IndyCar Racing II v1.0.1 Patch Released for Mac

Papyrus today released the v1.0.1 patch for their Mac version of IndyCar Racing II. This update adds support for the Mac Thrustmaster T2 Steering Wheel/Pedals and fixes some issues that would cause the software to crash (including lack of RAM).

Remember to unlock the files mentioned in the replay below so they can be overwritten. Download the patch here.

Patch readme:

IndyCar Racing II 1.0.0-1.0.1 Patch

This patch utility will update the IndyCar Racing II application and the Objects (OBJS.DAT) data file. These two files need to be unlocked in order for the patch to work. Before running the patch, unlock these files by:

• Locating the IndyCar Racing II application and the OBJS.DAT file in the IndyCar folder on your hard drive. Highlight each file by clicking on it with the mouse.

• Choosing Get Info… (Command + I) from the File Menu.

• Unchecking the “Locked” checkbox in the lower left corner of the Info window.

What the Patch Fixes:

The patch creates a new IndyCar Racing II (IndyCar Racing II 1.0.1) application and places it in the folder that contains your existing IndyCar Racing II data. It also updates a data file named OBJS.DAT.

Known Bugs Fixed:

• Added direct support for the Mac T2 Steering Wheel/Pedals Controller.

• A cosmetic problem in the car sets dialog that occured when car sets were duplicated.

• The program now unlocks the modem configurations file when it opens it for display in the Communications dialog.

• A crash bug that would occur at ovals during multiplayer qualify where the joiner car finished qualifying before the sponsor is now fixed.

• A bug where the Macintosh could not sponsor races for DOS/Windows95 versions of IndyCar Racing II has been fixed.

• The program now checks to see if there is enough RAM free to load the intro and displays the appropriate dialog if there is not.

A Note about Framerate:

Power Macintosh Version

You own a powerful Macintosh. The PowerPC Macintosh family of computers are much faster than Macs were a few years ago. The PowerPC processor is significantly more powerful than the old 68K processor chips were. Unfortunately, not all PowerPC chips are created equal. The 604 chip is currently the fastest PowerPC, followed by the 601 and 603, respectively. At the time of this writing, IndyCar Racing II has been extensively tested on all these processors in several configurations. What we have found is that the gameplay on some of the older entry-level Performas and PowerMacs running 601 or 603 chips at less than 100 Mhz is not as fluid as PowerPCs running at 100 Mhz or higher. The PowerPC 604 chip is by far the fastest machine we have tested IndyCar Racing II on.

What Does All This Mean?

What this means is that if you own a slower PowerPC, you may want to adjust several options in IndyCar Racing II to increase your framerate. Framerate is a term used to describe the number of full-screen “frames” your computer can draw per second. Framerate is measured in terms of frames per second (fps). To give you an idea for comparison, film and video run between 24-30 frames per second, respectively. The more things a computer has to draw on the screen and the more complex their textures are, the slower the framerate. Sound also has an effect on framerate because the computer needs to process the sounds it is making at the same time as it is drawing what’s on the screen.

Fortunately IndyCar Racing II makes it possible to for your to adjust your graphic and sound options to a level your machine can handle. If you have a fast machine(604 or 601@100+ Mhz), running IndyCar Racing II with most textures and sounds playing probably won’t impact framerate too much.

Some things to try if you have a slower framerate are:

• Make sure that your Monitor’s color depth is set to 256 colors. Anything higher will have negative impact on your framerate.

• Shutting off more of the graphic options. Grass Texture and Asphalt Textures have a huge impact on framerate. Shutting them off will make IndyCar Racing II run faster.

• Decreasing the number of cars drawn ahead and behind in the Graphics Dialog to increase framerate.

• Reducing the number of engines sounds heard (chosen by setting the “Heard” value in the Sound Dialog) will also impact your framerate; the fewer engine sounds your computer needs to play, the more processor it can devote to framerate.

• Running IndyCar Racing II at a lower resolution. Lower resolutions increase framerate. Select the resolution you want in the Graphics dialog options. 320X200 pixels is the lowest resolution you can run IndyCar Racing II in, and 640X480 pixels is the highest. 640X400 is a compromise between the two extremes of resolution; it is not as small as 320X200, but is blockier than 640X480.

• Turning off your Windshield will give you about one extra frame per second, and should not affect the driveability of the game. You can turn off the Windshield by pressing “W” while driving.

Note: You should set the Sound Out in your Sound Control Panel to the lowest possible frequency. Most Macs automatically default to 44 Khz, but IndyCar Racing II doesn’t need this high of a sound frequency. If you need more framerate, check this option and set it to the lowest possible frequency. 11 Khz is ideal, but most Macs only go as low as 22 Khz. If you are unsure of how to set this option, consult the documents or manual that came with your Macintosh.

Happy Racing!