The "Online Boost" demystified

[zabeu]

My experience resembles Timppaq's and Sinsemila's.

I think that the physics engine is doing the same physics calculations (weight, tyres, forces etc) but with the actual displacement of the car per simulated time unit being scaled. It's a reasonably simple and subtle way to do it.

OT: I'd love to see at least one race event with boost turned off. Unfortunately PD doesn't seem to have any plans in this direction though.

 

[P3nT4gR4m]

I'm sure the car seems to accelerate faster. I've seen me getting into a higher gear on some sections, when well behind, than I do if I'm up front.

 

[Duke of Pendle]

I think it's only a grip thing. The reason you're hitting higher gears in some places is because your exit speed out of the previous corner was higher, because of higher grip levels.
I don't think that the reverse boost on the leader kicks in until after the first lap either.
Last night I was lucky enough on Suzuka 600PP to get away in front and avoid the misguided missiles at turn 1. The R8 drove like it was on rails for the whole lap. More grip than I've experienced before - even when half a lap behind!! I'm hitting the rev limiter where normally I don't. 2.27 from a standing start, with a lead of about 6 seconds.
Lap 2 and I'm sliding on every turn, and having to back off a bit. 2.28
Lap 3 - sliding a bit more. 2.29
Won by 8 seconds.
I'm wondering whether the leader get's a grip "bonus" if he gets away clean?

 

[hornet_burnout]

(...)I don't think that the reverse boost on the leader kicks in until after the first lap either.(...)

I feel something also. But I'm not shure of this because of the standing start.

Anyway, to start on pole way ahead of the finish line and the confusion, allowed to do and equal time in laps1 and 2.

During lap2 you definitely feel a decrease in grip. Wheter it starts growing during lap1 or when you start lap2 I can't tell. But the later may explain why so many people go off the track (me included) when leading "unpressured" into T1.on the beggining of lap2...

 

[bicycleshorts]

I hate it when someone just sits on the side of the track for the whole race, it seems like them going a lap down maximizes the rubberband effect

Surely better than them quitting the race and the server going down though?

 

[NLxAROSA]

I was just racing two guys on Suzuka 750PP in the GT LM. I was leading by 30 seconds or so. I noticed that there was NO negative rubber banding in place for this race. I got my usual laptimes. Is the rubberbanding effect gone or is it simply not as active when there are only three players?

 

[Timppaq]

Sounds promising! 👍

 

[NLxAROSA]

Well, there are many factors involved here, it could be that I was just very lucky and nothing has changed at all. I just noticed the difference and was wondering if others are experiencing the same.

 

[H20HYBRID_GT]

Well, there are many factors involved here, it could be that I was just very lucky and nothing has changed at all. I just noticed the difference and was wondering if others are experiencing the same.

I experienced this long ago, maybe the boost just doesn't kick in if there few players in the race?
Also I noticed this usually right after a new update, the timings are screwed up anyway. Once i did 2 laps in a row (leading) 2:19 with a Skyline Nur on Suzuka 600pro, then never again ... why? This is something PD seriously needs to fix !

 

[Biggles]

Even after reading through this thread...

I still find the rubber-banding totally mystifying.

It's easy to understand one car, well behind, receiving a boost in order to catch up, but with a variety of cars in different positions, how does the boost "decide" what to boost/ how much/ & for how long??? Does a car 5 secs behind the leader receive an advantage over the lead car? At what point does that boost stop: 4 secs, 3 secs, 2 secs?

I've run a lot of races a Suzuka & I'm still not really understanding it.

If PD can programme such a complicated (incomprehensible) boost system online, why can't they programme decent AI offline?


I'd just like to add: last night I ran in a very fast Suzuka 600 PP (6.54) where there were only 3 (fast) drivers. We ran tight the whole way, nobody made any kind of error & the positions never changed hands once over the entire race. I honestly think that was the first time I have experienced a race like that.

 

[P3nT4gR4m]

I was just racing two guys on Suzuka 750PP in the GT LM. I was leading by 30 seconds or so. I noticed that there was NO negative rubber banding in place for this race. I got my usual laptimes. Is the rubberbanding effect gone or is it simply not as active when there are only three players?

I seldom even notice the boost in 750pp. I can quite often pull huge leads and I figure that's cos most muppets can't keep a 750pp car on the track. Or they're driving an Evo or Clio and losing 5-10 secs a lap.

600pp it's much easier to follow a half decent line and the boost seems really evident there cos there's no way to pull away from anyone.

 

[Stotty]

I've run a lot of races a Suzuka & I'm still not really understanding it.

I'll give you an example... PP600 Suzuka, Monday night.

Started from pole in my R8, first in to the first corner, unchallenged throughout the 1st lap, ran a 2'19.xxx from a standing start, crossed the line with a 6+ second lead.

Second lap, lead all the way, not a perfect lap, but ran good lines. T1 gap to 2nd 7+ seconds, T2 gap to 2nd down to 5 seconds, crossed the line with a lap time of 2'26.xxx and only a 2 second lead.

That's around 7 seconds faster for lap 1 from a standing start and 5 seconds of lead lost in just 2 sectors.

I can run 2'16.7's to 2'17.2's in free run, so how come my lap 2 is 9-10 seconds off my normal time?

Don't know how it's worked out, but it's there.

 

[atledreier]

I noticed that as long as the field is tight there's less penalty for the frontrunners than in there's one struggling way back. So it's probably as simple as the difference between the leader and the one furthest back. The struggler get a huge boost and the leader get a huge penalty in that case. As the distance decrease the boost and penalty decrease.

 

[Biggles]

I'll give you an example... PP600 Suzuka, Monday night.

Started from pole in my R8, first in to the first corner, unchallenged throughout the 1st lap, ran a 2'19.xxx from a standing start, crossed the line with a 6+ second lead.

Second lap, lead all the way, not a perfect lap, but ran good lines. T1 gap to 2nd 7+ seconds, T2 gap to 2nd down to 5 seconds, crossed the line with a lap time of 2'26.xxx and only a 2 second lead.

That's around 7 seconds faster for lap 1 from a standing start and 5 seconds of lead lost in just 2 sectors.

I can run 2'16.7's to 2'17.2's in free run, so how come my lap 2 is 9-10 seconds off my normal time?

Don't know how it's worked out, but it's there.

Did you read my post? I understand that it's there - I have had exactly the same experience as you - in fact, the opposite is even more noticeable: I have run more than a few races where I've been pushed off in the first lap. It doesn't worry me at all, since I am always able to catch up within a lap or so.

What I can't understand is how does the game make those calculations: does the boost increase depending on how many seconds back you are, does it adjust as you get closer to the leader, what about the cars in between the leader & the back marker etc. etc.???

 

[angelx]

I seldom even notice the boost in 750pp. I can quite often pull huge leads and I figure that's cos most muppets can't keep a 750pp car on the track. Or they're driving an Evo or Clio and losing 5-10 secs a lap.

600pp it's much easier to follow a half decent line and the boost seems really evident there cos there's no way to pull away from anyone.

I constantly pull away from everyone in my audi R8 in 600pp, but when I am behind I usually catch up very quickly which is probably because of the boost. I dont really race750pp so I cant really compare though.

 

[unimental]

What I can't understand is how does the game make those calculations

What I can't understand is WHY the game is making those calculations, especially in Pro online races. C'mon PD, drop the boost.

 

[Ardius]

Has anyone found out if they have taken away the boost yet with this latest update? Judging from some people's posts in other threads, it sounds like the boost has been disabled or at least reduced.

 

[H20HYBRID_GT]

Has anyone found out if they have taken away the boost yet with this latest update? Judging from some people's posts in other threads, it sounds like the boost has been disabled or at least reduced.

Happens everytimes after a new update. I think its just not there all the time though. It comes back for sure, just when you think its gone.
I have the feeling even PD doesn't know how this works

 

[Digital-Nitrate]

Or if it has gone away... some will still believe it hasn't no matter what, and blame any thing that they can't or wont explain on "the boost" and like so many myths, it will live forever.

I bet there are many people who still swear they can get a specific pize car in GT3 by pressing X at "just the right time"... but it still only works 25% of the time with four prize cars, and 33% of the time with three... go figure.

 

[Biggles]

I just ran a 2 car race at Suzuka, where I steadily built up a lead over the 3 laps (the other driver never went off, but was just slower) & finished about 17 secs ahead with a 7.04 time (approx 2.24, 2.20, 2.20). Seems to me, that in the past, I would have run slower in the last lap with that much of a lead. But I could be wrong... or not ... or... 👍 👎 👍

 

[BonzoHarry]

yea I'm not sure either, by lap 2 I had a 22 second lead over this over elise.

Although he could have just been doing some piss poor driving.

 

[Chadwicksracing]

The online boost is still around.. I was just racing at HSR R and in Practice I can run 1'06.1 in the Ford GT LM..but in the online race I can only run 1.06'8-9 while leading the race. I can tell the difference right away when the boost is set in..my R3 tires seem like S3's at some points..and the push in gets worse..ect ect ect.

I will also note that when there are 3-4 cars behind me, the game doesn't allow me to pull away further than 2 seconds. However if the drivers behind me wreck and such I am able to extend my lead.

The point is, as long as we have this stupid random online racing system it will be in place.

I will voice my complaint: I HATE THIS assist that PD has. I can't stand it. Its not real racing, its staged and dumbed down for the average joe to race..

'The Real Drving Simulator' my A..... More like the Real driving for dummies. I don't like it when I cannot run consistant laps. I just hate it when I don't know if I will have grip th ere or not..

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

In 500 and 600 I have not personally felt it slowing me down any more, but in the back half of the grid it is still speeding me up.

 

[arora]

Or if it has gone away... some will still believe it hasn't no matter what

I believe it exists and will continue to untill I see an option to turn it off

I would never blame my poor driving skills on it, rather simply wish it away 👍

 

[Biggles]

I'm starting to feel like the boost may have, at the least, been reduced. I got knocked off a couple of times tonight & found it hard work to claw my way back. In the past, I was able to make up 10 secs a lap or more easily with the boost...

 

[Biggamehit]

uuuhhgg catch up is yag.......

 

[Vaxen]

I'm starting to feel like the boost may have, at the least, been reduced. I got knocked off a couple of times tonight & found it hard work to claw my way back. In the past, I was able to make up 10 secs a lap or more easily with the boost...

It's going to be hard to prove one way or the other, since the most ironclad "proof" we have is amazing laptimes laid down by people way in the back, but after spending a good part of the day racing, I'd have to agree with Biggles observation.

I think it's still there, but it feels like it's not as strong as it was.

 

[Chadwicksracing]

I think it's still there, but it feels like it's not as strong as it was.

I will have to agree with that.

 

[Biggles]

It's going to be hard to prove one way or the other, since the most ironclad "proof" we have is amazing laptimes laid down by people way in the back, but after spending a good part of the day racing, I'd have to agree with Biggles observation.

I think it's still there, but it feels like it's not as strong as it was.

I will have to agree with that.

Interesting that you both feel the same way.

Now that it's (sort-of?) not there...

I miss it!

There was something very gratifying about being able to tear around the course on fast-forward & catch-up with everyone after being punted off in the early stages of a race (at least, now I'm finding myself wondering why I'm so slow, when I CANT do it).

However, on balance, once we are able to better organize our on-line experience to race how, & with whom, we want, it will be all good. 👍

 

[Patrocles]

Pardon my ignorance as I have not read all the posts in this thread, but has anyone conducted any experiments to test this track boost hypothesis?

I'm not sure how to go about doing this, but I'm sure you chaps are smart and come up with some ideas! It might be difficult if the races are only a few laps and we can't get on servers with other pilots to coordinate an experiment.

I guess pilot 1 could do fast consistent laps and then a pilot 2 purposelly crash, or go off the track, and see if the fast consistent laps increase in time for pilot 1? This could be repeated over and over to get a high n-value.