Beating the AI (Shumacher type) pitters - NR2003

Having read quite a bit of talk here about pitting in NR2003 just prompted me to think about the AI's ability to do a very good Michael Shumacher impression every time they pit and take at least 3 or 4 seconds (and often more) out of me. I do try to practice my pit entry during the practise sessions so as to at least get the task down to a reasonable lick. I've even taken to turning on the speed indicator during pitting to keep my pit speed just at the maximum allowed and yet, despite all of this, they seem to find some way of taking valuable seconds out of me. The hardest part, I find, is stopping in my pitstall without slowing down to a crawl on the way in to avoid overshooting. Is it me, basically? Are there those out here who can outdo those AI pitmeisters? -- Peter Ives (AKA Pete Ivington) Remove ALL_STRESS before replying via email If you know what's good for you, don't listen to me :) GPLRank Joystick -50.63 Wheel -25.01

Il Mon, 1 Mar 2004 20:44:14 +0000, Peter Ives ha scritto: >Is it me, basically? Are there those out here who can outdo those AI >pitmeisters? I think there's nothing wrong with you. The AI is simply perfect when it comes to pitting, and I don't think it's something you can tweak with the AI slider (which only affects the speed of your opponents). Of course one can always improve.... the cpu doesn't cheat, so it's actually possible to reduce the gap to a minimum by training hardly! P.

In article <[email hidden]>, Marco Pisellonio <[email hidden]> writes

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>Il Mon, 1 Mar 2004 20:44:14 +0000, Peter Ives ha scritto: > > >>Is it me, basically? Are there those out here who can outdo those AI >>pitmeisters? > >I think there's nothing wrong with you. The AI is simply perfect when it >comes >to pitting, and I don't think it's something you can tweak with the AI slider >(which only affects the speed of your opponents). >Of course one can always improve.... the cpu doesn't cheat, so it's actually >possible to reduce the gap to a minimum by training hardly! > >

Cheers Marco. Thought that was probably the case. Who knows though, possibly there's an ini file that holds some AI pitting settings that affect their ability to pit as well as they do. I may have to play around a bit. -- Peter Ives (AKA Pete Ivington) Remove ALL_STRESS before replying via email If you know what's good for you, don't listen to me :) GPLRank Joystick -50.63 Wheel -25.01

On Sat, 6 Mar 2004 15:16:43 +0000, Peter Ives <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>In article <[email hidden]>, Marco >Pisellonio <[email hidden]> writes >>Il Mon, 1 Mar 2004 20:44:14 +0000, Peter Ives ha scritto: >> >> >>>Is it me, basically? Are there those out here who can outdo those AI >>>pitmeisters? >> >>I think there's nothing wrong with you. The AI is simply perfect when it >>comes >>to pitting, and I don't think it's something you can tweak with the AI slider >>(which only affects the speed of your opponents). >>Of course one can always improve.... the cpu doesn't cheat, so it's actually >>possible to reduce the gap to a minimum by training hardly! >> >> >Cheers Marco. Thought that was probably the case. Who knows though, >possibly there's an ini file that holds some AI pitting settings that >affect their ability to pit as well as they do. I may have to play >around a bit.

At some tracks I've got them clearly beat: at Dega for example if I merge in turn one (no cars coming up fast behind of course) I can usually beat them out of two since they usually are still running on the apron. On the roadies their first lap tends to be quite a bit slower than normal (I guess to model those cold tires) so I can gain on them then. I'd just recommend practicing until you can brake optimally for your stall (if they take just right sides that can also make them quicker too). John DiFool

Il Sat, 06 Mar 2004 17:36:26 GMT, John DiFool ha scritto:

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>At some tracks I've got them clearly beat: at Dega for example if I >merge in turn one (no cars coming up fast behind of course) I can >usually beat them out of two since they usually are still running on >the apron. On the roadies their first lap tends to be quite a bit >slower than normal (I guess to model those cold tires) so I can >gain on them then. I'd just recommend practicing until you can >brake optimally for your stall (if they take just right sides that can >also make them quicker too).

Well ok, there are some tracks were you can gain precious seconds braking later or entering the track before the AI does. There are some, for example, in which the AI brakes in the backstraight, while you can slow down in the middle of turn 4 if nobody is following you. Of course it's a tradeoff, because it is faster but more dangerous. I was assuming, however, that we were talking about the time between the moment you enter the pit lane and the moment you exit. In that case, the AI is unbeatable, because it can run constantly at maximum speed and brake just before it reaches the pit stall. P.

In article <[email hidden]>, Marco Pisellonio <[email hidden]> writes

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>Il Sat, 06 Mar 2004 17:36:26 GMT, John DiFool ha scritto: > > >>At some tracks I've got them clearly beat: at Dega for example if I >>merge in turn one (no cars coming up fast behind of course) I can >>usually beat them out of two since they usually are still running on >>the apron. On the roadies their first lap tends to be quite a bit >>slower than normal (I guess to model those cold tires) so I can >>gain on them then. I'd just recommend practicing until you can >>brake optimally for your stall (if they take just right sides that can >>also make them quicker too). > >Well ok, there are some tracks were you can gain precious seconds braking >later >or entering the track before the AI does. >There are some, for example, in which the AI brakes in the backstraight, >while >you can slow down in the middle of turn 4 if nobody is following you. Of >course >it's a tradeoff, because it is faster but more dangerous. >

Yeah, I've tried this waiting to the last second malarchy (or as near as it is safe to without getting in a braking panic when the pit lane marker looms close and I'm still trying to slow down) and even then, if you slow just that touch too early you'll have the AI wizzing past if there's space to do so. They just seem to be able to slow down at exactly the right time in order to be at exactly the correct speed when crossing the pit line.

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>I was assuming, however, that we were talking about the time between the >moment >you enter the pit lane and the moment you exit. In that case, the AI is >unbeatable, because it can run constantly at maximum speed and brake just >before >it reaches the pit stall. >

Well that as well. There is just no way I'm going to get my braking spot-on unless I take it real careful. I'll either come up short, or worst still, overshoot. I think I read somewhere about changing the view to one the helps guage your pit stall area, but I'm a die-hard, in- car racer so the view has to stay from behind the steering wheel. -- Peter Ives (AKA Pete Ivington) Remove ALL_STRESS before replying via email If you know what's good for you, don't listen to me :) GPLRank Joystick -50.63 Wheel -25.01

In article <[email hidden]>, Peter Ives <[email hidden]> writes:

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>Yeah, I've tried this waiting to the last second malarchy (or as near as >it is safe to without getting in a braking panic when the pit lane >marker looms close and I'm still trying to slow down) and even then, if >you slow just that touch too early you'll have the AI wizzing past if >there's space to do so. They just seem to be able to slow down at >exactly the right time in order to be at exactly the correct speed when >crossing the pit line.

That's the thing about computer players. They know exactly where the barriers/limits are(racing), they can micromanage perfectly(combat), and know where all the resources are in RTS games. Unfair advantage... Eldred -- http://www.umich.edu/~epickett Screamers League IICC League GPLRank -6.0 MoGPL rank +267.80 Ch.Rank +52.58 MoC +741.71 Hist. +82.34 MoH:na N2k3 rank:in progress Slayer Spektera lvl 72 assassin Slayer Spectral_K lvl 38 Necro US East