Some of us have nerve damage or other problems that limit us to auto,i do ok with auto. The main thing is have fun and enjoy yourself,some of us are not leader board racers and thats ok,we are just enjoying our game!
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I quite like racing in Manual for the challenge of it, I find it can help a bit under braking.
Thanks to those who have answered this question so far. I’m glad to see that no one was overly silly and/or stupid. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do a little bit of testing this weekend to see if there truly is any difference between keeping the gas on or off when shifting. I’ll use cars Class D - Class S at the minimum, but may go all the way to Class X. All info will be available when I post results, hopefully on Monday or Tuesday. Anywho, here are some cookies for all y’all. Magic internet powers, AWAAAAAAY!!!
I run manual w/clutch most of the time. Only time I don’t use clutch, is when I run in a paddle shift car. I like authenticity in racing games. That’s why I get annoyed when racing games don’t have the option, just automatic. Just because an Evo X is paddle shift, doesn’t mean it’ll be just as fast without clutch though. Since I don’t use clutch on paddle shift cars, I upgrade the clutch and flywheel first.
As far as holding down the gas while shifting… depends on the car in my opinion. In most, you’ll notice quicker times. Some cars have too much power, and you get a wiggle. If I need that extra boost in rivals, I’ll do it. If I’m actually racing, I don’t.
When it comes to GT+ cars, it’s probably 98% likely running without clutch will be faster. I also play claw, every game I play. Running paddle shift doesn’t kill my hands as much. If you don’t know what claw is, YouTube it. If you play claw and you don’t have carpal tunnel yet, quit. Having it at 19 sucks.
My $0.02.
Started off using manual when I was on Forza Motorsport 2, then when number 3 came around due to me having a interest in drifting I moved myself over to manual w/clutch and from that point haven’t looked back.
As someone has said above I’ve noticed this recently when racing with a couple of friends that I was using from manual and manual w/clutch depending on some of the race cars.
I have another sorta-kinda question about shifting for you’z guyz to ponder while I’m doing my tests. Which is better: Shifting before your RPM reaches the Red Zone, or after? I used to try to stretch out my gears as long as possible before shifting, but I recently noticed how much longer it takes for your speed to increase when at that high of RPM, so I’ve changed that. I don’t necessarily shift before the Red Zone, but rather when I notice my Acceleration slow down to a crawl. Most times, that’s right before or right after the Red Zone, but there are those wierd ones that have a massive Red Zone, so it ends up being about midway through it on those. Anywho, the only real acception to my new rule is when I’m either in or approaching a turn. As always, there are a few exceptions, for example the last turn on Road Atlanta; for that turn I Upshift right before or during the turn to get a jump on Accelerating ahead of the competition. So, what’s the verdict? Do you shift before or after the Red Zone no matter what, or do you have conditions that need to be met before you shift?
On an unrelated note, I race using the Console Controller (I’m pretty exclusive to Xbox; although I have played a few Racers on Playstation, but not recently). I use te Bumper Buttons for Shifting gears (LB - Downshift ; RB - Upshift), and the A Button is my Clutch. The way I hold the controller, I have my Index Fingers on LB/RB, while my Middle Fingers are on LT/RT (Brake / Gas). Don’t know if there’s a special name for holding it that way, but it’s the way I’ve done it for about 6 years now. It’s hard to get used to, but once you do, it’s a very efficient way to hold the controller. The only fingers I really have to move are my Thumbs, and that’s just so I can use the Face Buttons ( A, B, Y, X ) , D-Pad (which is rare), or Menu Buttons.
I do the same. Generally shift RIGHT before the redzone. My only exceptions are turning.
On the second note: Claw is kind of the same way. My left middle and index on LT/LB. My right middle on RT. My right index hovers over the face buttons. It can be painful or very difficult to learn for a lot of people. I’ve always found it natural, and VERY effective. As I said though. I don’t recommend it. Cuts your “holding the controller, lifespan” in half.
I use the default control scheme by the way. LB as clutch. X, B as down & up.
Shift points depend on where the highest average hp is. In a lot of cars it is close to redline, in others it isn’t, the rally engine being a prime example.
The Vipers often do well with earlier shifting too.
With some cars it seems like the best shift point is part way into the red line. Does anyone else shift that late or should I always be shifting right at the red line?
It depends if that is where the highest max hp is achieved.
Worm’s method is to pull up telemetry and shift gears where the hp before and after the change are the same.
My method is to look at the power curve of the engine. If max hp is close to max revs ie past the redline then shift late. The earlier in the rev range that max hp is the earlier the ideal shift will be.
Neither redline nor into redline should be part of a guideline for shifting. Max average hp should be and may or may not involve redlines.
Thanks, that was just the info I needed. Looks like I have some telemetry to study.
I like the visual approach. Maybe I am alone in that.
In the graph below the change point will be around 6,100 ish rpm. That will give you the maxium power across the used rev range. It will be around 102 kw before and after the change using Worm’s method.
With a power curve like the following you hold it until it revs no more. Using Worms method you won’t find a power matching level of rpm but you will notice the car accelerates fine throughout the revs.
Unfotunatly the graphs are not always accurate,easiest way to do it is use the one mile drag, pull up telemetry and try different revs when changing gear untill hp roughly match. Some of the cars e.g. hondas they will still drop even at the limiter so you change gear there.My question is about torque,does it have an impact on shifting ?
I use Manual with Clutch regardless of the car.
Just a quick update on how things are going. I’ve just started Class B testing, and am up to 1970’s cars. Am testing one car from each decade for all of the car classes. Should be done by tomorrow and will post findings then.
Well, it’s time for me to post my findings. Although I didn’t go as far as I had initially planned, but I believe I have gathered enough data to come to a conclusion. First, let me state both the initial parameters of the test, and what I actually did. When I started out this journey, I was planning to use one car from every decade that I had available from Class D to Class S, all of them upgraded to my specifications:
- Engine: Lowest Grade available, Upgrade as needed ; Aspiration: Upgrade if needed, prefer Twin Screw Supercharger or Turbocharger
- Drivetrain: Race Grade (except for the Driveline, if needed to make Class)
- Platform & Handling: Race Grade (except Weight; upgraded as needed)
- Tire Width: Max ; Rim Style: Lowest Weight ; Tire Compound: Upgrade as needed
- Aero: Race Grade
I actually just tested Class D through Class B. I used Test Drive through the Upgrade screen, and raced on Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca: Full Circuit. I used every Drivetrain type (AWD ; FWD ; RWD); I used vehicles with & without Turbochargers or Superchargers; Heavy Vehicles, Vehicles with below 50% Front Weight Distribution; ones that had more Torque than Power, sometimes over double the amount; Low Torque & Power; you get the picture. If you can think of it, I probably tested it (I doubt that, but it gets the point across).
What I found, is that with some vehicles, it does help a bit, but not in terms of actual Speed or Acceleration increase. Most times, there was absolutely no real change in how the vehicle handled or how fast it went. However, every now and then there would be a vehicle that had just a little slower of a clutch and just a little to much Power and/or the wrong Weight Distribution. They would have more of a chance to kick out in the wrong way and/or lose traction. Usually, it was just enough that you had to correct enough that it slows you down, or even spin out on you. With most Class D and some Class C cars, it was easy enough to correct through Tuning. However, some of the Class B cars still have problem areas that I haven’t been able to find a solution to as of yet. I assume it’s because I’m relatively new to Tuning, so I don’t know how much is safe to put on or take off before I make a huge mistake and have to start all over again. If anyone wants to give it a go and see what they find, I wish you luck. It’s a very, very, very tedious project. I ended up doing 3-4 laps for each type: Shifting with Accelerator ON ; Shifting with Accelerator OFF. That’s 6-8 laps for each vehicle. I did about 384 laps in total, during the past 4 days. I need a break…
I am very surprised by those findings. I stay on the gas in all cars and have no issues whatsoever.
If we were talking about the Lotus E21 with traction off and were changing gears mid turn then maybe, maybe we would have something to test.
In B class I run no assists and never have any issue staying on gas when changing up.
Please name a car and build that causes you grief in B class when staying on gas so I can test the same car.
Manual with clutch no abs, I have improved enough to race this way all the time not just in rivals. It’s just most challenging and funner (not a real word I think) as far as times go I’m usually around the top 1% in R class and it seems manual or auto clutch achieve almost same times. Auto has nothing on either tho.
Sorry for the long delay. When I said I needed a break, I didn’t expect to take 3 weeks! Anywho, I’ve been going through all of my vehicles, re-Tuning them. I’ve gotten a little better understanding of what the different options do and what works best for me, so that’s nice. Anywho, when I’m all done, I will be posting any vehicles that have problems with loss of traction when you shift gears. If anyone has any ideas on how to minimize those issues, I’d be happy to hear them, 'cause I sure don’t know what to do just yet. Maybe I’ll figure it out when I test them, who knows. Anywho, probably going to take me about a week to finish things up from how things have been going so far.
I run mine in automatic for races and manual with clutch for rivals when I wanna go for a friends time. I have had so many issues with wreckers while shifting myself that I just threw it to auto so I could recover and get back past them faster.