Manual on a Controller

Forza Motorsport Forza Motorsport 2023 FM 2023 Discussion
1

Hi all,

Been playing on automatic up until now but thought I’d give manual a go to improve on Rival times.

I am playing on a regular Xbox controller (on both PC and XSX). What controller layout works best for manual gearing? The default wants me to shift with face buttons which feels awful.

Also considering an Elite series 2 controller with paddles, anyone use these? Seems like a goo fit for those who race on controller?

Not considering a wheel as lack of space etc and I play lots of other game types

2

Elites are pretty crap quality tbh with standard analogs. Get yourself Gamesir G7SE for hal effect magnetic analog sticks.

3

My gearshifts are bound to my right thumbstick. It’s really stupid, messes up your ability to look around and a lot more of the default layout, but I like it.

Shift up = thumbstick up, shift down = thumbstick down.
It gives a bit of a sequential gearshift idea (some would argue that the binds should be the other way around for this).

4

A lot of people who run rivals including my self have clutch at A (useless you don’t need to clutch with race transmission and every single car needs race trans in this Forza )
Gear up X
Gear down B

5

I use manual without clutch. Button B to shift up and X to shift down and button A for handbrake.

2 Likes
6

It’s funny, my previous car had a sequential option on the gearknob, and it was push to shift up, pull to shift down. My current car, and apparently every sequential race gearbox in existence, works the opposite.

Boy was my engine angry at me that one time I try putting it in manual. I’ve never put it in manual ever again.

1 Like
7

X-gear up, Y-gear down thumb sits nicely over both for fast changes. The X-B layout is too far apart for my liking, each to their own liking though.

8

I play using a wheel 99.9% of the time, but when I do use a controller, I’ve always done Manual (no clutch), with A to shift up and X to shift down.

9

Manual with no clutch:

A - Shift Up
X - Shift Down

Like others posted, the B-X combo is too far apart while your thumb rests comfortably over the A and X buttons, naturally.

1 Like
10

I’ve always used the default bindings.

11

Pretty underwhelmed with my Elite considering its overinflated price. Can you speak to how the spring tension on the Gamesir controller compares to an Elite? I’ve been wanting higher tension triggers and thumbsticks for an entire console generation now. X360 sticks were stiff enough out of the box but even with them I always wanted higher. Always felt like a modern take on the Dreamcast’s thumbstick would be ideal since you could actually get to and replace the spring.

12

For the analogs it’s pretty standard from what I can tell. But the feel is spectacular. Really smooth, nothing is rubbing against since there’s no physical contact. Triggers are magnetic as well and with that no extra tention.

13

I have a very odd controller mapping I’ve been using since fm4. my throttle/brake is the right thumb stick. up for gas, down for brake. I use right bumper shift up, left bumper shift down. no clutch. clutch is useless lol

14

You can assign shifts to back buttons. I don’t shift with anything else since I did that. Super comfortable.