CartridgeBlower said:
Is success at B-Spec just about having the better car? My guy got 3rd in a race, I then leveled up, and he got 8th, 5th, then 5th again. This mode seems so random and unbalanced. I honestly feel like I have no affect on my driver's success. The only time I win is when I have a car that is massively over-powered, and I just set the controller down and let him win.
What are the secrets to making this mode fun and manageable? My guy is only level 5, but he has a hard time winning level 1 and 2 races with normal cars. He has to have a super car to win it.
know how to pace your driver.
It all has to do with his level/experience, speed and strength. The more strength he has the less likely he will let a tense situation tire him out as quickly/easily. When that strength meter goes down, mistakes go up. Sometimes it helps to start the race with keeping pace up, but know when to drop pace. Dropping pace won't always mean slowing down, but what it will mean is that your driver isn't going to be in a hurry to past someone, and hence not make his turn properly, or brake improperly, which will fudge him up even worse.
Maintain a slower/cooler pace when you are on a section of the track that is technical or when you are near an opponent close enough that you aren't going to lose them. Bide your time and wait for mistakes, then use overtake when you see an opportunity coming up or when you notice they took a turn badly or blatantly fudged up a section. Your AI opponents also have strength/endurance and will also mess up if they are in intense situations for too long.
EDIT: Maintaining pace is also COMPLETELY relevant to where your driver's pace is on the meter. It basically keeps you driving "cool" (slower and more cautious) or "hot" (fast but less cautious). Basically just maintain pace according to how hot or cool you want/need your driver to be.
Increase pace on straightaways or sections/turns that allow for high speeds. Sometimes high pace cannot be helped, esp when your driver is being closely chased, boxed, or near his rival. Increasing pace just means that the driver will drive more daring, i.e. braking later/less, taking turns faster, and overall driving faster. This can be VERY bad for technical sections of the course or when your driver has low strength, as he will be more and more likely to make mistakes, run into the railings or flat-out crash.
Overall, obviously having a faster car will help, but its completely possible to lose with a faster car, or win with a slower car. It all depends on when and how you direct your driver and how well experienced they are. Get to know the course. Find out what your drivers strengths and weakness are and what sections of the course they excel or are weak at. Know when to have them driving hot or cool.
Edit: Remember this is NOT A-Spec, you are most likely
not always going to grab top spot within the 1st lap. B-spec is about strategizing and endurance, and patiently waiting for your moment.
Edit: Also, a driver who has a personality that is "Cool" won't let situations stress him out as easily and can drop pace quicker. But this is turns makes them a driver who does not take chances and plays it safe when trying to overtake drivers, which leads to less successful overtakes. "Hot" personalities on the other hand are the opposite. They get stressed easier but in turn they are more daring and will attempt takeovers easier and more successfully but their pace drops slower when instructed to pace down making them more susceptible to mistakes once they get "heated" or "tensed" . Each personalities has their advantages and disadvantages.