rec.autos.simulators

j

Hang in there, do lots of laps, practice each corner and hit "shift R" a lot.
It does get easier, and it's really worth it.

Kurt

It sounds like the main problem you are having is with
a phenomenon called "trailing throttle oversteer".  TTO
happens when you are turning the car and let completely
off the gas.  What happens is this - the idling motor
induces a drag on the rear wheels, which causes them
to break loose and start sliding.  To compensate for
TTO, you need to keep the throttle opened up a bit
while turning.  The trick is to balance the rpms
of the motor with your speed so that there is no
drag on the rear wheels.  It's really cool once you
get the hang of it.  By adding a little extra throttle
you can tighten up the car and catch a slide, and
effectively steer the car through a turn by modulating
the throttle.

One other thing I've found - if all else fails and
you are sliding badly, sometimes hitting the brakes
will save it.  That works better at WG then at Monza
for me though.  Monza seems a lot more slick.

--
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IMPACT Motorsports
http://www.impactmotorsports.com/pd.html
------------------------------------------------------

Good luck,
Leo

Paul

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To reply by email, please take out the
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Q: What happens when you let of the accelerator?

A: You loose grip on the rear wheels, as weight is transferred towards
the front. Letting of the gas in a corner at high speed is a *big*
mistake, even (especially :) in your grandmother's Volvo.

The trick is to finish the braking/deceleration *before* turning into the
corner, and applying throttle *as soon as possible*. This way, weight is
transferred to the rear wheels (ideally 40% front, 60% rear) and the car
will be perfectly balanced through the corner. If the car starts to
understeer because of the light frontend, you "simply" apply more hrottle
to make the rear slide out a bit.

I think this makes sense. As the rear end has limited/no downforce on
these cars, you don't want to make it even worse by braking and thereby
reducing the traction on the rear wheels.

--

H.M.Haga

I also use a T2, (and sometimes an F1 Sim) and can now manage 1:10 at
the Glen and have managed 1:34 at Monza (both in the lotus GP) which is
not that quick? but fast enough.....

A couple of points, for *all* racing sims, but especially for GPL,
smoothness = speed. You really must try to be as smooth as possible on
the controls, it takes a lot of practice, but will be rewarding
eventually.

When you feel the car start to slide, do *not* immediately lift off the
throttle, as this can actually make the spin worse, the front end drops
as you suddenly slow, the rear wheels become light, and the back end
swap around! Try to lift off the throttle *slightly*, say keep between
25% and 50% throttle, and steer *into* the slide.

When you approach a corner try to be travelling in a *straight* line
while you are braking, brake down to the correct speed, then press the
throttle as (or just before) you steer into the corner, this gives some
grip to the wheels, (which may otherwise have been locked up under
braking, or light as the car is slowing).

When you are actually turning a corner, if the car starts to slide try
to steer with the throttle rather than the wheel, if you increase
throttle the car edges out to the edge of the track, decrease throttle
and the car turns in tighter, try it and see.... (But I cannot
emphasise too much that you must be *SMOOTH*)

You could also try one of the slower cars to learn these techniques
(The GP3 Lotus can *really* be thrown around!) then once you are
reasonably happy, step up to the faster cars, but apply the same
technique, (you just have to be a bit *quicker* with your reflexes with
the faster cars?)

Also try to gradually increase your speeds, on each lap, do *NOT* try
hell for leather for a really quick time, and fly off the track on
every lap. Instead just concentrate on staying on the track for a whole
lap, when you can do that consistently, then try to go just a *bit*
faster.

Say you are lapping consistenly (and keeping the car on the track with
relative ease) at around 1:50, the next lap do *not* try for a 1:34,
instead try for a 1:49, then a 1:48, so you are *gradually* increasing
your times, and gradually improving your skill. Before you know it you
will be in the GPL HQ website top ten at 1:30?

Above all practice, practice, oh? and practice (but be *smooth*....)

8-)

*Peter*    8-)
(NB: remove asterix to e-mail)

Yes.  I was once in these shoes and it can be frustrating.  You will have to
remember that the demo setups are not that good.  Even with them, after
practice, I started to be able to make laps around the track and then some
good power slides into turns started to happen.  It just really takes awhile
for you to get the feel of the sim but once you do, you will love it.

Once released, I'm sure there will be good setups out.  The beta team has
put out setups for all of us to use which I need help on and they make a
huge differance.  I'm now getting down in the low 1:09 range and this is
from a guy that could not make a lap early on.  Stick with it.

I'm even getting good at some of the harder tracks now too and find it very
hard to quit playing now.

--
Brian Tate
BTate80    on TEN
Zanzibar in Quake2  (The guy running around with the middle finger up)
Assist LA for THOMAS ENTERPRISES HAWAII ACE LEAGUE  http://dithots.org

Jay.  One other trick to get you started which I did.

Always get slowed down with the brake before turning the wheel.  Don't go
into a turn, turning the wheel and trying to brake at the same time.   Do
this for awhile and before you know it, you will start picking up time,
staying on the track and get the feel of where that edge is.

--
Brian Tate
BTate80    on TEN
Zanzibar in Quake2  (The guy running around with the middle finger up)
Assist LA for THOMAS ENTERPRISES HAWAII ACE LEAGUE  http://dithots.org

Here's the major mistake. If you were depressing the clutch at the
same moment, it might work. But if you just let go the accelerator,
the engine will brake the rear wheels, which gives an effect identical
to spinning wheels. Try this: ease off the gas pedal just a little bit
and countersteer. The car with its current setup will probably still
spin out, but your chances are slightly better. ;) You can try the
effect of "trailing throttle oversteer" in one of the faster turns on
either track: get off the throttle apruptly, and the car will begin to
oversteer. Apply some more gas, and it will be neutral again. This can
actually be very handy when you're going to wide in one of these
turns.

Do not try to drive like David Mansell (the guy who holds the record
at the Glen). It just doesn't work for us mere mortals. :) Start out
with braking early and downshifting early. I know that isn't a very
cool advice, but it works. It's almost always better to enter a turn
slowly and accelerate afterwards than to careen into it and somehow
manage to keep the car on the tarmac. Even if you don't fly off, the
squealing tires and smoke will eat up all your speed and you will be
slower at the exit of the turn than you would have been, had you
entered the turn in a more modest manner.

I sucked badly for the first 50 laps at Watkins Glen. I'm still far
from being really fast (consistent 1:12s, never came below 1:10), but
I'm getting better. Practice does it.

--
Wolfgang Preiss   \ E-mail copies of replies to this posting are welcome.

I even thought i didnt like that game ... I thought I must buy a wheel to
play this thing
i wasnt able to finish a single lap ...

but now i really love it, i can drive with the keyboard!

1.08.3 at glen  and 1.33.2 at monza

guy, keep trying ... its a wonderfull simulator ....

Ayrton McKafre