ACC single player experience - should I really play this game?

[Herr Pietrus]

I've recently bought ACC and just started playing. Now I'm considering purchase of some DLCs, but honestly I've got huge and growing doubts about ACC single player playability for such player like me and also about sim-racing games as a product for someone who just likes to drive.

Let's start with clarifying one thing - I'm not a good driver. The best I can achieve is a pace that let me compete with AI on level 6 out of 8 in F1 2016 or with computer opponents set to 65-70% in in first Project CARS. In a game as unpopular as the last one mentioned, on some specific tracks in combination with specific cars, I'm able to rank 30-50 in online hotlap, but on another tracks and using different cars I'm much, MUCH slower.

Of course I'm aware that sim-racing means training and even in F1 games I've been starting from lower level, I also remember many tracks that seemed impossible to learn for me and eventually I understood them better, but I clearly can see where the max of my capabilities lays. And the problem is that my "achievements" mean nothing compared to the lap times of the best online players... and I've got an impression that ACC - as many other "true simulators" - focuses mainly on such results and such people.

I've run only one race against PC players with 5 min. quali on Catalunya circuit, and even though in quali I was able to achieve first place and lead the race with AI set to 85, when I started from 10 place I was hardly able to get 2-3 positions.

In Project CARS I was able to make 1:49:5xx in GT3 car (hotlap), but here I'm only able to achieve 1:52:xxx, sometimes high 1:51:xxx As you can se, it's a disaster considering sim-racing standards.
In currently active monthly hotlap event I'm ranked somewhere around 20000 out of 31000.

Now I wonder if this is a game for me. How can I compare ACC AI set to 85-87(?) with percentage values between 0 nad 100 from other games? Will I be able to find some sweet spot adequate to my "skill" )regardless how funny that word sounds)?
I'm not interested in online racing an in online competition.

I've noticed that, at least considering Catalunya GP, best hotlap times are similar in CARS and ACC. And that first game still remains entertaining for me. Perhaps it's even a bit more entertaining... due to the less perfect AI or better tweaked FF (didn't have much time to set in exclusively for ACC)? It could suggest that as long as I can drive a car in one or another game it can be good game for me. But I still have impression that ACC is "sim-centric" - not only because how (un)convincing the AI is, but first of all because the whole game is focused on the fastest players on the Earth.

Am I right?
How to play and how to enjoy such sims with less skill?
I love the graphics, the sounds, car feeling is generally entertaining too, but... should I rather focus on CARS 2 or AMS2 (I've already have both, I just have huge pile of shame)?

 

[Kenny Paton]

Try just enjoying the racing don't worry about your pace, adjust that AI level to what gives you fun.
Remember the more you race and practice the better you'll get.
Maybe watch a few you tube videos on racing technique to help.
ACC is a more focused game but give it time and you will soon find a better pace.

 

[Herr Pietrus]

Unfortunately, everyone has some limit to their ability to develop their skills. and there is always a point when you see that you can't achieve more, and trying hard causes only frustration and tiredness instead of pleasure.

I've revised my thinking about playing some sim-cade or even light-sim games and reconciled myself to the idea that I would not match the best players, but I'm afraid that ACC can't offer much to players like me which probably won't became significantly better over time... I need to think about this more deeply

 

[Deleted member 197115]

I suggest to run through the Career to gauge if ACC solo experience for you. AI is quite customizable, pretty sure you can find the right spot to find it challenging enough but not punishing.
After that Custom Championships mode, which is rather well designed, you can simulate actual series races, including real weather at that time, or go full custom.

And don't forget to check out Panky's guide.

 

[Majuh]

There's no point in comparing lap times between different games because the tracks can be slightly different, the tires are different, the conditions can be different, etc.

 

[Herr Pietrus]

OK, I've played a bit more and it seems that if I know the track really, REALLY well i can compete with the AI on a bit higher level. Of course the controller is also crucial - on gamepad I was able to make 1:41:7xx on Misano (I know this track great from MotoGP games), on the wheel I've easily achieved 1:40:5xx which lets me to beat most of the AI on level 88, so +/- half of the range.

Yeah, comparing two games can be misleading, for example I was able to make 1:27:5 on Brands Hatch only twice in ACC (from about 50-60 laps) while in Project CARS (same GT3 car, same wheel rotation angle, dry conditions) after short acclimatization it was easier to get consistent lap times (1:28:5xx)...
.. but achieving 1:27:xxx wasn't easy, even though it seemed to be easier, so i think that games can be compared to some extent.

Especially that I've got strange impression that the car was more difficult to steer in Project CARS than it was in ACC, at least in dry conditions (I think that there is less aquaplaning on wet tires in heavy rain in Project CARS). It was less stable, it reacted strongly to road bumps and had less traction while exiting the corners... Perhaps I had to work on FF in ACC too, because I generally feel less forces here, especially in the fast corners, while turning etc... Driving in CARS wasn't significantly harder, but, surprisingly, more lively - in ACC car is stable like in F1 simcade game with ABS and TC partially enabled.

No, that's not a big problem, perhaps GT3 cars should be so easy to drive (at least when you drive as slow as me) because driving - I must admit it - is somehow extremely pleasant in ACC too. I've played a few races and even though the game still seems to promote incredible consistency, it should be possible to fight with AI on longer distances...

Edit: But, I don't know why, I still have an impression that Project CARS is more exciting, lets you feel the emotions that accompany driving better, is more lively and somehow it express love to the cars and motorsport better too - even though if you compare onboard videos from GT3 events with ACC gameplay from helmet camera, you see how perfectly ACC captures driver's perspective - it seems that only recent MotoGP and Ride games do it as faithfully.

Anyway, I think I'll buy DLC pack....

 

[RiddleTime]

OK, I've played a bit more and it seems that if I know the track really, REALLY well i can compete with the AI on a bit higher level. Of course the controller is also crucial - on gamepad I was able to make 1:41:7xx on Misano (I know this track great from MotoGP games), on the wheel I've easily achieved 1:40:5xx which lets me to beat most of the AI on level 88, so +/- half of the range.

Yeah, comparing two games can be misleading, for example I was able to make 1:27:5 on Brands Hatch only twice in ACC (from about 50-60 laps) while in Project CARS (same GT3 car, same wheel rotation angle, dry conditions) after short acclimatization it was easier to get consistent lap times (1:28:5xx)...
.. but achieving 1:27:xxx wasn't easy, even though it seemed to be easier, so i think that games can be compared to some extent.

Especially that I've got strange impression that the car was more difficult to steer in Project CARS than it was in ACC, at least in dry conditions (I think that there is less aquaplaning on wet tires in heavy rain in Project CARS). It was less stable, it reacted strongly to road bumps and had less traction while exiting the corners... Perhaps I had to work on FF in ACC too, because I generally feel less forces here, especially in the fast corners, while turning etc... Driving in CARS wasn't significantly harder, but, surprisingly, more lively - in ACC car is stable like in F1 simcade game with ABS and TC partially enabled.

No, that's not a big problem, perhaps GT3 cars should be so easy to drive (at least when you drive as slow as me) because driving - I must admit it - is somehow extremely pleasant in ACC too. I've played a few races and even though the game still seems to promote incredible consistency, it should be possible to fight with AI on longer distances...

Edit: But, I don't know why, I still have an impression that Project CARS is more exciting, lets you feel the emotions that accompany driving better, is more lively and somehow it express love to the cars and motorsport better too - even though if you compare onboard videos from GT3 events with ACC gameplay from helmet camera, you see how perfectly ACC captures driver's perspective - it seems that only recent MotoGP and Ride games do it as faithfully.

Anyway, I think I'll buy DLC pack....

Regarding the last paragraph: I think ACC is a bit sterile in terms of racing the AI. I've only used it to get either used to ACC or to develop Race Element.

I know the public lobbies in ACC can be a bit well.. a bit of a warzone once a while. But don't let it bring you down! It's the mentality that creates the race!

 

[Herr Pietrus]

It is sterile, I agree, but fortunately only part of the enjoyment goes from the competition (either with AI or against real drivers - something I'm not into), the rest is driving which it's still OK
Yeah, theoretically ACC can be worse than other single player games, but strangely it has something tempting and entertaining within... And that's how I've answered my own question, I think.

 

[Jean-Pierre Sarti]

I think AMS2 has better AI and AC is better for hotlapping (not to mention variety), but ACC does have something, despite it having the worst FFB of the three. Maybe it's the depth or the graphics or the great tracks, but I keep coming back to it despite its flaws. ACC gives you the feeling of being at a racetrack better than anything since GTR2.

By the way, I noticed some non-white folks in the stands last time I played ACC. That's a bit of a contrast to the other sims.

 

[RasmusP]

What wheel do you have and what are your settings?
ACC is very easy to set up, especially if project cars already feels good.
Anything between 450-1200° rotation is okay, just set the same in-game and in your wheel software.

In-game:
- gain: between 40-75%
- minimum force: 0% (if using Logitech: use my LUT, there's a guide on the steam forums)
- damper: 0% (it's an always active, generic resistance)
- dynamic damping: 10-50%. Low, if you have a slower wheel. Dampens oscillations on the straights but kills details
- road effects: basically just vibrations from road texture and bumps. I'm using 5%. Use whatever feels good.
- frequency: if you don't have a really old wheel: 400 Hz

- steer lock: 450-1200, same as your hardware
- steer linearity: 1.00
- brake gamma: to your liking
- gear denounce: 50ms should be okay


ACC doesn't have the most nimble and lively ffb. It's rather stiff and calm. Feels like a rigit, easy to drive GT3 to me and I like it. But rF2 for example gives way more feedback into the steering wheel while braking etc.
You have to know that pcars 1&2 don't use raw physically accurate ffb like AC and ACC do.
You also have additional ffb stuff like seat of pants.
Pcars tries to give you everything you're feeling in a real car, like g forces, into your hands.
While AC & ACC only give you what you feel in your hands in a real car.


About AI: if you'd practice like your typing here, you'd be way faster (just kidding, sorry ).
Who cares if you can't beat the AI at 100%?
If the lowest AI level is fun for you, just use it. No one is judging!

The AI can be a bit weird in ACC though. Quite slow through some corners but then Divebomb massively into the next.
If you stick your nose in mid corner, they will back out of it but they might Divebomb you or hit you in the rear at the next corner.

But apart from that, they drive quite well and can be fun

 

[Herr Pietrus]

ACC does have something, despite it having the worst FFB of the three.

Good to know, I thought it's only my impression
RasmusP - T300RS, set almost as you mentioned: 630 Degrees, 70% gain, 4% road effects, only dynamic damping 100%.

But I must check TM app because I think that I've lowered gain there for CARS

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Little trick is to set Aggression to 100%, this way they will try to go around you instead of sticking to race line and bumping into you. They run on the same physics as player, therefore cannot stop on a dime to avoid contact if you suddenly get in front of them or brake check.
If you can set up tactile, it compliments ACC FFB tremendously, they seem to have very good telemetry to get all SOTP effects under the sun.

 

[Neilski]

Little trick is to set Aggression to 100%, this way they will try to go around you instead of sticking to race line and bumping into you.

Yeah, I seem to recall reading that ages ago and thinking that it's very messed up for the more "aggressive" AI to be less likely to hit you

 

[Deleted member 197115]

Yeah, I seem to recall reading that ages ago and thinking that it's very messed up for the more "aggressive" AI to be less likely to hit you

Frustrating AI ramming

Is there a solution for that. Zolder seems like the worst so far. Tried to lower aggression to 50, still they bump into my car like it's Wreckfest. (This is rubbing and rubbing is racing :)) Never had that happen so badly and consistently in AC.

www.racedepartment.com

 

[manu68]

Stop thinking, purchase the dlc, and enjoy.
Seriously, acc is a great game for racing online. The immersion is very nice
If the gt3 are too quick gorge you, give à try at the gt4.

You should be able to race the ai at 95% pretty soon

 

[Hal Burns]

Try Brands Hatch in the rain...that's a load of fun. I suck and run AI at 85. So what!....and as said before the GT4's are really good. Just did 2 hour race at Paul Ricard in Career. (You can save at any time and pick it up later) Driving a long stint as the sun goes down and doing multiple pits stops was pretty cool. You need drive calmly to boost your safety ratings etc. This was very good for improving my skill level.

 

[FS7]

I play ACC only in single player using a Xbox 360 controller, realistic assists and manual gears, it's a good game for single player if you set it up properly according to your skill level.
I generally play against AI difficulty at 92-95 depending on track and race length, race length between 10-30 minutes (depends on how much time I have available), AI opponents between 19-29 depending on track and race length.

Some suggestions:
-try different cars, find the one you like better and stick with it, imo that's better than changing cars all the time and it will be easier to get more consistent lap times.
-learn the tracks one by one, watch some track guides on Youtube, work on getting consistent laps one after another.
-adjust fuel load depending on race length (eg: 20 liters for a 10-minute race, 40 liters for a 20-minute race), that will affect your lap times.
-AI difficulty can vary depending on race length (in longer races I can increase AI difficulty and still have a good race, in a 10-minute race I generally lower the AI difficulty).
-in GT3/GT4 races setting AI opponents to single make can make races easier imo since different cars can perform differently depending on the track.

 

[daifuco]

I am also a slow driver (yet). I am using the AI to train both racecraft and pace and it is working really well

I think the most important thing is to set your goals realistically. I am happy to tailgate the last group and safely overtake the last one or two cars if possible.
It is quite an intense experience when you are in a pack of cars and everything has to go well.

I just wish the AI cars could shorcut turns when it is legal to do so. They stay away from kerbs too often.

 

[opmike]

I simrace offline 99.9% of the time. I first started simracing back during the Live for Speed days, and have basically played every title of note on PC since them. Again, all primarily offline against AI (this includes iRacing which has great AI, funny enough).

I think you're overthinking a lot this. Even if you're not practicing hardcore, you'll be faster (within reason) simply by driving more. You're not in a position to say where your "unpracticed plateau" is for a given sim until you've devoted some time to it. Also, every sim on the market, to include ACC, allows you to drop the AI down to a level where you can be competitive.

I never bother with campaigns or other structured single player modes in these games. I set a race weekend on the track I want with the settings I want and go. Most of the time when I'm looking to relax, I'll simply run a long practice session, treating it like a trackday, and I'll race against the AI if we happen upon each other out lapping. If it's just clear track in front of me, I work on my fundamentals, lines, and getting a feel for that car's limit behavior. A lot of the time I'll kind of end things there, and never progress to qualy or race.

Sims are basically a sandbox and you can configure whatever scenario you want. Any pressure you feel is your own making. I usually just set the AI to a difficulty of where if I'm hustling a bit, I can maintain midpack and if I'm REALLY dialed in I can fight for a top 3 or top 5 time. For me, I'm slow after all these years, so that's ~95% in most sims depending on how well I know the car and track combo. If I've spent a lot of time developing a single car and track combination, I can sometimes bump this up to 100%. It just all depends.

All the sims on the market offer a "sandbox" single player experience (including iRacing), so I can't imagine not driving one of them if you happen to like the physics and vehicle/track selection.

 

[Jean-Pierre Sarti]

Weird: I was struggling with Brands Hatch in ACC. Took the same car around Brands Hatch in AC and AMS2, and when I returned to ACC I had a much easier time. Best practice for ACC is another sim?!

I still don't think ACC's FFB is worth much, but its AI is better than AC. AMS2 AI seems to most convincing, ACC's a bit robotic but functional, and AC's AI reminds me of those old vibrating football games where all the little plastic players would end up in a clump.