Welcome back,
WhoosierGirl. 
Stupendous time. This machine is almost as fast as the 2X? When it's full bore in the hands of an expert?
I can just imagine the ride you had in that one. Maybe you actually lost time with the wall magnet.
A request to all: try to observe and report if possible a strange phenomenon which I could call 'The Penalty System' for want of a better phrase.
This kicks into effect when you have a tussle with the AI or are overly aggressive with them. After you do this and gain position, there will be an instance where you are at a corner or other deceptive part of the track, and this is where the 'Penalty System' kicks in.
You may lose all power, or there will be snap oversteer, or sudden brake-fade, or one tire will 'blow' (go red.) Most times you will end up facing the opposite way, or nose stuck to the barrier.
You may also find that all the AI that you were rude to will now pass you as you struggle to free yourself.
They may even slam you around a little bit as they pass and make things worse.
(Player rage quits at this point or restarts vowing road rage revenge or to be a more careful driver.
)
Another 'force' that comes into play is when you are in the proximity of certain AI (known driver/car combos) and they will envelop you in what can be explained away as 'aerodynamic forces', but is more often than not like an iron hand gripping your car which you have to fight in controlling your car, and shake off.
If you actually make contact with the AI car and don't win (if you win more secret penalty points are added) then even
their slightest touch will send you into the wall and facing backwards again.
If you win and go on, it seems like you got away with the brawl, but just as you start to feel comfortable, the stewards strike: you are taking an easy corner, but yes, it seems like you suddenly lost all rubber, you're aqua-planing in oil and that wonderful expensive steering wheel is suddenly swinging around without any life.
The mechanics at the pits will tell you that your wheels were not turning (and with good reason), while you of course were turning your wheel to no good reason.
Because late in the race, tyres bad, too fast, no brakes, locking, etc.
But this can happen after one of those tussles with the AI, even if you are being extra careful after the brawl.
Suddenly the force will strike and take you out.
And all the cars you passed will pass you by. Snarkily, too.
Please observe this phenomena and do add other observations you feel are pertinent or related.
What I'm thinking here is that there is a 'penalty system' built into the 'gaming' part of GT6 (as was duly noted in GT5 in the GT5 Manual there were built in penalties in
that game.)
Penalties are a part of gaming.
Without penalties and sudden handicaps a game would be flawed, broken too quickly.
I'm not sure how well it is implemented in GT6, not well yet to think it's a global effect.
I have conducted hundreds of experiments with the AI to come to these conclusions.
One has to race in proximity to observe and experience these effects.
If the Player just takes off, maintains a 10 second lead and goes that way all the way to the Finish line in every race they will not, obviously, experience any of this.
If you drive a clean lap the AI will actually race like gentlefolk, letting you pass at the precise spots that are appropriate. If you force yourself into their 'Rabbitline' they will defend it by changing their whole velocity/position equation to suit what you are going to throw at them in the way of a velocity/position problem.
They're crunching numbers at every nano-second, and when you are near they crunch the numbers you are feeding them, figure out the resulting 'if P, then Q' and the answer moves them to do what thy have to do.
This is a fascinating game to play if you have a powerful enough car to overtake them cleanly at spots that they have to defend.
It becomes a game of chess.
You stalk them, then take them unawares.
The choice of car at your disposal influences the fun factor.
A well-matched car, having then equalised yourself with the field, can be an addictive weapon for repeated battles.
So one has to race in proximity and when you do that, then all the attendant moves they are programmed to make come into play. If the Player doesn't race them close enough, then the Player is basically free-running or time-trialing with some traffic here and there.
Which is also a nice drive, but with other objectives.
This brings us to the fact that
Besson is no doubt the fastest racer in this particular pack, and that also the AI race each other and race each other quite fast - in fact faster than the majority of game-players.
In effect they are super-suitable for a huge variety of drivers when it comes to racing, as long as the Player is matched into their 'racing window' and
that skills/car match only individual Players can find for themselves as there are millions of individual players out there all with unique skill sets.
This set of drive-bots - or Rabbits, as we tend to colloquially call them - functions much better than the AI in GT5, I would think, even this early in the game.
I've also noticed that the Online AI is even more tough, even more refined, and even more aggressive when required than the Offline AI. Probably 'tweaked' versions of the sprites.
I've even compared the same driver/car combos from Online to Offline and I find the particular Offline AI almost placid in comparison to the Online versions of themselves and their cars (same car.)
One myth we have totally busted:
The names are not random in the Career mode races. Nor in Online A-Spec-type races.
Everyone has a Besson. The same Besson. Same initial, same car.
Maybe slightly different personalities.
One wonders - what is the connection between
Besson and the Pescarolo?
You'll be surprised if you Google.
Oh! yeah. Lots of connections.
______________________________
The
Rabbitline. Note the track they all take. They're all running the fast-to-fastest possible time on that 'perfect' line. Like Time-trialers.
I'm in the Ferrari, in the 'grey' area, about to challenge the Viper's track. I have to cross the line quick or get in line and speed off.
a job well done fella. đź‘Ť
đź‘Ť
@MTM79 Have you tried IM? For me they are faster, didnt notice that I was slipping less with wets. As much as I like Nordshcleife I hate the Nurburgring. I was shocked when lead rabbit pulled over a bit so I could pass ! Or he didn't want to dent his Ferrari. I wonder if there aren't some drivers or car models that are more aggressive . Seem to remember some ..but cant remember which cars now.
