Scenario Time Megathread

Surprised to see this thread with any activity again.

Actually hadn't tried this scenario yet. Took about an hour and a half to get below two minutes with a lot of nasty crashes testing the limits with the 360 controller. It definitely requires well-timed apexes and early braking to set up for the corners and the aggressive elevation changes, and a touch of insanity to keep accelerating through that long straight. I was also really conservative turning onto the final bridge to avoid ruining my run, so 1:58 is possible.

I'd recommend driving fairly safe up to checkpoint 7 (or set yourself to spawn around there) and then really drilling that last half of the circuit and finding where to aim over the crests. Also make sure you're familiar enough with the last bridge area to not hesitate (like I did) and you should definitely make sub 2:00 or better.

Scenario name: High speed highway
Total time: 1:59.630
Photo of end result:

 

Mad props dude, Finally. I know where my weakness lies, its in the first bridge; all of my times milliseconds away from 2 mins have been when i did the bridge correctly, if I dont do the bridge I dont get a good time. Best so far is hitting checkpoint after the first bridge at 48.5(somthing) seconds, but usually I average in the 52 sec range for that point. any tips for the first bridge line?

 

I'll take you through a normal lap for me. (I'm going slower in some areas to pause the game and take a good picture.)

I use the Sport ESC setting and Arcade Automatic transmission to launch. Once I launch I switch into Manual (clutch assist) and shift at 7500 RPM until 6th. By the time I'm in 6th it's usually time to turn into the first turn over the hill. Before doing so, there's a break in the yellow line on the road.

Spoiler: Turn one, yellow line.

Where that line starts up again, I hit the breaks until the line starts to curve again and down-shift into 5th gear. After that I usually get back into the gas right away and shift into 6th as soon as possible, but usually when I pass a rather gray patch of pavement to my right, usually right where it ends is my usual spot to shift.

Spoiler: Gray patch.

From there, you want a low exit out of that corner with very little skidding or wheel spin. I continue to go through the next curve into the first major breaking zone. You will see on the right side of the road a rather dark spot on the road, brake the moment you hit it.

Spoiler: Dark spot.

Right there I slam on the brakes and keep the car straight. You should be traveling at about 230 km/h at this point, I usually get fast laps when I'm going that speed through this area.
After hitting the brakes, shift down to 4th as soon as possible and also use gearing to slow me down. You will see a small grassy patch on corner entry, I usually try aim for that as a good marker on corner entry. Don't stay on the left side of the road too long though, there are two bumps going up the slight incline. At this point, you can either try go wide and straighten out your corner exit and shift into 5th quickly, and stay low on exit or stay low throughout the corner, and only shift into 5th when you now you can make it out the corner low and without letting out of the gas. You'll know if you got through this corner well if you're going at or slightly over 230 km/h into the bridge braking zone and stayed low without clipping the grass on the right side of the road exiting the corner.
Here's the bridge braking zone.

Spoiler: Bridge braking zone.

See that big spot on the road that's getting sunlight? Just before that is usually where I slam on the brakes. As I start braking, I down shift into 5th gear right away, and keep braking. As the ground flattens out of the small hill, shift into 4th slowing your car down further with gearing. You want to aim for the right side of the road on bridge entry and stay on the right side of the bridge. While still on the bridge, hammer the gas and shift into 5th right away. Make sure you're able to clip the grass on your left during exit and maintain a low exit. This should set you for the next big braking zone.
At this point you should be traveling around 220 km/h or a bit more (you gain a bit of air before the braking zone, so the wheel speed may be a little more). Right at the fist patch of shade on the ground I see coming from the left I hit the brakes, or a little earlier so I can maintain a low line through the turn.

Spoiler: Patch of shade.

(I'm slightly past it at this point and on the 2nd).

I try aim low on corner entry and shift down into 4th gear. Try stay to the left of the yellow line through the corner, accelerate once the ground gets flatter and your car's stable, but let out before the top of the hill on exit. While exiting the corner, you want to stay low (hug the left) and shift into 5th as quickly as possible for the long straight. At this point it's rather simple, I shift into 6th over the 2nd jump most of the time or when I'm at 7500 RPM. I shift later down the straightaway into 7th also at 7500 RPM or a bit earlier.
The tricky spot for me is the top of the hill, I sometimes coast through it in 7th or down shift into 6th like in the first turn and then back into 7th if I'm stable enough. It's hard for me to stay low through that turn as I'll clip the left side or slide out into the trees on the right. Any tips through this place are welcome.
The next big braking point, (from 7th (or 6th?) down to 3rd gear on the big straight. I usually break between just before the 2nd patch of leaves on the left side of the road, and use gearing to help slow me down further.

Spoiler: The two patches of leaves.

You should be traveling slow enough now to make it through the next turn low and in 3rd gear to rocket out of there. Going through the turn, you'll see a small bush on your left.

Spoiler: The bush.

Try to just barely pass through it, and slam on the gas as early as possible to get a good launch into the final turn. You'll be at 7500 RPM very quickly in 3rd gear, so be ready to shift.
Now, entering the final turn is where I don't have the most experience. I try stay low in 4th until I get a good shot out of it and shift into 5th as quickly as possible. But on my fast lap I posted about earlier, I shifted into 5th early and tried flooring it when I knew I could get out without hitting the bridge. I try hit the grass on the left while setting up my corner exit, but I sort of missed it on my fast lap and went wide. So I don't know how that works too well.
From here it's straight forward, you can stay in 5th right to the line or shift into 6th just before it for an extra kick.

That's a normal lap for me, is there anything you guys do better than this that could help our times?

 

Was away from the computer, here's a track guide rundown of my racing line to that point. Initial settings, I was driving with no ESC and doing the arcade to manual launch switch like Winrar.

Make sure you get a good launch without bogging down and keep the car from wandering on the first straight. Setup for the left turn at the end of the first straight by moving to the right, but stay clear of the edge of the road so you aren't unsettled by the bump there. Turn just before the bump to take the car over the center of the yellow line, and then apex at the grassy bump near the trees on the left. You want to get it settled as it naturally tracks out to the right edge near the rocks (or even over the first rock if you're brave). Let it push to the center or left lane of the road around the bend staying clear of the rock wall, and then brake about a second before the hill and trailbrake over the right side of the crest next to the rocks. You should keep braking a bit past the crest, then ease off the brakes as you aim for an apex to the dirt clearing where the rock wall on the left ends and the tree line begins.

It'll naturally push outside to the right lane of the road over the crest. Just be careful of the tree to the right and adjust your speed a bit if needed. You can start accelerating as soon as you stop pushing wide and keep steering into the sweeper, letting it take a tight line around the inside edge of the road. You'll hit a crest that naturally sends you wide to the track-out, where there's a grass clearing on the right you can dip your right wheels into a bit. Keep it smooth around the right bend and ease it to the left of the straight towards the checkpoint. After the checkpoint are two areas where the light shines between the trees, and I brake at the second one before the start of the hill. Keep it stable and to the left as you slow down, and aim to ease off the brakes and apex over the inside grass at the top of the crest before the turn into the bridge. This should place you on the right side of the bridge near the rail. Keep it stable through the dip onto the bridge with light throttle, then accelerate through the left turn and apex as close as you dare get to the end of the left railing of the bridge to take advantage of the grass clearing on the left.

I did a quick run through and counted low 52 after the bridge. I didn't record my fastest lap so I may have just been driving sloppier than my personal best. But, interesting thought, what if there's more time to gain in that later half than you think and you're a bit faster than my PB in the first half? I'll try and come back to this with the G27 and my recording setup tomorrow because I'm intrigued.

My biggest takeaway is that hitting every apex over all of the crests is the most important part of the circuit as a whole.

 

You can gain a lot of time through the final turn onto the bridge. You can start accelerating really early in that turn and shift into 5th. I was going on a really good lap but my right rear hit the concrete curb on the bridge on exit and ruined my final turn. Was going to be below 2 minutes before that.

If you can stay wide open over the hill in the big straight that's another big spot to gain time, I coast from the base of the hill until I'm over. I used to be able to get through there wide open but updates changed that.

 

Just going to describe my current lap, will post photos when I get a chance but I'm at work so no go for now (stupid slow morning hours, i literally have nothing better to do than type this out)

I race without ESC, G27 wheel while using the manual mode on the DSG transmission (flappy paddles)

on the first corner I take it flat out, I have a line where you turn just before the first (technically second by number) checkpoint that keeps you accelerating throughout the corner, then upon reaching the next small hill (before the sharper left corner with another hill) I brake full on, then trail brake up to the next corner, accelerating once I am in. In a decent lap I hit the checkpoint there at around 28 seconds. From there its flat out until the dreaded bridge. Upon hitting the top of the series of hills before the first bridge I start breaking hard and making for the inside, even cutting on the grass a little to get a good setup for the first bridge. once its cleared I move on. Usually what can screw me up there is sliding too wide or coming in not turned in enough. Upon reaching the series of hills before the big bend that leads past the gas station I start to brake, and turn in just before the crest of the second little roller in order to throw myself inside of the sweeper, which I keep until the end. At the end of the sweeping curve I take the tightest strait line inside I can, usually cutting over the grass a little on the patch where it is not ditch (its like a little crest at the end of the turn). From there its flat out past the gas station, over the second bridge and along the strait. the average lap has me hitting 1:20-1:21 upon hitting the checkpoint after the second bridge. at the end of the straightaway there is those bridges before the hill down, in older updates I would brake at the first bridge but now the abs on the car seems worse and I must brake earlier. I know I am loosing some time here because I do not know the new correct braking point. once I get past the small steep downhill off camber corner onto the strait its nearly flat out to the finish, only being careful on the corner just before the third bridge. An average lap would run around 2:00.(something) to 2:02.(something). I can reliably do under 2:03 with no issues and usually under 2:02 but have not reached under 2 yet. I do feel faster than I used to be however, since I have not done this scenario in forever and my practice runs are hitting around 2:02 times... forgot how addicting it is.

Thanks for the tip on practicing different parts of the track @Spec Racer Z , since in the past I have only started from the beginning. Thank you @Instant Winrar for the breaking points for the bridge, those look like they will help! Will post results when I get access to my G27 and time to play the game. Thanks!

Its depressing how many times I have done that...

Also once I get access to my own computer & G27 I will try and describe my lap similar to @Instant Winrar
I love performance based discussion like this, wish the forums had more of this.

 

Just wondering, what's the speed on a good lap for you entering these 3 braking points?

I'm going 230 km/h into #1, 235 km/h at #2, and #3 is 225 km/h but that may be due to some air I catch over the small bumps.

Also, I'm going to now try not using any ESC or TCS at all during my lap after reading your overviews.

UPDATE: I've got a few laps in with no ESC/TCS on, it usually gets me a higher entry speed by a few km/h into the first braking zone, but I can still achieve the same with Sport ESC on a good turn. It also lets me over-steer a big more to stay low on the exit of the first turn. It's a bit harder to go over the bumps like this entering the long straight, but it's manageable. You do slide a bit more over the hill on the long straight, but that can be fixed by not shifting into 7th until you've stabilized your car on exit and into the braking zone. Coming through the last turn onto the bridge you also gain a lot more wheel spin when shifting into 5th, and over the slight bump there is on the corner.

 

Not too sure on speed in those sections, usually I time myself at certain checkpoints. First is number 3? after you go round the corner where arrow #1 is on your image, usually I get there around 28-29 seconds in. Second is the point after the bridge that is after arrow #2 on your image, best I have done there is 48.5xx seconds but usually I average between 52-53 seconds there. next timing point is the checkpoint after the bridge that comes after the gas station (bridge #2) best time I have ever achieved here was something between 1:18 and 1:19, but usually I average anywhere between 1:20-1:22 there. Last point is not a checkpoint but is the corner down a hill you enter after breaking on the final strait section, usually i'll average anywhere between 1:45-1:48 on an average run, with the faster time being for a faster run respectively.

ESC is great for stability but it tends to throw you off a line sometimes; its intention is to keep you stable and strait, however in some scenarios, more often than not in "road rally's" such as this you want to be able to throw the car around a little, sometimes using the car's under-steer to slide the front end so it won't grab something can be useful. for example on the very first corner after the first checkpoint I take it flat out, which can be done by sliding the front in a little so the rear just pushes the car around the corner. If done right it sort of "catapults" you out into a perfect setup for the next corner. For driving the SBR without ESC remember it is very stable under throttle and tends towards lift off over-steer if you lift off on turn in, so if you are spinning out in any way note the SBR4 is actually more stable under throttle and will right itself in almost any scenario if "too much" throttle is used. The only times I let off the throttle in this scenario is at the main 3 corners and the first bridge.

 

It was a bitch and a half to get this time because of constant issues with the Hauppauge or Windows 10 or the frame rate or the GUI lagging, but managed to improve my time by two full seconds. Here's a video with telemetry in place of an updated track guide.



Scenario name: High speed highway
Total time: 1:57.524
Photo of end result:

 

This was done without ESC/TCS I'm guessing? Didn't see too much skidding, probably because of the wheel. I'm stuck using a DS3 controller running on emulation software.

The corner exits were nice and straight, so that gave the extra speed down the straights. Will try adjust my line through the corners for better exit speed. Not sure how much more I can improve on my time though.

 

Yes, ESC off with careful attention to steering inputs. You should definitely be able to improve and break the 2 minute mark, possibly 1:58, but not sure if a 1:57 and lower would be achievable in a sane amount of time with a controller on this particular event because of the intense speeds and elevation changes. Being able to hold an exact steering angle over bumps or jumps and making quick reactions when landing is the hardest hurdle to get over with a controller in my experience.

 

Absolutely incredible, this will help a ton. I have already figured out I should have been breaking 2 mins long ago; the arcade start method would have put me below 2 mins (even if just barely) on a few of my last laps last week.. did not realise how much time I was loosing there. Going to have so much fun this weekend failing to match this result, but until then I have nearly 5 tonnes of roadcrush to shovel... will update with whatever time I get when I get a chance

 

Holy crap nice job on that lap. I've put some time into it, but I really can't find myself enjoying that circuit.

I wonder what you guys can do on Pessima Introduction, my personal favourite. 1:29:74 is my best so far.

 

Put down a fast time on Canyon Race

 

FFS so close..
.

UPDATE:
YES!!! UNDER 2 MINS!


Update2:
Slowly getting better little by litle. First bridge is what keeps holding me back

 

Great progress. Checking my raw footage from practice, there was definitely margin for improvement in the beginning, but I never broke under 50 on the checkpoint after the first bridge. If you manage to get into that sub 50 second range there again, I'd love to hear how you managed it.

 

That 48.5 sec time after the bridge was actually based on a mistake that turned out to be beneficial; I came into the bridge way too hot and ended up over-steering the car to try and get into the bridge. Then I over-corrected the other way which somehow allowed me to miss the outside guardrail and slide back into grip through the end of the turn. I have tried many, many times to do it again but I either hit a guardrail or slide too far / too little. For reference as to how hot I came in, I braked almost a second too late into the bridge, around the little side-road where you usually turn in and just threw the car over the grass in wild desperation.. and it worked.

From an analytical standpoint it was so fast because of how late the car braked, with the sliding doing enough braking to get through the turn. Theoretically if you brake a little above halfway down the first hill and lightly trail brake while cutting in too early (car will under-steer out at that speed) you can get a really fast line through that might net your somewhere in between 49-50 secs, since I used to use that line to good effect. Its hard to do though, currently I cannot do it anymore, since I Keep hitting the inside guardrail or going too deep into the corner to miss the guardrail. to get this time take note you must be in the 27 sec range at the third checkpoint after the first strait. I don't think much under 1:57 is possible though, since we are really pushing the limits of grip and power on every corner now.

Any info as how to not let the jumps mess you up before the second bridge on the final strait?

 

It's all about knowing the elevation and angle of the road at the takeoff and landing, knowing how all of your actions affect weight transfer at those points, and being ready to quickly correct on landing if necessary. Checking my raw footage, here's how the best jumps went.

On the first jump, I got the best results if I was stable from track-out out of the sweeper before, centered myself with or just left of the double yellow line leading up to the crest, and then kept a very light left steering angle over the jump to stay lined up with that yellow line into the jump. This effectively helps you aim to land about in the right lane of the road. I also had similarly smooth landings jumping from the left lane and landing centered over the yellow line or slightly offset to the right from the yellow line, and I started shifting into 6th gear midair in my later runs because it pitches the car up slightly and seemed to make landing slightly more consistent even if the takeoff wasn't quite right.

On the second jump, I'd usually try to get to the center of the road after I'd stabilized from the landing, and then I'd aim to take off just at the right lane with a very slight right steering angle and let it track-out back to the center or so, then cautiously steer it to the right after landing and aim for the right lane or center at the end of the bridge if possible. I found that the dip seemed to be a bit smoother there and threw the car around less, but chancing the left side of the bridge still worked most of the time if the landing beforehand made it too difficult to aim there without unsettling the car.

And since I was combing through the footage anyways, here's a quick 2 minute compilation of most of the successful runs through that section in chronological order as a visual guide.


(And for fun, here's the Speed Highway version.)

 

Small bump. With the updated grip, I ran a 1:45.269 at High Speed Highway with the Hillclimb Sunburst. I didn't capture replay I'm afraid.

 

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