CUSTOMIZING THE RACING
This is the meat and potatoes of optimizing your experience on track, so it has its own page here. It includes:
Setting the field size at each track
Fine-tuning the AI qualifying speeds relative to your skill level.
You can tell the AI when to pit. This is helpful since there is not a wear multiplier option in the game.
And more.
PERFORMANCE
Experiment with the Options>Graphics toggles if you're having framerate issues for some reason.
Maxing out the OPPONENTS DRAWN option at 39 and 39 can cause issues.
GAME MENUS
Damage can be Realistic, Arcade, or None. The AI always has their damage turned ON.
Player Breakdowns toggle makes you susceptible to random mechanical failures out of your control, regardless of Damage setting.
ESSENTIAL HOTKEYS
Alt+B: Autobrake ensures you will not exceed the pit-road speed limit. Be sure to turn this on and off when on the apron entering and exiting pit road because it will affect your driving on the track itself. You'll see what I mean when you forget you have it turned on. The only track I've found where this doesn't 100% work is Indianapolis, for whatever reason.
Shift+R: Restarts the current session you're in. Does the field have a bad start to the race? Do you want another stab at qualifying? Shift+R starts you back at the beginning.
S: The "S" key turns your speed/gear on and off.
F10: Change your driving view.
In-Car Radio: Familiarize yourself with the hotkeys on Page 21 of the Game Manual.
L and Shift+L: Navigate from lap to lap in the replay viewer. See Page 29 of the Game Manual for other replay hotkeys.
> and < : Use the greater-than and less-than keys to move specific drivers up and down the roster in Driver Info.
REPLAY SYSTEM
If you save a replay, you can view it later by loading the track, but the replay will only load if you are using the same Entry List you saved the replay with.
In the main game folder, there is a configuration-settings file called nr1999 that is 2KB in size that contains the following line: REPLAYLEN 5000000. This number results in the replay system being able to save roughly 14-16 minutes of replay at a time. Increase the number to be able to save more replay time. For example, changing the "5" to a "10" will let the replay system save roughly double the amount of time. NOTE: As the file says, too high a number can cause your game to crash. You will have to experiment. On my own computer, I have not experienced any crashes with the number set at 20, which gives me over an hour of replay.
REPLAYLEN Â 5000000
MIRROR OPTIONS
In the same n1999 configuration file, you will see lines for MIRR L, MIRRC, and MIRRR. If you wish to have the original mirror that includes blind spots, add "rem" to the beginning of each of those three lines.
rem MIRRL
CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
When setting up a championship season, you select an AI difficulty percentage that cannot be changed from race to race. Use the RELS line in the track files if you're just not fast enough or too fast at certain tracks at the locked-in difficulty.
Some tracks do not allow 39 cars (the max) to start the race. The drivers who fail to qualify at those tracks are taken from the bottom of the roster in Driver Info. For example, if you don't want #99 Jeff Burton to get a DNQ, you should bump him up the roster a few spots. NOTE: Make these changes before your championship season starts. Once in Championship mode, the standings calculate using the order of cars in the Entry List.
MISCELLANEOUS
The AI is more aggressive than what you may be used to. They don't get spooked as easily when you're around them, so you better be clear of them heading into the turn!
Practice pit entry and exit. The AI cars already have an advantage over you because they don't have to tip-toe into their stalls. They go from the pit-road speed limit to a full stop in the blink of an eye. You'll see.
Remember: You can run full-length races, and the SAVE option in the race/garage menu will save a freeze frame of the action, and you'll be able to pick up right where you left off!