General Racing Games

Right, I'll give that a go. I guess I'll just play it for an hour or so whenever I can and over a few months I should be able to drive pretty well. Will be easier if I can sort out my bloody steering wheel.
 
Does it only stick down with suckers? Mine clamps to the desk and I still find myself tightening it up on the straights sometimes :D
 
Yeh mine sticks with suckers and I've tried it on wood and glass. Doesn't work at all. Thinking of taping it down to something and then putting that on the desk when I want to use it.
 
Firstly, get that wheel taped down or something like that. Get some velcro to go under it. The keyboard is useless and won't help at all. You need to be able to be smooth and the keyboard just won't allow that.

I'm pretty sure I could hear the hideous sound of traction control (I don't run with any aids, except auto clutch, because I don't have a clutch :p). Turn it off. The traction control will only make the FWD cars understeer even more and therefore go even slower. You need to be able to use the front wheels to pull the car round the corners.

This is one of my "track guides" on the Silverstone International circuit. Now, listen out for when I start to apply the throttle. It's not on or off, it's progressive and it starts pretty early in the corner generally, just enough to pull the front of the car into the corner. Too much throttle and it'll just understeer off the track. The right amount of right foot is absolutely critical.


Now this next video should highlight that smoothness is very important. Jerky motions on the wheel just doesn't work (damn that keyboard :p). At no point during this lap am I using the full lock of the steering wheel. This wasn't one of my best laps by any means, but it still shows how important it is to be smooth.


Now obviously I've got a fair bit of practice under my belt with the FWD machines (hell I did over 1000 laps at Brands Hatch as preparation for one of our races earlier in the year :eek:) and I've also created a setup that I spent several weeks perfecting for my particular style of driving and to get the most of the car.

Getting use to the car is important, but there is one setup tweak I would advise for a FWD car like the Leon. Get the brake bias set so it's something like 52:48 in favour of the front. A FWD car doesn't need an invitation to understeer so setting the brake bias further back will take some of the pressure away from the front wheels. They're already trying to apply the trottle and steering, the default brake setting (60:40) just compounds the problem.

Any other questions, just feel free to ask. ;)

@ Tom! You're better off getting in touch Trev with regards to the BTCC mod stuff at the moment. AOL is hardly letting me online at the moment. :mad:
 
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Really am tempted to get rFactor now. I also suck Jack, so don't worry. I only have room for a keyboard though, as my room is literally full up.

Might just have to go hungry for a couple of weeks if I decide to buy the game. I'm still enjoying the trial at the moment :)
 
Thanks for that Stevie, was really helpful. I've always wondered what that horrible scraping so I will turn that off when I get back home. I'm going to try and get about 30-60 minutes of practice as often as I can. The steering wheel will also be sorted when I get home on Sunday.

Tom, rFactor is definitely worth it. It's good fun even without a steering wheel, and even if your crap like myself :p
 
Well I bought it. However, how do I unlock the BTCC and all the other features??? As it stands I have only about 6 options available to me :(
 
Firstly, you don't start putting in "hot laps" until you know the circuit, the car and most importantly your own driving style. From my experience of racing games (never played rFactor) there are always some basic ground rules for good laps, and eventually, through experience, hot laps.

Ground rules:

  • Hit the apexes. There are several lines in attacking a corner. (wiki pic included below).
    Light blue: Late, hard braking. The riskiest line, more chance of locking up brakes or overshooting the corner. But if done right, the quickest way around the corner, if your driving style allows for it. The car is important too.
    Green line: The standard racing line for a corner. I tend to use this line if I have a big lead and don't need to push the car. Quite good for FFs, because of the understeering factor of the car.
    Dark blue: Defensive line through a corner. You'd use this if you were defending your position. Doesn't give your competitor any chance up the inside, but it does impede on your speed on the straight.

    It really does depend on your driving style and the limitations of your car. Try out all 3, see what works best for you.
  • Never apply full throttle unless you know that you won't have to let-off until you reach the next braking point. You'll waste loads of time re-applying brakes and throttle. It will ruin racing line through the corner too.
  • Don't waste time defending your position on a straight. You'll waste lots of time, let them go past and let yourself control the battle, not them.
  • Be patient when overtaking someone. If you are constantly 0.2-0.3 seconds behind them after every sector for several laps, you are more likely to force them into a mistake. I'd say this is one of the most important things from my point of view.
  • Learn to drive without driving aids. They will slow you down so much. Don't know how detailed rFactor is in regards to driving aids (ASM? LSD?). But you will be quicker if you control the power as opposed to a computer controlling the power.
  • Make sure you are in the right gear coming out of a corner. You want plenty of torque. You don't want to be coming out of a corner (not so much a quick corner in 5th) and be within 1,000rpm of changing up a gear.
  • Exit speed out of a corner is important. Slow in, Fast out. Don't waste time trying to gain one or two tenths in the corner if you can't maintain it on the straight. You'll lose more time if they come out of the corner with a better drive, they will just drive straight past you.
  • Practice. Practice. Practice. You won't immediately make fast lap times. Know your style and know the track. Remember the principles of racing.

Wikipedia Apex image
600px-Racing_line.svg.png


For those interested. Set up of our GT4 LAN at the weekend.
picture.php


picture.php


Special guest. Worth more than the house!

Click to blow up (picture, not car!)
 
Chees for that. Yeah currently I am letting it do everything for me (including braking :o) Basically I'm just getting to know the game at the moment

Highlander999 added 3 Minutes and 37 Seconds later...

Also I still can't find the BTCC stuff to download???
 
Try searching for BTWC, think that's what it's called as its an unofficial mod.

For Sureshot's apex guide, light blue is my style, last of the late brakers then sort out the mess, you need to be able to drive an oversteering car to get it to work, not a line I'd suggest for touring cars.
 
Unless they are DTM cars, the hyper-touring car.

You'd probably want the Green line for a touring car.
 
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