The "Online Boost" demystified

[Turbo91GT]

There is definitely an online boost still in place, and it's ridiculous.

 

[750F-RM]

There is definitely an online boost still in place, and it's ridiculous.

for the purpose of my post, i'll assume that this is 100% correct. i have no reason to disbelieve people who earlier in this thread have clearly put in much research...

any kind of boost/handicap in online (or offline come to that) is a terrible thing to implement in any driving game/sim

i want my placing in any given race to be completely based upon my merits (or not ) as a driver in that game/sim

i remember a few years ago now when i was racing in a pen and paper GT3 league, we had a guy that won most weeks

some of the players wanted him handicapped, but i was strongly opposed to that. any win that i'd have had under a handicap system would have been totally invalid to me

if i'm not winning, i have to bloody well push harder and improve. not have a system in place that gifts me phony results

that said, i'll of course still drive GT5P online, just for the hell of it 👍

 

[GT Pro]

It would make sense. And it's for that reason that people seem to amazingly catch up everytime on Suzuka, despite my consistent driving, once I've hit roughly 5 secs in front.

 

[Darklymine]

Just my two cents,

I don't believe theres a booster in online games. I believe it's a handicap system for the leader.

Was whizzing round High Speed Ring Reverse last night. Race's vary from 3 people to 6-8 ish people. With the 6-8 people races obviously theres like 5 Tuned Lotus's in them So it's pretty even racing. Doing pretty consistant 1m 10sec ish lap times and dipping into the 1m 08sec's on good laps with a bit of drafting. Coming 1st or 2nd depending on who's better positioned to draft on the last lap. All jolly good fun.

In the 2-3 car races the opposition tended to be Ferrari F430 things and the odd Lancer (not tuned I think). Obviously the Lotus has it easy in races like that (save for one chap who's Ferrari 430 really was quite impressive. but thats for another thread) either way by lap 3 I'm well in the lead a clear 10 seconds +/- suddenly I'm unable to do 1m 10sec laps more like 1m 12sec's and the 2nd place chap is carving a couple of seconds a lap out of me. Not enough to win. But frustrating since I'm not doing anything different to when I was doing 1m 10's.

 

[El Drifto]

I also noticed something was up when racing on High Speed Ring.
I was in a Elise 111R Tuned, and pulled away, leading by 8 seconds, until all of a sudden, the car behind me was 5 seconds instead of 8.
I was pushing hard, but he was still catching up, which I found a bit weird.

 

[yannc]

There is definitly something slowing the leader down. I consistently get 2.06 in online time trial at susuka (with best time at 2.04) but rarely manage to go under 2.10 in races (starting on the front). 5s of difference? That would mean a lot of mistakes but it's not the case.

 

[kimkafwan]

Just my two cents,

I don't believe theres a booster in online games. I believe it's a handicap system for the leader.

Was whizzing round High Speed Ring Reverse last night. Race's vary from 3 people to 6-8 ish people. With the 6-8 people races obviously theres like 5 Tuned Lotus's in them So it's pretty even racing. Doing pretty consistant 1m 10sec ish lap times and dipping into the 1m 08sec's on good laps with a bit of drafting. Coming 1st or 2nd depending on who's better positioned to draft on the last lap. All jolly good fun.

In the 2-3 car races the opposition tended to be Ferrari F430 things and the odd Lancer (not tuned I think). Obviously the Lotus has it easy in races like that (save for one chap who's Ferrari 430 really was quite impressive. but thats for another thread) either way by lap 3 I'm well in the lead a clear 10 seconds +/- suddenly I'm unable to do 1m 10sec laps more like 1m 12sec's and the 2nd place chap is carving a couple of seconds a lap out of me. Not enough to win. But frustrating since I'm not doing anything different to when I was doing 1m 10's.

+1 distance could be the main fact.

Average time in free mode with elise 111R tuned on suzuka track: 2"05.
When i lead the race with tail chasing opponent: 2"08.
With a small gap: 2"11.
With a huge gap: 2"14.

 

[Kryz11]

Maybe an update will come to turn it off and on?
Or better yet, turn it completely off

 

[Denur]

+1 distance could be the main fact.

Average time in free mode with elise 111R tuned on suzuka track: 2"05.
When i lead the race with tail chasing opponent: 2"08.
With a small gap: 2"11.
With a huge gap: 2"14.

Interesting observation. Can you tell how you lose all those seconds (e.g. slower top speed).

 

[nasanu]

Interesting observation. Can you tell how you lose all those seconds (e.g. slower top speed).

My car just seems sluggish, like I am down on power.

 

[Denur]

My car just seems sluggish, like I am down on power.

That would mean that you also have to brake later than you're used to, losing even more time when you do not realise that in time.

 

[magburner]

There is certainly catch up logic in place. In the same night in almost back to back races I did a 2:03.4xx while far behind which would have been a record lap if another car did not push me onto the grass. A couple of races later I was taking excellent lines while I had a huge lead and could not get better than a 2:08. How else do you explain that?

A slow clock maybe? I dunno. Only joking, but I have noticed the reverse effect of what you are describing.

I'm not about to eat humble pie, but I noticed something earlier today whilst racing a three player race. As always, I was racing a tuned Elise (MT, no aids bar ABS of 1, and professional physics) against a Ferrari F430, and a Tuned Elise 111R.

Before the race started, I knew I had won, but the time I set stunned me - I was a whole 9 seconds faster than my 'par' within that race. Usually within a full 12 player race I draft my way to the finish line, and with speeds in excess of 200mph on the straights, corner entry speeds of around 195mph, and apex speeds of 178mph, I can only manage a finishing time around 4.19.xxx. That's a pretty fast time, and usually only achievable in race conditions with the help of some serious drafting.

So you can imagine my surprise when I started in first, pulled away from the pack, and finally managed to set a race time of 4.11.xxx! My maximum speed on any straight never went over 184mph, my corner entry speed was 184mph, and my corner apex speeds were a rock solid 178mph every time.

The car's engine never sounded like it was over or under revving, acceleration and top speed were precise, and at all times the Elise responded as it should of. Most importantly of all, the cars behind me never gained any time at all. All I can assume is that I was lapping VERY close to my online record of 48.xxx.

Could what has been described in this thread, be a bug rather than a feature? I (and others), have never noticed the 'catchup logic' that many here talk about. So something that is not present every time might point towards a bug of some sort? On another tangent, could this 'catchup logic' have anything to do with the physics settings the other drivers are using?

 

[nasanu]

So something that is not present every time might point towards a bug of some sort? On another tangent, could this 'catchup logic' have anything to do with the physics settings the other drivers are using?

Its there every race for me, though I only race in the pro 650pp events. I just wish we could save replays, could end the discussion fairly quickly.

 

[Darklymine]

Would they be crazy enough to be running 2 or 3 types of handicap / boost systems depending on which weight class your racing in? ~.-

 

[miragsky]

Hahaha at my last race on Lotus Elise T at fuji (650), jone men puch me out from the track in first corner and my first lap time was 2.05.XX but other 2 laps i making 1.41.XXX its faster then Time Tral Record (i have there just 13 place) so i won the race ! Its very funny to play like this ! At next race il stand 4 sec at the starting line just after that start and il do my time with out waiting 1.46-1.47 strange /
Sorry for bad english!

 

[kimkafwan]

Interesting observation. Can you tell how you lose all those seconds (e.g. slower top speed).

Well i don't really understand because i follow the same line. I would say acceleration/brake but...

I tried the same race with nsx-r and same result.

If you read the message before the race, it could give an idea?

 

[MrGiggly]

I shan't be attending any more online racing until rubberbanding is taken out or at least made into an option.

Really can't be ar$ed to race if my car behaves differently depending on my position.

 

[Denur]

If you read the message before the race, it could give an idea?

Which message is that, the one scrolling from right to left on the bottom of the screen?

 

[JackB]

This isn't really that bad if you ask me, PD just wants you to have closer races.

I think the reason they do this is that they believe you are the average GT fan. Unfortunately, this a supposed to be competing against GTR(2), Forza 2, LFS etc in the racing simulation market. Even if you try to classify GT as a "Driving Simulator" it just doesn't work.

Rubber band AI in offline is bad enough, but online, I'm incredibly saddened PD has taken this approach. It's embarrassing and unless this is changed I'm taking a wait and see approach to GT 5.

I can't believe they would even consider this. And how could all the people talking about how realistic the simulation aspects of GT have not even noticed an 8 second difference in lap times. Or the fact your lap times are slower on successive laps after your tires heated up? It's supposed to be the opposite. Didn't anyone else noticed the difference in grip and response? Lap times are a dead giveaway.

This is sad this type of rubber banding/mid-race handicaping should be in Mario Kart not a driving/racing simulator.

 

[Denur]

... Unfortunately, this a supposed to be competing against GTR(2), Forza 2, LFS etc in the racing simulation market...

The GT series have never tried to compete with anyone (as far as I know), maybe it is some kind of arrogance, but PD have always gone their own way, re-inventing the wheel along the way (which is not unheard of in the japanese business society, and please don't start about stereotyping, because there happen to be cultural differences in this world).

 

[ChadSpeed]

The GT series have never tried to compete with anyone (as far as I know), maybe it is some kind of arrogance, but PD have always gone their own way, re-inventing the wheel along the way (which is not unheard of in the japanese business society, and please don't start about stereotyping, because there happen to be cultural differences in this world).

that can be a problem though , just look at the crap online features , they are at least 10 years behind from not looking at what others are doing

 

[unimental]

After some experimenting on a few tracks following today's update, it looks like I'm running consistent laptimes in PP700 Pro time-trials and race events... so perhaps the "online boost" is history, at least for Pro events!!!

 

[Kryz11]

After some experimenting on a few tracks following today's update, it looks like I'm running consistent laptimes in PP700 Pro time-trials and race events... so perhaps the "online boost" is history, at least for Pro events!!!

Only if few other people can confirm this !! I will be so happy

 

[SaNTi iTNaS]

by the videos I've seen, i think drafting is exaggerated in this game. It looks as if it added 80HP to your car, it just pulls as soon as you get behind someone, now I've never experienced this in real life, so someone fill me in please.

I do like the effect that happens when you get out of the draft though, you can hear the wind knocking on the windshield as opposed to when your behind someones car.

 

[unimental]

Only if few other people can confirm this !! I will be so happy

Seriously, I need some backup here! One thing's for sure, the online races are fantastic now with the new PP level and (I think, I hope) the elimination of the grip/power penalty. Lots of variety in cars on the track, and close racing throughout the pack!

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

After some experimenting on a few tracks following today's update, it looks like I'm running consistent laptimes in PP700 Pro time-trials and race events... so perhaps the "online boost" is history, at least for Pro events!!!

I was just about to come here and ask if that were the case with the update, and if it is that would be awesome. Now I can have some legit races.

 

[boci]

Yeah I think they removed them - I was doing some races today with the Tuned Corvette (Not a good car for 700 PP races IMO) and this one guy with a GT-R managed to get and keep a 15-20 second lead from me and my laps were close to the limit, a few days ago i wouldve caught up to him for sure.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Anything RWD is bad for a pro physics race But good to hear you also think the boost is gone.

 

[boci]

Yeah, I tried the GT-R with 700pp in an arcade race and i was lapping 4-5 seconds faster then the Corvette!

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Well the GT-R is supposedly meant to be faster, but yes, not 4-5sec faster! I may be opening a tune shop soon here in GT5, I am one of the major tuners from GT4. (Yeah that sounds cocky doesn't it?) Anyway, I have a tune that makes the Vette a little more managable on 700 PP, I'll post it not long after I open the shop. You may be interested in it when I do. This is the stock Z06 too, not the tuned one.....yet