Is there a relation between the car parameters, i.e., speed, handling, acceleration, launch and breaking, and the pi of the car?
Thanks.
Absolutely. Also, the car is put through a simulated benchmark which contributes to calculating the PI.
and weight.
In theory yes. In practice no.
What I mean by that is of course if a car is faster or accelerates quicker or handles better then it will have a higher pi.
But there is no equation that adds up all the SHALBs and multiplies them by something to get the PI.
I believe the PI is based on an AI driver’s hypothetical laptime around a hypothetical average track.
I would have to respectfully disagree with you there, Ed.
As rdo3 mentions, much of the PI is determined by the components we install onto the vehicles which, in turn, fluctuate the rated variables we see and, effectively, raises or lowers the PI respectively. However, as rdo3 also points out, tuning can drastically change the performance of a vehicle without having any impact on the calculated PI whatsoever.
With your suggestion, we could take two vehicles of the exact same model; upgrade them with the exact same upgrade components; tune one and not the other resulting in the tuned version ranking higher in PI. In actuality we know that an un-tuned A600 vehicle is of the same PI as an A600 vehicle which has been tuned - although the vehicle’s performance can be substantially different.
Of course, my original response to this thread suggests that a simulated benchmark generally assists in calculating PI and I stand by that. However, I do not think PI is based on an AI driver’s hypothetical lap time around a hypothetical average track - only the figures which display top speed, G forces, braking distance, et cetera, et cetera. Of course, I know Turn 10 has once had a dialogue with the community to describe PI justification in saying that the hypothetical driver on a hypothetical track was a big part of that; however, I think that was more so related to how the PI system itself is devised and now how individually customized and tuned vehicles are rated in-game.
I’d love to know the equation - build an Audi Quattro and 22b up to same PI, with no engine swaps, and the Quattro is so much worse it’s unfathomable what the PI link is.
In some cases, I think it’s simply a random number generator lol - but it does seem to work in most instances.
What if you built them both similarly but did an engine swap so they each have the same engine and the same ending PI? Have you tried that?
Adding parts and reducing weight add a few PI for whatever gain they provide but it seems to be just a value (PI cost). It can only be estimated as there isn’t any real world data. The key to this being an accurate game is the cars base PI and on track performance. The example of the Quatro and 22B is a case in point… The 22B is a much easier car to drive quickly in the real world. The Quatro is a handful and likely to wrap you round a tree. Adding a few bits won’t massively change the cars dynamics so in this case the game is quite accurate. There has to be a lot of estimation but in general it works well. A few of the upgrades are either improbable or technically impossible but the game would be far too complicated if it were made any more accurate than it is.
I know the 22b will thrash the Quattro all day long, but that’s when the PI is the same. You can make the cars equally matched, but there is then a significant difference in PI.
I have a few car built up for an upcoming series, and the one with the lowest PI is actually the fastest. Making cars for events like this, it has become apparent that handling seems to be worth less in the PI calculations that acceleration and top speed. IMO top speed uses up too much PI, as with most cars and races, you rarely get the chance to take advantage of that speed - but the handling and acceleration provide definite advantage.
I’ve learnt setting these cars up that PI, and also the SHALBs are just a very rough guide to the actual performance of a car in relation to the cars in building it against.
The only real way to see how good a car is is to throw it round a few tracks.
I really would like to know the exact way PI is calculated - just to be nosey.
I’d guess that the base PI is simply taken from the cars stock stats. Kerb weight, peek power and torque and perhaps the curve of each. Acceleration and top speed figures and a guesstimate of handling and traction (G). This would give a starting class and PI but as each car has different characteristics some will be better than others even with a similar PI. Muscle cars are a good example because in stock form they have great top speed, acceleration and power but rubbish handling and grip so you often can’t exploit their strengths. The age may also factor due to developments in design and construction but who knows? So long as the same criteria is used on all cars it should be a relatively level playing field. I’d say the system works well. Considering the millions who play the game and the bewildering range of tuned and upgraded cars used the leaderboards are usually dominated by the same car suggesting that you don’t get too many anomalies.
just remember pi only takes the parts you put on into account, it does not take adjustments/tuneing into account. what the pi claims and what the car does when tuned can be two very different results. with proper aero and gearing a car can out run another car with a higher speed rating on the pi chart.
is that same winning car at the same pi as the cars it is beating consistantly? then pi is irrelivant. you can push that mini into s class, cars with a lower pi will beat it. i dont drag but removing cornering and braking would seem to make the pi even less relivant.
the pi seems to be controled by power to weight ratio. you can upgrade braks, diff etc at times with no pi change. you put on the forza wings that can lower lap times by seconds and the pi actually falls.