rec.autos.simulators

I just can't believe this. I spent the last three hours trying to complete a
SHORT race at Silversone, without success. I would feel like a complete
idiot telling you this if I wasn't so sure that the AI at Silverstone must
be somehow...strange. Here's what happens (EACH TIME I restart the race!):

I qualified 10th, and as I'm running with a full grid of AI cars this puts
me right into the middle of the bunch. Main problem: at Silverstone it seems
just as if the AI goes totally numb at starts.They drive just like tanks, no
trace of "AI". If I try not to push it, I get pushed (no matter how late I
brake), when trying to escape those numbskulls behind me, I get a toss from
the side. This might be  paranoid, but I'm damn sure that before the race
even starts, the computer has already planned when to make AI-car "x" do
"y".

I have restarted the race for some 50 times, and I could notice that there
was only about 5 different start-scenarios. I learned to recognize these
scenarios by the time it would take the starter to lower the flag, and I
knew right away what would happen during the next 10 seconds. This was just
the same with NASCAR 2.

The AI cars simply don't care shit about whether you're gonna be hit or not.
They just follow their (prescribed) path - on  the first 1/2 mile, that is.

Then, same as in Nascar 2, every now and then I was able to recognize the
same AI driving errors done by the same drivers on the same spot. I saw this
the first time playing Nascar 2: started a race, then all of a sudden I had
an engine failure. This happened in lap 212. "Shit" I thought, reloaded the
previously saved qualifying session, restarted the race, and blam- there it
was again. No, it wasn't MY fault. I fear that this will be the same with
GPL.

To shorten this, I really can't seem to finish them damn 12 laps at
Silverstone. From the start I have Rodriguez and Rindt around, and it seems
like they're hunting me. So many times did I get kicked out by one of them
in situations where there was plenty of room for all of us.

To know that "the storybook is already written" before the race even starts
is a real disappointment. But Papy did it in NASCAR 2 (dunno bout 1), and
voil, did it again.

I never had THIS much problems in GPL like I have at Silverstone. I did fine
in Monaco, a course that's ten times more difficult, and until today I was
more than amazed by the way the AI try to stay away from trouble, but this
here...I don't get this.

Another strange thing at Silverstone: Many cars have no numbers!!!! All is
fine during practice, but in the race the numbers just aren't there. Anyone
else seen this?

What shall I say? I AM FRUSTRATED. I'll give it ONE last try (hell, even lie
when I pray).

Thank you for listening.

These numbers may be a little off since I didn't start counting until
about 15 crashes in, but you get the idea! I did the races over two days
and just couldn't believe that it took me so long.

Cheers!

--
Graeme Nash

You know what to do with "don't_spam_me"...
http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk/
ICQ# 11257824

"Who put that tree there?"

first off, thanks for the sounds, I've enjoyed them and they improve
what at least I hear...

Looks like we have the same stuff that happens at the last turn at
Monza.  Regardless of what you do, you will get hit or go too fast to
make the corner.  Sounds like papy should take a look.

If you look at the various ini files (I don't remember which one),
there are probability parameters listed for each driver and each type
of potential problem.  It would make sense to calculate these and the
time they occur only once per race and then apply them at the required
time.  I don't think Papy is designing things for us to restart 50
times and being able to recognize a pattern.  The problem is that the
AI needs to be fixed for those situations.  Overall I've been really
impressed with the improved AI. I find them much easier to deal with
than humans that are warping, disappearing and then reappearing right
in front of me!  Reminds me off watching a Nascar replay as the poor
drivers try and drive blind through tire smoke!

Up to your mentioning this at Silverstone (I haven't tried the track
yet), the only place I'd seen the problems was at Monza.  Let's hope
Papy can adjust this.

Jeff

<stuff about crazy AI at Silverstone deleted>

Have you edited the AI settings at all?  Perhaps doing this can throw
things out of whack. Of course, this wouldn't explain the canned
behavior you describe.

Have you used any of the car graphics patches that are floating around?

I haven't raced to much at Silverstone, myself, but I'll check it out.

Dave Ewing

I don't normally bother qualifying... just dive straight into the race and claw
my way up to, oh, at least 16th ;-)

But after reading this I did a few laps at Silverstone, and qualified in 11th.
When the race started everyone got through the 1st few turns without any
major incidents.

In the past, and especially at the back of the field, I've had problems with
being shunted, but that was usually because I hit the brakes far too hard, or
tried to be clever. I have to remember the AI at the back of the grid are
generally going to be just as prone to misjudgments as I am :-)

Andrew McP

Unfortunately this showed that 99% of the time it was me that swerved or
made an error.  Damn.

Ben

I think GP2 suffers from the same problem: whatever you do, whatever
your driving style is, failures are being diced out at the start.

Too bad to see it in GPL, too.

Cheers,

Uwe

--
 Spam-proof e-mail: Uwe Schuerkamp <hoover at telemedia . de>
http://www.telemedia.de/~hoover ////// Phone: +49-5241-80-10-66
    Best of Scottish Folk: http://home.pages.de/~nsg
  >>> Blue Ribbon Campaign:  Support Free Speech on the Internet <<<