GT Academy 2013 - "Casual Racer" times and tips

[ItsAllAboutWins]

After hitting countless 2'21 .xxx's I apparently bypassed 2'20 and went straight to 2'19.879. 3 laps later i was up a couple of tenths on my ghost coming into the last chicane and over shot it!

Brooklands and luffield really are hit and miss for me.

 

[smskeeter23]

After hitting countless 2'21 .xxx's I apparently bypassed 2'20 and went straight to 2'19.879. 3 laps later i was up a couple of tenths on my ghost coming into the last chicane and over shot it!

Brooklands and luffield really are hit and miss for me.

Great job! Bekkets and chapel seem to be my latest nemesis

 

[Randum311]

I'm going to try a long session tonight, but I am in the 2:30 range with just a few quick attempts - looks like I'll be using the wheel, much better than my dual shock. I'm going to try with the line on, see what I can do and I'll definitely be checking on this post because I don't consider myself an alien...

I'm also a huge fan of the "other console racing series" with the controller, but always played gt5 with the wheel

 

[DBY___86]

Pleased with my progress today. Was improving steadily everyday from opening day to Saturday then got stuck on a 2.22.0xx over the weekend. Today was my first bash since Sunday and was consistently lapping in the 21s and finished my hour session with a 2.21.1xx putting me 787 in UK. Theres still loads of time in the bag as im miles ahead of my ghost in sector 1 then mess up sector 2 or vice versa so im pretty sure i can keep improving. My original target was to finish in the top 1000 as i only got gt and wheel about 3-4 weeks ago but now I'm confident I can get below 2.20! Ill keep pushing anyway!

 

[Timppaq]

For "casual racers" i'd recommend trying with traction control on 1-5, surely will help with consistency. (it really doesnt harm you untill you're into 17's.

 

[smskeeter23]

For "casual racers" i'd recommend trying with traction control on 1-5, surely will help with consistency. (it really doesnt harm you untill you're into 17's.

OMG one of the days I accidentally had the TC on and once I figured it out I gained a full second or more on the very next lap! TC "can" be very detrimental.

Timppaq... you are very fast I see your name on top of LBs all the time and believe you know what you're talking about. That being said I do however disagree with your statement here to some extent. I think if you're having a hard time getting to gold then you are right. But I really think to dig much past 22.5 you have to have TC off. Just my $0.02


Im other news I managed to get down to a 2:21.034 today! Yay me

 

[smskeeter23]

Just found two things that are helping me...

I find after a few frustrating laps I hit restart and take half a safety lap. Tire scrubbing and all staying under 65mph until the grid before copse (not sure what that one is called). I speed up just before it like they do in the GT3 races to friday the "start" line. Gradually pick up pace to a qualifying speed through maggots, becketts and chapel until I'm at full qualifying speed on the straight. It seems to help calm the nerves a bit and let you settle in easy rather than nailing it first thing.

The other thing I did to force myself to learn the brake/turn-in point on the first turn was to push a cone iver to the spot between the faint white mark and the beginning of the small strip of astro turf on the left side of the track. I did a bunch of laps using the cone to find my point everytime and then started without it. So far it's stuck.

 

[NCRthree]

I'd been running 2:21's and 22's consistently. Basically running the same laps unless I DQ'd. Then hit a 2:19.996 by getting a fast Sector 1. At least now I can hit 2:20's for hot laps. Getting better at trail braking at least once in a while!

 

[macshome]

So, what say you my non-alien bretheren ? How are you doing so far? What is your goal this year?

I would be happy to consistently be in the 2:20s. I would be thrilled to bang in a sub-2:20!

The other thing I did to force myself to learn the brake/turn-in point on the first turn was to push a cone iver to the spot between the faint white mark and the beginning of the small strip of astro turf on the left side of the track. I did a bunch of laps using the cone to find my point everytime and then started without it. So far it's stuck.

LOL. Now all I can picture is Lightning McQueen setting up an autocross track.

 

[ItsAllAboutWins]

I just added up my splits from the practice sessions and they came out to a 2'15.998 I just can't get near the splits in a full lap lol

 

[Mamba]

I just added up my splits from the practice sessions and they came out to a 2'15.998 I just can't get near the splits in a full lap lol

Those practice times are a bit deceiving, they start a little ahead of the sector split point. For example sector 2 there's a count down before it starts timing your run, it passes the point where sector 1 ends then starts the timer so it may be behind maybe a second or so I guess. That's why it's hard to get to those splits

 

[ItsAllAboutWins]

Those practice times are a bit deceiving, they start a little ahead of the sector split point. For example sector 2 there's a count down before it starts timing your run, it passes the point where sector 1 ends then starts the timer so it may be behind maybe a second or so I guess. That's why it's hard to get to those splits

I never noticed that was wondering why I'm still in the 19's if the split times are saying I can do a 15.9 lol thanks.

 

[smskeeter23]

Cracked into the 2:20s! Ran a 2:20.873 and then a 2:20.856 a bit after...

Slowly but surely I guess. I can now see where the problems are at aleast

 

[smskeeter23]

I have posted a video for anyone interested... you can see exactly where I need to make time... it's painfully obvious but the wheel angle in a few spots... but nonetheless the video is...

HERE

Possibly the slowest laptime posted on YouTube lol

 

[ItsAllAboutWins]

I have posted a video for anyone interested... you can see exactly where I need to make time... it's painfully obvious but the wheel angle in a few spots... but nonetheless the video is...

HERE

I can't really see what you're doing on the track but I'm on my iPhone.

I upped my pb to a 2'19.539 last night. I was feelin good today before I went to work and hopped on. I was hitting low 38's in the first sector which put me almost .3 up on my ghost. I always lost it in brooklands or luffield. I managed to keep it one lap, ran a bit wide on copse and ran a 19.2 :/

I still haven't we figured out how to take Abby right, or copse. If I put everything together good I may be able to run a mid 18. Hard part is finding the time.

 

[smskeeter23]

I can't really see what you're doing on the track but I'm on my iPhone.

I upped my pb to a 2'19.539 last night. I was feelin good today before I went to work and hopped on. I was hitting low 38's in the first sector which put me almost .3 up on my ghost. I always lost it in brooklands or luffield. I managed to keep it one lap, ran a bit wide on copse and ran a 19.2 :/

I still haven't we figured out how to take Abby right, or copse. If I put everything together good I may be able to run a mid 18. Hard part is finding the time.

Ya more so the problem is being consistent...

I can run 2:21 now all day in my sleep but squeaking out into the 20s is a feat.

I could easily run an 18.xxx if I could put it all together but as soon as I figure out one section another one falls apart

 

[ItsAllAboutWins]

2'19.168 good for 167th place in US. I believe that's my limit. I can't do copse correctly and I ran a 37.9 on the first sector. Can't even come close now v

 

[smskeeter23]

After taking a few day break I'm hoping to at least get into the 2:19.xxx range now.

I think if/when I do that'll be the finish point for me this year.

 

[smskeeter23]

Well I finally got back to it tonight and didn't improve. Started to realize I just wasnt having any fun with it anymore and was uttering words like "well that figures" and "are you kidding me?!" And my favorite "how the hell is he getting off the corner so fast!" (Chasing my own ghost lol).

I'm not sure if I'll be continuing on with this years GTA anymore or not. Doing nothing but getting frustrated and not enjoying any aspect of it will just make me take even longer breaks and wreck any self esteem I have left for driving.

How are you all getting along in the later stages of the qualifier? Anybody else getting so sick of this track you'll never want to drive it again?

 

[slacker_1980]

2.23.243 is my best so far, so so bad when I first tried it, like 2.4x.xxx!

so don't play often enough anymore lol,

but even the top 10 have ABS on 1, anybody tried with ALL driver assists off yet? Yes, ABS off as well lol, 2.25.xxx that way

 

[ColeTrickle]

I will dream about abbey's co(r)pse soon....

 

[smskeeter23]

2.23.243 is my best so far, so so bad when I first tried it, like 2.4x.xxx!

so don't play often enough anymore lol,

but even the top 10 have ABS on 1, anybody tried with ALL driver assists off yet? Yes, ABS off as well lol, 2.25.xxx that way

Ya there have been a few and its the same story... they're all about 2sec slower.


I too dream about the total destruction of Abbey >

 

[slacker_1980]

down to 2.22.623, another second off n I'll be happy enough with that lol

 

[DBY___86]

Was struggling to beat my 2.21.1xx for a few days so had a break and played the seasonal tt. Came back last night and still couldn't hook anything up, then on my final lap I finally cracked copse, although quite slow I'm finally controlled through there and got a 2.20.7xx for 850 in uk. My target was to finish top 1000 but I'm well in now so new target is sub 2.20. Just need to start committing a bit more to copse to get on the power earlier. Happy I'm constantly improving!

 

[Motor City Hami]

I don't know if I should feel good about a 2:22.9 This is the first time that I have really made an effort with the G27. I was always half a second faster with the controller so the G27 didn't get much use. Started this seasonal at 2:28 with the controller but the late corner snap oversteer was too much for the D-pad sticks. Gave the G27 a real try.

Would love to get down to 2:22.0. Still amazed by the 2:16s and 2:17s. I watch the replays, but in no way does my game allow for me to turn in like that.

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

I'm on low 2:22s as well, it's still a good time. I didn't curb cutting or slide around, the lap was also quite a mess with several bad corner entry

 

[smskeeter23]

I'll be honest here guys... personally I think 2:22.xxx is doing pretty good for an average casual racer. I mean at that point we've already beaten the gold time by 2+ seconds. I think that is something to be happy about if you don't get to put a lot of time in.

I'm pretty happy with my time and don't know if I'll have a chance to better it or not due to schedule and family. If not at least I know I did the beat I could in the amount of time I had 👍

 

[FormulaKimball]

I worked on each segment for maybe 30 minutes over a couple of days, but I only did about 5 total "clean" full laps and I'd had enough. ABS off (all aids off), 2:22.5. Was too stubborn to try it with ABS on Seemed like the grip felt really different than in the individual segments... also got weird about half way through the lap.

I noticed that my Fanatec 911 wheel made it much easier to control the 370z than my G27... at first I thought it would be really helpful to reduce the drama but ultimately I just came to the same feeling at a slightly faster lap time. At this point I put my PS3 and its wheels back in storage, probably won't be improving in the GTA this year.

 

[Ridox2JZGTE]

That's great time without ABS FormulaKimball, I had 2:22.3xx with no ABS too after maybe 10 clean laps. Yeah, the car handled differently than with ABS, less stable and it comes to life - bites you back when you lose concentration. Brake more in straight line, slight brake pressure when trail braking due to the 5/5 BB. Some sections at later half with high speed curve, braking without ABS might be a bit hit and miss, but with more laps, it should be easier to tackle.

There are some parts of the track where braking without ABS, you will feel there's less grip than other parts of the road, not sure how to put it. I felt it at Copse and several corners after that. The suspension and tires independently loses traction when braking without ABS too aggressively, which cause the car at times pull to one side or understeer.

 

[FormulaKimball]

That's great time without ABS FormulaKimball, I had 2:22.3xx with no ABS too after maybe 10 clean laps. Yeah, the car handled differently than with ABS, less stable and it comes to life - bites you back when you lose concentration. Brake more in straight line, slight brake pressure when trail braking due to the 5/5 BB. Some sections at later half with high speed curve, braking without ABS might be a bit hit and miss, but with more laps, it should be easier to tackle.

There are some parts of the track where braking without ABS, you will feel there's less grip than other parts of the road, not sure how to put it. I felt it at Copse and several corners after that. The suspension and tires independently loses traction when braking without ABS to aggressively, which cause the car at times pull to one side or understeer.

Thanks, yep that 5/5 bb was tricky of course. But braking actually wasn't the problem - it was corner exits, with the horrible understeer then snap oversteer when unwinding the wheel, that frustrated me to no end. And just the feeling of instability and lack of response to small inputs... wandering off the track when supposedly going straight... I'll quit before I bore everyone .

A friend of mine was really funny in that he heard my feelings about it and at first was like "wow this is great, I don't know why you didn't get on with the car" but then like a day later said "the fun ended, now I hate it and never want to play again" LOL.