PC1 Ai still horrendous!

[Msportdan]

After reinstalling and completing my First karting career, with 100% ai and winning it. I came to a McLaren f1event at zolder. This race is a 3 hour slog, so I put the race to 1% which makes it half an hour.

Not only is the car quite a handful anyway, trying to avoid not getting hit smashed off rearended or taken off into the sand with about what seems 50% of the field on the 1st lap, is a exercise in utter frustration. I just couldn't finish a race. Because even if you do survive the first lap mayhem, anytime you came up to a AI, you SHI& scared to go near them!!

Firstly ive stopped my career as im wondering how many races are like this. 1)racing road sport cars for a boring amount of time, and 2)then the AIs that cant seem to keep on the track. Shame because they can put up good battles. Too often that not though it means you getting hit.

Also anyone notice the AI never spin round, they do this sorta snap back to centre thingy.

Anyway as you can tell im still a little wound up by my recent pcars visit, and have simply come on here to ask........

is this a regular occurance in the career?
One being the poor AI, and two the long boring races with roadcars.

Suppose im asking this as I don't want to waste my time pursuing this if theres more frustration to come, and I can spend my time playing other sims.

 

[vee10]

I would love to tell you otherwise Dan, but the best I could describe the AI is inconsistent. Some races I have are pretty epic others are just like playing in a crazy MP lobby. Also the inconsistent quality of the handling of certain cars does not help matters.

I have just started my fourth season in the LMP2 class which I am quite enjoying but the AI is quite evenly matched to my skills in this series, some of my third season felt like a massive drag though.

In my opinion you may enjoy driving some of the different cars and series, but don't expect to be engrossed in a epic career or anything.

RF2 is were it's at for decent offline racing.

 

[Msportdan]

yeah i think your right there.

I also think i would prefer to master a particular car and track in either RF2 or GSC than slog thru that career in pcars. I would like the next pcars (never gonna happen) to have less ars and tracks and concentrate on getting these elements perfect.

I do think pcars could be the next great sim, which has all the right ingredients. But as it stands for me, it just has a lot crammed into it, without ever excelling in anything.

Jack of all trades, rather than a perfectionist of elements.

 

[vee10]

There have been moments that have been really good, but only when you take step back and see 55 hrs playtime most spent in menu's when you ask yourself is it worth it.

 

[SnappyDEe]

I rarely ever run a career in any racing title but I feel for those of you that do.

I am starting to think that games should just allow custom careers so that players can run whatever they want. Much like R3E is trying to do/has done. Enough with the pre-scripted/pre-planned event calendars with tier systems and all that. It's old fashioned game creation. I wouldn't want to run a 3 hour McLaren F1 race either. I'm sure others would but they should be able to create that series on their own.

On a side note: I am getting supremely frustrated with sim racing in general. Lot's of potentially great sims that all have their own quirks or bugs. All with different "styles" and "strengths". Many with massive weaknesses. And it's all serving to splinter the community in different directions. In many ways it's been really good but IMHO...it's mostly become a drag.

iRacing = great MP butfunky low speed physics and massively expensive no time change or weather

pCars= great looks/weather but a myriad of bugs/problems/controversy and a broken MP system
R3E= great sounds and awesome content selection but weird FFB that I am still struggling with and low visibility within sim racing. more people need to try it
rF1 and 2 = I can't be bothered with mods - Sorry (that's a personal issue)
GSCE= probably has the least issues and best experience but ...I don't know

Back on topic: In pCars the AI is inconsistent, at best.

 

[Andy_J]

iRacing = great MP butfunky low speed physics and massively expensive no time change or weather
pCars= great looks/weather but a myriad of bugs/problems/controversy and a broken MP system
R3E= great sounds and awesome content selection but weird FFB that I am still struggling with and low visibility within sim racing. more people need to try it
rF1 and 2 = I can't be bothered with mods - Sorry (that's a personal issue)
GSCE= probably has the least issues and best experience but ...I don't know

You forgot Assetto Corsa.

 

[poet]

Far be it for me to crash anyone's hating session, but I've found the AI to be amongst the best out there. Engaging and fun.
But then I'm a BTCC fan, I'm used to elbows-out driving.
Had many knocks and shoves from the AI (as they have from me) but always manage to get round without major incident.
Maybe this whole simracing MP "ettiquette" has taught simracers to be too timid and precious?
I can't stand timid AI or AI that backs off far too soon, it's dull.
Anyway, carry on.

 

[Andy_J]

mod-edit: personal insults removed

 

[Kenny Paton]

Far be it for me to crash anyone's hating session, but I've found the AI to be amongst the best out there. Engaging and fun.
But then I'm a BTCC fan, I'm used to elbows-out driving.
Had many knocks and shoves from the AI (as they have from me) but always manage to get round without major incident.
Maybe this whole simracing MP "ettiquette" has taught simracers to be too timid and precious?
I can't stand timid AI or AI that backs off far too soon, it's dull.
Anyway, carry on.

I agree with this, I know the game has it's bugs, (I have tracks I can't load or ones that crash mid race) but the ones that work I find the AI in races to be very good. I wouldn't start a career due to the issues but for quick races it is first class. I'm sure there are other aspects to the AI that I don't encounter but in racing terms then they work for me. Like Poet I'm a BTCC fan.

 

[John Peat]

I'm going to have to agree on the AI thing - I'm also a tintop race-fan (never really bother with open-wheelers - at least not in PCars) and I have almost no issues with the quality of racing on offer from the AI

To my eyes, it's willing to overtake me/itself, is quite capable of driving faster than I am if set to do so - it's challenging and I've enjoyed it.

I do wonder what the hell it's doing in practice and qualy tho - you will see cars go out and just do an outlap - over and over (and they seem untroubled by cold tyres too!). I'd probably like slightly more granular control over it as well - I'm between 2 notches at this point but I'll get better.

I'm not sure what people wanted or expected but for me in my Clios, classic TCs etc. the AI is as-good as GSCE, rF2, Raceroom - somewhat better than the Grids or Forza and in another sport entirely from **** like GT6 (which truly has appalling AI if it's even 'I')

 

[jimortality]

Yeah I agree,really like the AI.

 

[Dyrgl]

I guess you´re already playing "2.0". Does the pitwork still reset itself? Are the pits already bug-proof or we still are forced to play sprint races and TT alone? Are jumpstarts already penalized? Does the setup still show TC slider for cars with no TC? These are very important things. On the hardware side, have Thrustmaster wheels stop going crazy after leaving sessions?

I won´t bother asking about the AI because I know there´s no salvation there. 0 awareness, no speed even at 100, exists in its own bubble outside the conditions the player has to face... it´s a waste of time.

 

[SnappyDEe]

I guess you´re already playing "2.0". Does the pitwork still reset itself? Are the pits already bug-proof or we still are forced to play sprint races and TT alone? Are jumpstarts already penalized? Does the setup still show TC slider for cars with no TC? These are very important things. On the hardware side, have Thrustmaster wheels stop going crazy after leaving sessions?

I won´t bother asking about the AI because I know there´s no salvation there. 0 awareness, no speed even at 100, exists in its own bubble outside the conditions the player has to face... it´s a waste of time.

Wow, what version are you playing?

 

[Dyrgl]

Wow, what version are you playing?

1.4 until 3 hours ago. New update arrived to console today. I posted in another more vague thread the changes I noticed, will leave this to discuss AI as intended.

 

[SnappyDEe]

1.4 until 3 hours ago. New update arrived to console today. I posted in another more vague thread the changes I noticed, will leave this to discuss AI as intended.

Oh, okay. I always assume people are on PC. My bad. I gotta stop doing that. Hope you see some positive changes when you try it.

I finally started a career last night, for the first time. I selected the FG1000 series. I only did the first two races and each was only three laps at that. I had only two minor incidents of contact. The AI was constantly harassing and taking looks inside if I didn't defend the inside but there were no dive-bombs or anything like that. It's looking okay so far. I was running the AI at 80%.

I am going to make the races longer and will report back. I could even record the races and post them up. Anyone want me to do that?

 

[LacSlyer]

I'll admit that at times the AI is brilliant. However, there are often times, far too many imo, where they are completely idiotic and will do things that would get normal players red flagged. The most astounding thing to me is how they have no regard for maintaining their vehicle in order to stay in the race. Which is absolutely ridiculous if they supposedly have this complex AI with different behaviors. How on earth do you not program that into them and prioritize it as their top concern?

As I've said before, both here and on their official forums, if you want proof of how terrible the AI can be it's extremely simple. Start a quick weekend race on a short track with a lot of cars. Start a practice session and take your car out, then go back to the menu and have the AI take over your car. From there, the player is completely removed from the equation yet the AI, including the one driving your car, makes ridiculous attempts - mind you all of this is during a practice session.

So yes, they can be great at times, but they're far from good enough currently, and their behavior on top of the myriad of bugs can make the career mode incredibly infuriating at times.

 

[John Peat]

Jump Starts are only penalised if you REALLY take the piss - I've been throwing cars into 1st and hitting the gas on "last amber light" since launch and I've only been penalised once.

Mind you it's not always the best idea if you're mid-pack

Note: my understanding is a false start is a car's wheels crossing the 'box' before the flag drops - and you can move a bit before that happens. As we don't have much in the way of decent replays, it's hard to check just how far you can take-the-mick.

 

[Dyrgl]

Jump Starts are only penalised if you REALLY take the piss - I've been throwing cars into 1st and hitting the gas on "last amber light" since launch and I've only been penalised once.

Mind you it's not always the best idea if you're mid-pack

Note: my understanding is a false start is a car's wheels crossing the 'box' before the flag drops - and you can move a bit before that happens. As we don't have much in the way of decent replays, it's hard to check just how far you can take-the-mick.

Nope. If you move between the first red light and the go sign, that´s a jumpstart. IIn fact if you move less than 0.2 after the go sign, it´s still a jumpstart as that reaction time is considered not possible and you´re deemed to have guessed-timed the lights.

Randomized light sequences ended that BS in most serious track real racing anyway but some genious at SMS decided the lights sequence should always be the same. Great move.

 

[ermo]

Nope. If you move between the first red light and the go sign, that´s a jumpstart. IIn fact if you move less than 0.2 after the go sign, it´s still a jumpstart as that reaction time is considered not possible and you´re deemed to have guessed-timed the lights.

Randomized light sequences ended that BS in most serious track real racing anyway but some genious at SMS decided the lights sequence should always be the same. Great move.

Your point about randomized light sequences is a very good one.

Theoretically, the animation sequence 'only' needs an extra variable call to an appropriately called random function that gets added on top of the delay between the last red light and the green light (so final delay = x + rand(foo, bar)).

Not sure the implementation is as straightforward, but it's worth a shot to ask I think.

 

[Dan Allen]

I would love to tell you otherwise Dan, but the best I could describe the AI is inconsistent. Some races I have are pretty epic others are just like playing in a crazy MP lobby. Also the inconsistent quality of the handling of certain cars does not help matters.

I have just started my fourth season in the LMP2 class which I am quite enjoying but the AI is quite evenly matched to my skills in this series, some of my third season felt like a massive drag though.

In my opinion you may enjoy driving some of the different cars and series, but don't expect to be engrossed in a epic career or anything.

RF2 is were it's at for decent offline racing.

Inconsistency could be considered realism, just ask David Coulthard