VGTA Handicap Championship. Mondays, 8:00pm GMT, from 10th Jan 2022.PS4

[Zolon32]

Does anyone else experience Dubai as unpredictable?

The short answer from me is no Xero. I'm finding these conditions just the same as any others, in respect of ease of driving and consistency of grip; by which I mean that any changes that take place are slow, predictable and easily accounted for. However, this is only my take on it. I would love to hear from others as to how they are finding it.

Just one thought has occurred to me... did you try the 13:00 start at Dubai as well, or only Bannokrba.. Scotland?

 

[IfAndOr]

Straight from awful to awesome

Very odd indeed! I must give it a go later.

Are you ready for storm Malik that's heading your way?

 

[xeronima]

Very odd indeed! I must give it a go later.

Are you ready for storm Malik that's heading your way?

Enjoy the testing, I hope it was just my experience!

Yeah all ready for Malik, but more media hype than actual concern. So not expecting any drama 😆

 

[IfAndOr]

Yes the media do like to ramp up their reports. It's only been a bit windy where I live but up in Scotland they've had 85mph gusts. And that is supposed to be a glancing blow. So hang onto something later. ☺


Anyway, tests over lunch. I did try out a race with Zo's settings (full length but not completed) and I didn't have too many problems. Track temp started at 53°C and slowly rose to 55° without any drama. It did however drop fairly quickly to 38° as the heavy cloud appeared (quickly being over a lap or two). The grip went off somewhat but if you watch the sky and clouds you can be prepared for it.
One caveat is that I forgot to enable tyre wear. This might have had a slightly different effect.

Another thing I noticed is that the cars without headlights are slightly disadvantaged at the start of the race because it's darker. You can't see them so well in your mirrors either. But it's not really dark, dark and after a couple of laps it begins to get lighter anyway.

 

[Zolon32]

Hello again folks, update on the time/weather at Dubai

@jammy21 @Napalm_LT @Hun200kmh @xeronima @Saltyjoe90 @Pantheons @JockeP22 @half_sourly @beachboy6658 @richroo @Maxmusmonster @Don Mejillone @Oldbass47 @IfAndOr

The start time will now be 7:00am, and the weather will be synched to race. So bring your sunglasses 😎

See you on Monday.

 

[jammy21]

5x does that track get more heat and tires get hot at some point of race. No issues with weather.

 

[Zolon32]

tires get hot at some point of race.

I'm hoping that this will bring in the matter of whether or not to put new tyres on Jammy. This is the only circuit in the series, I think, where degradation might make it a sensible option...

 

[jammy21]

Maybe if we could have couple of more laps...

I'm hoping that this will bring in the matter of whether or not to put new tyres on Jammy. This is the only circuit in the series, I think, where degradation might make it a sensible option...

 

[Zolon32]

Maybe if we could have couple of more laps...

We can't do that Jammy, because it's at the full 50 minutes already, and I don't want to cause Napalm issues with the finishing time.

So, the question as to whether to change tyres or not persists...

 

[Napalm_LT]

We can't do that Jammy, because it's at the full 50 minutes already, and I don't want to cause Napalm issues with the finishing time.

So, the question as to whether to change tyres or not persists...

I don't see any problems if you want extend duration of second race - I just will quit after 1 race. I need to get up 5.30 tomorrow and will have more time to sleep if I won't do 2 race.

 

[Zolon32]

I need to get up 5.30 tomorrow and will have more time to sleep if I won't do 2 race.

Thanks Napalm. Please feel free to miss race 2, but I'm going to leave the duration at 21 laps. I have messed around with the races in this series quite enough already, and I feel that it's more fair to stop changing things, and let people race "as advertised".

 

[IfAndOr]

have messed around with the races in this series quite enough already

Not sure about "messed around", I think I'd call them adjustments. It's always a good idea to tweak the format if required.


How are you feeling now @Napalm_LT? Better than last week I hope.

 

[Napalm_LT]

How are you feeling now @Napalm_LT? Better than last week I hope.

Thanks. I am not 100 % healthy, but overall I am good.

 

[half_sourly]

Results from Dubai

Race 1:

Race 2:

Standings:

 

[Zolon32]

Results from Dubai

Thanks Half. Still got the keys to the Nissan Mario. I think you're secretly loving the smell of all that 1980s genuine Japanese plastic

I just have to add, what a brilliant time I had scrapping with Jammy and Salty in race one. Most enjoyable 👍

 

[jammy21]

That was one of the best race in this series. I thought that loose 1st position after I got 1s penalty but managed to keep distance long enough to take win.

I just have to add, what a brilliant time I had scrapping with Jammy and Salty in race one. Most enjoyable 👍

2nd race I had incident with @beachboy6658 as I was passing him we got glued and we both went to wall. Got bad damaged and have to take early pitstop.

 

[Zolon32]

@jammy21 @Napalm_LT @Hun200kmh @xeronima @Saltyjoe90 @Pantheons @JockeP22 @half_sourly @beachboy6658 @richroo @Maxmusmonster @Don Mejillone @Oldbass47 @IfAndOr

Chaps, the race at Fuji will be set at a 13:00hrs start on 29.9.21... Clear weather for the quali and 1st race, then overcast/heavy cloud/light cloud/clear for the main event.

 

[Pantheons]

Just a quick link incase you've not seen it (starts at 14:30mins)

 

[xeronima]

Just a quick link incase you've not seen it (starts at 14:30mins)

it sure does look pretty. but with no PS5 in the shelf I think it'll be a long while before I throw any cash after it

 

[Napalm_LT]

it sure does look pretty. but with no PS5 in the shelf I think it'll be a long while before I throw any cash after it

Seeing all theese videos I don”t expect any noticible effects in FFB. Imho ot wil be just a bigger GTS with better grafics.

 

[xeronima]

Seeing all theese videos I don”t expect any noticible effects in FFB. Imho ot wil be just a bigger GTS with better grafics.

I'm not expecting a great FFB or physics model or AI.

And still. It's a part of where a lot of us started sim racing.

I think I have 30-50 hours on GT Sports. So not a very good payoff compared to the 100s of hours in project cars

 

[IfAndOr]

Ooh, variable time of day, night and day (on a few tracks), variable rain (on some tracks). These are novel features that are new to racing games.

But yes it does look pretty - on PS5 at least. Overall I expect it'll be more of the same GT format. Which is not a bad thing if you like it, and it certainly is very popular so why change. And as Xero says, it's where many of us Sony console users started our hobby.

Personally I'm not sure I want to start with a small hatchback and earn (grind) money to buy further cars and unlock tracks again. I prefer access to everything from the start.
(PC3 is good because it gives you a choice of both options)

Fanatec are now the official wheel manufacturer @Napalm_LT so maybe there could be improvement in that area. Although nothing too drastic I expect.

 

[Napalm_LT]

Fanatec are now the official wheel manufacturer @Napalm_LT so maybe there could be improvement in that area. Although nothing too drastic I expect.

I would like that but don't expect. GT series have huge amount of controler users and Sony can't sacrifice them (Sony is forced to seek compromises). Games with better FFB are much harder to play with controler, because they are created for wheel users..

 

[Zolon32]

I can still remember quite vividly my first experience of Gran Turismo. It was on a demo model in a shop, and I was blown away. Compared with the flickering blobs and vague streams of light that had been earlier attempts at a racing game, GT was from another dimension. Gran Turismo, the first game in the series, moved the genre on by at least a decade; it was simply mind-bendingly brilliant compared with anything else that was on offer.

And in the intervening twenty-five years they have moved the genre on... about six months. Yes, the graphics are mouth wateringly wonderful, but so what? As soon as I began to watch that video I could 'feel' what GT7 is all about... Creamy smooth creaminess.

By comparison PCars2 is like climbing aboard a 1970s, home made, open topped, beast. Grunting, sweating, vibrating and barking. Heat-soak through the bulkhead threatening to weld your shoes to the pedals, traction breaking every time you even think about pushing your right foot to the floor, steering kicking and bucking with every speck of dirt on the road.. doing anything that isn't smooth creaminess.

Viva PCars2.

 

[half_sourly]

open topped, beast. Grunting, sweating, vibrating and barking

I think I dated her once.

 

[Hun200kmh]

I think I dated her once.

GT is the upper class lady you take for a spin. Gorgeous but predictable, not very intelligent and in the end a bit of a bore.

PCars2 is the witty lady that knows a thing or two about nuts and bolts and can talk to you about cars. Not to mention that it'll also give you endless hours of pleasure. She's a keeper

 

[IfAndOr]

Viva PCars2

Now there's something that you wouldn't have uttered soon after your son first bought you the copy. It gathered quite a layer of dust on the shelf while you were participating in the "Creamy smooth creaminess".☺

Pcars takes a little while to grab you but once it clicks... That's it.

Not to mention that it'll also give you endless hours of pleasure.

Are we still talking about @half_sourly's date? 😀

 

[Hun200kmh]

Not sure, can't remember the "barking" bit, but if there was howling involved could be ...

 

[IfAndOr]

Not sure, can't remember the "barking" bit, but if there was howling involved could be ...

Sounds like one of those specialist videos!

 

[Hun200kmh]

Indeed, I linked to it just to save everyone the trouble of searching for it