GT Academy 2013 - "Casual Racer" times and tips

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smskeeter23

smskeeter23

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GTP_skeeter23
Thought I would create a thread here for the non-"alien" drivers here. I've poked around and have only seen threads talking about 2:18.xxx or faster which I think may intimidate some enough to not join in the conversation. I know it has for me thus far.

I'm what I would consider a serious but "casual" racer. As in I am generally fast enough to be competitive and have fun but I only get a few hours a week to drive so I am always rusty and need a good deal of warm up to find my rythym again. While I've talked the wife into letting me have "some" time daily during the month of July I still don't really expect to crack into the 2:18.xxx crowd. My goal this year would be to make the top 1,000 but not sure that will happen either.

So, I'll start things off. Right now I am sitting at a 2:22.5xx in about 1,300 place US Region. I've had about 4 hours of seat time so far so it's not too bad I guess.

There is still a TON of time to be had if I could just string it all together. My problem is that once I have concentrated on a particular section enough to gain good time I start to blow a different section of the track and give it all back or red time it before the end.

As for tips this is what I can add from experience:
Abbey and Copse are crutially important. Copse is possibly the most important section on the entire track and once I master it I think it will be worth another full second.

640px-Silverstone_Circuit_2010_version.png


So, what say you my non-alien bretheren :lol:? How are you doing so far? What is your goal this year?


PS: If you are an alien time slayer you should probably look here: https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=284746 as it seems many are congregating there 👍 (no disrespect intended)
 
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Surrounding yourself with the so-called "aliens" is the best way to improve, this relates to pretty much anything in life! Sure you might not match them, but just trying to compete with them, you will most likely surprise yourself with what you can achieve. Watch some of Tidgney's instructional videos on YouTube, he goes in to quite a bit of detail, breaking down every corner on a track.
 
Spud_Skills
Surrounding yourself with the so-called "aliens" is the best way to improve, this relates to pretty much anything in life! Sure you might not match them, but just trying to compete with them, you will most likely surprise yourself with what you can achieve. Watch some of Tidgney's instructional videos on YouTube, he goes in to quite a bit of detail, breaking down every corner on a track.
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I agree and have learned from both Tidgney and Oinks videos (actually watching Oinks chanel right now as I type this) and enjoyed watching them. At the same time I think it can be a bit daunting to enter a conversation full of people running at the top of the boards when you can't even reach gold or have the time to put into it.

I don't know, maybe it's just me :scared:
 
2.22.271 as of yesterday at approximately 1005 CST(US). Out of 670,000 drivers, I feel I am doing well, but lack the consistency so present in the top times. Realistically, my goal at this point should be to improve trail braking, steering input, throttle control on exit, one input at a time in most cases, stability in the corner, and my knowledge of Silverstone strategies. It's clear I'm not at the level of competition necessary to post a one-time, top 0.0005% lap. I'm not OK with this, to be honest, and am pushing to drop at least below 2:20 by the end of this competition. However, today is a splits running day. Then I'll probably get back to lapping around 1900.

My weak areas are Copse thru Chapel. Staying in the middle of the track[Thanks to Tidgney and Oink's advice] needs to be my goal through there.
 
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Good thread idea. I have no aspirations to be an alien type and am proud to be a "casual" driver. The framerate issue in cockpit cam had me back in bumper cam which I hadn't used in probably 10 months. Then no B/B adjusting had me back in ABS 1. The physics surprised me being able to trail brake effectively with ABS on.

Been running consistent 2:21's so far pretty comfortably. Best is a 2:21.035 I think. Last night I ran some laps at Silverstone in F1 2012. Although the crazy F1 downforce helps, I found a couple places to shave time. First sector I'm pinching the tight left hander at Arena losing exit speed. Copse of course drives me nuts. Need to find some markers and concentrate on best entry speeds. Man that turn is hard and important.

So Thursday I was at #286 in the US. Yesterday had tumbled out of the top 400. Hate to look at it today!
 
Another thing I found was the FFB setting. I've always driven with the highest FFB I can get because I like to feel the car fighting me like it would in real life. I backed it off to 5 and it did seem to help. I think my turn in rate is faster now helping get a proper apex. It was probably worth .7 on my lap (unless it was just practice that helped :confused:) it seems to help me prevent snap back oversteer when hanging it out around corners. Probably because it feels less like the car is coming around on me.

Since the physics are different, even if only slightly, I've decided to sue it as a test bed for doing things differently which will likely transfer into some "new" methods for full GT6.
 
smskeeter23
I agree and have learned from both Tidgney and Oinks videos (actually watching Oinks chanel right now as I type this) and enjoyed watching them. At the same time I think it can be a bit daunting to enter a conversation full of people running at the top of the boards when you can't even reach gold or have the time to put into it.

I don't know, maybe it's just me :scared:
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May seem daunting but don't you worry, we don't bite at all :)! If people want to improve I'm more than happy to help because to me that's what the competition is about. Ye ok there's winning the seat, but as a person you have to show determination, desire and all sorts so that's why I always say just ask if you have any questions because I'll always respond (Maybe not straight away if I'm at work but by dinner, or when I finish :)).
 
Tidgney did you notice any errors you were making when you went from the controller to the wheel? I'm slower than guys currently within the top 31 of the US boards that I was previously able to beat on the DS3. Any suggestions you might have from your experience. I have the speed but I'm not able to impliment it on the wheel. I'm seconds off.
 
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I have always surrounded myself with people like Tidgney and others. My friends list is full of some of the top drivers GT has to offer and they are what keeps me pushing the limits. Without them, I doubt very much I would be where I'm at today as far as my skillset goes. I understand your intent with this thread, but no one by any means should be intimidated by these "alien" drivers. They are very helpful and most will go out of their way to help a lesser skilled driver along if they just ask.
 
Call me crazy but I wish I could tune this car myself. I don't have a wheel and when running in GT5 I can't get competitive unless I can do something with the toe angles that are much higher numbers than those who run with a wheel.

Anyone else running with a ds3 having the same issues?
 
roamer2629
Cargorat you are back!!! How is your back??? little better I guess??
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Thanks, and yes, I'm back. My back and other health issues are about as good as they are going to get, which isn't the best, but just something I have to deal with. Sorting thru some personal issues now (girlfriend, place to live, ect.) but just trying to deal with those as well as realize my dream here. Sort of in a holding time period as far as personal issues go which has given me the time to compete here. Hopefully in a few months I'll have my life back on track and then I can concentrate fully on realizing my goals as far as my driving here is concerned. Not really able to concentrate fully right now, but doing my best. This game and the friends I have made while playing it are what have really kept me going in the past and they are what keeps me going presently aswell. So, to you and others, I say thanks for that.

Sorry for the bit of rambling, but just took my medication and it tends to make me ramble. :lol: Peace.
 
Im still trying to improve on this myself, currently on a 2.19.7 but messed up big time in the last two corners, my legs froze :scared: I think its better to try and improve on your own first, try to find your own technique and get a good rhythm. Looking at someones lap before you try yourself puts more pressure on trying for a good lap. I was having trouble with copse corner yesterday, decided to spend some time doing practice 2 to get a good rhythm out of there before heading back to the track and trying to improve.

The Tidgney videos or watching laps from the top 10 help most when you have a general idea of the track and your own comfortablility of things. It's much more rewarding looking at a corner in someones replay or Tidgney's videos and saying "Hang on I didn't try that..." than it is looking at a video from scratch and trying to memorize every corner.


Now for the track :) (This is my approach)

Abbey - very little braking, almost about 10% on the brakes, trying to maintain speed without sliding. My goal around there is to brake fairly early, if you have the racing line on its just before the red line appears. I turn almost as I begin braking and let the weight of the car guide it round the corner, if Im close to the apex I get on the power hard, if not I weight a bit. The run to the arena should be very smooth and close to the curb on the left. For the two corners in the Arena I haven't mastered yet, currently im staying in the middle of the track and trying to use the gears to turn the car. The last corner is one I pretty much hate, the car never wants to turn (sometimes I dab the handbrake here.)

Copse - This all starts at a good entry to Brooklands and Luffield theres a lot of time to be had there you can lose half a second to a second on those two corners alone so make sure you stay close to the curbs and get on power early (watch Ti-tech on here) as for Copse Im braking maybe a cars length into the red of the racing line and trail braking to turn the car into the corner (its a tough corner) the key is to try and get the car on to the apex quickly so you can get on power as soon as possible (I only seem to get it right when Im behind on a lap)

Goodluck 👍 if I get some new techniques Ill add them on here
 
smskeeter23
I often have the same problem :lol:

Glad to hear you're back and doing better 👍
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Ha, ha, then you know what I mean. :lol:

And thanks, just hoping things get better in the near future as far as the personal issues go.

Anyways, still haven't taken a serious full lap yet, still just concentrating on the individual sectors and learning the track. Probably won't feel confident on doing full laps for a few more days. Just wanna really learn each sector first before I go full on. Good luck to you and everyone else here going for it this year, maybe one of us "non-aliens" can break through and have a good run.
 
Yeah I think this thread is a good thing. It's very true that surrounding yourself with the best helps you develop but for guys like us who are less experienced (for example, I have only started playing gt around 3 or 4 weeks ago and love it) it helps us to shave time off at a rate that suits us. We will not be able to watch the top 10 replays and drop 2 seconds but I'm on a 2.22.0xx and and so discussing technique etc with guys on 22s and 21s it may help to gradually bring time down. Quite clearly I have a lot to learn and over time I'm confident I will get there. As I've said in a previous post if anyone of a similar level wants to add me to race against or just compare their times with then my PSN is DBY___86 (3 underscores!)
 
DBY___86
Yeah I think this thread is a good thing. It's very true that surrounding yourself with the best helps you develop but for guys like us who are less experienced (for example, I have only started playing gt around 3 or 4 weeks ago and love it) it helps us to shave time off at a rate that suits us. We will not be able to watch the top 10 replays and drop 2 seconds but I'm on a 2.22.0xx and and so discussing technique etc with guys on 22s and 21s it may help to gradually bring time down. Quite clearly I have a lot to learn and over time I'm confident I will get there. As I've said in a previous post if anyone of a similar level wants to add me to race against or just compare their times with then my PSN is DBY___86 (3 underscores!)
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Join the WRS, its a pretty good place to learn. theres a link in my sig
 
I'm probably a little ahead of the middle of the pack (2:20.2 with ABS and 2:22.1 without if memory serves) so take my advice with a grain of salt as I'm definitely from Earth and not an alien. The most important corners on any track and this is especially so at Silverstone because it is a long layout with many fast sections, are the corners followed by longer straights. Setting up for getting on the throttle as early as possible without lifting is the key. Corner entry is always crucial, but less so than exit. Corners followed relatively quickly by another are less important for lap times and more important for setting up for the following corner to get a proper exit for the following long straight.

Of course putting all the corners together is the way to be at the top, but to get to the top you have to climb the stairs first and I've found more speed focusing more on the corners leading onto straights than corners in succession.

Welcome back Mr. Rat:bowdown::cheers:
 
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Johnnypenso
I'm probably a little ahead of the middle of the pack (2:20.2 with ABS and 2:22.1 without if memory serves) so take my advice with a grain of salt as I'm definitely from Earth and not an alien. The most important corners on any track and this is especially so at Silverstone because it is a long layout with many fast sections, are the corners followed by longer straights. Setting up for getting on the throttle as early as possible without lifting is the key. Corner entry is always crucial, but less so than exit. Corners followed relatively quickly by another are less important for lap times and more important for setting up for the following corner to get a proper exit for the following long straight.

Of course putting all the corners together is the way to be at the top, but to get to the top you have to climb the stairs first and I've found more speed focusing more on the corners leading onto straights than corners in succession.

Welcome back Mr. Rat:bowdown::cheers:
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Thanks Johnny. Sure wish you guys could be included in this because I know you'd be right up there in the thick of things. Hopefully your government or whatever changes some things in the future so you guys can compete. They are missing out on a lot of good Canadian talent until then. :cheers:
 
Johnnypenso
I'm probably a little ahead of the middle of the pack (2:20.2 with ABS and 2:22.1 without if memory serves) so take my advice with a grain of salt as I'm definitely from Earth and not an alien.
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I've been using your time as a benchmark goal Johnny so I can top my own friends list for once :lol:

I'm gunnin for ya ;)
 
1. learn to control power output, don't slide out of the corners. (not a big fan of short shifting, though it seems to be working this time).
2. learn trail braking, find out the brake release feel to create tail slide.
2. watch top guy's replay, learn the line, the braking point, the apex speed, the feel of control.
 
SOB! While making dinner tonight I burned my index finger and thumb on my right hand BAD on a hot plate. I just tried to grab the wheel and can't.

Looks like I'm out for a day or more since I don't want to pick up any bad habits trying to nurse my hand by holding the wheel different

After spending the night with ice and burn cream I think I'm ready for another session tonight :sly:
 
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So where is everyone at? I've managed to drop into the 1:21.6 range but it's gonna be tough for me to beat until I can get a hold of the hairpin and copse again :-(
 
smskeeter23
So where is everyone at? I've managed to drop into the 1:21.6 range but it's gonna be tough for me to beat until I can get a hold of the hairpin and copse again :-(
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If you're at 1:21 you've got this thing locked up dude!! You're nearly a minute clear of the next guy on the list!!!:sly:
 
Johnnypenso
If you're at 1:21 you've got this thing locked up dude!! You're nearly a minute clear of the next guy on the list!!!:sly:
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OOPS! Ha! That should be 2:21.6 lmao :lol:

I was having an out of body experience right at the end of the night running a 2:19.403 when my wife comes in just as im going into club ftw and starts bitching about something stupid...

Result, wide by two inches... 100% red :pissed:
 

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