Forza has seen pretty much identical gearbox upgrade functionality since at least Motorsport 2, with the first major change to the upgrades in Horizon 5, that is the addition of more gears via upgrades.
Two things are still missing though, that is a fully adjustable gearbox which doesn’t change the gear switch time as much as a race gearbox upgrade and doesn’t have that sequential gearbox whine, as well as a legitimate sequential gearbox with an even quicker, almost instant gear switch time. The latter is in a way already in Horizon 5, because any drivetrain conversion upgrades the gearbox too, and the gear switch time is faster than race gearbox+clutch upgrades on the same car with stock drivetrain, but I think it should be its own upgrade.
Over a year later, I see this has got some attention. I went even more in-depth into what I’d like to see changed in the Upgrade System here, and it’s quite long, so you all voting for this Suggestion should go check that one out.
They need to overhaul a lot, but the gearbox system too. I made a topic where I proposed that the race gearbox could allow the player to add or remove gears (between 1 to 10 gears). This way the gearbox upgrade menu isn’t cluttered with up to 8 upgrade options but rather up to 3 (street, sport and fully customizable race gearbox).
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Agree, and personally I think the whole gearbox system should be revised to reflect something which relates to real life.
Remove driving aids for transmissions and clutch, and when you buy a car you choose base/stock auto or manual. You can then only drive it per the fitted transmission, unless you fit different one.
Automatics would be driven as full-auto or paddle shift ‘manual’ (ie no-clutch required), manual transmissions would require clutch (ie must use the clutch button on controller, or pedal for wheel users).
Auto Transmissions: (all these would be useable in full-auto or manual-mode per real life cars with +/- or paddles, but there is no ability to clutch)
Basic/Stock Auto - Shifts slow.
Chipped/Valved Auto - Shifts fast/tunable.
Race Auto - Shifts fastest/tunable and has adjustable ratios.
Manual Transmissions: (not to be confused with autos which can be driven in a ‘manual mode’, everything here requires a clutch button/pedal use)
Basic/Stock Manual - Must be driven with a clutch, shifts as quick as the player can.
Racing Manual - As above, with tunable ratios.
Racing Manual Sequential - As above, but once moving can shift without clutch and has near instant shift speed.
PI would factor in the speed of the transmission (with manuals treated as having very-fast shift times per the average player using clutch on controller, or wheel & pedals), allowing a tradeoff of transmission type and shifting speed, to other upgrades like power.
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But here’s the thing, I want non-stock gear ratios without having to use the race gearbox. I think this would make more sense in Horizon 5 though
Perhaps change the options to be something like: Stock, Street, Race Helical, Race Straight Cut, Dogbox.
Generally Straight cut gearboxes can be made lighter due to no longer experiencing axial loads from the helical gears. Maybe the dog box is slightly lighter again? Not too sure. But it would be a nice way to introduce more granularity.
I think a dog box refers to not having synchromesh, so you could have a helical dog box, or a straight cut dog box.
I’m not 100% sure though, maybe one of the older fellas with real world experience can advise?
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You are correct in that you can design a synchromesh dog box. However, dog boxes are almost entirely found in racing, so it makes sense to utilise the strength, weight and cost benefits to straight cut gears. (I’m guessing straight cut are simpler and cheaper to manufacture than helical gears?)
Something I forgot to consider is that helical dog gears can be retrofit into “standard” gearboxes. That could be cheaper in the real world versus buying and adapting a straight cut dog box to the car/engine.
A helical dog gear conversion could actually be a good budget option.
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