How To Have Relatively Realistic & Competitive Races With The AI

[VBR]

We all know the many shortcomings of the AI in GT5, so I decided if I could find a way to have realistic & competitive races with them. Here's what I found.

Obviously this could only be done in Practice Mode with Single Make Race, as that's the only place you'll get a realistic start, ie; a normal standing start. I chose the Mazda Roadster TC (with engine run in), & set the track up as realistic as the game would allow; damage full, grip real etc. The car was completely untuned, & after fiddling with the Power Limiter, I set it to 88% so that the car had 187 BHP, which is 26 BHP lower that normal.

I had a 3 lap race on Suzuka, & managed to win by only a second or two, overtaking the car in P1 on the last lap! The AI still broke too early, but were faster round corners because I think they were on R1 tyres (stock for this car), which created a more competitive race for me as I was on Sports Hard. The AI also seemed to avoid running into me as much as usual, I'm guessing that's becasue the performance differential between me & them was levelled somewhat.


I just thought I'd share my findings & start a thread where we can all post our car/tyre/power limiter/track combinations for single make races in Practice Mode.

So get testing & posting people, I'll add them to the growing database in post 2 of this thread. Use a combination of tyre choice, Power Limiter, & ballast.


👍


Rules: Cars must be stock, not tuned. Races must be set up with Grip on Real, Tyre/Fuel On, & Heavy Damage. Any other settings must also be included in your post, like weather if used, & how many laps etc.

 

[VBR]

Reserved for posting single make race combos...

Try out the combos listed below. If you find some too hard, add a little more power & then try again. If you find some too easy, lower the power & then try again. Adjust it to suit your speed.



1) Car: Mazda Roadster TC - untuned, Sports Hard, Power Limiter @ 88% = 187 BHP. No aids/except ABS 1. Track: Suzuka - weather 25% (dry), Changeabilty 0, 3 laps. By VBR.

2) Car: 70 Challenger R/T - fully stock, CS tires, no aids/no ABS. Track: 10 laps Laguna. By ncrthree.

 

[NCRthree]

What a coincidence you posted this as I've been on a mission myself. That's why I was trying ABS 0, so I couldn't outbrake the AI so easily.

Been running in Arcade though. Wish it had standing starts but you get a much better AI in professional mode. If it's a short enough track, I'll use the 1st lap like a pace lap and only advance if it's just too easy. Or at Nurb 24 wait until the Nordshleife. Same kind of track parameters you posted. Only fully stock cars too.

What's good is running cockpit view all hud off. I'll do a quick check once in a while to see my lap or position. Been running Fuji F in premium GT500's. No aids/ race hards. Just some 10 lappers to get a feel for the race. You get a mixed field of cars but mostly other GT500's.

There's an old thread similar to this called Arcade Love. I always thought a sticky with Arcade or Practice mode race combos would be a good community info source.

 

[Tired Tyres]

Glad you reminded me about that one. This is the thread.

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=251378

In general, drop tyres by two grades, add your weight to the car in the form of ballast and put it where the driver is rather than where it might be better for balance, keep the car stock so you have to change how you drive rather than change the car to suit you.

Run with Max damage and you should have some good racing.

 

[Giulietta73]

I get some really good races in arcade mode, pro level, 20 laps or Mortegi (full course) in any of the LMP cars (stock - even de-tuned) using RH tires, full damage, no aids except abs 1. The only downside is that the red Suzuki with the HUGE spoiler is in the car list when all I want is LMP class - but that only ruins the 'look' of the race.

Come on PD, how about some endurance seasonals with LMP cars?

 

[Ryk]

I ran in GT mode, Practice - Grand Valley Speedway Reverse - 24 laps
No driver aids (Obviously) I ran Comfort Soft tyres
Lancia Stratos - Nothing added to it, but it may have had fresh oil and a chassis fettle - but low power and no trick power bits.

I think the field was a full 16 cars - They were running Sport Hards - Started in the middle of the grid, and gradually worked my way to 2nd and then I had to work to catch the leader (Lotus V8 SE).

The Problem with the Stratos is you have to resist the urge to drive like a loony and go sideways. The car would lock up if I got a bit eager into a brake zone, (Brakes at 4/2)

I think the usual trick is to get a normal car but always downgrade your tyres in the race settings as the grid forms up. If you run driver aids then you will need to reduce your tyres much more as you mistakes per laps will be reduced - so you lapping pace will be high.

Damage on keeps you honest, but it can be annoying if you run a bit too close and end up crabbing arround the track after a "Rubbing is racing" moment from an AI Yahoo.

 

[VBR]

I ran in GT mode, Practice - Grand Valley Speedway Reverse - 24 laps

I think the field was a full 16 cars...

Single Race in Practice mode has only 8 cars, you were most likely in Arcade Mode, in which case try the thread tired tyres gave a link to above.


👍

 

[Ryk]

Could be right, (Checks neural net processor...) - You are correct, VBR. I had a blow out race in the 500pp Seasonal at TMC, But enjoyed the Stratos, so took it to arcade mode for a "quality race".

I'll have to do a few races via the TRACK tab and the Practice icon and see what happens. I'll try for some longer test races, in the 350-400pp area - Cars worth 10,000 to 20,000 with Comfort tyres.

I did run a single make race, 8 car grid but it was from a Standing start at Cape Ring South. - The pit lane entry here can be dived in at the last minute, the pit lane exit can catch you out as it transitions from autopilot as you need to slow down to make the first corner, all too easy to exit the pits... and prompty work out you are heading for the grass and the Armco on the outside, Cold Comfort tyres never help.

 

[Morgoth_666]

Practice mode races do have parking AI, but if you can get the right balance of your pace they can still be pretty fun. The fact that they are one of the very few ways to get a 100% equal field of competitors(with better options than A-Spec/Seasonal races) is a big part of why. If you had some control over their cars(like making them use an exact copy of your car, but with two grades grippier tires) it would be even better. If they didn't park then that would be even better yet... but then again if GT5 didn't have parking AI at all the whole game might almost be a little fun..

Going to Arcade and getting a good match with the bulk of the pack -- ignoring the leaders and having a hell of a fight for 4th or 5th or wherever the big gap begins -- is still the best single-player racing you'll get. But one-make racing provides opportunities to do things you can't with Arcade's auto-generated fields. If nothing else, it can be rather amusing doing one-make races at SSR9 where you can't get away from them easily and no one's equipment lets them just drive away. Just don't use max damage there.

 

[VBR]

If you had some control over their cars(like making them use an exact copy of your car, but with two grades grippier tires) it would be even better.

The Mazda Roadster TC I drove was untuned, so it was an exact copy of the AI's cars in Single Make Race mode for obvious reasons. The car comes as standard with Racing Hard tyres, which the AI were on, I was on Sports Hard tyres (3 grades down) & had lowered the power to balance my speed against their lack thereof. It was even better than a regular race against the AI, hence this thread encouraging others to test & post more of the same.

The idea is for us to create a database of car/tyre/power limiter/ballast/track & Lap combos for Single Race in Practice Mode, that creates a similar level & even playing field. Once listed in the 2nd post in this thread, all we'd have to do is try them out & adjust the Power Limiter to suit our individual speed.

 

[NCRthree]

Last week I tried out a one make with the 70 Challenger R/T at Laguna. Got tired of the stock Chally getting left behind on the seasonal! Can't remember all the parameters as it was before this thread was up. From what I remember I used CS tires (pretty sure) stock power but I'd changed the oil before. Ran Laguna for 10 laps I think. AI's tires were SH. I was just trying out ABS 0 so my driving was kinda inconsistent, heh. Anyway I sure didn't gain any ground on the AI that way and stayed 4th for the whole race. If I'd used ABS it would probably be different but I wanted to run the old car without any brake assists.

Some things that would make these one makes more challenging could be using a new fully stock car before oil change. As was mentioned earlier, adding ballast or stepping down the tires too. Also it depends on your own motive. I'm not expecting some kind of thrilling race but more of a Track Day type experience. Attempting clean passes and trying not to exploit the AI's parking behavior. Basically working on my driving skill especially braking and passing.

Anyway here's one: 70 Challenger R/T fully stock CS tires, 10 laps Laguna, no aids

 

[VBR]

I always thought a sticky with...Practice mode race combos would be a good community info source.

Anyway here's one: 70 Challenger R/T fully stock CS tires, 10 laps Laguna, no aids

I updated the database in the 2nd post with your race, thanks for the contribution.


👍

Some things that would make these one makes more challenging could be using a new fully stock car before oil change.

That wouldn't make much difference as one of the main points is to use the power limiter to adjust the race to suit individual drivers, as we are not all the same speed. For instance, in the Mazda Roadster TC on Suzuka, I wasn't able to win with 183BHP, but it became just about winnable with 187. And, some more talented drivers could probably win it with even less BHP than that.