ANDY'S RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
2000 FAQ
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A lot of people seem to be experiencing the same problems over and over again so I've decided to put the most popular ones into the Frequently Asked Questions. If the solution to the problem you are experiencing isn't here, try posting a message on the Rally Championship forum at : http://forums.simracingnews.com
To add to this FAQ or to send a well deserved word of thanks, email Andy at : RallyChampionship.
1. PATCHES
1.1 WHY?
1.2 HOW?
2. PHYSICS AND TWEAKS
2.1 CHANGABLE PHYSICS
2.2 PHYSICS AND GAME VALUES
3. RAL.CFG
3.1 WHAT IS IT?
3.2 HOW DO I EDIT IT?
4. TROUBLESHOOTING
4.1 GAME CRASHES ON LOADING / CANT INSTALL
4.2 GRAPHICS PROBLEMS
4.3 NETWORK PLAY
4.4 RUNTIME ERROR R6025 IN RC.EXE
4.5 PROBLEMS WITH PATCH 4
4.6 LOGITECH WINGMAN FORUMLA FORCE
4.7 GENERAL TIPS AND THINGS TO TRY
4.8 WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS...
5. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GAME
5.1 SUBMITTING TOP TIMES
5.2 LOW SPEC - CAN I PLAY?
5.3 FRAME COUNTER, TURNING OFF REPLAYS ETC.
5.4 GLIDE SUPPORT?
5.5 CHEATS
5.6 DRIVERS NAMES
5.7 BUYING RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE INTERNET
5.8 THE NAME OF THE GAME
5.9 SAVING DURING ARCADE MODE
6. THIS FAQ AND WHY I DID IT...
1.PATCHES
1.1 WHY?
Q: I've seen patches for Rally Championship around, do I need to download them?
A: No, the game will work without being patched. However, the latest patch will resolve some minor bugs, improve network support, allow you to use the cheats and change the car physics.
1.2 HOW?
Q: Where do I find the latest patch for Rally Championship?
A: All the Rally Championship sites will have the latest patch. As a few examples try - The downloads page of SimRacingNews www.simracingnews.com.
SCREAMIN's Downloads and Replays contest http://www.leagueplay.net/rchsl/ My site or any of the sites on the links pages :) http://drive.to/rallychampionship Q: I've got the patch but I don't know how to install it! A: The patch will be in .ZIP format so you will need to have a copy of WinZip installed before you can open it. WinZip is available from - http://www.winzip.com - for free. When you have WinZip installed, right click on the .ZIP file that you downloaded and select 'extract to'. Now select the folder that you installed Rally Championship to - e.g. C:\rc and click on the extract button. WinZip should now ask you to 'confirm file overwrite' to which you should answer yes (this simply replaces the old file with the patched one). When you run Rally Championship, the game will now be patched.
2.PHYSICS AND TWEAKS
2.1 CHANGABLE PHYSICS
Q: I don't like the physics of the game! Can I change them? A: Yes you can but you MUST PATCH THE GAME FIRST! Q: How do I change them then? A: After patching the game you need to create a RAL.CFG file that goes into the VAR folder under the Rally Championship folder. The values that you can add to this file and a description of what they do are listed in 2.2. If you don't know how to create a RAL.CFG file or are having problems, a more detailed explanation can be found in 3.1.
2.2 PHYSICS AND GAME VALUES
Q: What are the values that I can change and what values do I use? A: These are the values that you can change (there are more but most of them you wont need to change and these values are correct with Patch 4) - ; General Settings nofmv=0 ; 1 is no fmv, 0 plays the movies * framecounter=0 ; 1 shows frames per second, 0 its off noreplay=0 ; 1 speeds the game up but means you can't watch the replays, 0 is ; default v3driverfix=1 ; fixes the graphics bug with a Voodoo 3 card, 1 is on, 0 is off ; 3 Axis Joysticks - delete the ; symbol before joymode and joycode to enable this ;joymode=3 ; 3 is a three axis joystick, 0 is off ;joycode=0x01051000 ; 0x01051000 for Sidewinder ; 0x02011000 for new Actlabs RS ; 0x11121000 for old Actlabs RS ; 0x02051000 for CH flightstick ; Physics Patches - These are the numbers that affect handling ** fizpatch=1 ; 1 enables the physics settings that are below, 0 ignores new settings patchmaxdrawdistance=12 ; This number should be between 4 and 12, lower is less draw distance, ; better FPS sensiblesaving=0 ; 1 enables saving after each stage, 0 is default patchstickygrass=1 ; 1 is default, 0 means that driving over the grass wont slow the car patchgravity=100 ; 10 to 200 where the number is a percentage (200 = 2x normal gravity) patchdamages=100 ; 0 to 1000, 100 is the default and 1000 is 10 times normal damage ; Default for all the patchgrip settings below is 100 patchbrakegrip=100 ; 10 to 200, reduce the number for longer braking times patchaccelgrip=100 ; 10 to 200, reduce for more wheelspin patchslidegrip=100 ; 10 to 200, reduce for more sliding sideways patchgriptarmac=100 ; 10 to 200, change for more/less grip on tarmac patchgripgravel=100 ; 10 to 200, change for more/less grip on gravel/snowy gravel patchgripmud=100 ; 10 to 200, change for more/less grip on mud/dust patchgripsnow=100 ; 10 to 200, change for more/less grip on snow/ice patchgripgrass=100 ; 10 to 200, change for more/less grip on grass/rough ground ; Notes : ; ; * setting nofmv to 1 also solves some 'guru' errors that you may get when attempting to watch ;the intro movies. Deleting \rc\files\fmv\Allogo.avi can also fix this. ; ; ** WARNING!!! Adjusting these will affect your times so leave them alone if you don't want to ;mess up your fastest times! If you want to submit best times to LFRC2000 or SCREAMIN's Hotlap ;contest then you must not adjust these settings! If you don't mind setting times that cannot be ;fairly compared with those that you may have already set then go ahead and experiment. ;Thanks to Sir SCREAMIN and Magnetic Fields - this description was adapted from theirs.
3.RAL.CFG
3.1 WHAT IS IT?
Q: I've heard about / been told to create a file called RAL.CFG. What the hell is it? A: RAL.CFG is a file that can contain parameters to alter the game. The file is simply a text file (like this one) but instead of ending in '.TXT' it ends in '.CFG'. To save the hassle of creating the file, you can download my file from the Extras pages of my site. Q: I haven't got a RAL.CFG file! Do I need one? A: The game will run fine without one, you only need the file if you want to change the game physics or to implement some fixes for bugs in the game. Q: Where do I put this RAl.CFG file? A: Under the VAR folder in your Rally Championship folder (typically C:\RC\VAR)
3.2 HOW DO I EDIT IT?
Q: When I try to open RAL.CFG by double-clicking on it, I get a box with 'Open With' at the top and I don't know which one I should choose! A: Scroll down the list until you see Notepad then click on it. Make sure that the 'Always use this program to open this file' box is checked and then click on OK. You can now edit the file using Notepad at any time by double-clicking on it.
4. TROUBLESHOOTING
4.1 GAME CRASHES ON LOADING / CANT INSTALL
Q: The game crashes when loading/ after the intro. How do I get it to work? A: Copy in the RAL.CFG available from my site to your VAR folder, create your own, use SCREAMIN's whatever. Set nofmv to 1 instead of 0 and this should solve the problem. Q: I can only do a minimum install! The installation freezes half-way through on medium and full installs! A: Uninstall Norton Anti-Virus and RealPlayer 7. It's one of them causes this problem, more information when I find out. Q: I can't get my DVD drive to install / run the game! A: Some DVD drives are having problems reading the disks, this may be due to the manufacture of the disks or the copy protection. It has been reported that lowering the supplemental cache size overcomes this problem. This is altered by accessing: System properties/Performance/File system/Cd-rom From the properties of My Computer or the System app in the control panel.
4.2 GRAPHICS PROBLEMS
Q: The dashboard disappears when I change to in-car view (I have a Voodoo 3)? A: Again, copy in the RAL.CFG available from my site to your VAR folder, create your own, use SCREAMIN's whatever. Set v3driverfix to 1 (see 2.2). Q: I have an 8meg Voodoo 3 but the game says it can't find a suitable card! A: Install the latest patch to fix this problem (see 1.2). Q: The graphics don't look right / aren't working right (generally)! A: Find out the model of graphics card that you have and download the latest device drivers from the manufacturers website. Also, ensure that you are using the latest version of DirectX (at the time of writing Dx7.0a).
4.3 NETWORK PLAY
Q: When I try to play the game in network mode I can't change view / start the race twice in a row / one player goes alot faster then the other / any other problems with multiplayer? A: Install the latest patch for the game (see 1.2).
4.4 RUNTIME ERROR R6025 IN RC.EXE
Q: The game crashes with RUNTIME ERROR R6025 IN RC.EXE! A: In the joystick applet, change the option to set the resistance for non-Force Feedback games so that Always On isn't checked.
4.5 PROBLEMS WITH PATCH 4
Q: I get no car damage with patch 4 installed! A: This is a bug in the patch that can be fixed by added the line fizpatch=1 to your RAL.CFG. See 2.2 and 3.1. Q: The game crashes in certain camera angles during the replay! A: Another bug soon to be fixed by patch 5 :)
4.6 LOGITECH WINGMAN FORMULA FORCE
Q: I can't get my LWFF to work with Rally Championship! A: Read SCREAMIN's guide to setting up your LWFF at http://www.leagueplay.net/rchsl/lwff/lwff1.htm
4.7 GENERAL TIPS AND THINGS TO TRY
Ensure you have the latest sound card drivers, graphics drivers, DirectX drivers, the correct specification to run the game and enough disk space.
4.8 WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS...
Post your problem onto the forum at - http://forums.simracingnews.com Or go to Magnetic Field's site at - http://www.magneticfields.co.uk If you're desperate to get it to work and you're having problems with other software, BACK UP ALL OF YOUR IMPORTANT THINGS then format the hard disk and do a full re-install. If you don't know what you should back up or how to do it then ask someone who is trained in the area for advice (e.g. your PC manufacturers helpline) and read your manuals. If you are still unsure then its best to leave it alone or you could end up with a disaster on your hands...
5. QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GAME
5.1 SUBMITTING TOP TIMES
Q: I've done some great times are there any contests / where do I submit them? A: There are two places that are popular for submitting times, the first is LFRC2000 the French league for Rally Championship. They have the 'World Hotlaps' where you can submit your best times against other drivers from around the globe but be warned, the times are fast. If you are thinking about cheating then please take it somewhere else and don't waste everyones time. The second place that you can submit times to, is SCREAMINs replay contest. Read the rules carefully here but they're not too complicated. These are the two main places that you can submit your times, both require a replay to back up your times. LFRC2000 is at - http://drive.to/lfrc2000 or - http://www.multimania.com/rally99/ang/index.htm for the English version SCREAMIN's Replay contest is at - http://www.leagueplay.net/rchsl/ Q: Andy, why isn't your name in the hotlaps? A: I'm getting slow in my old age ;)
5.2 LOW SPEC - CAN I PLAY?
Q: My computer is really old (e.g. P200 32mb RAM Voodoo 2 12mb) and I'm not sure if it will run Rally Championship! A: Get the demo of the game from http://www.rally99.com and see how well it runs. The minimum specification for the game (from the manual) is listed below - Windows 95 or 98
Intel Pentium II 266 MHz / AMD K6-2 300 MHz
64Mb RAM
20Mb Hard Disk space
(PCI/AGP) video card with 8mb of RAM and 3D
4x Speed CD-ROM
DirectX 5 Though realistically, a low end computer with the game on full intstall (650mb), DirectX 7.0a and a 16mb Video Card will run the game with only minor lockups at the beginning of each stage. Some people prefer to lower the 'patchmaxdrawdistance' setting in RAL.CFG to squeeze a few extra frames per second out of the game. This varies with each particular system (see 2.1 and 2.2 for information about RAL.CFG).
5.3 FRAME COUNTER / TURNING OFF REPLAYS ETC.
Q: I've heard people saying about their frames per second, how do I turn on the frame counter / disable replays etc.? A: This is all handled by RAL.CFG, see 2.1 and 2.2 for details.
5.4 GLIDE SUPPORT
Q: Does Rally Championship support Glide? A: Nope. If Magnetic Fields want to make the game support Glide then they're most welcome :)
5.5 CHEATS
Q: What are the cheats / where do I type them in? A: The cheats are activated by typing in the following codes as the name of player four (from the main menu, select 'options', 'player details'). You'll hear a buzz to indicate that the cheat has been activated and the name will return to being 'player 4'.
Code Cheat
arcade action- Play a pong game on the windscreen in in-car view turbo challenge- A8 cars in time trial spud race- SPUD RACE lambaaghini- Drive a sheep mooserati- Drive a cow max power- New max power car dont touch the things ??? furry dice- Bernie's dicemobile skip Drive- the skip car radio car- Drive the Radio car mf hotback- Allows you to drive the Toyota Corolla dicemobile- Drive the dicemobile toe the line ??? down the road ??? give me time- Press t in service to get a minute extra. blarby garby ??? head transplant ??? arcade unlimited- Play any arcade level throw me a bone ??? world class- Drive A8 championship captain reversi- reverse tracks tree hugger- Volvo S80 precious things- Drive a house group b- MF Turbo car These cheats were posted by mole106. ??? has an unknown effect. Cheat codes by LFRC2000 also available with patch 4.
5.6 DRIVERS NAMES
Q: Who is this Caroline Lopez / are these real drivers? A: The cars are the real cars but the drivers sadly are not. However, if you want to race real drivers, a patch is available from SCREAMIN's page at - http://www.leagueplay.net/rchsl/
5.7 BUYING RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE INTERNET
Q: The shops don't stock the game and I can't find anywhere to buy it from! A: This a question that gets asked alot on the forum and I get mailed quite frequently. I can't say from my own personal experience but a company highly recommended by others who have bought the game online is interactcd. Their address is - http://www.interactcd.com If they would like to sponsor me then they can drop me a line :)
5.8 THE NAME OF THE GAME
Q: I've seen all these different names - Rally Champ, RC2K, RC, Rally Championship 99, Rally Championship 2000 - which one have I got? A: All the same thing. The game's name strangely changed from 99 to 2000 as new year arrived...
5.9 SAVING DURING ARCADE MODE
Q: Is there any way to save the game in between stages in arcade mode? A: No not yet but we'll see what the next patch has in store...
6. THIS FAQ AND WHY I DID IT...
I know its hard to decide whether or not to post a question to a forum especially one that could considered to be trivial. I've had enough people e-mail me to know that a FAQ like this one is needed to cover those simple but necessary questions. If you can't find what you're looking for here or want to discuss physics settings or anything else related to Rally Championship then the Simracingnews forum is definately the place to go. (http://forums.simracingnews.com) To add to this FAQ, send me your comments on this FAQ, the site, replays of crashes or anything else, please e-mail - RallyChampionship@yahoo.co.uk Andy Roberts Webmaster of http://drive.to/rallychampionship Or http://www4.50megs.com/rally2000