more than 99 laps race

Hi to all. Here i am again with my silly questions...
Times ago, i read that Gp3 can't manage race with more than 99 laps, and some tracks i downloaded had no more than 99 laps (the most of oval tracks, for example). A few days ago, i modified with the Track Editor (a gift of the gods...)the number of laps of Nazareth Oval to 180 laps: well, Gp3 works perfect and manage the race of 180 laps as every other ones: the only limit is the 2 number display on the steering wheel, so when you are in lap 100 it shows 00 instead of 100, 01 instead oh 101 and so on. And maybe i'd have to adjust some value in the Md file, as tyre wear or fuel load for very long race, and of course, i couldn't have more than 3 pitstop.
So, i don't understand: the limit of 99 laps is an old limit, and the Track Editor or any other utility have solved the problem, or what else? It's just a curiosity, but let me now your opinion.
Nice racing to all.
Claudio

180 laps? I used to think that the maximum number of laps GP3 can handle is 128. I mean you can set various numbers of laps via Pit & Lap Editor, but the game always crashes after 128 laps, so that's the limit.

Hi Mr.Lee: you are right and i am a bit donkey. 180 laps was a 100% race, but i was running a 55% race, so 99 laps and all went ok.
In effect, 128 is the maximum laps Gp3 can manage: but if i set a larger number of laps it doesn't crash, but the race starts and immediatly ends when the first car on the grid passes the starting line.
Anyway, thanks, now i learnt something new.
Claudio.

I usually set up to 124 laps but a tip, never view the lap chart after the race otherwise it will crash the game.

That is what I have heard.

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Did your birth certificate come with an apology letter from Durex?

Other than the game often crashing, the other problem that I noticed when attempting to run races of over 99 laps was that the sky would turn black for me.

Mmmmmm... Now i'll test about black sky and lap chart crashing, and let you know.
Thanks for the tips.
Claudio

Black sky? That's new to me.

When I normally race with my CART, CCWS, IRL or Le Mans carsets, I always put down 124 laps and never experienced any problems apart from the md files which ti would require a bit of tweaking especially pit stops and fuel levels.

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Did your birth certificate come with an apology letter from Durex?

I made a couple of time an endurance race. If I remember I faced the black sky when pressing ESC and then returned into the cockpit. Maybe if you make the race all in one time you won't see the thing. But just stay away from the lap chart!

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I had this black sky thing only at Milwaukee Mile which I always run across 125 laps. Never happened on any other circuit

Hi guys. Well, i have experienced the black sky too, but it seems to be a metter of duration of the race rather than a matter of laps (i.g. in some circuit, as Daytona Gp, the limit to prevent black sky is 110 laps).
For the lap chart, yes it's better not to use it.

sounds like a transition day/night . it would be nice that kind of feature!!

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Hi Roberto. Transition day/night...it could be, in effect it seems that different tracks have differente laps limit to prevent black sky...
But there is another important thing about very long race: it seems like Gp3 can't manage well so long races also referring to AI drivers; for example, a normal 50 lap race in Elkhart Lake usually ends with 16-18 AI runners: i tried a 99 lap race, and only 5 AI drivers ended the race (with a lot of accidents), and it's not a matter of md file parameters (as ability range min end max or the value "some chance-same chance". It is like the AI drivers in so long a race can't stay concentrate and make a lot of driving errors... Interesting, in my opinion.
Bye.

woha! 99 laps in Elkhart lake? what pit strategy have you used? I can't remember the laptimes there but it's a long track so at least 3 stops should be used or any stint would take onboard too many carburant creating braking problems and abnormal tyres consumption. Maybe this is the cause of the accidents. Have you seen the kind of accidents?

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Yeah, AI cars have a bigger tendency to spin or crash when they're heavy on fuel.

@Roberto
@mr Lee
Mmmm...in effect the most of the accidents seem to be due to braking errors, and your idea about this is due to the big fuel load is very very interesting and pertinent. I report what i saw in a few circuit.
Bugatti Le Mans: after a long straight many errors in braking, and AI cars go out of the track.
Daytona Gp: i think there is a problem with CC line in a corner: AI cars have the accident always in that corner.
Sebring: a 99 lap race, and 16 cars to the finish, so it is quite normal.
Elkhart Lake: 99 laps is a race of about 2h 40m; weel, i didn't control what kind of accident, but now i'll try with a 3 pitsop strategy and let you know.
Happy racing.

OK. I got it. Thanks to your precious tips, i tested and tested, and i saw the light! The problem is just related to fuel load: too much fuel load and too much errors, as you said.
I simulated a 99 lap race in Elkhart Lake, with 3 pitstop of course, and 16-18 runners ended the race.
And: i simulated a 95 lap race in SPA (yes, SPA), with 3 pitstop, a 3h 02m race; no problem of any type!
So: if you want to do a very long race, you must set 3 pitstop to reduce the stint, as Roberto and Mr Lee said.
Now i'm ready to have an endurance race: probably track are Bugatti Le Mans, Sebring and Spa, from 2h 20m, to 2h 43m to 3h 02m. Now i need a teammate to drive with...
Thanks to all for your tips and patience...

Ehi nice! I'll be along the track to watch you!

If you want to do another test as you are on the way, try to put something like 10000/15000 in the 'cc shuffler'. If this increases the car pace by losing weigth it should helps you to make the cars more frizzy during the endurance. An issue of the fuel loads is that cars become someway too careful, so if you set a 10 laps pit window the pitting moment should me more thrilling with who delayed the stop pushing higher.

Also maybe you would increase by 2000 or so the fuel consuption for both AI and human. As the cars will go much slower than their chances for almost all the race at the end all will still have a lot of fuel inside.

Ah well not sure just base tests i made dunno when...

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Ok Roberto, i will try: in these days i'm a tester rather than a driver...
"CC shuffler" what controls in particular?
And of course, i'll wait for you in my box.
Therefore, i downloaded your Motopark Oschersleben: fantastic job, really. Now i have another track for my endurance races.
Bye.

Thanks, I'll be there

the cc shuffler by what i noticed seems to control the pace of the cars. In example setting it at 2000/4000 you may set the fastest laps in the first laps and than go slower even with no fuel, while setting it around 8000/9000 allows to make fastest laps when you are with low fuel increasing the pace as you lose fuel. Or something similar. I'm playing a fictional season with the Gp2 feature style with 1 stop in the middle of the race and got lot of rumor in the pit window with cars who pitted later
S you plan an endurance maybe a little boost on the pace would make the work as the losing fuel in this case would be a lot in evidence

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2007 06:36PM by R_Scandura.

That's another good point, Roberto. AI cars seem to set fastest laps at the beginning of their stints (on the opening 5-6 laps) and then just after the pitstops. So, they're making a better use of fresh tires rather then a lower fuel load.