded the file d3d8.dll an put it in my GP 4 folder, selecting "all" in GPxPatch CPU options. I still got a game freeze at the same point as before (when trying to actually play in any of the game modes).
I also tried with no success changing the maximum length limit of a track to 10 km and 20 km in GPxPatch-GPxTracks. I read that editing the track length solves some freezing problems

By the way, I have no mods installed at this moment, just the vanilla game. First, I want to know if I can play GRand Prix 4 on my RPi 4 (4GB RAM).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2024 04:47PM by lorak.

Does GpX Patch require a decrypted exe? Maybe that the cause of the freeze?

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used to be GPGSL's Nick Heidfeld

@n00binio Thanks for the advice. My GP4.exe is a file of 6MB size. The original, stock or vanilla are 6.7MB (9.6 patch) and 7.2MB (1.00). I guess GP4.exe is already decrypted.

It finally works!!

I just got an update for Box64 and after that it just works. I have checked on Austria and Silverstone, the game is not freezing and I finally go to the track. I am very glad!!

Now, I need to understand how install new cars, tracks and so on.
Is there any mod for the 2024 or 2023 F1 season? Any other mod (not necessarily F1) that you can recommend?

I noticed that Grand Prix 4 plays much more smoothly without overclocking the Raspberry Pi 4 and at the lowest resolution (640x480).
It should work much better on a Raspberry Pi 5.

Any advice for the game settings to try to optimize performance? I just was changing the screen resolution.

Here are the main features of my Raspebrry Pi 4:

1) Processor: Broadcom BCM2711.
2) CPU: ARM-Cortex A72 (four cores).
3) CPU capabilities: 64-Bit.
4) CPU frequency: 1.5/1.8GHz.
5) GPU: Broadcom VideoCore VI 600MHz. Grand Prix 4 detects this card as an NVIDIA GeForce 6800.
6) SDRAM: LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM (4GB).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/2024 06:53PM by lorak.

You can control every graphics setting in great detail vie the f1graphics.cfg file in the main folder. Set the first line to 1 and start experimenting. Initial ideas could be reflections, multisampling and the drawing distance of objects.

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used to be GPGSL's Nick Heidfeld

n00binio Schreef:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You can control every graphics setting in great de
> tail vie the f1graphics.cfg file in the main folde
> r. Set the first line to 1 and start experimenting
> . Initial ideas could be reflections, multisamplin
> g and the drawing distance of objects.

Thank you. I will experiment with those parameters and even more.
I also noticed that lowering the resolution and tweaking "crude quadtree cull" and "Pre-light track (update track lighting using CPU)" release a lot of load from the CPU.

PO in races is at least 150, in quicklaps it is much better, below 80-85. I cannot even play at 30 fps until now as the PO is very high even in quicklaps.

Editing reflections and drawing distance of objects helped a lot limiting the Processor Occupancy (PO). Tweaking those settings allow me to enable "Pre-light track (Update track lighting using CPU)" improving the lighting. However, I still get noticeable slowdowns in races when a yellow flag appears. I suspect this happens as the track map appears on screen in those situations (yellow flags).

Is there a way to disable the track map on yellow flags?
By the way, I set to 0 the "Enable track map (0 off, 1 arcade views only, 2 all non trackside)". It seems to have no effect in yellow flags situations.

Toggle with pressing 8?

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My Grand Prix 4 Files
I'm a total dick. How many people can say that?

Thank you!! It works. This is not in the manual as far as I know.
I also noticed that most of the number keys plus the key M, add overlays with extra information.

lorak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you!! It works. This is not in the manual as
> far as I know.
> I also noticed that most of the number keys plus t
> he key M, add overlays with extra information.


CTRL L removes the plank wear and other lower displays during the qualify.


2010 to 2021 Gp4 Track updates

@ JCaranti, Turbo Lover, thanks for the tips.
I am pretty close to find optimal settings for f1graphics.cfg allowing to pleasantly play Grand Prix 4 on a Raspberry Pi 4.

In f1graphics.cfg "enable mirrors" is set to 1.

Cockpit camera: I see the mirrors.
On-board camera: I see no mirrors.

How can I see the mirrors driving with the on-board camera?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2024 07:46PM by lorak.

lorak Wrote:
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> In f1graphics.cfg "use mirrors" is set to 1.
>
> Cockpit camera: I see the mirrors.
> On-board camera: I see no mirrors.
>
> How can I see the mirrors driving with the on-boar
> d camera?

Main menu - options - graphics.

Look into the right of screen its says "mirrors"


2010 to 2021 Gp4 Track updates

JCaranti Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> lorak Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > In f1graphics.cfg "enable mirrors" is set to 1.
> >
> > Cockpit camera: I see the mirrors.
> > On-board camera: I see no mirrors.
> >
> > How can I see the mirrors driving with the on-board camera?
>
> Main menu - options - graphics.
>
> Look into the right of screen its says "mirrors"

Thanks for the tip. I already have the mirrors active in the Main menu-Options-Graphics.
I noticed that working mirrors are dependent on the screen resolution setting.
Mirrors are actually working for any width value above 711. At the same time, you need to set a height above 517 to actually fit the mirrors on screen.

My f1graphics.cfg file is here.
Currently, this is the best I have to make Grand Prix 4 playable on a Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB RAM).
Stuttering appears, especially in races when 4, 5 or more cars are on screen at the same time.
A Raspberry Pi 4 is a low-end computer.

Any other tweak you could suggest to try to have a bit more smooth gameplay?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/17/2024 10:44PM by lorak.

lorak Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My f1graphics.cfg file is here.
> Currently, this is the best I have to make Grand P
> rix 4 playable on a Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB RAM).
> Stuttering appears, especially in races when 4, 5
> or more cars are on screen at the same time.
> A Raspberry Pi 4 is a low-end computer.
>
> Any other tweak you could suggest to try to have a
> bit more smooth gameplay?

I had a look at the f1graphics.cfg
Their isnt much more to give up in order to get more gameplay with more cars.
Any attempt to add a mod or cars or tracks would be a huge blast to the raspberry 4.
Another story is the version 5 witch is better in every single way.
I also i understand a version 6 is about to come out soon, at least thats what i read.

Sorry i couldnt help any more.


2010 to 2021 Gp4 Track updates

JCaranti Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I had a look at the f1graphics.cfg
> Their isnt much more to give up in order to get mo
> re gameplay with more cars.
> Any attempt to add a mod or cars or tracks would b
> e a huge blast to the raspberry 4.
> Another story is the version 5 witch is better in
> every single way.
> I also i understand a version 6 is about to come o
> ut soon, at least thats what i read.
>
> Sorry i couldnt help any more.

No problem.
I have installed the 2022 standalone mod on my RPi 4 too. More or less, I get a similar performance as the vanilla game. There are no patches applied on the fly to add tracks, mods and so on.
Probably I will wait for the upcoming RPi 6, especially if it is coming out soon.