Total beginner to racing games/sims

Skip Barber Racing school, listen at 15:25 AND 23:43

 

Does anyone have any ideas regarding the input loss with my G27? This appears to be isolated to assetto and I am unable to play and practice these ideas without a functional controller :S

Much appreciated, and thanks for the video, Claudiopolez!

 

No probs!

I thought you've sorted your problem, did you run the wheel config wizard ingame? Apart from that, I cant really think of anything, never came across symptoms like yours, sorry

 

Ah, derp, forgot about the wheel wizard. Intended to go back in and do it earlier - will go try that and get back to it.

 

The wizard fixed it, thanks!

Been running the X-bow around Imola - I'm still running off the track sometimes when I overestimate how much time I have to stop, but I'm improving slowly. Thanks!

 

Ok great to hear, enjoy!

 

1. Pick one car. Use default car setup.
2. Make sure to create a wheel config that you are very comfortable with. Use advice, but make your own.
3. Start out slowly around 1 track. Compare the feeling with a real car's behaviour.
4. Increase speed gradually and decide/memorize your break-points. Dont look at timer.
5. Drive, drive, drive, until your breaking foot do the job without you ordering it to.
6. Turn on the timer and use the DELTA value to see where your times vary the most. Ask why? Focus on those sections.
7. Do 10+ lap races to understand the tyre temp/wear and practice consistency.
8. Tune the car settings, goto 2, repeat.
9. Change car, goto 1, repeat.
10. Change track, goto 1, repeat.

 

Got it, thanks! These points seem really useful; I'll check them out and see what I can do.


Many people seem to prefer to keep the FF low, but I really find it cool. Is there anything wrong with stronger FF? I don't feel that it's currently effecting my ability to perform, but I don't have the experience to tell me if it'll become an issue.

 

X Bow is a great car to start with, fairly neutral handling, fast enough to be fun, slow enough to catch slides and push the limits without crashing (too often!). At some point try the Lotus 2-11, it's a similar speed so your braking points will be similar but it'll feel understeery after the X Bow. You'll find ways of taming the understeer by trailing the brakes a little more when turning into the corner and maybe being a bit more aggressive on the throttle on exit. bromstarzan's advice is good, but I wouldn't worry too much about setting these cars up any time soon, the default setups are plenty good enough to beat 24 AI cars at 100% difficulty in a quickrace.... concentrate on technique first.

I'd also say pick a couple of contrasting tracks, I'm not a fan of Magione for learning because it's quite technical and only has a couple of fast corners, Imola is all about monstering the chicanes. Silverstone GP is very technical, however I think Silverstone International will really suit the KTM and Lotus 2-11, a good mix of fast and medium corners. Maybe also try Vallelunga, the fast run down the hill is great fun in these cars and there are lots of 180 degree, medium speed turns which Silverstone Int. doesn't have, you'll want a wide line and carry more speed on the entry to these corners, slowing in the middle, and then straighten out the exit to allow you to get on the power earlier. (Nurb GP and Mugello are good too but have some interesting tightening corners that are harder to get to grips with if you're new to racing).

Exits of corners are most important, these lower powered cars will struggle to add speed down the straights so you want to be exiting the corners as fast as possible, not all crossed up and hanging on for dear life. The extra speed on exit continues to build all the way down the straight, the performance delta app will show you this.

Both the Lotus and the KTM respond well to trail braking, you want maximum braking (without locking up the tyres) in a straight line, then ease of the brake pedal gradually as you gradually turn the steering wheel to enter a corner. This will probably get the car turned a bit more than if you only brake in a straight line. At some point (hopefully before the apex) you'll be off the brakes and starting to apply the throttle, if you're still still on the brakes after the apex trying to get the car turned then you probably need to slow your corner entry speed.

It's well worth reading "Speed Secrets" by Ross Bentley, it'll make you go a lot faster, sooner and will get you learning things the right way and not getting into bad habits. Good luck!

 

Speed Secrets.

Wrong practice will get you very good and experienced in making mistakes.

 

Practice makes permanent

Perfect Practice makes Perfect

 

I would add, turn off the aids.
All of them, included those that the car has activated even with expert settings (turn on the electronics app to see if ABS or TC is on, use the keys as they are defined in Your profile to switch).
It is not for the sake of difficulty, it is for the sake of feeling what the car is doing, and thus learning.
I dare say in the end it gets somehow easier without the aids, because we get more reliable information.
AC and the G27 yield good FFB and precise control, so no point misleading the "feel" with aids, I think.
I think this is working for me, but since I am not an experienced driver, I would like that someone else would discuss this point.

And welcome in AC!
You are lucky to start Your learning in it

 

A way of practicing I used in the beginning of my sim racing experience is like this:

>start of with a mid pace car
>start of practice laps slow
>build up the speed every lap by lets say 3 tenths
>if you hit your limit try backing off a little (not going on the limit) and search for faster lines
>push the limits with the different lines

if you are familiar with that car
>go to a different track
>start over

if you get more and more experience you can start of at a higher pace with that car. after a couple of practice sessions, try a similar car (rwd or fwd). do the same.

 

Got it, thanks! I'll take my time to feel out what I can do on different tracks and cars - sounds like a good way to learn my limits.

On turning off aids, I was on the fence about the before. On the one hand, no assists means I never learn incorrectly how the car works/I learn from the ground up what's going on in the purest sense. On the other, it's more difficult to get into. Sounds like we're on the same page in the end, though - I'll turn off those assists!

Speed secrets...got it!

 

I'm on Teamspeak most nights playing mostly racing games.

If you use it, then feel free to PM me for the channel info if you have any questions or need help with anything (UK) based.

 

worked for me

 

I've been consistently playing on Monza 1966 and the MP4 GT3 spec which I find very easy to control and drive. All assists off except auto throttle and blip and clutch. Stability 0%. I'm using a T500RS.

How and where can I improve, considering I am around 7 seconds of the pace?

1:50 for the start of the hot lap:


Thanks

 

Start by changing gears... lesmo and parabolica are 3rd or 4th gear. You should adjust the car speed before entering the turn, not into it, by that time you´re already of the line and with all the momentum lost.

 

i cant recommend this enough, buy it NOW.

http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Speed-Secrets-Complete-High-Performance/dp/0760340501

This is the best edition, two books in one.

It covers everything you need to learn, from the very basics. Go chapter by chapter, dont rush it, you need to assimilate in practice, not just understand it in theory.

By the end of the book, you will have more knowledge than most simracers.

 

I'm reading this book at this very moment and wanted to make the same suggestion as well ;o)

Of course practicing is the most important key, but this book can help a lot to understand a lot of things much better. And this book especially is really good as a first book to read.

And don't rush anywhere ;o) You will be rewarded at the end for sure. I remember it took me about 2 years to adapt all the basic techniques properly and even now after all the years I'm still learning a lot from others and from driving itself. Currently working on braking pressure from the braking point up to the aphex, probably one of the most important things to make the turn fast as possible. Also for example when I purchased H-shifter and clutch pedals, it took me almost a week to adapt and to be relatively quick again ;o) Everything need time and practice. Start slowly and try to make smooth inputs as much as possible. The fastest laps are always made by smooth driving without need to correct oversteerring.
I found this "tip" is used almost everywhere for the new drivers. First thing they learn is to make their inputs more smooth (less aggressive).