Frequently Asked Questions for GPL

[Bob Simpson]

GPL Trouble Shooting and Problems FAQ

Note #1: All tips and FAQs are in the first posts here and are updated regularly. There's no need to read through subsequent pages looking for solutions.

Note #2: Anyone has full permission to reproduce this FAQ in any form or language in whole or part.

Check out WiHerr's OpenGL patch which might fix some graphics problems. The 2004 demo doesn't have this WiHerr update, so if you run in OpenGL, it's recommended to get this patch.

Keyboard shortcuts have been listed by ACHIM KRAFT Here and many more bits of info about running the basic GPL can be found in the GPL Users Manual available online.

You'll need to patch GPL to run on Windows XP. You can either use the "All-In-One V2" patch or to do it with the individual patches, found at Blackhole Motorsports downloads The order should be:
GPL v.1.2 patch
Direct3D patch
OpenGL patch by WiHerr. See above ^^
GPL CPU speed fix
Bandwidth patch at http://www.xs4all.nl/~westrab/gpl.htm (not the one at BHMS) if you're going to race online

Better still, use the GPLPS GPL installer at http://gplps.org/wb/pages/projects/gpl-installer.php - All you have to do is run the installer, insert the GPL CD and follow the instructions. Chose the full option for all the graphic upgrades.

**NOTE** For questions not covered here, start another thread. I’ll add to this as I hear of any more FAQ. Thanks to Bazzer for helping out on this.

Newcomers to GPL...

For advice on how to install or start updating GPL, see the following sites:

Stefan Roess' site > Guides for setting up GPL.
Fred Faster's site for advice on graphic upgrades to the original tracks and cars.
Average Driver's Club's Steps to install GPL 67, the 65 mod, Gem+ and Igor

General Advice

If you have GPL running well, make a backup copy. If you suddenly have problems, replace your GPL with the backup copy. If that doesn't solve it, there is something else (hardware, virus, drivers, other program running. etc.) causing the problem.

The GPL 2004 demo is missing the gpl\exports folder. If you want to export times or if you want to use the GEM utility with the demo, you need to create this folder in Windows Explorer (file > new > folder).

If you find that the green button in the main menu is unresponsive, this is usually due to having the carsound patch installed, but not having the required 7 sound files per car mod (65, 67, 69 etc) in the gpl\sounds folder. Find sounds at http://www.srworld.eu/ and if you're not sure if GPL is sound patched, use the GPL exe inspector.



Graphics and Framerate

Stuttering problems
1- If you have a Dual Core CPU, get the Dual-Core patch from Microsoft HERE. Microsoft says: "Without these updates, computers that are equipped with these power management-capable, mobile, dual-core processors may experience decreased performance or unexpected behavior."
2- Sometimes stutters can be sound device related. See the sound section below for advice.

Can't get GPL to run in the native resolution of your display device?
See Guru's Resolution Hacker

FSAA doesn’t work with ATI cards (older driver versions)
It’s been reported that to make FSAA work:
1- In core.ini under [ Direct3D7 ]: DirectMirrorRendering = 0
2- In the ATI 3D tab, set FSAA to 4X, AF to 8X, Anisotropic to "performance" and Disable Truform.
(someone reports “when using Anisotropic set to ‘quality’ FSAA doesn't seem to work”)

GPL runs as only a small square in the top corner of the screen
1- The line in the core.ini:
[ Direct3D7 ]
DirectMirrorRendering = 1
Change it to
DirectMirrorRendering = 0

When using OpenGL, there are lines in the sky
This problem is only noticed running GPL with OpenGL
1- With an nVidia card, it’s fixed by adjusting the graphics card settings in Control Panel > Display > Settings > Advanced > Disable conformant texture clamp.
2 - For ATI cards, see the post at HERE for instructions for the fix, thanks to Ken.

There's a maximum of 36 frames per second. Is that correct?
1- The maximum is 36 FPS and has to do with being made in 1998 and a tie-in to the physics being updated at that frequency. When you run at less than 36 FPS, the cars are harder to handle so lowering the graphics to get that max frame rate is important. Usually at the start of a race, even the highest end system will be as low as 20 - 25 fps but it'll only last for 5 seconds until the cars spread out.

There are black bars at the top and bottom of the screen when I'm driving.
1- This is the normal view in GPL, called "letterbox". Those areas are used for other information. If those bars were filled with image, it would just show more of the sky and legs of the driver anyway.

Mirrors pointed up, upside down or to one side of the track
1- This happens in OpenGL (not in D3D) with the latest nVidia drivers (after about 52.16) which work fine but the buffer flipping mode needs to be set to block transfer. This is no longer the default in the 52.16 drivers. Control Panel > Display > Settings > Advanced > your card tab > OpenGL > Buffer Flipping Mode > use block transfer.

“Can’t load track” message.
1- If it’s one track, there is a file corrupted in the track folder. Either go to the backed up pre-updated folder (you do a backup before EVERY upgrade – right?) or re-download and install the track.
2- Most of the time, it’s all tracks and you have the same corruption problem with a file in one of the 7 car folders. Go back to the original cars (just the <car>.dat file in the folder) and add back the upgraded cars one at a time making sure that GPL runs after each change.

GPL freezes while in an in-game menu.
1- This can be due to a read-only file. There's a utility called CROA which will remove all read-only attributes in a folder.
2- Otherwise, it may be due to a CPU issue. You may solve it by disabling Hyper-Threading in your BIOS. However, bear in mind that this will cause performance degradation on some applications, mainly if you’re running Windows XP. - Thanks to runrun
3- Corruption in the player folder can cause a freeze in the player info menu. See post #4 (Other - miscellaneous) for how to fix the player folde problem.


Can’t get past the first screen in GPL.
1- Usually you’ve applied the carsound patch but don’t have 7 different car sounds in the sounds folder, in addition to the sound.dat file.
2- Find links to add-on GPL sounds for all car mods at http://www.gpllinks.org/ > GPL sounds

The fonts in menus go all fuzzy.
1- This is a common problem that everyone using D3D and 16 bit car skins has - but not in OpenGL. Switch to full screen instant replay mode, switch to the Pitlane or TV2 camera, then go back to the menus. Everything should be readable again.

The track menu and replay buttons seem to degrade or melt.
1- This is a problem when using a high FSAA setting with nVidia graphics cards. The in-car, on the track image is not affected. Try lower FSAA or don't worry about it.

The anti-aliasing button in the GPL graphics menu is greyed out.
1- That button is only for the original, now obsolete, graphics card that GPL was coded for. You’ll need to right click on the desktop > properties > settings > advanced to enable FSAA.