Heyho, something is weird about the GT3 TA Split in N2. Lukekek was able to skip the 6th checkpoint at the end of lap 2, because the minimum amount of points (2500pt) have been reached at the 4th Checkpoint. Which saves like 40+ seconds in that split alone.

Because I couldn't find anything obvious in the video, I began gathering some data. Time for some Excel 😁 I opened all the validated N2 Any% runs, some of my tries and even some random YT videos I found as data (although in the screenshots are only the validated runs + 1 of my really good runs visible). Some terminology: "Frame on Checkpoint" means, that on the data is from the first frame the checkpoint message is visible. "1 Frame before Checkpoint" means, that the data is from 1 frame before the checkpoint message is visible.

The first two CPs are all ok. You get around 10 points per sec left on the TA clock and the amount of time on the TA clock is also the same. CP1: CP2:

The third CP is a bit weird. You still get around 10 points per sec left, but the amount of time that is on the TA clock is different. CP3:

CP4 is even more weird. Because now the amount of points that get added per sec left is different. It seems like everyone is faster than Lukekek, but that is only partical true, because Lukekek only had 46.596 on the TA clock. Every other validated run at least a second more. CP4:

CP5 is the target CP to get to 2500pt. Because Lukekek got 0.5-1.1 seconds more on the TA clock in CP4 than niismo and I (in both runs), Lukekek had more time left on the clock in CP5 and got just enough points to get the bronze medal. Eventhough in my test run at the end of the table, I was 3.6 seconds faster in overall laptime, I only got 2447 points. That is because I got 1.1 seconds less time on the clock on CP4. Which equates to 120 points. That would've put me over 2500pt. CP5:

I don't know why that is. What factors play a role into that and how AC decides how much time it adds to the clock. Does anyone know anything about that? Is this known in the AC community? Has anyone good contacts to the devs, who could explain it?

TL;DR: Don't be too fast. Fast driver get punished by getting less points/time. Don't know why.

Very interesting. Thanks for your research! This is quite an interesting topic. Never knew about this and as I'm not a part of the active AC community, I don't know if this is known. There's possibly some research to be made on assettocorsa.net . "TL;DR: Don't be too fast. Fast driver get punished by getting less points/time. Don't know why.", this just annoys me to hell man. This makes it less about driving capabilities and more about understanding the game's inner workings. Which is fine, really, just not my kinda jam :/

I think I found a solution/skip to this problem. It seems like AC takes the time you take the last time you got the the CP as a reference of how much time you need and gives you more time, if you "need" it. That is why CP1, CP2 and in some regard CP3 gives a pre-defined amount of time (because it doesn't have a reference yet). But on the second lap, AC knows now how fast you are and adapts it. With the fact that, more time = more points, you can skip CP6.

So the solution is to be "slow" to CP1 and CP2 but fast für 3, 4 and 5. Here is a prove of concept:

More extreme idea would be, to try and time it just right, so you get the maximum of points and maybe even skip CP5. I'm sure this CP/Time/Points-Behavior is applicable in other TA too, but I haven't tried it... yet.