GPL: The Gathering Storm

(Day 4) Thanks to everyone here for their helpful advice. I suspect it will be a while before I "get" it :-) Tried to hook up my CH Pro Pedals but no luck. I don't know much about controllers and I've never had the CH's set up before. I wonder if I need to install some software? Anyway I'm still with my LWFF pedals. Today was a bit of a step backwards. I keep trying to keep on the throttle until brakepoint for big bend. CRASH CRASH CRASH. I'm tracking better around the Loop but still not able to enter the turn at near the speed I should be at (a good exit has me shifting to fourth just past the spectators on the left). The esses are trouble. If I try to get through them FAST it is a fifty fifty proposition. Likewise, trying to keep the line through the 90 is tough as well. GRRRRRR. Best lap today 1:12.70 almost half a sec off my PB and less consistent as well. I figured it would be a quick trip down to around 1:10 and then a hellish push to 1:06. I'm wondering if I should stick to the Glen until I "get it" or if I should move on to Monza. Also: I don't know if this is a good or bad thing but this game has cut into my drinking. I used to have a***tail when I came home from work. Now I don't want any booze in me as I try to learn how to drive. Maybe I'm just saving it all up for when I beat 1:10. I can't wait for the hangover. Christian Hansen

After reading your previous post i don't know whether the Brab is a good car to learn in. It is quite a light torquey car and hard to master, the Ferrari may be a better option for you and use Alison's setups for it as they are very forgiving. Best of luck. Sid.

Watkins Glen is a hard track, because of the camber in the middle of the road. Depending when you cross the crown, it can upset the car during braking very badly. Monza is a much easier track to learn on. The Brab is also not the most forgiving car. The Cooper or Ferrari would be much better choices. Alison Hine's set-ups are excellent, except you may want a little more rear brake bias until you master trail braking like Alison. Moving on to a different track and car might seem like a set-back now, but banging your head against a wall probably is more frustrating in the long run. Take a break from the Glen. All the time on that track is in the esses.... Kevin Caldwell

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> (Day 4) > Thanks to everyone here for their helpful advice. I suspect it will be a > while before I "get" it :-) > Tried to hook up my CH Pro Pedals but no luck. I don't know much about > controllers and I've never had the CH's set up before. I wonder if I need to > install some software? Anyway I'm still with my LWFF pedals. > Today was a bit of a step backwards. I keep trying to keep on the throttle > until brakepoint for big bend. CRASH CRASH CRASH. I'm tracking better around > Christian Hansen

[snip] [snip] Imo, keeping full throttle as far as possible and then slamming the brakes as hard as possible is a very bad idea, especially at tricky places as the big bend, and for two reasons: - The smallest error will upset the car enough to throw you off the track. - You don't actually gain any time from it. The reason for #2 is that it is much more important to end up with the correct speed after the breaking is done than it is to brake as late/hard as possible. If you put higher priority on breaking late than on entering the corner at the correct line and with the correct speed, your times will suffer. The time lost from easing off the throttle slightly before breaking to keep the car stable is also usually miniscule compared to the time lost from a slightly wrong corner entrance. What is important here is that you need only a small reduction of speed just before breaking and only a slightly less agressive application of the breakes to keep the car stable. Note also that giving up trying to break late and hard does _not_ mean you should break early and hard, since doing that will either make you way to slow into the corner (if you stay on the brakes until the turn in point) or at least make you go at corner speed for to long (if you stop breaking when at the correct speed for the corner). What you should do is to stabilize the car by going off the throttle and on the brakes early, but adjust the amount of breaking so that you arrive with the correct speed at the turn in point and with as much of the hard breaking as late as possible. My experience is that it is way to easy to underestimate the standard rule that line is most important, exit speed is second most important and breaking is third. Even though I _know_ the rule, I always find myself breaking it one way or another. I wander off the line while trying to improve the exit speed. I wander off the line while trying to brake later. I hurt my exit speed while trying to brake later. It is not enough to practice the line until you get it and then move on to exit speed etc. You have to _keep_ the line while improving the exit speed. You have to _keep_ the line _and_ the exit speed while improving the breaking. THAT is the hard part :-) _ Mats Lofkvist

Well, I stayed up late last night and actually improved. 1:11:52 in the Brab. I then tried the Lotus and after a couple misfires clocked a few 12's and then my new PB 1:11:11. After hearing all the scary stuff about the Lotus I was surprised. I started making better entries into the Loop. It takes quite a bit of experience to get the correct perception of speed so you don't under or over brake going into a corner. Anyway I'm still improving so YIPEE. Christian Hansen

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> I would have to agree strongly with that opinion. When I first got GPL I > decided to go with the Brabham and found it to be a real handful because > of the massive amount of torque and also because of the short wheelbase. > Maybe it's just me, but I found that even the Lotus was easier to drive > than that little beast. Now, it's a lot of fun but IMHO, the Brabham is > the most difficult car to learn with. > > After reading your previous post i don't know whether the Brab is a good

car > > to learn in. It is quite a light torquey car and hard to master, the Ferrari > > may be a better option for you and use Alison's setups for it as they are

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> > very forgiving. Best of luck. > > Sid. > > > (Day 4) > > > Thanks to everyone here for their helpful advice. I suspect it will be

a > > > while before I "get" it :-) > > > Tried to hook up my CH Pro Pedals but no luck. I don't know much about > > > controllers and I've never had the CH's set up before. I wonder if I need > > to > > > install some software? Anyway I'm still with my LWFF pedals. > > > Today was a bit of a step backwards. I keep trying to keep on the throttle > > > until brakepoint for big bend. CRASH CRASH CRASH. I'm tracking better > > around > > > the Loop but still not able to enter the turn at near the speed I should > > be > > > at (a good exit has me shifting to fourth just past the spectators on the > > > left). The esses are trouble. If I try to get through them FAST it is a > > > fifty fifty proposition. Likewise, trying to keep the line through the 90 > > is > > > tough as well. GRRRRRR. Best lap today 1:12.70 almost half a sec off my > > PB > > > and less consistent as well. I figured it would be a quick trip down to > > > around 1:10 and then a hellish push to 1:06. I'm wondering if I should > > > stick to the Glen until I "get it" or if I should move on to Monza. Also: > > I > > > don't know if this is a good or bad thing but this game has cut into my

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> > > drinking. I used to have a***tail when I came home from work. Now I > > don't > > > want any booze in me as I try to learn how to drive. Maybe I'm just > > saving > > > it all up for when I beat 1:10. I can't wait for the hangover. > > > Christian Hansen

Thank you for the advice. So far I find you are absolutely correct. My lap times actually improve if I lift a bit early to settle the car before braking. Right now I just straight line brake and then feather the throttle to the apex. Once I figure out how to get my computer to recognize my CH pedals I'll start trying to learn to trail brake (and left foot brake). Christian Hansen > [snip] > > Today was a bit of a step backwards. I keep trying to keep on the throttle

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> > until brakepoint for big bend. CRASH CRASH CRASH > [snip] > Imo, keeping full throttle as far as possible and then slamming the > brakes as hard as possible is a very bad idea, especially at tricky > places as the big bend, and for two reasons: > - The smallest error will upset the car enough to throw you off the track. > - You don't actually gain any time from it. > The reason for #2 is that it is much more important to end up > with the correct speed after the breaking is done than it is > to brake as late/hard as possible. If you put higher priority > on breaking late than on entering the corner at the correct > line and with the correct speed, your times will suffer. > The time lost from easing off the throttle slightly before breaking > to keep the car stable is also usually miniscule compared to the > time lost from a slightly wrong corner entrance. What is important > here is that you need only a small reduction of speed just before > breaking and only a slightly less agressive application of the breakes > to keep the car stable. > Note also that giving up trying to break late and hard does _not_ > mean you should break early and hard, since doing that will either > make you way to slow into the corner (if you stay on the brakes > until the turn in point) or at least make you go at corner speed > for to long (if you stop breaking when at the correct speed for > the corner). What you should do is to stabilize the car by going > off the throttle and on the brakes early, but adjust the amount > of breaking so that you arrive with the correct speed at the > turn in point and with as much of the hard breaking as late > as possible. > My experience is that it is way to easy to underestimate the standard > rule that line is most important, exit speed is second most important > and breaking is third. Even though I _know_ the rule, I always find > myself breaking it one way or another. I wander off the line while > trying to improve the exit speed. I wander off the line while trying > to brake later. I hurt my exit speed while trying to brake later. > It is not enough to practice the line until you get it and then move > on to exit speed etc. You have to _keep_ the line while improving > the exit speed. You have to _keep_ the line _and_ the exit speed > while improving the breaking. THAT is the hard part :-) > _ > Mats Lofkvist

> Tried to hook up my CH Pro Pedals but no luck. I don't know much about > controllers and I've never had the CH's set up before. I wonder if I need to > install some software? Anyway I'm still with my LWFF pedals. You need to go to the Game Controllers applet (Start->Settings->Control Panel->Game Controllers) and add it, which will install the drivers, etc. From there you also can calibrate it and test it. Did you do this? Dave Ewing -- ***************************************************** David A. Ewing *****************************************************

how true!! I allways feared the ring - could not finish a lap because I got so frustrated. and then I had to learn it, because I had to race it in the GGPLC. this tracks teaches you one of the most important things in racing: patience. it is a wonderful fealing to complete a lap at the ring without spinning just by being patient and cautious. Lio

Just my .02 as believe me I am no star (pb at monza 1:29:86 ferrari after 6 weeks on the sim) but IMHO too much emphasis is placed on line, braking, exit speed before what I consider important. A GOOD STARTING SETUP. The first thing I do is get some laps in (dont have to be scorching) get the tires flat on the ground and loosen the car up (just my preference) and most important to me - GET THE CAR TO STOP IN A STRAIGHT LINE - Once I have these things squared away I can start pushing my limits. Braking points and line become easier to recognize when you can brake straight and hard, without things getting hectic. Although I am probably in the minority, thats the way I approach it. again, just my humble but honest opinion. Michael Loos

Want a serious suggestion? Go learn the Nurburgring! After I spent a few days there the other tracks started to feel *so* much easier. As for WG... I spent weeks and weeks trying to get below 1:10 and failed. One day I sneaked in a 9'58" and from then on my times slowly headed towards 1:06 (on a good day :-). This is in the Lotus default setup. I like driving other cars but I find the Lotus easiest to drive fast. The Coventry's a nice car, but slow unless you're one of the GPL supermen :-) Andrew McP

IMHO the standard setups that come with GPL 1.2 or the ones from Alison Hine meet the premises. Lio

Go straight for the Lotus. It is unreliable and you are going to blow the engine, but I disagree with it being classed as hard to drive. I really like Dougs soft setup and think this is a good setup to learn with rather than the top hotlapers which I find near impossible. The advantage then is when racing online you will have the most competitive car right from the start. -----------== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News ==---------- http://www.newsfeeds.com The Largest Usenet Servers in the World! ------== Over 73,000 Newsgroups - Including Dedicated Binaries Servers ==-----

I would have to agree strongly with that opinion. When I first got GPL I decided to go with the Brabham and found it to be a real handful because of the massive amount of torque and also because of the short wheelbase. Maybe it's just me, but I found that even the Lotus was easier to drive than that little beast. Now, it's a lot of fun but IMHO, the Brabham is the most difficult car to learn with.

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> After reading your previous post i don't know whether the Brab is a good car > to learn in. It is quite a light torquey car and hard to master, the Ferrari > may be a better option for you and use Alison's setups for it as they are > very forgiving. Best of luck. > Sid. > > (Day 4) > > Thanks to everyone here for their helpful advice. I suspect it will be a > > while before I "get" it :-) > > Tried to hook up my CH Pro Pedals but no luck. I don't know much about > > controllers and I've never had the CH's set up before. I wonder if I need > to > > install some software? Anyway I'm still with my LWFF pedals. > > Today was a bit of a step backwards. I keep trying to keep on the throttle > > until brakepoint for big bend. CRASH CRASH CRASH. I'm tracking better > around > > the Loop but still not able to enter the turn at near the speed I should > be > > at (a good exit has me shifting to fourth just past the spectators on the > > left). The esses are trouble. If I try to get through them FAST it is a > > fifty fifty proposition. Likewise, trying to keep the line through the 90 > is > > tough as well. GRRRRRR. Best lap today 1:12.70 almost half a sec off my > PB > > and less consistent as well. I figured it would be a quick trip down to > > around 1:10 and then a hellish push to 1:06. I'm wondering if I should > > stick to the Glen until I "get it" or if I should move on to Monza. Also: > I > > don't know if this is a good or bad thing but this game has cut into my > > drinking. I used to have a***tail when I came home from work. Now I > don't > > want any booze in me as I try to learn how to drive. Maybe I'm just > saving > > it all up for when I beat 1:10. I can't wait for the hangover. > > Christian Hansen

Funnily enough, the Ferrari 312 actually has the shortest wheelbase of al the cars represented in GPL :-) The GPL Brabham, when its setup is tailored to suit the individual, is actually a delightful, yet still very fast, car to "drive". -- Regards, Bruce Kennewell, Canberra, Australia. --------------------------- > I would have to agree strongly with that opinion. When I first got GPL I > decided to go with the Brabham and found it to be a real handful because > of the massive amount of torque and also because of the short wheelbase. > Maybe it's just me, but I found that even the Lotus was easier to drive > than that little beast. Now, it's a lot of fun but IMHO, the Brabham is > the most difficult car to learn with. > > After reading your previous post i don't know whether the Brab is a good car > > to learn in. It is quite a light torquey car and hard to master, the Ferrari > > may be a better option for you and use Alison's setups for it as they are > > very forgiving. Best of luck. > > Sid. > > > (Day 4) > > > Thanks to everyone here for their helpful advice. I suspect it will be a > > > while before I "get" it :-) > > > Tried to hook up my CH Pro Pedals but no luck. I don't know much about > > > controllers and I've never had the CH's set up before. I wonder if I need > > to > > > install some software? Anyway I'm still with my LWFF pedals. > > > Today was a bit of a step backwards. I keep trying to keep on the throttle > > > until brakepoint for big bend. CRASH CRASH CRASH. I'm tracking better > > around > > > the Loop but still not able to enter the turn at near the speed I should > > be > > > at (a good exit has me shifting to fourth just past the spectators on the > > > left). The esses are trouble. If I try to get through them FAST it is a > > > fifty fifty proposition. Likewise, trying to keep the line through the 90 > > is > > > tough as well. GRRRRRR. Best lap today 1:12.70 almost half a sec off my > > PB > > > and less consistent as well. I figured it would be a quick trip down to > > > around 1:10 and then a hellish push to 1:06. I'm wondering if I should > > > stick to the Glen until I "get it" or if I should move on to Monza. Also: > > I > > > don't know if this is a good or bad thing but this game has cut into my > > > drinking. I used to have a***tail when I came home from work. Now I > > don't > > > want any booze in me as I try to learn how to drive. Maybe I'm just > > saving > > > it all up for when I beat 1:10. I can't wait for the hangover. > > > Christian Hansen -----------== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News ==---------- http://www.newsfeeds.com The Largest Usenet Servers in the World! ------== Over 73,000 Newsgroups - Including Dedicated Binaries Servers ==-----

On Fri, 04 Feb 2000 05:22:19 GMT, "The Mighty Puck" <snip> <snip> Oh, not Monza, please! OK, it's simple to remember, but it just isn't any *fun* to practise on. There's a nice long straight for slipstreaming, but that's no use if you're driving on your own. I'm amazed that so few people learn on Spa. I started out there, in the Eagle (very well suited to the place), with the default setups (but only 6 laps of fuel), and got going before too long at all. It's a lovely track - very fast and sweeping, with some exhilarating corners, but with an easy-to-remember layout. And you really get to know what gradients can do, too. 3:30 is a good target to start with here - it's really not as hard as you think at first. Once you get a decent rhythm going, you can spend the entire lap worrying about Masta - it *is* possible to do it at 180mph, but not by ordinary mortals like me. Silverstone is another unfashionable track, but I like it. I'm British, of course, which helps, but the best parts are the long sweeping final corner (Woodcote), and the fourth gear, four-wheel drift through Maggots - fantastic if you get it right, right onto the grass if you don't. Try breaking 1:35 to start with - the Lotus is best here (I know people say it's not a beginner's car, but it was for me. It depends on what 'feel' you like - try them all!) And when you feel ready for the AI, both these tracks (especially Silverstone) make for wonderful racing. -- David. "After all, a mere thousand yards - such a harmless little knoll, really." (Raymond Mays on Shelsley Walsh)

How on earth does one get decent at Silverstone??? It's so (relatively) featureless compared to the Glen or Monza. I have a terrible time identifing markers for brakepoints, etc. It's really rather frustrating as I have a great time on the two aforementioned tracks... Regards, Brett C. Cammack That's Racing! Motorsports Pompano Beach, FL

Well I just ran a couple laps around the Nurburgring. YIKES!!! I'm not surprised anyone fears this track. This track needs pacenotes. At least I won't have any trouble beating my PB next time around (12:01 he he), Chris

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>> > I'm wondering if I should stick to the Glen until I "get it" >> > or if I should move on to Monza. >> Want a serious suggestion? Go learn the Nurburgring! After I spent a few >> days there the other tracks started to feel *so* much easier. >how true!! I allways feared the ring - could not finish a lap because I >got so frustrated. and then I had to learn it, because I had to race it >in the GGPLC. >this tracks teaches you one of the most important things in racing: >patience. it is a wonderful fealing to complete a lap at the ring >without spinning just by being patient and cautious. >Lio

>How on earth does one get decent at Silverstone??? <snip> Practice, I'm afraid! Two tips that helped me are: slide through Maggotts in fourth (ie don't brake, just lift a bit), and take Woodcote in a highish third, holding steady the whole way round. These two, along with not overdoing it through the trickier-than-it-looks Club/Abbey section, cut two seconds off my time. I'm not any sort of setup expert, but I think the default setups (I'm using v1.2) with about 10 laps of fuel work quite well. I got my PB down below 1:32 with those (in the Lotus). I must confess that we Brits probably have an inbuilt advantage at Silverstone, through being very familiar with the layout. Conversely, I suspect most Americans find the Glen much easier than I did - I only had the vaguest idea of how it went when I bought the game. It's worth the effort - it's a fabulous track for close racing. (Incidentally, Mr Noonan - how about Oulton Park next?) -- David. "After all, a mere thousand yards - such a harmless little knoll, really." (Raymond Mays on Shelsley Walsh)

Thanks. I'll try those tips out first thing. Regards, Brett C. Cammack That's Racing! Motorsports Pompano Beach, FL

Yes, I now drive the Brabham more than any other car in GPL, and it's a great car to drive, possibly for the same reasons that's it's a difficult car to learn with.

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> Funnily enough, the Ferrari 312 actually has the shortest wheelbase of al > the cars represented in GPL :-) > The GPL Brabham, when its setup is tailored to suit the individual, is > actually a delightful, yet still very fast, car to "drive". > -- > Regards, > Bruce Kennewell, > Canberra, Australia. > --------------------------- > > I would have to agree strongly with that opinion. When I first got GPL I > > decided to go with the Brabham and found it to be a real handful because > > of the massive amount of torque and also because of the short wheelbase. > > Maybe it's just me, but I found that even the Lotus was easier to drive > > than that little beast. Now, it's a lot of fun but IMHO, the Brabham is > > the most difficult car to learn with. > > > After reading your previous post i don't know whether the Brab is a good > car > > > to learn in. It is quite a light torquey car and hard to master, the > Ferrari > > > may be a better option for you and use Alison's setups for it as they > are > > > very forgiving. Best of luck. > > > Sid. > > > > (Day 4) > > > > Thanks to everyone here for their helpful advice. I suspect it will be > a > > > > while before I "get" it :-) > > > > Tried to hook up my CH Pro Pedals but no luck. I don't know much about > > > > controllers and I've never had the CH's set up before. I wonder if I > need > > > to > > > > install some software? Anyway I'm still with my LWFF pedals. > > > > Today was a bit of a step backwards. I keep trying to keep on the > throttle > > > > until brakepoint for big bend. CRASH CRASH CRASH. I'm tracking better > > > around > > > > the Loop but still not able to enter the turn at near the speed I > should > > > be > > > > at (a good exit has me shifting to fourth just past the spectators on > the > > > > left). The esses are trouble. If I try to get through them FAST it is > a > > > > fifty fifty proposition. Likewise, trying to keep the line through the > 90 > > > is > > > > tough as well. GRRRRRR. Best lap today 1:12.70 almost half a sec off > my > > > PB > > > > and less consistent as well. I figured it would be a quick trip down > to > > > > around 1:10 and then a hellish push to 1:06. I'm wondering if I > should > > > > stick to the Glen until I "get it" or if I should move on to Monza. > Also: > > > I > > > > don't know if this is a good or bad thing but this game has cut into > my > > > > drinking. I used to have a***tail when I came home from work. Now I > > > don't > > > > want any booze in me as I try to learn how to drive. Maybe I'm just > > > saving > > > > it all up for when I beat 1:10. I can't wait for the hangover. > > > > Christian Hansen > -----------== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News ==---------- > http://www.newsfeeds.com The Largest Usenet Servers in the World! > ------== Over 73,000 Newsgroups - Including Dedicated Binaries Servers ==-----

I really have to disagree with you here. Curva Grande, the Lesmo's and the Parabolica are all fascinating corners. I drove thousends of practice laps on Monza, yet I still have big fun beating my own pb. And the long straight after the Parabolica is a good place to quickly smoke a cigarette :) Andre On Sat, 05 Feb 2000 01:54:52 GMT, [email hidden] (David B) wrote: >Oh, not Monza, please! OK, it's simple to remember, but it just isn't >any *fun* to practise on. There's a nice long straight for >slipstreaming, but that's no use if you're driving on your own.

I found the Coventry the easiest to drive due to its weight (better braking), but I soon left it for the Eagle, and now I am racing the Ferrari . . . I find that I am faster in the Eagle, but I am not consistant in the Eagle. I also find switching tracks helps much in assisting one overcome a PB that is too slow. I started racing Monza and burned out on it quick, only getting to a 1:45. I then moved to Spa, never really getting a consistant time that I would dare to mention. Went back to Monza, tried to learn Mexico and Zandy (what a joke!) then on to Watkins. I can do a pretty consistant 1:12, but no faster. I am now learning Silverstone, and I am at a 1:41 right now. I may not be fast, but I try to be like the turtle . . . consistant. SLG "Sid Chapple" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>After reading your previous post i don't know whether the Brab is a good car >to learn in. It is quite a light torquey car and hard to master, the Ferrari >may be a better option for you and use Alison's setups for it as they are >very forgiving. Best of luck. >Sid. > > >

(All spelling errors are intentional and are there to show new and improved ways of spelling old words. Grammatical errors are due to too many English classes/teachers)

> And the long straight after the Parabolica is a good place to quickly > smoke a cigarette :) > Andre And a good place to down a quick beer too! The down side is I lose positions when I have to pull-off to the side of the track to take a piss! Another drawback is that my lap times seem to get worse as the race progesses...I don't know why. Gary