Coincidentally it was a year ago that I first shared my contributions to PCM.
Since then, I've been trying to make the regen creation files even better. When the game generates a rider, it gives starting and potential skills according to these tables.
The default tables are a bit too lashed together for my taste. They depend far too much on chance and you don't really see who is the more talented rider if he gets bad rolls.
Eg a climber with
8 potential has mountain 100% between 83-85
7 potential has mountain 100% between 83-85
6 potential has mountain 65% between 83-85 and 35% between 80-82
5 potential has mountain 100% between 80-82
etc.
In my opinion it should be less dependent on chance. More talented riders are more talented because their potentials are better. There's a difference between all-time greats, superstars and very good riders, even if it's just a tiny bit.
8 potential = 84-85
7 potential = 82-84
6 potential = 80-82
5 potential = 78-80
etc.
Of course, it's only this high and tight for primary skills (hill for puncheurs, sprinting for sprinters, etc.). There's a more variety for less important skills so you can have a sprinter with 55 (Groenewegen) to 70 mountain (Colbrelli).
I also included two Notepad docs in the folder too. You don't have to copy them into the game folder, they're reference tables for explaining how exactly the type of riders and levels of potential stack up against each other.
There's also the Classifications for every WT stage race. I tried to follow the 2021 rules as close as possible, even went on to the official pages to copy out the rulebook.
Maybe it's not how it works but I prefer the idea that potential dictates how fast a rider gets to their max values. So some riders will be late bloomers and some will not get to their potential at all. Meaning it works best if max values are not linked too hard to their potential. Maybe I misunderstand the idea of potential in the game.
As far as I understand it, potential and the rate of progress in the game are different and independent.
That's how it is in real life too, isn't it? You have Pogacar and Bernal who have won their first GT at 22-23 and Indurain who had to wait until 27 for serial GT winners (7 potential).
Among 6 potentials, Damiano Cunego progressed very early to his 100%, but in the end he wasn't much more talented than Cadel Evans who have reached his top level almost a decade older.
If what you're saying were true, then every supremely talented rider would reach their 100% very quicky but after that, they wouldn't be more successful than the riders with slightly less potential.
But that's obviously not true. You have Contador, Froome, and now Pogacar winning GTs for fun and the Pinots and the Landas never even getting close not because it's just always the matter of luck, but because it's a matter of talent. The top level of a more talented rider is simply better than a less talented rider can ever dream of.
Bumped for a modification on the classics rider's time trialing ability to bring it in line with the barodeur's.
Van Aert, Asgreen, Lampaert, etc. are a bit better than the table allowed them to be.
It's now 2,5 steps down from the time trial specialist's ability rather than 3,5.
Ie. a time trialist with 5 potential (Küng, Bissegger, etc.) has 78-80 time trial at their peak.
A classics rider with 7 potential (van Aert, van der Poel, Sagan and Gilbert) can have 76-80 time trial potentially.
Of course, I didn't just edit one line, but the time trialing of every (1-8) potential.
