Babbling

Just a couple of quick updates...or videos or links or something

Tidgney, One of the finalists in GT Acamedy went to the trouble of putting this Track Guide together  to help fellow GT5'ers improve their skills(before the end of the competition too mind you, a true gentemen racer).  At 43.44 it's quite epic but there's many useful tips & techniqueus which are useful for any track.  Bit of light weekend viewing perhaps.  There is a time index in the title coments to skip to each corner.   The Track is Twin Ring Montegi East.

Speaking of Twin Ring Montegi.  GT5 releshed new DLC yesterday, Twin Ring Montegi in a variety of layouts for 8.45AUD.  Also available from free is the Scion FR-S, handy if you're in need of a Toyota 86 as it's exactly the same and free(albut a new interior).

While I'm babbling, there's an interesting article here from the Top Gear crew.  I'm  big fan of street circiuts and love the idea of a F1 GP racing through the streets of Central London, you know past the Queens joint, via parliment house and Big Ben, round Trafalgar Square and so on.  There's a couple of videos at the bottom ofthe page.  Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button with a track guide then an  CGI on board lap.  Maybe Bernie's been inspired by GT5...

League Race #6 Results

Apologies for being slack on this.

I meant to grab what is going to be an excellent video of the race and include it in the results - but I've not.

So, without further ado:

1. Andrew

2. Chris

3. George

4. Evan

5. Paul

6. Rod

7. Luke

But that doesn't describe the amount of place swapping that went on to get there.

Luke had a blinding start, mostly due to the fact that he'd not raced with tyre wear on before, so had soft tyres. This proved his undoing somewhere around the back of lap three when they gave up. I think we lapped him somewhere around lap 10 in the end. Still, an experience for sure.

My tactic, which paid off was to not be first into the first corner (helped by my spinning I might add). I remembered a fantastic quote by some racing driver or other: "You can't win a race at the first corner, but you can lose it". Sound advice.

Anyway, from there my plan was to be first into corners of my choosing as with everyone on part warn tyres there was little hope of getting around the outside of me. To that end I dialled off all my wing to minimum then added +10 on the back to keep the car drivable (just). That coupled with adding in some weight gave me 700+Bhp, way up on many of the other cars I bet.

What that gave me was uber grunt out of the bends so I could scream past folks at the start of the straights, get position and then take a tight line (slowly) through the corners.

And once I'd got my shizzle sorted and settled down the tactics and not hot headed racing it paid of admirably.

So there it is. It was all in the tactics. And a fast car. And Luke doing a three point tern on the track and being t-boned by Chris. But Chris, my plan was to sit behind you out of Ascari and pass you before the Parabolica in any case, as I had the drag...

League Race #6 Italian Enduro

Welcome to what's probably going to be the biggest race in the season...

This is enduro racing.

The cars:

It's our premier racing class if you like, 650Open. It's all about the Le Mans cars in this race.

What makes a fast Le Mans racer? Well, a fast one that's what. And in this race, one that doesn't eat tyres.

For those of you looking to tune a car, try here, or if you want a more general tuning guide, try this one from some historic posting.

The track:

It's a classic.

Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Read all about it here.

The official details:

Host: Andrew

Date: 21-June-2012

Start time: 9:00 PM

Race starts: 9:15 PM

Lounge: FCT GT5 Andrew

Track: Monza

Laps: 15 (One race)

Cars: 650Open

Tyres: Open - Tyre wear on

Boost: Low (we want to keep things reasonably close).

The really cool write up on strategy:

Evan was kind enough to do a serious amount of testing on the circuit. Handy for us, possibly a win for him... Read about it here.

Interestingly we have a strategic race - it's possible to race on softs, mediums and possibly hards all giving differing strategic benefits.

Bear in mind boost will make a difference, but really only to keep you in the running, set to low it's not going to catapult you into the lead.

The ugly word from your sponsor:

Please bear in mind that crashing into someone doesn't just spoil your race, it spoils the other person's too. Unlike the AI we're all real racers, so prone to odd moves and early braking etc. What's more if you tangle, or block, others around you may also suffer. So whilst it's a great game and we're here to have fun, bear in mind that the person you're racing is also out to enjoy the night.

To that end penalties will be set to low. This means that excessive corner cutting and punting will get a penalty, but really, if you've ditched someone it's their night you've stuffed...

Anyway, we're all great racing gods so it's not an issue eh.

I'll try and get online for a test and tune tomorrow night.

Get an Eiffel of this race...

I think it's fair to say that the TC500 class is a raging success. If the way in which the cars thrashed down the first hill is anything to go by they are anyway.

So, a top night's racing and I'm very happy indeed with the track layout - and it's pretty much unique to our league (though they're not truly random).

This is an excellent replay to watch, enjoy:

League Race #5 NASCAR -Resutls

The one you've all been waiting for...

No doubt you've all watched the replay and to be fair to Chris it looks very much like he was in the lead at the line, and this was reflected in the total race time too.

However, Luke's race was very different to ours; that being glitch free.

So, given that all we have is visual evidence I'm proposing that we let the GT5 results stand, which would have Luke winning the second race.

The main reason for this is that we've had plenty of photo finishes in the past and I don't want to call those or indeed any in the future into question. Besides he could do with the points.

I should also point out that this has almost nothing to do with the $20 bill that appeared on my desk this morning... cheers chap!

As such...

Official Results:

Race 1

1. Chris

2. Andrew

3. Evan

4. Paul

5. Luke

Race 2

1. Luke

2. Chris

3. Andrew

4. Paul

5. Evan

Commentary

So crazy car aside. What a set of races. I'm very glad we went with ASR and TCS settings allowed on those cars, they're barges for sure but at least we got around the tracks at a reasonable pace. Leguna Seca wasn't so much fun I think, not in a serious race kind of way anyway. But the Indy Speedway race was ace. The longer race format (8 laps) was nice too, plenty of time to make mistakes and bring it back and also with boost on and the drafting the race was crazy close for the entire duration - good stuff.

So will we race them again? Maybe, only on the Indy Speedway though I think, that has the intensity without the absurdity.

Next race night.

I've created a shiny new TC500 race track to test/race on, along with potentially a test and tune session around the 650Open cars - as the next league night is Monza super enduro race night.

Get your beers in - but remember folks don't drink and drive mmmmkay

League Race #5 - Video Evidence!

NASCAR replay time.

Let's not mention the Leguna Seca race again eh. To reproduce that race I let the water out of the bath once the kids had finished and scooted the soap around it - actually I had more control of the soap.

Still, we were all in the same boat if you'll pardon the pun, so it wasn't a bad race for all that.

But that wasn't the most spectacular race. Oh no, that was the Indy Speedway (you know the one we actually had to slow down on). Spectacular for two reasons:

1. Five up high boost racing was actually good fun, and quite the close nit challenge.
2. Luke had a magic car.

Magic thanks to the wonders of the Internet (Somewhat ironic given what he does too!). Not only did we have the smash/spin/lightspeed cycle, and thanks for the 'tap' chap, but we also had the mystery of the finish - Luke was placed first, in front of Chris, but his finish time was slower - madness!

So this replay is a little bit special, the last corner/straight is replayed from above car from both car's points of view. See what you think...

Drift club - Lesson III - Group Drift.

First rule of Drift Club... learn to drift.

Anyway, George got online for a spell the other night when I was online so we naturally drifted into err, drifting. And much fun was had.

I used my skyline, not because it's a good drift car but because I can drive it sideways - which isn't drift as I'm finding out, just a lot of smoke. And here's a four lap session:

The one thing I'm noticing in my style, and this is bad for drift but I like it, is that I'm not using the handbrake at all - every sideways action is a Scandinavian flick and power on. This is why it works so well with a 4wd and makes me useless with a 2WD - practice on making the car steer using the rear is something I need to do.

Guest racer

I don't know if you know, but I know that if you're in the know you can download the replay from top scorers on online seasonal events. And an engaging viewing that can make.

So, I contacted RB_Firooz, who was and possibly still is the top scorer in the High Speed Ring drift trial with a score in excess of 27,000. That's: Twenty Seven Thousand.

By contrast I mange something the wrong side of 4000. That's: The Wrong Side.

Anyway, they've kindly let me publish to youtube, so here it is. Enjoy...

Slight issue with League Points...

I left them at work, I'll upload the league update on Tuesday.

Apologies to those that think they might have climbed up the rankings a place or two...

If anyone (seriously) has the results email me and I'll do the update over the weekend.

Cheers

Americana League Race Update

Important News

Since the NASCARs are such tubs (no not about to ditch them) and they don't allow tuning as such we'll be running with ASM and TCR turned on for the races.

We'll have none of that nonsense

What does this mean?

ASM - Active Stability Management. Stops the car going too far out of control when it starts to slide. This is an on/off setting. Recommendation is ON.

TCR - (not Total Control Racing, which was Scalectrix's abject failure to move the game on) - Traction Control. It is what it says. Recommendation is setting 2.

ABS remains on and I've left mine at 1, no need to change that.

Of course if you're a hardcore gamer/winner feel free to race with it all turned off. Go on I dare you (in the race with more than four bends of course).

Learning to Drift - Part II

So I've been having fun with a Skyline, lots of sideways action, but never seeming to score much in the drift trials - I need to be RWD to any decent score I think.

Anyway, I have a funky merc monster and a very nice looking S13 that I had set up for drift, but then Evan gifted me a race spec Supra... Some time later, following a de-tune and a new snappy paint job I have a drift Supra, an old one. Probably in keeping with my ability really.

And this was run #2 if I recall, tweaking needed, and a lot more practice:

Interlude

Say hello to the official FCT GT5 hill climb circuit. Official mostly as I couldn't get my old one to open in the lounge - this is the better track any how.

It's three clips of the same lap, of around 1:07.

Let me know if you want this to a race night near you soon?

League Race #5 - Americana - Nascar Racing

Boring oval racing yeah yeah yeah.

To celebrate all that is motorsport, we're going to have a go at racing the Nascars that are available in the online garage (you don't need to own one).

Which one are you (dibs on the one facing the wrong way)?

And, although one of the races will indeed be around the iconic Indy Speedway, one of the races will be around Laguna Seca, so some right hand bends. woohoo.

And, rather than have a million yellow flags (we don't need add breaks) we'll run boost at max, so in both races we should have some fun and close racing!

Finally, unusual for arrive and drive racing - I'll allow tuning - so get in early on the night.

Here is a handy link for tuning tips.

The Cars:

Not sure which one we get, but they're all much the same eh...

The tracks:

We all know and love Laguna Seca - but here's the map in any case. And...

If anyone says they forgot the course layout they're banned.

Official details:

Host: Andrew

Date: 07-June-2012

Start time: 9:00 PM

Race starts: 9:15 PM

Lounge: FCT GT5 Andrew

Track: Laguna Seca / Indy Speedway

Laps: 4 / 8

Cars: NASCAR (arrive and drive) - Tuning open.

Tyres: Open

Boost: High

Notes:

Do note that all assists other than ABS will be turned off - this is to simulate the NASCAR class which is essentially wheelbarrow racing in any case. To add realism you may also want to invest in some chewing tobacco for the night.

Be tough...

GT Academy 2012

Something I've been messing about with recently is GT Academy.  There's not a lot to it, kind of like the licence tests in GT4 with a variety of different Nissan's...starting with the electric powered Leaf (excitement plus).  The difficulty level does increase through the challenges and become more stimulating.  I've been persisting with it for one main reason, the rumor of a new circuit - Twin Ring Montegi which should be downloadable after the competition ends along with a bunch of Nissan's used along the way for those who've golded the rounds, GTR35 Black Edition anyone?  The first 6  rounds of the competition is already open with another couple of weeks until the final 2 rounds are released.  Round 8 being the grand final which is set to be a time trial at Motegi.

But GT Academy is not available in Australia?  To download you'll need to create a new user account with your, *ahem* alternate home address in the UK/USA.  Go to users in the Main PS3 menu bar, select Create New User and follow the prompts through.  Sign into your new account and you can download from the online store.  After you've downloaded it you can sign in with your everyday account to run.  You can even see times from other Australian users even though we're not eligible for the competition.  Another bonus, having access to a foreign account is kinda nice to access other games/demo's that may not be available in the local market yet.

MechWarrior - Oh dear, GT5 - your days are numbered...

One link...

MechWarrior

It's on it's way, and this is going to eat all my time (move over Skyrim in fact).