rec.autos.simulators

Anyone been practising their starts? This'll soon be rather important, and
I've been having a bit of fun practising down the last straight at
Monza... which would be a great location for some drag racing. I think we
could get four or five cars a*** there, possibly more on the
start/finish straight.

Anyway, it's essential to have the clutch configured to a button IMO for
fast starts... and I think anyone with the brake/pedal on the same axis
has a distinct disadvantage.

Andrew McP... wondering if using the external view for starts is cheating
or a very good idea to avoid massive pile ups. Those mirrors are good, and
the glance helps (if you've got enough buttons on your wheel to use them!)
but external essentially gives you back your peripheral vision.

Maybe there should be an option in online racing that disables F10 to
level the playing field? Dunno.

Not necessarily, it depends how good you are with the clutch. I have
an analogue clutch which is excellent for starts, but you can still
get a very respectable start by holding the revs and banging the car
into gear - better in a way, as with only one variable it should be
more repeatable.

All very well, but it does mean having to take a hand off the wheel
prior to the first corner to press F10 - not fun in the midst of what
often looks like todays initial start at Spa :-)

Cheers!
John

Thanks
John

I hold the car on the brake, with the clutch fully engaged and the car
in first gear. After shifting to first, release the brake. When the
flag is raised, apply revs (lots!) and balance the car on clutch and
throttle when the flag drops. If (_if_) I get it right it seems to be
THE way to start, but it's sure as heck not easy. It is a good idea to
have separate gas and brake as well as analogue clutch though, since
GPL supports and models all of them correctly and it does add to the
experience IMO.

Having said that, John is a demon starter, and even with a good
"clutched" start it's tight off the line.

Cheers!
John

Good point.

Heh, I think we're going to have to get used to big repair bills. Mind
you, as long as there's no one injured I'm all in favour of Spa-style
starts. More work for all the British firms making the bits :-)

Andrew McP

That's what makes it tricky for those with a shared Y axis. It's fun
working out how to get the power on smoothly though, another testament to
the depth of this sim.

Andrew McP

(What?? You mean I CAN'T use all three
pedals at once?  Why did they put them
in here then?)

Robin

# Proud member of "Do not rent" list at
# two different rental companies.

## 'Rental car curb crab champion'.

### I think I'll stop here in case Hertz or National
### reps are lurking........