32 replies to this topic

[Peter Perfect]

This weeks Gr.3 course in GTS in the Nordschleife, and so I've finally taken the decision to learn it after many years of muddling through.

 

I know there are various ways to learn it, and YouTube is looking pretty good to me at the moment to try to memorise sections in some kind of logical way, but I'm interested to know other peoples experiences of learning the track of tracks. I first drove it on GP Legends, which was obviously a few years ago now, but some of the memories of the flow of the track are starting to seep back through.

[PayasYouRace]

I believe GPL was the first game I experienced the track on, but I remember that in those cars it was very difficult to learn. Just getting round a lap was an effort. The graphics weren't really up to making the track seem different as you went round it, so learning it was very difficult.

 

I know that Grand Turismo 4 was the first game that I could properly sit down and learn the track. It helped that certain sections were used in the licence tests. So those sections were easier to learn as you'd just reset and try again. The game also had a much more forgiving handling model and of course a wide selection of cars. Eventually I learned it via that game. Though I'd say it was only much more recently, on more modern games, that I feel I finally got the whole lap sorted. The section after the Karussell was the hardest to pick up, and especially the Bunnchen to Schwalbenschwanz part was the hardest to get right.

[scolbourne]

I count corners up to and  from each of the two  concrete banked corners. You will remember it fairly well after practice and a few sim races. Much of it is full throttle so just remember where the tricky  corners are to be ready for them.

[Peter Perfect]

I count corners up to and  from each of the two  concrete banked corners. You will remember it fairly well after practice and a few sim races. Much of it is full throttle so just remember where the tricky  corners are to be ready for them.

 

That sounds quite handy. I'm fairly sure I'm losing most of my time on the flat-out sections where I'm too cautious, thinking there's a sharp corner I've forgotten about coming up.

[noikeee]

I've got a confession to make. Despite having simraced for quite a few years now, and having lapped the Nordschleiffe in various titles, I'm still yet to properly learn it. That ****ing final part of the lap is so confusing.  So many similar blind crests etc.

[messy]

It was in GT Sport than I finally ‘learned’ the Nordschleife, I think. I do enjoy it, too. You can get a really good flow and I think because it’s so narrow it’s all about the way you position the car especially in that final section where you’ve got those constant, quite samey blind left-rights after the last banked turn.

Once you’ve learned the Nords try learning the Isle of Man TT track though! That’s a whole new level. Although I think I’ve probably got a better handle on that than the Nordschleife through sheer repetition.

[Peeko]

In GT Sport under the Campaign menu there is a section called Track Experience. Each track is broken into sections so you can work on them individually. Good way to learn the Ring.

Edited by Peeko, 22 November 2020 - 05:38.

[Peter Perfect]

In GT Sport under the Campaign menu there is a section called Track Experience. Each track is broken into sections so you can work on them individually. Good way to learn the Ring.

 

That's a good shout, thanks.

 

I'm making progress. I'm hardly crashing on a lap at all now!

[Tenmantaylor]

Remember doing a sub 8 minute lap in the Cooper in GPL the UKGPL Championships... don't think I've done a better lap since!

 

Always found remembering the section between the 2 Karrussels the hardest as a few of the corners have similar blind crested apexes. Also the key to a good lap this bit as a lot of people go into survival mode here rather than pushing.

[A3]

Remember doing a sub 8 minute lap in the Cooper in GPL the UKGPL Championships... don't think I've done a better lap since!

 

Always found remembering the section between the 2 Karrussels the hardest as a few of the corners have similar blind crested apexes. Also the key to a good lap this bit as a lot of people go into survival mode here rather than pushing.

 

Best I could manage!

[Alfisti]

I just CANNOT remember the turns to save my life. I have never been a fan of really long circuits and whilst I admire the track as a test of machinery it is pretty poor for racing. So many similar corners I just get lost and as a result have no commitment. 

[404KF2]

I enjoy it a LOT, but I haven't used a racing video game in about 3 years.  It was great fun in the superfast Group C cars.

[Hati]

I've never really enjoyed the track. The part after banked corner stays as mystery and I don't know which is more frustrating, making the mistake at the beginning or at the end of the lap.

[Peat]

Add me to the Heretic list. 

[404KF2]

It's not too difficult to memorize.  I can run it through my mind right now, turn for turn.  There are some tricky kinks and the last corner before the straight has a nasty bit in it.  It's brilliant.

[Peeko]

Yup. Racing it at night in GT6 was a blast. You can only be quick in the darkt if you have the track memorized.

[Alfisti]

It's not too difficult to memorize.  I can run it through my mind right now, turn for turn.  There are some tricky kinks and the last corner before the straight has a nasty bit in it.  It's brilliant.

 

Have to admit I am a slow learner with tracks. I pick up the correct line quickly but it takes me a while to memorise the corners and you cannot commit without memorising. 

[404KF2]

That said, I'd not care to drive my own cars there at speed....maybe someone else's 

[PhantomRaspberryBlower]

In GT Sport under the Campaign menu there is a section called Track Experience. Each track is broken into sections so you can work on them individually. Good way to learn the Ring.

 

I've completed all of the sections of all of the tracks to gold medal standard and all of the full tracks too except for the Nordschleife lap attack. 6m.59s is my best so far (about 1.8 seconds away from the gold target time). Yesterday I popped in a 7.00 and a 7.01. I'm definitely losing a lot of time between the two Karrussells. I couldn't run through a complete lap in my head but I do recognise each part of the track as it appears and know what's around the next corner. Getting down to the 6.44 achieved on the demo lap is going to take a while but it's great to drive.

 

Edit: Nailed it. After another 7.00 and 7.01, both with a couple of horrible mistakes, I got it done in 6.57.769 - the target time being 6.57.900. Now I can have fun with it and see how close I can get to that 6.44 demo lap.

Edited by PhantomRaspberryBlower, 28 November 2020 - 11:10.

[Alfisti]

Yeah I've done all the other tracks at gold, the gold targets are very easy in the game. But I cannot beat 7.03 at the ring and tbh I cannot remember what comes next after about half way. So I'm tentative and lose time or I guess and crash.

[Nemo1965]

Funny, there was for the legendary difficult GP Legends game a Ring-trainer... it still exists here, I think. I just googled it, so I don't know if the download links are still up.

 

http://www.joachimbl...ringtrainer.htm

 

Anyway, OP, it might be handy to install the GP Legends game (it is abandonware, I believe) and the Ringtrainer. You can then train sections of the track over and over again... If you don't know the game, DON'T pick the Lotus or the Ferrari or whatever, because they are hell to play with for the first time. You can choose a trainer-car with less power and I think it will be a good way to learn the Ring. I always wondered why some modern games don't give you this option to just, you know, only practice certain parts of the track. Moto GP for the Xbox offered, I can remember...

[PayasYouRace]

If you do get GPL, the best thing to do is get a modern update with proper setups first of all. The cars are tough,  it the legendary difficulty came from Papyrus including default setups that were more suited to 1990s F1 cars.

It is abandonware though. https://www.myabando...rix-legends-9zz

But I wouldn’t recommend GPL to learn the Nordschleife. Use a more pick up and play game like Gran Turismo of Forza.

[Myrvold]

It is abandonware though. https://www.myabando...rix-legends-9zz

 

The iRacing-guys might've eased up on things, but they were really strict on GPL stuff previously. It might not be abandonware?

[PayasYouRace]

Actually you’re right. Only the updates are available in that site. You’d still have to buy a copy.

[thefinalapex]

Love the track especially the part between the two karrussels, its being in a frightning rollercoaster with yourself behind the wheel. love it.

[Hati]

I don't know why but I've been torturing myself this holiday season by driving the tourist version with Yellowbird on Assetto Corsa. Once I've survived whole lap under eight minutes without crashing the car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(I do know why, because of this video that has been on the internet for a while now.

)

[Nemo1965]

Regarding learning the Ring through GP Legends and the Ring trainer... it sounded absurd, in hindsight. But now I've found it is not a bad idea at all.

 

I've installed GP Legends again just to see if it works... and of course I needed something special to make the game work on a Windows 10 machine. But lo and behold: there is a group of fanatics that not only still races online with GP Legends... but also have developed patches for the game which enhance the graphics and make it run smoothly on modern machines.

 

I just did a few laps... of GP Legends... with a Sony Dualshock 4 controller... of GP Legends... on a Windows 10 machine. And I've also downloaded the Ring trainer. I think the game never drove better than in this crazy modern times. The internet is often awful, but stuff like this redeems it a lot for me!

 

I would almost start a new thread about it, so stoked I am!

 

https://youtu.be/x_AfHCQGltI

Edited by Nemo1965, 04 January 2021 - 19:36.

[as65p]

I do know why, because of this video that has been on the internet for a while now.

 

 

Wow. Balls of steel or a serious death wish. Probably both. Amazing.

[scolbourne]

There was a good episode of Top Gear where Sebrina takes a Ford Transit ? round the ring, overtaking bikes and cars on the way. She claimed she could beat Jeremy who was in a Jaguar.

 

[Rob G]

For me, the trick to learning the Ring was driving it on Gran Turismo 4 and paying close attention to the recommended gear that would flash at the bottom of the screen. Once I got used to knowing how much I could push, it became more of a matter of just knowing whether to turn left or right.

[Claudio Navonne]

I learned the "Green Hell" with GPL driving (or trying to) the Eagle. It took me a long time, but I did it, but it's nothing compared to learning the Targa Florio, the latter took me much longer, but I know at least where to push the throttle or where to be slow. Now I still need to learn IOM, I think I will use a car from the F2 1967 mod.

[BRK]

GPL was such an incredible game. Every lap of any track - but especially the old, long Spa and Nordschleife - felt like a massive achievement in itself. I've found that if you drive the full circuit 10 times in a single sitting, it'll start to stick...and you'll never forget for the rest of your life! 

[Obster]

I had visited and drove the actual Ring twice before I tackled it on GPL. 

I know it pretty well now.

Just keep at it and it should emerge...