Good thread pixel, and some good replies.... All i can add is to try to give room and be prepared to use it as a learning curve, especially in the first few races. Different drivers run different lines and some are more aggressive than others...you will learn who they are as the season goes on... The starts are always the bit i hold my breath...with everyone so close, it only takes 1 driver to miss their brake marker or run out of talent looking to make up 4 or 5 spots. Be aware of the safest side of the track, and only leave room on one side of your car.... is a bit easier to manage the first lap , then you can get on with the racing !
Also i found having the car indicator and track spotter on alittle more nerve settlin, even if the track spotter in tight race will tend to talk your ear off its a good indication where everybody is.
I was watching some game on youtube last night and there was a radar in the lower central part of the screen along with the info and it had a square for you, and squares for other cars and when they came in range a colour orange would appear on that side, then turn red when it got real close. I thought that was a good way to represent traffic in your blind spot without constantly nagging you there is a car in your blind spot. i dont know the name of this game though
Build pace slowly. Rather than trying to set the world on fire to begin with concentrate on knowing your limits and trying to keep within them. What eventually happens is you end up lapping consistently faster and faster while not feeling like you are putting in quite as much effort. All the skills required for real life racing are there in sim racing, awareness of your surroundings, patience, race craft, reaction time. I even find I call upon adrenaline when I am qualifying sometimes, for a game lol but it works for me Most of all have fun, few guys take this poos too seriously and it causes lost sleep and grey hairs. Don't want that now do we?
Maaaaate, well first of all, missed the qualifying due to crap storms here in Brisbane, had the power go out and had essentially renegged on the race but I was checking BOM.gov and saw the main yellow and red had cleared so I logged on, everything crossed. So got on and just made it into the room, pulled out of the pits and saw the 'race starts in 9 seconds' so no qual lap put down. Started in last and finished in last, the only time I had to deal with traffic was when I was getting lapped, and for that, I think because I had put in an easy 15-18 laps driving by myself, I just sort of moved over from the race line when they came near. So yeah either I did really well and fully stayed out of everyones way, or I did so bad I can only go up from here I expect to be dropped a division by next season though, which is fine cos I clearly dont have the pace that these guys have. And during practice days before I was knocking around alot better times but I think I was an easy 1.5 secs of my lap times so that didnt help either. Just wasn't meant to be unfortunately.
Thanks Autech, thats what I was saying in my prev post. I started going around in 3rd and just hitting the markers and then would get a bit quicker and quicker and was actually feeling really good about last night. But come race time, I was an easy 1.5s off those laps I had done days before and just srsly didnt have the pace. So instead of getting upset and not 'playing' I just drov ethe best I could, cos I hate those people who take their ball and go home if they dont win, and just tried to better myself each lap. Some I pushed too hard, hit the grass and spindarella, other times I linked them up and went well. But your right, go slow and consistant, then build it up slowly and you go faster with less effort! And hell no, im 35 and found my first grey hair like a month or 2 ago, then I didnt shave for a fortnight and saw white chin hairs, so nope! I dun need any more stress to have myself Santa Clausing right now or anytime soon!
And after a little bit more time along comes a new type of nerves like mine last night 5 laps to go and in the lead hope I can hold it together nerves they suck too. Hope you get those nerves soon
Well I thought after my first season of racing with you guys I would comment on some of the things I have learned. 1st - Dont do a banging qualifying/hot lap and get put in a division with amazingly skilled drivers, who practice each night and put in easily 5-20 hours worth of practice each week. You will always be off the pace especially if you dont have the hours to put in (studying atm). So I have learnt that the hard way, and each race I was easily off the qualifying lap by a solid few seconds, sometimes even up to 8 seconds off. That said, I have improved tremendously in that short time! 2nd - Attend regular meetups and practice - see 1st note. I will say that in the final round (Bathurst) the missus allowed me to jump on the PS4 early because I was going to host. Turns out my connection kept dropping people but before that realisation, I was able to put in a solid 2 hours of practice before qualifying. OMG what a difference that made. Its the only track I was able to get this chance with and even though I finished last, I felt it was one of my better races. Not being lapped and actually was able to catch up to almost take 2nd last on the final lap. 3rd - I have gotten better overall thats for sure, and have also learnt how to get out of the way to not cause any issues. This may sound silly but my biggest fear was 'ducking' out of the way and ruining someone elses race. I found that if I just do what im doing, and try as best as I can to get off the racing line and slow down even, then the front runners can pass me and its all good (not like im fighting for 1st place if ya know what I mean) 4th/5th/6th etc - If possible, try to get in with some of the faster guys and see what they do different. Get used to putting down a solid consistant time by yourself and/or with others, but also remember that when its racing with others, that it gets alot more nerve racking. Im personally still yet to get to this stage but I am super keen to improve and better myself and have fun and make friends along the way. EDIT: Forgot to mention lap consistancy is one thing, but staying on the track really halps! I could probably go on, but im happy to have my 1st season out of the way, have let them nerves subside and now look forward to improving and getting faster. Big thank you to all I have been overtaken by and look forward to either racing you with again and/or getting to that point where I can over take you in the future . Thanks guys
I set a goal for each season, Season 1 was to get used to league driving and stay out of the way - achieved. Season 2 was to limit my off's Ffs to deal with the mistakes I made better - achieved. Season 3 is to put them together and attack.