To Michael and his gang, in fact to any of those writing stuff for the
sims...
Good work..Your efforts make the experience that much better for us mundane
types...
Thanks for doing the Voodoo(oops!) that you do.
dave henrie
CCG AI NASCAR2 Project Announcement
Yes, we listened to your feedback on our first AI enhancement for
Talladega. So head to our site and pickup Version 2.0 for Talladega.
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/6746/
Dega Vu! Version 2.0 of CCG's Talladega AI
What have we improved?
We have learned alot from working on other tracks since or first
Talladega AI. We also listened to feedback about our efforts at
Talladega. The new version has greatly enhanced the drafting of the our
original AI. Here are some of improvements you will see:
o Smooth starts with no slowing down in the turns or the dogleg on the
first lap after the green flag. If you run a pace lap you should enjoy
clean and fast starts. Since they really take off, please read the
README.TXT file for suggested gearing for green flag starts.
o Side-by-side racing by two drafting "trains". They will run this way
for quite a number of laps before they start breaking up into separate
batches.
o The AI will attempt to pass damaged (slower cars). Usually they will
do so without losing much speed. However, there will be times when
slower cars are driving side-by-side. When this happens, the faster cars
may slow up a little before getting around.
o Greatly lessened the chance of an AI car running in the racing grooves
to slow down for cars as they come out of the pits. It still happens,
but not as often as it did with Papyrus' original or Version 1 of our
AI.
o Within limits of the sim engine, we have been able to greatly enhance
the AI's speed going into and out of the turns. This should be extremely
evident in Turns 3 & 4.
o You will see the AI make more intelligent moves when attempting to
pass. They are even more inclined to drop out of line and come up behind
the human player to provide a "drafting partner".
o Both our old version and Papyrus' AI had a tendency to "pinch" the
human player to the outside wall. Version 2 should give the human player
plenty of room to pass on the outside. However, this doesn't mean they
will roll over and just let you pass!
o 3 different versions of the AI. This will provide variety and a little
bit of something for everybody's taste.
1. Tight packs running side by side with almost all "dicing" being
done by drafting cars.
2. Introduces more cars dropping out of the draft attempting to pass.
Lessens the impact slightly of the side-by-side packs.
3. Even more dicing by the AI cars. The AI do not tend to stay bunched
up in big packs. May also cause minor slowing of the AI while dicing
for positions in the turns or the dogleg.
o We have also provided a special Drivers Skills numbers file for use at
Talladega. While the skills numbers can be used at other tracks, we have
greatly reduced the "drag" numbers and brought the individual skills
closer together. The results help create a closer simulation of
restrictor-plate racing at Talladega. This is a vital component to our
enhanced AI.
The CCG AI team:
--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Thanks, Michael (and the others)!
After many delays I finally got round to trying the previous version last
night (typical, huh <g>) and it was, indeed, a very great improvement
over the original AI. From your message it looks like you've already
addressed all the points I noted. Looks like I'll be back at Dega tonight
<g>
Cheers,
Richard
I've been trying the new AI for the last couple of nights. I've had a
number of smallish runs and am currently 2/3 through a full length race
(RELS 110, OPPS 100%). I'm currently in 4th, largely thanks to a couple
of cautions in quick succession - most of the race has been spent around
20th spot after taking a provisional. It really takes a very different
driving style, with most of the time being spent trying to form a
drafting train to catch up to the one in front after having made an early
mistake and losing the main draft.
About 1 in 4 starts they will slow in T3, but other than that the starts
are great - and those gearing changes are really needed <g>
If I had one real comment it is that they are a bit quick on the
restarts. Maybe I've just got to time my own start better, but it is a
little too easy to completely lose the draft if you are at the back of
the train.
Best so far was 10 laps into the race and the entire field within 3
seconds! I've seen the lead 25 or so cars stay together for nearly half a
fuel run.
This is probably the best of all. I've seen the whole field get past a
damaged car without losing any time at all - I hope Papy are studying the
LP files <g>
Haven't really noticed this yet.
Still just a little slow coming out of T4 (and slightly less so out of
T2) but it is a vast improvement. No easy passes now <g>
To be honest, I wish they would be my drafting partner more often <g>
Yep, they are now very considerate but will really *race* and it takes
good timing to make a pass stick.
I have to say I am amazed at how much the N2 AI engine has been exploited
in producing this new AI. The difference between this and Papy's original
AI is like night and day. It has really set the standard by which I will
be judging the AI in N3. Indeed there is very little scope for
substantial changes. About the only one I can think of is that with all
this drafting we need a way to be able to form proper drafting
partnerships. Any mistakes are quite severely punished as it is all but
impossible to regain a draft once lost. Being able to call on a buddy to
help out would be nice.... <g>
Cheers,
Richard
