Newsgroups: rec.autos.simulators
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From: pjgtech@cix.compulink.co.uk ("Peter Gagg")
Subject: Re: GPL difficulty
Message-ID: <F1yxIr.AKp@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Organization: Compulink Information eXchange
References: <363f6b78.13645207@news.supernews.com>
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1998 21:40:03 GMT
Lines: 58
Xref: news.jprc.com rec.autos.simulators:55480

In article <363f6b78.13645207@news.supernews.com>, 
planedoc@bizdistrict.com_NOSPAM (PlaneDoc) wrote:

> 
> Ok, I really like the looks of GPL. I WANT to like the sim overall,
> but it's just to darn hard! I know I'm a wimp, you don't need to 
> tell
> me. Are there any tips for a lamer like me who really wants to do 
> well
> at this sim?

Practice, practice, oh, and yet more practice.

8-)

Start slow and learn the circuits and the cars (one at a time) and 
learn how the cars feel.

Most people (Newbies) jump in the GP car and try to brake the lap 
record on thier first attempt, WRONG! Start in the trainer cars, and 
stick with one type of car, and one circuit, and just concentrate on 
staying on the track, forget about times at this stage.

When you can consistently stay on the track, and you know roughly the 
layout of the circuit (do you know which bend is coming next?) then 
you can start to think about speed and laptimes.

Do a normal lap where you manage to stay on the track, and note the 
laptime. Next time you drive a lap, merely concentrate on beating 
*that* last laptime, not any of the internet times, or the fastest 
lap records, just your own last best lap, and do not try to beat it 
by lots of time, just try to beat it, period, even if it is only by 
one hundredth of a second. Gradually do this, again and again, trying 
to beat your own best laps each time you go out on the track, after a 
while you will be amazed how much your laptimes have reduced?

As you do this, you should also be trying to brake that little bit 
later, and accelerate out of corners that little bit earlier, and 
maintaining consistent lines through corners, following the apex, 
noting braking & gear change points on the circuit, etc.

When you get down to fairly decent times, say within 10 seconds of 
the fast guys on the net, then you can really start looking at 
technique. Mastering opposite lock, trail braking, throttle steering, 
and even..... (fx:gulp) car set-ups.

I also find it *very* helpful to watch other drivers, whether it is 
the GPL ai cars, or replays from the fast guys on the net, watch 
others and see where they brake, for how long, what gears are they 
using, when do they change gear, where do they accelerate out of the 
corners, etc, etc.

But most of all, time on the track is what *really* matters.....

8-)

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