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Rec.Autos.Simulators Archive

GPL: PARANOID or what?

7 posts by 7 people · 19 Nov 1998 - 23 Nov 1998

MeatWater 19 Nov 1998#435343
First let me tell you that GPL really is the f' best sim I've ever seen. I just can't believe this. I spent the last three hours trying to complete a SHORT race at Silversone, without success. I would feel like a complete idiot telling you this if I wasn't so sure that the AI at Silverstone must be somehow...strange. Here's what happens (EACH TIME I restart the race!): I qualified 10th, and as I'm running with a full grid of AI cars this puts me right into the middle of the bunch. Main problem: at Silverstone it seems just as if the AI goes totally numb at starts.They drive just like tanks, no trace of "AI". If I try not to push it, I get pushed (no matter how late I brake), when trying to escape those numbskulls behind me, I get a toss from the side. This might be paranoid, but I'm damn sure that before the race even starts, the computer has already planned when to make AI-car "x" do "y". I have restarted the race for some 50 times, and I could notice that there was only about 5 different start-scenarios. I learned to recognize these scenarios by the time it would take the starter to lower the flag, and I knew right away what would happen during the next 10 seconds. This was just the same with NASCAR 2. The AI cars simply don't care shit about whether you're gonna be hit or not. They just follow their (prescribed) path - on the first 1/2 mile, that is. Then, same as in Nascar 2, every now and then I was able to recognize the same AI driving errors done by the same drivers on the same spot. I saw this the first time playing Nascar 2: started a race, then all of a sudden I had an engine failure. This happened in lap 212. "Shit" I thought, reloaded the previously saved qualifying session, restarted the race, and blam- there it was again. No, it wasn't MY fault. I fear that this will be the same with GPL. To shorten this, I really can't seem to finish them damn 12 laps at Silverstone. From the start I have Rodriguez and Rindt around, and it seems like they're hunting me. So many times did I get kicked out by one of them in situations where there was plenty of room for all of us. To know that "the storybook is already written" before the race even starts is a real disappointment. But Papy did it in NASCAR 2 (dunno bout 1), and voil, did it again. I never had THIS much problems in GPL like I have at Silverstone. I did fine in Monaco, a course that's ten times more difficult, and until today I was more than amazed by the way the AI try to stay away from trouble, but this here...I don't get this. Another strange thing at Silverstone: Many cars have no numbers!!!! All is fine during practice, but in the race the numbers just aren't there. Anyone else seen this? What shall I say? I AM FRUSTRATED. I'll give it ONE last try (hell, even lie when I pray). Thank you for listening.
Graeme Nash 19 Nov 1998#435344
Hehehe, that's nothing! A few weeks ago I made 92 starts at Kyalami, and failed to finish. I finally won at the 93rd attempt! These numbers may be a little off since I didn't start counting until about 15 crashes in, but you get the idea! I did the races over two days and just couldn't believe that it took me so long. Cheers! -- Graeme Nash You know what to do with "don't_spam_me"... http://www.karisma1.demon.co.uk/ ICQ# 11257824 "Who put that tree there?"
Jeff Ha 19 Nov 1998#435345
On Thu, 19 Nov 1998 03:43:16 +0100, "Mea***er" >First let me tell you that GPL really is the f' best sim I've ever seen. >I just can't believe this. I spent the last three hours trying to complete a >SHORT race at Silversone, without success. Meat, first off, thanks for the sounds, I've enjoyed them and they improve what at least I hear... Looks like we have the same stuff that happens at the last turn at Monza. Regardless of what you do, you will get hit or go too fast to make the corner. Sounds like papy should take a look. If you look at the various ini files (I don't remember which one), there are probability parameters listed for each driver and each type of potential problem. It would make sense to calculate these and the time they occur only once per race and then apply them at the required time. I don't think Papy is designing things for us to restart 50 times and being able to recognize a pattern. The problem is that the AI needs to be fixed for those situations. Overall I've been really impressed with the improved AI. I find them much easier to deal with than humans that are warping, disappearing and then reappearing right in front of me! Reminds me off watching a Nascar replay as the poor drivers try and drive blind through tire smoke! Up to your mentioning this at Silverstone (I haven't tried the track yet), the only place I'd seen the problems was at Monza. Let's hope Papy can adjust this. Jeff
David Ewing 19 Nov 1998#435346
<stuff about crazy AI at Silverstone deleted> Have you edited the AI settings at all? Perhaps doing this can throw things out of whack. Of course, this wouldn't explain the canned behavior you describe. Have you used any of the car graphics patches that are floating around? I haven't raced to much at Silverstone, myself, but I'll check it out. Dave Ewing
I don't normally bother qualifying... just dive straight into the race and claw my way up to, oh, at least 16th ;-) But after reading this I did a few laps at Silverstone, and qualified in 11th. When the race started everyone got through the 1st few turns without any major incidents. In the past, and especially at the back of the field, I've had problems with being shunted, but that was usually because I hit the brakes far too hard, or tried to be clever. I have to remember the AI at the back of the grid are generally going to be just as prone to misjudgments as I am :-) Andrew McP
Ben Coleman 20 Nov 1998#435539
I used to swear and curse after the bastard AI took me out in the bunch and under braking. I started replaying the incidents from various views. Unfortunately this showed that 99% of the time it was me that swerved or made an error. Damn. Ben >> I qualified 10th, and as I'm running with a full grid of AI cars this puts >> me right into the middle of the bunch. Main problem: at Silverstone >> it seems just as if the AI goes totally numb at starts >I don't normally bother qualifying... just dive straight into the race and claw >my way up to, oh, at least 16th ;-) >But after reading this I did a few laps at Silverstone, and qualified in 11th. >When the race started everyone got through the 1st few turns without any >major incidents. >In the past, and especially at the back of the field, I've had problems with >being shunted, but that was usually because I hit the brakes far too hard, or >tried to be clever. I have to remember the AI at the back of the grid are >generally going to be just as prone to misjudgments as I am :-) >Andrew McP
I think GP2 suffers from the same problem: whatever you do, whatever your driving style is, failures are being diced out at the start. Too bad to see it in GPL, too. Cheers, Uwe -- Spam-proof e-mail: Uwe Schuerkamp <hoover at telemedia . de> http://www.telemedia.de/~hoover ////// Phone: +49-5241-80-10-66 Best of Scottish Folk: http://home.pages.de/~nsg >>> Blue Ribbon Campaign: Support Free Speech on the Internet <<<

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