Rennlist iRacing thread
01-11-2018, 12:53 PM
#7098
Drifting
Good solid race yesterday Jim. I couldn't catch you unless you made a mistake. I think you had a consistent 0.5s per lap on me and then I was making some mistakes too. My start was awful! I was slow in reacting to the lights... then I did a sweet burnout instead of launching the car. The Porsche is feeling really good recently to me. The tire model seems to be really nailed now under most situations. The only time I feel like it's not up to snuff is recovering from a big slide or a drift when the car seems to really want to snap hard in the other direction. I can never catch that one.
01-11-2018, 03:38 PM
#7099
Thanks 
I've been spending time looking at data and trying to figure out how the "fast" guys are driving differently. The two glaring differences I found were with the tightness of the line, and braking inputs. The fast guys run VERY tight lines - curbing to curbing, swallowing up as much as they can. I always tried to "roll" corners - keep minimum speeds UP. But comparing my laps to theirs, they ran a tighter line, which had a SLOWER minimum speed (sometimes by 3-5mph) and yet their sector time was quicker. Seems the tighter line actually made up for it by shaving the distance. I was already hitting curb - but the data showed they were often still 2-3 feet inside - almost like, in some cases, the inside tire was at least partially in the dirt.
The other difference was in braking for a turn. I braked deep, hard, and rolled off the pedal as I got deeper in, getting back to throttle, usually starting off with just "maintenance throttle", until the apex or just past, then adding in power. The fast guys were braking EARLIER (in some cases MUCH earlier) but also MUCH LESS HARD. They were very light on the pedal. They also *stayed* on the brakes much, much longer - allllllll the way to the apex. Then a quick transition back to throttle.
Seems that with their braking technique, they also used significantly less steering input. The car rotates a lot easier when on the brakes. It also rotates when on the power. So they use the pedals a lot more than I did, vs. the steering wheel.
The challenge has been getting the "feel" right for the braking input. As we all know, too much braking input locks the front... and then the car plows off to the outside. It's taken me a while but I started to figure out it really is very, very little braking - just stretched out. The nose feels a lot better that way.
I've been spending time looking at data and trying to figure out how the "fast" guys are driving differently. The two glaring differences I found were with the tightness of the line, and braking inputs. The fast guys run VERY tight lines - curbing to curbing, swallowing up as much as they can. I always tried to "roll" corners - keep minimum speeds UP. But comparing my laps to theirs, they ran a tighter line, which had a SLOWER minimum speed (sometimes by 3-5mph) and yet their sector time was quicker. Seems the tighter line actually made up for it by shaving the distance. I was already hitting curb - but the data showed they were often still 2-3 feet inside - almost like, in some cases, the inside tire was at least partially in the dirt.
The other difference was in braking for a turn. I braked deep, hard, and rolled off the pedal as I got deeper in, getting back to throttle, usually starting off with just "maintenance throttle", until the apex or just past, then adding in power. The fast guys were braking EARLIER (in some cases MUCH earlier) but also MUCH LESS HARD. They were very light on the pedal. They also *stayed* on the brakes much, much longer - allllllll the way to the apex. Then a quick transition back to throttle.
Seems that with their braking technique, they also used significantly less steering input. The car rotates a lot easier when on the brakes. It also rotates when on the power. So they use the pedals a lot more than I did, vs. the steering wheel.
The challenge has been getting the "feel" right for the braking input. As we all know, too much braking input locks the front... and then the car plows off to the outside. It's taken me a while but I started to figure out it really is very, very little braking - just stretched out. The nose feels a lot better that way.
01-11-2018, 05:00 PM
#7100
Thanks
The fast guys were braking EARLIER (in some cases MUCH earlier) but also MUCH LESS HARD. They were very light on the pedal. They also *stayed* on the brakes much, much longer - allllllll the way to the apex. Then a quick transition back to throttle.
Seems that with their braking technique, they also used significantly less steering input. The car rotates a lot easier when on the brakes. It also rotates when on the power....very, very little braking - just stretched out. The nose feels a lot better that way.
The fast guys were braking EARLIER (in some cases MUCH earlier) but also MUCH LESS HARD. They were very light on the pedal. They also *stayed* on the brakes much, much longer - allllllll the way to the apex. Then a quick transition back to throttle.
Seems that with their braking technique, they also used significantly less steering input. The car rotates a lot easier when on the brakes. It also rotates when on the power....very, very little braking - just stretched out. The nose feels a lot better that way.
Great fun BTW - looking forward to more of this iracing thing
01-17-2018, 06:45 PM
#7102
I should be able to make it. Will be my first race with the Rift - VR is quite the step up from my old single monitor setup. The slope is even slippery on the sim side
01-17-2018, 07:03 PM
#7103
Oh it's definitely slippery 
You start off with the basics... then the upgrades start creeping in.
I'm pretty sure I can count the $$$ I have dumped into the various rigs and gear I've had over the years using Miata's as a unit of measure.
You start off with the basics... then the upgrades start creeping in.
I'm pretty sure I can count the $$$ I have dumped into the various rigs and gear I've had over the years using Miata's as a unit of measure.
01-17-2018, 10:58 PM
#7104
Drifting
I think I found the problem... hopefully. I moved my rig onto a different electrical circuit in the house and with a space heater to keep me warm, I think I was overdoing the draw and causing the power supply to get some inconsistent voltages. The reason I'm thinking this is because my last computer crash was the breaker finally popping. No more space heater for me and we'll see if that fixes it. Racing in the cold now; it sharpens the senses. The track and car felt great tonight, just wish I had more practice and not binned it into the tires of T1!
01-18-2018, 12:08 AM
#7105
I think I found the problem... hopefully. I moved my rig onto a different electrical circuit in the house and with a space heater to keep me warm, I think I was overdoing the draw and causing the power supply to get some inconsistent voltages. The reason I'm thinking this is because my last computer crash was the breaker finally popping. No more space heater for me and we'll see if that fixes it. Racing in the cold now; it sharpens the senses. The track and car felt great tonight, just wish I had more practice and not binned it into the tires of T1!
Fingers crossed for you this solves it!
01-18-2018, 10:02 AM
#7106
Spruden, that was your first race in VR? THat was awesome! I have it but not sure I could take it for an entire race. I just went from 65 inch 4k to triple monitor and I think this is my favorite setup. I am interested to see what the new Vive Pro with "4K" (really 2k x 2) looks like though.
You Julian and I were all within a second or two of each other, I was just glad to finish a race LOL!
01-18-2018, 11:11 AM
#7107
Rennlist Member
Nice race last night all. I spun shortly after someone passed me and the tires and I were just done after that. Great to be back and good to see some close competition and a well sized grid!
01-18-2018, 12:53 PM
#7108
That's a nice little nook there! And where did you get the keyboard tray, Paul?
Indeed glad to see a good sized grid! Was fun. My system seems to be resetting all its camera views between sessions so when the race started, my view was all jacked up. I started messing around with things and was just distracted/discombobulated lol. Spun right in T1, then almost took people out in the Int'l horseshoe, then off track in the dogleg... embarrassing lol.
Indeed glad to see a good sized grid! Was fun. My system seems to be resetting all its camera views between sessions so when the race started, my view was all jacked up. I started messing around with things and was just distracted/discombobulated lol. Spun right in T1, then almost took people out in the Int'l horseshoe, then off track in the dogleg... embarrassing lol.
01-18-2018, 12:55 PM
#7109
Rennlist Member
I might need to better calibrate my equipment, but that cup SUCKs for me
Getting it around the track is annoyingly difficult
Like I was getting individual wheel lock up in weird places, car doesnt turn in at all, meh meh
I practiced 10 laps and then called it quits - was fun to see some RL familiar names on there though
Getting it around the track is annoyingly difficult
Like I was getting individual wheel lock up in weird places, car doesnt turn in at all, meh meh
I practiced 10 laps and then called it quits - was fun to see some RL familiar names on there though
01-18-2018, 12:58 PM
#7110
I might need to better calibrate my equipment, but that cup SUCKs for me
Getting it around the track is annoyingly difficult
Like I was getting individual wheel lock up in weird places, car doesnt turn in at all, meh meh
I practiced 10 laps and then called it quits - was fun to see some RL familiar names on there though
Getting it around the track is annoyingly difficult
Like I was getting individual wheel lock up in weird places, car doesnt turn in at all, meh meh
I practiced 10 laps and then called it quits - was fun to see some RL familiar names on there though
It definitely understeers. And no ABS so it locks up.
Brake bias is key. You also have to be VERY gentle on the brake pedal, brake MUCH earlier than you think you need to. And trail brake the absolute **** out of it - allllllll the way in. When you're on the brakes *a little* the nose sticks. Over-drive into the corner on the brakes and it just plows. There's a balance to it - just a toe on the pedal keeps the nose stuck down. Too much or too little and it plows. The default setup isn't bad - once you pull the bias back from 47 down to somewhere in the 44-45 range.
Don't give up on it. Very rewarding once you get it sorted out!