I’m a manual shifter W/o clutch and decided today to try out shifting with clutch which I find very confusing from a controller perspective. What I don’t understand is that is brake with my left index finger and what to both brake and manage the clutch say for multiple down shifts through a corner, how in the world is that done? Also, is the golden rule that you left your right index finger off the the accelerator as you engage the clutch? With manual w/o clutch I don’t have to remove my right index finger off the accelerator and that’s what so confusing about the clutch. Is there also a perceptible clutch bite point using the controller? Will someone expert(s) and current users of manual w/clutch in the game respond to this.
Most people map A as clutch, B for upshifting and X for downshifting so you press B and A together for upshift and A and X for downshift. This is very close to what you have, so should be quick to get used to. Use configuration 1 for the controller (in settings) and change the handbrake/clutch around. I Super GT I has an excellent Youtube clip on this. Be sure to have a look.
I never lift my finger from the acelerator when changing gears, and could’nt find a difference if I do, but the top guys might feel different, so best for them to answer.
Hope this helps.
1 Like
This. I started using clutch this week, two; about 2 days ago. Mapping the clutch to the A button and pressing it at the same time as the gear up/down took almost no time to get used to for me, coming from manual without the clutch, and it has definitely helped me to go faster.
Suggest you also adjust the clutch button deadzones - I use 1 inside, 21 outside; adjust to whatever works best for you.
I actually play with what I call the “crab” grip.
Hold the controller so that your middle fingers are on the triggers and your index fingers are on the bumpers. I also switch the gear up/down to Y/X respectively.
I find that I’m much gentler on the triggers using my middle fingers rather than my index finger. It takes a bit to get used it it, but I like it way more than using the A button for the clutch (I’ve always sort of viewed that as cheating anyway, because there’s no real skill involved in it, you’re just mashing two buttons at the same time).
Yes, manual with clutch you should release the gas as you press the clutch button. Just like a real car, the clutch pedal disconnects the engine from the wheels, so hammering the throttle will cause your RPM’s to jump to the redline. When you release the clutch pedal, smoothly re-apply the gas for a smooth shift. Otherwise, you risk causing the wheels to spin uncontrollably once the clutch is engaged.
This is especially true when downshifting, a sudden change in the RPMs will cause the backend to fly out from behind you. As you let go of the clutch, apply a little bit of gas to keep the RPM’s high or you will risk causing a sudden slowdown, which will throw the car off-balance.
There are some who will tell you to just hold the throttle while you upshift (also known as power shifting). I personally find this disingenuous, as doing this in a real car 9/10 will destroy your clutch plate. In Forza 6, there’s no real penalty for doing this. The transmission is only damaged by not using the clutch at all.
Shifting with the clutch is pretty tricky at first, but it allows you to shift much faster than the auto-clutch.
1 Like
Someone in F5 posted a pretty unique and fairly intuitive alternate mapping. Gearing was on the bumpers I think up on LB, down in RB. And clutch was a button.; I see if I can find it
Put I just switched handbrake and clutch so it’s press a at same time as changing gears up or down.
If you are going for time. DONOT lift off while changing gears up. If you are driving because you like to I tend to do lifts so the sound of the car mimics what it sound in real life. But there is no bad affect to keeping throttle 100% and shift up. So don’t lose the time by lifting unless you feel like it.
There are places in rev where shifting is easier, “clutch bite” but it’s not a realistic feel clutch and pop or ability to feather clutch as in real life and I don’t worry about it.
Map A for clutch and press two buttons instead of one to shift, easy as that. Also, holding the throttle whilst shifting is quicker, don’t lift, power shift everything.
1 Like
Don’t lift with shifting. It was confirmed by T10 years ago in FM3 that it’s best to not lift when upshifting.
The only time I lift is when I know the car will spin out if I mash the gas but usually that only happens off tight corners in power tunes.
As above, but also remember if your racing with simulation damage every time you miss hitting the clutch you’ll get around 4% damage to the transmission.
I used to always use the bumper button as a clutch in FM3 and FM4 but I started to get pains in my index and middle finger so had to learn using A, as it turns out it is easier using A, once you get used to it. Good luck with it, you’ll be faster once learned.
delete this post plz
Buy the Elite Controller. Then you can use one of the paddles on the back as clutch. That’s what I do.
LB upshift, RB downshift, A for clutch since FM3 .
I suggest trying the different schemes then choose the one you feel most comfortable with.
I think A/X & A/B is the best way of doing it because it frees the index fingers to be dedicated to brake & throttle. But my thumb is small so A/B was awkward.
The ‘crab’ grab also sounds great but I’m too used to using index fingers and I was confusing brake/shift too frequently. I suppose it comes down to training but I’m lazy.
So I started with A/LB & A/RB and stuck to it. I don’t have the dexterity to blip the throttle during downshift yet. So downshifting results in a bit of loss in grip so I try to downshift as late as possible.
One can lift the accel for smooth shifting but I ask ‘why?’ I agree that it is the proper shifting method in real life but unless everyone is doing it, it makes no sense.
It all comes down to practice and getting used to it. This was the most intimidating change and took about couple of weeks to become comfortable with it.
1 Like
There are a number of button configurations that can be used for manual clutch. Try out a few and see what you prefer.
What I believe is the most common and the easiest to do is to use:
X - Gear Down
A - Clutch
B - Gear Up
Use ‘switch handbrake and clutch’ on configuration 1 to get this.
(My manual with clutch guide) goes into more detail.
The basic idea is that to shift up, you press A+B and to shift down you press A+X. Both fairly simple actions.
As for lifting the throttle when upshifting - it is possible to upshift with the accelerator still planted. Regardless of whether you think this is or isn’t authentic, it is possible and won’t lose you any time.
2 Likes
Your video is the resource I used when I decided to give this a try a few days ago, so…thanks!!!
1 Like
Do you use the clutch while downshifting as well? I feel like it doesn’t make a difference when you’re downshifting while braking if you clutch or not, so I now just shift down without clutch and shift up with clutch.
You’ll accumulate damage doing this. Think it’s 4% transmission damage for each shift you miss clutch. Not ideal.
Wow…thanks everyone for your amazing input; I’ll take all of your advise into consideration and see if I can get a handle on my clutch situation. Also, can someone explain how using the clutch makes the car go faster?
The auto-clutch has a set threshold the RPMs drop to before the clutch engages, so you lose precious time waiting for the clutch when you could have just released it. That and obviously the powershifting (holding the gas while shifting) does not happen at all with auto-clutch.
1 Like
Yes, but I manual shift, not auto shift, and with manual shifting the w/o clutch (button) the car’s ECU is taking care of the clutch and can do it faster the human can shift (hence F1 doesn’t use a clutch except at start up), so the question is what in sequential shifting as in the La Ferrari or Veneno is less advantageous than having to use a manual clutch which to me introduces a step that retards the car’s speed?