Pit Stops

[cobragt]

I cant see the pic, but if it's the pics from the E3 presentation with the guys at the top and bottom of the screen in different coloured jackets, I think they're race marshalls.

That's the pic. Aren't they around the pit area? I believe I saw them in that cg vid that had the pitcrew.

 

[Eagle]

F1 viewing figures have never been so low Worldwide.

Over the next nine months, in excess of 6 billion people will watch the Formula 1 Grand Prix season unfold on circuits throughout the world. The average viewing figures for each grand prix is over 354 million worldwide.

Link: http://www.bized.ac.uk/current/mind/2003_4/080304.htm

I have to admit I'm having trouble finding viewing figures for 1990 (the year I randomly picked and tried), but I'd be pretty surprised if the figures then surpass the figures now, presuming these are accurate of course.

 

[phantasm]

I think the realism factor drops if we can pause to radio our pit strategy. Sometimes the drivers can't communicate what they like because of radio problems, etc. I think the popup menu as you enter the pits is all you should get, and if you don't make any specific selections, it runs with a default set you enter before the race. You could even save specific setups (tyre type, fuel load) and just select an option, have say 3 preconfigured. Car changes... In free run mode I think you should be free to enter your garage, tune, and restart, however in a race that's not really feasible, so beyond some utterly simplistic things like downforce, no. Changing computer settings is generally done via the steering wheel if it's going to be done at all, it takes time to take off an engine cover and plug in a laptop.

The reason i suggested pausing is that most pit decisions actually come from the technical director of the team based on driver feedback and the systems monitoring the car. B/C it's a game and you'd be driving and making pit decisions i thought it might be a good way to enhance the pit experience and make it a little more involved in GT (since pit strategy is a major factor IRL). But the pop-up menu isn't bad either... at least it adds more of a dynamic which i think a lot would be happy with.

 

[yeti]

The problem with pausing is Online racing... you can't pause the game whilst online... therefore I think the single player mode should have a similar method... hence popup menu... so that you get used to it in the normal racing and it doesn't surprise you when online...

The idea of having pre-configured pitstops is good though... you could set up a strategy but then say no as you enter the pits and change it around....

C.

 

[phantasm]

^ good call... forgot about online... ya i guess the popup with the ability to preset some defaults is probably best for consistancy across modes.

 

[j8mie]

Eagle - I really think there's something wrong with those figures. There's only meant to be about 6 billion in the World at anyone time..............give or take a few million.

What they have done with those figures is, times 354 million by the number of races (21) and you get a figure of 6,372,000,000. So in a sense they are right. But they makes out that everyone on the planet watches at least one race, which isn't true. Just goes to show you can prove or dis prove anything with figures.

Either way, the racing has become very boring, and I know fewer and fewer people who watch it. And those who do, only watch it to a) see Jenson do well or b) wait for Schumacher to crash out and someone else win.

Enough of that, back to the orginal point. Being able to formulate pit strategies before the race would be really cool, so long as you could change things around when you were in the race, should things not go to plan. There would need to be some lessons on how to plan your strategy. Would anyone like the idea of you having to drive the car into the pit stop yourself, and not rely on the computer doing it for you? The biggest draw back would be that you would be too busy driving the car to be able to select what you wanted done to the car, but missing that pit crew by a few feet would spice things up a touch.

Cheers

Jamie

 

[heero 12]

Over the next nine months, in excess of 6 billion people will watch the Formula 1 Grand Prix season unfold on circuits throughout the world. The average viewing figures for each grand prix is over 354 million worldwide.

I see nothing wrong with that figure. And yes, a pop-up is the way to go, Nascar thunder has it and it works good, pleanty of time to choose.

 

[Delphic Reason]

The problem with pausing is Online racing... you can't pause the game whilst online... therefore I think the single player mode should have a similar method... hence popup menu... so that you get used to it in the normal racing and it doesn't surprise you when online...

The idea of having pre-configured pitstops is good though... you could set up a strategy but then say no as you enter the pits and change it around....

C.

Very nice... PD, can you hear this? Take note.....

 

[cobragt]

Nicely said yeti. I like that idea. But how will we know when our fuel is going down? I saw a pic of the fuel tank, and it was just that, a fuel tank. Will we know how much gas we have? I hope so.

 

[McLaren'sAngel]

Hiya!

I hope that PD will do the Pit Stops like on TV or at the race tracks I see. You got all the team members rushing to the car and doing all the tire changing and filling up the gas and feeding a mini chocolate bar to the driver! It will be so awesome it see those being added instead of the invisible team

 

[Eagle]

I see nothing wrong with that figure. And yes, a pop-up is the way to go, Nascar thunder has it and it works good, pleanty of time to choose.

Nope, he's right, and I should have put a bit more thought into what I posted.

If you break down that 354 million people, say 3/4 of them are the same people who watched the last GP and will watch the next one. The total net viewing figure is thus far reduced (down to about just over a billion given this generous model), but nevertheless, Formula 1 remains one of (if not the most) popular sport on Earth in terms of television viewing figures, and attendance is pretty good to most events too. 354 million watching each race is a better figure to run with - and still pretty damn high. There are 18 races btw.

Since when did yeti come up with the preconfigured stops idea?!?

We discussed how to keep track of fuel - https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=44694. End of p2 onwards.

 

[yeti]

Since when did yeti come up with the preconfigured stops idea?!?

Brilliant idea eh?!?!

C.

 

[GT-One Lover]

yeah like in the video of the FORD GT LM-CONCEPT???
let´s hope thet there will be a pit scene in which u can watch the pit crew working on ur car!!

 

[cobragt]

Do you all think the cars can be opened? Like in that vid with the gt40, the hood in the back that covers the engine was opened. I hope the engine hoods can be opened, that'd be cool.

 

[GT-One Lover]

..yeah!!! especially when the pit crew openes a hood as the GT-One for example has!!!
imagine as in Le mans the hoods....and the doors???

 

[Dave A]

That's the pic. Aren't they around the pit area? I believe I saw them in that cg vid that had the pitcrew.

No, the pit crews don't wear jackets they wear race clothes (noting to get caught on the car).

 

[Dave A]

Do you all think the cars can be opened? Like in that vid with the gt40, the hood in the back that covers the engine was opened. I hope the engine hoods can be opened, that'd be cool.

I don't think that will happen, it would be cool but I can't see them creating all the animations and seperate hoods and doors ect for every car.

 

[j8mie]

Eagle - I have no idea where 21 came from, you are right, it is only 18 races

...But how will we know when our fuel is going down? I saw a pic of the fuel tank, and it was just that, a fuel tank. Will we know how much gas we have? I hope so.

I've thought about this as well. I'm hoping that the gauge will do one of two things. Either it changes colour slowly say from green > yellow > orange > red and then it starts flashing at you when your almost out or you only have 2 full laps worth of fuel. Or maybe the symbol might start losing it's colour as if it was emptying. The only problem with the last one is that the symbol is very small and PD should really put in a simply fuel gauge, just like you get on any real car.

Opening doors and bonnets does seem a little far fetched to me. I'm just hoping for a animated pit crew that you can see changing your tyres, and some kind of pit menu that lets you quickly change tyres, fuel amount and maybe basic downforce wing settings. Something like that from Sports Car GT would do the job fine.

Cheers

Jamie

 

[Dave A]

Sports car GT had a very good pit stop interface

 

[cobragt]

But who could those guys in the coats be? 3d crowds for snow tracks? Or tracks that are wet? I can't wait till we get more info on the human element.

 

[code_kev]

Dear god...cobra, listen man, saying crap like "human element" is just painful, please, stop it, now. They are just spectators, with pre scripted animation that kick in when say a car is close etc. They do NOT have AI (unless you count "if (car == close){ wave - arm}"), they do not have physics (why would they need it if you don't run them over), they have nothing but animation. Yes they look nice, but man, stop it, the human element sounds like marketing mumbo jumbo some suit would make up to sell games to children who don't have a clue. By your logic any game EVER that has people in it has the fabled "human element"

rant over, sorry to be a *****

 

[cobragt]

Sometimes code, you can just stay out of conversations with your pointless "rants." Seriously, SHUT THE **** UP!! Gezzz.

 

[code_kev]

Come on man, I'm right though, you only call it the human element because the chips called "the emotion engine" pppfftttttttt, ho ho ho.

I just find it funny that you ACTUALLY think that the crowds have real time physics, it just cracks me up. btw don't even bother bringing the xbox in this, as you no doubt will, I'm mocking you, not the ps2.

 

[cobragt]

Can you be taken serious? That's a question no one can answer. What's wrong with saying "human element?" The developers have used the term so why shouldn't I? Are you mad rsc2 or pgr2 didn't have the human element? Jokes aside, I have heard the human characters have their own physics, similar to the cars. I read this from a japanese ps2 site. The drivers in top down cars have physics.

 

[code_kev]

The drivers in the cars may well have (it might shift the body mass around the seat at high speeds and sharp corners, but I doubt tbh), but the crowds DON'T, they don't need physics, all they need are good quality animations. But anyway, please cobra, explain to me how a random member of the crowd will need phsyics, please, I'm obviously to stupid to see. The only use for physics in a crowd member is if your gonna run the buggers over.

btw note the pathetic xbox games mention, so predictable, remember cobra, we are talking about GT4 here, the fact I also own an xbox doesn't make a difference. Owning more then one console is quite common these days .

 

[cobragt]

the fact I also own an xbox doesn't make a difference.

Heh, I dont know about that. I just read about the human characters have physics, maybe I left some things out or didn't read it good enough but whatever. Take a break from you ranting, please.

 

[code_kev]

*rant mode off*

 

[Eagle]

You guys are terrible and really should be banned from replying to a thread in which the other has participated. Wait then you'd just post to stop the other from posting like a pre-emptive strike. Argh. It's even worse that I wind up on the side of the freaking Xbox advocater.

code: We know. He's dumb. We spotted it. It's been noted. We know. Really. No joke. We can all see it. We get it. Honest.

cobra: For the love of god, shut up. No one but you cares about the "human element". Why? It's just marketing jargon whipped up to blindside stupid people into believing GT4 is unique in that respect. Real time physics for a freaking spectator you can't even run over (god I wish you could though)? What a waste. Did you see that pic of George V recently where the trackside crowd consisted of the same 4 people cloned 4 times in the space of 30 virtual metres? That's your human element? Clone wars? Pack your **** up guys, Earth's over.

Yeti - you'll get yours *waves fist menacingly*

Forget this is a real driving simulator for a minute and someone tell me if most race cars have a real fuel gauge, the racers I know of don't.

 

[code_kev]

Sorry, it's just those words "human element", they...they drive me insane. It's such a meaningless phrase, yet utter crap at the same time. Sorry for my rant, I'm not as bad now as I used to be

 

[yeti]

Yeti - you'll get yours *waves fist menacingly*

Forget this is a real driving simulator for a minute and someone tell me if most race cars have a real fuel gauge, the racers I know of don't.

Technically a good point... but some of these cars are stock versions of roadgoing cars... which would have fuel gauges in... maybe the fuel gauge should be replaced with different things as you use the weight reduction programmes?!

(I.e. Stock cars have full fuel gauges, Stage 1 it stays the same, Stage 2, it gets replaced with a fuel warning light...)

C.