GPL: fast starts

Anyone been practising their starts? This'll soon be rather important, and I've been having a bit of fun practising down the last straight at Monza... which would be a great location for some drag racing. I think we could get four or five cars a*** there, possibly more on the start/finish straight. Anyway, it's essential to have the clutch configured to a button IMO for fast starts... and I think anyone with the brake/pedal on the same axis has a distinct disadvantage. Andrew McP... wondering if using the external view for starts is cheating or a very good idea to avoid massive pile ups. Those mirrors are good, and the glance helps (if you've got enough buttons on your wheel to use them!) but external essentially gives you back your peripheral vision. Maybe there should be an option in online racing that disables F10 to level the playing field? Dunno.

Not necessarily, it depends how good you are with the clutch. I have an analogue clutch which is excellent for starts, but you can still get a very respectable start by holding the revs and banging the car into gear - better in a way, as with only one variable it should be more repeatable. All very well, but it does mean having to take a hand off the wheel prior to the first corner to press F10 - not fun in the midst of what often looks like todays initial start at Spa :-) Cheers! John

I have been doing starts by using the method John Wallace described. I basically rev the engine up with the car in neutral. When the flag drops I floor it and at the same time drop it into first. It is amazing how the car feels so realistic as the tires fight for grip. Using that method I have been able to have several great starts with the other beta testers. The only problem with that method is if you are on a slightly slopped grid and the car wants to roll forward or backwards. In that circumstance you have to hold the brake and release it at the same time you floor the gas and pop it into gear. Thanks John

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>Anyone been practising their starts? This'll soon be rather important, and >I've been having a bit of fun practising down the last straight at >Monza... which would be a great location for some drag racing. I think we >could get four or five cars a*** there, possibly more on the >start/finish straight. >Anyway, it's essential to have the clutch configured to a button IMO for >fast starts... and I think anyone with the brake/pedal on the same axis >has a distinct disadvantage. >Andrew McP... wondering if using the external view for starts is cheating >or a very good idea to avoid massive pile ups. Those mirrors are good, and >the glance helps (if you've got enough buttons on your wheel to use them!) >but external essentially gives you back your peripheral vision. >Maybe there should be an option in online racing that disables F10 to >level the playing field? Dunno.

On Sun, 30 Aug 1998 12:24:13 -0700, "news.quiknet.com" >I have been doing starts by using the method John Wallace described. I described it, but I don't use it :-) I hold the car on the brake, with the clutch fully engaged and the car in first gear. After shifting to first, release the brake. When the flag is raised, apply revs (lots!) and balance the car on clutch and throttle when the flag drops. If (_if_) I get it right it seems to be THE way to start, but it's sure as heck not easy. It is a good idea to have separate gas and brake as well as analogue clutch though, since GPL supports and models all of them correctly and it does add to the experience IMO. Having said that, John is a demon starter, and even with a good "clutched" start it's tight off the line. Cheers! John

Good point. Heh, I think we're going to have to get used to big repair bills. Mind you, as long as there's no one injured I'm all in favour of Spa-style starts. More work for all the British firms making the bits :-) Andrew McP

That's what makes it tricky for those with a shared Y axis. It's fun working out how to get the power on smoothly though, another testament to the depth of this sim. Andrew McP

I drive it like it was a rental car... (What?? You mean I CAN'T use all three pedals at once? Why did they put them in here then?) Robin # Proud member of "Do not rent" list at # two different rental companies. ## 'Rental car curb crab champion'. ### I think I'll stop here in case Hertz or National ### reps are lurking........