I hesitantly like this, depending on whether trying to beat them isn't an exercise in frustration. I already have that. As for how well I know/race different tracks, I think I'm fine, but maybe it's time I try some leaderboard challenges. Still, the performance of these bots in those impossible races is always the same: a string of cars receding into the distance, and a string of cars behind me that I constantly yo-yo between pulling away and losing ground to on a straight. And an ever broadening gap between the two. One more thing I've been meaning to bring up is that depending on the difficulty, the bots will sometimes crawl around turns, but will take off like rockets on the straights. They seem to have a lot of trouble with chicanes and decreasing radius turns like the first turn at Shanghai. I'd prefer it if they were still fairly quick around turns but just a hair slower on straights.
One thing you have to say about the AI though. They are exceptionally good at racing door to door and holding their lines!! I was just racing with an AI right beside me on Portimao Club Chicane. All the way from turn 5 up to the second last turn, when he finally took the lead!!! Awesome!
One more thing I don't like is how the bots will frequently brake for no good reason, such as during turns in traffic. I've even seen them braking without cause on straights, when the car in front is a good four or five car lengths away. It seems that besides being a deathblow to tailgating, this is an artificial way for the field to spread out. I'd rather some cars just drive slightly slower, and bunch up as well. From what I understand, they used to do more of this, as well as fight each other more. With a four day weekend upon me, I think I'll spend some time "training" the bots on how I race in Adaptive mode and see what happens. I did one race like this and quite enjoyed it, but then tried another track and they flat out left me in the dust. Do you pretty much have to do races with qualifying on every track?
Yes, you will need to do about 3 short races ( no practise or qualy) on each track (8 minutes will do) with any car in the class you are choosing ( GT3, ADAC 2014, etc.). I find the first one I win easily, then next one they change to match your lap times and then they keep adjusting. If I don't do consistant good laps, I cant win...probably end up 6th or so, if I make any mistakes. They are aggressive and hard to pass ( although mad braking up the inside at slow corners works well, if you dont take everyone out.) The more consistant your laptimes the better the result. Just make sure you finish the race, even if you go off. Then do your full race and it should be pretty good. As I am not very consistant, I can sometimes crack off a good lap and qualify first because my average laptime is slower. Thats how it looks to me anyway. I'm middle of the pack (or lower) when it comes to hot laps, so your mileage may vary.
I have read somewhere on the forum that your races with set AI difficulty counts as training for the adaptive AI as well. So you shouldn't need to train the adaptive AI separately on tracks / cars you have already raced against them before. (Not sure of this though)
Had a good SP race today at Brands Hatch (30min race, AI at 105) in the WTCC2013 cars right until the last 8 minutes. I was in the lead (but only by a second) when I doubled the car in last place, and that was it!!!! The car in second place who was right behind me, did not, could not pass the backmarker and was held up for the remainder of the race. I won by a big margin just because of the absence of proper blue flag rules and the inability of the AI to overtake a ( considerable ) slower car that is being lapped!! Kind of ruined the fun of winning for me. Hope the next update fixes these things.
I've noticed similar at Norisring before, but it's a classic G-Motor problem that one unfortunately. In GTR2 it could be mitigated by playing with a lot of factors, but it never went away completely and often caused problems in multiclass racing against the AI. If Robert can solve that one then everything else will be child's play to him, I'm sure.
I was under the impression R3E doesn't use ISI based AI, just as the netcode is new too.. If it did use the old AI code, surely R3E would have launched with AI instead of having to wait so long for it to be added.
These bots continue to be quite a mixed blessing, especially when using Adaptive. Every race I enter with a car from a new group that hasn't been raced under Adaptive difficulty, and on that track, the bots ahead of me will leave me in the dust, while those behind will hound me relentlessly. Good grief... even with the few groups of cars I like, this is a LOT of training to do! Well... guess I'd better get the kids to class...