Newsgroups: rec.autos.simulators
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From: pjgtech@cix.compulink.co.uk ("Peter Gagg")
Subject: Re: GPL is HARD!!!
Message-ID: <F08tHE.HDs@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Organization: Compulink Information eXchange
References: <36142ae4.0@news.itsnet.com>
Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1998 08:41:37 GMT
Lines: 80
Xref: news.jprc.com rec.autos.simulators:45811

In article <36142ae4.0@news.itsnet.com>, rob.abbott@usa.net (rob) 
wrote:

> That's an interesting one.  I've wondered sometimes if it's better
> to start off fast and work on consistency, or start consistent and
> work on speed.  Would you mind explaining the advantage of the
> latter?
> 
> >6) Start off slowly and gradually build up your speed, not the 
> other
> >way around.

Most people get a new racing game/sim and jump straight in with both 
feet and immediately try to break all known lap records at the first 
attempt without even glancing at the manual!!!!

This usually results in lots of unscheduled *off-road* driving 
admiring the scenery when you should in fact be on the track 
practicing. This is caused because the drivers have not learnt how to 
control the car, not learnt the circuits, and they are driving *TOO 
FAST* and end up continually crashing. This in turn dents confidence, 
and can get very annoying? and you do not learn that much from 
continually crashing (apart from where the barriers are situated? 
and how slow it is to get out of the gravel trap?)

The more conservative approach (driving slower and gradually building 
up speed) will ultimately be more beneficial (IMHO?) because of many 
reasons...

1) Driving slower gives you more time to react.
2) You can see & learn the correct racing line easier at lower 
speeds.
3) Car control is easier at lower speeds.
4) You will crash less at lower speeds.
5) If you crash less your confidence will rise.
6) Remembering circuits is easier at lower speeds.

My method for a new game/sim is to take a few laps to just drive 
around the circuit, not fast at all, to familiarise myself with the 
general layout. (Also check out any maps or diagrams in the manual, 
etc).

Then try some faster laps, but the object is to just try and stay on 
the track without spinning/crashing off. Once I can do this 
consistently (I have learnt to anticipate the corners and bends) I 
start to gradually increase speed and try to lower my laptimes, but 
the emphasis is on gradually.

As you gradually drive more laps, you get more familiar with the 
circuit, and can anticipate better, try to go faster on the straights 
on each lap by accelerating out of corners earlier. also try to brake 
into corners a little bit later on each lap. Each lap you are only 
trying to improve on the last one (even if it is only by 1/100th of a 
second) and not trying for an out and out record. Although, 
obviously, if you drive an outstanding lap, then that is a bonus!

As the laps count off, you will find the best braking points, the 
best gear change points, and the correct line for the circuit. You 
will also be learning about the car, how it brakes, how it 
accelerates, how it slides, how the wheels lock up, etc. Because you 
are doing it gradually, you are learning that little bit extra on 
each lap, feeling for the limit of the car, the braking limits, the 
traction limits, etc.

I find using this method, after about 20 - 25 laps of pretty much any 
circuit, in any game/sim, that I have learnt enough about the car and 
circuit to drive a fairly competitive lap? This means after say about 
half an hour to an hour I can be pretty quick and fairly consistent.

Whereas, the guy that just jumps in feet first and drives hell for 
leather (unless he is *very* talented?) ends up spending the first 
half an hour to an hour spinning all over the place, crashing out, 
smashing into things, *AND* at the end of it all, he knows bugger all 
about the cars limit or the layout of the circuit, cos he has spent 
more time off the circuit than the marshals!!!

8-)

*Peter*    8-)
(NB: remove asterix to e-mail)
