rec.autos.simulators

Actually, after seeing todays race....the low lines on the default may be
correct.

Haven't driven N99, but I do know passing on high and low in Vegas can be
done.

Eh, just idle speculation. :)

Golgo

Thank god if you can do it.  The AI at vegas is out of control,
they run everywhere all over the track.  Cars that can't hold the
low line will just run middle, and if you try to take them high
they will pull a Kenny Irwin on ya and bump ya into the wall.

I don't mind any AI car running the low line... but fer
fricksakes stay there, and/or run the low line or the high line
but not RIGHT IN THE FRICKING MIDDLE.

I ran two 50% races there this weekend.  Extraordinarily
frustrating.  It's a great track with two complete racing
grooves, I love the track and the racing is excellent.  But never
have I been so dissappointed with any tracks AI.  On pace laps
the cars jump 10 feet to the right or left at various places on
the track.  The autobrake does not work leaving the pits, slows
you down to about 10mph.  Over the two races I was spun out from
behind leaving the pits 3 times.  Total cautions was 10, I was
involved in only 2.

Of all the AI I have seen so far (have not raced all '99 tracks
yet) this one is THE WORST.  The cars jump from line to line at a
whim, go 3 wide into turns 1 and 3 without hesitation (the 21 car
does it at will, wrecks every race)... you cannot make it through
those turns 3 wide and the AI should know it.  It is not
possible.

Tom, if you want someone to test it I would be more than willing!
Mind my spam gaurd for email reply.

-=Hammer
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I actually think that the defaul AI for Vegas give the best racing of any AI in
the game!  They stay two and three wide all the time.  While not extremely
realistic as of now, it sure is fun!

Dan Belcher
Team Racing Unlimited

Hmmmmmm.  I'm surprised.  I respect your opinion.  To each his
own I guess.  I think it is terrible.

I don't believe 3 wide into any Vegas turn is good AI... just my
opinion.

I did have a gr8 race with B. Labonte for the lead in my second
race there, it was fantastic.  We went at it for 20 laps or so,
he held the low line through the turns brilliantly.   We were
side by side most of the time, although I did pull back to cool
tires at one point.  His AI behaved brilliantly and smartly.  I
did finally get him with an inside pass when he slid up a shade.
Best racing I've ever had with the AI in any version of Nascar.

However, the AI of the slower cars was pathetic in my opinion.

Gordon/Martin were out of sync on pits stops and reeled us in on
fresh tires (20+ laps fresher) from 12 seconds back.  About 5
laps after I got by Bobby I had to let them both by.  Later in
the race it was between the 4 of us with about 15 to go and I got
bounced into the wall taking a back marker on the outside... thus
my disgust with the AI.  He ran the middle of the track for
several laps, slowing us down to 136 in the corners and taking up
the whole track on exit.  None of us could get around him.  He
was in like 30th place.  When I finally had an outside position,
he slipped up and slammed me into the wall.  Took Bobby with me
too.  Complete friggin moron.

I ended up 8th after the wall visit, barely getting around :(.

Have you experienced 4 billion yellow flags there?  Have you been
spun out from behind leaving the pits?  What AI strength are you
running?

Thanks for your input... interesting.

-=Hammer
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[snipped the remaining horror story]

well...after seeing that...damn, AI remindes me of the IRL races we hold at
the LVMS...patch good! AI patch goooood! :D

Golgo

My complaint was that the cars don't push up towards the wall coming off
turns 2 and 4.
The AI is pretty strong here - so you have to run real hard to keep up - and
you certainly
have to use the whole tracking coming off the corners.  The AI runs the
middle of the track
exiting the turns and there is no way you can get under them and make an
inside pass.
The outside pass is available, but the AI is much too quick to complete the
outside pass
through the turns.  Basically, I discovered that either I was going to turn
down the AI
strength so far that I was going to have 100 extra h.p. down the straights -
or the AI cars
needed to have the same push I have coming off turns 2 and 4.  After
watching the Vegas
race, it certainly is clear that the cars use the whole track exiting the
turns.

Anyway, to each his own.  I have made some more adjustments and more are
still needed
for the Vegas AI fix.  But, time to work on a setup for Atlanta.  I will get
the most recent Vegas
AI posted.

Comments welcome.  For example, what are reasonable speeds in the turns and
at the end of
the straights.  I assumed the following ...

Middle of 1 and 2, down to just under 150.
Down the back, up to 182
Middle of 3 and 4, down to around 150
And up to 185+ down the front straight.

Typical lap speed around 166.

The current AI fix is a little too slow down the straight - and a little
quick in the turns.  However, I
had never run this track before last week - so my estimates might not be on
target.  The default
AI at rels=104 was too quick to pass IMO.  I could keep up with the mid-pack
traffic - but I really
couldn't make an reasonable passes.

/TomH