How to wean yourself off using the driving line?

  • Thread starter Munckeyz
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Munckeyz
I'm very bad at GT so I was very glad to see the addition of the driving line feature. I just worry I've become too dependent on it. How do I go about learning to drive without it? :P
 
I'm very bad at GT so I was very glad to see the addition of the driving line feature. I just worry I've become too dependent on it. How do I go about learning to drive without it? :P

Do what real racing drivers do: look for reference points on the track, to find out when to brake and when to start turning the wheel. Read about racing lines (in the real world) and create an imaginary one, during the driving.
 
Always, always use reference points. Most circuits (Especially the newer ones) have markers on the side saying 150, 100 and 50. Those are how many meters left until the turn-in point. Try braking at around all those markers and see which one works best. If there's none, use the trees, or heck even when the red-and-white thingies appear :P (Pretty helpful on the 'Ring)
Also, check out the lay-out of the track. "Slow in, fast out" is what they say, but it's effective mostly where next up a corner is a straight. If you're taking esses, it's (My driving style) actually faster to go fast-in slow out in the first corner and slow-in, fast out in the last corner. Also note that not all corners are corners you can brake on until the apex; some are needed to be braked at only at the straight. An example of this is the right-hand corner right after the foxhole. The sudden change in elevation can cause your car to fly if you aren't careful enough on your brakes. However, with enough aerodynamics, things might work out. And lastly, while out-in-out is true, there are many types of corners and while the basic ou-in-out is true, you have to pick on what part of the corner where you should really put your car in; or in other words the apex. Some types of corners require an early apex, some a late apex, and even some two apexes! I'm just scratching the surface, but if you're really serious, there's so many ways to go :)
 
i personally turn off the HUD which means no speedo.
:eek:... now that's extreme.

The driving line will help you get around a track you're unfamiliar with, but it will probably hold you back because it's far from accurate. There will be instances where it'll suggest to apply the brakes far longer than necessary or when you don't even need to at all. It also keeps you from really learning the track as you are just looking at a line and wether it's red or not.

I had been using the gear indicator since GT3 and it wasn't intil I turned it off sometime last year (I think) that I realized how much I depended on it to judge my braking pionts. Certain corners have become hit or miss because I have yet to find a proper track side brake marker, but that's part of the challenge.
 
After a few laps you will also build up visual feel for any track - able to use your previous laps learning for a new track. I'd advice always taking a few slow "sighter" laps to get a feel for your car and the track. Then turn up the speed. Pick a safe braking point, then gradually move it closer and closer to the apex.

NEVER use shadows as a visual cue in real life!

Or Photographers!

Both have nasty habits of moving about. (At least Shadows don't pester you for autographs.)
 
I would suggest to turn the driving line off and pick up a slow car and go for a track that is easy for rookies,like high speed ring or autumn ring mini, do lots of laps and you will start gaining experience, don't go fast right away, do some slow laps to get to know the track and then when you feel confident you increase the speed.

Like other people said, always use reference points, this will help you alot.
 
I recommend a track like Daytona Road Course to start out. It has a relatively simple layout that in most corners has forgiving run off for mistakes, but also heavily places emphasis on your turn into the corner for overall success. This means that braking correctly is a key to a good lap, and there are many different types of braking zones, from high speed straight zones, to low speed moderate zones, to turn 1 while you're braking from Max speed down to 1st or 2nd gear while turning. Also, you have the link which in most cars is or is close to flat out, meaning that your line placement and turn in skills will be the difference between having to lift or holding your foot to the floor.
 
Gotta go cold turkey!

Here's a song about brake markers.




:D:tup:

I honestly owe a couple of my best overtakes to brake markers :lol:
Thank you brake markers, for always being there for us. Even if the weather is bad, and even when you saw many horrible crashes, you're there for us. Thank you brake markers. We will always look out for you. *sobs from own speech
 
Personally I used instinct when determining when to brake, except for rare circumstances such as the Corkscrew on Laguna. When I decided I needed to change away from the driving line I used my instinct and fine tuned it from there - if I was braking too late I'd give myself more leeway, etc., before fine tuning it to be accustomed to my driving style.

Now that I look at the other posts, I had a weird technique. :lol:
 
SVX
Personally I used instinct when determining when to brake, except for rare circumstances such as the Corkscrew on Laguna. When I decided I needed to change away from the driving line I used my instinct and fine tuned it from there - if I was braking too late I'd give myself more leeway, etc., before fine tuning it to be accustomed to my driving style.

Now that I look at the other posts, I had a weird technique. :lol:
Actually I sort of have the same case with the 'Ring (Or any track that lacks brake markers) :lol:
It's more or less my home track; give me any car, and I'm sure to lap it safely on the 'Ring within three times :D
 
To use the driving line is the worst thing you can do to learn driving.

Just turn it off and do as if it never existed.

And then practice and play. Just practice and play. Thats it. And usually the more you play the more you'll learn.

It is important to to learn from your mistakes and try to not repeat them.
 
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SVX
Personally I used instinct when determining when to brake, except for rare circumstances such as the Corkscrew on Laguna. When I decided I needed to change away from the driving line I used my instinct and fine tuned it from there - if I was braking too late I'd give myself more leeway, etc., before fine tuning it to be accustomed to my driving style.

Now that I look at the other posts, I had a weird technique. :lol:
I never used the line in the first place when I started, so for me it was always just a matter of trial and error (and more error) until i got it right
 
I've never used the driving line but I used the track diagram in the HUD many many years ago in GT4 and earlier titles.

Now I go with HUD off and only use the gagues. I think it takes time and patience to really learn the tracks by going slowly through trial and error. Just take your time.

Trust me when I say driving without any aids visual or otherwise is worth it. Even turing off the gagues teaches you to learn and listen to the engine revs which results in an even deeper understanding of the car. When I drive IRL I don't stare at the gagues for direction, I look at the road most of the time.
 
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Turn off the racing line and gear indicator IMMEDIATELY. You might think gradual weaning off is best, but it doesn't help in the long run.

Then drive and drive while experimenting with your braking points. Look for trackside objects to help you be more consistent. Corner markers, tree, grass, kerbs, buildings, shadows, even slight cracks in the road or change in tarmac colour can be used as brake markers. Be creative!

I would also suggest watching Tidgney's youtube channel, especially the GT Academy guides as they are excellent in helping you develop a skill for spotting brake markers (aside from also improving you as a driver).
 
How do you learn to drive Manual - Buy a manual car and drive it
How do you learn to play the Guitar - Buy one and start playing whit it.

Turn it off!
Turn the line off!
Play only with the stop-watch.

If you simply try to improve your time, you will see you will naturally find the line yourself and you will learn the car, learn the track and learn the brake points...

It's like people relying on their GPS... in the end, they never know where they are really going... without the GPS, they are simply LOST... Your focus is totally wrong !

Learn to navigate yourself without relying on any electronic aids...

Use the stars if you have to, that's why Kaz put so many of them in the game... LOL

Good luck if you accept this mission...

i have never relied on it.
 
The easiest way I found was to switch to a game that didn't have either, then switch back as soon as you get the track down.
 
...I've used driving line on that infernal Veyron license test on Ascari, the track I was not familiar with, driving a barge I wasn't too keen on. Other than that, I'd usually take a slow-ish car and do a sighter lap or two on the track in question, see its general layout and gradually move towards faster, heavier and/or more powerful cars.

That approach works for me; I guess each to their own...
 
I've never used the driving line but I used the track diagram in the HUD many many years ago in GT4 and earlier titles.

Now I go with HUD off and only use the gagues. I think it takes time and patience to really learn the tracks by going slowly through trial and error. Just take your time.

Trust me when I say driving without any aids visual or otherwise is worth it. Even turing off the gagues teaches you to learn and listen to the engine revs which results in an even deeper understanding of the car. When I drive IRL I don't stare at the gagues for direction, I look at the road most of the time.
I still use the track diagram, but for a different purpose :mischievous:
Instead, I use the whole track diagram to see how far I am till the pits and then change my driving style accordingly (Very important in endurance races where you preserve your tires. Even if you know the track like the back of your hand, unless you can draw it on paper flawlessly you will never know where you exactly are in the track; you just have an estimate) or I look at where my opponents are and whether they made a mistake or not so I can think of a plan on when and how to pass them :)
I've never used the driving line but I used the track diagram in the HUD many many years ago in GT4 and earlier titles.

Now I go with HUD off and only use the gagues. I think it takes time and patience to really learn the tracks by going slowly through trial and error. Just take your time.

Trust me when I say driving without any aids visual or otherwise is worth it. Even turing off the gagues teaches you to learn and listen to the engine revs which results in an even deeper understanding of the car. When I drive IRL I don't stare at the gagues for direction, I look at the road most of the time.
But at some cars the transmission whine sound is too 🤬 loud :mad:
I turn them on mainly because I use my speed to know when I'm going to brake. It's unreliable yeah, maybe even stupid. But if it works, it ain't stupid ;)
 
I went cold turkey. The racing line is something I find from just lapping constantly, finding which route gives me the best time. As for braking, I very rarely even use the boards. I usually find a dark patch in the road or something like that. The only times I really use the markers are for the first corner at Indianapolis Road Course or for the chicanes at Le Mans during the night.
 
Use the distance boards to gauge the approximate braking zone,
Aswell as the gear change indicator.
plus lots of tracks will have an outside kerb that starts very close to the braking point
you'll also see most tracks have a lot of rubber build up modelled around the braking points and turn in points

but really, just lots of laps, trial and error

not that i've ever used the line
 
............................................
you'll also see most tracks have a lot of rubber build up modelled around the braking points and turn in points
.............................


And here's an important point - and a sight that's often overlooked - what we refer to as the 'rabbitline'. Once you've disabled the drive/brake indication line you will very clearly see this rubber build up as soon as a couple of laps have been laid down.
This is the technical driving line - the optimum line - around the course, but not necessarily the fastest or best line in any particular race. A player's driveline in a race will keep changing constantly because of varying conditions. The only occasion to use the optimum line to the full is when one is out in front - either pole, or having overtaken all opponents.

So - even when the driving aid is disabled, an optimum line is visible.
Careful noting of this line will also show the braking points.

For actual barking efficiency, markers - esp ones with numeric signs - are a sure gauge of where to apply brakes, and when to prepare for turn in.
Then there are other points one needs to learn to apply just the right amount of brakes (or downshifting) like when approaching the Flugplatz at the Ring. Markers for that sort of flightpath along the track are learned through experience, and each player has a different marker they use as the critical point which they know at which they can't leave the track.

Practise, and a good eye for the detail by your wings as you fly down the tracks are what will give you the ultimate and almost subconcious feel of when to brake, and where to place those wheels on the track for best effect.

There - I guess that balanced my somewhat tongue-in-cheek previous post. :)

:cheers:
 
@photonrider

I understand you are trying to help them, but did you really have have to spell it all out.

Let them find out about the "invisible" visible driving line by themselves... It is what make the discovery that much rewarding...

Driving is about staying flexible and finding consistency on your own, not about what a line is telling to do ...

For all of you out there still relying on the driving line, do yourself the favor of turning it off right away....
 
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