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Difficulty?
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| Butters76 |
Posted on 05-05-2012 23:56
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Junior Rider
Posts: 38
Joined: 16-07-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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What does it really do? In most games changing difficulty doesn't do anything to the AI behaviour, but rather at easy give you more resources and the AI less, on hard you get less and they more.
What does difficulty levels do in this game exactly? Most games just let the AI "cheat" in one way or another on hard or extreme difficulty, is it the same here? I have only played on Normal. Whats done differently on easy or hard?
Can't imagine they have made 4 different "versions" of AI behavior (easy,norm,hard,extreme), so they have probably taken a shortcut like everyone else do to make the game harder on hard or extreme. |
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| lluuiiggii |
Posted on 06-05-2012 00:01
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8542
Joined: 30-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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As you've guessed: in easy, the AI has only 96% of what their rider stats show, in normal, 100%, in hard, 102,5%, and in extreme, 105%. Your rider have the same stats that appear in all levels.
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| AlexB |
Posted on 06-05-2012 00:05
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Junior Rider
Posts: 37
Joined: 22-09-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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lluuiiggii wrote:
As you've guessed: in easy, the AI has only 96% of what their rider stats show, in normal, 100%, in hard, 102,5%, and in extreme, 105%. Your rider have the same stats that appear in all levels.
Is this the same if you use the detailed sim option? If the manual is to be believed  then the difficulty only affects the 3D race?
Edited by AlexB on 06-05-2012 00:05
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 06-05-2012 00:16
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3936
Joined: 31-07-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Let me put it like this; when it comes to simulating in PCM, all bets are off.
There's a fine line between "psychotherapist" and "psycho the rapist"
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| AlexB |
Posted on 06-05-2012 00:54
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Junior Rider
Posts: 37
Joined: 22-09-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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I'm beginning to notice breakaways are more successful than they should be, and sprinting is tough to sort out. I take it that there's more to it than that though? |
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 06-05-2012 00:57
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3936
Joined: 31-07-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Are you talking about simulating or the 3D-view? I'm not sure, but I think the difficulty only applies to the 3D-races.
There's a fine line between "psychotherapist" and "psycho the rapist"
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| AlexB |
Posted on 06-05-2012 01:01
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Junior Rider
Posts: 37
Joined: 22-09-2008
PCM$: 200.00
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Simulating only. I'm a clutz as far as the 3d races go, so was hoping that the detailed sim option would be the answer. But the anomalies are beginning to become apparent as I guess you were suggesting earlier. |
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 06-05-2012 01:02
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Classics Specialist
Posts: 3936
Joined: 31-07-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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Don't try to simulate, you will most likely get all kinds of weird results.
There's a fine line between "psychotherapist" and "psycho the rapist"
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| cio93 |
Posted on 06-05-2012 01:03
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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The detailed sim also has the bug that the sprint start order is practically the finishing order as there are rarely overtakes anymore.
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| lluuiiggii |
Posted on 06-05-2012 02:50
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8542
Joined: 30-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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cio93 wrote:
The detailed sim also has the bug that the sprint start order is practically the finishing order as there are rarely overtakes anymore.
Yeah, the lead-outs finish ahead of the main sprint. And no, I don't think difficulty applies to simulation. And yes, simulation is totally off sometimes in PCM 
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| Butters76 |
Posted on 07-05-2012 09:22
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Junior Rider
Posts: 38
Joined: 16-07-2009
PCM$: 200.00
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AlexB wrote:
I'm beginning to notice breakaways are more successful than they should be, and sprinting is tough to sort out. I take it that there's more to it than that though?
For me breakaways work as follows. If I have a rider in it will never get more than 2 minutes, if I don't have anyone in the breakaway they will get 10+ minutes before anyone tries to catch them.
So now I've started to just put a saboteur in every breakaway if I have someone who could win a mass sprint. |
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-05-2012 19:49
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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lluuiiggii wrote:
As you've guessed: in easy, the AI has only 96% of what their rider stats show, in normal, 100%, in hard, 102,5%, and in extreme, 105%. Your rider have the same stats that appear in all levels.
So your red bar doesn't decrease more quickly? Are the stats the only difference when you change level? |
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 07-05-2012 19:51
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World Champion
Posts: 10891
Joined: 19-11-2010
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Ian Butler wrote:
lluuiiggii wrote:
As you've guessed: in easy, the AI has only 96% of what their rider stats show, in normal, 100%, in hard, 102,5%, and in extreme, 105%. Your rider have the same stats that appear in all levels.
So your red bar doesn't decrease more quickly? Are the stats the only difference when you change level?
Yes, basically in game terms on hard, all AI riders have +2 on every stat and on extreme +4.
So a mountain rider with 81 in game, when playing on extreme will be around 85 in MO etc.
While it sounds daunting, extreme is not that bad when you play it a bit
Edited by Alakagom on 07-05-2012 19:52
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-05-2012 20:03
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Alakagom wrote:
Ian Butler wrote:
lluuiiggii wrote:
As you've guessed: in easy, the AI has only 96% of what their rider stats show, in normal, 100%, in hard, 102,5%, and in extreme, 105%. Your rider have the same stats that appear in all levels.
So your red bar doesn't decrease more quickly? Are the stats the only difference when you change level?
Yes, basically in game terms on hard, all AI riders have +2 on every stat and on extreme +4.
So a mountain rider with 81 in game, when playing on extreme will be around 85 in MO etc.
While it sounds daunting, extreme is not that bad when you play it a bit
Thanks a lot. Maybe I'll try it on the pcm 2012.
So far it's just been from easy -> normal, but normal is getting pretty easy, too. But +4 is a lot, is Cancellara beatable on the cobblestones? |
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| Alakagom |
Posted on 07-05-2012 20:08
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World Champion
Posts: 10891
Joined: 19-11-2010
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Ian Butler wrote:
Alakagom wrote:
Ian Butler wrote:
lluuiiggii wrote:
As you've guessed: in easy, the AI has only 96% of what their rider stats show, in normal, 100%, in hard, 102,5%, and in extreme, 105%. Your rider have the same stats that appear in all levels.
So your red bar doesn't decrease more quickly? Are the stats the only difference when you change level?
Yes, basically in game terms on hard, all AI riders have +2 on every stat and on extreme +4.
So a mountain rider with 81 in game, when playing on extreme will be around 85 in MO etc.
While it sounds daunting, extreme is not that bad when you play it a bit
Thanks a lot. Maybe I'll try it on the pcm 2012.
So far it's just been from easy -> normal, but normal is getting pretty easy, too. But +4 is a lot, is Cancellara beatable on the cobblestones?
Depends. Sometimes AI mess up and especially in RvV you can cause splits and some big riders will miss out. It's really hard winning a cobble classic like PR or RvV. Easiest one to win would be Omloop. But PR and RvV are arguably along MSR the 3 toughest races to win on hard or extreme. With luck and a good team you can win, but it's tough. My best result was with Flecha on 2nd in a sprint at PR which Boonen won ( still he outspritned 5 other guys ) Usually attacks don't work well and it's best just to hope for a sprint or counter-attack Cance or Boonen.
Sprints are much tougher to win too as the AI is alright in them and the bonus in the stats is quite visible at times. Other than that after few attempts and races extreme is enjoyable  But sometimes very frustrating
Edited by Alakagom on 07-05-2012 20:09
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-05-2012 20:11
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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Alakagom wrote:
Ian Butler wrote:
Alakagom wrote:
Ian Butler wrote:
lluuiiggii wrote:
As you've guessed: in easy, the AI has only 96% of what their rider stats show, in normal, 100%, in hard, 102,5%, and in extreme, 105%. Your rider have the same stats that appear in all levels.
So your red bar doesn't decrease more quickly? Are the stats the only difference when you change level?
Yes, basically in game terms on hard, all AI riders have +2 on every stat and on extreme +4.
So a mountain rider with 81 in game, when playing on extreme will be around 85 in MO etc.
While it sounds daunting, extreme is not that bad when you play it a bit
Thanks a lot. Maybe I'll try it on the pcm 2012.
So far it's just been from easy -> normal, but normal is getting pretty easy, too. But +4 is a lot, is Cancellara beatable on the cobblestones?
Depends. Sometimes AI mess up and especially in RvV you can cause splits and some big riders will miss out. It's really hard winning a cobble classic like PR or RvV. Easiest one to win would be Omloop. But PR and RvV are arguably along MSR the 3 toughest races to win on hard or extreme. With luck and a good team you can win, but it's tough. My best result was with Flecha on 2nd in a sprint at PR which Boonen won ( still he outspritned 5 other guys ) Usually attacks don't work well and it's best just to hope for a sprint or counter-attack Cance or Boonen.
Sprints are much tougher to win too as the AI is alright in them and the bonus in the stats is quite visible at times. Other than that after few attempts and races extreme is enjoyable But sometimes very frustrating
Okay, thanks a lot. Because I'm pretty good at stage races, hilly stages and sprints, but I just can't win cobble races on pcm. My red and yellow bar decrease to nothing within seconds if I try and use free effort. I've only won one important cobblerace once: RvV with Gilbert (when I first bought pcm, so on easy, though) Is there a better tactic? Or is riding away from the peleton on cobbles impossible without killing your rider? |
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| lluuiiggii |
Posted on 07-05-2012 20:16
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8542
Joined: 30-07-2010
PCM$: 200.00
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Ian Butler wrote:
...Is there a better tactic? Or is riding away from the peleton on cobbles impossible without killing your rider?
Yes, that's what I've found to happen. On cobbled races it's quite hard to get away, and on cobbled sections it's almost impossible (without burning all your energy). Free effort above 75 on the cobbles will already take out almost all your red bar, with attacks being even worse. Attacks will also have that effect on the normal roads, but much less. So what I do is just try to follow with a 60~70 dot on the cobbles and if I'll try to attack, it's always on the smooth tarmac.
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-05-2012 20:17
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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lluuiiggii wrote:
Ian Butler wrote:
...Is there a better tactic? Or is riding away from the peleton on cobbles impossible without killing your rider?
Yes, that's what I've found to happen. On cobbled races it's quite hard to get away, and on cobbled sections it's almost impossible (without burning all your energy). Free effort above 75 on the cobbles will already take out almost all your red bar, with attacks being even worse. Attacks will also have that effect on the normal roads, but much less. So what I do is just try to follow with a 60~70 dot on the cobbles and if I'll try to attack, it's always on the smooth tarmac.
Alright, I'll try that. Thanks a lot! Maybe I'll finally win that much desired Paris-Roubaix! Again, thanks. |
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| cio93 |
Posted on 07-05-2012 20:21
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World Champion
Posts: 10845
Joined: 29-10-2007
PCM$: 500.00
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You might know that already, when you use the dot on cobbles, you have to set the effort about 30 points lower than on normal roads to get the same heart rate.
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 07-05-2012 20:22
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Tour de France Champion
Posts: 21854
Joined: 01-05-2012
PCM$: 400.00
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cio93 wrote:
You might know that already, when you use the dot on cobbles, you have to set the effort about 30 points lower than on normal roads to get the same heart rate.
I didn't know that, never notice the heart rate actually. Thanks, I'll keep it in mind. |
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