Having trouble with GPL and want help with general game issues?
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PTRACER
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GPL FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (2023 Ed.)

Post by PTRACER »

The current FAQ was created by Bob Simpson around 2004/2005 and most of the solutions reflect the software/hardware situation of the time. The 2020s have presented a new set of a problems so it's time for a new FAQ to reflect those. If you would like to contribute to this FAQ, please feel free to comment below.

General Advice
Two pieces of software are required to get GPL working on modern systems - the GPLPS Installer and GEM+2. If you have an H-pattern shifter and want to use it, you will need either GPLShift or FairShift to change gear. Next, it is necessary to add gpl.exe plus any mod EXEs to your DEP Exceptions List else the game will CTD when you try to go to track. Finally, enabling folder indexing on the GPL install folder is recommended. The steps will be detailed below.

Firstly, let's talk about the installation process:-

1. Even if you have the game on disc or an ISO from an Abandonware site, this pre-configured GPLPS installer is vastly superior as it's already patched with the latest updates that make it compatible with modern operating systems. Get it below. If you have any issues with the browser blocking it, then try the mirror link instead:
Installer: http://gem.grandprixlegends.info/gplinstall_beta_1.08.exe
Mirror: https://gpladdons.the-fastlane.co.uk/addons_list.php?q=(ID~equals~165)

2. Once the game is installed, double click on gpl.exe, create a new player then save/exit the game. Don't go to the track just yet!

3. The next thing you need to do is install GEM+ which is a mod, tracks, options manager, game patcher and launcher. If you plan to drive the mods or activate any patches, you will need GEM+. (Caution: Do not launch GEM+ until you have created your player!) GEM+ can be downloaded from here: https://gem.autosimsport.net/downloads.html plus the updated EXE which is found here: https://gpladdons.the-fastlane.co.uk/utilities_list.php?q=(ID~equals~189)

4. If you are on Win7 or below the game is basically ready to play! Open up GEM+, select a mod and enjoy!

5. Windows 10/11 or above users require a few more steps to get the game working. Namely, you must add GPL.exe to the DEP exceptions list. If you don't, the game will crash to desktop as soon as you try to go to the track.

How to add GPL to the DEP exceptions list
- Click the Windows logo (aka Start button) > Settings > System > About > Advanced System Settings > Under Performance, click the Settings button > Data Execution Prevention tab > Select "Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select " > Click Add.
- In the next box that appears, search for your gpl.exe file and click OK
- Restart your PC.

Note: If you install any mods, a new set of EXEs will be created in your GPL folder. These will also need to be manually added to the DEP exceptions list if you want them to work. Most of these have 6 character filenames starting gplxxx.exe - e.g. gplc65.exe (1965 F1 mod). 

6. Assuming you installed the game in C:\Sierra\GPL folder - Open the Sierra folder, then right click on the GPL folder and click Properties and then the Advanced button. Select the "Allow this file to have contents indexed" checkbox and click OK, then OK again.

7. Finally, to enable H-shifter support, you require either GPLShift or FairShift to be installed. These can be obtained from the following links, or from the GPL Addons site. Please note that GPLShift might not be compatible with brand new shifters. Please refer to the respective app's readme for install/setup information:
GPLShift 0.7.9.0: https://www.gplshift.dk/GPLshift/
Fairshift v2.1: https://bitbucket.org/NitzerEbb/fairshift/downloads/

If this is done correctly, then you will be able be able to drive the cars on track in Grand Prix Legends! 

For a more detailed guide, please see the
GPL Easy Installation Guidehttp://gplworld.de/en/grand-prix-legends/gpl-easy-installation-guide

OR watch GPLaps' video below:


Where to find addons
General Addons - Tracks, graphics, etc.
The vast majority of addons (over 3000), including the GPL Track Database, car addons, track addons, textures, 3DObjects, patches, editors/utilities can be found at the following site:
https://gpladdons.the-fastlane.co.uk/

Season Mods
The season mods can be found at the following links:
http://55f1.gplworld.de/
http://65f1.gplworld.de/
http://66f1.gplworld.de/
http://67f1.gplworld.de/
http://68f1.gplworld.de/
http://69f1.gplworld.de/
http://canam66.gplworld.de/
http://sportscars67.gplworld.de/
http://canam71.gplworld.de/
http://stratos.gplworld.de/
http://thundercars.gplworld.de/

Installation - Mods, tracks and other addons
Season Mods
These have their own self-installers which export the files to the correct places. To activate them, open GEM+, click the Carsets button and move the carset from left column (inactive carsets) to right column (active carsets) using the arrows. Click OK and then select the carset from the dropdown menu to play.

Tracks:
The majority of tracks have their own installer. Just run the EXE file you downloaded, point it at the GPL install folder and the installer will do the rest. Most older installers will ask if you want to add the track to your 67seasons.ini file. I recommend skipping this, since the mods use season files with different filenames. Instead, GEM+ can be used to add or remove installed tracks from your race schedule using the Seasons button.

Car, Track, Sound, Layout addons
The files are almost always exported to the same folder where the element's DAT file is located. Each car or track folder contains a DAT file - a kind of folder/repository within which the textures and 3D models are contained. The Sounds and Layouts folder also have DATs. However if there are loose files placed within the same folder, the game will give them priority, thus overwriting whatever is in the DAT.

Patches
Patches add additional features to the game, such as 60fps support or removal of the black bars at the top/bottom of the screen. Patches can be installed in either the GEM+ options folder (C:\GPLSecrets\Gem+\Options) or the mod's options folder (C:\Sierra\gpl\Mods\<modname>\options). To activate a patch, select the checkbox in GEM+ and then press the green flag button. If the patch does not seem to activate, then delete the mod's EXE file from the GPL installation folder then press the green button in GEM+ again. This action will force GEM+ to rebuild the mod EXE and apply the requested changes. (Note: Never delete the original gpl.exe file!)

Graphics and Framerate
Which rasterizer should I use?
1- Direct3D V2 or OpenGL V2 - If your PC was purchased after 2003/2004 and you are running the latest version of the game, you should always select one of these. Some computers perform better with one than the other but there is basically no visual difference between the two. Select the one that seems to work best on your system.
2- 3DFx and Rendition - These should only be run if your computer has a 3DFx Voodoo or Rendition Verite card and you are running the original 1998 version with no updates. If you purchased your computer after the year 2000 it's highly likely you don't have one.
3- OpenGL and Direct3D (without "V2" in the title) are now deprecated. They may still work on very early-2000s hardware with the original 1998 game but otherwise shouldn't be used.
4- Software mode - The game is rendered fully by software. Windows 98 and 25+ year old PCs only.

When I open GPL, my screen turns black and I don't see any menus and/or it crashes to desktop immediately
1- Check the correct rasterizer has been selected as per the above

The view in-game seems to be cropped - the car appears in the bottom right of the screen and is off-center
1- This is caused by display scaling within Windows. Exit the game, navigate to your GPL folder, right click on the gpl.exe or gplxxx.exe mod executable, click Properties. Check the "Override high DPI scaling" checkbox. In the box below select the System (Enhanced) option, then OK. Each time you delete or rebuild the mod EXE you will need to set this again.
2- If you want to turn this off permanently, go to Windows Start menu > Settings > Display > Change the size of text, apps and other items. In the drop-down menu select 100% (Recommended).

Why is the game locked to 36 frames per second? Is there a way to increase it?
1- Locking the game to 36 FPS was a decision made by the developers at the time, likely due to the limitations of mid-1990s hardware. By design, all player and AI physics, plus the graphical effects are mathematically linked with this frame rate.
2- The framerate can be increased to 60 FPS using a patch BUT no one has yet found a way to make the AI compatible with the higher framerate. Therefore, any FPS patches break the AI physics and are only suitable for hotlapping or online play. The patches can be downloaded here:
60fpsV2: https://gpladdons.the-fastlane.co.uk/addons_list.php?q=(ID~equals~12) - For use with all mods EXCEPT 1969-Xtra & 1967 Sportscars V1.0
60fpsV1: https://gpladdons.the-fastlane.co.uk/addons_list.php?q=(ID~equals~69) - For use with 1969-Xtra & 1967 Sportscars V1.0 only

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".  The bottom area is used to display your speed, RPM etc.
2- If you want to remove the black bars and run the game full screen you can download a patch from the following link:
https://gpladdons.the-fastlane.co.uk/addons_list.php?q=(ID~equals~140)

Mirrors upside down, inverted, or not in the place they should be
1- This mainly happens in OpenGL V2. Try Direct3D V2 mode and see if the problem still occurs.
2- If you prefer OGL, then in GEM+, click the Rasterizer button, and change the ZBuffer mode from "Run ZBuffer in a separate thread" to "Use ZBuffer". This should re-invert any upside down mirrors with no impact on game performance.

The track menu and replay buttons are blurry, or they seem to degrade or melt
1- If you have an NVIDIA card, open the NVIDIA Control Panel and switch Antialiasing - FXAA to OFF.

The anti-aliasing button in the GPL graphics menu is greyed out
1- That button is only for the original, now obsolete, graphics cards that GPL was coded for.  Open your AMD or nVidia Control Panel and enable FSAA (8x or 16x mode). 

There is flickering in the menus but not in-car
This is caused by V-Sync.
1- If you own an NVIDIA card, open the NVIDIA Control Panel and change the V-Sync setting to FAST or OFF.
2- If you own an AMD card, open the Catalyst Control Panel and set V-Sync to OFF

Menu response is very slow
1- If you've changed the "Compatibility Mode" settings to something different from your Operating System, change it back. The GPL.EXE should run OK without using compatibility mode under all Windows OS
2- Due to a bug in the rasterizer, menu response is always very slow when viewing the timing screens while watching a replay/live race in OpenGL V2 mode. If this causes an issue then switch to Direct3D V2.
3- If ALL menus are slow and the above has been ruled out, then wrong rasterizer is selected. Make sure you select OpenGL V2 or Direct3D V2 and nothing else.

AI cars disappear then come into view shortly after the race starts
1- Reduce the Detail Bias in the GPL graphics menu. This problem usually happens at 100%. 99% is better. 74% is the next level where there’s more of an improvement. 
2- Another alternative is to ensure "Run ZBuffer in a separate thread" and "ZBuffer with Extreme Grouping" are set under Rasteriser in GEM+
3- You can also change the core.ini line DisableZBuffer = 0 to 1, but the readme says that you’ll get lower framerates. This usually only happens when a lot of cars are in view so if you can live with a few seconds of disappearing graphics the rest of a race should be OK.

Numbers are missing from AI cars - their roundels are blank
1- You must wait until the red button appears before going to the grid at the start of a race or all the car graphics won’t get loaded.
2- A driver is allocated a car number within the driver.ini file but no texture exists in the cars folder with that car number on it. This is most likely to occur in mods like the 1967 Historical Mod where carsets have been designed with specific races in mind.
3- You loaded a saved race weekend in one mod (i.e. 1967 mod) that was created with another (1965 mod). Unfortunately, some mods share the same filename for saved race weekends. Try starting a new race weekend and qualifying from scratch.

Can’t view a replay / Red arrow appears / "Cannot initialize the replay system, cancelling weekend" message
- In the core.ini add  the following lines anywhere to increase the default of 2000 (2 MB)

Code: Select all

[ Replay ]
ReplayMemoryOverride = 128000 ; (128000 gives about 128 MB to reserve in RAM for replay memory.)
The following list is a guideline made up by Pmik, so you can try another number if you want to (only copy one of the following lines!)

ReplayMemoryOverride = 16384 ; (16MB - approx. 19 min.)
ReplayMemoryOverride = 65536 ; (64MB - approx. 77 min.)
ReplayMemoryOverride = 131072 ; (128MB - approx. 153 min.)
ReplayMemoryOverride = 196908 ; (192MB - approx. 228 min.)
ReplayMemoryOverride = 262144 ; (256MB - approx. 305 min.)

How do I run GPL in a window?
This is no longer possible on modern systems. 

Framerate or stuttering problems
1- Kill all programs running in the background, particularly Google Chrome
2- If you are running on a laptop, ensure you are plugged in and all Power and Graphics Card settings are set to Best Performance or High Performance
3- Reduce the Detail Slider in the GPL graphics menu - moving it left just one click can resolve many issues
4- If the frame drop mostly happens at the start of the race, click the Rasterizer button in GEM+ and make sure the ZBuffer settings are set to "ZBuffer with Grouping" or "ZBuffer with Extreme Grouping".
4- Turn off V-Sync in your graphics card control panel
5- Ensure either Direct3D V2 or OpenGL V2 rasterizers are selected 

My car blinks in and out of existence while online
This is caused when a player using the 60fps patch tries to join a 36fps server. Although 36fps players cannot join 60fps servers, there is no protection against the reverse scenario. Please disable the 60fps patch, delete/rebuild the mod EXE with GEM+ and re-join the server.

GPL runs incredibly fast, or at variable speeds
1- This problem only affects players with GPL 1.0.0.0 installed. If you have a modern system, then it's likely GPL 1.0.0.0 wouldn't even run in the first place. In any case, when you load the game, ensure the version number 1.2.0.2 is displayed in the bottom right hand corner.

Crash to Desktop / Cannot load track
GPL crashes to desktop when clicking the green button to go to track
1- The most common cause is DEP (Data Execution Prevention). This is a new Windows feature which prevents unauthorised applications from running in unexpected areas of memory. Unfortunately, GPL is configured to run in these protected areas. By adding gpl.exe and all mod executables to the DEP Exceptions list, you can bypass this security restriction. Please see the General Advice section above for how to resolve this issue (#5)
2- If you have an AMD card, then it is necessary to downgrade your driver to version 22.5.2. All versions after that contain an update which prevents older OpenGL games from working. If you don't want to downgrade you can try the fix HERE.
3- Try switching from OpenGL V2 to Direct3D V2 and vice versa.
4- If you are running Direct3D v2, make sure your screen resolution is 1920x1080 or below. D3D7 in general does not support resolutions above 1080p.
5- There’s a bug that causes CTDs when cars are in the mirrors and “Car textures” and "Driver textures" in the mirrors are NOT enabled in the Options menu. If framerate is an issue, disable any textures other than car textures and driver textures in the mirrors or try using lite versions of the carsets. This mirror bug happens with the 67 and 65 cars and possibly with all hi-res carsets.

Can’t get past the first screen in GPL (clicking the green button doesn't do anything)
1- This mainly happens when a patch like 60fps, dirtgearpatch or Slipstream V3 has been activated but the wrong patch version is being used. In addition, these patches are all standalone and are not designed to run alongside each other. After deactivating any patches, please delete your mod EXE and allow GEM+ to rebuild it.
  • 60fpsv2newmod: ALL MODS except 1969-Extra and 1967 Sportscars V1.0 
  • 60fpsaiv1: 1969-Extra and 1967 Sportscars V1.0 only
  • dirtgearpatch: 1967 F1 (7 cars version) only
  • Slipstream V3: See the readme for information
2- If the above patches are all disabled, there may be another patch causing an issue. Deactivate them one-by-one until you find the root cause, ensuring the mod EXE file is deleted and a new one is created by GEM+ each time.
3- If you are running the original vanilla game, the cause is usually a missing car sound file. Ensure you have 7 wav files in your sounds folder. Sound packs can be downloaded from GPL Addons.
3- Sometimes GEM will erroneously save season.ini files with UTF-8 encoding which causes a CTD. Make sure that the files are saved (File > Save As...) with ANSI encoding.

“Cannot load track, cancelling weekend” message
1- If it only happens at one track, there is a corrupt or missing file within the track folder. If you installed any addons, it is recommended to remove them and try the track without any addons installed. You may need to delete the track folder itself and reinstall the base track. If you only installed the base track and no addons then seek help at the forum.
2- If the same error happens at all tracks, then one of your cars folders is missing a file. For example a texture, 3DO file or car sound. Try removing any addons you installed or reinstall the mod again.
3- In GEM+, you have selected the physics from one mod and the graphics from another. Even though this feature is available, if there is a mismatch in the number of available physics slots between the two mods, it will cause this error.

Some mods are crashing to desktop when clicking the green button but others are not
1- Make sure this particular mod EXE is added to the DEP Exceptions List. Annoyingly, the EXEs for all dozen or so mods need to be added separately.
2- Troubleshoot by disabling DEP completely. Open Command Prompt (Run as Administrator) and enter the following command precisely: 

Code: Select all

bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff
Then press the Enter key, then restart your PC. If the mod starts working again then the problem is definitely related to DEP. Leaving this setting off will make your PC vulnerable to viruses/hacking, so it's recommended to only turn it off temporarily/in an emergency. To turn DEP back on again, enter the following command: 

Code: Select all

bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOn

Controller Issues
General advice for any issue
1- If you have Steam installed, make sure it is closed before you play GPL.
2- As an older game, controller order in GPL is really important. There are only a limited number of axes and the game typically requires the controllers to be in a certain order within Windows' Control Panel. However, this only applies to wheel/pedal/shifter sets which are separated and have their own individual connection to the PC
3- If you have an "all-in-one" unit like a Logitech G25, where pedals and shifter plug into the wheelbase, and the game is not detecting one or more controllers, it's recommended to buy a Leo Bodnar cable which allows each device to be plugged in individually so you can control the order. 

Either my wheel or pedals are not detected by GPL but they work in other games
These solutions are only suitable for people with separate input devices (i.e. wheel and pedals connect to the PC via separate USB cables).
1- Go to Control Panel > Hardware & Sound > Devices and Printers. Right click on either your wheel or pedals and select the "Game Controller Settings" option. Check the order in which your devices appear. The best order is to have your wheel first, then your pedals, then your shifter. If they are not in this order, then close the Game Controller Settings window, right click on the controller that is in the wrong order, right click and select Remove Device. Then unplug that controller and re-plug in. Unfortunately, Windows resets the device order each time you restart so you will need to follow this process every time.
2- A simpler solution is to purchase a USB hub like THIS. People have reported that plugging your devices into a USB hub will prevent the devices from re-ordering upon start-up.

My shifter is not detected by GPL. I can't configure it
By default, GPL does not have shifter support and 3rd party addons are required to make it work. There are two applications for this - GPLShift, or Fairshift. Both have their advantages and disadvantages:
1- GPLShift is an older utility which is compatible with older or simpler controllers which use buttons starting from 0 or 1 in the firmware. The in-game vehicle will change gear as fast as you can in real life and the gearchanges are fully animated. 
2- Fairshift is compatible with more modern controllers since you can assign gears to whichever buttons you like. However, shift times are restricted to 0.222 seconds and, unlike GPLShift, it is not able to display the hand movements upon gear changes. Both utilities contain Readme files so it is suggested to follow the installation instructions from there.
n.B. Unfortunately, some models of shifter are simply not supported by either GPLShift or FairShift. (This sim is over 25 years old!)

I cannot get GPLShift to work
1- Controller order is important. It is recommended to ensure your shifter is in position 2 or 3 in the Game Controller Settings window, below your wheel/pedals. 
2- To configure GPLShift properly, please set the following line in the GPLShift.ini. The number should reflect the order in which the shifter appears in the Game Controller Settings window. The first position is 1, so if your shifter is in position 3 you would have the following:

Code: Select all

[ Shifter Unit ]--------------------------------------------------------------

Shifter_Model = 3.USB      ;OPTIONS:  AUTO  #.RSW  #.USB  NONE    ;EFFECT:
3. Some modern shifters are incompatible with GPLShift. You have two options - a) Switch to Fairshift, or b) Use the following method to "emulate" a simple controller: viewtopic.php?t=1568

The steering feels indirect or sluggish and I need to turn the wheel a lot to make it around corners
1- If you have a wheel, make sure the Steering Linearity slider in the Options menu is set all the way to the left
2- In your car setup menu, lower your steering ratio.
3- My recommendation is to set the wheel itself to 440 degrees in your game controller profiler and adjust the steering ratio until it feels good. With 440 degrees of rotation, somewhere around 10:1 to 13:1 is most ideal. The lower the value on the left, the more the wheel will turn.

Force feedback is too weak/too strong
1- In GEM+, set the Latency and Damping to 0. The default maximum force is 225. If you increase the number, the FFB becomes weaker. Increasing the number makes it stronger.

Multiplayer – VROC, iGOR and the Bandwidth patch
How do I race online in GPL?
Online racing is handled mainly through a program called iGOR. This is installed along with GEM+ and can be launched from the GEM+ main window.

I cannot see any servers in iGOR / iGOR cannot connect to the RaceListServer
1- The default racelist server changes from time to time. To update it, open the iGOR.ini file, which is typically found in the "C:\GPLSecrets\iGOR\" folder. Find the [RaceListServers] option and update it as per the following:

Code: Select all

[ RaceListServers ]
IP                        = igor.gaiztor.com
I can see the servers, but some/all are greyed out so I cannot join them. Clicking on them shows "Cannot find installed Mod to race with" error.
1- Make sure the mod is installed and it is activated/selectable in GEM+. You also need to load the game once offline through GEM+ for the  mod EXE to be generated. Following that, return to iGOR and the server should become available.
2- If you are missing the track, download it from the GPL Track Database and install it. It does not need to be active in GEM+ to work.

When I try to connect to a server, I get a "Timed out opening communications channel", "Send/receive throughput fell to unacceptable level", or a similar error
1- Your antivirus or firewall software may be causing a blockage. To determine if this is the case, disable your antivirus and firewall completely to see if it improves the situation. If not, it is likely we need to open some ports in our router firewall to get GPL working
2- Opening router ports is beyond the scope of this article so please seek help online for this. If you are able to open them yourself, opening the following ports is required:
  • Port 113 (TCP/incoming) - not essential
  • Port 6970 (UDP/outgoing)
  • Port 6971 (UDP/incoming)
  • Port 6667 (TCP/outgoing)
  • Port 30196 (TCP/incoming)
  • Port 30196 (TCP/outgoing)
  • Port 30197 (TCP/outgoing)
  • Port 30198 (TCP/incoming)
  • Port 30198 (TCP/outgoing)
  • Port 30199 (UDP/outgoing)
  • Ports 32766-32786 (UDP/incoming)
3- If you live in a large apartment block with community internet access or you are trying to play GPL behind a corporate firewall, it is likely you do not have access to the router to open the ports. In this case you are pretty much out of options as there is no fix for that.
4- Your internet latency could be too high. Try to connect to the internet through LAN rather than Wi-Fi.

When I try to connect to a server, I get a "You are not qualified to drive in this race" error
Most likely the server is running a patch such as 60fps, dirtgear or Slipstream V3 and you are not. Please check in the server displayed in iGOR's Comments column to confirm which patch should be activated. 

In the server comments, it says figures like [3/84 3/384] or [5/84 5/384]. What does it mean?
This is related to how much data is sent between host and player every second. "[3/84 3/384]" means data is sent every 3 frames, [5/84 5/384] means data is sent every five frames, and is typically used for the 60fps patches. You should make sure your Core.ini settings match these numbers to give the smoothest online play. The core.ini file is typically found in "C:\Sierra\gpl" folder and you will need to update the following values as per the server's requirements:

Code: Select all

net_mdm_client_send_every = 3                ; Client packet freq on dialup
net_mdm_client_send_size = 84                ; Client packet size on dialup
net_mdm_server_send_every = 3                ; Server packet freq on dialup
net_mdm_server_send_size = 384              ; Server packet size on dialup
Do I need the Bandwidth Patch?
If GPL is fully up-to-date OR you installed from the GPLPS installer, then no, not at all. 

Sound
I have issues with my sound
Sound problems in GPL are pretty much a thing of the past. If you have any sound issues at all, the recommendation is to upgrade your sound driver to the latest version from your PC manufacturer or motherboard manufacturer's website. If you don't know how to do that, post on the forum for support. If you have an older PC (i.e. pre-2010 and Windows 10), you might prefer to buy a used legacy sound card, such as a Creative X-Fi SoundBlaster, and install it.

I can't hear my car very well on the grid, the AI cars are drowning it out
You could try reducing the volume slider in the Options menu to around 50% - pretty much all sound files are created with their volumes maxed out already and GPL does not handle positional/focused audio as well as modern racing sims. Since there is no way to separate player audio from AI audio, this is something GPL players  simply have to live with.

What is the Carsound patch and do I need it?
The car sound patch increases the number of separate engine sounds from 5 to 7 in the original game. It's only really needed if you are running the original v1.0.0.0 without any modifications. If you installed the game from the GPLPS installer then it's not necessary at all.

Other - Miscellaneous
Where can I buy GPL?
On second hand sites only now like eBay or Yahoo Auction. Bear in mind that buying the original disc version is not necessary and will take longer to get working than the options offered in this FAQ (unless of course you just enjoy collecting boxed software...)

I'm taking screenshots with the Print Screen button but they are coming out blank
This is a rasterizer issue. A third-party screenshot software is required to take screenshots. Two known working pieces of software are FRAPS and Mirillis Action!

Can I race GPL with a laptop?
On newer ones, absolutely! Just make sure that in your graphics control panel, all options are set to Best Performance and your Power Options in Control Panel are set to "High Performance"

Can I race GPL with a laptop connected to an external display?
Yes, but ensure that "Extended desktop" mode is activated in Windows Display settings and the external monitor is set as your primary monitor, otherwise the external monitor will be restricted to your laptop screen's resolution (usually not full HD or widescreen). This can be done by right clicking on your desktop > Display settings > Select the "Extend desktop" option in the dropdown menu > Select your external monitor in the graph > Select "Make this my primary display". If you click the "Identify" button, the number 1 should appear on your external monitor, and the number 2 on your internal laptop monitor.

Problems with Season or other ini files
1- Make sure that the files are saved (File > Save As...) with ANSI encoding.

Trouble accessing players in the player selection menu
1- Try to not use any punctuation or spaces, although usually an underscore __ is OK.
2- Make sure that all player names use recognizable characters. It might be that another unrecognizable player name is causing a properly named player to be inaccessible.

The player name is corrupted, inaccessible or you get the message "driver file can't be saved"
1- This seems to be caused by a mismatch between the directory name and the name stored in the player.ini, plac55.ini etc file. The tidiest solution is to fix the player name in player.ini so that it matches the folder's player name.
2- If that doesn't work:
- Create a backup by copying/pasting all player folders to another location
- Go into GPL and delete the problem player
- Re-create the player with the same name.
- Copy in the important files from the backup like the setups, PB times from the player.ini (this is probably the file with the errors however) and control.cfg (or just re calibrate the controls in-game).

In GPL menus, the mouse is hard to control
1- This seems to be due to improperly installed graphics card drivers. Uninstall and reinstall according to the instructions from the card manufacturer.
Last edited by PTRACER on Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ROOKIE4EVER
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RE: GPL FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (2023 Ed.)

Post by ROOKIE4EVER »

Great work for a "Restart GPL" motion.  :heart:
.Year is a 12 kms track. What will you do of your remaining laps ?
.Don't ask what GPL can do for you, ask yourself what you can do for GPL.
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Grafix
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RE: GPL FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (2023 Ed.)

Post by Grafix »

Very, very helpful indeed - thank you!
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Art-J
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RE: GPL FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (2023 Ed.)

Post by Art-J »

Interesting. I consider myself bit of a GPL oldtimer, but that's the first time I hear about this DEP thing. Could it be the reason why I can't run GPL in D3D mode on Win10 despite using V2 rasterizers? CTD symptoms certainly sound like it! Will have to try turning it off.

In either case, thanks a lot for the FAQ update. Clearly there's still stuff to learn even when one's not a novice player.
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blackskull101
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RE: GPL FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (2023 Ed.)

Post by blackskull101 »

Thank you, very detailed guide addressing problems related to the newer Windows versions.
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M Needforspeed
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RE: GPL FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (2023 Ed.)

Post by M Needforspeed »

Paul,

Great and useful job for the newcomers :)  and thks again to Bob Simpson .Thks God, all this was not lost with SRMZ down

 

 under  "there is flickering on the menus  not in car" you can add:
- using OGL V2, check and disable TRIPLE BUFFERING for alls the gpl.exe on the NVidia control panel settings
(Those using Direct3D aren't concerned  ,as triple buffering is only an OGL application)
 triple buffering : a 3D setting to disable with OGL V 2 (gplracer.eu)

 OGL oddity (gplracer.eu)

  Triple buffering target was improving a little the smoothness of in games images rendered. With powerful GFX that don't wait for the frames,it isn't a useful setting now. Was it in the past  for GPL with older hardware ?
Last edited by M Needforspeed on Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
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PTRACER
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RE: GPL FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (2023 Ed.)

Post by PTRACER »

Thanks Michel, have you noticed a difference from when it is on or off? It's supposed to help when the frame rate falls below the Refresh Rate (which in GPL's case is all the time).
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Ford-V8
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RE: GPL FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (2023 Ed.)

Post by Ford-V8 »

Thank you, very useful =)
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John Woods
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RE: GPL FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (2023 Ed.)

Post by John Woods »

You're welcome
Thanks for updating and giving FAQ a new home.
:)

www.gpllinks,org


FOV CALCULATOR

https://flowracers.com/blog/sim-racing-field-of-view/

Way easier than trying to figure it out.

Thanks Cookie for posting this link on another thread.
:)
Last edited by John Woods on Thu Dec 28, 2023 1:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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PTRACER
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RE: GPL FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide (2023 Ed.)

Post by PTRACER »

You've got a good eye John, thanks for finding my mistakes :blush:
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