Copyright: Papyrus Design Group
Citation: Howdy, IndyCar Racer!


Getting Started with IndyCar Racing II Help

Welcome to IndyCar Racing II Help. This help file provides you with all the information you’ll need to get around in IndyCar Racing II; from how to turn up the sound to where you can adjust you car settings. Navigating through the help file is simple. We’ve included graphics of most of the IndyCar Racing II interface. Just point and click on the part of the interface you’re interested in, and the help about that part of the interface will come up either as a popup, or the help file will jump to another topic. You can also go through the contents file by clicking on the “Help Topics” button on the help window’s button bar.

If your monitor’s resolution is set to 640X480 some of the graphics in the help file might be larger than their default window. You may have to scroll with the scroll bars to see all of them. Running your computer at a higher resolution (800X600 pixels or higher) will fix this problem. You can change your monitor’s resolution in the Displays control panel. If you are unsure of how to do this, consult your Windows95 documentation.

Click here to go to the Main Menu Help Screen.

Click here if you need to contact Sierra Online Technical Support.

Thanks for using IndyCar Racing II Help.


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Rich “The Mac Guy” Curtis

Poet, Scholar, Soldier of Fortune


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The Main Menu

The Main Menu is the initial screen that opens after you launch IndyCar Racing II. You may access all of the game controls from the Main Menu Window.. Each part of the Main Menu has a specific function or feature.

Click on the part of the Main Menu you are interested in:


Go Race Icon

This button starts a racing session at the track that is currently selected. Click on it to go to the track and drive.


Garage Icon

This icon opens the Garage, where you can modify your car’s setup.


Next Session Icon

This icon advances the current session to the next one. The different sessions available are Practice, Qualify, Warmup, and Race.


Replay Icon

This icon opens the Replay Window and loads the most recent driving session into a Replay. If there is no replay available, the Replay Window will open, but warn you that no replay is loaded.


Show Standings Icon

This icon displays the standings for your Championship Season. or current race.


Main Menu/Track Picture

The track picture box displays the picture of the track that is currently selected in the Track menu. After a driving session it will show the current replay instead of a track picture.


Track Information

This area of the Main Menu displays the name, location, and length of the selected track, as well as the length of the race specified in the Options/Realism menu. There is a diagram of the course, and the standing records set at that track. Your best time/lap speed at this track is also displayed in the lower left corner of the Main Menu.


Menu Bar

The menu bar allows access to all of the of IndyCar Racing II options. Click on the part of the Menu Bar you are interested in:


File Menu

The File Menu allows you to start a new session, save your current game or load a saved game, and lets you exit IndyCar Racing II.


File/New

The New command begins a new IndyCar Racing II session. If you have selected Championship Season, you will be prompted for a new season file name. This option is not available is you have selected Preseason Testing. Preseason Testing is a non-competitive mode, and is not savable.


File/Save

The Save command allows you to save your current race as a race (.rac) file. You can specify where you want to save the race to, and add a short description of the race to the file in the description text field.

This option will become available after you have qualified for a race, and you will be able to save at any time during a race.


File/Save As…

The Save As… command allows you to save a currently saved race session under a different filename. The dialog box is essentially the same, only it prompts you to enter a new name for your new race (.rac) file. If you are saving a Championship Season (.cmp) file, then you will have that file type available.


File/Open

The Open command allows you to load a previously saved race (.rac), or a previously saved Championship Season (.cmp).


File Name and Type

These fields specify the name, type, and location of your saved race files. You can search through your computer’s directories if you can’t find the ones you’re looking for right away.


File Description

This field shows a brief description of a race (.rac) file when you highlight one.


File Print
File/Print

The Print command brings up a standard Windows 95 print dialog.


File/Print
File/Print Preview

The Print preview command brings up a standard Windows 95 print preview screen.


File/Print Setup

The Print Setup brings up a standard Windows 95 print setup dialog. For details on how to set up your printer, please consult your Windows 95 manual or the documentation that came with your printer.


File/Exit

The Exit command closes IndyCar Racing II and exits the program. IndyCar Racing II will prompt you to save your races if you have any in progress when you select Exit.


Options Menu

The Options Menu accesses many of the controls that make up the IndyCar Racing II interface. You can select your racing mode and set all of the options available in the game; from the engine sound level to the weather at the track. The options menu is divided into two sections; the different racing modes and the interface options.

Click on the part of the menu you are interested in:


Options/Modes

The Options Menu selects the mode you will be racing in. The four modes are Preseason Testing, Single Race, Championship Season, and Multiplayer Race.

Click on the part of the menu you are interested in:


Preseason Testing

Preseason Testing allows you to fine tune your car’s setup and learn the tracks without worrying about traffic or other drivers. Any records you break in Preseason Testing will stand. The grandstands will always be empty in Preseason Testing.


Single Race

Single Race brings you all the action of a weekend at the races. You can practice your technique at the track with an unlimited number of laps, or, if you feel ready, qualify for the race. In the warmup session you can finalize your setup choices before entering the actual race. Racing in Single Race will not affect your Championship Season standings.


Championship Season

A Championship Season consists of one race at each of the tracks loaded on your computer. The races are run in the same order as the 1995 season. To win the Driver’s Championship, you’ll need to fine-tune your skills at a variety of venues: road courses, street circuits, superspeedways and short ovals.

At the conclusion of each race, top drivers are awarded points. The driver with the most points at the end of the season wins.

Click on the part of the Championship Season Race dialog you are interested in:

After a race has finished, the race results can be viewed from the Standings screen.


Championship Race Date

These are the dates that races were run in the 1995 IndyCar season. You may want to consider these dates when you set your Realism weather options.


Championship Race Track

These are the tracks that the 1995 Indycar season was run at. They are listed in the order in which they were raced.


Championship Race Winner

These are the names of the winners of each race in the Championship Season. If you’ve just started a Championship Season these will be blank since no races have been run.


Next Race

This button closes the Championship Season Schedule and begins the next race in the season’s schedule. The Main Menu will appear with the appropriate next track loaded. You can begin practicing, or jump straight into a Qualify Session or Race. You can also access the Garage or other dialogs from the Main Menu.


Standings

There are four different types of Standings Screens you can view in IndyCar Racing II. They are Qualifying Standings, Race In Progress Standings, Race Results Standings, and Championship Season Standings.

The standings show you all the details of the race you just finished, or how you and the other drivers qualified. Who won, who placed where, who didn’t finish, and why. The Race Results screen also shows the more specific details, such as the weather at the track, the average lap speed, the margin of victory, and the number of times the leader of the race changed. The Championship Season Standings show a brief snapshot of how you fared at each race in the Championship Season, and you can also view the specific details of each race that you’ve already run by bringing up the Race Results for that Race.

Click on the type of standings screen you are interested in:

Qualifying Standings

Race Standings (In Progress)

Race Results

Championship Season Standings

You can also jump to the Championship Season Schedule.


Championship Season Standings

The Championship Season Standings window will show you how all of the drivers in the Season are doing. The Standings window will show you the rank of each driver, their car #, the driver’s name, their total points,  their total wins, top 5 placements, top 10 placements, and the number of times they have taken the pole position by qualifying first for a race.


Qualifying Standings

The Qualify Standings window shows you how all of the drivers qualified for the race. Road Courses are timed laps, so they always show a time for each lap. Oval tracks show the average lap speed. If you choose to not qualify for a race and just advance through the sessions to the race, you will automatically default to the last position in the starting lineup.

Click on the part of the Qualifying Standings you are interested in:


Standings File Menu

The file menu in the Qualify Standings allows you to select print, save, and other standard file menu features.


Standings Position

This list shows the position in which the drivers qualified for the race. In a race session this list shows the position each driver currently holds in the race.


Car Number

This list shows the car number of each driver who qualified for, or is competing in, the race.


Driver List

This list displays the name of each driver who qualified for, or is competing in, the race


Time

This list shows the top qualifying lap times of each driver who qualified for the race. In a race session this list shows the current lap times for each driver in the race.


Lap Counter

This counter displays which lap the race session is currently running. This counter updates as the race progresses.


Flag Status

This box shows the current flag status of the race in progress. This indicator updates as the reace progresses.


Accelerate Time Button

The accelerate time button lets you speed up the progress of a race you do not choose to finish due to your low position (because you’re too far down in laps, perhaps), or because of mechanical failure or damage due to an accident but you still wish to see the outcome of a race. Accelerated time will show you the progress of the race from the Standings window, updating lap times for the other drivers, flag status, and so on.


Race Standings (In Progress)

Suppose you were racing but your car got loose in a corner and tapped the wall, damaging your engine? You can still view the rest of the race from the standings window, and you can also accelerate the progress of the race so you don’t have to wait three hours for each full-length race to finish. The Race Standings screen will show you the positions of the drivers, and penalty flag status updated in real time. If you choose to accelerate the race, you will not be allowed to finish. If your car is too damaged to continue, this doesn’t really matter much, since you can’t finish anyway. But if you’re still planning on finishing a race, accelerating time will warn you that you won’t finish the race when you hit the button, and offer you an opportunity to cancel accelerating time.

Click on the part of the Race Standings (In Progress) dialog you are interested in:


Race Results

The Race Results screen shows you the specific details of each race, from the weather to how each driver finished. The Race Results screen can be viewed after a single race or for each race in the Championship Season by selecting each race’s results in the Championship Season Standings window.

The picture below is the Race Result from a short race at Surfers Paradise, Australia. Click on the part of the Race Result screen you are interested in:


Championship Season Schedule

The Championship Season Schedule window shows you the entire season and a snapshot of each race that has been run in the season. You can select each race from the Champion Season Schedule and view each race’s Race Result screen to find out how you did in previously run races.

Click on the part of the Championship Season Schedule you are interested in:


Finish Position

This list shows the finishing position of each driver. Scroll through the list with the scrollbar at the right of the window to view all of the drivers.


Starting Position

This list shows the starting position each driver had at the beginning of the race. Scroll through the list with the scrollbar at the right of the window to view all of the drivers.


Car Number

This list shows the number of each driver’s car in the race. Useful for identifying a rival who you just couldn’t pass in the big race. Scroll through the list with the scrollbar at the right of the window to view all of the drivers.


Driver

This list shows the name of each driver in the race. Scroll through the list with the scrollbar at the right of the window to view all of the drivers.


Laps Completed

This number shows the number of laps each driver completed in the race. Scroll through the list with the scrollbar at the right of the window to view all of the drivers.


Laps Led

This number shows the number of laps each driver led the race. Scroll through the list with the scrollbar at the right of the window to view all of the drivers.


Reason Out

This list shows why a driver ended the race. Scroll through the list with the scrollbar at the right of the window to view all of the drivers.


Race Details

This area displays the details of the race you just ran. The information given is:

The track the race was run at

The weather conditions during the race

The number of laps of the race

The total time of the race

The average speed of the race

The number of cautions flags during the race

The margin of victory

The number of lead changes during the race


Championship Season Save As

When you first choose Championship season, you are prompted with the Save As dialog. The Save As dialog functions like a standard Windows95 save dialog, allowing you to name your Championship season and specify where you would like it to be saved.

Click on the part of the Championship Season Save As dialog you are interested in:


File Name

This field allows you to type the name of your file, and displays the name of the file you select from the filename list.


File Name List

This list lists all the files in the selected directory of the type chosen in the “List Files of this Type” popup menu.


Drives

Allows you to select which drive to save the Championship Season file in.


Description

This box displays a short description of the file when it is selected.


Directories

This list shows the directories available from the current level of the directory structure.


List Files of This Type

This menu allows you to see different types of files. For Championship Season files, you want to select .cmp files.


Multiplayer Race

The Multiplayer race menu allows you to test your skills against other human drivers. You can connect to other players in two ways:

Via direct serial connection through your computer’s modem

Via direct serial connection through your computer’s serial port (null modem cable)

The Multiplayer Race dialog allows you to either sponsor or join a race. You must first set up your communications options in the Communications Options dialog.

Click on the part of the Multiplayer Race dialog you are interested in:


Sponsor

Check the Sponsor button if you want to be the sponsor of the multiplayer race.


Join

Check the Join button if you want to join a multiplayer race. The list of available sponsors will show in the sponsor window.


Sponsor Window

The available sponsor(s) will show up in this window.


Points

At the conclusion of each Championship Season race, the top drivers are awarded points as follows:

1st place:	20

2nd place	16

3rd place	14

4th place	12

5th place	10

6th place	8

7th place	6

8th place	5

9th place	4

10th place	3

11th place	2

12th place	1

Fastest Qualifier (pole)	1

Most Laps Led	1


Options/Interface Options

The interface options allow you to control many of the features of the game.

Click on the part of the menu you are interested in:


Driver Info

Driver Info displays the personal information for all of the drivers in IndyCar Racing II. It also shows the specifics of car chassis, engine type, and tires for each driver. You can change this information, save your changes, and load previously saved car set files into driver info. The window in the middle of the Driver Info dialog shows a rotating picture of each car.

The Paint button launches the Paintshop application where you can create your own custom cars. For information on importing your cars from the Paintshop application go to the Importing Cars Help Screen.

When you exit the Driver Info dialog with the “OK” key, you will save any changes you made to the text of the current Car Set, and also save any changes you made painting cars in the Paintshop into the Car Set as well. For more information on the Paintshop and how to use it, please go to the Paintshop Help Screen.

Click on the part of the Driver Info dialog you are interested in:


Driver List

This list shows all of the drivers in IndyCar II. Clicking on an entry in the list loads their information into the rest of the dialog. You can scroll through the list by clicking on the up and down arrows, or by using the up and down keys on your keyboard after highlighting one of the entries with your mouse.


Personal Information

These fields list the personal information for each driver. The information listed is:

The name of each driver

The driver’s team

The driver’s nickname

The driver’s hometown


Car Information

These menus show the specifics of the driver’s car. The information listed is:

Chassis Type

The chassis type can be either Lola, Penkse, or Reynard. For a detailed explanation of chassis types, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.

Engine Type

The engine type can be either Cosworth, Mercedes Benz, or Honda. For a detailed explanation of different engine types, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.

Tire Type

The tires of an Indycar can be either Goodyear tires or Firestone tires. For a detailed explanation of each tire types strengths and weaknesses, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual. In general, Firestone tires are “stickier” then Goodyears, but they will not wear as long.


Car Picture

This window displays a rotating picture of each driver’s car. When you select a driver, his car appears in this window.


Driver Info/Save Car…

This button allows you to save the currently selected car in the Driver Info window to a car (.car) file. Clicking on this button will summon a standard save dialog where you can save your car as a car file..


Driver Info/Load Car…

This button allows you to load previously saved car (.car) files into the currently loaded Car Set that shows in Driver Info. Clicking on this button summons a standard file dialog from which you can load the desired car file. For more information on Car Sets, go to the Car Sets Help Screen.


Paint Button

The Paint button opens the Paintshop, where you can create customized cars. For more information on creating custom cars, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual. Or you can open the Paintshop Help.


Car Sets

The Car Sets dialog box selects the active Car Set for the track. Car Sets are the files where IndyCar Racing II keeps the graphic information for your car and for the opponent’s cars. You can modify existing Car Sets or create your own Car Sets in the Paintshop.

Select the Car Set you want to be active at the track by highlighting it in the window. If you have not created your own Car Set in the Paintshop, there will only be one Car Set available. If you have created your own Car Set, you need to put it in the Car Set directory.

Click on the part of the Car Sets dialog you are interested in:


Car Sets List Window

This window displays a list of all the Car Sets that are installed on your system. New Car Sets can be created using the Duplicate button. For more information on how to do this, go to the Duplicate Help Screen.


Car Set Description Window

This window lets you add a description to the currently selected Car Set. This is useful if you have several different Car Sets that you have been working on and don’t want to get them confused with each other.


Read-Only Checkbox

This box allows you to make your currently selected Car Set “read only.” Read only files can be read by the game but they are “locked” so that you can’t write over them accidentally. This feature is useful if you create several Car Sets and don’t want to risk changing your current Car Set accidentally while you’re working on your latest creation.


Duplicate Button

The Duplicate button allows you to create new Car Sets by copying the current Car Set. The copied Car Set is an exact replica of the current Car Set but now you can edit the information in the Driver Info dialog and paint the cars in the new Car Set in the Paintshop. Once you have customized the new Car Set to your liking you can select it in the Car Set List window to make it active.


Realism

The Realism dialog box controls how realistic the IndyCar Racing II driving experience is. From here you can set the specifics of the weather, the length of the race, and the number and strength of your opponents. You can specify whether your car will shift automatically, or use other “auto” features like automatic braking and spin recovery. Realism also selects the different damage models of IndyCar Racing II. The realism menu also controls race variables like yellow flags, pace laps, or random breakdowns.

Click on the part of the dialog box you are interested in:


Race Length

Race length is displayed as a percentage of a complete (100%) race. Since each track is different in terms of race length, a 10% race at one track might be longer or shorter than a 10% race at another track. The race length is unique to each track.

Type in the percentage of a race you want to drive, or set it using the arrow controls.


Automatic Shifting

You can set IndyCar to shift gears for you according to your engine’s RPM and speed. This will shift gears up or down much like an automatic transmission does in a street car. This is helpful for beginning drivers just learning how to drive an IndyCar, and allows experienced drivers to finesse their technique at a track without having to worry about shifting. For greater control, however, you’ll need to shift gears manually.

To activate Automatic Shifting, check the box next to it with the mouse.


Braking Assistance

Checking the Braking Assistance box will make your IndyCar brake going into the corners for you. This feature is useful for beginning drivers, or for experienced drivers who want to learn a new track well before testing their skills with manual braking. For really fast lap times, however, you’ll need to learn how to drive most tracks while braking manually.

Braking Assistance will not do all the braking for you. It is only meant to slow you down before curves. You will have to brake to avoid traffic on your own.

To activate Braking Assistance, check the box next to it with the mouse.


Spin Recovery

The Spin Recovery feature is useful for beginning drivers who have a tendency to spin out more often. After a spinout, Spin Recovery will reorient your car in the proper direction down the track. This is especially useful at twisty road courses where it might be difficult for beginning drivers to figure out which way to drive after a spin.

To activate Spin Recovery place a check mark in the box next to it with the mouse.


Damage

You can set three different levels of damage to affect your IndyCar at the track. Setting damage to “None” turns damage off, making your car impossible to damage. Arcade damage makes your car difficult to damage, but you can do it in a bad accident. The Realistic damage setting makes your car just as fragile as a real IndyCar in an accident. At the realistic setting you can knock yourself out of a race with a good tap on the wall.

Set damage to the desired setting with the damage pop-up menu.


Yellow Flags

The Yellow Flags check box implements the yellow flag rules during a race. For more information on Yellow Flags and the rules that apply to them during a race, please consult your IndyCar II manual.

To activate yellow flags, place a check in the box next to it by clicking on the box with your mouse.


Pace Lap

The Pace Lap check box turns pace laps on and off. When pace laps are on, each race begins with the racers completing a full circuit of the track at low speed in formation. The formation rules are very strict; for more details, please consult your IndyCar II manual.

To activate, click your mouse to place a check in the box next to Pace Lap.


Random Breakdowns

The Random Breakdowns feature brings an element of fate into your racing experience. Just as in a real race, part of the IndyCar experience is dealing with unexpected breakdowns. Enabling random breakdowns will inject your races with the frustration and fear of spending hours or days tweaking the perfect setup, only to have your car breakdown pulling out of the pits. Not for the nervous.

To activate, click your mouse to place a check mark in the box next to Random Breakdowns.


Weather Type

The Weather Type selector sets the weather to constant or variable. If you select Constant weather, you may select a specific temperature, wind direction, and wind speed. You may change these before entering any race. If you select variable weather, the game will randomly choose weather conditions before each race, adding an extra challenge for the drivers. Different weather conditions affect your car in different ways. Please consult your manual for a detailed explanation of how weather conditions affect your car’s performance.

Note: If you set the weather conditions to Constant and then begin a Championship Season, the weather will be the same at all tracks.


Temperature

The temperature at the track is important to the functioning of your car, most specifically to the temperature of your tires. At a low temperature, your tires will take longer to heat up and will cool down faster. At one hundred degrees, your tires will get hot quickly, stay hot longer, and could blow out unexpectedly if you’re not paying close attention to them, You engine temperature is also affected by the temperature at the track.

To set a temperature you must first set weather type to Constant. (Setting weather to variable disables the specific weather controls) Then use the arrow controls to set the track temperature. You can also enter the temperature you want with the keyboard. Track Temperatures range from 50 degrees to 120 degrees.


Wind Direction

The wind direction is determined by the wind direction knob. A good tailwind could mean a few extra mph in your lap speed, whereas a stiff headwind could slow you down when you need speed the most. The track diagram at the Main Menu (and in the Track Browser) shows the compass orientation of each track, and it’s a good idea to keep this in mind when making your wind direction selection.

To set wind direction, click on the dial with your mouse and drag the arrow until it is pointing in the direction you want the wind to come from. The dial is like a compass; straight up is North, straight down is South. For East the arrow points right, and for West it points left.


Wind Speed

The speed of the wind is controlled by the wind speed text field. The maximum windspeed allowed is 30 mph.

To select a wind speed, click your mouse on the up or down arrows until the desired wind speed is displayed. You can also enter the speed you want in the Wind Speed field with the keyboard.


Number of Opponents

Select the number your artificial opponents here. Each track has a different maximum number of opponents that you can select. This is displayed underneath the number field.

Fewer opponents will help to improve your frame rate, while a greater number of opponents offers a more challenging racing experience.

To set the number of opponents, click on the up or down arrows until the desired number of opponents appears. You can also enter the number of opponents you want in the Number field with the keyboard.


Strength of Opponents

The relative strength of your artificial opponents is calculated as a percentage of their full strength. A 120% opponent is going to drive 20% faster than he would at 100%. The minimum setting you can set is 85%, and the maximum is 120%. Novice drivers may wish to begin with a lower percentage selected.

To set opponent strength, click on the up or down arrows until the desired percentage is displayed. You can also enter the percentage you want in the Opponent Strength field with the keyboard.


Graphics

This dialog controls the graphic details of  the game. You can select the graphics options you want to be active in the game, select the number of opponent’s cars drawn ahead and behind you, change the display resolution of the game, and a number of other features.

Click on the part of the Graphics dialog you are interested in:


Graphics Detail

These controls determine the graphics options that are active in the game. Setting a graphic option “ON” means the option will be on at the track when you drive. “OFF” turns the options off and “Auto” means that the option will turn on and off depending on the game’s framerate. For more information on the “Auto” function, please see the Advanced Graphics Option Help Screen.

For a faster frame rate, turn the Grass, Asphalt, and Wall textures off. This will make the driving a little smoother and less choppy.

To select a setting for the graphics options, click on the button next to the option with the mouse.

Click on the part of the Graphic Detail Dialog you are interested in:


Grass Texture

Textured grass appears to have more depth, while untextured grass is flat green.


Asphalt Texture

Textured asphalt appears more real, while untextured asphalt is flat gray.


Objects

Turns the trackside objects (buildings, trailers, bridges) on or off. If Objects are off, Object Textures and Grandstand textures will also be off.


Object Textures

Object textures shows the details of the objects, and show only the shapes of the objects when turned off.


Grandstand Textures

The grandstand textures show crowds of people in the stands. If you are currently in Preseason Testing, the grandstands will be empty and you won’t be able to turn the textures on.


Wall Textures

Textured walls show details such as skid and paint marks, while untextured walls are flat gray.


Horizon Textures

The Horizon textures are the hills, buildings, and trees outside the track.


Car Textures

Car textures are the decals and paint schemes of the cars. When turned off only the base color of the cars is shown.


Smoke/Dirt

Smoke and dirt will appear when you spin or drive on the grass if this option is on.


Skids/Paint

Shows skid marks and paint on the track itself if this option is on.


A Note about Framerate:

IndyCar Racing II measures graphics speed in terms of framerate. The game calculates the number of frames, or screens, your computer generates each second. This is called the “fps” (frames per second), or just the frame rate. You can try and increase your framerate by:

•	Turning off more graphics options. If the game doesn’t have to draw a lot of textures and objects, the speed of the game will be faster and smoother.

•	Running IndyCar Racing II in a lower resolution.

•	Running it with fewer textures turned on.

•	Turning the number of other car’s engines heard in the Sound Mixer dialog down.

•	Racing against fewer opponents.


The Feedback Panel

The car picture in the lower right of the dialog (the feedback panel) will change according to what graphics options you select. If you turn an option on, then that option will turn on in the feedback panel. If you turn an option off, the option will turn off just as it would if you were at the track. Set an option to Auto and the feedback panel will make that option’s textures or objects flash. This indicates that the option set to auto will be active only if the framerate is high enough to support it. If the framerate falls below that threshold, then that option will turn itself off. See the Advanced Graphics Options Help Screen for details on the frame rate thresholds.


Number of Opponents Drawn

These fields control the number of other cars you will see at the track. Your framerate will improve if IndyCar Racing II doesn’t have to draw every car on the track. For maximum realism, set these numbers high. For the best framerate, set the number of opponents drawn lower. Ahead determines the number of cars in front of you. Behind determines the number drawn in your rear view mirrors.

To set the numbers drawn ahead and behind, click on the up or down arrow controls until the desired number is displayed. You can also enter the number you want in each field using the keyboard.


Show Frame Rate

Checking this box will activate the framerate counter in the lower left corner of the screen while you drive. This is useful to know so that you can evaluate what a good framerate is for your driving style, and adjust the automatic graphic options to your taste.

To activate, click your mouse in the box to the left of Show Frame Rate.


Display Resolution

These three buttons control the display resolution of IndyCar Racing II. The resolutions are described in number of pixels drawn across by number of pixels drawn down. The higher the resolution, the better IndyCar Racing II will look. 640X480 is the highest resolution, and also the best looking. 320X200 is the lowest resolution, and also the fastest in terms of framerate. The middle resolution (640X400) is a compromise between the two; it is faster than the highest, and doesn’t look quite as blocky as the lowest.

To select a resolution, click on the circle next to the desired setting with your mouse.


Advanced Graphics Options

The Advanced Graphics Options allow you to specify the size of the Replay that IndyCar Racing II saves, the order in which the graphics details shut off when they are set to “auto” at the track. You can also specify the framerate thresholds that IndyCar Racing II starts turning graphics options off at. IndyCar Racing II’s utilization of DirectDraw is also controlled from the Advanced Graphics options screen,

Click on the part of the Advanced Graphics Options dialog you are interested in:


Replay Size Control

This control specifies the size of the replay that IndyCar Racing II will save when while you are driving. Longer replays take up more memory (RAM). Shorter replays take up less RAM but won’t capture a whole race. You should select a replay size based on the amount of RAM your computer has installed. If you don’t have very much RAM installed, you should probably shorten the replay size. If you are unsure about how much RAM your computer has, please consult your Windows95 manual or the documentation that came with your computer.


Frame Rate Thresholds

These sliders control the automatic graphic details. When the framerate drops below the specified minimum number, IndyCar Racing II begins to shut off the graphics details currently set to auto at the main graphics dialog. IndyCar Racing II shuts off these details in the order specified by the Graphics Detail Priority list. When the framerate rises above the maximum number IndyCar Racing II will begin to turn the details back on. The framerate thresholds only apply to those details set to “auto.” Options not set to auto will not be affected by the threshold sliders.

Slide the sliders to the numbers desired using the mouse.


Graphic Detail Priority List

This list lets you specify the order the graphics details are shut off or turned on by the auto detail feature when the framerate falls below a certain level. This feature is useful in customizing your driving environment to your style if you have a slower computer. If you like to have the asphalt texture on, but don’t need it on to drive, you would place that higher on your list. The billboard graphics, on the other hand, aren’t needed for driving, and you could place them on the bottom of the list so they would shut off first and not affect your driving.

Simply drag the options you want to shut off last to the top of the list until it is organized the way you want it. The higher the item is on your list, the higher the priority IndyCar Racing II will give it. If you want to reset the list to the default priority, just click on the “Restore Defaults” button.


Direct Draw

DirectDraw is Microsoft’s software used for graphics. We recommend turning DirectDraw on. If you ran the installer program to install IndyCar Racing II, DirectDraw was installed on your machine if it was not already. If you turn DirectDraw off, IndyCar Racing II will probably not run as fast as it could, nor will you be able to run IndyCar Racing II full-screen at lower resolutions.


Sound

The Sound Mixer controls the levels of all the sounds in IndyCar Racing II. You may turn Direct Sound on and off here, as well a set the number of opponents engines that you hear at the track. Each of the features in the Sound Mixer has a specific function.

Click on the part of the Sound Mixer that you are interested in:


Master Volume

The Master Volume slider controls the overall sound level of IndyCar Racing II. Setting the Master Volume slider at the bottom turns all sounds off. The farther you move the slider to the top, the louder the sound will be.

To move the slider, click and drag the slider with the mouse.


Music

The Music slider controls the level at which the music in the intro sequence plays. Setting the Music Volume slider at the bottom turns all music off. The farther you move the slider to the top, the louder the sound will be.

To move the slider, click and drag the slider with the mouse.


Skidding

The Skidding slider controls how loudly the skidding sounds play in the game. Setting the Skidding sound at the bottom turns the skidding sounds off. The farther you move the slider to the top, the louder the skidding sounds will be.

To move the slider, click and drag the slider with the mouse.


Sounds

The Sounds slider controls how loudly the crash and other sounds play in the game. Setting the Sounds slider at the bottom turns the crash sounds off. The farther you move the Sounds slider to the top, the louder the sounds will be.

To move the slider, click and drag the slider with the mouse.


Announcer

The Announcer slider controls the volume of the Paul Page’s voice-over in the intro sequence. The Announcer is only heard at the intro sequence. Setting the slider at the bottom turns the Announcer off. The farther you move the Announcer slider to the top, the louder the Announcer volume will be.

To move the slider, click and drag the slider with the mouse.


Player Engine

The Player Engine slider controls the volume of your car’s engine. Setting the slider at the bottom turns the engine sound of your car off. The farther you move the Player Engine slider to the top, the louder the engine sounds will be.

To move the slider, click and drag the slider with the mouse.


Opponent Engines

The Opponent Engines slider sets the volume of the other drivers’ engines at the track. Setting the Opponent Engine slider at the bottom turns the opponent engine sounds off. The farther you move the slider to the top, the louder the volume of the opponent’s engines will be.

To move the slider, click on the up and down arrows at the slider’s top and bottom. Or click and drag the slider with the mouse.


Heard

The Heard field controls the number of opponent engines that you hear at the track. The maximum number you can set the Heard field to is 7. Setting Heard to a lower number will result in an increase in framerate.

To change the number of engines Heard, click you mouse in the entry field and type in the desired number from the keyboard.


Direct Sound

The Direct Sound checkbox turns Direct Sound on and off. The Direct Sound driver controls the sound calls that IndyCar Racing II makes to your computer’s sound hardware. With Direct Sound turned on, IndyCar Racing II’s sounds will be more immediate than when Direct Sound is turned off. With some hardware configurations, Direct Sound may cause a decrease in framerate. Without Direct Sound, some hardware configurations may experience a slight delay in the way IndyCar Racing II plays back the sounds in the game.

To enable/disable Direct Sound click your mouse in the Direct Sound checkbox.


Set Controls

The Set Controls dialog box is where you can specify what you use to control IndyCar Racing II. You can load and save your settings as settings (.stg) files.

Note: There are some keys reserved for functions that IndyCar Racing II uses while you are driving, such as keys for tweaking the brake bias, pausing the game, and so forth. You should consult your manual to become familiar with these so that you won’t inadvertently set a control to a key you might need. Some keys cannot have controls mapped to them. Consult your manual to find keys that cannot be mapped to a control.

Click on the part of the Set Controls dialog box you are interested in:


Steering

This field displays the current steering controls. To change the controls, click on the Modify button and follow the on screen prompt by moving your wheel or joystick left and right or steering with 2 keyboard keys. You will return automatically to the Set Controls dialog box.


Linear Steering

Linear steering is used primarily for steering wheel controls. It allows a steering wheel control (such as the Thrustmaster T1) to be used in IndyCar Racing II. Make sure that Linear Steering is active if you are using a steering wheel control.

To enable/disable Linear Steering, check the Linear Steering check box with your mouse.


Acceleration

This field displays the current acceleration controls. To change the control, click on the modify button and follow the onscreen prompt by selecting a joystick button, joystick axis, or a keyboard key. You will return automatically to the Set Controls dialog box.


Braking

This field displays the current braking control. To change the control, click on the Modify button and follow the onscreen prompt by selecting a joystick button, joystick axis, or a keyboard key. You will return automatically to the Set Controls dialog box.


Shift Up

This field displays the current Shift Up control. To change the control, click on the Modify button and follow the onscreen prompt by selecting a joystick button, joystick axis, or a keyboard key. You will return automatically to the Set Controls dialog.


Shift Down

This field displays the current Shift Down control. To change the control, click on the Modify button and follow the onscreen prompt by selecting a joystick button, joystick axis, or a keyboard key. You will return automatically to the Set Controls dialog.


Reverse

This field displays the current Reverse control. Click on Modify to change to control. To change the control, click on the Modify button and follow the onscreen prompt by selecting a joystick button, joystick axis, or a keyboard key. You will return automatically to the Set Controls dialog.


Set Controls/Load

The Load command allows you to load previously saved control setups. This is useful if you have defined different control setups for different controllers or driving conditions. Simply choose which control setting from the list that shows after you click on the Load button, and you’re set to drive.


Set Controls/Save

The Save command allows you to save the currently defined setting as a control settings file. Type the name you want the setting to be saved under. It’s a good idea to write down what settings files pertain to what controllers or driving conditions if you have several control settings saved.


Calibration

The Calibration command brings up the joystick calibration control panel. From here you can calibrate your joystick. You must first calibrate your joystick through the Windows95 joystick calibration window. IndyCar Racing II also needs to calibrate your joystick due to the fact that Windows95 might not always record the centerpoint for every joystick. Not everyone will need to calibrate their joystick in IndyCar Racing II, but calibrating again doesn’t hurt.

If your joystick has more than two axes IndyCar Racing II will recognize the additional axes and allow you to calibrate for them as well. Move your joystick, wheel, or pedals to their furthest extents in all the appropriate directions, then click “OK” to exit the calibration dialog.

To calibrate your joystick in Windows95 now, click on the “Calibrate in Windows95” button above.

Click on the part of the Joystick control panel that you’re interested in:


 X-Axis

This indicator shows the range and extent of the x-axis for your Joystick. Move your joystick as far as it will go in all directions then release it and hit “OK” to complete calibrating your joystick.


Y-Axis

This indicator shows the range and extent of the y-axis for your Joystick. Move your joystick as far as it will go in all directions and then release it and hit “OK” to complete calibrating your joystick.


Other Joystick Axes

This area will display any additional axes your joystick, steering wheel controller, or pedals may have. IndyCar Racing II will recognize up to six different axes.


Communications

The Communications dialog box controls IndyCar Racing II’s communications options. Here you can set your communications options up for multiplayer racing. You can connect with other players via modem or direct (null modem cable) connection. You can build a library of communications setups for many human opponents, and load them quickly and easily. You can only race against one other human opponent at time.

Click on the part of the communications menu you are interested in:


Connection for:

The Connection for… pulldown menu allows you to quickly load saved communications setups. You can also save new setups here, as well as delete old setups.

The New command defines a new communications setup for whatever settings are currently specified in the Communications dialog.

The Delete command allows you to delete previously saved settings.


Connect Via…

Selects your connection type. You can connect to other players via a dialup connection through your modems, or through a direct connection (null modem cable).


Port

Specify your communication port here. To find out what your communications port is set to, open the Modems control panel and click on Properties. Set you communications port to the same setting as it is set in the Modems control panel.


Speed

Specify the speed of your modem here. The speed of your connection should match the same speed as your opponent’s modem.


Data Bits

You cannot change the data bits. IndyCar Racing II needs all 8 data bits.


Stop Bits

Specify your modem’s stop bits here. Your stop bits should match the same setting as your opponent’s.


Parity

Specify your modem’s parity here. The parity of your modem should match the same setting as your opponent’s modem.


Handshake

Specify your modem’s handshaking here. Your handshaking setting should be the same as your opponent’s modem.


Method

Select “Modem” or “Direct Connect” for your connection here. A Modem connection uses your modem to dial another computer and connect. A direct connection uses a null modem cable to connect two computers in the same room as if there were a modem connection between them.


Phone Number

Enter the phone number of your opponent’s computer here.


Choose a modem…

Choose your modem model from this list. If your modem does not show in the list, you can add it. You can delete listings you don’t need from this list. You can also edit the specifics of each modem’s definition.


Delete Modem

The Delete modem command allows you to delete listed modem definitions from the list. It is a good idea to be careful when you are deleting modem definitions.


Modem Definition

The Modem Definition dialog enables you to specify custom settings for different functions of your modem using the “AT” command set. AT commands and initialization strings can be complex and, if used improperly, may cause your modem to function improperly. Be very careful when changing your modem’s AT commands. It is a very good idea to write down your current settings carefully before changing them.

Click on the part of the modem definition dialog you are interested in:


Definition for:

Enter the title of your modem here.


Setup

Specify your modem’s initialization string and suffix in these fields. Be very careful when changing your modem’s AT commands. It is a very good idea to write down your current settings carefully before changing them.


Usage

Specify the dialing, answer, and hang-up commands your modem will use. Be very careful when changing your modem’s AT commands. It is a very good idea to write down your current settings carefully before changing them.


Add/Edit Modem

The Add command allows you to add your modem definition to the list if it doesn’t already exist. You use the same Modem Definition dialog in the Edit command.

The Modem Definition dialog enables you to specify custom settings for different functions of your modem using the “AT” command set. AT commands and initialization strings can be complex and, if used improperly, may cause your modem to function improperly. Be very careful when changing your modem’s AT commands. It is a very good idea to write down your current settings carefully before changing them.

Click on the part of the modem definition dialog you are interested in:


Race Menu

The Race Menu corresponds to the Main Menu Icons. You can begin a race session, enter the Garage, advance to the next session, open the Replay Window, and view your current standings.

Click on the menu entry you are interested in:


Go…

The “Go…” command corresponds to the Go Race Icon at the Main Menu. The “Go…” command will reflect the session that is currently selected. If you are in a Practice session, the Go command will display “Go Practice.” If the current session is Warmup. The “Go…” command will show “Go Warmup.” This is true for Qualify and Race session as well.


Garage

The Garage command corresponds to the Garage Icon at the Main Menu.

Go to the Garage Help Screen.


Prepare to…

The “Prepare to…” command corresponds to the Next Session Icon at the Main Menu. It will always display the next session after the currently selected one. When you are in Practice, it will say “Prepare to Qualify.” When you are in Qualifying Session, the menu will display “Prepare to Warmup.” When in a Warmup Session the Race menu will display “It’s Race Day!”


Replay

The Replay command corresponds to the Replay Icon at the Main Menu.

Go to the Replay Help Screen.


Replay

Replay shows you all the action. You can review your driving from 12 different camera angles, and follow any car in the race. The camera views and cars are easily selected from two lists next to the main replay window. You can easily control the speed and view of the replay with the Replay Slider’s “VCR-like” controls at the bottom of the replay window. There is also a replay selection bar that allows you to save only the section of the replay you want. You can save and load replays via the file menu in the replay window.

Click on the part of the replay window you are interested:


Replay File Menu

The Replay file menu lets you save a whole replay, save only the section defined by the selection slider, and open a previously saved replay (.rpy) files.


Replay Window

This is where the replay is displayed. The graphic options in the replay window are always on, regardless of what you had specified when you were driving.


Camera Angle List

The camera angles are selectable from this list. Click on the camera angle you want to watch the replay from with your mouse and it will be selected. You may also scroll through the Camera Angle List with the up and down arrow keys when the Camera Angle list is active.


Car to Follow

The cars in the race are shown in this list. Clicking on a name with your mouse selects the car that the replay will follow. The car will be followed from the Camera Angle that is selected in the Camera Angle List. You may also scroll through the Car to Follow list with the up and down arrow keys when it is active.


Replay Controls

The Replay Controls give you precise control over the replay playback. The VCR controls allow you to play the replay back just like it was on videotape. You can also move quickly through a replay with the Replay Slider. You can also specify a segment of the replay to view or save using the Selection Slider

Click on the part of the Replay Slider that you are interested in:


VCR Controls

These icons are standard VCR like controls. You can Play, Stop, Fast Forward, Rewind, Fast-Forward to the end, and Rewind to the beginning of the replay. When the Replay slider is active, left and right arrow keys can also move it forward and backwards. After pressing the Play button, it becomes the stop button.


The Replay Slider

The Replay Slider lets you move quickly through the replay to find the part you want to view. Simply grab the slider bar with the mouse and move it right or left until you reach the part of the replay you want to see. You can also use the slider to find exactly the still frame of the replay you want to take a screenshot of and save as a graphic file in a paint program. The times listed above the Replay Slider are:

Top Left	Marks the beginning of the current replay selection.

Center	Marks the current time of image in the replay window.

Top Right	Marks the end of the current replay selection.


The Selection Slider

This is the bar underneath the Replay Slider. The two sliders of the Selection Slider control the length of the current selection. This feature is useful if you don’t want to save a whole replay, but only want to save a short segment of it. The times shown underneath the Selection Slider mark the beginning and end of the current selection. To define a Selection, grab one of the two sliders on the Selection Slider and move it right or left with the mouse.


Beginning and End Times

These times mark the beginning and end of the total replay time.


Selection Beginning and End Times

These times mark the beginning and end of the replay that is selected.


Replay Time

This time marks the current position of the replay.


Replay/Done

The Done command closes the replay window and returns you to the Main Menu.


Standings

The Standings command corresponds to the Standings Icon at the Main Menu.

Go to the Standings Help Screen.


Track Menu

The Track Menu displays all the tracks, showing the currently selected track with a check mark. You may also access the track browser from the track menu.

Click on the part of the menu you are interested in:


Track Browser

The track browser allows you to easily browse all the tracks loaded on your system without loading them all into your computer’s memory. The track browser displays important information about the tracks, including a map, the weather, and track records.

Click on the part of the Track Browser that you are interested in:


Tracks

These are the names of the tracks that you have loaded into your system. For detailed descriptions of each track, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.


Track Name

These are the names of the IndyCar tracks. Clicking on a track name will load that track’s information into the Track Browser. The Track Name field will only show tracks that you have loaded on your system.


Track Shot

This area displays the same track shot of the track that the Main Menu does.


Track Info

This areas shows the same track information that the Main Menu does when that track is loaded. The track information for weather options and length of race are governed by the current Realism settings. The track info shown in the Track Browser is:

Track name

Geographic location of the track

Length of the track

Diagram of the track

Wind Speed

Wind Direction

Temperature

Length of Race

Record time/lap speed at that track

Name of record holder


Window Menu

The Window Menu opens the Show Chat Window and the Show Clipboard viewer.

Click on the part of the menu you are interested in:


The Chat Window

The Chat Window allows communication between players when connected in a multiplayer race. Similar to online services’ chat rooms, the chat window displays each message the other player writes and allows you to send messages as well. Useful for discussing strategy before a race, or for sending friendly taunts across the phone lines to your rivals.

Click on the part of the Chat Window you are interested in:


Chat Message Window

The Chat Message window is where you type your message. You can scroll up or down through the message you are writing with the scroll bar at the right side of the window.


Send Message Button

The Send message button transmits your message to your opponent’s computer. Click on the Send message button to send your message.


Transcript Window

Here is where you can review the messages that have been sent and received. You can scroll through the messages with the scroll bar at the right side of the window.


Clipboard Viewer

The Show Clipboard command opens the Clipboard Viewer, allowing you to see the current image loaded into your computer’s clipboard. Useful for previewing screenshots of your big win at Laguna Seca before saving them. The Clipboard viewer is a Microsoft product, so you must have it installed on your computer in order to use it. If you don’t have the Clipboard Viewer installed, then you will receive an error message when you try to run it.


The Garage

Here is where you can win or lose a race. The Garage lets you customize almost every detail of your car’s setup. You can also save and load the setups you’ve created. This Help File simply shows what each part of the Garage is used for. Your manual describes in much greater detail how to best set up your car. Consult the manual for tips and step-by-step instructions on setting up your car.

Click on the part of the Garage you’re interested in:


Garage Feedback Panel

The Feedback Panel in the Garage shows the part of the IndyCar that you are currently working on in the Garage. For example, when you click on the Tires section of the Garage, the Feedback Panel will rotate the IndyCar to show the tires.


Comments

You can type comments or notes about your setup here to remind you of its details. One setup might be a little loose in the corners, and you could note that in the Comments field. When you load that setup, the comments will be there to remind you. This is very useful when you’ve got many different setups saved.


Tires

The tires section of the Garage sets the pressure, shows what the pressure of that tire will be when it gets hot, and tells you what the current temperature of each tire is.

Click on the part of the Tires section you’re interested in:


Pressure

These fields control the tire pressure. Maximum tire pressure is 51 p.s.i, minimum 26 p.s.i. Select the tire pressure you want by typing it in the field or by using the little arrow controllers.

The number in the Hot field shows what the tire pressure will be when it gets hot at that pressure. You cannot edit these fields; they are calculated by IndyCar Racing II.


Temperature

These fields show what the tire temperatures are when you bring the car into the garage. This infomation is useful in determining your car’s setup. The tire temperatures are displayed for the outside of the tire, the middle, and the inside.


Tire Compounds

Indycar tires come in a variety of compounds for different effects. Softer tires provide the best grip, but at a price of longevity. Tires made from harder compounds will offer less grip but be longer wearing.

In most cases, you’ll want to mount different compounds on each wheel of your Indycar. For a detailed explanation of how best to set up your tires for different driving situations, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.

Select each tires compound from the popup menu list.


Stagger

Because many Indycar car tracks are ovals, the left tires are closer to the center of the oval than the right side. The inside tires have a shorter distance to travel around the track than the outside tires do. This slight difference in distance can cause the IndyCar’s handling to suffer. You can compensate for this by adjusting the wheel stagger of your tires. This basically means that the tires on the right side of the car have a larger diameter than the left side tires do.

For a detailed explanation of stagger and how best to set it up, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.

Set your stagger using the arrow controls, or by entering it from the keyboard.


Gears

These fields display what your gears are currently set to. IndyCars have six forward gears, and fine-tuning your gear ratios is a big part of gaining that “extra edge” you’ll need to win. Consult your manual for tips and specifics on tweaking your gearing.

IndyCar Racing II allows gear ratio settings of as low as 2.50 or as high as 11.90. You can type the numbers you want into the gear fields, or you can select them using the arrow controllers.


Wings

IndyCars have front and rear wings. These wings generate a downforce on the car when air passes over them by altering the car’s aerodynamics. Each track needs a different wing setting; most large ovals don’t need a lot of wing to get enough downforce, while tight roadcourses demand lots of wing to keep the tires in contact with the track. Learning how to setup your car’s wings for the situation is essential to competitive driving.

IndyCars can have wing settings as low 3 degrees or as high as 18 degrees in the game. Select the wing settings you want by typing the number in the fields, or by selecting it with the arrow controls.


Suspension

An Indycar’s suspension settings are crucial to successful driving. In IndyCar II, suspension consists of three basic areas; shocks, camber, and wheel lock.

Click on the part of the Suspension area of the Garage that you are interested in:


Shocks

Your Indycar’s shocks are vital to controlling the way the weight or the car shifts while driving. Different tracks need different shock settings, and learning how your shocks affect load transfer is essential. Consult your manual for a detailed explanation of how to set up your shocks for optimum performance.

Enter the percentage you want to set your shocks to in the fields, or select it using the arrow controls.


Camber

Camber describes the “tilt” of your Indycar wheels towards or away from the body if the car. A zero camber setting means that the flat part of the tire is perpendicular or at a right angle to the track surface. A tire whose top half is tilted towards the car is said to be negatively cambered, while a tire tilted away from the car is said to have a positive camber.

Camber can be adjusted to counter many of the forces acting on your Indycar at the track. Most often camber is adjusted to “even out” the temperature of a tire so it heats evenly. For a detailed explanation of camber and how to set it for different driving situations, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.

Camber can maximum of 3 positive degrees and a minimum of 3 negative degrees. Enter the camber setting you want into the field or select it using the little arrow controls.


Steering Lock

The Wheel Lock setting controls the turning radius of your car. A higher steering lock setting will enable you to make tighter turns, such as on road courses with lots of corners. A lower setting is useful on large ovals or superspeedways to limit your turning radius, so that a twitch of your controls doesn’t send you out of control. For a more detailed explanation of steering lock, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.

Your steering lock can be as low as 5 degrees or as high as 30. Enter your steering lock setting in the field, or select it using the arrow controls.


Fuel

An IndyCar can take on 40 gallons of fuel. You’ll want to carefully gauge your fuel requirments for each driving situation. For example, you might want to only take on a few gallons for your qualifying run, so you won’t be running with extra weight. For a detailed explanation of fuel and how to use it, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.

Enter your fuel setting in the fuel field, or select it using the arrow controls.


Garage/Save As. . .

The Save As… command summons the standard Save As…dialog so that you can save your garage settings. You can specify a new name for the current setting, and where you want the setting to be saved.


Garage/Load

The Load command allows you to load previously saved garage settings. Simply select the setting you want from the list, and you’re ready to race.


Help Menu

The Help button brings up the Garage Help Screen.


At the Track

The cockpit of an Indycar appears as complex as an airplane. IndyCar Racing II has many features which make your racing simulation as complete as possible. From the Pit Radio feature which lets you communicate with your pit crew via the keyboard to the various dashboard displays your Indycar gives you, every effort has been made to painstakingly simulate all of the details that make Indycar racing what it is.

There are several views available at the track. You can cycle through the different views using the F10 key.

Click on the view you are interested in:

Rear Chase Views

Cockpit View


Rear Chase Views (F10 Key
Chase Views (F10 Key Views)

The Chase view follows your car as if it were a camera positioned above and behind you. The Chase view is useful for learning the tracks. For top performance driving, however, most drivers prefer driving from the cockpit.

The Chase view also shows you the essential information that you need along the bottom of the screen, such as what gear you are in, your speed, and your engine’s rpms. If you’re racing, you are also shown what place you are in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.

The Chase has two views, a near one and one that is slightly farther away. You can cycle through the different views using the F10 key. The Chase views are also sometimes called the “Arcade Driving Mode.”


Cockpit View

The Cockpit view is where the simulation is most vivid in IndyCar Racing II. From taking the chicane at Surfers Paradise, Australia at full-throttle to drafting through the corners at Michigan, the cockpit view is where you’ll see just what the real top IndyCar drivers see.

The dash displays all of the vital signs of your Indycar. You can monitor your water pressure, your engine rpms, your lap times, and your fuel. You can adjust the boost given to your engine, your front and rear anti-roll bars, and your brake bias from within the cockpit without pitting.

Click on the part of the dash display you are interested in:


Water Temperature

Indicates the current temperature reading (in Fahrenheit degrees) of the engine coolant. If the engine coolant temperature rises above 220 degrees your engine is running too hot.


Turbocharger Control Knob

This knob controls the amount of “boost” the engine turbocharger is generating. More boost equals more horsepower but uses more fuel. Too much boost can also overwork your engine.


Miles Per Hour (MPH
Miles Per Hour (MPH)

The dash display has two readings of current speed in miles-per-hour. The large reading is part of the default displaywhich you can cycle through rpms and projected laps with. The smaller reading is always on the dashboard and is useful in checking which speeds you are shifting through when autoshifting.


Lap Time

This counter resets at the conclusion of each lap to provide you with lap speed information.


Tachometer

This “heads-up” bar displays the number of rpms your engine is currently producing. Ideal gear shifting should take place somewhere between 11,000 and 12,500 rpms. For more information on how to read your tachometer and understand what it is telling you, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.


Fuel

This instrument shows the current level of fuel in your tank. The maximum capacity of your tank is 40 U.S. gallons. When you drop to five gallons or less, the word “Fuel” will begin to blink, warning you of a low fuel condition.


Front and Rear Anti-Roll Bar Indicator

The anti-roll bars can be controlled by the driver during the race. The anti-roll bar gauges range from fully soft (indicator all the way to the left), to fully stiff (indicator all the way to the right). For more information on the anti-roll bars, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.


Brake Bias Indicator

The brake bias can also be controlled by the driver during the race. The brake bias indicator ranges from full rear-end brake bias (all the way to the left), to full front-end brake bias (all the way to the right). For more information on the brake bias and how best to set it, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.


Gear Indicator

This indicator shows the current gear your Indycar is in.


Boost

This instrument displays the level of turbo boost pressure your turbocharger is currently generating. This valve will rise and fall with acceleration; it may dip as low as 30.0 at a dead stop, and top out around 45.0 in/hg, or 22 psi, under full power and boost. For more information on boost and how to set it, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.


Master Warning Indicator

This blinking light indicates high water temperature, low fuel, or over-revving.


Default Display

This area of the dash is useful in finding out more details about your IndyCar setup. In its default mode it shows the current speed in MPH, but you can also cycle through the RPM indicator and projected lap indicator by hitting the “D” key on your keyboard.

RPM Indicator	Projected Laps Indicator

Shows your engine’s current revolutions per minute. 	Shows projected laps at current mileage.


The Pit Radio (Function Key Displays)

The Pit Radio function allows you to communicate with your pit crew about the status of your car. You can change the settings from within the cockpit, and your pit crew will implement your changes the next time you pit. In addition, you must use the pit radio to inform your crew about what changes you don’t want them to make during your next pit. If you give no specific instructions the resulting pit stop will always be the same; your pit crew will completely refill your fuel tank and replace all four tires. This may not always be desirable. Late in a race, for example, you might only want them to give you a few gallons of fuel, rather than wait for a full tank and waste time. For more information on pitting and pit strategy, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.

The various parts of the Pit Radio are accessed by using the function (F keys) keys numbered F1-F9 on the keyboard. When you hit a function key a transparent window will appear in the upper left hand corner of the screen which will display that part of the Pit Radio.

Click on the Function Key you are interested in:


F1-Lap Info

The Lap Info box gives you a summary of your last completed lap. In order from top to bottom, you’ll see the car number of the driver who you currently follow in the running order, as well as the interval (how far ahead of you that opponent is in seconds at your current lap speed). If you are leading the race, then the interval will show you how far behind you the second place car is.

Beneath your opponent’s statistics, you’ll see your own car number and the average speed of your last lap. You will also the total number of laps, and the total number of laps completed so far.

Below are two graphics of the lap info box, from practice and from a race session. In practice you wont see the total number of laps to go as practice sessions are open ended. Interval times of other drivers are not given in practice session either.

Lap Info In Practice:

Lap Info During a Race:


F2-Standings

Press “F2” to display a complete, up-to-the-minute race standings for the entire field. This box shows you the position, car number, name of each driver, and the interval between each in the current running order. You can scroll through the standings with the “<” and “>” keys.


F3-Fuel Management

The Fuel Management box shows you your current fuel level, your current mileage, your projected laps on the remaining fuel at that mileage, and your “Fill to” level. You can tell your pit crew how much fuel to fill your tank with at your next pit stop by raising and lowering the “Fill to” level using the “<” and “>” keys.


F4-Tire Temperatures

The Tire Temperature window displays the current tire temperatures in a “top down” layout. The front tires are displayed at the top of the box, the rear tires at the bottom. Outer, middle, and inner tire temperatures are given. This information is extremely useful in evaluating your setup for optimum performance. For more information on setting up your car, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.


F5-Tire Wear/Changes

The Tire Wear/Changes window shows the current state of wear, the pressure, and the compound of each tire. It also shows which tires are selected to be changed by placing a check mark next to tires that will be changed at your next pit stop.

Tire Wear Gauge

The bar underneath the pressure indicator for each tire indicates the amount of wear for each tire. A green bar means that the tire is in good shape, yellow that it is wearing, and red indicates a critical condition. If your tires are wearing into the red zone, it might be a good time to replace them.

Tire Pressure Changes

To change the pressure of a tire or tell the pit crew what pressure a new tire should have, first select the desired tire by hitting the spacebar until the tire you want to change is highlighted. Then raise or lower the tire pressure indicated using the “<” and “>” keys. The pit crew will make the changes to the tire the next time you pit, or install a new tire with the desired pressure.

Tire Changes

The check marks underneath each of the tire abbreviations (LF, RF, RR, LR) indicates that tire will be changed at the next pit stop. To tell the pit crew not to change this tire, first select it by hitting the spacebar until the desired tire is highlighted, and then hit the “Enter” key to toggle the check mark on or off.


Unused Function Keys

IndyCar Racing II does not make use of these or other unlisted function keys.


F7-Wings

The wings window allows you to view your current wing settings and tell your pit crew to make adjustments to them the next time you pit. Hitting the spacebar toggles between the front and rear wing. You can then change the settings to what you want the pit crew to set them to the next time you pit using the “<” and “>” keys.


F8-Wheel Stagger

The wheel stagger can be adjusted using the “<” and “>” keys and the changes will be made during your next pit stop. For more information on stagger and how to set it, please consult your IndyCar Racing II manual.


F9-Pit Status/Repairs

The pit status box shows the changes that are slated to be made during your next pit. Remember, your tires will be changed unless you stipulate otherwise in the F5 tire change/wear pit radio window. If you have body damage to your car that can be repaired it will also be automatically repaired at your next pit unless you stipulate otherwise from the F9 window. The word “Repairs” will appear in the window if there is damage slated for repair. If you wish to not repair the damage, so as to not waste time in the pits, perhaps, press the “Enter” key while viewing Pit Status to turn damage repair off.