MULTIPLAYER GT4 in Multiplayer and Competition Servers - Changes in Version 1.5

GT4 arrives today!
While replicating the real-life GT4 European Series in Singleplayer keeps the GT4 classes in separate a series from GT3 cars, we have implemented multi-class racing to spice up the Multiplayer world of ACC. Let's quickly go through the changes and bring some excitement:

1) Car groups in multiplayer

As many of you may have already seen in the spectacular livestreams during the preview races, the Multiplayer menus now have car groups:



You can assign your preferred car and livery for each group, and just cycle through the groups to set quickjoin and the server list to what you want to drive now. You will find the color scheme throughout the game now, so it should be easy to understand other cars' groups in the leaderboards and track maps, and also the car group a server is running.

While GT3, GT4, (Porsche) Cup and ST (Lamorghini Supertrofeo) are self-explanatory, you will find two more entries in the server list:


"All" simply states you search for all servers, without deciding what category you want to run. This is particularily useful to see where the action is, and you won't miss a good (but rare) Porsche Cup server.

"Mixed" is the server type without restrictions, and any car can join into a multiclass race. You will use your "Primary" car for those servers, so if you prefer to do GT4 races in multiclass for a while, just choose a GT4 as your primary car.

Spoiler: for server admins

You will find the new server admin handbook in the download; for quickstarters:

Code:

"carGroup": "GT4",

goes to the settings.json. Values are "FreeForAll", "GT3", "GT4", "Cup", "ST"

2) GT4 content for non-DLC owners

If you (for whatever reason) do not own the DLC (yet), you can join any race with your vanilla car, even if there are GT4 cars on the track. So you have access to the whole multiplayer realm including CP races and observe the new beauties - with the tiny exception of GT4-only-servers (where you can't select the required car; spectating still works).

Spoiler: more

The background on this decision is pretty easy: DLCs are always a problem for Multiplayer, and leads to segmentation. For the IGT DLC we couldn't do much about that, as it was about tracks. You could even argue letting users join CP races on tracks they don't own - for the sake of allowing new content for the vast majority without excluding users (who may be valid competitors). But then...would you want to do a Bathurst race against somebody who has no track experience there?
But with the GT4 cars, we could go for the route to keep players in the game as much as possible.

3) Multiclass CP Servers



CP servers will exclusively run in "Mixed" mode. You will always join with your "Primary" car, and we expect to see grid of GT3 / GT4 field from now on. Obviously the CP system is sensitive to the car group, so you won't lose points to a GT3 car in a higher position, if you run the GT4 group. Think of two seperate races that happen on the same time and on the same track.

Note: We will allow Porsche Cup and Supertrofeo cars in CP races for now, as it is expected that everyone will have a look at the GT4s first. However it is very likely that we prevent running Cup and ST cars on CP servers, as this allows users to artificially reduce competition - which is not what the CP system is made for.
For now, enjoy some crazy multiclass action.

Spoiler: more

This is a delicate topic. The moment we create GT3/GT4-only CP races, we either run CP races nobody wants to do while the GT4 content is hot - less drivers/competition. Or we run the new content, where non-DLC-owners can't join - less drivers/competition.
Going with multiclass CP servers is the best choice in terms of participation, but obviously makes the CP races multiclass events. That can be both good or not. Sure, I already hear "we desperately need multiclass races" when we go for single groups, but it may turn out that this is roughly in the category of "we need rain", "we need night" - it's vital that it's there, but that doesn't mean anybody wants to use them.

You will notice that it's very stressful (for both categories), but GT3 and GT4 do mix quite well. Unlike GT3 and the other two groups - racing a Porsche Cup is fun once or twice, but highly cumbersome, as the speed difference simply isn't big enough.

However, we've learned that CP races tend to have insane quality, and are the closest thing to serious league racing without needing to join a league. So I do have trust that mixed grids will work out quite good, and make CP races even better and more exciting.

4) General remarks on multiclass racing

When a GT3 meets a GT4 car, this isn't too different to a regular blue flag situation (that simracers can't deal too well with) - but it's a lot better if you think about it.
If you lap another car of the same performance class, this means the other driver is considerable slower than you, and maybe lacks experience. This isn't true for GT4s, you may (and will) approach all kinds of drivers - on your level or even (way) beyond. Additionally, the natural speed difference makes overtaking much easier... if you made your homework and understand how to do it.

The most important aspect is one word: Cooperation. Both cars aren't in the same race, and both have only one goal for any lapping situation: get it handled with the minimum amount of time lost.
Hey - that's good news, both want the same. This goes way deeper than you may think first; in a busy multiclass race it's vital to be good in overtaking situations, maybe even more than getting the last tenths out of the race pace. If your traffic management skills are better than your direct opponents, you will gain a lot of time on them - much more than you could do by simply driving fast.

For GT3 drivers:
- have a go at driving a GT4 car and know how they feel
- understand the major performance advantages of your GT3 car model vs. the GT4 car you want to overtake. They have huge differences in top speed and braking performance
- set up buttons for indicators and flash light
- unless you're dealing with backmarkers, you may and will face drivers that fight for the podium and have no time to park on the grass and let you pass (even though this might be true for everyone in a tense race)
- GT4 races prove to be a lot more dense and competitive
- you are the overtaking car, so you have the responsibility to make this happen without contact
- be clear in your body/car language
- use overtaking lines, and expect the slower car to stick with the racing line
- leave the slipstream early, allowing the GT4 to lift/brake early in case they don't trust you
- set up buttons for indicators and flash light
- (most of) those cars are damn fast on the straight, you can't easily eat them, but your braking and cornering performance is usually superior
- do not hesitate, that only makes everyone insecure. You can dive into the inside of both faster corners and long brake distances, be clear about it, use flash lights and indicators just before you do the overtake, but then do it
- don't flash around in a "I'm here, do something to let me pass way". That's unclear, use the flash to indicate "I'm going for it now", not "I didn't understand multiclass, please play possum"
- if there is no room for you because two or more GT4s are in a fight and go side-by-side, wait until there is room for you. They have their own race and no obligation to abort their fight just to let you go
- if you are in a side-by-side situation with another car and a GT4 is in the lane ahead of you, guess what. Back up, that's racing. The car arriving from behind always has the responsibility to perform a safe overtake
- set up buttons for indicators and flash light

For GT4 drivers:
- know how a GT3 feels
- set up buttons for indicators
- indicate where YOU are are going, not where you want the opponent to overtake you. Failing to do so can lead to dangerous situations. Think of your road car, the indicator is to indicate your actions, not anyone else's
- know what is happening behind you, watch for lines, indicators, flash lights
- be predictable, stick with the racing line, never try to evade or get out of the way
- indicators massively help to be predictable
- it's still the faster car behind you, his responsibility to go past. Do not - I repeat - do not try to let him pass by moving somewhere, just let him use his superiour downforce and racing performance to find a way
- expect the faster car to go in mercilessly
- stay on the outside, offer late apexes and hope that the faster car just dives into the inside during braking; this way you minimize both risk and time loss
- to communicate this, use the indicator way ahead of the braking zone, indicating where you want to stay (usually the outside, e.g. left indicator for right handed corners and vice versa)
- dependent on performance of your car, you may be faster on some straights, making it impossible for a high downforce car to just fly by. It may be a good idea to have a tiny lift to help him with slipstream, if this allows a painless overtake on the next braking. The more distance he has to cover to brake next to you, the more time you lose in the corner - and also increase the risk that he's overdoing it and shooting you
- no matter what you thought until now; you don't randomly brake on the straight to let somebody pass
- set up buttons for indicators