GTL Pitstop Hints / Tips

[Warren Dawes]

After todays GTL event, some people had some problems with the pitstop process in GTL. Please note that it is different to GTR2.
Here are a selection of tips I have been given by the GTL experts at Simjunkies which have helped to eliminiate some of the bugs that occur with the default setting of having Autopitstops enabled.
I strongly recommend that you turn this off and manually control all aspects of the pitstop.
To do this you need to modify your .plr file.

Try these parameters in your PLR file.

[ DRIVING AIDS ]
Autopit="0"
Force Autopit Off="1" // Forces autopit always off (unsupported, use at your own risk)
No AI Control="1" // AI never has control over car (except autopit)
Pitcrew Push="1" // When out of fuel in pitlane, allows pitcrew to push car (use throttle and gear selection to direct)
Pit Spot Marker="1" // Show marker to indicate corner pit spot location

[ Game Options ]
Display Pit Board="1"

Here is a good explanation of the GTL Pitstop procedures:

Stop and Go:
If you get a message that you have one, drive to the pitlane, make sure you have slowed down enough and hit your pit limiter.
Park the car at the spot the man is pointing to. (engine keeps running)
NOTE!: The exact spot where you need to stop, or rather, the exact longitudinal line you need to be on can be tricky. Overshooting is not wise either but sometimes you get away with it if it's not by to much. The 'man' that points his finger is a perculiar dude and he drinks to much so make sure you interpretate his sense of direction....
It's best to practice a pit stop/S&G before the race so you get the feel of where the pit guy want you to stop exactly (and where the lights, lines etc are where you need to have the limiter on. VERY different per track).
If you miss the spot to stop, back and forth etc. until it works.
When you get it right, the board comes up.
In a case of S&G you don't get the option of selecting or deselecting tire change, fuel etc. and then just press ENTER. (I think it's not a setting in plr file and it works like this by default, just have a look at the board in a S&G)
When the penalty is served, you get a message in chat window.
When you drive away , THE PIT LIMITER IS OFF! So you have to hit that button again to not get another penalty for speeding in the pitlane. (It's different than GTR2, where the limiter is stays on when you drive away and turns itself off while leaving the pitlane)
TURN LIMITER OFF manually when you cross the designated line/lights.

Pit stop.
So you don't need a pit request.
Same drill to stop in the right spot.
You don't have to turn your engine off to get fuel.
The board comes up and tells you how much fuel you have left.
Unless I missed it for the last 2 years....there is no pit stop strategy where you can plan the amount of fuel etc.at a pitstop.
Just adjust manually with arrow keys left and right.
In a frantic race it's all to easy to miss info in the pit stop.
The arrow is not always on the same line when the board comes up and it has taken me time to find it, haha.
Make sure that the board tells you exactly what you want. Fuel, tires, body repair, suspension.
The numbers below all those settings are the tire wear.
Takes a little time to learn what they indicate and how well you can still drive with those worn tires.
When settings are done, hit ENTER.
End of pistop is indicated in chat.
Again, PUT PIT LIMITER BACK ON and drive. TURN PIT LIMITER OFF when you cross the desoignated line/lights.

I hope this is helpful.

[Theo de Bruin]

Originally Posted by Warren Dawes

When you drive away , THE PIT LIMITER IS OFF! So you have to hit that button again to not get another penalty for speeding in the pitlane. (It's different than GTR2, where the limiter is stays on when you drive away and turns itself off while leaving the pitlane)

Well... that was my mistake... :sign0161:

Thanks for putting this up Warren, I still have the computer taking over once I enter the pitlane. Gonna switch that off right away!

[Hans Sneep]

Warren,
I have done a few pitstops for practise, whe the board comes up I give the amound of fuel and hit enter.
Than they do the Suspension-bodyork-tires- fuel,I stay there for 135 sec. more than 2 minn.
If I only want fuel and tires , how do I do that??

Thanks Hans

[Hans Sneep]

Found it.......:jumping:

[Andy Marsden]

The only issue i've noticed with modifying the PLR file like this is that you are still driving when you finish the race, kind of annoying especially in single player.

Andy

[Warren Dawes]

Originally Posted by Andy Marsden

The only issue i've noticed with modifying the PLR file like this is that you are still driving when you finish the race, kind of annoying especially in single player.
Andy

Yes, you need to get used to that, but it is a very minor issue compared to unworkable pitstops.

[Andy Marsden]

Just out of interest what are the pitstops like with AI control? Haven't actually had a GTL race with pitstops yet

Andy

[Warren Dawes]

AI controlled pitstops are veeeerrryy hit and miss. Often, the AI takes over as you enter pitlane, it drives your car to the pitbay, misses the exact stop point and leaves you sitting helplessly.
I learned the hard way in the recent GTL League series, using AI controlled pitstops, went to pits to do a stop n go, sat in the pitbay for about 2 minutes (including trying to forward and reverse the car), eventually gave up and drove out again only to be disqualified for not completing the stop n go.
From what I understand, the failure rate varies from track to track, but when it fails you are screwed. Not worth the risk.

[Andy Marsden]

Thats a shocking bug considering the quality of Simbins products, i'm surprised there hasn't been a patch to fix it to be honest. GTR2 doesn't have this problem either has far as i'm aware (then again IIRC there wasn't really much of an autopit there anyway).

Andy

[Warren Dawes]

Well, we're certainly not going to get a patch now (too old), but the answer is to control the pit stop manually as described in the top post. It's more interesting that way anyway.
You can always test it yourself off-line, but I wouldn't suggest you risk it on-line. I won't get caught again.

BTW, there are a couple of other little bugs in GTL, but it is such a great game (and driving model) that it is worth the odd work around (IMO).

[Andy Marsden]

To be honest I would rather control my pitstop more than have it on autopilot. It makes the racing experience more immersive in my opinion.

Andy

[Theo de Bruin]

Originally Posted by Andy Marsden

GTR2 doesn't have this problem either has far as i'm aware (then again IIRC there wasn't really much of an autopit there anyway).
Andy

Try giving control to the AI driver in GTR2 during a pitstop and you'll get the idea... :ambulance:

It's a total relief to keep the control now in GTL pitstops!