F1 2016

[TreeWood]

Sept 24, 2016 3:13:46 GMT -5 pablo said:

Sept 23, 2016 20:18:35 GMT -5 TreeWood said:

So my Career Mode sees the Renault team head to Spain (Pablo will be happy) to do battle at Catalunya - a circuit where I've struggled to find the right setup. I spend the better part of the first two Free Practice sessions tinkering, before I find something half decent, and by FP three, I manage to to post the fifth-fastest time. Things are looking good.

Things look even better when I qualify in second, but it's .800 behind Hamilton, a lifetime away in F1. And the task was managed only on the basis of barely putting enough fuel in the car to get around the circuit. Moreover, there are 6 or 7 drivers all within a second of me.

The car's still pushing, and I know the understeer's going to be making for tire issues, so I break from my usual one-stop strategy, and opt for a two-stop plan, going soft, hard, medium over 33 laps in total.

The first stint is relatively short, something like 8 laps, and I pit in second place, coming out in 8th. Then, it's a long 13-lap run on hards, during which I manage to claw my way back up to 3rd, as everyone's had to nip in for their first stop as well. For my final run I'm on the mediums, with 13 laps remaining (I pitted one lap early in stint #2). Again, it's a chase to make up spots, with the extra task of lapping back markers.  I find myself in 4th with 2 laps remaining, and Button's snapping at my heels as I'm nursing 70% worn mediums toward the finish. I lock up the wheels in turn 4 on the final lap, I do it again on the left-hand hairpin after the long straight... I'm suddenly at 99% wear on the front left, and seconds later, as I wind up the hill toward turn 14 and the final chicane, the front left tire lets go. I creep Baku-style to the finish line, but not before Button and Vettel blow by me, giving me a 7th place finish.

Never, ever, a dull moment in this game! Always something or someone to worry about. Always the risk that the best-laid plan can get shot to hell with a Safety Car, or that running rich is going to cost you in the end, or that your pit crew are going to have trouble wrenching on one of the wheels, costing you seconds. I'll say it here.....F1 2016 is now officially AWESOME. 

They say that if you can drive well in Catalunya you can drive well anywhere, as the track has a bit of everything out there. I like the track a lot, specially the second sector with all the fast corners and the backstraight.

My career with renault is also headed home, so let's see how it goes. My season is having a lot of up and downs, great qualifying sessions ruined by extremely high tyre wear (Obviously not my fault, always someone's else). But I agree, the game is great, in Russia I spent like ten laps trying not to get passed by verstappen. The AI is brutal, but I had a lot of fun in those laps. 

Totally agree about your circuit assessment -- a little bit of everything there, including elevation changes, and those pesky crowned curbs in the chicane. I just seem to have trouble in that one uphill slow turn to the right (two turns before the chicane). Seem to lose time there always.

Yes, between yourself, Dean, Canuck, and I, tire wear is the main issue. I think I have to play a bit more with differential settings to find the sweet spot there. BTW... someone was asking today about what the differential does. Here's an EXCELLENT explanation: Differential
Forget that it's an old video, the explanation is so clear that even I understood it the first time round.

If there's ever a TGC F1 racing league, let me know!

 

[TreeWood]

Sept 24, 2016 9:04:46 GMT -5 Chief said:

Anyone raced Monaco yet? Holy cow, it's impossible. I normally play on hard, PS4 with a controller, but I was last by miles.

I just can't drive fast enough on such a tight track, and even the tunnel section I hit the walls fairly regularly. And then the swimming pool complex after that, how you can get around that at speed, I have no idea. I enjoyed driving the circuit, but way off the pace.

After numerous flashbacks, the end came when I smacked a barrier and my wheel fell off LOL. Thank goodness it's Canada next, love that circuit and can get the foot down.

Great game though for anyone still thinking of buying.

I hear you Chief.  For the swimming pool complex, I find that a short lift off the throttle before entering that stretch helps, otherwise it's into the barrier with your back end.  But yeah... I know what you mean.  I think it's a matter of getting the right differential settings there for Lowe's and the multiple chicanes, along with enough downforce to do the job - say at the Casino, and yet be fast enough on the straights. I still haven't found the optimal setup there. Only really 2 or three places where you can pull off a pass safely there.

It's the only F1 venue I've been to IRL, and all I can say the TV pics don't do it any justice at all. Spectacular views. Was there 3-4 days before the race, but grandstands were up, curbs were painted, AND you could walk the circuit. Walked from Rascasse back toward tunnel, through it, and up to Lowes. So cool. Wanted to stay to take in the race, but the better half insisted we move onward with our European tour. :-(

[TreeWood]

Sept 24, 2016 9:51:09 GMT -5 TimB said:

Haven't made it to Monaco yet. I'm in Russia now. Not sure this will help but yesterday I changed my setup to the one with most downforce and the car turns great now. You lose speed but on a course like monaco I cant imagine you need a lot of speed anyway.

This setup has been working pretty well for me. I'm turning in the fastest practice times and qualifying high. Bahrain qualified in second next to Lewis Ravenwest. Meeting all my session goals if not placing better than they want. Ran my races in Bahrain and China crash free, no damage to the car at all.

I suck on the rd programs. Qualifying pace I do great on, got a perfect score on the tire management once. The track acclimatization I can't beat.

Have yet to see a saftey car. When do we get ultra softs?

Today after I blow it all to hell in my CC rounds going to finish Russia and see whats next. Dread Spain (sorry Pablo) but that track in any other racing games always ate me alive.

Wow, you're doing great. What level are you playing at again, Tim? I've forgotten...  Technically, wing (rear) really only has significant grip impact on medium-to-fast corners, anything over about 150 km/h. So, at Monaco that's really only the Casino, Tunnel, and to some degree the entry to the pool complex. Considering there are significantly long stretches (start/finish, uphill, and to some degree the tunnel run down to the chicane), you need to find the optimal balance between the need for downforce, while not having so much drag that you can't close down or pass on the straights.

Suspension geometry and differential settings, imo, are going to play as big a role, if not more in Monaco. One thing that used to be critical in Monaco (but thanks to F1 rule changes is no longer a factor) is getting the gear ratios right. Easily the shortest circuit in F1, Monaco has the most gear changes per lap as far as I remember...
   

[Crazycanuck1985]

Sept 24, 2016 14:35:05 GMT -5 TreeWood said:

If there's ever a TGC F1 racing league, let me know!

 

Now there's an idea... They have the option for co-op careers. even if we can get 3 or 4 of us. Try to race at the same time each week...one shot qualifying and 25-50% races.... I'd be down for organizing something like that. It would have to be at a time where Euro and NA can both meet...sometime during the weekend most likely. If anyone is interested, let me know.

[TreeWood]

I'd be in if we can try for Sundays maybe early afternoon PST (mid evening European time). I'm a techno dunce, so will need instructions on how to set up / join, etc. I guess it's platform specific though... I'm on PS4. I know you are on PC, or do you have it on PS4 too?

[dh-nufc]

Season 1

Catalunya - Spain
Difficulty - Hard
Team - Renault
race length - 25% (17 laps I think)

Usual practice session for me, I struggled it first, especially in sector 3 but finally started to get some good laps in. I got predicted 7th on the grid in the test using Hard Tyres.

Qualifying next and I had every confidence of making it to Q2 at the absolute minimum. I put in 1 quick lap on the mediums, saving the soft tyres for Q2 and Q3. I saw myself in 7th place and knew I was safe. With a minute left I'd gone down to 15th and I was slightly worried. Normally in F1 games, the AI don't bother with last minute laps so I though I was safe. 1 minute later I was 19th. Disaster!

Race time and strategy would be key. I'd done well on hard tyres in practice so I changed to a 1 stopper, starting on hards with a late stop to softs. My idea was to get past everyone as they pitted, saving fuel and then going for it on soft and rich fuel on the last few laps.
I did quite well on the hards and made up a few positions, tyre wear would not be a factor so I didn't worry about it too much. On about lap 4 people started to pit, before I knew it everyone had pitted and I was in first place. I was able to keep Hamilton at bay for a while but he slowly caught me and went past. Vettel did he same but I got back ahead of him just before I pitted, it was on lap 12. My tyres were pretty worn by then but so far strategy was working quite well.
Onto soft tyres with 5 laps left. I came out of the pits in 11th place. I got up to 9th quite quickly and way chasing down Massa. He was on worn mediums and I was on fresh softs. This was the best part of the race, I was putting in great laps and catching quickly. I got past him near the start of the final lap to move up to 8th. 3 other cars were in the distance and I was closing fast, my tyres were still performing and their tyres must have been causing issues. I wasn't quite able to bridge the gap but I was close at the end. Still, from 17th place, 8th on the grid was a good performance, I got driver of the day!
I think if I had pitted one lap earlier I might have been up as high as 5th, I had more life that expected in the softs at the end of the race, they could have easily done another quick lap.

It was another fun race, I'm able to put in consistent laps and the AI level was about perfect around here. This was my first race without a SC or VSC and I also got my first puncture so far, luckily it was in practice.
Monaco next! I can see a few flashbacks being used there ha ha!!

[TimB]

Sept 26, 2016 6:56:45 GMT -5 dh-nufc said:

Season 1

Catalunya - Spain
Difficulty - Hard
Team - Renault
race length - 25% (17 laps I think)

Usual practice session for me, I struggled it first, especially in sector 3 but finally started to get some good laps in. I got predicted 7th on the grid in the test using Hard Tyres.

Qualifying next and I had every confidence of making it to Q2 at the absolute minimum. I put in 1 quick lap on the mediums, saving the soft tyres for Q2 and Q3. I saw myself in 7th place and knew I was safe. With a minute left I'd gone down to 15th and I was slightly worried. Normally in F1 games, the AI don't bother with last minute laps so I though I was safe. 1 minute later I was 19th. Disaster!

Race time and strategy would be key. I'd done well on hard tyres in practice so I changed to a 1 stopper, starting on hards with a late stop to softs. My idea was to get past everyone as they pitted, saving fuel and then going for it on soft and rich fuel on the last few laps.
I did quite well on the hards and made up a few positions, tyre wear would not be a factor so I didn't worry about it too much. On about lap 4 people started to pit, before I knew it everyone had pitted and I was in first place. I was able to keep Hamilton at bay for a while but he slowly caught me and went past. Vettel did he same but I got back ahead of him just before I pitted, it was on lap 12. My tyres were pretty worn by then but so far strategy was working quite well.
Onto soft tyres with 5 laps left. I came out of the pits in 11th place. I got up to 9th quite quickly and way chasing down Massa. He was on worn mediums and I was on fresh softs. This was the best part of the race, I was putting in great laps and catching quickly. I got past him near the start of the final lap to move up to 8th. 3 other cars were in the distance and I was closing fast, my tyres were still performing and their tyres must have been causing issues. I wasn't quite able to bridge the gap but I was close at the end. Still, from 17th place, 8th on the grid was a good performance, I got driver of the day!
I think if I had pitted one lap earlier I might have been up as high as 5th, I had more life that expected in the softs at the end of the race, they could have easily done another quick lap.

It was another fun race, I'm able to put in consistent laps and the AI level was about perfect around here. This was my first race without a SC or VSC and I also got my first puncture so far, luckily it was in practice.
Monaco next! I can see a few flashbacks being used there ha ha!!

I seriously envy you and bow down to your skills. On medium I had my ass handed to me in Spain and finished 19'th. I expected that, I've always had a hard time on that track in any racing game I've played.

Monaco, well thats brutal. 1'st five laps was a safety car, (took 5 laps to clean up the mess) my rival apparently crashed out 1'st lap, cool, got that part of my session goal for beating him. I couldn't even keep up with the safety car pace.

Then I was lapped 5 times by the entire field. 20 lap race and only needed to do 15 because I was lapped so many times. Was glad to be done with that. Who ever designed that course has no clue what they are doing, pins on huge red slopes, concrete greens, trees in front of the tee box.....oh wait wrong complaining.

I'm just glad I don't have to see Monaco until next season and hope to be more skilled and have my car upgraded better to handle that. What a tough track.

Canada now for me. Had a quick look at it yesterday and looks like I may make up for my last two terrible races.

[Ruskie]

Season 1

Catalunya - Spain

Difficulty - Hard

Team - Renault

race length - 25% (17 laps I think)

What assists do you have on ? Reason I ask is because I think I need to tweak my game settings and wondered if I should adjust the assists before going up another level.

I'm currently racing with Manor on hard difficulty and the results I've been getting are not that realistic -

Australia - Qualified 15th, finished 16th (Seemed reasonable so I left it on hard difficulty)
Bahrain - Qualified 2nd, finished 1st
China - Qualified 6th, finished 8th (Would have been a higher finish if not for that damned pit lane entrance)
Russia - Qualified 1st, finished 1st (Won be a clear 8 secs including a +3sec time penalty! - Never right)

I think the next difficulty level is Legend?? but wondered about tweaking other settings first before writing this career off and starting all over again.

[dh-nufc]

Tim, I don't think I'm that good, I would have struggled in Spain but I got 3 or 4 corners sorted and it made a huge difference.


Now Ruskie must be good, I'm playing with traction control on full and ABS on too. What assists do you have on now? Maybe change to legendary but add traction control and ABS on??

[TimB]

Sept 26, 2016 10:46:16 GMT -5 dh-nufc said:

Tim, I don't think I'm that good, I would have struggled in Spain but I got 3 or 4 corners sorted and it made a huge difference.


Now Ruskie must be good, I'm playing with traction control on full and ABS on too. What assists do you have on now? Maybe change to legendary but add traction control and ABS on??

I'm playing on medium. with full traction control and ABS. I may try a race or some practice on hard or higher but think it's over my head lol

[TreeWood]

Hey Tim,

Lapped 5 times in Monaco, on a 25% race?  Something's wrong with that picture.

Do you play with no flashbacks? Have you tried using some of the setups provided online?  I'm not spectacular by any means (also play on Medium setting right now), with Full Traction Control and that's it as far as assists, and do 50% races. I've been lapped by a podium finisher once or twice, but that's it, so I'm really wondering if you had a brutal setup for Monaco? 

[TimB]

Sept 26, 2016 11:27:53 GMT -5 TreeWood said:

Hey Tim,

Lapped 5 times in Monaco, on a 25% race?  Something's wrong with that picture.

Do you play with no flashbacks? Have you tried using some of the setups provided online?  I'm not spectacular by any means (also play on Medium setting right now), with Full Traction Control and that's it as far as assists, and do 50% races. I've been lapped by a podium finisher once or twice, but that's it, so I'm really wondering if you had a brutal setup for Monaco? 

I was seriously lapped 5 times. I could not control the car at all. I spent the entire 3 practice sessions trying to tune my car to get it to handle good for me. I wound up just going with the 'balanced setting and leaving it. Haven't tried any of the Steam workshop setups yet and probably should have before that race.

I wound up just babying the car around for the last several laps as I could not get up to speed without crashing or bumping a wall. Rarely even getting into 4'th gear. I had to use many flashbacks as I kept bumping into a wall and puncturing a tire. Blue flag would come out and I would just pull over and slow right down and let everyone pass. I once got a penalty for illegal blocking, totally unintended I just couldnt find a place to move over to at the time.

[Ruskie]

Sept 26, 2016 10:46:16 GMT -5 dh-nufc said:

Tim, I don't think I'm that good, I would have struggled in Spain but I got 3 or 4 corners sorted and it made a huge difference.


Now Ruskie must be good, I'm playing with traction control on full and ABS on too. What assists do you have on now? Maybe change to legendary but add traction control and ABS on??

I'll have to check when I get in but I think I'm the same regarding assists, full traction control and ABS. Braking assist is turned off I believe.

[TimB]

Well that was unexpected. Game must have felt sorry for me after Spain and Monaco.

I just qualified pole position in Canada. Great. 20 cars to smash into me on the 1'st corner.

[Griz891]

You racing with a wheel Tim or a gamepad?