Thoughts on driving assists...

[ai_line_mod]

So a couple of years ago, I came back to this sim after putting it aside for many years. I mostly focused on simming races/seasons, working on an Nratings formula, etc. As I got more into it, I decided to get a wheel because I wanted to edit the AI on some tracks. Now, I occasionally run races, instead of just tinker all the time.

I've been racing with no steering assists/options. However, I've struggled to finish say a 50% race because either I'd have a lapse and spin it, or more often the AI check up, I tap their back, and off I go, or sometimes side by side racing our wheels touch, my car hops, and the balance is upset so much that it's over.

The other day, I clicked up steering assist to 1%. Wow, what a difference it makes. The car feels tighter, I can control slides just a tad more, and most importantly, I can race against the AI much more smoothly. I cannot run hotlaps as well; if I want to be fast, I turn it back to 0%, but at least against the AI, the 1% during a race makes a huge difference.

I don't race online, but if I did, I feel like 0% would be the way to go. I like driving the car better with this option off: I can feel it more, every input is exact. But 1% takes the edge off, which is exactly what I need for racing to be fun against the AI which, while still the best around, are still AI.

The only other assist I have on is automatic clutch. FFB is at 50%, linearity at 100%, everything else at 0. I use the PWF expert setups which are loose, but good for long runs. I drive on the default tracks with the default physics (though I modded mine to change SS fuel cells to 22 gallons).

So this has me thinking: are there other settings that will help me race against the AI a bit more like the AI, but without diminishing the "fun" of driving a stock car that's always ready to spin? I definitely practice a lot, and I could more, but of course, nothing will get you to a place where you would feel everything you would driving an actual race car. So maybe some settings help one to achieve a so called happy medium?

Bonus question: do assists such as this affect the creation of LP files? They are finicky to make, and every time I work on some I use no assists. Could I make the process easier/more fluid by using some assists? I have not attempted this yet.

 

[Mystical]

I race with a controller and have most assists on. Every track I've built I've had those same assists enabled and made my LP's with a controller and I've never heard any negative feedback on the AI I created. I'd say my Taylor Swift track people have given me the most positive feedback on how the track + AI race (coming from cockpit only hardcore wheel only no assist players I know). The LP race line the AI really only cares about the throttle and braking inputs as long as you keep a smooth line when making them. So assists when making the race LP won't matter as long as its not hindering your speed in corners or being very erratic.

While I do have a racing wheel its too much energy for me to have to setup every single time I want to do a race. I don't have the space where I live to just have a dedicated pc with a race wheel hooked to a desk 24/7 (right now). Found an xbox controller + ReWASD is just more relaxing and fun for me when racing NR2003.

 

[mjarviejr]

I get the questions and I get where you are coming from as far assists. I've been on both spectrums. I think I have steering assist set to something... I think. Back your question up to a simpler question. What would make you happy? When you run a race what's going to make you happy? Do you have to win, be competitve, or just have fun and run a race where you are battling other drivers and that could be for 15th? What is your end goal when running a race? Some of my most enjoyable races are races where I'm battling for position door to door in a one off race and don't win. Set it up for you to have enjoyable races. Not every race is going to be enjoyable. If you need assist to make racing fun, then do it. It's your world, no one else will know. The thing is, as you run more races and get better, you will start turning off the assists one by one. Tweak the game, settings, AI, track AI so that when you go run a race it is fun.

 

[ai_line_mod]

Good to know you created LP lines with a controller, and with assists on! I think my thinking was, surely the creators of the game had wheels and used them to work on the game (of course along with other input devices for testing). I might try creating some lines with assists on, just to see. For some reason I assumed that assists such as steering control and stability required a race.lp to work appropriately...

And yes, I'm trying to have fun. But part of fun for me is getting on up on top of the wheel and controlling an 800 horsepower car. I want *some* challenge I don't want to just be running laps. So what I'm trying to find is, how can I do that, but with some flexibility, so when an AI checks up or whatever my day isn't ruined. And yes, I'm not looking to win, I'm looking to place well *if* I saved my tires and ran a clean race. And don't worry, I've tweaked the hell out of the game, and worked very hard to get an AI difficulty that works well for my setup and ability.

But helpful responses. Good to hear what other players do for their driving setup.

 

[SteveMack]

I drive with no assists, FFB is around 7 %, and Linearity is at 75 %, I do use mostly the fast setups and make adjustments to them, sometimes I use somebody else's expert setups but mostly just change the fast setups to my own. Setting the Linearity to low makes driving very bad, for instance you spin entering the corners and hit the wall on the straights no matter how many changes you make to the sway bars, springs and weight., I found that 75 % is a good spot for that. The default 20 % was a problem back when I bought the sim 20 years ago with the computer and wheel I had back then, I can't remember when I first found out about it but was a long time. The information wasn't out there like it is today.

 

[rickmastfan67]

Trust me, I needed assists when driving with the keyboard back in the day. Wasn't the fastest out there, but still had fun. Sadly was only in competition for the wins @ the SS's unless hell broke lose at the other tracks. That is, unless I was messing around on the wrecker servers practicing my wreck avoidance. lol. Then I was a candidate to win at any track as long as I could avoid the wreckers setting up the blockades. lol.

 

[ai_line_mod]

I drive with no assists, FFB is around 7 %, and Linearity is at 75 %, I do use mostly the fast setups and make adjustments to them, sometimes I use somebody else's expert setups but mostly just change the fast setups to my own. Setting the Linearity to low makes driving very bad, for instance you spin entering the corners and hit the wall on the straights no matter how many changes you make to the sway bars, springs and weight., I found that 75 % is a good spot for that. The default 20 % was a problem back when I bought the sim 20 years ago with the computer and wheel I had back then, I can't remember when I first found out about it but was a long time. The information wasn't out there like it is today.

Thanks for the info. I feel like I'm having "oh the default linearity can be adjusted and it has a huge effect" moment, which is why I'm asking

 

[psugorilla]

I run a Logitech G920 currently. Assist wise I really only ever use the Auto clutch and best line. Best line I don't necessarily follow but I tend to use it more for practice and testing to develop my own braking zones. Then I can equal that to something on the track usually.
Outside of that in a fixed setup league, if the car is insanely loose for my driving style I will occasionally turn on stability but then I know 100% that I'm unlikely to compete for the win.
Feedback is usually at 60 to 75%, 360 degree rotation, linearity is at 98%. I have considered trying to lower it and see if I get better results. Steering assist is typically at 5% but depending on the track I might bump it up a notch or two. everything else is off or set to zero.
An issue I have in online races is that I can watch guys go into the corner from the middle line to high line and just easily turn in and hug the white line. Yet, I go into the corner, match their braking points, match their speed, and the car just doesn't turn, stays in the middle and pushes up the track, killing my tire wear.
I've tried everything from altering my steering ratio, setting the steering assist to zero, I've tried driving it in deeper (which has helped slightly at some tracks surprisingly) and tried backing the corner up. But then, from Apex off it's still pushing hard. Maybe it's just a skill issue but I'd like to think after all these years I'm halfway decent on that side of things. Maybe it's a wheel settings issue? I don't know. And I will probably never figure it out.

 

[ai_line_mod]

I run a Logitech G920 currently. Assist wise I really only ever use the Auto clutch and best line. Best line I don't necessarily follow but I tend to use it more for practice and testing to develop my own braking zones. Then I can equal that to something on the track usually.
Outside of that in a fixed setup league, if the car is insanely loose for my driving style I will occasionally turn on stability but then I know 100% that I'm unlikely to compete for the win.
Feedback is usually at 60 to 75%, 360 degree rotation, linearity is at 98%. I have considered trying to lower it and see if I get better results. Steering assist is typically at 5% but depending on the track I might bump it up a notch or two. everything else is off or set to zero.
An issue I have in online races is that I can watch guys go into the corner from the middle line to high line and just easily turn in and hug the white line. Yet, I go into the corner, match their braking points, match their speed, and the car just doesn't turn, stays in the middle and pushes up the track, killing my tire wear.
I've tried everything from altering my steering ratio, setting the steering assist to zero, I've tried driving it in deeper (which has helped slightly at some tracks surprisingly) and tried backing the corner up. But then, from Apex off it's still pushing hard. Maybe it's just a skill issue but I'd like to think after all these years I'm halfway decent on that side of things. Maybe it's a wheel settings issue? I don't know. And I will probably never figure it out.

Thanks. This is detailed and useful. Why do you not put the linearity at 100%? What changes by bringing it down a few, in your experience?

Re your online races... If I had to guess (assuming these are fixed setup), I'll bet it's the 5% of steering assist that's creating the "push" feel you're experiencing. This was the realization I had when I turned up assist just 1%... My laptimes were slower, I became tighter and more stable. I feel these effects most in the middle and coming off a turn. Whereas with 0% assist I could "throw" the car around with brake/throttle, just 1% removes that "slide." This is why I said I cannot run quickly with assist on, and would likely not use it if I were to race against the AI, but against the AI I can race them more smoothly (it makes me drive more like them in a sense). It also eats up tires more if you do not run a good line.

But you say that even with 0% assist you are having a push off... This confuses me. I'm not sure what the tracks/setups you're running are, but surely with everything else the same, everyone would be experiencing that? Stability control on? They're not using modded EXEs are they?

 

[psugorilla]

I used to run 100% but when I dropped it to 98% it smoothed out an inconsistency in my particular wheel. It made the car just a little less twitchy and easier to bring back under control when sometimes it would try and break loose on corner exit.

 

[ai_line_mod]

I used to run 100% but when I dropped it to 98% it smoothed out an inconsistency in my particular wheel. It made the car just a little less twitchy and easier to bring back under control when sometimes it would try and break loose on corner exit.

Wow yes!!! I can feel it! Just dropping 1% seems to smooth it out, especially when correcting for an early slide, as you said. Very good tip, thank you!