GRM - Gran Turismo 5 Racing League - Series 4

Regarding running wide:

I was running into the strips before the chicane to start, but it was a bit to hairy when trail braking, so I moved to only braking on the pavement.

In the first turn though, I actually got into the practice of braking on the strips (only straight though). It would cause some upset and it was pretty much practice to bounce off the wall slightly! I would then get off the strips and trail brake into the corner. Getting a good drift (not slide) around those 1st two corners was key.

Regarding having fun:

What really makes these races interesting (to me at least) is when you have to think strategy in the middle of the race. Having to watch Hunter run away in front would have been dull in GT (sorry Grea, I know that was your experience) but having to figure out how to keep Hunter from running me down made it very interesting and dramatic. Fortunately, as he stated, I kept my cool and ran my race.

As a side note: Dealing with the stress of these races (yes, actual stress) has made me become much more relaxed for these races and I actually noticed that when AutoXing recently, I had FAR less tendency to go into the "red haze".

well then I dunno what was the deal......since it was perfectly fine during the day Air, LOL thanks for the cover up, but it does make me upset, because that's all I really look forward to in the week, mainly Wednesday's and on GT5 anymore....but you guys seem to have damn good races without me so it doesn't seem to be all that bad for yous.

a New Zealander eh? nice, nice! can we turn the mics on for that race? haha

Nick, I'll have to join you in saying that the Wed. night races are the highlight of my week also. (Man would some people ridicule us for saying that.) I really feel for you dude. I can't understand why that problem is so much worse for some than it is for others.

I'm about to move from Comcast high speed cable to a phone line DSL system when I relocate to my Mom's house. I successfully played World of Warcraft on that system when I stayed with her before but I have no idea how it will do with PSN. Does anyone have any experience using that type of system for PSN? The house also has Comcast for the TV so if it's a problem I'll have the internet connection switched over.

Air said: "Having to watch Hunter run away in front would have been dull in GT (sorry Grea, I know that was your experience)". Hey no problem at all. I don't usually have too much difficulty facing the truth. On that subject I'm feeling kind of maxed out lately. I used to have a steady stream of ideas on how to improve and pick up my pace. I know there have to BE ways to improve but they don't occur to me as often as they used to. Hunter gave me some hope in that he told me that a guy made it into the upper echelons in the Nissan GT Academy using a controller. HEAR THAT ALL YOU CONTROLLER USERS. There's hope for us after all.

Air also said: "As a side note: Dealing with the stress of these races (yes, actual stress) has made me become much more relaxed for these races and I actually noticed that when AutoXing recently, I had FAR less tendency to go into the "red haze". So it's not just me?? You're right this can be very stressful at times. There was a time or two I thought about dropping out because my heart rate was too high. In order to deal with that and my hands going to sleep all the time. I've been trying to consciously relax more in prep. for the event and during the event. Also I 've been trying not to grip the controller so hard. I get so carried away at times I'd have the controller way off to one side or the other "steering" it as hard as possible in order to try to put some "english" on the car. That really is hilarious. I've seen my step son do the same thing so it may be universal for all I know.

I used to lean and "drive" the controller, as well. People would give me a ton of grief about it. Until I beat them.

yeah i'm actually more comfortable with a controller....it's like a part of me haha

Grae....me neither man, me neither! It's not necessarily my internet because like I said before, I don't get kicked out of PSN anymore, Netflix? perfect...NFS Hot Pursuit? play with tons of people and all kind of crap moving on the screen, no glitches no problems and with headsets yet, Shift 2? same deal...Dirt 3? have yet to have a problem. So yeah, it's GT5's server

I don't know why more people aren't running the 240...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymi0xkErqWI&feature=player_embedded

I tried. Got a work call, so wasn't able to complete the race, but was well off the pace anyway. It just isn't competitive. Maxed out, it is down 300 odd hp to the M5. Lower weight helps, but not enough. At Autumn Ring, I was SEVERAL seconds off the pace.

A few unrelated things: The Fiat 500R, buy it, tune it, enjoy. 116 hp, 549 kg, it's like a tiny Ruf.

Anyone else seem to notice that slower cars don't like wearing race rubber? I have a Subaru 22b that's bone stock('cept for drivetrain bits and suspension) at 450, and I noticed it understeers a hell of a lot more when I put race softs on it. Geuss that's another thing they modeled after real life.

49 Beetle = Undisputed slow ass hill climb champ. Mid RPM turbo and nothing else, sits at 250 PP, and a friend and I spent most of last night trying to see what slow cars can climb a ridiculously steep hill on one of my custom courses(Mt. Ashole). When I put it in first and slowly accelerate up the hill it sounds exactly like a seriously old pickup or farm equipment.

It doesn't matter what you do restriction wise, if you put the course on the Top Gear track, they will come.

Grizz wrote: ...It doesn't matter what you do restriction wise, if you put the course on the Top Gear track, they will come.

Arggg! And run into each other at the crossover no doubt.

I kid you not. The other night, I saw a room that was title something like:

"Car Show, 40mph Max"

Wow... I might understand it a little if GT5 allowed custom paint like Forza (something I would really like) but come on! A car show!... The room selection seems to be getting worse and worse.

Regarding the Beetles, if I remember correctly a stock 40hp Beetle was supposed to be able to clime a 40 deg slope in 1st gear (or something like that). They do have a rather low 1st gear of course.

BTW - if we do a "design you own track" series I fully expect to see Mt AsHole in the lineup, if by name alone, if nothing else.

aircooled wrote:

Grizz wrote: ...It doesn't matter what you do restriction wise, if you put the course on the Top Gear track, they will come.

Arggg! And run into each other at the crossover no doubt.

Nah, you do it slow enough and they can avoid each other like it's nothing.

aircooled wrote: I kid you not. The other night, I saw a room that was title something like: "Car Show, 40mph Max" Wow... I might understand it a little if GT5 allowed custom paint like Forza (something I would really like) but come on! A car show!... The room selection seems to be getting worse and worse.

I've seen those as well, I've never joined one.

aircooled wrote: Regarding the Beetles, if I remember correctly a stock 40hp Beetle was supposed to be able to clime a 40 deg slope in 1st gear (or something like that). They do have a rather low 1st gear of course.

I had to bump up the final gear and fiddle with the LSD, but now I have on of the few 250PP cars that can accelerate up that hill.

aircooled wrote: BTW - if we do a "design you own track" series I fully expect to see Mt AsHole in the lineup, if by name alone, if nothing else.

I have it shared online, grab it and you'll see why it's named that.

Air, when we were in the same room last night, or whenever it was, I noticed that your Z06 and my ZR1 were almost the same color.

You didn't stay there long and I can't say that I blame you. The first race I got hit in the rear HARD by the same dude that obviously wanted to be where I was. He literally pushed me off the track. I started to just bail but I was a bit pissed so I stayed and simply said after the race "so anything goes, right?" I got no answer but that was the last time they got that rough with me. You know how kids are, they've got to work out the pecking order.

It seems that in general, a production car at an equal level to a full race car can't quite compete. They can get close but not usually win the race unless, of course, the race cars are poorly driven.

I took time to invite two guys on my friends list to join the GRM group. Haven't checked to see If I got a response yet. One of them is the guy who started the "Virtual Racing Org." He said he didn't get enough interest to get it going. I think it's strange that more people don't want to do series. IMO it's much more enjoyable than just arbitrarily joining rooms.

Grizz, glad you told us your track is available to check out. I ran on a guys track recently that was composed of high speed sweepers linked together. It was fun for a while, then it began to rain. I beat him at Le Sarthe so he took me somewhere that I didn't have a chance.

Graefin10 wrote: It seems that in general, a production car at an equal level to a full race car can't quite compete. They can get close but not usually win the race unless, of course, the race cars are poorly driven.

Put Street in the title, kick anyone who doesn't change from a race car.

Graefin10 wrote: Grizz, glad you told us your track is available to check out. I ran on a guys track recently that was composed of high speed sweepers linked together. It was fun for a while, then it began to rain. I beat him at Le Sarthe so he took me somewhere that I didn't have a chance.

I still struggle with the course, so it's not like I go there hoping for an easy victory.

I like it because it's not insanely hard like most custom courses, but it's challenging enough to keep me having fun.

I found Brad's course "insanely hard" at first but after many, many, MANY laps I finally got it and found a rhythm to it. At first I actually thought that my memory would not imprint that one. That's one of the reasons that I like racing. First, I just like racing, but it really does exercise my brain . . . in a good way. I've seen news reports of activities in nursing homes using the WII system. Many of the old folks were tripping out on it. I'd love to be able to get my soon to be 89 yr. old mother interested in doing something like that. After she settles in at home I may try to teach her to drive one of the slowest cars. Maybe a stock Subaru 360. I rather doubt she can do it but it would really be cool if she could.

It's a good short course, it's got a nasty hill coming onto the straight, a jump that's banked the opposite way from the curve(so if you go full speed you get thrown into the wall) and strung together banked corners that like to spin rwd cars.

Grea: I saw you racing against a Ford GT and get bumped around a bit, but you ended up winning (I didn't see how you managed that though).

Yes, race cars are definitely quicker. I think a lot of it is the fact that they can have a lot more downforce.

The reason that room was OK for me was that they were running the Autumn Ring, and that is one of our tracks this series. The drivers were pretty bad though, I was absolutely destroying them in the Vette. I was going to swap down to a street car before they removed the limit.

What I should have done is suggest we both take out our Saloon or GT cars and just have our own race and try to avoid the others.

aircooled wrote: Grea: I saw you racing against a Ford GT and get bumped around a bit, but you ended up winning (I didn't see how you managed that though). My response: If that's the race @ Le Sarthe it was a close one. I finally got just enough lead on him that he couldn't get close enough to bump me. Then I cut the last chicanne. Yes, race cars are definitely quicker. I think a lot of it is the fact that they can have a lot more downforce. Response: Yea, I'd say you're right. The game program may also include different suspension mounting points and roll center attainable in a full race car. What I should have done is suggest we both take out our Saloon or GT cars and just have our own race and try to avoid the others. Response: I started to suggest the same thing.

Grizz, I downloaded your Mt. Aso track this morning. That jump would be a great place to take some photos.

You know, it would be fun if you could set the track up for just a point to point hillclimb on that steep section. Can that be done? I've never entered one of the drag race only rooms. Can they be set up for an actual 1/4 mile drag strip?

Graefin10 wrote: Grizz, I downloaded your Mt. Aso track this morning. That jump would be a great place to take some photos. You know, it would be fun if you could set the track up for just a point to point hillclimb on that steep section. Can that be done? I've never entered one of the drag race only rooms. Can they be set up for an actual 1/4 mile drag strip?

Nah, you can't do anything like that unfortunately. Drag rooms involve people hogging any straight and either typing a time into the chat box or yelling it over the mic.

Maybe I should have named it Mt. shiny happy person

I decided to try my hand @ course making and did two this moring. One is quite open With several high speed turns and max. banking. It's called Roval Hills. The other other one is the exact opposite. It would challenge a cart. No, not a kart a CART, you know, like an ox cart? It's called Origami Road. I started to name it Ensueing Fatigue.. If I did it right I shared them with my friends. I got a message that said something to the order of "you have uploaded your maximum" so I'm not sure they would be available. I can imagine the bitchin' that would occur if I contributed that one as my course to run in a series.

You can only share one track at a time for whatever reason, so it's whichever track you uploaded first.

Few of us are messing around on the Ring right now in Miatas if anyone wants to join.

Might open it up in a bit to general 2 seater small roadsters.

http://us.gran-turismo.com/us/products/gt5/dlc/

We get 1 real new track... that is disappointing. I was hoping for more so that there could be some new blood in the next series.

Ugh. Really? They sure didn't do much to try to keep it relevant against Forza 4, did they.

Yeah, kinda disappointed with the track pack overall, but STOKED to get Spa. Was really hoping that track would be included.

Car list looks decent, too. Miata touring? Yes, please.