A graduated starting grid...

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ferrari_chris

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ferrari_chris
Lately I've been increasingly frustrated from having to start from last place constantly.

To me, what this means is that to win I need to have a car quite a bit faster than my opponents as I need to make up some 10+ seconds in three laps to overtake the leader.

What I think would be a better system, and encourage closer, harder racing is a graduated starting grid.

By that I mean that initally you start out from 16th position. But, in your first attempt if you pass three cars, and finish, then the next race you start from 13th position. If in that race you pass four cars, then you start from 9th position, etc.

This way you can work your way towards the front of the grid to battle the leader in a similar car, and not need and extra 150kW to pass him on the final straight.

Also, this would discourage restarting as soon as you're heading into the sand, as you may still be able to salvage a reasonable position. Whereas now if you know that if you're not going win, what's the point in finishing...

What do you think? Am I just lacking skill and trying to make the game too easy?
 
What do you think? Am I just lacking skill and trying to make the game too easy?
If you ask me: yes! Sorry mate! :indiff:

There is online boost which slows down the leader and gives you a nudge, and there's slipstreaming. Maybe it's the races and the opponents, but I haven't done a single online race yet where I didn't have the chance to at least catch up with the leader / leading bunch after I lost 15 seconds in a gravel trap.

Additionally, a system like you suggested it would be hard to realize. Every online race is formed individually, so you never know how many cars will be there, and where they finished in their last race. If you would race in a private room with a constant group of people, this might apply, but we don't know what online rooms will look like yet. Maybe the host will be able to choose who starts from what position...

Cheers
the Interceptor
 
I think it's a good idea - esp. on certain tracks and short races... starting 12th in London in a three lap race gives you practically no chance before you even start, unless you are "lucky" enough to be in a race with 11 numpties... up against 11 people of similar ability, however, means a massive disadvantage...

As for the rubber-banding, though, it does give you a help, but it still doesn't help you overtaking 11 people, one by one, just to get to where the guy on pole started the race... Ironically, I hate the rubber-banding so much I wish it were not there at all... I'd rather have to qualify first, or have a system like ferrari_chris has suggested, or even an option where you could choose what style of starting grid you used - based on rank, reverse-rank, rolling, random etc.

Would be cool to be able to view a list of available races and filter that list to include only those types of races you prefer...
 
even better if they had qualifying, dunno if anyone here's familiar with F1Challenge, Rfactor GTR etc on the pc but the system they use is like a race weekend kinda thing
practice + qualify sessions, best time you can set in a certain amount of time or laps
can skip and go straight to the qualifying or race if you you want, in Rfactor anyway it's done with a voting system so it's not just the host who decides
 
There should be qwalification! It is possible to win from last but when you start at the back there is more crashing :( i really hate the catch up system. Hopefully with the lobbies it will be possible to change it and choose to do a qwali.
 
Maybe either have rankings based on previous races?

Or even have a off line qualification or lap times determine where you start.

But a simple method would to have Qualifying before each race, I know it takes away the ability to just pick a race and drive in it, but i hate this rubber band effect or catch up. Worst thing ever and I no longer play online due to it and the fruit cakes on there.
 
The game would be way to easy if you didn't start in the back of the pack. The s class races would even be easy if you started toward the front.

If your talking about online races, I think it goes by your pp. Every time i raced the 700 races I started in first or second because I used the f40. I could only put 693 points on it. Now every time I set up my car for online I make my pp 1 or 2 points short of the max allowed, that way i start toward the front of the pack.
 
I think qualifying would be awsome online, have every body run one lap ghosted out the hole time and where you finish is where you start. I like the standing start as well that takes some of the advantage away. Especially at daytona oval if youre in a full feild the leadder is almost out of turn 2 before you even get to hit the gas.
 
lets try to understand something: amateur mode is for begginers, people that would like to have a random starting system and an online boost to add some fake conpetitivity on the race. but this is amateur mode right? ok, so i'm fine with that, there's plenty of other races on pro mode...

now that's what makes me angry, why those stupid things are also on the pro events. if pro mode tries to be as realist as possible, i don't get the online boost. and also, i don't know of any real race that makes its starting grid based on luck.

after you join the online race you should go straight to the grid for a hot lap, and then start the race. makes me bitter because due to my bad ping (brazil) i'm ALWAYS last on the grid. if you are racing on suzuka, 16 cars, by the time you cross the start, you are already 15 seconds behind.

i'm sure that has something to do with some of the reckless driving we've been seeing these days.

i wish they are taking notes. i really do. because i don't want to be disapointted when we finnaly get our private lobbies - they have to have those options.
 
Sorry for the confusion, I was talking 100% about offline racing.

I hadn't considered the online aspect at all, as from my limited experience, it was bordering on a demolition derby.

As for making the game too easy, it would from one aspect, I agree. But there's also the side of it where you can now take a slower car and work your way up the grid. Well, I think there is anyway... :indiff:
 
Just bring the qualification rounds back to GT and all problems will be solved. Nice racing simulator without qualification laps :S
 
If you want to start higher up, get a slower car. Certain cars just start farther back. So when you say "do i have to have a faster car..." you actually do, and that's why you're way back. One thing you can do is drop a few PP from your current car so you move yourself up in the grid. About 5-10 pp won't do much to the drivability, but will move you up in the grid a couple of spots.
 
TC, I'm not sure, but you're on the right track, because something needs to be done about the starting order. The difference between the lead and last place in a 16 player event is very, very large. I'd say we just need to end the rolling starts.
 
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