STCC cars discussion

[Jarrod Keen]

Hey guys. I'm getting ready to buy the expansion pack Stcc and wanted to get a heads up on the new cars in the STCC class and their pros and cons. I know the WTCC class pretty well and drive the Seat pretty competitively.... Do these 2 classes race against each other?

What are the new cars that come with stcc? I know the Audi A4 is in there. Is it a good competitor?

If this has been discussed at length before, please provide a link. I did use the search feature and didn't find a discussion on the STCC cars. Thanks.

 

[Rhys Gardiner]

TBH Warren, I find the S60 almost dangerous. One only needs to take a look at a long-ago event at Ahvenisto, when I decided to use it. If you saw me, especially in the 2nd race, I was sliding all over the joint. It was a harrowing experience for me, and I swore not to drive it in a club event for a looong time... :bulgy-eyes:

 

[Rob Every]

I have never understodd why people buy a game like this and only use one car.

I guess it's because htey feel familiar in thatc ar and have tailored a setup that feels just so for them in that car.

For me though, that ruins the game and I feel you might aswell just download the other cars as skins to race against!

I love all the STCC cars, the Volvo's are fun, the S60 can be tamed, you just ahve to be patient, I ahev won plenty of races in an A4 round STCC tracks otehr than Knutsdopr which I hate.

And eve the Peugeot is fine, though the viewing position is a little too unadjustable.

The only cars I cant get on with in the entire game are the Beemers, never been abel to get near fwd times in these aart from on the odd track like Pau, Vara and Macau, traction on street tracks must be why.

I never use SEAT either!! And win plenty of races on publics.

 

[Warren Dawes]

I have never understodd why people buy a game like this and only use one car.

I honestly think it is because people are so focused on getting the best result and therefore not willing to take a risk. "I know this car and will be faster, so I'll stick with what I know, so that I get the best result". Or they give a car a quick try, find it not as fast as their regular car and quickly go for the safety of the regular one.

My approach is different because I enjoy learning new cars, and to hell with how fast I am. After all, it's only a "friendly" club race, no prizes for winning.
So I usually pick a car for a race, commit to it, and this forces me to learn to drive it. Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised by actually doing ok, sometimes I'm pretty slow. Sometimes my opinion of a car changes eg. Volvo S60, I found it very slippery in the tail but perservered with setup and driving style, and could get reasonable times out of it. I then grew to like it a lot, after hating it at first. I had similar experience with the BMS which I considered the ultimate challenge. Couldn't drive it for nuts at first, then after perservering and getting help from Keith on setup, I really enjoyed driving it. Only by forcing myself to use these cars in an on-line race, did I finally get to learn about them.
For me, I get more satisfaction from finishing 12th in a E46 than 3rd in a Seat or Volvo C30. I guess I'm different though, but I feel like I'm getting more out of the game. The same familiar car, week after week, even with better race results, would bore the hell out of me.

Oh well, to each his own.

EDIT: Oh how I miss our old FD Series events where everyone was forced to drive a different car each week. :rose-dead:

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

I honestly think it is because people are so focused on getting the best result and therefore not willing to take a risk.

I am mostly sticking to one car too for casual racing: the E46 BMW, for the same reason i am sticking to my Abarth in GT Legends as well: i like the cars and it gives me the most satisfaction racing them online and it has nothing to do with being fast in it, on the contrary i would say with the two examples above

That doesnt mean i never touch anything else: drive the Honda in a league for example, but that would never be my first choice.

Everybody should drive the car they like when the choice is free.

 

[James Yates]

TBH Warren, I find the S60 almost dangerous. One only needs to take a look at a long-ago event at Ahvenisto, when I decided to use it. If you saw me, especially in the 2nd race, I was sliding all over the joint. It was a harrowing experience for me, and I swore not to drive it in a club event for a looong time... :bulgy-eyes:

Needs a few setup tweaks to make it nice to drive - try my nurburgring setup for it, its on the online servers ingame. Other thing is, don't lift off fully or it will slide a bit, even in the slower corners - if you balance this sliding though you can be very quick.

 

[Keith Barrick]

EDIT: Oh how I miss our old FD Series events where everyone was forced to drive a different car each week. :rose-dead:

Warren, perhaps for the friday events we could adopt one of Simon's ideas for the EU S2000 races. At one time you were not allowed to use the same car in those events. We could make it for a 2 month period, and simply create a table with each driver and each car. Mark of cars as they are used, then after the 2 months reset the table.

I love trying different cars. I ran the Puegot 407 at Limerock, and the car was a DREAM! However on shorter tighter tracks I struggle with it. Each car has the potential, its just achieving the potential that is in the car. BUT, when you have reached it, you become a better driver/tuner for that.

What do you think Warren?

 

[Glenn Petersen]

Warren, perhaps for the friday events we could adopt one of Simon's ideas for the EU S2000 races. At one time you were not allowed to use the same car in those events. We could make it for a 2 month period, and simply create a table with each driver and each car. Mark of cars as they are used, then after the 2 months reset the table.

I'm up for this. All the cars are still new to me so this force me to work with a new car and race with it each time. What better way to gain experience? However we decide, though, I'm there! Except, ahem, next Friday. :disapointed:

 

[Warren Dawes]

Warren, perhaps for the friday events we could adopt one of Simon's ideas for the EU S2000 races. At one time you were not allowed to use the same car in those events. We could make it for a 2 month period, and simply create a table with each driver and each car. Mark of cars as they are used, then after the 2 months reset the table. ................
What do you think Warren?

That is also basically what we did with the FD series, and I liked it.
However, it is something that may not appeal to everyone.

 

[Jarrod Keen]

Okay, I'll defend the contingent of drivers that take one make of car and stick with it. I am not dead set on this idea but I can tell you that for me to be super competitive, I've gotta know my car well. My talent level is probably a good bit lower than most other guys on the track and so It really takes me a lot of time with a car to really "know" it.

I think it really comes down to what gets your juices flowing. For me its a few things....

1. Competition. I love competition and love being competitive near the top.
2. Strategy. I also love the strategy of racing and most especially when there's an event with a class that has multiple makes of cars.... then you must know your car's limitations, your opponent's cars limitations as well as knowing your opponent and his personal limitations.

Again, not close minded to changing cars but I can understand why someone would stick to what they know... .it's because doing so has allowed them to learn a certain car well enough to be running up front and actually feeling that simulation feeling of being in real competition and all that goes with it.

Fun stuff!!!

 

[Rob Every]

OK then well some interesting points about this.

It really deosnt matter what I use that is fwd I will be top 6 just about anywhere but Monza (hate the place nevr run there,) Istanbul (cant dial in there) and Imola.

Be it 407, Accord, Toledo, Lacetti, I am on the ball fwd.

In 3 series I will be top ten and probably have a spin in races, just cant race these for love nor money apart from on a few tracks.

GT cars teh same, never use DB9 and find Viper hard work, but owt else am fine

Only mod I dont get on with is F3000, but thats coz there are too many freaks playing it who dont do anything else

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

I think that idea of using a car that you don't particulary like just enhances the experience. You curse and swear, it's nothing like your favorite racemissile but after a few days you go back to your own sweetheart.. and you see that the "mistress" had some tricks that my old lady just won't do.. Okay, a bit off topic example but that was my two cents.

Just put a car that won't suit to a a particular track together and we all learn something..

 

[Jarrod Keen]

I like you're analogy Kennett.... So now when I jump in a honda, I'm going to feel like I'm cheating on my A4!!!!!

 

[Keith Barrick]

I had a crazy idea, what about random car selection for each driver?

The idea is this, give each car from WTCC 06/07 and STCC a number, and run a random number generator for each driver that is signed up. This way you will be using a completely random vehicle each race.

Then for late sign ups, or last minute sign ups, make a "Late signup vehicle" which uses the same principle of using the random number generator to choose the car that any late signups will have to use.

Any thoughts?

 

[Warren Dawes]

I had a crazy idea, what about random car selection for each driver?

The idea is this, give each car from WTCC 06/07 and STCC a number, and run a random number generator for each driver that is signed up. This way you will be using a completely random vehicle each race.

Then for late sign ups, or last minute sign ups, make a "Late signup vehicle" which uses the same principle of using the random number generator to choose the car that any late signups will have to use.

Any thoughts?

Interesting idea and could be fun. But:
I think it is important that if people are to try cars they are not used to, they might need some time to practice with it and get the feel for it's handling etc. Also give them time to work out a setup to suit themselves, as each car can change a lot if you adjust the default setup.
So I'd like to see people getting a few days notice of which car they drive. Otherwise, you may get some of the situations described earlier, where people hate the new car, but that may be simply due to the fact that they haven't spent a little time with it.
You could still maybe do the random car selection thing but advise the driver that this will be their car for their next race. Dunno, I just don't want to see people giving up on a car because they hadn't spent a bit of time getting used to it. Sometimes the new car can grow on you after you get familiar with it.

Alternatively, just ask people to run a different car each week and let them decide. As per the old FD series.

Whatever, I'll go with the flow.

 

[Jarrod Keen]

Don't want to get too carried away with "new" car idea here. If you want to encourage variety.... pick a month and say that you can't drive the same care twice during next 4 events. That way they can prepare and create setups ahead of time which will help create better driving and better more competitive races.

 

[Rob Every]

I just dont get this

Doesnt matter what car I drive I can set similar laptimes!! Only car I cant get on with is rwd cars like BMW.

All fwd are pretty much on a par, but then I ahve never kept to a brand since I started playing years ago so perhaps that is why I dont feel the difference too much.

 

[Jarrod Keen]

So which car should perform the best at Goldenport? Could be the little Volvo? I find the Audi quite tame here.

 

[Michael Herrmann]

what Warren said, we did that back in the glory FD series, there was list where you had all cars listed and you could not use any car twice
befor you not had driven all others i wish we could have that series back
without the help i got there i never would have won one single race

 

[Jarrod Keen]

What's the scoop on the PUG? Anybody know much about the 308? What are her pros and cons? Thinking of driving it tonight.

 

[Rhys Gardiner]

From my first post in this thread:

The Peugeot 308 is kinda similar in behaviour to the C30, but the steering is lighter and it has more of a tendency towards oversteer.

I forgot to add that the steering feel is more "elastic". :wink2: