AI Competitor Slowdown (Yes, I know you've heard it all before)

[Nigellius]

Hi,
Nothing new here, I'm afraid, but I am hoping someone can point me in the right direction. This is not a moan, but a genuine request for information. Does anyone actually KNOW why the AI opponents' speed is so erratic, to the extent that you can close a 30 sec deficit with two mediocre laps?

I bought a PS3 only two weeks ago, and bought GT6. The last GT title I played was 3, so you can imagine my reaction to playing 6. So as not to bore you, I'll just say awe-struck. I started on the original GT back in 1998, and since played GT2 and 3. Neithet of them behaved that way. Why now? That's my first question.

My second question is: since this is by far the greatest flaw in an otherwise INCREDIBLE driving game, and every single professional and amateur review agrees with me, why, AFTER 16 UPDATES has it not been rectified? If the programmers insist on keeping it, why not make it an OPTION (a sort of 'beginner' mode). GT has a huge fan base among racing enthusiasts like myself, how can Polyphony Digital be so foolish as to allow such an easily corrected flaw to remain in a game that has otherwise had so much love poured into it in its development? Who WANTS to be 'given a chance', apart from casual gamers and children?

Finally, I don't intend to give up until I get an answer to these questions from someone, such is my love of the game. Can anyone point me in the right directions as to where I might begin to get OFFICIAL answers to these questions? Again, this is not a complaint as such, my motivation is the knowledge that this issue could easily be fixed with a very small update, and clearly PD are still supporting GT6 (note the major 1.16 update recently - awesome car and track combo, PD)

Thanks for reading, and I welcome your comments, whatever they are.

 

[Vegard]

I'll answer both in one:

The AI is programmed to adapt to your pace. If you are 30 seconds behind with two laps to go they'll ease off the pace so that you can close the gap.

PD has chosen a dynamic AI level in real-time instead of an adjustable preset AI level.
It's not a very popular choice and, in my opinion, a poorly implemented one as well.

 

[TT92]

The term we use is "Rubber Banding". Just like all these cars are attached to yours with a rubber band and they will slow down or speed up relative to what you are doing.

Also the car that is miles out in front is referred to as the rabbit (what Greyhounds chase) and this guy once you pass him can speed up to your lap times (or greater) to try and run you down.

Also we won't mention how the AI will deliberately ram you off the track will we? ;-)

Also PD won't change it because it wants to pander to the casual racer on a hand controller.

What you must understand the game is designed for the masses not the elite few that are real racers.

 

[Johnnypenso]

As others have said, rubber banding. I remember when a popular GTP member posted some files with some of his replays of "good" races he had with AI. Without any close scrutiny they certainly looked like good races. But when you broke down the lap times it was a different story. The lead car would run a fast opening lap, but thenthe next two or three laps would be 10 seconds a lap slower at Motegi to allow you to catch up, then once you passed him he gave it the beans to make you think you were in a real race.

 

[OneShoe50]

So now I wonder if the AI slider adjustment for strength (?) effects that element. I keep increasing that number and running my cars 50 PP lower than the max for the event to make me work for the win, if I can.

Your comments here also help me to know why I can spin off track, and still come back for the win. Gee, if I was a good racer I'd have a real racecar....