Ok then I admit, I went alittle overboard with my first post. Ghosts can be fun and are a GREAT learning tool at the same time, BUT, make there be a sort of ghost file that the driver has to send, just like how it would be if I wanted to send you my setup, or my telemetry data from a specific lap, etc etc. Please dont allow servers and/or any other driver to just automatically be able to extract any guys lap. Again, they can be very fun, especially for when a couple of your friends who arent used to sims come over they can each slug it out with one anothers ghosts', online ghost competitions, sending eachother ghosts online for fun etc, and a great learning tool as well like sending them to your teammate, a friend, doing a slower but proper lap to show a beginner proper lines and braking/throttle areas, then doing a slightly faster lap and so on and so on to really get the guy up to speed, etc etc. (racing lines and them changing colour when to brake accel, etc really helps beginners aswell). As long as its up to us if we want to share our ghost, and up to us with who we would like to share it with, just like our setups and our telemetry data (if using it). Then sure, having ghosts isnt a bad feature
For the most part, a slower driver isn't going to be seeing a faster drivers ghost for very long until he can get himself up to about the same speed as the faster one. For this reason, ghosts can be about useless to anyone that isn't in the same ball park performance wise. A replay on the other hand allows a slower driver to analyze the faster drivers line, brake points etc and replay them over and over to get them into their heads. Even with ghosts and replays there is still the setup that isn't there, so pushing the same limit is going to be much different for the guy trying to follow the ghost unless he has been given the same setup as well. Even then, everyone needs to adjust setups to their needs, so having the same setup might result in a fairly large gap between the 2 drivers. The question comes to mind does the driver doing the learning want to duplicate the way the other drives to the point of changing all of their driving habits, or do they just want to improve their lap times? The best way to do this is practice, practice, practice. Learn where the best line is and learn how to hit that line exactly the same every lap for half an hour or more and your times will fall.
If you think they are the same then we're on 2 totally different levels when it comes to understanding just how valuable and informative a ghost lap can be to someone.
I think analysing replay (2 merged replays) and comparing both cars track is even more valuable than chasing ghost car. Finally, technically ghost-car is nothing more or less than part of replay. If ghost cars has been enabled, somebody will write converter from extracted part of replay into ghost. It's only question of time. It means you may start to really afraid about your laps
Not sure about anyone else, but I would think that sharing ghost files would be something that everyone would want to do. This would allow for closer racing and more competition. The only reason I can see not to is if you are afraid that someone else is going to be able to beat you based on your ghost. I prefer the closer racing and the good fights for position, as this will show who is more consistent with their driving and who can handle the car better in a crowd. It would be a very boring race if you started off on pole, and ran away from the crowd with no competition for the entire race.
Im not sure I understand what you mean. If I start from pole and am destroying everybody behind me by full seconds a lap, then im obviosuly playing with much slower people and should find quicker people to race against. Thats what happens in racing, or any sport, if you are better you usually win, unless unforseen circumstances intervene. There will always be closer racing and good fights, unless you are racing against guys wayyyy slower or wayyy faster than you. Just like in any game, or sport, or pretty much anything in life, with similiar skill levels there will be a good close battle.
Hate to break it to you, but getting out on the track with other racers is the best thing you can do to improve your laptime. Not sure how a ghost car is any different. Also not sure about the internet obsession with childishness. How is it a childish feature? If you really wanted to get into childishness passing judgements and playing computer games could pass.
I'm looking forward for ghost cars myself. Gives me something to play with while I'm waiting for people to join the server. Think of long tracks like Spa where you could drive for 15 minutes without seeing another car. In the future there could be point to point rally stages where racing a ghost would be cool too. here---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBEmg7a3Y8Q&feature=relmfu (skip to 32mins) Looking good Gjon
My point Spinelli was that a lot of us have no issues with helping those that are not as fast as ourselves in the hopes that they will one day provide more competition in the races. I am the first to admit I am no world class race car driver, but I hold my own against those I race with. Do I have something to learn, sure, do I have something to teach, absolutely. If everyone helped out the ones that were not as fast, we could improve our "sport" by leaps and bounds and have a lot more close racing with the added benefit that we wouldn't have to go looking for better racing, we would be creating it right where we are at.
every1 to there own::::: i believe using a ghost car can show me where im going wrong in certain places on track and where im slow also i do think it makes you become a more consistent in times. IMHO
What are you saying? lol How does talking about people playing or competing against other people with similiar skill levels, have anything to do with loving yourself? What are you saying man lol Read the entire thread, dont just jump in the middle of a convo and start critisizing people when you dont even know whats going on. Helping people that are slower, beginners etc etc thats awesome. I was just saying I hope people cant just automatically rip your ghost from you at will without you having any choice over it, if im in a competitive league for money, or prizes, or just with a really good competive fun league and say Im battling with a couple guys and were really close, and im struggling to find that last tenth or 2 or 3 from the next guy. Well I dont want to be able to just rip his ghost off him without his permission and then just go drive around against his ghost all day until I perfect how he approaches every corner with regards to line, braking, turn in, apex, post turn in but pre apex, does he use alot of rotation mid corner, how does he rotate it mid corner, I can keep going on and on about the complex nature of taking a single corner, let alone an entire lap. Just like I dont want to be able to do that to someone, I wouldnt want someone to be able to do that to me either. (Of course if we agree then thats really cool, Im talking about without your permission). Watching a replay is totally different then racing in real time with the ghost, way different. To have the option to choose to give your ghost lap out, just like how our setups and our telemetry (if using it) can be sent to others by our choice, and not at will from any other player or server, then ya, it would be a really cool feature. As I said in my other posts, ghost cars can be very fun, and they are a super great learning tool.
OK, Point made Spinelli. Now I understand where you are coming from and I agree when in a league or event where points or prizes/cash is involved. Sorry to make you go through all that just to make your point
It's a valid point. Simply, make ghosts work in the same way as sharing a setup. It's disabled by default until the driver makes the choice to hit the button and export/share it.
IMO it is not correct. You cannot use it to improve your car or your driving style. But you may observe oponent's car. And replays are freely available for sessions you compete in. Ghosts are like replays.
FWIW - When GT5 holds their Nissan academy competition the top ten or twenty lap times (can't remember) allow for anyone to download their ghost lap. No choice, it just automatically puts it out there. No one ever complained about this that I recall and seems reasonable enough. Prizes are involved too. The rf-rank site should do the same IMO.
That's a competion, part of that competition is beating other peoples ghost times, one of the rules in that competition is the freely available ghosts. Other competitions or “modes“ in other games have the same or similiar things aswell, nothing wrong with that. Ok Maxym you are right. Hey everybody, ghost cars cannot help you improve your driving style or car. We are all delusional in thinking that a ghost car is any more helpful than watching a simple replay of somebody. I have no idea how you would even come to that conclusion, but as you said, its your opinion, and I will respect it but definetely not agree with it. Also, Gearjammer and F1Fan07 are not wrong, it is there opinion to agree with me in the option of sending people there ghost file just like you have the option to send people your setup or telemetry data, you can even argue that a ghost car IS a form of telemetry data. That is our opinion, we are neither right nor wrong.
