Project CARS General Discussion Thread

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Pcars is the first game since being a kid that i'm still playing more than a year after release....... Helped of course by my mates in CRAP Club, but all the same a great game....... Can't wait for number 2 to show it's exhaust pipe! :)
Yeah I was thinking this the other day. I don't think I've played any racing game for quite so long and no doubt this is helped massively by using a FFB wheel to play. And I still haven't driven all the cars yet!
 
Well, I finally rebought Project CARS. I really wanted to play a racing game again and it has a much larger car/track selection than AC, and I really didn't want to wait for AC. I bought the Complete Edition.

After a couple days I thought this was really terrible, not much was better about it...exactly what I thought before.

But I found decent DS4 settings which made the game more playable. Still wasn't much better. (I think it was the car I was using. The settings were great with other cars. I was using the Bentley GT3 went testing the settings)

But there was one race that was really really fun and changed my mind about this game.

It was an IndyCar Race at Donington National with 35 laps and 22 cars. This was a really fun car/track combo in Free Practice, so I wanted to run a somewhat long race (for me anyway). I also turned off damage because I remember the amount of carnage that happens in open-wheel races in this game. I set the Weather to more and more cloudy, and than set the last slot to random.

I started 21st, and the first five laps were horrible. The computer had a much slower pace than me in the back and I could only find a way past them on straights using KERS. I spun out a few times, but I would always catch back up to that slow pack of like 5 cars.

Tire wear was on x5 with fuel on fast. The computer pit in around laps 8-10, so I figured I could make it to 15-17 and try to pull off a 2 stop race, while computer runs 3-4. Well it wasn't that easy, because around lap 16 it started to rain lightly. Went in, refueled, put on Wets, came out. After 2 laps of light rain, the guy came on the radio and said it will start downpouring. I figured I already had wets on, no problem.

So there was about 3 laps of heavy rain. Around the 3rd lap of heavy rain and 5th lap of total rain, my tires were completely ruined and I started spinning out, literally ever corner. I was kinda mad because CPU was still powering through it all on old tires. So i came in for my second stop to get another set of wets. Well, it sucked for me because there was only one lap of heavy rain, two laps of light rain, than it cleared up. I think after this stop I was back in like 18th place, but I ended up going back to around 10th.

Now it's about lap 22, and computer is starting to pit for their 3rd/4th pit stops. I came in around lap 25, which was foolish because I lost 3 laps of time, and went to softs. I went 10 laps on softs and finished the race in 7th. Some computers went to pit on the last 5 laps so they had 4-5 stops, while I only had 3.

There were only 8 cars on the lead lap, with the other 14 being down a lap. I'm surprised there wasn't any cars that were down 2 laps.

This was generally a really fun race.

I really love the IndyCars in this game. It's the first game I've played with modern-day IndyCars in it, and they handle nice and are pretty fun to drive.
 
Well, I finally rebought Project CARS. I really wanted to play a racing game again and it has a much larger car/track selection than AC, and I really didn't want to wait for AC. I bought the Complete Edition.

After a couple days I thought this was really terrible, not much was better about it...exactly what I thought before.

But I found decent DS4 settings which made the game more playable. Still wasn't much better. (I think it was the car I was using. The settings were great with other cars. I was using the Bentley GT3 went testing the settings)

But there was one race that was really really fun and changed my mind about this game.

It was an IndyCar Race at Donington National with 35 laps and 22 cars. This was a really fun car/track combo in Free Practice, so I wanted to run a somewhat long race (for me anyway). I also turned off damage because I remember the amount of carnage that happens in open-wheel races in this game. I set the Weather to more and more cloudy, and than set the last slot to random.

I started 21st, and the first five laps were horrible. The computer had a much slower pace than me in the back and I could only find a way past them on straights using KERS. I spun out a few times, but I would always catch back up to that slow pack of like 5 cars.

Tire wear was on x5 with fuel on fast. The computer pit in around laps 8-10, so I figured I could make it to 15-17 and try to pull off a 2 stop race, while computer runs 3-4. Well it wasn't that easy, because around lap 16 it started to rain lightly. Went in, refueled, put on Wets, came out. After 2 laps of light rain, the guy came on the radio and said it will start downpouring. I figured I already had wets on, no problem.

So there was about 3 laps of heavy rain. Around the 3rd lap of heavy rain and 5th lap of total rain, my tires were completely ruined and I started spinning out, literally ever corner. I was kinda mad because CPU was still powering through it all on old tires. So i came in for my second stop to get another set of wets. Well, it sucked for me because there was only one lap of heavy rain, two laps of light rain, than it cleared up. I think after this stop I was back in like 18th place, but I ended up going back to around 10th.

Now it's about lap 22, and computer is starting to pit for their 3rd/4th pit stops. I came in around lap 25, which was foolish because I lost 3 laps of time, and went to softs. I went 10 laps on softs and finished the race in 7th. Some computers went to pit on the last 5 laps so they had 4-5 stops, while I only had 3.

There were only 8 cars on the lead lap, with the other 14 being down a lap. I'm surprised there wasn't any cars that were down 2 laps.

This was generally a really fun race.

I really love the IndyCars in this game. It's the first game I've played with modern-day IndyCars in it, and they handle nice and are pretty fun to drive.

I only use tyre wear on X2 or X4, because at higher levels the AI's tyre wear rates don't seem right, and at X7 some odd things happen.

I've also had some races where rain coming down mid race has ruined my chances of a good result, thanks to me setting the car up for ultimate dry pace. Hopefully we can see the weather forecast for the whole weekend in Pcars 2, because as it is it's pretty hard to guess how the weather will go with such a short term forecast. With a fast dry set up, when it rains and you put on wets, sometimes they will overheat and/or wear very quickly, so knowing before the race starts what the weather will likely do would make it easier to set the car up properly.

Also, when it starts raining, don't be too hasty to get into the pits for wets, as even with a good set up, you can still very quickly ruin your wet tyres when the track isn't yet wet enough, and it can often be hard to tell visually when the track is wet enough to switch. I usually go off the tyre temps and the ffb to give me an idea of how wet the track is getting, as the track surface can start to look slick quite quickly. If your old slicks are still in the green temp zone, and your times are still reasonably competitive (or at least not disastrous), you should keep going.

I recently did a race at Zolder in the Lotus 98T, against a full field, in which it started raining on the third lap of ten. not knowing if the AI would all pit, I made the decision early to stay out, figuring I would lose more time pitting than I would by taking it easy once it was really wet.
My decision turned out to be the right one, as two other AI drivers, the ones in second and third, also stayed out. I only started to really struggle by about lap 7, because by then there was a decent amount of standing water, so I had to be very careful and smooth with all the inputs. By the last lap, I couldn't let the engine hit boost at all, and when I did let it boost very slightly, the back end stepped out, and I drifted in slow motion into the barrier, very slowly, and bent my steering, lol.

I did still win in the end, though my last three laps were spent tip-toeing around slowly, letting all the cars past that I lapped while they were in the pits getting wets.

The point of that story though, is that even in the 98T, with it's brutal power delivery, I was able to do 7 laps in the rain on slicks, and four of those laps were at a decent pace. If the race were a 30 lapper, I would have pitted for wets around the lap 7 mark, and the track would have been ready for them by then. If I had pitted at the end of the lap it started raining on, the wets would have been well overheated by the time the track was truly ready for them.
 
Topic of discussion:

When racing AI in free practice just for fun, do you prefer same class or identical/spec racing?
Depends on the car.
For classes like LMP3, LMP900, & road cars setting AI to use same car is better.
LMP, LMP2, GT3, GT1 work fine with AI using same class.
Quick question. If i sign a gt3 contract to drive the RGT-8 GT3, will i be able to take part in the RGT-8 gt3 one make event's?
Yes.
 
Those road car classes are not balanced, you're right. Better to do one-make races there. Sometimes with GT cars I like to do one-makes as well tho to really see how good I am. It's also fun to watch a "Porsche" GT3 Cup race at Nordschleife hehe ;)
 
I've spent quite a while slagging off PCars, mainly for its godawful controller default, but I've just recently set up my T-150 and god dayum it's so much fun now. Absolute night and day. There should be a warning on the box - NOT FOR PAD.

Well, anyway, been doing quick race weekends at Laguna Seca in the BMW '78 320 Turbo Gr. 5, gradually increasing the AI level. God damn, it's so addictive. (And weird being able to keep the car on the road)

So yeah, thanks PCars, you were awesome after all :cheers:
 
Guys could someone tell me, Whats the best setup Tire pressure wise for the P1? It always starts with cold tires and its like driving this car on ice for the first few laps :indiff:
 
Guys could someone tell me, Whats the best setup Tire pressure wise for the P1? It always starts with cold tires and its like driving this car on ice for the first few laps :indiff:
You mean in practice? I've not tuned that car but why not just pick a track and do a quick race and see what the default pressures are like and if they overheat badly or not? The lack of tire warmers option is very annoying.
 
Great article. Times were certainly different back then.
I was part of this history. As a 15 year old boy, living in Zolder, i was at the circuit at the moment of the crash.
I was not at the place of the crash, but was walking in the paddock. When i heard what happend i wanted to go to the place were it all happened, but my dad didn't let me go.
 
So I'm looking into the GT Eye to make my brake pedal less heavy. It goes a certain amount, and then I have to push excessively hard to get the full amount. So I'm doing research and reading the installation instructions. Then I come across this bit. It says the G29/G920 brake pedal comes fitted with a rubber insert, and using the insert with the GT Eye will yield firmer results or remove it for a lighter pedal. This got me thinking. Maybe I don't need the GT Eye at all. Can I just take that rubber insert out and the brake spring will still work but with a lighter feel?
 
So I'm looking into the GT Eye to make my brake pedal less heavy. It goes a certain amount, and then I have to push excessively hard to get the full amount. So I'm doing research and reading the installation instructions. Then I come across this bit. It says the G29/G920 brake pedal comes fitted with a rubber insert, and using the insert with the GT Eye will yield firmer results or remove it for a lighter pedal. This got me thinking. Maybe I don't need the GT Eye at all. Can I just take that rubber insert out and the brake spring will still work but with a lighter feel?

Yeah mate thats all youll need if you want a lighter pedal. Take the piece of rubber out and its the same as the g27 pedals.
 
I did the switch and yea they feel nicer. I can go all the way down more easily and then back off a bit to not lock up. Much more comfortable late braking now. And since I know what I'm doing opening them, I'm thinking of getting the GTEye. Based on how the spring looks, I imagine it's like the G29 stock pedal with that rubber piece in that it has a point where resistance gets noticeable higher. Only difference is that that point is further back? Right now it's the same resistance the whole way. I think I'm gonna get the GTEye and see how it is.
 
Well I'm doing the RGT GT3 championship right now and im at Azure circuit which is one of my worse tracks. The Sprint race im starting 22nd of 24 and the main race im starting 5th. So i try to attempt the Sprint race and i can't even get pass the start finish line without everyone crashing. Just about every time i restarted i had to come to a complete stop and try to go pass. The one time i got thru i came out 11th and wasn't far from 8th, 9th and 10th. But i screwed up and crashed. I 🤬 hate racing at this track.
 
Well I'm doing the RGT GT3 championship right now and im at Azure circuit which is one of my worse tracks. The Sprint race im starting 22nd of 24 and the main race im starting 5th. So i try to attempt the Sprint race and i can't even get pass the start finish line without everyone crashing. Just about every time i restarted i had to come to a complete stop and try to go pass. The one time i got thru i came out 11th and wasn't far from 8th, 9th and 10th. But i screwed up and crashed. I 🤬 hate racing at this track.

Yeah the AI are completely brain dead at Monaco, especially in open wheelers, which is a shame, because it can be a fun and challenging track to race on, especially in longer races trying to keep up the laser focus required to not bin it into the walls at various places.

Oh well, F1 2016 will be out soon, and I've heard very good things about the AI on that. Considering the AI on F1 2015 was already good enough to race competently on tracks like Monaco without smashing into each other and the armco every 5 minutes, I'm looking forward to having some good races there, after having to avoid it like the plague on Pcars.
 
Yeah the AI are completely brain dead at Monaco, especially in open wheelers, which is a shame, because it can be a fun and challenging track to race on, especially in longer races trying to keep up the laser focus required to not bin it into the walls at various places.

Oh well, F1 2016 will be out soon, and I've heard very good things about the AI on that. Considering the AI on F1 2015 was already good enough to race competently on tracks like Monaco without smashing into each other and the armco every 5 minutes, I'm looking forward to having some good races there, after having to avoid it like the plague on Pcars.

Yea i got thru it and finished 11th. The second race i had track position and won. They gotta get that fix on pcars2. And i mention that it's my worst track but i don't do terrible at it. I do like that you really have to concentrate every lap like you said,that makes a real challenge.
 
Yea i got thru it and finished 11th. The second race i had track position and won. They gotta get that fix on pcars2. And i mention that it's my worst track but i don't do terrible at it. I do like that you really have to concentrate every lap like you said,that makes a real challenge.

Yeah the AI are terribly inconsistent. Some car classes they are very competitive, and some they are utterly hopeless, and some tracks they can race and pass cleanly, and some they do really odd things, like just driving straight into walls. If I'm not mistaken, they still can't negotiate the tyre chicane on Monza Junior properly, can they? One will drive straight into the wall, and the others will just pile up behind them, and then just sit there, and every now and then they'll reverse, and then drive straight back into each other/the walls.

I mean, you know there's something fundamentally wrong with the AI when the dev drops all plans to introduce oval racing, despite having expensive licences like the 2015 Verizon Indycar series, because the AI can't handle banked turns lol.
 
Yeah the AI are terribly inconsistent. Some car classes they are very competitive, and some they are utterly hopeless, and some tracks they can race and pass cleanly, and some they do really odd things, like just driving straight into walls. If I'm not mistaken, they still can't negotiate the tyre chicane on Monza Junior properly, can they? One will drive straight into the wall, and the others will just pile up behind them, and then just sit there, and every now and then they'll reverse, and then drive straight back into each other/the walls.

I mean, you know there's something fundamentally wrong with the AI when the dev drops all plans to introduce oval racing, despite having expensive licences like the 2015 Verizon Indycar series, because the AI can't handle banked turns lol.
One of the biggest problems is that it seems like they've programmed all the AI to behave the same regardless of car type. Open wheelers drive into you as if they are in touring cars with zero regard for their own survival. That's the single most frustrating thing with this game. I recently completed the Formula Rookie championship and man, that was not fun at all, even though the car drives great.

They really need to work on AI behaviour depending on class for pCARS2. I'd take the bugs over reckless AI any day. When they're on point the racing is great, but compared to the AI in the recent F1 games where they actively avoid the player car and make sensible moves, they've got a long way to go in pCARS. Obviously Codies can focus on just one type of AI, but if all these classes are offered by SMS then they need to get them behaving acceptably across the board.

I'm hoping I won't be faced with idiotic AI when AC launches or I'll be quite unhappy.
 
One of the biggest problems is that it seems like they've programmed all the AI to behave the same regardless of car type. Open wheelers drive into you as if they are in touring cars with zero regard for their own survival. That's the single most frustrating thing with this game. I recently completed the Formula Rookie championship and man, that was not fun at all, even though the car drives great.

They really need to work on AI behaviour depending on class for pCARS2. I'd take the bugs over reckless AI any day. When they're on point the racing is great, but compared to the AI in the recent F1 games where they actively avoid the player car and make sensible moves, they've got a long way to go in pCARS. Obviously Codies can focus on just one type of AI, but if all these classes are offered by SMS then they need to get them behaving acceptably across the board.

I'm hoping I won't be faced with idiotic AI when AC launches or I'll be quite unhappy.

Yeah, surely it can't be too hard to dial the aggression down for open wheelers.
 
Currently doing the FA Championship and its whole heaps of awesome, a real insight to just how good proper custom championships would of been, 19 races on brilliant track selections, even the Brands Hatch round with a nod to the past. The FA is a wonderful car to drive as the feeling and perception of just what that amount of aero gives you is astounding. Truly hats off to SMS, their heart was certainly in the right place just not always their heads.
Also playing with the classic open wheels around classic Silverstone and wondering with 6 days left if I will have much spare gaming time for AC... it is a big test as PCars is rarely not in my xbox.
As fantastic as DiRT is it's never gets played as much as PCars does, my bias for track racing aside, we shall see, i look forward to AC.
 
Had a quick spin on a pCARS demo that was at a car show today. Did 6 laps in a time trial in an R8 LMS ultra on Brands Indy.

The physics are completely unlike anything I've been used to in GT or Forza, but I quickly got used to it. The main thing that was annoying me was the intrusive traction control as kids were also playing so I just had to deal with it.

It's pretty good but it's not super ultra mind blowing best racer ever as some people hyped it up to be.
 
Had a quick spin on a pCARS demo that was at a car show today. Did 6 laps in a time trial in an R8 LMS ultra on Brands Indy.

The physics are completely unlike anything I've been used to in GT or Forza, but I quickly got used to it. The main thing that was annoying me was the intrusive traction control as kids were also playing so I just had to deal with it.

It's pretty good but it's not super ultra mind blowing best racer ever as some people hyped it up to be.
Don't jump to conclusions after using it for a few minutes in less than ideal conditions, using one car/track and probably wrong settings overall...
Most aids are contra-productive and spoil the feeling.
 
Had a quick spin on a pCARS demo that was at a car show today. Did 6 laps in a time trial in an R8 LMS ultra on Brands Indy.

The physics are completely unlike anything I've been used to in GT or Forza, but I quickly got used to it. The main thing that was annoying me was the intrusive traction control as kids were also playing so I just had to deal with it.

It's pretty good but it's not super ultra mind blowing best racer ever as some people hyped it up to be.

With all due respect that's a bit like saying you watched 5 mins of Return of the Jedi and you can't understand why the Star Wars trilogy is so hyped.
I'm as far away a PCars fanboy as you'll find (i'm not a fanboy to anything as i am pretty balanced in a gaming context, there's far more important things to get tribal about) but I can tell you it's a fantastic game warts and all and its big enough that you can find enjoyment in it even if you only drive a few cars out of the list provided you enjoy motorsport in real life, even more so as I see it now for £12 2nd hand. Stunning game, not without faults, but stunning for the things it does very very well.
 
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I don't know if I'm late to the party and all, but is PCARS done in terms of DLC and updates? I heard the guys over at Slightly Mad have already moved on to PCARS 2... I'm guessing that they are, considering they released the Complete Edition a few months ago.
 

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