Question on AI

[Matt Satchell]

Let me start off by saying thank you to those that have created this kicka#$ simulator, yet at the same time I should be mad for the amount of time I sit in front of the GD computer. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I am wondering about the AI cars when you run an actual race. I typically will race the competition at 105% (that is the max, right?. Most tracks (Sebring, Elkhart), they are fairly comparable on the straights, but way slow in all the corners. They are at least 10 seconds off the pace for Elkhart. At Brands Hatch, they are slow everywhere. Is there anyway to make those cars more representable?

Another question for those of you who have driven these vehicles, how close is the simulator? My impressions (based off data, never driven a real car) is that the simulator probably has too much drag up high, brakes are more powerful, slow speed corners seem a bit quicker than I'd expect, but the high speed stuff seems fairly reasonable. Any comments?

Don't mean to be critical, just trying to get some opinions. The work that Team Players and Lucky and everyone has done to create this is unbelievable! Thanks guys!

[Jon Hobbs]

Hey Matt,

One thing I've done to up the level of the competition is to take the ghost file of my best lap, and make it "the" ghost lap for the track. Then the AI guys will run 105% quicker (roughly) than your best lap. The AI cars will also follow your line +/- a certain fudge factor. Sometimes the +/- factor puts a whole pile of AI cars into walls and such, so you have to be careful.

Somehwere in the posts here there is a description of how to establish a quick, but safe ghost lap.

Another option I've tried is that a couple folks here on the board have been willing to share their ghost car files.

Jon

[Chuck Redman]

I think Matt is right about the drag profile. Lime Rock is a no-brainer on the sim (you just have to get Big Bend and the Left Hander right) and even with the lowest downforce possible, I'm still almost 4 sec's off the best F2000 time at that track (I believe it's Chris Fahn at a high '49)

My personal best at that track in an '82 Van Diemen 1600 car, is a 55.8 but I know some FF drivers that have done low 53's there.

I would have to say that the performance of the sim is closer to that of a 1600 car than a 2000 car, albeit a fast one.

Not that I'm complaining though, I've never had so much fun driving Lime Rock with a cold beer in my hand............

BTW... has anyone tried the Lime Rock track with the Grand Prix Legends game? - Kinda like driving a poor handling FF with 450 HP.........

[Lucky]

The AI are controlled by .gcf (ghost car) files Matt. I create the .gcf files and then pack them right into the track file when I covert the tracks.

*This is done so multiplayer starts work correctly!*

Because of the number of different road racing mods available, it's almost impossible to create .gcf files that will suit all needs. So I basicly don't even try.

There are two ways to create competitive AI with add-on road courses using your own ghostcar laps though.

One would be make a second copy of a specific track file. Rename the copy by adding a suffix to it like maybe "SP" for "single player". This would need to be done so it would be distinguishable from the original track, which could still be used for multiplayer races.

Then you would need to use restools to unpack the track file, pull out the .gcf files, and then repack the track file.

In this method, instead of using the .gcf file I pack in the track file, the game will read the best_ever_(track).gcf file that is created by you and stored in the ghostcar folder within your mod folder. The best_ever(track).gcf file is created automaticly when ever you practice or race.

The other way to do it is to keep the tracks named just the way they are. Unpack each track using restools. Pull out the .gcf files and pack them into a ghostcar.res file. The ghostcar.res file would then go into your mod folder.

In this method, the game would use the .gcf files in your ghostcar.res file for multiplayer races. But would use the .gcf files you create, and are stored in your ghostcar folder, for single player races.

It's a little bit of work. But it's the only way to get the AI competitive for a "specific" mod. And still have a track that's raceable online.

Lucky

[Maxx]

Good explanation Lucky, for those who have read the other way that is detailed somewhere in the recent forum posts (i.e. you just copy your "best_ever" .gcf into the mod directory itself and rename it to just the <trackname>.gcf) the problem with this is that it messes up online races (so I'm told - not sure what in fact happens).

You can still use this way if, before you race online at a particular track you rename the .gcf in the mod folder so it doesn't get referenced. Alternatively, just have a .bat file to rename/move all .gcf's and another .bat file to re-instate them.

Maxx

[Maxx]

Chuck,

Just so you know, the current beta is known to be a little down on power as we had a little confusion over the correct figures, plus we wanted to make sure it was a little slower than the final release (so folks using the "old" car would not have an advantage over the full released car).

I think you'll find the new car much closer to the pace of the real thing. Faster on some, maybe slower on otehrs but most of that is down to the difference in modelled track vs. real track.

The handling of the car is unchanged so you should feel right at home with it.

Maxx

[Matt Satchell]

Thanks for the info Lucky, makes more sense now. One more question.... Do you have any idea why there is such a disparity in the starting speed for various tracks? I tried copying the "Best ever" lap at LimeRock the other night and when I came back, I was going 19mph at the start and 10 car lengths behind the pack. There is no acceleration at that speed. At Elkhart, the starts seem more reasonable, I am right in the pack.
Do you (or does anyone) know how to set a standard speed of say 50-60mph for starts?

[cruise_ctrl]

Sorry I don't have an answer to the above question, but I have a question of my own, lol, where did you find Elkart at?
lol

[Maxx]

Originally posted by Matt Satchell:
Thanks for the info Lucky, makes more sense now. One more question.... Do you have any idea why there is such a disparity in the starting speed for various tracks? I tried copying the "Best ever" lap at LimeRock the other night and when I came back, I was going 19mph at the start and 10 car lengths behind the pack. There is no acceleration at that speed. At Elkhart, the starts seem more reasonable, I am right in the pack.
Do you (or does anyone) know how to set a standard speed of say 50-60mph for starts?

Matt,

I can't answer the question about what controls the starting speed of the AI but the oddity that you sometimes get with your car lagging "way" behind the pack seems to be more mod specific and doesn't happen consistently. I've noticed it most in the LeMans2 mod but I think very occasionally in the F2000 mod.

Maxx

[Lucky]

When you say copy it, copy it to where Matt?

Btw, Elkart is Road America Don. And can be found our files page. :0)

Lucky