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Ai rating system
(*) = A very uncompetitive, pointless, or boring race/event.
(**) = Typically, a
2-star race is one in which the five Ai vehicles follow each other like robots, with no passing and few moments of true
drama.
(***) = An average GT4 event. A 3-star race often has some unpredictability & drama. Reset race for a mixture
of good opponents and maximum playability.
(****) = A 4-star race is the best GT4 has to offer. Lots of interplay between you and the Ai. Multiple lead changes,
mid-race dueling and pumped adrenaline guaranteed. You may still need to reset the starting grid to find such a race, though.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Japan Championship
rating: **½
Cars that Handle Well
Fuji 90's: ````7.70 (2,650)
Tsukuba: ````8.75 (2,650)
Tokyo Rt 246: 9.17 (2,650)
Twin Ring: ````8.01 (2,650)
Suzuka: ````````7.53 (2,650)
Cars that Handle Poorly
Fuji 90's: ````7.90 (2,750)
/// 9.25 (3,450)
Tsukuba: ````7.90 (2,750) /// 10.52 (3,450)
Tokyo Rt 246: 6.99 (2,750) /// 8.89 (3,450)
Twin Ring: ```` 6.70 (2,750) /// 8.89 (3,450)
Suzuka ```````` 6.25 (2,750) /// 8.50 (3,450)
Notice that I have divided these ratios into 2 groups: cars that handle well and those that handle poorly.
If you find yourself braking into corners and then being able to immediately jump on the gas with little or no drama, you've
got a good-handling car. But if your lap times are hurt by understeer, fishtailing, butcher-block aerodynamics, needing to
brake excessively, etc., then your car is one that handles poorly. Poor-handling cars include some older models, front-drives,
and some all-wheel drives as well.
In these, the '02 Honda NSX Type R is the one to watch for, along with a '97 NSX type S
zero. These 2 demons usually get ahead of the rest of the Ai--and it's possible to have both NSXs on the grid, which
is fun.
In some cases there is a secondary car that keeps up; usually the '02 Mazda RX-7 spirit R type A.
I've also seen one of the Impreza STi's keep pace, but much less frequently. Skylines can seldom win...perhaps one race out
of 50. So try and get the dual NSX team along with an RX-7 and/or Skyline to show up cuz sometimes the RX-7 can out-gun the
NSX (especially at curvy tracks) and occasionally a Skyline will beat them all.
In any case, pay attention the the race grid you start with. This is a series of events in sore need of
some drama. :-/
Even though the sim cars pack about 400 horses, we don't have to. This has the benefit of being cost-effective since
many Japanese cars won't need much more than a stage 1 turbo & accessories. In fact, in some races my '99 Impreza WRX
STi sedan was running stock power (290 hp). Yup. That is how got the middle-weight class ratio for better-handling cars (2,650
pounds).
--Drive hard. You may out-qualify the Ai by several seconds but in some races (10 laps at Tsukuba,
for instance) the sim cars put their best laps in towards the end and they may catch you! By the time we're at Twin
Ring Motegi and Suzuka, the Ai seem absolutely determined to put you behind in the points war!
• S2 sport tires with semi-racing suspension seems to be the way to go. Many will need
close gears and/or full-custom gears. Racing brake package and an assortment of drivetrain
parts may be needed. too.
• If you've got a rear-drive or all-wheel drive car and no NSXs or RX-7s are in the
grid, remove 30 to 40 horsepower. Try to make it so that the grid is one containing Impreza STi(s), Lancer
Evo(s), the Infiniti G35, and/or Mazda RX-8. The all-wheel drive cars and rear-drive cars battle it out at times with such
a grid.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
All Japan GT Championship
rating: ***
Production Cars with GT Auto Wing kit
with qualifying:
Tokyo Route 246 (5 laps)
6.74 (2,900)
Suzuka
East (12 laps)
7.00 (2,900)
Seoul Central (10 laps)
7.09 (2,900)
Fuji
Speedway '90s (6 laps)
7.53 (2,900)
Twin Ring Motegi--Super Speedway (12 laps)
6.25
(2,900)
Laguna Seca (7 laps)
7.99 (2,900)
Hong Kong (9 laps)
7.69
(2,900)
Twin Ring Motegi--Full Course (6 laps)
7.28 (2,900)
Fuji
Speedway 2005 GT (6 laps)
7.28 (2,900)
Suzuka Circuit (5 laps)
7.28 (2,900)
without qualifying:
Tokyo Route 246 (5 laps)
5.86 (2,900)
Suzuka
East (12 laps)
6.74 (2,900)
Seoul Central (10 laps)
6.88 (2,900)
Fuji
Speedway '90s (6 laps)
7.29 (2,900)
Twin Ring Motegi--Super Speedway (12 laps)
6.08
(2,900)
Laguna Seca (7 laps)
7.17 (2,900)
Hong Kong (9 laps)
6.97 (2,900)
Twin
Ring Motegi--Road Course (6 laps)
6.71 (2,900)
Fuji Speedway 2005 GT (6 laps)
6.82
(2,900)
Suzuka Circuit (5 laps)
6.44 (2,900)
*The
ratios above assume Supras, NSXes, and some GTRs are present, but the Nissan Motul Pitwork Z and Xavani Skyline GTRs
(both '01 and '03) are not.
There are two ways to race the AJGT: qualify
or don't qualify (i.e., start in 6th place). It's possible to run production models with a wing kit, or
use full racing cars in these events. It all depends which Ai show up, and which type of car you've brought to the competition.
I've currently arragned two sets of ratios as seen above.
Some of the JGTCs in these events are jackrabbits.
If you can find a line-up in which these jackrabbits start in 4th or 5th, you might want to NOT qualify, to enjoy a more
intense racing experience where two or more cars wind up competing on the front lines. Or you can do races that don't
include jackrabbit cars, for which qualifyng is okay.
Description
It's ironic that in the
"All Japan" GT Championship, I finally found a place to competitively race my winged Viper GTS. :) These events are very
intense at some tracks. After that first race at Route 246, I was worn out! Collapsed back in my chair with a win of
just -0.036 seconds!
Ignore the name of this series; it is not "All Japan". In fact, it is possible to enter
European, American, and Australian cars here, which adds variety and makes things not so one-sided. The Ai is strictly Japanese,
however. What we've got as Ai are the same batch of JGTC cars we've seen so much of in GT2, GT3, and some GT4 enduros. Raybrig
NSX, Castrol Supra, Calsonic Skyline, etc...
Do some research before you enter a production-type
car. Some races require extreme endurance, despite the fact that none of them is over 12 laps. A
good way to test your car is to do 12 laps at Suzuka East. If it can last all 12 laps on R2 (hard racing) slicks
without those tires turning red, you've got a winner. It is possible to enter a car on R1 tires, too, for these
events, but more power will be needed than I've suggested. For convenience sake, I just do these
races on R2 and R3 racing slicks, since the Ai is all running on R3s.
These are very predictable events (in a good
way) because some of the same battles we fought before in GT2 and GT3 can be relived. Another nice touch? It seems as
if a different team of programmers worked on the AJGT, because the Ai definately isn't as punt-happy as it is in many other
events. It's rare (and usually my fault) if a sim car bangs into me. Fuji Speedway is the one exception to this
rule. All a sudden, they start getting very agro, as if they've been holding back their anger 'til now. Thankfully, they cool
off after this.
The main thing that ruins these races are the jackrabbits, of which there are several. From fastest
to slowest, we have the Nissan Motul Pitwork Z, 2003 Xanavi Nismo GT-R, and 2001 Xavani Nissan GT-R. These
are the ones I've identified so far as jackrabbits. If you include any one (or all) of these rabbits, put them behind the
others. Personally, I don't include any of these, as I like a bit of mystery as to who I'll be competing against.
Tip:
In each race, the starting grid will be exactly the same if you don't qualify, which means it's possible to save your game
without the grid shuffling. But you'll still be knocked back to 6th place if you qualify, and then try to save.
The
Ai NSX has advantages in endurance races like the Grand Valley 300KM, but a disadvantage in some of these sprints,
since its mid-engine layout means its front tires haven't got so much weight over them (when compared to front-engine
Supras, Nissans and Nismos), and this means some of these races aren't long enough for the NSX's front tires
to reach optimum temperature as quickly. This is not a set in stone rule, though! At corner-heavy Suzuka and Lagnua
Seca, for instance, the NSX stands a better chance, especially if it gets an early lead and remains somewhat ahead of
the pack for 4 or 5 laps. It can make a good showing at some other tracks, too. I won't spoil, though.
>You'll
need medium racing tires (R3) or racing hard tires (R2), full-custom suspension, fully modified brakes,
and in cars you bought from the dealer that weren't already race-modified, you may need a wing kit.
Full weight reductions, too, in most cases.
>Heavier winged, production or concept cars will need
R2 tires at corner-heavy tracks (Suzuka--both versions, Laguna Seca, and maybe Hong Kong) since there are no pitstops
taken by the Ai, but generally you should be using R3s as much as you can. Do test-qualifying before each race to determine
what tires you'll need. If you want to start in 6th place, make sure you save your game first.
>Limited
slip (fixed or full-modifyable), close, super-close or full-custom gearing might be needed
by some cars at some tracks, along with an assortment of drivetrain parts.
> If you've brought a used model to
the AJGT, you might also want to consider a chassis refresh for those cars that need them. A rollcage
is highly optional, and will make some cars handle worse than they did originally.
> Don't forget to do
regular maintenance on your vehicle in between races. Some of these are long enough to start the degrade of power
for certain cars.
* An '03 BMW M3 CSL, '03 Nissan 350Z and '99 Dodge Viper GTS were used for
middleweight (2,900 pound) category.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Japanese '70s Classics
rating: *
Fuji 80's & Autumn. Ring
14.16 (1,700) = 120 hp 19.01 (2,700)
= 142 hp
Tsukuba Circuit & Motorland II
15.18 (1,700) = 112 hp 20.00 (2,700) = 135
hp Trial Mountain 16.83 (1,700) = 101 hp 21.95 (2,700)
= 123 hp
Description
In the early '70s, Japan's sportiest models had puny engines typically
no larger than 3 liters; yet were trying to mimic the look of American muscle or European sports cars. Hence, the '70s classics
are full of cars low on power but high on personality.
It seems the "classics" in this race are bone-stock so far as power goes, which means it's possible to buy a cheapie
from the Historic Lot, then do some racing with just a few credits spent.
Unfortunately, prize money is low at $2,000 apiece for a first-place win. PD neglected to power up slower machines
so instead of a close 6-way match, the Nissan Skylines and Nissan Z cars get far ahead of the Celicas, Civics,
and Colts, and everyone else...Nissans basically blow everyone else away. Which really sucks in my opinionated
opinion. This repetition of Ai behavior and near-complete lack of tension in these events baffles me.
To
create some extra drama, try and get as many Skylines and Zs to show up for a moderately exciting race.
If these cars don't show up, you'll need to remove an extraordinary amount of power if you're playing fair. This applies to
all tracks except Motorland, where some weaker cars can wind up putting up a good, strong fight, assuming the better Nissans
aren't started on or near pole position.
• Use a sports suspension with S2 (medium sports).
In some cases, you may get to the point that you'll need to limit your ride even more: equipping a stock suspension, drivetrain,
crappier tires, etc.
• Since the cars you'll be racing are mostly front or rear-drive lightweights, a 1-way or 1.5-way
differential is also recommended if you want to eliminate wheelspin, yet keep that lightweight agility. Some
cars won't need these parts, though.
• Some models may also need close-ratio gearboxes at Autumn
Ring, Tsukuba, and Motorland. And others with short gearing will need a full-custom gearbox at Fuji.
Cars
used: '72 Mitsubishi Mirage (1,700 pounds) '78 Nissan 280Z and '79 Nissan Bluebird (2,700
pounds)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Japanese
'80s Festival
Rating: ****
El Capitan:
14.49 (1,800) = 124 hp
15.61 (2,600) = 168 hp/ 16.95 (3,000)
= 177 hp
SS Route 5 II:
9.98 (1,800) = 180 hp
13.96 (2,600) =
187 hp 15.00 (3,000) = 200 hp
Tsukuba Circuit:
11.37 (1,800) = 176 hp
12.68
(2,600) = 207 hp 14.36 (3,000) = 212 hp
Apricot Hill II & Suzuka Circuit
9.45
(1,800) = 190 hp
12.32 (2,600) = 211 hp 13.33 (3,000) = 225 hp
The
ratios above were calculated for rear-drive cars when faster Ai like the MR2 and Trueno are present (see description
text below). Add 10 to 15 horses to front-drive cars if these guys show up. This FWD hp bonus is for extreme
cases only, so use it only when you absolutely need it to keep up..
Does anyone else feel weird that that Fuji
80's is absent from the list of above tracks? :-)
Description:
Time to get out those skinny ties and
crank up the Depressed Mode! We're going back to the '80s!!!
Usually, either of the '86 Toyota MR2s (G-limited SC or 1600 G) will dominate. At
tracks with standing-starts (El Capitan, Apricot Hill, and Suzuka) put MR2s no higher than 4th place. At tracks with rolling
starts (Route 5 and Tsukuba), you can put an MR2 in 3rd place. Putting them any higher can easily create a jackrabbit situation.
They might still jackrabbit with the guidelines I just explained, but you should be able to keep up with them.
But
the beautiful thing about the '80s series? The reason it's often a guaranteed 4-star race? It's because MR2s are not the absolute
dominant vehicles which can show up. The '85 Mazda RX-7 GT, '88 Nissan Silvia K's, '81 Toyota Celica (Supra)
2800, '91 Celica GT-R, some Skylines, and Corolla/Truenos can also put up a good fight. Races in which the
RX-7, a Corolla/Trueno, or a Supra (or any mentioned above!) are near pole postion with an MR2 downfield usually
make for some tasty battles.
If none of the above shows up (no MR2s, RX7, etc) or if the faster
cars mentioned above (but no MR2) start far downfield, try removing 30 to 50 horsepower. Remove
up to 30 for front-drives, and 50 for rear and all-wheel drives. Don't blow off these slower events, they can be just as action-packed
as the fastest ones!
Keep in mind there are many cars that can show up as sims, and you can't always predict how each
race will shape up. I've even seen such econoboxes as the Honda City Turbo and CRX put up a good fight at the front
lines!
• S2 medium sports (S3 soft sports for FWD cars) and sport suspension,
and racing brakes (without brake controller) are recommended.
• Some cars may need one of the cheaper differentials: 1-way, 1.5-way, or 2-way. The 1-way
diffs work best (if you need them) for front-drives, while 1.5 and 2-ways may be needed for difficult, swivelly MR2s. None
of these units are completely necessary for all situations tho. Depends on your skill level, usually.
Close
gearing at some tracks, too, as well as assorted cheaper drivetrain parts.
* I used an '81 Toyota
Celica 2800GT with +127 kg (279 pounds) of ballast for the heavyweight (3,000 pound) category. Not sure what I used
for light & middleweight classes.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Japanese '90s Challenge
rating: ***
Apricot Hill:
12.13 (2,150) = 177 hp
11.57 (2,750) = 238 hp 13.94
(3,500) = 251 hp
G. Valley East II:
10.96 (2,150) = 196 hp
12.69 (2,750) = 217 hp/ 15.91 (3,500)
= 220 hp
Twin Ring East:
11.89 (2,150) = 181 hp
12.69 (2,750) = 217 hp 14.83 (3,500)
= 236 hp
SS Route 5 II:
10.96 (2,150) = 196 hp
13.48 (2,750) = 204 hp 16.20
(3,500) = 217 hp
Fuji '90s:
10.96 (2,150) = 196 hp
12.87 (2,750) = 214 hp 15.07 (3,500)
= 232 hp
Front-drive: add @25 to 35 horsepower...+25 hp for most coupes & hatches,
and +35 hp for FWD sedans.
All-wheel drive and mid-engine cars: remove 10 horsepower
or more at Apricot Hill, and Fuji if you need to. These tracks feature standing-starts, which means AWDs and MRs
can get an early advantage which must be squashed.
If you are doing front-drive-only races (all 5 Ai cars are FWD,
and so are you) don't add or subtract any power--instead try using the ratios above with no modifyers.
Description
Hey. Put away those skinny ties and break out the grunge & flannel...it's the '90s
all over again! Those of us who originally owned Gran Turismo 1 may feel a bit of deja vu, as many of the same cars
we competed against in the first game (and only those cars) are here.
Again, it doesn't take much power to win since the Ai posseses anywhere from 240 to 245 hp. Very nice not to have
to always break the entire bank account over my knee. :-) The ensuing melees are heavily populated with front-drive cars,
while an occasional rear-drive, all-wheel drive, or mid engine/rear-drive also makes its way into the mix.
• For the best challenge, try and make sure at least two FR or MR machines are present and sitting (typically)
no higher than 3rd place at rolling-start tracks. The all-wheel drive '92 Lancer GSR is a bit average and rarely
gets a lead, so it's safe to have it starting in 1st place.
• At standing-start tracks like Apricot Hill and Fuji, the Lancer and MR2 get an advantage over front-drives
and FRs. Make sure the MR2 starts no higher than 5th with a front-engine (FF or FR) car sitting in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd at Apricot
Hill.
At Fuji, there's a bit of leeway. I've done races in which the MR2 started as high as 3rd place, yet
failed to make it to the front lines. But try to keep it off of 1st or 2nd place at the start or it WILL jackrabbit.
If there's no MR2 at Apricot Hill or Fuji, a rear-drive car should sit no higher than 3rd place, with front-drive
models holding 1st and 2nd place...unless you want a jackrabbit situation.
• Finally, do not underestimate the front-drives! They can duel with surprising tenacity. PD seems
to have treated the '90s Challenge the way real-life GT racing organizations do; by giving front-drives
some tuning advantages, in an effort to make a more-equal playing field. For instance, I just entered a sporty
rear-drive '96 Nissan 240SX, yet got skewered by a front-drive Infiniti G20 at Apricot Hill. Not at all what I'd
expected.
...Of course, most of the time FWDs lose as expected. They sometimes get too eager and understeer
right off-track. But there are plenty of times they drive all thier laps flawlessly. If you've entered an underpowered or
dis-advantaged front-drive car, it is possible to do FWD-only races...they are just as fun and competitive, or at least they
can be.
....In general you never know what'll happen next in these 5 events. They are not predictable. Try a race, and then
try it again with the exact same line-up. A Miata may lead the first one but a Prelude may take the 2nd one. You may find
yourself falling far behind in one race, but could also finding yourself needing to use way less power than I've suggested
for another race because you've managed to become a jackrabbit yourself. Predictability is low, drama can be high.
• Use S2 medium sport tires or a combo of medium & hard sports. Sport or semi-racing
suspension and racing brake kit may also be good buys. Again, the brake controller is not needed.
Close-ratio gears with an assortment of cheaper drivetrain parts (single-plate clutch, sports flywheel, carbon shaft)
can be used if your car lacks adequte power after calculating from the race's ratios.
I used a Mazda Miata
for lightweight, Nissan 240SX for middleweight, and Mitsubishi 3000GT SL for heavyweight classes.
------------------------------------------------------------------ Japanese Compact Cup
rating: **
FF Cars with conventional gearboxes
18.00 (1,800) // 19.30 (2,200)
FF Cars with CVT gearboxes
22.43 (2,350)
B-spec: add @15 bhp (after qualifying in 1st) or 50 bhp w/o qualifying.
• Please note that I have created 2 classifications for what we'll be driving: cars with a conventional
gearbox (featuring multiple gears that shift automatically or manually), or cars with "CVTs" like the Honda Fit, Toyota
Prius, etc., which have just "one" gear. CVT vehicles demand special rules (see below) since they are configured to stay
in their prime horsepower RPMs at all times.
Description
A set of 5 races in this series. Depending on which car you use and how determined you
are, you may find these either mildly challenging or completely dull.
The Toyota Vitzs tend to dominate at some tracks, but will rate 2nd place occasionally to a lesser
car like the Honda Fit. Oddly, the AI cars seem to drive good at certain tracks but will lack at others, as if they're
having a bad day. One hell of a lot of fun these can be, if you don't mind some slowness. Actually...if you don't mind ALOT
of slowness!
Careful--I've noticed the AI drives a bit cautiously during the first lap, but will try and catch up as
their tires warm! It is very possible to lose a race to what seems to be at first a sleepy driver on your tail.
• Use road tires (N3) if you qualify and medium sports (S2) if
you don't. In other words, if you qualify, use N3s during qualifying AND the actual race. Use S3 soft sports
for B-spec driving.
Sports suspension too for all cars (A or B-spec) unless they have some
sort of huge advantage despite minimal horsepower.
In many cases, these slowboats can also use close-ratio
transmissions with light drivetrain parts. Brake upgrades should only be used for poor-handling emergencies.
• cars used to get ratios:
'83 Honda CR-X Ballade Sports (1,800 conventional tranny)
Honda Fit for
the 1 ton+ (2,350 pound CVT).
To get a fair race, I had to added 79 kilograms of ballast (175 pounds) to the Fit's weight
by going into Settings-> Weight Balance, and then +79.
....Drive hard no matter what. You may get far ahead of the Ai in some races but have some eager competition
in others.
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