F1 2011 Assists - Handicap system?

[Chris Rees]

I was playing in a league race last night on race pro and one of our members was talking about F12011 and getting really excited by it. I was concentrating on driving so wasnt really listening to what he was saying but i did hear something quite interesting.

I heard him mention a handicap system for players using assists. In 2010 it was very apparent that using all assist was a massive advantage so i have heard that they have implemented a system where if you run assists you have a weight penalty. Can anyone confirm if this is true?

Top marks to codemasters if this is a fact heh.

 

[Wynterdust]

It's only traction control and abs that get small weight penalties for use after rank 10. I heard someone say gears as well but I'm sure it's only abs and traction control.

 

[Mark Ryan]

The only problem i had/ have with F1 2010 is the traction control. Firstly there is no feedback whatsoever in the ffb to let you know you are breaking traction i just cant feel the car and also there is that magic spin spot that seems to appear on each track for certain corners. In saying that I have still drove without tc and i have learned to cope with it or without it if you will.

I understand the people that use Pads have difficulty without TC. Well thats there problem buy a wheel,, if ye cant afford a wheel fair enough but dont expect to race with guys without TC without having an advantage cos no matter what ye say that advantage is huge

 

[Chris Rees]

I think people are over reacting, these weight penaties are only going to slow you down by a very small amount (would imagine we are talking tenths)

The problem occurs simply because in 2010 assists are way to much of an ADVANTAGE. Im not slow at F12010 and I dont use assists but am constantly having to rape my car just to keep up with the quick assist players. This meant that i make more mistakes where as the assist guys were just able to push 100% every lap without having to deal with any consequences. I sometimes follow these guys and they are all over the show and running wide over grass and rumble strips but somehow not losing anytime. Assists definataly need to be tamed down.

 

[David O'Reilly]

I agree with Cris above:
I guess that ppl keep asking for the game to be more realistic and less arcade. You can't do that and have massive assists that let you go faster than ppl playing w/out.
I've just done a 19 race season where assists were allowed and so you simply had to use them as to not do so made you uncompetitive. There was no choice, either have an immersive (unassisted) experience and get beaten or turn on the assists and have less realism but be able to compete.
I can't wait for next season where we will have no assists at all in our league.
Getting back to the debate, we won't know for sure till we all play the game but it seems that there will be guys with pads playing with assists and guys with wheels playing without.
It does seem that a wheel will be necessary to get the best out of the game. That in my view is not a sin for a proper F1 game.
I paid £15.00 for my wheel on Ebay (Madcatz MC2) and have had 250 hours out of it.
Argos have an Xbox wheel for £29.

 

[Rich Maskell]

any assists on and the car has an automatic pink livery with barbie and my little pony stickers plastered all over it.

I'd quite happily drive a pink F1 car with my little pony stickers all over it, if it means I will enjoy the game more.

I've only been playing F1 games for 2 months. Some people have been playing thenm and therefore, driving around these tracks for 10 years!

 

[David O'Reilly]

Rich Its my view that your situation is exactly what assists are about. Coming to grips with the game/tracks etc.
I used them all when i got the game in April. Career S1 all on, S2 Dropped ABS/TCS, S3 Dropped racing line, S5 dropped auto box, S6 Turned on Fuel sim, pit limiter and box.
In my opinion the assists are an important aid learning and coming up to speed and I for one leaned heavily on them.
The problem with 2010 was that they could be used for competitive advantage in multiplayer which was not helpful.
It encouraged ppl to leave them on forever type of thing (ok I accept a pad is hard with no TCS).
So now it means that if you want to be mega fast in multiplayer you have to drop them.

 

[Gavin Hendley]

I welcome the news, it's only fair there is an equal playing field between drivers on assist and non assist settings.... other wise it's just not fair game FACT!

 

[Rich Maskell]

The problem with 2010 was that they could be used for competitive advantage in multiplayer which was not helpful.
It encouraged ppl to leave them on forever type of thing (ok I accept a pad is hard with no TCS).
So now it means that if you want to be mega fast in multiplayer you have to drop them.

Why is it an unfair advantage when you can setup a session yourself which stipulates that no assists are allowed?

 

[Vex009]

If a game allows the blatant option to have an assist on or off, I don't see it as cheating. As being available as such it's an intentional feature. No one had to push a meticulous sequence of buttons and directional movements to unlock a hidden exploit - that, I would say, is cheating. It's like calling a player a cheat for picking the RB7 while you had already chosen the FW33. Taking an available option isn't cheating.

One can talk realism all they want but at the end of the day its a game, that needs to reach a wide audience to make money and gain the success to keep the rights. That means compromise. You're not stuffed in a cockpit, enduring upwards of 90 degrees heat, sweat pouring off you by the lap, having your chest and neck suffer upwards of 5Gs for around 50-60 laps, upwards of 15 times a lap. You're in your home, on a comfy little seat with a soda at arms reach playing on a plastic wheel/pad.

I heard that auto-gears won't be penalized and with the improved handling model, perhaps pad users will have an easier time controlling the throttle and braking without the use of TC or ABS. I think TC and ABS will be the only assist to have weight penalties, although I have heard that they may drop the rating limit in when it comes into effect. But the idea is to still be competitive, yet not dominating/invincible, compared to those who don't use assists, like it was in F12010. So, I don't think pad users and assists users should be worried about not being able to play competitively with those who choose not to use assists.

 

[Chris Rees]

Why is it an unfair advantage when you can setup a session yourself which stipulates that no assists are allowed?

Have you tried finding a banned assist room on Xbox? They dont exist. This means i have to bite the bullet and race with people that have less skill but can beat me.

I still think everybody is missing the point though. Assists in 2010 was an advantage. They just need to be tamed. If they are going to allow TCS in the game then have it implemented so that it is ONLY an aid to help you get on the power but does not allow for a racer to be all over the show applying throttle on grass and curbs without spinning.

If people think that the TCS in F12010 is realistic then they are very disillusioned. It shouldnt be a fail safe mechanism to stop you from spinning out.

 

[Paul Lock]

Have you tried finding a banned assist room on Xbox? They dont exist. This means i have to bite the bullet and race with people that have less skill but can beat me.

I still think everybody is missing the point though. Assists in 2010 was an advantage. They just need to be tamed. If they are going to allow TCS in the game then have it implemented so that it is ONLY an aid to help you get on the power but does not allow for a racer to be all over the show applying throttle on grass and curbs without spinning.

If people think that the TCS in F12010 is realistic then they are very disillusioned. It shouldnt be a fail safe mechanism to stop you from spinning out.

Exactly! I dont see how folks who play 2010 on any platform with ABS and TC can complain about it not being advantageous - if its not, then turn it off. Oh, you cant keep from locking up or spinning out with it off - then its an advantage isnt it! They are called 'assists' afterall.

If a slight bit of additional weight levels this playing field, so assisted and unassisted people can race on a level playing field, I really dont see what anyone has to complain about - I would rather be racing people, than leading a race with no company because I can brake later and accelerate quicker just by burying the relevant pedal.

I dont give a plop whether someone is using auto gears - each to their own, and to me, racing line, well, once you have done like 10 laps of a track you should have a pretty good idea where the racing line is, and then you can hone your braking points through practice, just like a real driver would have to do.

 

[David O'Reilly]

Why is it an unfair advantage when you can setup a session yourself which stipulates that no assists are allowed?

Thats exactly what we do at the Pro Am Rich.
Over 4 months we have gradually got enough people to drive w/out assists.
But it would be nicer/more constructive if they were encouraged by the game to do it, rather than be faster with assists.
TCS/ABS werer faster and easier so many ppl just kept them on. Meaning it was hard to set up no assist leagues.
Who used the word Unfair by the way?

I agree with the post above. It will be far better to have a more level playing field and not one where people with assists are faster than drivers who have practiced and developed the skills to turn them off.
You just can't expect to turn on these driver aids and have it be a skill substitute that will make you faster than a good full sim driver.

 

[Bobby Englehart]

ive made sessions with banned assists and no one joins. well occasionally a person will enter and leave right away. im using the ps3 controller. its really not that hard with no assists. but today i thought id put the tc on med online and i didnt like it, you cant get off the line near as fast. you can still be half throttle for most turns. i was full throttle for turns two and three in spain, as well as turns 8 and 9 in belgium, and ascari. it was too easy. when i mess up or someone messes me up i want to be able to burn rubber in a fit and whip the car around instead of having to turn around.

 

[Wynterdust]

I think really it depends on the scenario if it's a good or bad thing. If there's a good player for example not using assists and there's a not quite so good player using assists but the not quite so good player is winning because of it, then yes weight penalties should be given. But if the non assists user is faster than the non assists user then it's not really far they get slowed down further for using assists. Depends how you look it really, can't really judge for certain until we all play it.