I roll manual w/ clutch so it’s not like I have any issues with shifting, but out of curiosity I decided to try both automatic and manual. IMHO manual is a bit on the slow side. Granny shifting as it were. Feels just as slow as Automatic when it shouldn’t. I feel like it should be like maybe a quarter slower than manual w/ clutch. I understand that both are meant to be handicaps, but perhaps they’re being penalized a bit too much. I’ve been in some automatic cars that definitely shift faster than their manual versions. I’d say anything automatic past say 2010 should shift considerably faster.
Something else I noticed is that the animation for hitting the clutch while in cockpit view is backwards. It looks like we’re letting off the clutch pedal when shifting lol. Oh, and what’s up with no animation when shifting and using the e-brake in drift cars? That’s immersion breaking as all get out.
Even on manual with clutch I think those cars that have automatic gearbox still don’t shift fast enough. I mean just look at those Porsche with PDK, they shift lighting fast in real life, so fast that the shifting seems seamless, while in the game you can easily see the drop in speed when you shift up.
Well, the non manual “manuals” are way off. Chevrolet’s 10 speed for example is not a normal transmission or typical automatic. It is a multiclutch assembly using planetary gear sets. It is pretty much instant from factory. Because it is planetary gears. It is impossible to have independently variable gear sets.
In this modern age of cars, these shift speeds need to be considered. And any time you go to a race transmission, automatically a six speed perhaps with option to add or remove gears.
It is one of my larger irks, but minor compared to other gameplay issues. Revamping transmission mechanics will need to be addressed though.
It’s not intended to be realistic, it’s just another fake difficulty thing, you get a performance benefit from doing something that is more difficult.
Easiest = automatic = slowest = zero demand on your brain while playing
Harder = manual = faster = demand on your brain to shift at the right time
Hardest = manual with clutch = fastest = most demand on your brain to press an extra button on top of manual
And there is also huge difference between cars how gear change effect cars, for example S1 tune california there is 0,1s difference between manual vs automatic, but mclaren senna is really slow with automatic as it’s over 0.5s slower with automatic than manual in one lap, having that kinda difference in times just because gear change is just so bs.
Especially since in many cases the automatics are faster when done for performance XD… Most tuned for fuel economy and soft comfort. Having gear control is the separator. A lag on auto downshift for example. Nowadays, most of said performance automatics can then be more aptly called electronically controlled manuals. Heck, back in the day you just put manual valvebodies in autos. Swapped torque converters, etc. That was how you got fast times.
I got a couple of manual valvebody automatics. My fav is one am working with right now to swap a TT L81 into my chevette. 4L30E is an electronically controlled, hydraulically clutched planetary 3 speed with a 2speed for overdrive between flywheel and trans. It is a full manually operated system put together allowing me to independently actuate the overdrive so I will be able to tall ratio 3 speed or a shorter ratio 4 speed.
Transmissions, such fuzzy things. The old way of thinking about shifts is definitely gone. Lots of potential to the future.
Curious question. Is manual with clutch faster? I can see advantage with not needing the drivetrain upgrade is it? The chance to save some PI? Upgraded is pretty solid and fast. Dont think manual clutch can be faster, even with button clutch cause shifting as fast as I can click.
Edit. That said, auto clutch when upgraded irks me at some points. Having an analog clutch at times would be love.
An example is there is a very fast RWD Alfa 33 S tune that I used for the Holyrood rivals. It’s not in any way fast if you use manual gears, it takes an eternity to shift, but if you use manual with clutch, the problem goes away and it becomes very fast. Yes, some cars cost a lot of PI to upgrade the drivetrain, my recent RS4 build had to really hold back on clutch and gearbox upgrades for that reason, so I’d guess it’s a fair bit slower with manual or auto, though I haven’t tried it.
Manual with clutch is barely faster, if at all, than manual on cars with automatic gearbox. However it’s significantly faster than manual on cars with manual gearbox.