Tips

a) Create a Team - Player ID
b) Teamspeak - Connect to our server
c) NRTV - Installing & Running
d) Closing Windows Services & using End It All 2
e) Driver Changes
f) Other Tips
g) Race Etiquette & Rules

a) Create a Team - Player ID

1) Open the GTP Launcher and select <OPTIONS>:

2) Make sure the 'Profile' tab is selected and click <Add>:

3) In the 'User profile' box, leave the first name blank & type your team name as the last name.  Then click <OK>:

4) Each of your teammates must use the same player/team name in order to perform driver changes.

b) Teamspeak - Connect to our server

We use Teamspeak to allow our drivers/spotters to communicate as well as complete driver changes etc.  Teamspeak is a free voice program that can be downloaded at: 

http://www.goteamspeak.com/news.php (you need the Windows Client version)

The voice quality is very good, and all you need is a decent microphone.

Once you have it installed and configured:

1) Open Teamspeak...

2) From the pulldown menus, choose Connection > Connect...

3) In the text fields on the right-hand side, supply the following values under the Items column:

4) Adjust your microphone settings as needed in the Settings...Sound Input/Output section.  If you use Voice Activation, be sure to test it to make sure that it isn't too sensitive.

5) It is highly recommended that you go to the Settings...Options section, select the Sound Notifications tab, and check the Disable All Sounds box.  This will eliminate channel connection messages which can be very distracting.

c) NRTV - Installing & Running

Installing NRTV
Download NRTV from our Utilities page.

Download ONLY the following things:
- Download NRTV
- Download the Track Packs & Server List

Install them in this order:
- NRTV
- Track Packs & Server List

Using NRTV for Driver Change Practices
1) Open NRTV and select 'Custom Server' at the top of the server list.  Then manually type in the OATAS NRTV Server IP.  No password is needed.  Then click 'Connect' and 'Show the Race' to join the server:

2) You will then be taken to the Race Viewer screen.  Under parameters, I use the settings below.  I only change the car size as needed:

3) Read the readme.txt in the NRTV directory.  It will tell you how to troubleshoot most problems.

4) On the Race Viewer screen, you can use the following mouse controls to move the track map around and zoom in as needed:

- Press & hold the left mouse button to move the track.
- Push & hold the right mouse button & move the mouse up/down to zoom in or zoom out.
- Click on a car to select it or on a name in the standings.
- Double click on the track to unselect a driver or click under all the names in the standings.
- Right-click on a name in the standings to add/remove a driver from a custom group.
- Double-click on a driver in a standings to get some useful information.

d) Closing Windows Services & using End It All 2

'End It All 2' can be found on our 'Downloads' page.  Before starting Teamspeak & GTP, I normally stop Windows services that are not necessary for the operation of my computer while I'm racing.  You will need to have Administrative rights in order to do this. To load the 'Services Utility', click on Start...Settings...Control Panel...Administrative Tools, and then select Services (You may also be able to access it via Start, Programs, Administrative Tools, Services if you enabled Administrative Tools to be displayed on the Start Menu).

For more information on these services and what they do go to:

Windows XP - http://www.beemerworld.com/tips/servicesxp.htm

I then use 'End It All 2' to shut down any processes that aren't necessary while racing.  Use 'End It All 2' to shutdown any unnecessary programs such as auto-protect fuctions for virus scanners etc.  This will ensure you maximize your CPU cycles for GTP.   Be sure you shut down Anti-Virus software while you are running GTP as it may cause sporadic disconnects and cause Kill_NR2003 to fail!

End It All 2 - can be found on the 'Utilities' page.

e) Driver Changes

'Kill_NR2003' can be found on the 'Utilities' page. Driver Changes are accomplished by using the Kill_NR2003 program or the In-game GTP disconnect feature.   Do the one of the following:

A) Install Kill_NR2003 EXACTLY as the ~README kill_nr2003.txt tells you to:

- Put the kill_nr2003.exe in your root c:\ folder
- Put the kill_nr2003.lnk on your desktop
- Restart Windows
- Start GTP

- <CTRL>+<ALT>+<END> shuts down GTP (may take 3-5 seconds) from wherever you are in the game
- This should work on WinXP, Win2K and Win98 (others not tested)
- If a player in an internet-game shuts down the game this way, he will get "manually disconnected" and another driver can  reconnect.

B) Use the in-game GTP feature:

- Press and hold <CTRL> while hitting the the <-> on the ten-keypad 5 times quickly.
- <-> is the Minus Key.  The ten-keypad is the part of the keyboard on the far right.
- THIS ONLY WORKS AS A BUILT-IN FEATURE FOR GTP.

Driver Change Procedures
1) In order to do a driver change in GTP, the relief driver must select the same player name, and select the car file in the GTP Launcher that your team is using.  THESE HAVE TO BE THE SAME IN ORDER FOR YOU TO CONNECT AS A RELIEF DRIVER.  As a side note, you do not have to use the same setup as the current driver.  You can use completely different setups without any problems.

1) The current driver will go to the pit stall and immediately press disconnect using Kill_NR2003 or the In-game disconnect feature.  The relief driver will then connect to the OATAS Server and click the 'Drive' button.

SOME IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT MANDATORY DRIVER CHANGE DISCONNECTS:
N2k3/GTP penalizes a team that disconnects - it does this to EVERY team so it is fair. The reason for the penalty is because some minor damages are fixed and because you get 4 new tires and a full tank of fuel when you do a disconnect/driver change. In order to keep a team from gaining an advantage by doing a quick disconnect after a wreck etc., the simulation actually does the following depending on where your pit stall is located:

IF YOUR PIT STALL IS IN FRONT OF THE S/F LINE THE PENALTY IN TIME WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:
1) The time it takes for your disconnecting driver to pull into his stall, start pit road service (you don't have to complete the pit road service since 4 new tires & fuel will be put into the car; however, if you have major damage you might want to get the damage fixed before the next driver get into the car), plus the time it takes for the next driver to load the track and click DRIVE. Some of this will vary depending upon the speed of your computer and the amount of RAM, as well as how fast the new driver starts connecting after the other drivers has disconnected.

2) Your car will not get credit for running the very next lap. I.E. the lap counter will not change the first time you cross the S/F line after the new driver has gotten into the car. The 2nd time your car crosses the S/F line it WILL advance to the next lap and give you a lap time. This lap time is generally several minutes long because you basically have turned 2 laps on the track before getting a lap time plus the amount of time that it took for the disconnect/reconnect and drive to occur.

IF YOUR PIT STALL IS BEHIND THE S/F LINE THE PENALTY IN TIME WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:
1) The time it takes for your disconnecting driver to pull into his stall, start pit road service (you don't have to complete the pit road service since 4 new tires & fuel will be put into the car; however, if you have major damage you might want to get the damage fixed before the next driver get into the car), plus the time it takes for the next driver to load the track and click DRIVE. Some of this will vary depending upon the speed of your computer and the amount of RAM, as well as how fast the new driver starts connecting after the other drivers has disconnected.

2) Your car WILL get credit for running the very next lap, because your disconnecting driver ran around the track for a full lap and DID NOT get credit for that lap because he didn't cross the S/F line while on pit road.  The 1st time your new driver crosses the S/F line after the driver change/disconnection, it WILL advance to the next lap and give you a lap time. This lap time is generally several minutes long because you basically have turned 2 laps on the track before getting a lap time plus the amount of time that it took for the disconnect/reconnect and drive to occur.

f) Other Tips

1) CAR SETUPS - In GTP endurance racing, you DO NOT have to run the exact setup that your teammates run.  You are encouraged to fine tune it to your liking and abilities.  Another tip is to set the default setups for Qualifying, and for Race to <-None-> on the 'Setup Screen.'  By doing this, GTP will automatically select your Current setup when you go to race.

2) KILL NR2003 or IN-GAME GTP DISCONNECT FAILS - If the 'Kill NR2003' program or In-game GTP disconnection method fails to disconnect you during a driver change there are two options to make sure you get disconnected without the possibility of the server showing you as retired.

- KILL THE APPLICATION MANUALLY - click the 'Windows Key' on your keyboard (the key between your CTRL and ALT keys) to bounce you back to your desktop, then click the combination of CTRL+ALT+DEL, click 'Task Manager,' and kill the NR2003 application by selecting it and clicking 'End Task.'  You should ONLY use this method if you have at least 1 Gigabyte of RAM.  If you do not have this amount of RAM, you might have problems switching tasks which may cause you to accidentally retire the car from the race.  This method takes about 15-20 seconds to work.

- UNPLUG THE MODEM - The other way is to unplug the power to your modem.  This method takes approximately 35 seconds to work.

3) CALIBRATION - Before you connect to be the relief driver in a driver change, be sure your steering wheel and pedal calibration works correctly.  You can test this in GTP Singleplayer-Day by going onto any track and verifying that your controls work as you expect them to.

4) LOSING A GEAR DURING THE RACE - If you are driving, and break a gear in the transmission, then you need to let your relief driver know so that he can take the appropriate measures with his controller and setup to compensate for the missing gear. 

g) Race Etiquette & Rules

1) Never make double moves while attempting to let a faster car pass.  If you are slower than the guy behind you (AND he is right on your bumper) and you want him to pass, then hold the raceline and make them go around you. Otherwise, you'll end up making a move one way, they'll make a move not anticipating yours, and all of the sudden there are 2 wrecked cars. MAKE THEM PASS YOU and avoid the confusion in most instances. Passing cars almost always expect to have to make a pass on the off line. DO NOT MAKE DOUBLE MOVES TO TRY TO GET OUT OF THE WAY!

That said, if you can get out of the way when they are not right on your ass, and they can see what you are doing, then by all means, you should let off a bit and let them have the line. 

2) Never rely solely on the 'raceline' (the 'R' key) to find your braking points.  In many cases, your view of the 'raceline' is obstructed by other cars during a race.  The best way to find your braking points, when your view is obstructed, is to find objects around the track that coincide with where you need to start braking.   After you have found these markers, put them to the test by turning off your raceline to see how well they work.