Tidgneys GT Sport Driving School

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Tidgney

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Hey everyone :)

So as you may or may not know I'm doing a driving school (Which had a short break over Christmas) specifically focused around GT Sport. It was going to be every Tuesday but now it'll just be weekly and it'll be out when it's out! Now the techniques or demonstrations can also be applied to any racing game, either to larger extremes or smaller depending on what you play. Now this won't be for everyone, if you like a lot of text as some have wanted it won't be for you, there are plenty of books out there in that regard. The primary focus here is to demonstrate things actually happening, or how to solve problems and perhaps 1 aspect might help improve your racing. Believe it or not, even doing these helps me improve as well (As all the GT Academy guides have done).

Now I don't pretend to be an expert in any of these subjects, and it's also my own opinion. Even so I'm hearing great things from those that have already achieved improvements from the first 3 episodes.

Episodes;

Episode 00: Introduction
Episode 01: Braking
Episode 02: Accelerating // Balancing the Throttle
Episode 03: Cornering
Episode 04: Weight Distribution // Weight Transfer
Episode 05: Understeer // Oversteer
Episode 06: Consistency
Episode 07: Qualifying
Episode 08: Overtaking
Episode 09: Defending
Episode 10: Psychology
Episode 11: Race Preparation + Competition
Episode 12: Fuel & Hybrid Systems
Episode 13: Tyre Management
Episode 14: Driving Close to Competitors
Episode 15: Driver and Race Analysis // Replays
Episode 16: Mental Prep
Episode 17: Equipment
Episode 18: Live Events
Episode 19: Exercise // Food
Episode 20: Test // Practice // Lap Review

Now I'm a big fan of GTPlanet ever since 2011, so not only would I say if you want to improve have a gander at these, but also check out the WRS, it's one place I always went to, to try improve and did. I've seen so many people improve in the WRS it's well worth checking out!

I hope this helps, and as always any questions fire away!
 
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Always happy to see and hear any good advise on improving my race craft :) especially from a great guy like you ...
Looking forward to getting those lap times down , Thanks Tidgney
 
My YouTube subtitties are on apparently.
 

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I have been enjoying your first episodes! Just wondering if you will touch on car setup as well? Like some basic tips would be great even though it doesn't apply in Sport Mode obviously. Will be watching it and pick up a few more tenths here and there 👍
 
Admire the effort but have to say, about half of these topics are impossible to apply from one game to the next. Gts and say project cars are so blindingly different that they have a lot which does not apply to each other. In gts for example, you cannot lose the cars mid corner by just steering too aggressively, in pcars you can.

Regardless though, any tips you can give me to cure the chronic "feels like driving a 400hp zamboni" experience I get from this game will be appreciated.

Thanks again for the effort, wilk try to watch each one.
 
My YouTube subtitties are on apparently.

Oh my word, this cracked me up when I read it at work haha! Also if you hover over the video of the 4th episode in youtube, I do a dance :D!

I have been enjoying your first episodes! Just wondering if you will touch on car setup as well? Like some basic tips would be great even though it doesn't apply in Sport Mode obviously. Will be watching it and pick up a few more tenths here and there 👍

I don't do to much car setups so it's tough one for me to do, and I know there are far better tuners out there if I'm honest. I want to learn a bit more though as I'd love to see if we can make the R8 a little more race able than risky, maybe something can come from that instead :D!

Admire the effort but have to say, about half of these topics are impossible to apply from one game to the next. Gts and say project cars are so blindingly different that they have a lot which does not apply to each other. In gts for example, you cannot lose the cars mid corner by just steering too aggressively, in pcars you can.

Regardless though, any tips you can give me to cure the chronic "feels like driving a 400hp zamboni" experience I get from this game will be appreciated.

Thanks again for the effort, wilk try to watch each one.

I disagree to some extent as I played PCars and PCars2 for awhile and in that respect all of these topics apply. It depends how much they apply which is why It's really focused on GT Sport. But weight transfer, trail braking, accelerating all have the same impact on Project Cars and require the same thinking process. Other racers it will be a larger or smaller extent. As I say though the primary focus is GT Sport and that's why it's focused on it :D!

But hopefully it helps mate, appreciate the comment :)!
 
In addition to the subtitties I’m enjoying the content thank you. I have a suggestion for your lesson structure and that is to chunk them out and do a summary tying themes together. For example, the first six together have a lot of overlap that could use a “putting it all together” episode. Then I could see seven to fifteen chunked together as “putting together an event/race prep refresh” episode and the last stretch altogether as a psychological/health prep bundle.

This would give you three summary episodes that may give you traffic from those that won’t sit through all of them and provide a concise summary for dummies like me that watch em all and still can’t put it together. You can probably YouTube better than I can, but from a pedagogical scaffolding perspective it makes sense to me.

Thanks for the content! It’s good stuff.
 
Loving the content as always Tidgney. I've been following your channel since the 2013 GT Academy days so I've watched your previous Driving School, but it's always nice to watch again as a refresher and any new tips that are specific to GTS 👍

I'm on average 2-3 seconds per lap slower than the top aliens, so a lot of this isn't going to magically make me faster (compared to those who are just starting out, making marginal gains is much much harder once you get near the top), but I still pick up a thing or two here and there. Even if it's just a way to take a corner slightly easier and more consistent, it all adds up eventually.

Most looking forward to Ep 12 and 13 as race strategy is still hit and miss for me. Also I hope you can do a quick spiel on how you decide on tyre strategy. For example do you gamble on RH and drive consistent until the end, or do you just go all out on RS and hope you don't fall back too much in the pits, or even take the middle ground with RM?

Ep 15 I fear will show a glaring omission with GTS - the lack of telemetry like in GT6. I can't believe in a game so focused on competition this crucial tool of driving analysis is missing. Maybe you can mention it in the video and also put a bit of pressure on Kaz/PD next time you're at the Finals to add the feature back :lol: I also find the letterboxed replays a pain to watch, but that's a technical limitation with the PS4 I think.

Finally, I remember a few months ago you were also doing Track Guides in GTS, with a section on where to scrub penalties without losing too much time. I think you did maybe 2-3 tracks before things got busy with the FIA races :lol: Any chance bringing them back as those were very helpful!
 
Now I'm a big fan of GTPlanet ever since 2011, so not only would I say if you want to improve have a gander at these, but also check out the WRS, it's one place I always went to, to try improve and did. I've seen so many people improve in the WRS it's well worth checking out!
Indeed, it is! :gtpflag: BTW, would be nice to see you participate in a WRS event (and probably hand most of the rest of us our proverbial backsides on a platter, as @Doodle does when he participates :)) again sometime. But I can understand if you're too busy with other stuff.

Back to the thread topic, I'm enjoying this series of videos and your GTS videos in general. As constructive feedback, I thought episode 4 was a bit Excel-heavy. I was hoping to see more specific examples of what can go wrong with weight transfer and how to manage it. But I think you mentioned in the video that it's difficult to do such examples, which is fair enough.
 
These and watching the streams from yourself and others have helped me no end, thanks.

Ep 4 is too much info for me to apply in the moment, but curtailing it to 'smooth kills the pendulum' and applying that consistently gained me a10th.

Definition of 'No end':-

In one of your streams you advised practising with one car on one track over and over again. I did this with the Gr2. Nissan, BOP and Mediums at Fuji with chicane.

Pre driving school a good lap for me was a 1:36

4 episodes in and I've improved that to a 1:30.5

So again, thank you, your help literally changed the game for me. :)
 
Ep 4. Weight transfer.

VR is great for understanding this episode, if you have or can borrow one to try it.

The immersion does a far better job of fooling your brain to the point that you believe you can actually feel it happening.
 
Honestly thanks for the kind words guys, really is appreciated and helps making future ones because I know it's helping people, much love <3. Episode 5 is already half edited, so I'll finish that one and upload it probably Friday I hope? We'll see though!

In addition to the subtitties I’m enjoying the content thank you. I have a suggestion for your lesson structure and that is to chunk them out and do a summary tying themes together. For example, the first six together have a lot of overlap that could use a “putting it all together” episode. Then I could see seven to fifteen chunked together as “putting together an event/race prep refresh” episode and the last stretch altogether as a psychological/health prep bundle.

This would give you three summary episodes that may give you traffic from those that won’t sit through all of them and provide a concise summary for dummies like me that watch em all and still can’t put it together. You can probably YouTube better than I can, but from a pedagogical scaffolding perspective it makes sense to me.

Thanks for the content! It’s good stuff.

Thanks for the suggestion mate :D! It's definitely worth doing something like that, that's for sure. I may actually do something slightly different to that but I think you're right. A smaller quick digest of information may help some people :D!

Loving the content as always Tidgney. I've been following your channel since the 2013 GT Academy days so I've watched your previous Driving School, but it's always nice to watch again as a refresher and any new tips that are specific to GTS 👍

I'm on average 2-3 seconds per lap slower than the top aliens, so a lot of this isn't going to magically make me faster (compared to those who are just starting out, making marginal gains is much much harder once you get near the top), but I still pick up a thing or two here and there. Even if it's just a way to take a corner slightly easier and more consistent, it all adds up eventually.

Most looking forward to Ep 12 and 13 as race strategy is still hit and miss for me. Also I hope you can do a quick spiel on how you decide on tyre strategy. For example do you gamble on RH and drive consistent until the end, or do you just go all out on RS and hope you don't fall back too much in the pits, or even take the middle ground with RM?

Ep 15 I fear will show a glaring omission with GTS - the lack of telemetry like in GT6. I can't believe in a game so focused on competition this crucial tool of driving analysis is missing. Maybe you can mention it in the video and also put a bit of pressure on Kaz/PD next time you're at the Finals to add the feature back :lol: I also find the letterboxed replays a pain to watch, but that's a technical limitation with the PS4 I think.

Finally, I remember a few months ago you were also doing Track Guides in GTS, with a section on where to scrub penalties without losing too much time. I think you did maybe 2-3 tracks before things got busy with the FIA races :lol: Any chance bringing them back as those were very helpful!

Ye that's so true, the faster you get the harder it is to up those times! Keep at it though mate :D! I am looking forward to some of the other topics like in episode 12 and 13 as some parts of it is what people don't think about and just changing a thought process can actually really help a lot! Track guides will be coming back, I really enjoy doing them! It's just a time thing, as I also want to do BoP test, and actually race FIA to :P! But it will be coming don't worry!
Indeed, it is! :gtpflag: BTW, would be nice to see you participate in a WRS event (and probably hand most of the rest of us our proverbial backsides on a platter, as @Doodle does when he participates :)) again sometime. But I can understand if you're too busy with other stuff.

Back to the thread topic, I'm enjoying this series of videos and your GTS videos in general. As constructive feedback, I thought episode 4 was a bit Excel-heavy. I was hoping to see more specific examples of what can go wrong with weight transfer and how to manage it. But I think you mentioned in the video that it's difficult to do such examples, which is fair enough.

WRS is on my radar to come back to! I just want to check the FIA calendar and if ok, I'll be bobbing back over! As I say I love the WRS and think it's a great area to learn and improve, and even I am still learning and improving so I want to get back on it! You are right excel was used a bit to much in Episode 4, I just found it really hard to demonstrate it without it (Plus I waffle a bit). No excel in episode 5 ;)!

These and watching the streams from yourself and others have helped me no end, thanks.

Ep 4 is too much info for me to apply in the moment, but curtailing it to 'smooth kills the pendulum' and applying that consistently gained me a10th.

Definition of 'No end':-

In one of your streams you advised practising with one car on one track over and over again. I did this with the Gr2. Nissan, BOP and Mediums at Fuji with chicane.

Pre driving school a good lap for me was a 1:36

4 episodes in and I've improved that to a 1:30.5

So again, thank you, your help literally changed the game for me. :)

Ye that's the main thing to take from it, smooth inputs reduce crazy weight transfer and allows for a more friendly car :D! That is an absolutely epic increase in pace with that combo mate, really big congratulations with that, epic improvement, so awesome to see and hear of this!

Ep 4. Weight transfer.

VR is great for understanding this episode, if you have or can borrow one to try it.

The immersion does a far better job of fooling your brain to the point that you believe you can actually feel it happening.

VR is amazing for it, I love VR everytime I've tried it! I'll be getting it with the PS5 that is for sure :D!
 
Hey All,

Sorry for the delay with updating this thread and actually producing the remainder of the GT Driving school! Busy few months February and March plus my computer deciding to destroy itself didn't help.

The overtaking video is now live and the main post has been updated :)!
 
I appreciate the videos mate. I think I started catching them from ep6 on, when I first starting following you on Youtube. I realized last night I hadn't watched any of the earlier vids!

A lot of it is stuff I already know but just can't execute because I suck lol(I'm usually 2-3 seconds off your pace), but every episode has a few things in it that I learn and gives me ideas for things I need to watch for when I'm lapping. So like I said, much appreciated keep em' coming!
 
Great video, great series.

I think we did have a short period when the overcut was prevalent, when fuel drain was markedly higher than tyre wear but that does seem like forever ago. :)

This. I don't know why all tyre/fuel wear races now have such low fuel consumption, which makes fuel saving techniques pointless and less variation in strategy. If you're not undercutting in odd lap races, you're doing something wrong.
 
Thanks all for the kind words, very much appreciated!

I went back and rewatched the Consistency video recently, I found it ironic that repeated viewings helped that message sink in a bit. Glad to see you're still making these.

Haha, I love that :D!

This. I don't know why all tyre/fuel wear races now have such low fuel consumption, which makes fuel saving techniques pointless and less variation in strategy. If you're not undercutting in odd lap races, you're doing something wrong.

In my personal opinion the fuel/tyre wear rates all need to change, but just start everyone on less fuel e.g. 40% if that can just make it or maybe just doesn't make it, it allows people to decide. Certainly stop all the fuel burning issues, huge balancing issues with cars and tyre wear and still allow pit stops/strategy etc. then overcuts, undercuts and all sorts can happen at least :D!
 
Awesome videos and explanations, watched them all over the last two days and got my two best FIA results of the season.

I'd love to create a "TR Student" sticker for my liveries as a thank you but I find the decal uploader a nightmare lol.

Thanks Tidgney your a legend :cheers:
 
@Tidgney

I am curious, what do you use for FFB settings? I know all wheels are different but do you like a stiffer or looser feel?(mind outta the gutter mate)

I like the feel of stiffer FFB but I think it might be slower and more likely to cause spin outs. Maybe that just me? What is your idea of perfect FFB settings? How should the car feel?
 
In my personal opinion the fuel/tyre wear rates all need to change, but just start everyone on less fuel e.g. 40% if that can just make it or maybe just doesn't make it, it allows people to decide. Certainly stop all the fuel burning issues, huge balancing issues with cars and tyre wear and still allow pit stops/strategy etc. then overcuts, undercuts and all sorts can happen at least :D!

Better still, let us choose the starting fuel load like in F1 before refuelling got banned. We get to choose tyres, why not fuel load?

Just as we speak though, this week's F1 @ Brands race has higher fuel than tyre consumption :D

BTW, I don't know if you remember, but in one of the FIA live events last year, someone (I think Aderm) did a double stop at St Croix and won. What's the rationale behind that? I imagine high rate of tyre wear, and St Croix having a relatively long lap compared to pitstop, coupled with a laptime that's highly dependent on good tyre life. I don't think I've seen any other race where a two stopper works before or since.
 
BTW, I don't know if you remember, but in one of the FIA live events last year, someone (I think Aderm) did a double stop at St Croix and won. What's the rationale behind that? I imagine high rate of tyre wear, and St Croix having a relatively long lap compared to pitstop, coupled with a laptime that's highly dependent on good tyre life. I don't think I've seen any other race where a two stopper works before or since.
@Aderrrm had to do it because of the rule of having to use one compound for each stint (i.e. you need a Hard stint, a Medium stint, and a Soft stint).
 
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