Greboth

I think it's safe to say that the races this week were mostly disliked due to Brands Hatch and Laguna Seca which are both tricky circuits with little room for error. Race 1 - Brands Hatch Gr.3 4 laps A tricky track with Paddock Hill (T1) catching out a lot of people throughout practice, qualifying and the race not to mention the fast right handers of Hawthorne, Westfield and Dingle Dell. Qualifying for me started disastrously, I got out the pits second with, I think, Phil in front of me who kindly let me past for my flying lap which I then spun on. No worries, I'll nail the next lap until I ran wide out the last corner which ruined the start of my second lap. With only 10 minutes of qualifying and half of it gone by this point I managed to get a good lap in to grab second before setting a faster lap to get pole. Judging by the rage and swearing going on in chat, I think most people were fairing similarly to me on their quali lap. On to the start of the race, with how many mistakes I had made throughout my qualifying I tentative about pushing too much as 4 laps would not be enough to recover from a mistake. The start was pretty clean though with the exception of Matt @Misneach_ who was straight off at T1 which he never really recovered from. Lurch and Phil were looking like they could be a challenge too until at T3 Lurch ran wide and spinning back on to the track right in to the path of Phil. This gave Kiwi and I a gap but Kiwi was pushing hard in second meaning I couldn't let off too much else he'd be passed. I managed to keep it clean albeit relatively slow with Kiwi making a mistake at T1 of lap 3 giving me a little breathing room of a little over 2 seconds. Kiwi was obviously hungry for the win though as he pushed getting the fastest lap on the last lap and closing the gap to just over 1 second by the finish line. Race 2 - Laguna Seca Gr.4 13 laps A few of us had done some practise over the weekend for this race and from this it was obvious the Audi TT was by far the fastest car round the track over a lap. Though with tyre wear on and 13 laps, the choice was to not pit and have some horrible front tyres by the end or pit and lose however long that takes. In practising, I tried out the Toyota GT86 which not being FWD was much kinder on it's front tyres than the Audi TT but at the cost of being 1-1.3 second a lap slower on ultimate pace. The gamble was could I stay close enough to the front that if people pitted I'd have enough of a lead that I couldn't be caught or that I'd be close enough to take advantage of better tyres towards to the end of the race. Ultimately I decided to stick with the GT86 for the practise leading up qualifying, if it was looking like I'd be too slow then it would give me time to switch back to the Audi TT. Over the practise, I felt I was quick enough that the GT86 could work so I stuck with it. So we started qualifying and, similar to Brands Hatch, I binned it and unfortunately due to the pack being pretty close I had to let everyone through costing me precious qualifying time. I managed to get a quick lap in though so stick it on provisional pole but unfortunately caught up to the pack meaning I had to waste a lap to drop back. Still I managed to get a better lap in to extend the gap back to second then Kiwi absolutely smashed it setting a pole time 1 second faster. At that pace, I suddenly wasn't so certain I'd made the right car and strategy choice but too late to change now. So on to the race, right from the start I was managing to keep Kiwi honest and only following a small mistake did I drop more than 1 second behind. At the end of lap 3 or 4, I tried a pass at the last corner but missed my braking point by a couple metres causing me to run wide and allowing Kiwi the switch back. The next lap I tried again and this time sticking the pass and then tried to pull away. Around lap 7 and 8, I think most people pitted leaving me to just need to keep it on the black stuff to take the win. Race 3 - Tskuba N100 9 laps I think most of us went in to this race pretty blind though we have done this combo before. The highlight of this had to be Stretch choosing a classic VW camper van and managing to hold up a good number of people during practise. It was also fun to annoy Mike by cruising up behind and easily passing him as he was stuck behind Stretch in his campervan - that 100 shot of NOS I've got hidden in my car comes in useful at times. I'm just thankful I didn't blow the welds on my intake manifold. At the start of qualifying Stretch got out first and unofficially we decided that he deserved pole at least for a short while until we all went faster. That was until, I believe, Mike tried to overtake on the first qualifying lap so putting Wreckfast and GTA driving in to practise he was soon knocked off track allowing Stretch to get pole for whole second. After that qualifying was pretty uneventful from my perspective and I managed to take pole. On to the race, I don't know what I did different but I seriously bogged down the launch costing me a few places which due to a bit of luck I made up a couple following Mike's kamikaze dive in to the middle hairpin. This left me chasing Kiwi for the lead and over the course of the remaining laps I caught up and after a few nudges, a bit of rubbing and a BTCC inspired pass I took the lead where that 100 shot of NOS came in useful as it allowed me to pull away out the last hairpin rather than allow Kiwi to get the benefit of the tow.

If he’ll only be using it on the PS4 then it makes your decision for you as headsets are not interchangeable so the Rift (or any other PC VR headset) can’t be used on the PS4. As the PSVR can’t be used on PC*. *For accuracy’s sake, it’s not strictly true, iVry or Trinus can get the PSVR working on PC but there’s several drawbacks and it doesn’t work all that well so it’s hard to recommend it.

Using your criteria of the best available and which offers the most versatility then PC wins on both counts. TBH PC wins on almost everything; HMD panel resolution and refresh rates, tracking accuracy, number of games supported, non-game uses (watching movies like you're the only one at the cinema, 360 videos, virtual tours, a number of exercise stuff for VR too or even 3d paint and modelling programs that work in VR etc. The only 2 things I can think PSVR gets close is the HMD lenses; this varies headset to headset but the lenses in the PSVR are pretty good and secondly controllers. Most PC VR has stand alone controllers which vary in quality and while you can get the move controllers for PSVR, the standard DS4 controller will work also. You say you're not bothered about what's cheaper; I think cost has to be a consideration especially for PC VR due to the PC requirements to play in VR. If you need to do PC upgrades on top the of the HMD then it becomes prohibitively more expensive. I don't know what PC you currently have though so this may be a non-issue. Though I suppose the flipside of this is if you want to carry on with PSVR then a PS5 upgrade may be due in the future as the PSVR works on both apparently (if you haven't already got one). Phil mentions motion sickness; this is something to be aware of though potentially not much of an issue. Some people seem to be extremely sensitive to motion sickness in VR (even those who don't suffer it in cars) though this mostly in fast moving games like racing games. It can happen with any VR games though, when I was looking before buying mine, most people who said they got motion sick in VR could build up to playing to the point they don't suffer it any more. TLDR: PC VR v PSVR is the same consideration as regular PC v Console gaming. The experience is largely the same but PC VR has more options and is more expensive but looks better, runs better but can require more set up and tweaking to achieve that versus PSVR which not so good but is simple plug and play.

I dunno, will it actually make it up some of the hills? 😆

Stand outs for me this week were; Rich @tronic44 Brands Hatch is a tricky track and he bossed it getting, I think, his first podium finish. Climbing from 7th to 3rd on a track with so little to no good overtaking places and a lot of places to make mistakes is great. Laguna Seca in some ways is similar to Brands and Rich held his own. Mike @Mikepjbell racing in a compromised position due to his back problems but managing to qualify 6th in every race and gain a place or 2 each race finishing 4th, 5th an 5th showing off his speed and consistency (in more than just hitting Phil). Kiwi @JBR-Kiwi As ever, he keeps me honest up front and often pushes me and challenges me to drive faster. The results don't necessarily reflect how close the racing is at times and I dread to think how close they would be if Kiwi had more time to practise. DOTW - This has to go to Lurch though, new to the game and absolutely smashed it. Qualifying 3rd at Brands, which as I said above is a tricky track, which sadly didn't carry through to a podium in the race. Though he made up for it by getting a podium at Laguna Seca and holding his own around Tskuba.

If you’re going down that route then you end up going down the rabbit hole of condenser or dynamic mics. Though costs can quickly spiral if you go down the route of standalone mics.

OP and dropbox updated with Lee's @GazzaGarratt logos.

The two infinity controller logos are just recolours of ones I’ve already made so piss easy. The round logo should be easy too so I’ll get them done tonight.

@phil bottle maybe this should be your reminder to turn off the auto off timer then 😆

This weeks races were a good selection @phil bottlemixing up fast and technical across the 3. Race 1 - Blue Moon Bay oval 30 laps Gr.3 We raced this track a few weeks ago but a much shorter race and without tyre wear or fuel usage. I'd used the GTR before and thanks to my Not Matt Racing livery I was going to use it again. I done a little practise to know that 10 lap old super softs were still faster than fresh racing hards and with fuel in the GTR only lasting 11-12 laps I'd settled on doing 3 stints of 10 laps each. My strategy was a gamble though based on an assumption others wouldn't be running super softs meaning I could lap quicker. Though it was risky as if I got caught in the pack then the tow would nullify my tyre advantage and 2 pitstops meant I was open to being challenged if someone eked out 15 laps of fuel and doing 1 stop. Phil had left fuel and tyre usage on for qualifying so experience and tactics came in to play, burn as much fuel as possible then pit for new tyres, no fuel and then go for a qualifying lap. Again this was a gamble as a tow helps but catching people at the wrong point of the oval does cost time and I'd only have 2 or 3 laps of actual qualifying. I got a good first lap to get provisional pole and was going better on my second but messed it up allowing Kiwi to take provisional pole. I knew a faster lap was possible so a quick dive in the pits for another new set of super softs saw me take pole. On to the race, the first corner was going to be a big deciding point of the race for me - you start getting a tow around 1 second back in GT Sport, if I could break that I was going to be in good shape. Thankfully I nailed T1 and staring at the gap to second; 1 second, 1.1 seconds, 1.2 seconds. I'd nailed T1 and got a good enough run out of it that second place wasn't in the two. After this it was a simple case of drive as fast as possible and I pulled out, I think, about 6 seconds over the first 10 laps and sticking to plan I pitted. This dropped me to the back of the field so it was now time to see how everyone else's pit stops would fall. Over the next few laps everyone pitted giving the lead back to me though I think some had stretched to lap 13 or 14 which was a concern if it could be stretched to finish without another pit stop. Lap 20 came and my second stop, this dropped me to 4th but I was gaining enough on the cars in front to know I could catch them before the end. Though without pitstops I doubt I would be able to break the tow so it would then be free for all for who could get the best tow for the line. Thankfully my gamble paid off as just as I caught up to, I think, Mike he pitted, then Kiwi pitted leaving me to chase Lee. I think I got within a few seconds and then Lee also pulled in to the pits. After this it was just keeping it clean to take the win. For all the only tuning left jokes, it ended up being quite a tactical race and one I didn't know how it would end up until Lee pitted near the end. The highlight of this race though had to be Mike asking me what tyres I would be using for me to say round ones 🤣 It was also good to see @Misneach_ bagging himself another podium. Race 2 - Sardegna Track A 7 laps Gr.4 ...or the Peugeot convention. In the quick practise going in to this race, I got the fastest time but Kiwi was close behind. Come qualifying I did a Bottas, I set the initial pace getting provisional pole but though I'd gone faster in practise I bottled my lap whereas Kiwi nailed his to take pole by just over 0.1 seconds. A few hiccoughs with getting the race started but eventually we got it sorted. From practise I knew I had the pace to get passed Kiwi but equally I know how well he can defend and it's easy to lose time and not be able to get passed. I think it was lap 1 Kiwi made a mistake on the fast left hander running wide giving me the easy lead but a mistake at the last corner allowed him to tow up behind me down the straight meaning a battle was on my hands. I left a little room open going in to the hairpin in the middle of the lap which Kiwi took taking the lead again. I think at this I followed Kiwi for the rest of the lap eventually getting passed again going in to the last hairpin where Kiwi ran a little wide giving me a gap. I think a few more mistakes from Kiwi left me unchallenged for the rest of the race. Race 3 - Kyoto Yamigawa + Miyabi 5 laps Gr4 We'd done quite a bit of practise of this track on Friday after GTA so most of us knew the track quite well. Both Mike and Lee had gotten close in practise prior to Tuesday so I knew I couldn't rest on my laurels. Come qualifying though I think both failed to nail their laps giving me pole bu ~1.5 seconds. With my pace and a short number of laps it was going to be relatively easy win so when Lee told me slow down the end of lap 1 I did...well that was a mistake. This put me in the pack with Lee, Mike and Kiwi meaning I couldn't run me normal lines or normal pace. Due to some battling at the start of lap 4 I was 3rd about 1.5 seconds off Mike in the lead but at this point I'd managed to drop Kiwi a little. Over the course of the lap both Lee and I caught up to Mike with Lee taking 2nd and me taking the lead at turn 6. With lots of corners to go I was counting my chickens just yet but sadly Lee got a penalty at the double hairpins giving me a little breathing room and allowing Mike to get 2nd right at the end.

It’s easy enough to find a list of cars in game so stick them in a spreadsheet and you could quickly work out which manufactures have a car in the desired classes. That’s going to be the interesting choice though. The balancing of the cars in each class and which overall is the ‘best’. The gr4 Peugeot is great but rarely the fastest in gr3. Between those 2 classes alone it would be tough choice between Peugeot, Audi, Toyota, Porsche, Jaguar and Lexus (maybe more as I can’t remember every car in the game). Add in other classes and it becomes a much finer balancing act, Have I been smug? I’ve been a dick but I like to think I’m a consistent dick; win or lose.

Makes sense, see what everyone else thinks though. I love gr3 and gr4 cars but racing a wider selection if classes would be interesting.

OMG I have to do an extra click to access the forum. Unacceptable! Looks good mate, really highlights the extra things this place does other than just a forum.

It's racing so you know I'm down for this. A couple of questions spring to mind though; Is this on top of the Tuesday races or will this league race replace a Tuesday race? Tuesday's is a race for fun night where anyone can join but it makes sense for a league to have fixed entries. It makes sense to factor in someone might miss a race or 2 but less so that someone may only enter a race or 2. I assume by choosing a manufacturer, we would be racing different classes throughout the league? If we're sticking to a similar style to the official GT Sport manufacturers cup, will this be just Gr3 and Gr4? As not every manufacturer has a car in each - Alfa Romeo springs to mind as they have the 4C in Gr4 but not Gr3 car. The vast majority do though so not really an issue but worth noting. You mention sharing power levels? Are you planning on specific restrictions other than the standard BoP? Can you explain the grand final thing a bit more? So the points through the 12 race season only count for entry in to the grand finale race? Or do the points give a season champion but the grand finale is similar to the race of champions, where you get all the individual season champions together to decide a champion of champions so to speak?

I'm down with being more strict with the times if it means we get more races (or longer races) each week. With small exceptions for 'just let me finish this lap' or comfort breaks, I say stick to those times.

Following on from the Not Matt Racing livery above, it would only be right to create it for the Blue Moon Bay race as that where it all started. So I present to you, NMR98 and NMR99 now in resplendent red, white and blue. On a side note, it also means I now have 2 GTR's as I couldn't work out how to put different liveries on the same car in one scene so had to buy a second one 😆

I think most people by now have seen my FG Porsche but for those who haven't The newest addition to my garage is my Lexus painted in NMR colours - that's Not Matt Racing 😄 Which will definitely be making an appearance on a Gr3 car for this weeks Blue Moon Bay race.

With how quick Blue Moon Bay is we could do all 3 though prefence would be 2 and 3.

So as it turns out, there's something about text that svg files don't like. So I've re-uploaded the FG website with versions that will now work in game. @Misneach_ updated your ones too so they'll work now too.

EA have done the shooter versions of Star Wars. It would cool to see something different, maybe like new KOTOR?

Seems I'm in good company in this thread as I went for the index. For me this was driven by it's one of the few HMD's that fit as my IPD (basically the distance between your eyes) is ~70-71mm and most HMD's top out in the 60's. Though I also went for the index for the buy right buy once motto as at the time it was the best (And arguably still is). Though if you're looking at the Rift S, I thought the facebook profile thing was coming in but if you already had an Oculus account it would carry on or something like that? It isn't something I looked too deeply in to though so there's a good chance I'm wrong. Sadly no HMD is perfect; between God rays, chromatic aberration, resolutions, black levels, refresh rates etc. each one has some negative about it. The Rift S does get recommended a lot though and, anecdotally, I'd say when I was looking all recommendations were for the Rift S or Index depending on budget. So assuming the Rift S would fit, I don't you'd be disappointed with it.

@Misneach_ done, added the infinity logo separate and with a black outline. I've also added your name with the red T's with your name over 2 lines or all on one line with black and white text so take your pick.

TCS is a good idea to begin with but when your comfortable with it’s worth turning it down. Depending on the car, I’d say off or 1 should be the aim. The only tip I can think to add is turn off cones / markers / racing line. They can be helpful if you have no experience of a track but quickly become a hindrance as you don’t actually learn a track. Drive the first few laps with it on but note where they are using the marker boards or things around the circuit such as the marked holes in barriers, start of kerbs, flag indicators, trees etc. You can also combine these to build up a map of the track in your head giving you a better idea of braking points if your in another cars tow or off line trying an overtake or defending. It will also help when you drive a track you know in a different class.

Race 1 - Catalunya Gr.3 I don't dislike this track as much as some though since they added the chicane in the last sector it is very mickey mouse. I wish more games would give the option of running the Moto GP layout which does (did?) run the older double right handers rather than the chicane. A pretty quiet race night for me all told, qualifying started off badly with a penalty on my first flying lap meaning I was about a second off my pace. Lap 2 of qualifying saw me get a good lap in, a few tenths off my PB but good enough pole which was going to be important as Phil had said it was to be a rolling start. Lee had me worried at the start though he gained 1.5-2 tenths down the straight as I think the Peugeot is fast in a straight line but a tow helped but thankfully Lee didn't go full Mike. I knew my laps were faster than Lee so it then was a case of keeping it clean to avoid any offs or a penalty. Race 2 - Dragon Trail Seaside Gr2 Again contrary to some, I don't particularly like this track, to be quick means taking specific lines which get even slightly wrong means a spin or the wall. Still, a few laps of practice saw me get the fastest time which carried over in to qualifying. This race featured tyre wear which I'd done no practice on but thankfully it was only mediums and hard so was going to be a case of run mediums until they're dead then hards to the end. Qualifying came and similar to practice, I got pole by just over 2 seconds so stupid me though easy win....until the race start. Unlike Catalunya this was a standing start which I messed up royally and bogged down losing a few places and in the pack going through the chicane lost a couple more putting me down in 5th or 6th by the end of the first sector of lap 1. Still I knew my laps were faster and 13 laps would be enough to make that up if I didn't hang around so I went straight on the offensive. I got back up to 4th by the line and right on the tail of Kiwi in third while Mike was trying to make a break in the lead and Lee holding second and claiming he was going to do all he could to hold up Kiwi and myself. Then T1 of lap 2 came, my plan was to follow Kiwi through T1 and try an overtake at the chicane or following hairpin but Kiwi braked considerably more than I expected so a quick dive to the inside avoided heavy contact but still saw some door to door and Kiwi running a bit wide. At the same time Lee was stacking it in to the barriers to meaning up to second I went. At this point I think was 6 or 7 seconds behind Mike and I think it was lap 5 I sneaked passed and then held the lead until the end.

I can give you 2 tips for manual gears. Change up when you redline. Change down when you're braking. The End. I jest but changing up is exactly that really, change up as you get to the redline. Though it will cost you time if you hit the limiter so don't. Some cars also benefit from changing up before red line but generally, it will be at redline. Changing down, this is basically tap downshift while braking. There's a rhythm to downshifting and the specific timing you'll need to experiment with - basically if you change too fast you'll over rev the car (which while no damage in GT Sport, it can cause you to spin) so time your downshifts that when you downshift you're roughly back at the redline. Once you figure out the timing you should be alright.