Index
GP Editor Help	 (V2.0 24th April 94)

GPEDITOR is a Windows utility for editing the car and helmet designs (colours) used by the MicroProseTM PC Grand Prix/World Circuit simulation program. GPEDITOR may also be used to modify the performance of the cars and drivers, the car numbers, team/driver names, and the permitted driving aids.

Car Design Editor

Helmet Design Editor

Toolbar

Menu Commands

Command Line Arguments

Drag & Drop

Choice of Colours

Linked Play via Modem

Credits

GPEDITOR requires Windows V3.1 and a mouse. For best results this program requires a Windows display driver capable of displaying 256 or more simultaneous colours. It will however work with standard 16 colour display drivers, but the colours won't correspond very well to those seen whilst running the game.

GPEDITOR has been tested with the following versions of GP.EXE:

European - V1.03	US - V1.04

European - V1.05	US - V1.05

If GPEDITOR doesn't recognise the game version it will attempt to locate the required information within the game EXE. If you have an unrecognised version of the game please contact the author.

As this is not a MicroProse product you should not attempt to get support for a modified game EXE file from MicroProse. If you have problems with the game then install the original copy of the game EXE.

This program may be freely copied and distributed, as long as it is not modified in any way, no fee is charged and this help file is always included with the executable. This program is provided "as is" with no warranties expressed or implied. The author will not be held responsible for any losses incurred, either directly or indirectly by the use of this program.


Car Design Editor

The main GP Editor window consists of a picture of an F1 Car with a colour palette box below.

Press the left mouse-button to fill the "Spray Gun" with the desired colour from the palette box (the rectangle next to the F1 Car will show you the current palette selection).

When the mouse pointer is placed over a car panel that can be sprayed it will change to a "Spray Gun" , press the left mouse button to spray the panel with the currently selected colour.

Note that some of the panels are linked together (i.e. the front and rear wings) and will always contain the same colour.

If you wish to copy a colour that is on a car panel then you can select it as the current "Spray Gun" colour by pressing the right mouse button whilst pointing at the desired panel.

GPEDITOR allows individual car colour designs to be loaded and saved via the Car menu option.

When a game EXE file is opened (use the File menu option then Open Game EXE) GPEDITOR loads the current designs for each of the 20 teams and displays a thumbnail picture of each car on the right hand side of the main window.

To select a team either press the left mouse button whilst pointing at the thumbnail of the required team, or use the drop down list box in the top right of the screen.

Use the File menu command Open Names to load your own customised team/engine name file (as saved by the game "Save Names" option). The drop down list box will use the loaded team/engine names.

You can load a previously saved individual car design at any time. Thus you can select a team, then load a design for that team's car. You can also use Windows Drag-and-Drop feature to load a design.

When you've finished editing all the team's car designs you should use the File menu command Update Game EXE to save the new design colours in the game.

Note that in the game the panel design for Team 1's cars differs slightly to the design used for the rest of the teams (which are as per the F1 Car displayed). Team 19's and Team 20's cars can only be set to a single colour.


Helmet Design Editor

The main GP Editor window consists of a picture of a helmet with a colour palette box below.

Press the left mouse-button to fill the "Spray Gun" with the desired colour from the palette box (the rectangle next to the helmet will show you the current palette selection).

When the mouse pointer is placed over a helmet section that can be sprayed it will change to a "Spray Gun", press the left mouse button to spray the section with the currently selected colour.

Note that some of the thinner sections are only displayed by the game when the helmet is viewed close-up.

If you wish to copy a colour that is on a helmet section then you can select it as the current "Spray Gun" colour by pressing the right mouse button whilst pointing at the desired section.

GPEDITOR allows individual helmet colour designs to be loaded and saved via the Helmet menu option.

When a game EXE file is opened (use the File menu option then Open Game EXE) GPEDITOR loads the current designs for each of the drivers. It also displays a drop down list box of the drivers in the top right hand corner of the window.

Use the File menu command Open Names to load your own customised driver name file (as saved by the game "Save Names" option). The drop down list box will use the loaded driver names.

You can load a previously saved individual helmet design at any time. Thus you can select a driver, then load a design. You can also use Windows Drag-and-Drop feature to load a design.

When you've finished editing all the driver's helmet designs you should use the File menu command Update Game EXE to save the new design colours in the game.

Note that due to the way the helmet data is stored in the game EXE it is not possible to fully edit the helmet design for driver's #13,#15,#36,#37,#38,#39,#40; the first four horizontal section colours and the visor maybe modified, the rest of the helmet will be set to the same colour as the fourth horizontal section from the top.


Toolbar

The toolbar provides a faster method of accessing a number of the more commonly used menu commands.

New

Load

Save

Car Design Editor

Helmet Design Editor

Driving Aids

Car Numbers

Car Performance

Driver Performance

Names

Contents


Menu Commands

File:

Open Game EXE

Update Game EXE

Open Names

Save Names

Import

Export

DTA

Language

Exit

Edit:

New

Load

Save

Options:

Driving Aids

Car Numbers

Car Performance

Driver Performance

Names

AI Car Grip

Player's Car Perfromance

Window:

Car Editor

Helmet Editor

Help:

Contents

How to Use Help

About GP Editor


Open Game EXE

This menu command is used to open the game EXE file (normally GP.EXE). GPEDITOR loads the current settings for the car/helmet designs and car/driver performance from the game EXE file.

If GPEDITOR doesn't recognise the version of the game it will attempt to locate the required information within the game EXE file.

Warning: Before performing an update of the game EXE file make sure that you have made a backup copy of the original game EXE (e.g. "COPY GP.EXE GP.SAV") just in case the update should fail.


Update Game EXE

This menu command updates the currently loaded game EXE file (normally GP.EXE) with the currently selected colour schemes and car/driver performance information.

If the update fails then make sure that the file is writeable (see the DOS "ATTRIB -R" command).

Warning: Before performing an update of the game EXE file make sure that you have made a backup copy of the original game EXE (e.g. "COPY GP.EXE GP.SAV") just in case the update should fail.


Open Names

This menu command loads the driver and team/engine names from a file saved using the game "Save Names" menu option. This makes the identification of the cars and drivers much easier. If a name file isn't loaded then "Team ?" is used for teams, and "Driver #?" is used for drivers.

The default filename extension for name files is *.NAM.

See Save Names and Names.


Save Names

This menu command saves the driver and team/engine names to a file. This file can then be loaded into the game using the "Load Names" menu option.

The default filename extension for name files is *.NAM.

See Open Names and Names.


Import
Import (GPE)

This facility provides a method of loading a previously exported set of patch information (see Export). This patch information file is fairly small so provides an ideal method of distributing a setup to a number of users.

The patch information comprises all the car and helmet colours, the car performance information and the driver performance information (it doesn't include the driver aids, AI car grip or human car power).

The Import file may also contain a comment. If this is the case the comment will be displayed in a dialogue box. The title will show the date/time the file was created. As well as viewing the comment on-screen you can use the "Save As" button to save the file. This file may be edited using any ASCII editor (e.g. Windows Notepad).

The import file may also contain the names for the drivers/teams/engines. If this is the case you can use the Save Names option to save these for later loading into the game.

The default filename extension for import files is *.GPE.


Export
Export (GPE)

This facility provides a method of saving a set of patch information. This patch information file is fairly small so provides an ideal method of distributing a setup to a number of users.

The patch information comprises all the car and helmet colours, the car performance information and the driver performance information (it doesn't include the driver aids, AI car grip or human car power).

The exported file may also contain a comment. You are prompted to enter a comment. The comment may be manually entered or you can use the "Load" button to retrieve any ASCII file. When the comment is displayed by the Import facility the date/time of the exported file will be displayed in the comment title bar.

If a set of names for the drivers/teams/engines has been previously loaded then these will be saved in the export file as well.

The default filename extension for import files is *.GPE.


DTA

The menu command allows you to import or export F1ED style DTA files.

GPEDITOR supports V1.2 and V1.3 F1ED DTA files.


Language

This dialogue provides a method of changing the language used for the menu bar and the dialogue and message boxes.

Currently English, French and German are available.

Select the language required and press OK. GPEDITOR remembers the previously selected language.

The very first time you start GPEDITOR it will attempt to select the appropriate language for your version of Windows. If your language isn't supported then it will default to English.

Note: Some of the standard Windows dialogues (e.g. the "File Open" dialogue) and system menus depend on the version of Windows you are using.


Exit

This menu command terminates GPEDITOR. Make sure you have saved the current design and performed an EXE update before exiting.


Edit New

This menu command resets the car or helmet colours to the default blank colour.


Edit Load

If the car editor is currently selected this menu command loads a previously saved car design into the car editor. The default filename extension for car design files is *.CAR.

If the helmet editor is currently selected this menu command loads a previously saved helmet design into the helmet editor. The default filename extension for helmet design files is *.HEL.


Edit Save

If the car editor is currently selected this menu command saves the currently displayed car design to a file. The default filename extension for car design files is *.CAR.

If the helmet editor is currently selected this menu command saves the currently displayed helmet design to a file. The default filename extension for helmet design files is *.HEL.


Driving Aids

This dialogue allows you to configure which driving aids are available at each driving skill level.

Use the "Normal" button to restore the game defaults as documented in the manual (some versions of the game contain a bug that permits some modes that shouldn't be available at the higher skill levels).

Use the "Allow All" button to allow the use of any driving aid at any skill level.


Car Numbers

This dialogue allows you to configure the car numbers used by each team car. The numbers 1 to 40 are available. If you set a car number to 0 then that car will be disabled.

Note that each number must be unique (i.e., you can only use it once).

Use the "Normal" button to restore the standard numbering.


Car Performance

This dialogue box allows you to change the relative performance of the cars. The performance can be set from a low of 500 BHP to a high of 999 BHP.

The human player's engine performance is normally 716 BHP but may be changed using the Player's Car Performance menu command.

Use the Open Names menu command to the load your own customised team names.

Note that for very high settings of the car's BHP they will tend to wear out their tyres more in 100% race distances and be very slow during the later stages of a race. A better solution is to decrease the player's  BHP and increase the AI car grip to make the game more competitive.


Driver Performance

This dialogue box allows you to change the qualifying and race performance for each driver. The position can be set between 1st and 40th.

These values are the likely placings when qualifying and racing. The relative car performance is also taken into account when randomising the driver placings.

Use the Open Names menu command to the load your own customised driver names.


Names

Instead of using the game's name editor you can edit the names within GPEDITOR.

Unlike the game you may use any printable character for the team and engine names.

See Open Names and Save Names.


AI Car Grip

This dialogue allows you to change the amount of grip the AI (computer) cars have when cornering. By increasing the value you can increase the speed the computer cars can take the corners. This also has the effect of reducing their braking distances.

The AI grip may be changed from a low of 1 to a high of 100.

Use the "Normal" button to restore the default grip level of 1.

AI stands for "Artificial Intelligence".


Player's Car Performance

This dialogue allows you to change the BHP power level of the player's car from a low of 450 BHP to a high of 999 BHP. See Car Performancefor the computer car's engine performance.

Use the "Normal" button to restore the default BHP level.


Car Editor

This menu command allows you to switch from the helmet editor to the car editor.


Helmet Editor

This menu option allows you to switch from the car editor to the helmet editor.


Contents

This menu command loads and displays this help file.


How to Use Help

This menu command explains how to use the Windows help program to read this help file.


About

This menu command displays the About dialogue box that shows the current version of the program together with the copyright and credits.


Command Line Arguments

GPEDITOR takes two optional command line arguments:

Usage: GPEDITOR [GP.EXE] [GP.NAM]

The first argument GP.EXE is the game EXE to be loaded. The second argument is the names file.


Drag & Drop

The car/helmet editor and the car thumbnails support Windows Drag-and-Drop. To use this feature open Windows File Manager and select a *.CAR or *.HEL file; click left and hold, drag the file and drop it on the editor window to load it. You can also drag *.CAR files directly to the thumbnails of the cars.


Choice of Colours
Choice of Colour

When choosing colours be careful with colours that correspond to the sky (light blues) and the track (greys).

When the game simulates a wet race it remaps the light blue palette to greys. This can cause parts of the cars/helmets to change colour! Use the games 'Quick Race Options' menu option to force a wet race.

For car designs try not to use the same colour all over the car. Use slightly darker versions of the colour on the side panels to get a better 3D effect in the game. Note that some of the car panels are only displayed when you are close to the car.

For helmet designs some of the thinner sections are only displayed when you are very close to the helmet.


Linked Play via Modem

When playing a linked game between two machines it is recommended that both players use the same modified game EXE.

Failing this, you may have different car/helmet designs in each game EXE but you must ensure that the team/driver performance figures (and AI grip) are identical.


Credits

This program was written by Trevor Kellaway. I would like to thank MicroProse for such an excellent simulation program. I would also like to thank all CompuServ Sport Simulations forum (GO SPRTSIMS) members who assisted, with a special mention for:

Ben Rousseau	French translation

Aldo Reuter	German translation

Hugo Pi	Technical investigation

Derm Quinn	Forum SysOp, Beta Tester

Paul D'Ascensio	Forum SysOp, Beta Tester

Steve Meier	Beta Tester

John Martin	Beta Tester

Please send any suggestions, comments, or bug reports (include the version of GPEDITOR you are using and the version of the game EXE and which country you bought the game in) to the author at:

ACS BBS: 	Tel: +44 (0) 273 571457. (24hr, 300-9600 Bd, N.8.1)

CompuServe: 	100331,2330 (Trevor Kellaway)

Internet: 	100331.2330@compuserve.com

Or via snail mail to:

Airtech Computer Security Ltd

95 Ditchling Rd.

Brighton.

East Sussex

BN1 4ST

England

Tel: 	+44 (0) 273 672191

Fax:	+44 (0) 273 672542

Whilst the author is an employee of ACS this program and help file are not the commercial property of ACS and any views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACS.


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