Time Trial Discussion

  • Thread starter seadog777
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Hi folks! Great to be back here and see your posts again :)

I think PD could've been a little more creative with their car/track combo for this TT, but I'm not going to complain after the grueling ones they gave us during the holidays. I now know that it could be worse...💀

My first session in the Porsche lasted around 15-20 laps, in which I found out that these tires weren't worth crap.:lol: It gave me an okay time with a low 2:14 that night, but I knew I could better that with a few more runs.

The next day, I watched a few replays, gave the car a new paintjob, and got back to work. I wanted to reach the 2:12's at first, but I gave up at a certain point... Once I realized my gold time was secured, the will to push harder went away.

Still, not too bad, I ended up with a time of 2:13,243 using a controller. It's all about using the curbs a lot and getting on the power as early as possible. Also, the Nurb GP circuit has a very particular racing line, knowing it helps a lot in order to feel comfy on the track.

I'm out for the week, have a great one guys! ✌️ Take care and good luck!

tyui1.jpg

2097074390023158822.jpg

-The Michael Schumacher esses -
 
I can't get a real grip on this one - almost literally. After another lengthy weekend session, I'm at 2:13:7, back in gold territory, and just hoping that Igor Fraga will take the week off.🤣

Just can't get a complete lap down, as my optimum was 2:13:1, which I would be quite happy with as my real final result.
 
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Leon Kowalski
I can't get a real grip on this one - almost literally. After another lengthy weekend session, I'm at 2:13:7, back in gold territory, and just hoping that Igor Fraga will take the week off.🤣

Just can't get a complete lap down, as my optimum was 2:13:1, which I would be quite happy with as my real final result.
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haha me too, i had 2 sessions ending in 2:13.919 so i'm on living on the edge, i hope i don't have to get back at it, but i think it's not going to hold for me :lol: so i hope he is on vacation to :lol:
 
Nebuc72
Keiichi is also on a 6 year old game with completely different physics and handling, so it's not really very relevant.

I don't think the car handles that badly. You're whipping around a road car on non-racing tyres. It's not meant to handle like a race car, and neither should it. Road cars take a different skill set to drive properly fast in.
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I would like to believe, the problem lies less in my skillset, but thanks for assuming this right away.

Maybe I should've worded my post differently. My problem is less with the car itself or the grip level of SH tires, but rather the maximum steering angle of the DS4 controller. Too much steering lock easliy causes understeer. It's hard to feel the point the car starts to lose lateral grip on controller as there is no FFB telling you when this happens. Obviously, if you use too much steering input losing lateral grip happens irl or on wheel too, but using a controller the game just let's you turn the wheels as if you're on ice rather than asphalt. Adjustable steering angle or sensibility settings could remedy this.

To get back on point: although controlling the car and keeping lateral grip on DS4 is managable (currently still in gold) and I enjoy a challenge, this combo feels like tediousy driving on knife's edge, rather than a fun challenge throwing a nimble car around. I would enjoy this TT much more with either softer tires to compensate the steering lock effects or being able to set up the controller sensitiviy to my liking.
 
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After much toil, I am down to 2:16.4something, and I will hope that this remains in the top 5% by the end!

Not my favourite challenge by a long shot, and I can see it's been a divisive one with regards to Track, Car and Tyre combo. The loss of grip on trickier parts of the circuit and the utterly deflating feeling of seeing positive time slip right into negative as you just slowly slide around is something I hope doesn't return in future challenges.

For a game like GT7 and the number of players, I do wish they'd offer more variety of challenges.
 
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ikon_313
I would like to believe, the problem lies less in my skillset, but thanks for assuming this right away.

Maybe I should've worded my post differently. My problem is less with the car itself or the grip level of SH tires, but rather the maximum steering angle of the DS4 controller. Too much steering lock easliy causes understeer. It's hard to feel the point the car starts to lose lateral grip on controller as there is no FFB telling you when this happens. Obviously, if you use too much steering input losing lateral grip happens irl or on wheel too, but using a controller the game just let's you turn the wheels as if you're on ice rather than asphalt. Adjustable steering angle or sensibility settings could remedy this.

To get back on point: although controlling the car and keeping lateral grip on DS4 is managable (currently still in gold) and I enjoy a challenge, this combo feels like tediousy driving on knife's edge, rather than a fun challenge throwing a nimble car around. I would enjoy this TT much more with either softer tires to compensate the steering lock effects or being able to set up the controller sensitiviy to my liking.
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There's controller sensitivity settings in the options, unless you're meaning beyond that?

Still though, I always do road car trials on controller as I genuinely just think they're more fun and easier to drive than on wheel; this one included.
The possibility and inputs are all perfectly suitable for the job, you really just have to get used to driving a car that responds differently and use different signals for grip loss than you do with a race car.

I wasn't trying to call you bad when I said you need a different skillset, you just genuinely do.
 
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Nebuc72
There's controller sensitivity settings in the options, unless you're meaning beyond that?

Still though, I always do road car trials on controller as I genuinely just think they're more fun and easier to drive than on wheel; this one included.
The possibility and inputs are all perfectly suitable for the job, you really just have to get used to driving a car that responds differently and use different signals for grip loss than you do with a race car.

I wasn't trying to call you bad when I said you need a different skillset, you just genuinely do.
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Yes, I mean sensitivity beyond that.

Currently, the sensivity only adresses the response, not the steering angle amount. I'm having a hard time not giving too much steering input at times. Compensating for this could be achieved by adjusting steering angle, the suspension, tyre compound or driving style. So, yeah, I guess it does come down to skillset.

And this is also were my subjectivity comes in: imo time trials should be run under optimal conditions. I don't see a reason to run hard compounds, if there is no tyre wear present. And even though I don't expect a car on sports tyres with little to no downforce to handle like a racecar, I still want to get the best out of the car. I know my skillset is enough to get constant laps while keeping the car settled, but subjectively having a more grip/forgiving car/tyre combo is more enjoyable to me.

Edit: for example, I felt the NSX TT @ Nordschleife was infinitely harder, but made up for it on the fun side, because I could experiment with the car settings to compensate for my skillset and driving style. Obviously this wasn't to everyones equal taste, as not everyone likes tuning or setting up cars.

Edit 2: @Nebuc: since you're on controller too, are you on DS4 or Dualsense and what times are you running if I may ask?
 
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ikon_313
And this is also were my subjectivity comes in: imo time trials should be run under optimal conditions. I don't see a reason to run hard compounds, if there is no tyre wear present. And even though I don't expect a car on sports tyres with little to no downforce to handle like a racecar, I still want to get the best out of the car. I know my skillset is enough to get constant laps while keeping the car settled, but subjectively having a more grip/forgiving car/tyre combo is more enjoyable to me.
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Strictly speaking, these events are called "lap time challenges". So, a certain set of conditions that one has to find the means to master. Admittedly, the spectrum of these challenges hasn't been that wide to begin with. And what you suggest here would only narrow it down even further. Currently, there seems to be a trend of alternating challenges (every other challenge in road car, every other in race car). Personally, I am much more inclined to skip the race car challenges, so to each their own. But might not be a bad idea to have one of each running at the same time. That way both race car fans and road car fans would at least have one lap time challenge to work on all the time.
 
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Someone made me aware you can mount aero parts to this car. Who's running it with aero?
I can't check this out right now. Is that a significant difference with this car/track combo?
 
2:12.309 for me. Cayman seems quite nice to drive actually, just need to be careful not to over drive it. If you spin tyres or slide too much, tyres seem to over heat and you lose grip? Or is it just mee feeling like it, dont know.. :lol:

I seem to lost .5 sec on final turn, I think I do something wrong in the chicane and get dirty tires. Well not really a fan of this chicane anyway.

Butt, this should be enough for gold, and Im done until the next one :cheers:

Maybe some rally TT next? :lol:
 
Vule
You can mount whatever you want, except wide body, but the car will still be BOP-ed when you enter, so the performance will be the same as the rented car without the aero parts.
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Yep! I still add some stuff to make the car look cooler, if nothing else. Big brake kit (even though this Porsche already comes with big ol Brembos but many road cars don't), some aero bits, suspension, etc. I know it has no effect on the car during the event, but it definitley looks cooler and separates is some from the OEM look of the rented versions.
 
2:13.6xx

I think that's it for me. This track wants me to bleed for anything more.

On my second 5-lap session, I was picking up momentum after a dismal first session. At the end of the second lap, I stormed through the chicane in a satisfying way... Only to then get smacked with a penalty to carry over into the next lap. I very nearly flung the controller.

I spent the next 20 minutes driving in the most intentionally disgusting way that I could manage. Did you know that if you go full rally mode through sector 1 - cutting everything after turn 1 - as you cut turn 4, the game will teleport your car back to the beginning of turn 2, sometimes even turn 1?

Corners that should flow into one another instead connect awkwardly and vaguely. What flow does exist, is designed to be easy to get wrong, IMO. The penalties drive that point home (and also through my skull).

Driving here is like being in a class that teaches fundamentals with such strictness, brutality and banality that some students begin to question their passion for the subject. The more I learn, the more awful this track becomes.

I'm not prepared to admit to myself that I may loath Nurb GP more than modern Fuji.

So yeah, in several Time Trials, we'll be back here again, probably driving Red Bulls as a throwback to the GT5 Sebastian Vettel X Challenge. :indiff:
 
2.15.7xx

After three serious sessions I call it a day. I’am on ps5-pad and my experience with Nürburgring GP was likely zero so far .
Driving this car on this track feels more like speed skating at some point.
I guess I could scratch gold optimal was 2.14.6xx but I don’t have the balls and the time for additional improvement. Maybe I going soft after all 🤣

i would really appreciate a second TT overlapping the first one by one week.
14 days duration stays but every week a new one replaces the oldest one .

best regards to all of you
 
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I have to add my voice on this: I love road car TTs and find the race car TTs boring and tedious.

I do think choice of controller might have something to do with it. What folks call "sliding on ice", I call getting the experience of managing a car on and over the edge of tire adhesion. To me that's where all the fun is. And it's probably better on a wheel. I find the Cayman grips wonderfully, is wonderfully balanced, and an absolute joy to drive!

The Nissan Z TT was a brilliant example. Seeing the top guys managing the perfect amount of oversteer and sliding the cars through the corners was epic to watch. Loved it (even if I myself didn't set a good time, it was damn fun).

Race cars do only one thing: understeer. It's all about pressing the brake at exactly the right pixel and turning in at exactly the right pixel so that you UNDERSTEER perfectly through the corner. That. Is. So. Boring. And videogamey in the sense that you're barely driving a car vs just timing your inputs like a platformer game.

Hope they continue to give us a good balance of both road cars and race cars to keep everyone happy.
 
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rheinaoi
2:13.6xx

I think that's it for me. This track wants me to bleed for anything more.

On my second 5-lap session, I was picking up momentum after a dismal first session. At the end of the second lap, I stormed through the chicane in a satisfying way... Only to then get smacked with a penalty to carry over into the next lap. I very nearly flung the controller.

I spent the next 20 minutes driving in the most intentionally disgusting way that I could manage. Did you know that if you go full rally mode through sector 1 - cutting everything after turn 1 - as you cut turn 4, the game will teleport your car back to the beginning of turn 2, sometimes even turn 1?

Corners that should flow into one another instead connect awkwardly and vaguely. What flow does exist, is designed to be easy to get wrong, IMO. The penalties drive that point home (and also through my skull).

Driving here is like being in a class that teaches fundamentals with such strictness, brutality and banality that some students begin to question their passion for the subject. The more I learn, the more awful this track becomes.

I'm not prepared to admit to myself that I may loath Nurb GP more than modern Fuji.

So yeah, in several Time Trials, we'll be back here again, probably driving Red Bulls as a throwback to the GT5 Sebastian Vettel X Challenge. :indiff:
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Yeah I've never liked Nurburgring GP either. I like to go early on the throttle, and on this track you just cannot, with all them hairpins. Also I agree about the toughness to find the flow. Which is probably why I shall skip the manufacturer series race on Saturday, which is on this bloody track, AGAIN 😒 Not to worry though, you only need 1 score for this short series anyway.
 
I found this time trial to be quite challenging as i have recently gone from playing with g29 (was not mine) to using dualsense.
Compared to g29 I find it quite difficult to be precise on dualsense, especially in situations when you need to make quick and significant changes of direction.
After about 30-ish laps managed to get 2:12:9xx.

Overall not a fan of the track, especially the last chicane, but i think it is a good challenge and a good challenge is always good :D
 
merch_8
I found this time trial to be quite challenging as i have recently gone from playing with g29 (was not mine) to using dualsense.
Compared to g29 I find it quite difficult to be precise on dualsense, especially in situations when you need to make quick and significant changes of direction.
After about 30-ish laps managed to get 2:12:9xx.

Overall not a fan of the track, especially the last chicane, but i think it is a good challenge and a good challenge is always good :D
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I cannot get the turning correctly for this one. I feel like no matter how much I brake, I can’t make a full turn out of the apex. Always end up in the dirt.
 
Iso Octane
I have to add my voice on this: I love road car TTs and find the race car TTs boring and tedious.

I do think choice of controller might have something to do with it. What folks call "sliding on ice", I call getting the experience of managing a car on and over the edge of tire adhesion. To me that's where all the fun is. And it's probably better on a wheel. I find the Cayman grips wonderfully, is wonderfully balanced, and an absolute joy to drive!

The Nissan Z TT was a brilliant example. Seeing the top guys managing the perfect amount of oversteer and sliding the cars through the corners was epic to watch. Loved it (even if I myself didn't set a good time, it was damn fun).

Race cars do only one thing: understeer. It's all about pressing the brake at exactly the right pixel and turning in at exactly the right pixel so that you UNDERSTEER perfectly through the corner. That. Is. So. Boring. And videogamey in the sense that you're barely driving a car vs just timing your inputs like a platformer game.

Hope they continue to give us a good balance of both road cars and race cars to keep everyone happy.
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Agree with all this. Think it's why I enjoy (and do better) with the road cars.

I've had to quick sessions- 1 to do the video which resulted in a 2:12.8xx and a second session down to a 2:12.6xx
 
Here are the mid-TT statistics. Middle of the road affair so far in most respects:
  • Might be the highest participation rate so far at the mid-way point. Maybe a result of more people finding an easy Cr.2m or Cr.1m after last TT?
  • Not many will get nothing; only 9% out of the money, around a third of the usual proportion. Will be interesting to see if that results in even more people taking part in the next one.
  • The joint top times have been there for a while and judging by the smaller than usual proportion under 1%, it appears even aliens are finding it difficult to get close. Only 23 people below the top 2 are within a second of that top time. Possibly means the top time won't move much over the remaining week.

TT1.jpg

TT2.jpg




Source of the raw data.
 
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