Hey LFS players,
I've had S2 for a little now, playing casually. Done about 140 laps or so on the LTC servers, getting used to the MP environment. This week I've been getting into CTRA, and I've noticed myself having light crashes (with the course, not players as I play about 2-3am europe time).

Not cause i naturally suck, but more or less not as much practice with the tracks. The other night was the first time I played a certain track in south city. Would you guys recommed doing a few laps in single player of every track, get used to it? Or just drive like I am in low pop times to get better?

Thanks.

--Note, I use a G25, the H gate shifter, 900 degrees, and I drive the XRG on CTRA 1.

If you're new to a track, just explore it, drive around in 2nd gear for a few laps. Try to find the right line, braking points etc .

Get online and follow other drivers to see how the brake and enter corners, that's the fastest way to learn a new track. Drive at your own pace until you get used to the track and give enough room for faster people to pass you.

For learning the tracks I would use FXR since it's very forgiving and easy to drive while still being rather quick if you get the driving line right. Once you get the driving lines precise enough for GTR car, driving something slower gets a whole lot easier aswell.

Getting used to the track before you endanger others is always a good idea Then if you feel like getting into the multiplayer aspect you can at least do some runs at Blackwood where you know roughly where the braking points and lines are (providing you played the demo a bit before buying S2). That way you can get used to the retarded things people do sometimes

But as someone is bound to say, none of the in-game cars have 900 steering, so you might want to reduce that. I think the road cars have 720 and the GTRs have 540. So if you're having issues, try that. A little more turning response for very minimal accuracy loss is a good trade-off in my book

Quote from Dajmin :

But as someone is bound to say, none of the in-game cars have 900 steering, so you might want to reduce that. I think the road cars have 720 and the GTRs have 540. So if you're having issues, try that. A little more turning response for very minimal accuracy loss is a good trade-off in my book

i'm agree with this

Getting a few laps in SP is never a bad idea... But what helped me more than driving myself is watching others drive (really fast consistent people)... Just by watching them you learn much...

I'd suggest you do a few laps in a variety of cars at the longer variants of each of the tracks, by choosing the longer variants you get more different corners used on shorter tracks and a better overall feel for what a track is like. For now I'd recommend you use the easy race setups they're only a bit slower in capable hands and I promise you you will get up to pace quicker in a stable car you don't have to worry about controlling.

Online I'd say speed doesn't matter you just need to be able to recognise whether you're causing a danger, if you are practice offline if not you'll learn more online

yah, First I would try and get on during a busier time and watch the leaders from their cockpit point of view. Watch for 4-5 laps then go play Single Player for a while. Get ur lap times within about 5 - 3 seconds of the leaders u were watching before. Then go back and play online. Just remember... BRAKE.

What I find a lot of ppl do is race in single player, get good laps.. then go online and on the first race they start in last.. In the first corner they drive like they did in single player and dive to the inside without braking with everyone else.

When I first started racing a always thought I needed to passs 5 ppl in the first turn, but always crashed. Now I find that if I start in 10th and don't pass anyone in the first turn, I finish around 3rd or 4th becausing everyone else crashes at some point in the race.

Remember... Have fun and say sorry

Quote from Dajmin :

Getting used to the track before you
But as someone is bound to say, none of the in-game cars have 900 steering, so you might want to reduce that. I think the road cars have 720 and the GTRs have 540. So if you're having issues, try that. A little more turning response for very minimal accuracy loss is a good trade-off in my book

I like a lot of everyone's points, thanks for the input. I guess I can see that about the degree turns. As the anims in the cockpit follow my steering wheel until a certain point. I know in actual F1 cars, they have maybe a couple hundred degrees on their steering wheel.

I wouldn't run my wheel at 900 degrees tbh, I'd lower it to at least 720 - the force feedback isn't quick enough to make high rotational ranges realistically useful.

I think F1 wheels have about 450 degrees, judging by cockpit shots at the Loews hairpin at Monaco. That's a nice amount of rotation to have, actually. Very manageable. But the WR-setters in LFS are mostly using around 270 I think.

About learning tracks: I find I tend to pick up pace after around 10-15 consecutive laps of a circuit. So maybe do a good 30-minute run offline, trying to keep it on the tarmac the whole time so you don't have to reset/restart, and see where that gets you.

Quote from ajp71 :

For now I'd recommend you use the easy race setups they're only a bit slower in capable hands and I promise you you will get up to pace quicker in a stable car you don't have to worry about controlling.

Does that setup pack work with the newest versions? Doesn't it give massive understeer or something?

Maybe also worth downloading and watching the WR from LFS World for a few pointers on the best racing line. Best not to try and emulate their braking points tho, just yet!

Quote from Gnomie :

Does that setup pack work with the newest versions? Doesn't it give massive understeer or something?

Generally they're fine, I wouldn't describe it as massively excessive understeer, yes sometimes the front end will lose grip first on the limit but when your new and not expecting it that's far easier than dealing with the rear end. The only Easy Race set I've had a problem with is the XRR one which I found had massive high speed oversteer at Aston National due to the rear wing being far too low.

Observe first race or two to see the braking points, how the track is..., that join the game and let all go bye, drive half lap slowly so others can go further that try to drive as good as you can...

When i first started playing on Stcc/ukctra id sit a race or 2 out and view cam the first place driver..

Use TAB to switch between players and V to change views if u didnt no.

Id then get a basic understanding of the track and lines. id then wait for the end of the race and try to get as many laps in as poss before the race restarts. Theres a good chance when it does start your start at the back, now with each lap id get faster and faster until i came off, for now that is my limit.

Then over a set of races that limit will increase.