I completey agree. I think that I go faster in a race because I am aware
that I cannot afford a spin as it will lose too much time. So if I ever get
slightly off line or things get a bit sideways, I will back off a bit during
a race. Whereas during a hotlap attempt, I would keep the throttle nailed
down and probably end up spinning :-(
Obviously in qualifying/hotlap mode, you sub-conciously know that if you
spin you've only lost that lap, so you can push that bit harder (and make
mistakes), but in the race you aim for consistency. Try racing at Grand
Prix level. Here you are also aware that going off will inevitably
bend/break the car, so it is yet another incentive NOT to crash/spin.
Another tip is to go round each corner a gear higher than you would
normally, so eliminating wheel spin. See any lap by Wolfgang Woeger for a
1st class demo of how it should be done!
On the subject of intermediate lap times, I don't know if you guys 'n' gals
have found the GplSplitTimes.exe program written by Dave Noonan. It doesn't
work in game, but it's better than nothing. It's a DOS based program, which
breaks up a lap replay into section times. What I do is open two DOS
windows, download a hotlap replay, and then compare my times with the
hotlap. I can then see where I'm losing time. It's helpful on the shorter
circuits, but difficult at the 'Ring (where each section is only in 1Km,
1.25Km, 1.5Km etc unnamed sections). The program is only a 70K zip file, so
a quick download. I can't remember where I downloaded the file from, but I
still have the original zip file (with readme), so I can post it to
alt.binaries.simulators.autos if anyone wants it.
Just my 2 pence.
Cheers,
Nik
> >The pick-up & faster speeds from other faster AIs or online racers
> >in Gpl will sometimes come from "slip-streaming" aka "drafting". Its
> >not always but if you have ever followed right behind 'Hill & Clark'
> >on Spa's long straight watch the speeds go up 5-10mph more than
> >alone. Plus it does work in turns-corners too but it isnt as drastic..
> >{imho} Thom j.
> That may be a little part of it, but having another car in front of
> you does help seeing the racing line.
> I find for me I get the best times when I don't concentrate on
> attacking the course. When I just sort of "zone out" and get into a
> rhythm, I find I get my best times. My fastest laps never seem like
> really fast laps, either. When I drive like a madman and think I
> really nailed a lap, I usually find my times are off, but If I think a
> lap was just average, I often find it was blazing fast. Getting into
> a smooth rhythm is the key.
> ---
> Jet Jaguar
> I have a spam blocking address. Replying to me is like pulling teeth.
> Visit my crappy home page at http://home.att.net/~chmilnir/
> MSTie #54297
> Hey baby, wanna kill all the humans?
