Why is it all on the driver?

The other day I did a race with the Lexus in the wet. I didn't realize the wet ECU map of the Lexus was terrible on straights until very late so decided to race with the dry ECU but had no chance to calculate the fuel load for the race in dry ECU so I had to ballpark it.
During the race I kept track of my fuel and I realized I was gonna be about 1L short if I stayed in the dry ECU so had to change to the Wet for the last 3 laps in order to be able to finish.

Thank you Kunos for not letting the game do everything for us in a series based on strategy

 

The optimal values are between 27 and 28 psi (hot), not necessarily 27.5 (not always the virtue is in the middle).
It even depend of track.
Remember that Pirelli recommends an optimum 29 psi, although it seems the teams choose to use a bit lower (thus the 28 psi).
The tyre pressures can even be used as a fine tuning tool (they are a spring, after all) and, in extreme tweaking, even be set taking in account tyre wear (more wear, less core heat, lower pressures)

But the purpose of the “engineer" would be to act as a guideline recommendation for novice and casual players (default setups) and a reminder (custom setups) to have the pressures and fuel within the ballpark ranges, not to set the tyre pressures and fuel automatically, which continues to be entirely up to the player.

For instance, the "engineer" could recommend (default setup) something of the sort: "60 litres are unlikely to last the full race, please consider 96 litres or setting a pit strategy".
The opposite could be: “60 litres are likely more than required for the race, please consider 34 litres”.
The recommended (default setup) fuel would be taken from what the AI already uses in SP, considering it has to set the fuel level so the AI can finish the race.

For tyre pressures, the recommendation (default setup) example could be: "the tyres pressures are likely higher than the recommended for the current weather, please consider decrease it by 2 psi"
The opposite could be: “the tyres pressures are likely lower than the recommended for the current weather, please consider increase it by 1 psi”.
The recommend (default setup) psi variation would be taken from the difference between the weather temperature used in the setup default (surely the default setup was saved with tyre pressures set for a certain temperature) and the current race weather temperature, considering how pressure changes with temperature variation.

For custom setups, as a simple reminder, would be even simpler: "check fuel level is set for the current race length or consider a pit strategy"; "check tyre pressures for current conditions, including pit strategy if set".
Why a simple reminder for custom setups? Because if custom setups are being used it's because the player already tweaked them according to player's own personal judgment, so, it's fair to assume the changes were made with purpose and reasoning.
If I load the default setup, change the fuel from 62 to 38, save it as a custom setup because it suits me for a 20 minute race, there is no purpose in the engineer recommending me that I should put or take fuel, but only remind me to check it and/or the pit strategy, as an alert that the amount of fuel is set for the race I'm going to.
The same principle applies to tyre pressures. If I change the pressures from the default setup and save it for a set weather temperature, the engineer can just remind me that I should check the pressures alerting me to be aware of the current weather conditions.

The engineer recommendations would not be of expertise level, not even close, but would be helpful for all players levels, for some (novice and casual) as a way to better understand what and where to change the fundamentals to race in better conditions (without too much fuel, not enough fuel or tyre pressures without any correction at all for the different weather temperatures) ; for others (seasoned drivers and experts) by means of message alerts, so the fundamentals (pressures, fuel and pit strategy) are checked , which, if not, can easily compromise a race, even if the setup is the finest.

 

I do not agree on the psi optimal range. It is actually wider.

 

I agree with you, but, for the sake of simplicity, let me just use the standard from 27 to 28 and 29 as the highest.

 

That right there is exactly how it is done in Codemasters F1 games. The driver has to manage engine maps to gain an advantage or survive until the finish.

I find little stuff like that just adds to the gameplay, entertainment, and experience.

Afterall, sports is a game of knowledge, strategy, skill, etc.

 

I know how this Community smashes many things down because..... I had the same trouble with building up a Wiki for ACC where so many People sayed that you can just search for it here in the Forum. But since im created the Wiki and some Guys helped me the Usage Rate was going up and got many thanks from other Users who i helped with it.

C) The AI that is really a AI and Adopts and learns from the Driver. But this kind of stuff is really HARD to Programm.

But i think you would help many Users just with the Version of A. The Aliens would anyway change the things on there behave, experience. They also do it with the Default Setups.

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D)

1. What about Inform the Users about the Change of Condition from one Session to another?
2. Instead of Fuel per Lap Fuel per Min because it is easer than to Calculate. We have anyway just Races per Mins and not per Lap.
3. Show a Fuel Estimate for Session duration?

This are just some small changes but im sure would help many Players who are not Aliens who are playing the Game for XXXX Hours.

 

I get that you enjoy that it's a bit of a geeky fantasy like you would probably love a sim role play game or some challenge aspect like finish the race by saving fuel and coasting and I can see how that would be fun for some, not having a go at you at all and understanding that everyone finds enjoyment differently from the sim, if it was me I'd just be so disappointed that the fuel was calculated wrong for example any real world driver would be pissed that the team let them down in this case I let myself down. Do you see? for me that would not be fun because for me what is fun is the aspect of saving seconds finishing as high as my skill level allows, that's my geek fantasy.

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Have you ever payed attention to the fuel usage in the HUD element for the fuel during the race?
It changes depending on how you drive. So IF you have your AI Engineer put you on "I don't want to calculate it make it so that it is enough in map 1" you'll most likely be disappointed when you notice that you have to go to another map to be able to finish the race or you have too much fuel because it is enough to finish with 1ltr left in the last lap depending on your consumption from the previous session.

Also, did you notice that real racing drivers change their fuel maps or lift&coast to be able to finish the race in basically every F1/GT-World/GT-Masters/GT4/... race?

 

Yes if its a must its fine, if I calculate fuel wrong it's annoying, what's hard to get?

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Do they do it because they themselves messed up the calculations, or because the team decided to under fuel to be lighter at the start?

You guys try to bring realism into the talk but put this in your minds. It's not the driver who decides on this things. So don't bring realism into play in this conversation.
Again go play F1 games and see how they do it. That's just perfect for fuel. Nothing more is needed.

 

Wich irl driver calculates fuel and adjust tire pressure in his MFD for next driver while fighting for tenths
In multiplayer driver swap races with multi stints (6h,12h races) its just pain and not logical, also changes were not saved, but conditions change so every stint re calculate from scratch... My brain has other stuff to do
My teammates must have access to Pitstop strategy, point.

 

And if this AI engineer calculates an extra 8L (because as Kunos explained, it would need some safe space to work with) then people would complain that it's useless as it's putting them at a disadvantage against people doing the calculations themselves.

I think Kunos already said what needed to be said here:
https://www.assettocorsa.net/forum/...t-all-on-the-driver.64918/page-5#post-1143895

With no intention to offend, I think all you need is a bit more time in different car/tracks/conditions to be able to ballpark things better.....and remember that everyone in those CP servers are in the same boat as you are

 

he could continue the safe / aggressive style. The AI could recommend a safe amount of fuel but also give an aggressive fuel load that is on the limit or requires some fuel saving, with in race tips on how much fuel saving is required or when it's safe to push.

Would AI pit crew even need to be a core part of the game? Could it be a separate program like crew chief that uses motec data to come up with it's conclusions?

 

I'm 100% sure it won't be part of the game but no one is stopping you from asking the developers of Crew Chief. Maybe they can work something out

 

I'm pretty sure its' not on the cards either, I know it's pie in the sky stuff, but I think an AI pit crew could be a good addition to sim racing in the future. I could even see AI pit crew adding to the single player gaming side of sim racing. Imagine if the AI pit crew had a team boss who was in charge and the driver had to do what they said, even if it was the wrong thing to do, the driver just has to manage.

It just struck me that Crew chief is already doing some of this stuff. It amazing how much someone talking to you over the radio adds to immersion.

 

How is the AI going to know how much fuel you are going to use if it does not know how you drive , or tyre pressures

 

I think the clue is in ‘AI’
You train the AI driving for a few minutes different scenarios and over time the data improves the quality of the AI.
It really isn’t that difficult TBH! We are not talking neural networks. It’s an expert system. A few basic algorithms and inputs from you and few outcomes.

 

The software already knows your fuel consumption per lap and a rough estimation of laptimes. It would basically be an integrated fuel calculator, no fancy "AI" needed just a basic tool, that most drivers probably already use via webbrowser to optimise fuel load. It would be great, to have it integrated imo. Pressures are probably a bit more complicated, because it depends more on the driving style.

 

The same as now for the Fuel per Lap Calculation. Also there are some Rules Mention about the PSI per Celsius. It's not something Magical to do. The Systems knows the Ambient and Track Temperature. It also knows from your last Stints the Tyre min, max PSI and Temperatures.

When the Ambient / Track Temperatures rises then the System should Notify you about it and also can give you an Range for the PSI to change. In best case you have the Option to Apply and it will change it for you.


It's does not need to be perfect! Because now the normal Player is also driving with the normal Setup in every Temperature instead of making Setup changes for themselves.

 

It's clear there are two types of players of racing games

A) Those who want to concentrate on racing the cars (like real drivers)
B) Those who also want to be the set up guru, race engineer, strategist, pit crew and no doubt some other roles

I'm a Type A. Any marginal gains I might make over even a dim AI would be wiped out when I spin due to being distracted