Tips for getting faster reaction times on Race Starts?

[PJTierney 4,909]

Hi everyone.

One of the Achievements in F1 2018 is related to your performance off the line when using Manual Starts.

I seem to be doing well off the line based on how many positions I can gain in Multiplayer races but I'm not quite at the required reaction time for the Achievement just yet.

I was wondering if anyone here had any tips on how to improve said reaction times?

[FRACTURED 30]

Xbox One X, Controller, No Assists, Bumper Camera (DiRT) / T-Cam (F1)

You've got no assists already so not sure PJ. You can feel bite point is around 10-11k rpm, as long as I launch in that window and feed in the revs whilst upshifting I seem to be able to pass 1 to 2 AI. Other than that, let us know what works when you figure it out lol

[Hooy K 5]

I recommend to focus at the lights. I was always focussed at my revlights to avoid wheelspin. But now I focus at the starting lights and i improved very well

[PJTierney 4,909]

FRACTURED said:

Xbox One X, Controller, No Assists, Bumper Camera (DiRT) / T-Cam (F1)

You've got no assists already so not sure PJ. You can feel bite point is around 10-11k rpm, as long as I launch in that window and feed in the revs whilst upshifting I seem to be able to pass 1 to 2 AI. Other than that, let us know what works when you figure it out lol

I don't think it's the actual launch that is tracked by the Achievement however; I suspect it is how quickly you release the Clutch after the lights go out. Your performance after you drive off the line shouldn't matter, in theory.

My launch is great, gain spots every time; it's the reaction to the lights that I'm not nailing yet.

[NightFire 0]

A reaction time of 0.16 seconds is actually technically faster than a human's reaction time, but falls within F1's limits for a jump start. Bottas a few years ago had a reaction time of 0.16 and it was deemed legal, which is probably what this achievement is based off.

It's literally just a luck thing that you can probably attempt by trying to guess when the lights go out.

[OneSeventyOut 3]

Yeah I got it by pretty much guess work, multiple tries and a few jump start penalties. You need to release the clutch button a fraction before the lights go out

[ChironTheseus 48]

Well if its by lights out, in theory its not possible, unless you are Bottas (Austria 2017) but even that was 0.201..
Concidering the lights out are entirely random you cannot "time" the perfect start, its pure reaction and for many a good deal of luck! I'm not even sure Alonso has ever had a reaction of 0.16 off the grid, though I wouldn't be surprised if he did and why the achievement exists..
Best bet I imagine is retry the starts until you get it? Lol

[PJTierney 4,909]

ChironTheseus said:

Well if its by lights out, in theory its not possible, unless you are Bottas (Austria 2017) but even that was 0.201..
Concidering the lights out are entirely random you cannot "time" the perfect start, its pure reaction and for many a good deal of luck! I'm not even sure Alonso has ever had a reaction of 0.16 off the grid, though I wouldn't be surprised if he did and why the achievement exists..
Best bet I imagine is retry the starts until you get it? Lol

It does seem like attempting to predict is better than attempting to react in this case.

I wonder if the time the lights are on is truly (pseudo)random or if it cycles between a set number of wait times (10 seconds, 3 seconds etc.)

[LetMeThrashU 38]

PJTierney said:

ChironTheseus said:

Well if its by lights out, in theory its not possible, unless you are Bottas (Austria 2017) but even that was 0.201..
Concidering the lights out are entirely random you cannot "time" the perfect start, its pure reaction and for many a good deal of luck! I'm not even sure Alonso has ever had a reaction of 0.16 off the grid, though I wouldn't be surprised if he did and why the achievement exists..
Best bet I imagine is retry the starts until you get it? Lol

It does seem like attempting to predict is better than attempting to react in this case.

I wonder if the time the lights are on is truly (pseudo)random or if it cycles between a set number of wait times (10 seconds, 3 seconds etc.)

In code, there is no such thing as random. The only true way to generate random data is from something like this. In theory, if you get enough data, you could predict it. Also look at this too.

[PJTierney 4,909]

@LetMeThrashU Hence why I stated that it was pseudo-random  ;)

I’m sure Codemasters are using a PRNG system for the start light wait times, which to the casual observer may appear random.

PRNG can be predicted and manipulated in some games;  Final Fantasy XII is known to have exploitable PRNG enabling players to obtain high-level weapons for example.

[LetMeThrashU 38]

PJTierney said:

@LetMeThrashU Hence why I stated that it was pseudo-random  ;)

I’m sure Codemasters are using a PRNG system for the start light wait times, which to the casual observer may appear random.

PRNG can be predicted and manipulated in some games;  Final Fantasy XII is known to have exploitable PRNG enabling players to obtain high-level weapons for example.

I was explaining it. I also thourght the cloud flare video was interesting. :)

[simon7109 0]

It's just luck. I got it on a random race without trying. I was just lucky.

[Nesjamag 3]

I had to get it with luck, guessing when the lights went out.

0.16 s is quite a fast reaction time. It's in the area of some of the better FPS players. When I played counterstrike as a teen I used to test my reflexes and they'd consistently be in the 0.15 - 0.16 s range with best reflexes going as low as 0.13 s (which was then considered to be the fastest possible for humans), so it is not faster than humans are capable of.
Racing drivers don't need these types of reflexes and aren't trained on them nearly as much as gamers who play FPS games 8-14 hours per day. So 0.16 s would be a fluke or luck.