Explaining Potential And Growth
Potential
Driver's potential means their highest possible skill level they can achieve. Potential of a driver is displayed with a star system just like the driver's overall skill. Filled out stars mean the driver's present overall skill and rimmed stars mean their potential. If you don't see any rimmed stars it means that the driver has reached their potential and will peak soon.
Example picture of a promising driver. Almost 4 star abilities and 5 star potential. (Ignore the cheap graphics, this guide is done on a low budget)
Only some drivers will eventually reach their full potential so choose wisely. Drivers learn at different rates so some take more time to reach their potential than others.
Growth
Driver's growth rates can be seen by hovering over any driver attribute (smoothness, overtaking etc). Drivers who haven't peaked yet gain 0,1-5,0% to every stat per week depending on their growth and possible HQ upgrades. Drivers who take part in a race weekend (practise counts aswell) also gain a bonus growth depending on their performance and their natural growth rate.
Example of growth bonuses after a successful race weekend
How to boost your driver's growth
Choosing " Ex Driver " as your background story when you make your character
Buying Different HQ Upgrades
Signing a driver with Mentor trait
Dilemmas
See? Even with few upgrades the changes to the growth are significant!
Growth process in this game (especially at the start of your career) is slow so you need to be patient because on the long run it is totally worth it. You might not see any visual progress (Overall skill stars filling) on a single race season even though some attributes would get better.
Growth rates will start to decline slowly during your driver's career and the day will come when the driver will reach their maximum overall skill. This is called peaking and when your driver has peaked their stats won't improve by growth. Sooner or later the driver's stats will start to decline until the driver retires. Drivers usually peak around the age of 25-29, but some might peak sooner or later. Drivers decline much faster than grow so if you have an older driver in your team you should have a backup plan in case he retires or becomes too slow to keep.
Driver Types
When you are scouting for a young driver there are usually three types of drivers. We have Natural Talents, Learners and drivers that are bit of both. This section helps you to spot the driver types and gives you some information about these drivers.
Natural Talents
As the name says these drivers are full of talent even on very young age and that is a very good thing to have in a driver, but in many cases they either peak on young age or just don't progress as much as other drivers. These drivers usually need help from HQ upgrades to reach higher levels (4 stars or above). They are ideal main drivers to use in a lower tier teams(Top teams of ERS and lower midtable teams in APS) because young drivers tend to be cheaper than more experienced racers and they still improve throughout the season.
Natural Talent = 3,25 Stars or more on his/her first season and progress rate of under 1.25% per week without any HQ upgrade boosts.
Classic case in point. Great skills, but grows very slowly.
Learners
Learners might not have the talent that some youngsters have, but they improve much quicker and they tend to be a safer bet to become superstars in the future if you give them time. Learners with good feedback ratings are ideal reserve drivers because they get a chance to develop in practise sessions and also give you better idea for the setups for your main drivers. Because of their relatively low skills on their first season they usually won't ask for big wages and usually want long contracts. Win win situation for a backmarker team.
Learner = 2-2,5 Stars on his/her first season and progress rate of atleast 2,25% per week without any HQ upgrade boosts.
Exceptionally good growth. Has a good chance of hitting his 4 star potential.
Inbetweeners
Inbetweeners are bit of both and neither at the same time. They are not the best drivers or best learners, but they are average on both which still makes them a good option for the future. They can be a good option for a main driver spot in a backmarker team in ERS. Won't ask for too much wage and tend to want longer contracts.
Inbetweener = 2,75-3 Stars on his/her first season and progress rate of 1,3-2% per week without any HQ upgrade boosts.
Good enough skills and good enough growth to get a main driver spot and develop to a good driver in the future. Ideal stats for a promising driver aswell.
Choosing The Right Driver
You might have more than one candidate for the driver spot in your team. Hopefully this section will help you to narrow your search and make you sign a future superstar.
Things you should look for in a promising driver
High Growth Rate
High Potential
High Marketability
Low Wages (200K-400K per race)
Base stats that your promising driver would be great to have
Consistent Stats (So the driver will become good on all areas in the future)
Smoothness atleast 9 (Otherwise you will really struggle with tire management)
Focus atleast 7 (If you don't want to crash too often)
High feedback rating (Not needed if you have two other drivers with good feedback ratings)
Overtaking atleast 7 (Makes your life lot easier, but can make do without it)
Consistency atleast 7 (Consistent laps are key to good racecraft)
Braking atleast 7 (Less lockups = Less crashes and pitstops)
Useful Traits
Mentor (Helps other drivers of your team improve faster)
All permanent stat improving traits (Late Braker, Smooth Braker, Rock Solid etc)
Pay Driver (Very useful if the driver asks for a lot of money)
All permanent marketability improving traits
Wonderkid (Increases potential)
Traits you should avoid if possible
All traits that decrease mechanic relationship (2nd unlock won't be available)
All traits that won't be beneficial to the team (Selfish, Hates Team orders, Greedy etc)
All traits that decrease stats (Flatspotter, Bad at DRS, Crash Happy etc)
All traits that decrease marketability (Iceman, Media Shy, Shy And Retiring etc)
Some examples
He'll be a future star for sure!
Needs to work on his smoothness and fitness, but still good enough choice for a main driver seat in ERS. Just look at that marketability :0
Not good enough for a main driver spot, but an ideal test driver. Can become a good option for a main driver seat in couple seasons time. Just not smooth enough yet on her tires or brakes.
Test driver at best. Unlikely to hit his 5 star potential with that growth rate and uneven stats make him a bad choice even for the future. Better drivers are out there so don't waste your time on him.
Tips/Fyi
- To maximise your driver's growth the driver should have something to improve on every attribute because when one or more stats are maxed out the driver wont concentrate on other attributes more than without having a stat maxed out. (Don't have to be too concerned about your driver having maxed out stats because thats definitely not a bad thing especially on a stat like smoothness or feedback)
- When your driver has a dilemma where you can choose different traits, choose a trait that permanently boosts your driver's attributes Late Braker, Aggressive, Hard Worker etc. Those traits are a better choice than something like First Lap Hero Trait that only boosts driver's stats for one lap each race. (Choosing the same trait twice won't boost the same attribute twice.)
- Drivers also grow on Pre Season even though there aren't any races. Its a long period of time so they have time to grow nicely before next season.
- Promising drivers might not want to renew their contracts with your team if they feel they are too good for their current championship (3 and half stars in ERS, 4,5 Stars in APS)
- Better scouting facilites = More promising drivers to scout (Even level 1 facilities make a big difference)
Lastly
I'll read all comments so feel free to express your opinions and if you have something you would add to this guide just let me know.
Sorry for the average at best grammar on this guide. English is not my native language.
Want to listen some music while you play? Try this playlist ;)
https://open.spotify.com/user/11147483187/playlist/1thHAkTIWJSfT3d6k4isZV
I hope you learned a thing or two and have a good day
- Peq
Started from here
3 years later ;)
Source: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=960055923
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