newbie saying hi and some questions

[jeffong_hk]

hello all, just bought NetKar Pro today, hoping to get a few tips here to get me started.

I am wondering how do i downshift smoothly in this game. i have the driving force gt, so i don't have a clutch so i cannot heel and toe. i find it especially hard to downshift at higher rpms with the f1600 since it doesn't auto blip nor can i blip it without a clutch pedal. are there experts here to give me some tips on that? like is there an auto blip setting or something?

I also find that the wheel lock up quite easily. i was on 80% brake multiplier. are the brakes just so powerful that it locks the wheels up very easily when its at relatively low speed and that i just need to be more gentle to it? or did i not calibrate it properly?

any other useful tips would be awesome =)

 

[Bruno Ops]

Not sure about the deadzone, but by altering the linearity setting and the steering ratio setting you should be able to sort your issue.

Yeah changing that setting has helped enormously. I still sort of swivel going down long straights but it's not even a big deal I don't think. It messes me up sometimes when I brake but oh well, nothing I can do. Hopefully I'll be upgrading to a fanatec in the coming months.

 

[Steppee]

Another netkarpro newbie here (hi all). I was wondering, is there any basic "must" changes to do, before I can really enjoy this sim? I mean do I have to download a scenery pack, maybe some necessary mod. Or is it playable right out of the box?

 

[Senad Subasic]

The vanilla version is fine, no downloads needed.

 

[BullHorn]

Regarding the OP's question, with Auto Clutch on, holding down the downshift button engages the clutch untill you release the button. So when downshifting you can hold down the flappy-pedal of you wheel for half-a-second longer to let you blip the throttle.

I am also new to the game and really having trouble getting the hang of it, any pointers or a thread that has info for beginners would be really appreciated...

 

[Wally Masterson]

I am also new to the game and really having trouble getting the hang of it, any pointers or a thread that has info for beginners would be really appreciated...

Specific questions would be easier to answer.

 

[BullHorn]

Well, I come from LFS (Which I hadn't really played either since around 2007) so you could say I'm new to racing. Braking is tough because in LFS it was easy to find a good setup with brakes set to never lock even when you push the brake pedal all the way in. What can I do in nKPro to avoid locking my wheels? I use a DFP with it's notoriously horrible pedals.

Which of the nKPro cars most recommended for beginners? The F1600 and F1800 are a bit tough.

Also, are there some must-have changes to the car's setups in order to be able to control it properly? I don't really know what the hell I am doing in the setup screen.

 

[Alexander Rhodes]

Push your brake pedal all the way to the floor in a real car, see what happens. Now, remember that in a race car, brakes are much more effective, do you see what they have done? You need to learn to find the locking point in the car you are racing, then push your brake pedal up against that point, just like in real life.

The only thing I change to get a good setup is tyre pressure, I raise it a little from the default. Just be really gentle with the car for a lap, then you can start pushing as the tyres will not work very well while they are cold.

 

[Wally Masterson]

Well, I come from LFS (Which I hadn't really played either since around 2007) so you could say I'm new to racing. Braking is tough because in LFS it was easy to find a good setup with brakes set to never lock even when you push the brake pedal all the way in. What can I do in nKPro to avoid locking my wheels? I use a DFP with it's notoriously horrible pedals.

You can reduce the brake pressure % in the setup screens.

Which of the nKPro cars most recommended for beginners? The F1600 and F1800 are a bit tough.

You should persevere with those cars, as they will teach you how to drive properly, in particular corner entry and exit speeds and racing line, without the "artificial" help of downforce. Something like the F1600 is used at the Skip Barber racing schools for exactly that purpose. If open wheelers are your thing, the F2000, with it's downforce, might be easier to get a handle on.

Also, are there some must-have changes to the car's setups in order to be able to control it properly? I don't really know what the hell I am doing in the setup screen.

That depends a bit on what problems you are facing, and what car - e.g. understeer? oversteer? The default brake bias seems to be always way too far forward (for my driving, anyway). You could start by moving it a bit rearward.
As a start, you could combat understeer by softening the front - softer springs, softer ARB, and combat oversteer by softening the rear.

You can find a comprehensive setup guide here: http://www.mediafire.com/?sxouesr357ono6o

 

[BullHorn]

Push your brake pedal all the way to the floor in a real car, see what happens.

In a real car it becomes harder to push the brakes, with game pedals the resistance is always the same. Do I have to spend $3000 on a set of custom pedals or something? :|

 

[William Levesque]

200$ for Clubsports

Anyway, I have a question... I currently play the demo with the F1600 and I have no problem whatsoever, and I think I'm quite decent... (1:43's on the "sector 1" Crema test track with the default setup with adjusted brake bias and full tank of fuel)

There's one thing that bugs me though... The clutch is useless... I use it on start even if you don't need too, and when changing gears you don't need it either... And I don't feel like there's any penalties for not using it either !

 

[BullHorn]

I looked up those Fanatec $200US pedals, they look hella sweet. My almost ugpraded my old DFP to a G27 but if Fanatec can ship me a wheel and pedals for under $150US (I live under a rock...), I'll buy it.