Anyone want to go faster?

Let's see if there's any interest in a thread where we figure out how to lower our lap times.

We have some quick drivers here who have a good understanding of how to go fast, setup cars etc, and I was hoping we could share data and ideas, challenge each other and all get faster together. 

Not sure of the format yet, let's try different things. But a time attack session with a virtual coach to look things over immediately comes to mind.

The tools:

AC Replays: watchable in game after sharing them (files saved in Documents\Assetto Corsa\replay)

OBS: https://obsproject.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LWwqbHU8L0

Useful for recording your screen. So you can record your own replay, and then have the relevant video clipped down to a small section of what you want to show.

Shotcut Video Editor: https://www.shotcut.org/

Once you figure it out, I promise it's really easy. There's only a few buttons you need to learn. I can clip a lap out of a longer replay and have a .mp4 file in like a minute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehysOpY-lj0

And last

Aim Race Studio 3: https://www.aim-sportline.com/us/sw-fw-download.htm

https://www.assettocorsa.net/forum/index.php?threads/going-faster-with-data-quick-guide-to-using-race-studio-2-with-assetto-corsa.35386/

"How to use Race Studio:

I wanted to just share as briefly as possible how to get Race Studio working with Assetto Corsa ...

So first you need to download Race Studio. It's a free download from AIM's website.

Once you get it installed and running, the only portion you will use is the Race Studio Analysis portion of the app. So from the analysis app, Go to File and then I think it's called something like Import Assetto Corsa File. This will open a file menu. You need to go to your Documents/Assetto Corsa/AIM folder and you should see the data file there. This single file is generated after every driving session you run in Assetto Corsa. So what I do is leave the track (back to the car/track selection screen) after a session, alt-tab to Race Studio Analysis, and then import that file. After you select it it will ask you to name it. I haven't figured out the best way to name them yet since there's already good metadata you can fill out after you save the file. Anyways, save it and all of your session data is now in Race Studio."

I think that's all we need to get started. Questions? Comments? I'll probably go ahead and issue a challenge with a reasonable pace lap in a few days if people want to try this (and nobody has a better idea how to start)

Sounds good.  Will be tooling up for this. 

I had no idea the AiM software could be used with AC...  since I'm in the process of putting a bunch of AiM stuff in my track Miata, this is very interesting!  When I find some time, I'll be going through the links...

I want to go faster.  I'll give race studio a shot.

What may be easier than recording via OBS and editing with shotcut is to just share ghost recordings.  c:\users\USERNAME\documents\assettocorsa\ghostcar

I believe I will benefit more from direct coaching, "jumping in" with other drivers, and even following on track.  I'd rather just do practice sessions with others once a week.

In reply to gencollon :

Just tried Race Studio. It’s working and leading me to do more laps. Also like that is relevant in real life. As for replay videos, maybe Assetto's fast lap replays could also work for sharing.

A way to import and use a peer’s hot lap ghost would be a good practice tool.

Ill be checking it out as well. If there's one thing I'm trying to solve is where the 5 to 7 seconds a lap I am off the pace is at and that's on tracks that I can drive decently. I am missing large parts of the go fast on track puzzle.

Oh, I have only ever gotten a ghost car by accident! That's not a bad idea at all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlzBDF31iqs

I wonder if CM installs ghost car laps for you?

Just for the sake of added information, I have a plugin that creates MOTEC log files so you can review data in that software also.  The plugin is called ACTI and can be found on Race Department.

In my other leagues I have often done data overlays for other guys to show them where they can find time and if there are any glaring driving concerns.

Just to add a further option for learning.

Rob

What may be easier than recording via OBS and editing with shotcut is to just share ghost recordings.  c:\users\USERNAME\documents\assettocorsa\ghostcar

I believe I will benefit more from direct coaching, "jumping in" with other drivers, and even following on track.  I'd rather just do practice sessions with others once a week.

See I think the ghost car can be a useful tool, as can following. But I think it's a crutch that you don't need. I think the goal should is to develop a good real-time self-critique, and then you don't need confirmation that you're going fast. You know that you're extracting the performance from the car.

If you have a good understanding of what you're trying to do on track, then you should be able to judge how close you are to the ideal all of the time. 

I've posted this before, because I think it's still the best explanation of the driver's goals that I've seen.

I use a simple algorithm while driving to figure out if I'm going fast.

1) Did I get to the far outer edge of the track before the corner?

2)Did I threshold trailbrake all the way to the corner apex? (-If I stopped braking before the apex, I know I can move my brake point closer to the corner by a few feet)

3)Did I touch the inside of the track at the apex? (If I go wide, then I know to move my brake point further from the corner a few feet)

4)Did I get back on throttle at the apex? (If I have to wait a little to get back to throttle, I know I didn't quite slow down enough... Move the brake point further from corner)

5)Did I threshold-throttle the car all the way out to the far edge of the track on exit? (If I'm not doing driver stuff and balancing the car on corner exit, then I know I can carry more speed at apex - move brake point)

And the line you are taking isn't worth worrying over if you aren't driving at the limit. Drive to the tires full grip first, and then worry about exactly where you are on track!

That's a simple version of my current understanding. I assume everybody does the same thing? Yes/No?

Here's my qualy session in the 914 (the clutch pedal is desynched. Replay things I guess). It's convenient, because the replay is already there, and relevant to the series. Roast my lap? You can see where I leave time on the table- probably 2-3 seconds off a perfect lap? It's a tough car to drive, and a tricky track. It's my first qualy lap, so I'm thinking 'get space around the car, put in a banker lap. Measured aggression, brake a tad early, so there's no risk of a big off, and go early and hard to power if able.'

In reply to retrocrx :

That's kind of amazing! Are you a boxtalker by chance?

Glad you're over here!

Do you have any ideas how to best help us get quick? Is there a one size fits all formula? Is it individual coaching? 

I was kind of thinking a Poker style time attack might be fun: Pick a car with fixed setup and a track, then you all show your hands and we figure out where we can improve with video & data.... or something like that. It would only be ~30 minutes of driving max. A bit like autox format...

Box talker??

most of the work I've done I've been the benchmark......so I compare relative to my laps.  
 

however in the group Colin had me handled significantly at Calabogie.  That said I did find a ton of time afterwards and I can also run in the 2:08s at Bogie now.

anyway I'm more than happy to spend time online and discord to look at motec data if people want......I have fun doing it and I always learn something too.

hit me up here or on Discord if you want.

Rob

This topic led to tinkering with the Ghostcar set up, learning to interpret race studio data & more laps. Also saving and watching an online practice. Basically this thread's contributors and our racers helped lower my lap time.

gencollon said:

1) Did I get to the far outer edge of the track before the corner?

2)Did I threshold trailbrake all the way to the corner apex? (-If I stopped braking before the apex, I know I can move my brake point closer to the corner by a few feet)

3)Did I touch the inside of the track at the apex? (If I go wide, then I know to move my brake point further from the corner a few feet)

4)Did I get back on throttle at the apex? (If I have to wait a little to get back to throttle, I know I didn't quite slow down enough... Move the brake point further from corner)

5)Did I threshold-throttle the car all the way out to the far edge of the track on exit? (If I'm not doing driver stuff and balancing the car on corner exit, then I know I can carry more speed at apex - move brake point)

And the line you are taking isn't worth worrying over if you aren't driving at the limit. Drive to the tires full grip first, and then worry about exactly where you are on track!

That's a simple version of my current understanding. I assume everybody does the same thing? Yes/No?

 Yes, however with this car 2 and 4 have just not been possible for me.  Ive had so much trouble being consistent with those that this whole approach kind of falls apart.  Coming into turn X, I don't know if my braking will take 150 feet like last lap or 250 feet due to various lockup problems.

That said, I did a lot of practice last night and the night before and made a lot of progress.  I finally, thanks to Mr. Eggbert, have a setup that feels more controllable and I'm actually able to focus on outside-inside-outside, etc.  So now, going back to the 5 steps above makes the most sense.

That said, 2 is more on-off for me in this car still.  I can't threshold brake all the way to the apex.  I can carry it to some turn in point where I have to fully release the brakes.

Maybe tonight or tomorrow I'll be back on and I can record a lap for others to roast.

In reply to retrocrx :

Box talker. As in, decipher signals and make hardware & software to let one box talk to another.
Software engineering or something like that.

Oh and do you also want to talk some about racecraft here? Or is that another thread all on its own? Going fast is step 1. Staying out of trouble is equally important.

In reply to ProDarwin :

When you know what you want to do, but just can't get the car to do it after a bit of practice - That's when a setup change could be helpful. I assume you are happy with your physical brake pedal setup, and the Gamma setting in controls? I'm @ 1.49 FWIW. I was using 58% brake bias in the car & around 80% brake power IIRC. And I find the braking in the 914 pretty challenging too. I missed a bunch of apexes, and locked a bunch of wheels through the night. But that's just going to happen some amount in a car without 4 channel ABS. 

What I can say for the car is that I love how responsive it is WRT longitudinal weight transfer. A tiny drag of the brake pedal gives the front end a very noticeable amount of extra grip, and rotates the car quickly. I use it a bunch to get the nose to point in toward the apex if I'm going a bit wide.

In reply to gencollon :

I'm a mechanical guy........I just know how to interpret the squiggly lines from Motec.  Don't ask me how to put the smoke in the box.......That's not my area.......BUT, I could design you a kick-ass box.

XD  I get it now: You 'have' a Motec plugin, as in you downloaded it, not you own it/wrote it. Still, that'll be useful.

https://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/acti-assetto-corsa-telemetry-interface.3948/

Enjoy.....

OK I have a challenge. If you aren't sick of High Plains, and want to put a bowtie on your understanding of the map I mean track:

Run this combo. Set these pressures 

I ran 3 laps to change the tire pressures. 6 laps to sort of get the braking points (not too different to the 914)  then turned on OBS and did a few laps:

Give it a try. If you go faster than 1.49.0, post it. If you are struggling to get to get under 1:51, post it. 

It's not a particularly challenging car to drive. Setup is pretty stable & controllable with a tendency to push and also to lock up the tires with strong brakes and no ABS.

Folder for sharing lap data & ghost car

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IcuBp2AUMqq7qKqS7EZN0sKBTrS_K23m?usp=sharing

Bouncing this to the top as there is a bunch of really good info in this thread and yes I want to go faster.  I am going to look at my schedual and my current setup and first I need to get my sim rig setup in to its final form as I find driving position greatly impacts my on track speed.  Once that is done maybe set up a Sunday night meetup and we can look at going faster. I for one would benefit greatly from riding with Colin and have him talk about what he is thinking as he drives. Another thing would be to try and "produce" a "driving faster" video with voice over on what fast drivers are thinking/looking for as they are driving.  The reason for a voiceover is I am betting there is they are thinking and processing information faster than can be voiced in real time over a video.  Colins 5 point list above is a great starting point and just mastering that is a 101 level sim (and read life) driving course. I would also like to look at race craft and stuff. 

I think Sunday night would be a good time slot for this.  I'm down to give it a shot in a few weeks, prob can't do this Sunday though.

Just for fun. Novice here; playing with Aim data from the racing sim, looking at a couple of turns, the faster lap
(green line - AI, lap 01:35.8) vs (blue line – 01:39.4) shows the fast lap carrying more speed into the turn, breaking hard, and later.  Done for fun at Hockenheimring.

Thanks for all the comments in this topic.