the el capitan 200 miles

[Relik86]

I think I used my '00 Corvette Z06

 

[FastEddie12]

I'm with Scratchy. The GSX-R is a freakin BLAST,

NO MODS.

I like to upgrade the gearbox: the car seems to flow better when you get the gearing right. Other than that, zilch, zip, zero modifications. The car's fabulous.

 

[SportWagon]

Well, I've always been a mediocre GT player, and GT4 seems to have exaggerated that, I think because of a new demand for better reactions. B-spec is a relief, and, perhaps unfortunately, allows one to waste time with the game without improving one's A-spec driving.

Anyway, I finally last weekend decided to try an A-spec El Capitan 200. I used a maxed TVR Cerbera Speed Six '97, with a wing, scaled back to NA2, giving it about 500hp. That was good for only 9 A-spec points, it's true. I thought I might lose initially, trailing the AI Motorsport Elise by a little bit, but eventually I won by about 40 seconds. That was through a combination of me getting gradually better, and the Elise following its pattern of getting worse (eventually it seems to end up caught behind the Shelby Series 1 as it's about to lap it; I'm not sure if that's just random, or the result of some deliberate "start fast, end slow" algorithm).

I repeated the race with the same Cerbera with essentially the same tune, and took another two minutes off my time (or 2 seconds a lap). That time I lapped the AI Motorsport Elise. I never lost the lead, although I was only 15 seconds ahead for my first pitstop, but luckily the AI Elise came in at the same time. I used medium sports tires, and stopped every 11 laps. The AI stopped every 11 at first, then stretched it to 12, but that doesn't save it a whole stop, so it ends up pitting at about lap 60, in the middle of my last shift.

So next I should start scaling back the parts.

But it's true many drivers will get better results with less car. I went to the El Capitan Super License test after that, and, while I could consistently pass bronze by several seconds, I couldn't manage a silver medal. So that suggests good drivers could actually get about another 5 seconds a lap out of the Cerbera I was using.

So, depending upon how you rate your own ability, you may or may not find this report useful.

 

[Greycap]

I have a Cerbera with all the upgrades except power increases. I think I could win that race with it quite easily. Maybe the lower power helps in handling...

 

[pSI civic]

all i really need to drive is better suspension, less weight and maybe some good tires. power is nothing. i'll see if i can find time and do the race again and see what i can get with the BMW m coupe.

i still like the hks silvia though. i can run 5 seconds faster then the ai a lap and i think i can stretch pitting to every 15 laps.

 

[BenW]

The only drawback to the GSX's gearbox (IMO) seems to be a) in some rare cases its not long enough (but does it even have the power to get there?) and b) the throws are to long in duration when upshifting.1st to 2nd can be nightmarish.

 

[FastEddie12]

The only drawback to the GSX's gearbox (IMO) seems to be a) in some rare cases its not long enough (but does it even have the power to get there?) and b) the throws are to long in duration when upshifting.1st to 2nd can be nightmarish.

This is why I like to be able to sort the gearing. Nearly every car I have (except the '01 Civic Type R which is ideal for 250-300 bhp) has the fully adjustable gearbox. I seem to remember I shortened the gearing with the GSX-R, but I may be wrong. Great car that one, though, a real giant killer. 👍

 

[agent kri]

Sometimes its better to stay in 2nd even when almost standing still, than shifting down to first and then up again.

 

[Bones Brigade]

aston martin vantage. i think it was like a 190 point race. my bspec driver at the time, sucked hard, so after one stint i was way down. so i took over, and won by about a lap.

 

[s12ken]

Ah the old money maker.... Used an FTO Super Touring Car to won the minolta, then used said minolta to win another one (repeat until satisfied with cash) B-Spec takes about 30 mins to finish the race.

 

[Saturnine]

not even for a B-Spec wimp!

people who use b-spec on enduros because they arent losers who stay inside all day*

seriously, there is nothing wimpy about going b-spec for an enduro. i really dont have enough time on my hands to race enduro's. its fun to watch the race unfold in b-spec mode anyway...

 

[pSI civic]

i am trying to find time to do enduros myself but they are just to long. what i hate is that by having b-spec bob do them for me he now has more miles then me.

 

[Smallhorses]

people who use b-spec on enduros because they arent losers who stay inside all day*

seriously, there is nothing wimpy about going b-spec for an enduro. i really dont have enough time on my hands to race enduro's. its fun to watch the race unfold in b-spec mode anyway...

Erm, where to begin.....

1. Read my list of hobbies. I do loads of windsurfing, snowboarding and mountain biking indoors, honest!
2. I'm not advocating trying to do 24hrs in one straight shot, that's what the pause button is for. B-spec for the longer enduros, maybe, I can see that, won't be doing it myself but, a 2 hour race is hardly a marathon! Tell me you've never spent 2 hours at once in front of the TV, or playing a different game. Ever paused a movie halfway through and then gone back to watch the end later? Same principle with pausing the race. Do 20 laps, go have a beer, wander out sit in the hot tub or swim a few laps, go back do 20 more laps.... easy huh?
3. B-Spec should only be available for races over a certain number of laps! It's technically possible to complete GT4 except for the Missions, without actually driving a single lap or acquiring a single licence. That's wrong, it's supposed to be the ultimate driving simulator, not the ulitmate race-watching simulator! That's what Speedvision is for!
4. What is really maddening is the people who're using this race as a quick money maker, which requires no skill. i.e. take an appropriately powerful car so your B-Spec driver cannot lose, win race, sell car, repeat etc etc.

Lastly: Do you know what an apostrophe is for? The only time you actually used one it's not needed!

People who use b-spec on enduros because they aren't losers who stay inside all day*

Seriously, there is nothing wimpy about going b-spec for an enduro. I really don't have enough time on my hands to race enduros. It's fun to watch the race unfold in b-spec mode anyway....

If I wanted to see things unfold, I'd have taken up Origami.

 

[pSI civic]

plus doing this race for money takes to long. i do the dtm series in the euro events. that in b-spec hardly takes any time at all. its also about the same money.

 

[Smallhorses]

plus doing this race for money takes to long. i do the dtm series in the euro events. that in b-spec hardly takes any time at all. its also about the same money.

Can't let him get all corrected & you get away with exactly the same poor standard, can I?!!!!.....Read & learn.
See also:- Acceptable use policy regarding posting.
Unless your "Shift" key is broken, of course!

Plus doing this race, for money, takes too long. I do the dtm series in the euro events. That, in b-spec, hardly takes any time at all. It's also about the same money.

 

[FastEddie12]

Easy everyone, people are allowed different opinions.

 

[Smallhorses]

Easy everyone, people are allowed different opinions.

Yeah, I know! I hope pSI civic realises I'm just poking fun! He's a regular around the boards and makes some interesting posts.
However, I had to object to being called a loser by an 18-post newbie like Saturnine! (I know he didn't direct it at me specifically too, just anyone who's sat down and driven one of the enduros)
Unfortunately his profile gives no information about him either so I've no idea where he is, or how old.
I'm a one at a time game fella, GT4 is it at the moment, and I'd rather sit & do a 2hr race that watch the mind-numbing trash & adverts that pass as TV nowdays, any day of the week.
Was hoping by my initial needling, to encourage some of these "Did GT4 in B-Spec in a week, 100% complete, like, now I'm playing, like, something else or somefink" whippersnappers to go back and actually try "playing" the game.
As I said, everyone should race El Capitan at least once, before resorting to B-Spec. It's a truly enjoyable race, and can be made very competetive for drivers of any ability pretty easily.
True, not everyone is dedicated enough to endure a total of 13 hours of Tsukuba or 48 hours of Sarthe in A-spec, but if you can't endure 60-some laps of El Capitan (I've hiked to the top of Yosemite Falls, by the way, didn't take the "B-Spec" easy option & drive to Glacier Point!!! I earned my valley view, just like I earned my Minolta 88C-V!!!) especially as you can pause the game, which you can't do with a real life race, then why buy a race simulator?
Stick to feeding coins into a old "Outrun" machine where you won't have to worry about laps or tyre wear or realism and enjoy your "racing" there!!!

 

[Greycap]

Grand Valley: 2 times A-Spec, no B-Spec
Laguna Seca: A-Spec, no B-Spec
Tsukuba 4 hours: A-Spec, no B-Spec
Tokyo: A-Spec, no B-Spec
Super Speedway: A-Spec, no B-Spec
Nürburgring 4 hours: A-Spec, no B-Spec
El Capitan: 3 times A-Spec, no B-Spec
Motegi: A-Spec, no B-Spec
Fuji: A-Spec, no B-Spec
Suzuka: A-Spec, no B-Spec
New York: 2 times A-Spec, no B-Spec
Infineon: A-Spec, no B-Spec

I will do the Tsukuba 9 hours in A-Spec too...

But I really won't drive the 24h races myself, that's what B-Spec is for!

 

[christofire]

I see where you're coming from Smallhorses. I've been working my way up the percentage points until I can do the endurances (only 6% to go!). I drove a couple at a mate's house while waiting for him - grand valley 300km in GT3 was great.

I've done a 24hr real life dash across 4 countries (in Europe, in a big van ), but with 2 other drivers sharing the load. Pitting for fuel, food and coffee it's one of the best adventures I've had. Dropping into Spain from the Pyranees at 4-5am, seeing the sun rise over frozen fields and then being baked in Barcelona a few hours later.

BTW, I also snowboard, ride motorbikes and so forth for kicks. Perhaps it's the interesting people that love the endurances and the boring folk who can't be bothered. Come on BspecBobs - where's your drive?

 

[SportWagon]

It's technically possible to complete GT4 except for the Missions, without actually driving a single lap or acquiring a single licence. That's wrong, it's supposed to be the ultimate driving simulator, not the ulitmate race-watching simulator! That's what Speedvision is for!

Speedvision has been replaced by SPEED TV . . .

Texas Hardtails, anyone?

"I like bikes and beer, guns and girls!"


And the Isle of Man Motorcycle TT is too obscure an event to broadcast...

 

[SportWagon]

As I said, everyone should race El Capitan at least once, before resorting to B-Spec. It's a truly enjoyable race, and can be made very competetive for drivers of any ability pretty easily.

Doing a "babysitting" Bspec of a race can actually help you learn the track. I learned a lot about Infineon by babysitting the B-spec Bentley Speed8 around that enduro.

Actually, I really can't get the hang of driving high-powered "LM" cars in GT4. True, B-spec doesn't help me overcome that. But, compared to previous versions, you need to apply a lot more reactions to keep those cars under control, and I really don't have good reactions. Previous versions of the game didn't have that property; you could plan everything ahead and anticipate car behaviour, at least for mediocrely good laps. Not only that, but you have "chassis wear" introducing changes in behaviour. By race 9 of the Professional World Championship (Sarthe), I couldn't qualify the car, let alone contemplate driving the race. And I do think the level of AI competition is harder than in any of the previous games. I.e. whereas lap times set by a give AI car were previously worse than could be achieved by mediocre drivers, now the times are better than a mediocre driver can do, though still worse than what good drivers can achieve.

I have a theory that B-spec was made available for all races because the game had actually got developed to the point where KY couldn't win some of the races.

So, my thesis is, I am a wimp, and wimps should be allowed to enjoy the game too.

 

[SportWagon]

I see where you're coming from Smallhorses. I've been working my way up the percentage points until I can do the endurances (only 6% to go!). I drove a couple at a mate's house while waiting for him - grand valley 300km in GT3 was great.

I, a self-admitted mediocre driver, found the GV300 in GT4 noticeably more difficult. Not since my first few tries in GT1 have I been unable to be immediately competitive using an equivalent to the best AI runner in an enduro, especially on a track I mostly knew. But I lost (came 2nd in combined A-spec and B-spec race) because of my driving using the Nissan 350Z Concept LM Race Car '02 in the GT4 GV300. Soon after, I won with the same car in pure B-spec, taking just an honorary A-spec victory lap.

I am learning a bit, but there seems to be a bigger leap from medium performance cars to racing cars than in previous versions. I mean, in GT1, and probably all previous versions, racing cars have actually been easier to drive than non-racing cars because of the way aero was modelled.

I can see someone deciding for themselves to set the goal of limited (perhaps no) B-spec, but I personally decided the game would be more fun for me if I gave up on that.

I do wish the game made it easier to survey which races you had done only in B-spec, though...

 

[Greycap]

I tried the GV300 one day in a Amemiya Asparadrink RX-7 and was able to drive similar laps to the RX-7 LM Race Car, but sadly, his tires lasted longer. I think that was pretty well with a car that was 200 bhp underpowered and 20 kg overweight...

 

[pSI civic]

Yeah, I know! I hope pSI civic realises I'm just poking fun! He's a regular around the boards and makes some interesting posts.

Thats very kind of you to say. Thank you.

My two favorite enduros are the super speedway 150 and the 4 hours at the Nurburgring. I do the other short ones sometimes as well like the tokyo race. I'm not a big fan of the el capitan myself but its not a bad race.

 

[FastEddie12]

Well I used to do enough of a race to know that I had won, say 1.5hrs, and then hand over to Bob. But recently, looking for a tougher race, I've not been able to do that with any confidence. As the points have gone up, the struggle to gain time has been all consuming.

Then, at the Suzuka 1000km in a 400bhp Altezza, at about 1/3rd distance I needed a break and handed over to Bob for a bit, expecting him to lose the 20/50 sec lead I'd built up (depending on pit stops), and he held it...

Mind you, I'm rubbish at Suzuka, and keep finding those darn gravel traps. Is it me or does that circuit really punish you for mistakes?

 

[Greycap]

That circuit really punishes you. I haven't seen any other track that has as sticky sandtraps as Suzuka. Once you're in there, you won't be coming out soon.

 

[crimson_menace]

what car did you use and the tires you used to win the race. because i used a cobra and it was much faster than the other cars but i had to pit all the time. i was thinking about using my 63' corvette race car with medium sports tires, does sound good?

I used the Jaguar XJ220 LM racecar. Used hard rubber on the front & back and never had a problem. 👍

 

[SportWagon]

That circuit really punishes you. I haven't seen any other track that has as sticky sandtraps as Suzuka. Once you're in there, you won't be coming out soon.

Try going straight off the end of the straight at Fuji (90's version, anyway). If you actually hit the wall (my steering and brakes seemed to go completely, somehow), you'll turn around and the track looks to be a mile away, and you don't seem to be able to get going faster than about 20mph.

 

[absentempathy]

Eh... we lost the topic here guys.

I:m doing El Capitan(sp) right now in A-spec with a done up Subyroo Spec C. The acceleration alone kills it. Handling is a little slippery at the end.

Recently B-Spec'd the 24 hour 'ring. Did the first 25 laps in A-spec and got a good 2 lap lead in the Minolta. Slapped on B-spec from there and went to sleep. Woke up... 180 laps on the clock. Sounds good to me? Swapped it back to A-spec, 27 lap lead by this time XD.

Can't even control the car now, 2000 miles has been too much on the chassis. End up having lap times 30 seconds over norm. Had to pit every three laps as well. B-spec Beavis only had a pit every 4 laps. Guess I'm a speed demon

Either way... B-spec is good for ra.... {Enduros.} I'm sad to say I B-spec'd the race but, whats the point? I couldn't control the almighty Minolta after so many miles.

Ended up lapping second place (BMW GTR) by 26 laps.
Lapped sixth place (spoon s200 ) by 48 laps.

 

[BB96]

for this race i used a stock amuse S2000 r1,it was pretty darn fun,yall should give it a try.