NetKar�s physics have long since convinced the hardcore crowd; but netKar PRO is promising more � it is promising to confront that almost mystical-frontier, the immersive-barrier, and it is looking back at GPL, in certain ways, as inspiration. Jon Denton sits down with Marco Massarutto.

Marco has noted that he is concerned with what he referres to as the �GPL Lotus� syndrome, in particular how this syndrome could affect the lowest single seater in netKar Pro � so what does he mean by this, in terms of graphics and, more importantly, physics?
�Well, in the early years,� explains Marco, �we all raced GPL online, and what we noticed was that a lot of people would choose only the Lotus, even if all the other cars were interesting and fantastic in their own right: they did this, of course, because the Lotus 49 was the most �cool�, as well as the most powerful, and so on. At first glance, the �junior formula� could appear less interesting when compared with the other cars in netKar pro, simply because of the low grip levels and power. Therefore we paid special attention to �build� this car in such a way as to make it �real�, in terms of both its looks and driveability. We did this so that people would land up � wanting it, desiring it so to speak, in the same way as they will want all our other cars in netKar PRO. I think we succeeded in this aim, because the junior formula really does feel real, not only when you look at it, but, more importantly, when you drive it. In the end, you won�t see the formula junior as a netKar PRO car: you will see at it as your personal single seater.�

Marco has spoken at length about the feel of netKar PRO � can he be more specific as to what he believes makes a sim �realistic� and authentic, in terms of feel?
�I have never driven a single seater,� says Marco, �so I can�t say for sure how one would actually feel when driving these kind of cars. On the other hand, I have sat in a few open-wheelers, obviously, (F1,FFord, F.Renault, F.Campus, F3), but still, I always wonder what a real driver would feel when he�s at the steering wheel at the limit. I have been driving my kart (125, 5 speed) for 3 years though, so I have learnt how it feels on the track: by this I mean I�ve learnt to understand the feeling of speed, of lateral g-forces, of grip and so on, and when I sit down my virtual netkar PRO car, I feel myself �at home�.

�Again,� continues Marco, �what I am trying to say is that, when you see a single seater from an external point of view, you assume that it should �work� and �feel� a certain way � but,� Marco stresses, �if you go up to the same single seater, even if the engine is turned off, immediately you feel the car in a completely different way: you start to look at it and appreciate it in a different way, to think in a different way. I�ve found this feeling in netKar PRO. Obviously this is a personal point of view, but when nKPRO starts to run on my pc, I forget that I�m in PC simulation: I think about driving, and that�s all.�

Regarding the sound system which Stefano has been working on � using multisampling -what does he (Marco) mean when he says netKar will not reproduce sounds, but actually generate them? And what advantages does he see in this, and how does he feel it will add to the immersive elements of netKar?

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