As an active user of setups created by others, I have a question for the gurus. At the moment, in GPL I seem to go fastest in a Lotus using the "GH" setups. A year ago I could not handle them, now I find them very stable and fast. However, since there are so many circuits for GPL, occasionally there's no such GH setup available. My strategy now is to try to match the circuit with a circuit I do have a setup for and use that setup. Usually I then transfer the gears from a different setup for the right circuit.

My question to the gurus: how do you develop a new setup for "addon number 1001 for GPL"? What things should I try. Is there such a thing as a baseline setup you use?

I don't really have one baseline setup that I would use when starting setup work for a new track. In N2003 I have a pretty good idea what to use for tyre pressure, camber and a few other settings. Usually I just use a Bob Stanley 'expert' setup or one of my own from a similar track and start tweaking from there.

As for GPL, well, I haven't played it for over a year so my memory is fading. But you can at least get the tyre pressure and camber pretty close depending on whether the track runs clockwise or anti-clockwise. If it's clockwise (more right-handers) then you need a bit less tyre pressure on the left side tyres and less camber on the right side. The gearing you'll get right just by doing some laps. Well, I can't really remember more, need to check my GPL setups again. Maybe someone else who still plays GPL can tell more.

What I do is always start with compression and rebound, then i move to rear springs, front springs and i try to do as much there as I can, then i move to weight, and gears last...

just a quick tour but thats what i mainly do

AFAIK bump&rebound is fine-tune and I usually try to play with springs first and use shocks just to fine-tune.

shocks are alot more than fine tuning now. just have to be careful you dont use then to mask another problem. play around with them youll see what i mean
cup teams will show up with 5 or six sets of shocks ready for Q and probably build 3 or four more individuals before they Q. then theres the race stuff