There have been a lot of posts since GPL came out about the handling
being too difficult, the cars being impossible too control, etc. Here's
what I found:
For the first couple of days I was all over the place. I couldn't string
together two clean laps to save my life. My biggest problems were: car
wandering all over the track under heavy acceleration, and snap spinning
on transitions (going form accel to baraking, turning in, etc.).
In "Four Wheel Drift" Smith emphasises heavily the need to short shift
when first learning the cars. Well I had tried that, for about 5
seconds, and then gone back to driving right at the redline. Last night
I got frustrated enough really try short shifting. I was struggling at
Monza, especially going in to Lesmos. Smith had described Lesmos as
third gear corners, but I couldn't go in faster then 75 mph, which
seemed to call for 2nd gear. But I finally tried taking the corners in
third, still slowing to around 75 mph. Amazing! Suddenly I could control
the car easily, especially going into the turn and getting back on the
power coming out.
As I played around with this more, I started shifting much earlier in
every gear, using the Ferrari at about 9 o'clock on the tach, well below
the redline. Suddenly the car was much easier to control. I was still
driving the same speeds in the turns, but getting back on the power much
quicker. I was ssaving the redline for fifth gear on the straights. I
started stringing clean laps together, and my times started coming down
dramatically.
I expect to gradually raise my shift point up, but for now, this
technique has made GPL a whole new game for me. I tried short shifting
at several different tracks and the results were the same, much greater
control of the car, sudden ability to steer in andout of the turns with
the throttle very easily, and much quicker la times.
Of course I'm still several seconds off the top times, but now I know
that with continued practice I can improve to those times. But there is
a definite learning curve that needs to be followed. If you are trying
to apply the maximum horsepower in every gear right from the start you
are going to be very frustrated with GPL. Instead, set an imaginary rev
limit, well below the redline, and discover how controlable and just
damn fun, these cars can be.
Ed Benson
Controlling the power in a balanced, fluid manner is the key. Anyone with
experience driving in snow will know what that's like. These are similar
dynamics because although the road is asphalt, the cars' light weight and
massive power makes it possible to over-power the car and cause a spin very
easily--just like a regular road car on a slippery surface.
Do all your braking before you get to a corner and then try to smoothly
power your way through turns...
Marc.
Quoted text (38 lines)
>There have been a lot of posts since GPL came out about the handling >being too difficult, the cars being impossible too control, etc. Here's >what I found: >For the first couple of days I was all over the place. I couldn't string >together two clean laps to save my life. My biggest problems were: car >wandering all over the track under heavy acceleration, and snap spinning >on transitions (going form accel to baraking, turning in, etc.). >In "Four Wheel Drift" Smith emphasises heavily the need to short shift >when first learning the cars. Well I had tried that, for about 5 >seconds, and then gone back to driving right at the redline. Last night >I got frustrated enough really try short shifting. I was struggling at >Monza, especially going in to Lesmos. Smith had described Lesmos as >third gear corners, but I couldn't go in faster then 75 mph, which >seemed to call for 2nd gear. But I finally tried taking the corners in >third, still slowing to around 75 mph. Amazing! Suddenly I could control >the car easily, especially going into the turn and getting back on the >power coming out. >As I played around with this more, I started shifting much earlier in >every gear, using the Ferrari at about 9 o'clock on the tach, well below >the redline. Suddenly the car was much easier to control. I was still >driving the same speeds in the turns, but getting back on the power much >quicker. I was ssaving the redline for fifth gear on the straights. I >started stringing clean laps together, and my times started coming down >dramatically. >I expect to gradually raise my shift point up, but for now, this >technique has made GPL a whole new game for me. I tried short shifting >at several different tracks and the results were the same, much greater >control of the car, sudden ability to steer in andout of the turns with >the throttle very easily, and much quicker la times. >Of course I'm still several seconds off the top times, but now I know >that with continued practice I can improve to those times. But there is >a definite learning curve that needs to be followed. If you are trying >to apply the maximum horsepower in every gear right from the start you >are going to be very frustrated with GPL. Instead, set an imaginary rev >limit, well below the redline, and discover how controlable and just >damn fun, these cars can be. >Ed Benson> In "Four Wheel Drift" Smith emphasises heavily the need to short shift
> when first learning the cars.
This bit of advice has turned the sim from frustrating into fun for me :)
As with you, I can now string together multiple laps with fairly
consistent times.
Devon
