AI Good Bad or Ugly?

[Roger]

Thought I would canvass some views on the AI. I'm going to have a grumble, but don't let that fool you into thinking I am not happy with GTL (far from it ;) ).

Generally, I find the AI quite good to race against, they make mistakes and seek different lines - sometimes they seem to realise if they have "lost" the corner and give a little space.

BUT........I have been doing the David & Goliath challenge. This effect is worst at Spa, probably because of the speed differences between the Alp & the big beasts.

Time and again I have been nerfed off on the straights. I have tried varying my lines, but to no avail. In the corners I can usually find some space and get the run on the bigger cars onto the straights so they usually come past just before the braking area. If I can hear someone is close I try and hold a tighter approach leaving a car's width on the racing line because I know I will outbrake them (a couple of corners like this usually buys a couple of seconds breather until the next long drag). Even so, boom - I am often launched skywards or shoved into the barriers.

It's sort of pi**ing me off. Part of the answer is learning to race them using different lines, but you can't always do that. Anyone else having this trouble?

[Dan]

I havn't had that problem.. mainly because whatever car I have driven I have been able to outbrake the AI ;)
you should have a mirror on so you can see where they are and hopefully avoid these situations


my only complaint is that they sometimes bunch going to turn1 at the start of a race and brake rather early etc.. other than that their behavious has been fine

[Roger]

My mirror is turned off to help FPS, maybe there are other tweeks I can do to help there. Admittedly with a mirror I could probably move out of the way.

It's not the braking zone I have a problem with :p It's actually on straights as we approach the braking zone. I will get a run out of the corner (carry more speed), then they overhaul me until they need to brake (little slower cars always brake later!), but they tend to drive through me!

Another "complaint" I have heard (and agree with) is that at lower levels the AI outperform their race pace in qualifying. Not too bad a thing as a race from low down the pack is fun - just seems a little odd.

[Dan]

ah srry.. dont know why i read it as they hit you in the braking zone :P

and yes they are crazy in qually especially if you fast forward to the next session, doing times many seconds faster than they should, in a way its fun to be out qualified by 4/5 seconds and start at / near the back then thrash them in the race :D that happened to me at spa and I passed 20 cars nn the first lap!

[Ralph_B]

It happened from time to time, that the faster cars ran over me - but not as often that it pi...d me off. Perhaps it depends from difficulty-level and perhaps, how big the difference in speed between your choosen car and the Ai is. Or did you make some changes in the player.plr, that perhaps affects the Ai-behavior? I did the David vs Goliath challenges in the Abarth, Alfa GTA and Escort. The first and second in amateur mode, the last in semi-pro. No major problems with the ai at all. They have been quite challenging, specially on semipro, somtimes did some weird things, but not more or less as in other racesims.
All in all I think, it is the very best I've seen so far. What I partly don't like is the big difference in performance in practice and race. In semipro-mode I hardly get a better rank than around 12-15, but in most races I am much faster than the rest of all. Have to agree to Dan, it is a nice challenge to fight my way through half of the field, but I don't think, it is very realistic. A small difference is quite normal compared to reality, but in GTL the gap is to big for my oppinion. And yes, I also noticed the jump forward in laptimes, if you jump to the next event, before the running session has ended and all cars are back in the pits. It seems to be a little penalty from SimBin to impatient racers, who can't await the end of practice and qualify.

[Roger]

I do agree, generally the AI give you a pretty good race. I think maybe I get trampled more often because I'm not very quick:p Even so, IRL they would not drive through you as if you weren't there. I don't mind (much!) if I get tagged entering a corner too slow - that's racing ;)

Also, it has only really been a problem at Spa where the speed differnce gets quite large (even if lap time is close).

So, why did I start this thread anyway - just needed a chat?:p :confused::

[MudSnow]

It happens to me too. rFactor was even worse, because of bigger differences between cars - before the patch.

[BlaBla]

Maybe they could be a bit faster? If I will get the game started and drive some hours I think it will be no problem to be the fastest driver in the race. Especially in TC65 races when you are driving in a Mini, Cortina, GTA or an Abarth and a big-V8 is driving before you it is very very easy to overtake the car when braking.
But that is the only problem, I like the AI very much.

[Roger]

Now I've got past the David & Goliath stage - I'm finding the AI much better.

I managed to win all the races with some very creative lines and some forceful stuff through half gaps - the trick is to go to places where any contact won't send you off track.

Now I'm doing other challenges they still tag you a little (going too slowly :D), but when the cars are closer in weight the consequences are not nearly as bad. Now I just call it good hard racin' ;)