New to Forza, terrible at corners.

As the title says, I’m new to the Forza series, Forza 5 is my first game. I’ve only got about ten hours in so far, so maybe I’ll get better in time. But I am absolutely awful around turns. Quite frequently I end up off the track, and if I make the turn, I have to brake very hard and drop my speed to around 30MPH or less. Doesn’t matter the car or class, even with P and X cars that have remarkable handling. I use a standard controller, not a wheel. I have braking set to the middle assist and the other assists are on default. I’d adjust them but then I’d crash even more. I follow the braking lines that the game puts in and it gives little help.

Any advice out there? Sorry if this is the wrong forum, not sure where else to post. Thanks.

With less than 10 hours under your belt, all you need is more time and practice. Try to follow the ghost of some of your closest rivals to learn the racing lines and, as you beat them, you’ll get quicker and learn new ways to approach each corner.

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to start off, try braking early into corners and slowly pulling the trigger to avoid any lock up. (even with ABS there is a little lock up) Getting on the brakes early and gradully will help keep the car stable. After you get through the corner, ease on to the gas. Do this for several laps to get used to the controls and the games physics. Gradually you can start driving faster laps. If your really struggling do this outside of the career mode and maybe do this from the upgrade screen (test drive) so you are on the track by yourself.

As you start driving faster watch the driving line and break later and later until you figure out the best breaking points for each corner. (Generally its where the driving line turns red but often you can go deeper into a corner) When the brake line turns yellow you generally don’t need to brake anymore but can just stay lifted off the gas a bit so you don’t slide off the track. Do not get on the gas until you reach the apex of the corner! once you pass the apex you can start to slowly get on the gas but don’t fully punch it until the car has straightened out. getting on the gas too early can create do one of two things depending on the car and the the car’s tune. First it could create understeer causing the car to “push” (car wont turn even thorugh you have the stick turned all the way). If you feel the car push of gor straight - Lift off the gas! On rear wheel drive cars that have a lot of power, getting on the gas too early will cause the rear tires to break loose causing the car to spin.

Outlier has some good tips there. A few things I might add …

(1) Brake in a straight line before the turn … not as you’re turning in. Hard enough to slow you but try not to lock up. Let off the brake as you begin to turn in to the curve.

(2) Let the weight transfer and allow the car to settle before beginning the actual turn. You can actually see the car settle after the transfer most of the time.

(3) I usually let the car coast through the entry to the turn til I hit the apex … then hit the gas and accelerate out of the corner.

(4) Sometimes if I feel myself beginning to lose control in the turn, I’ll let off the gas and downshift to regain control.

Most of all … just keep practicing. At first I was all over the place too … but in time I’ve gotten much better.

A lot like how pro drivers drive on the track. Good advice for the OP.

Stay in D class if you’re struggling that much. You need to learn the physics of the game at slower speeds before you jump into higher hp cars.

Start with the mini cooper since it is pretty forgiving and download one of the many great tunes for the car.

It’ll take a lot more than 10 hours to learn this style of racing game if you’re brand new to it.

There’s several good tips here, but I just want to say to make sure not to worry too much about it and just give it time; lots of time. I played all of FM2 with driver aids and never started turning them off until well into FM3. It isn’t something you master from being a rookie in so many hours.

What helped me the most was rivals. Pay attention to where you rival brakes. For the longest time I would brake way to late. I’m told i still do but have got much better. Practice is key, the more you play the better you’ll get.

I would suggest normal steering in the assists and on the tcs options set it to tcs only.

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I’m in the same boat as the OP; time-wise into the game.

Is there a preferred set of events that happen in cornering when you manually sift? It has been twenty years since I drove a stick shift and it is not coming back to me as to the most efficient method to use. I become all thumbs and nervous when I start into a corner. Here is “what I think it should be”:

  1. Line up straight with the edge of the corner or the middle of the road in the corner.
  2. Start gently breaking.
  3. Pull the clutch in.
  4. Down shift one gear.
  5. Continue to brake while letting out the clutch.
  6. Step 3, 4 and 5 again if it is a hair pin turn or double turn.
  7. Coast through until the late apex.
  8. Confidently, increase the gas up to full and pull out of the turn.

Update this list and give us what works for you the best.

Inquiring; Enquiring; Noob minds want to know this stuff! :slight_smile:

Every corner is different. Its even different in different cars.

But to adjust your explanation:

  1. If there is a single corner then start as wide as possible, almost touching the rumble strip or grass etc. If there is a multi turn section you need to work out how you want to enter the final turn of that section and work back from there what line you need to take. Watch top replays to see some good lines. Try to avoid the middle of the road unless it is due to a multi turn section (I see too many people driving down the middle of the road - use the full width of the track).
  2. Brake the appropriate amount but obviously avoid locking up. Sometimes its brake hard, sometimes not. Change down gears at same time as braking usually.
  3. Press clutch and change down button together, do it twice quickly if needed. If you are going from 6th to 2nd for a hairpin I usually get down to 4th quickly, small gap and then down to 2nd. There is no need to take time about clutch and change down - each gear change is a quick tap of two buttons.
  4. Coast through until the late apex. (all depends on the turn, class ,car, tune etc. some cars on some turns need no coasting). Do not use hard and fast rules. Each corner and car may need a different approach and some turns do not need coasting.
  5. Confidently, increase the gas up to full and pull out of the turn. Gas amount once again varies. In short apply as much gas as possible that allows the car to still make the right line on exit without spinning out, losing traction or oversteering. On some turns in some cars you can gas it earlier than others.

All of this can be seen via replays. Telemetry is no longer available but sound can help.

If I remember I may make a video tonight if I think a lap is worthy of showing. This will show the brake and gas in the hud.

Just keep driving. It’ll all come together the more you drive. Learning the physics of the game as well as memorizing the track layouts will help you tremendously. That only comes with practice. .

For braking and corners in particular, one piece of advice that always goes through my mind is something that the great Jackie Stewart said once: “Slow in, fast out.” Brake before the turn, coast through the apex, and then get on the power as quickly as possible.

I’ve driven over 20 thousand miles in Forza 5 alone. That’s enough to nearly circle the globe once. I’ve had all the Forza titles and even before that, I was a fan of racing Sims. I’ve put in a lot of time to get better, as I’m sure many people here in the forum have.

There’s a lot of good advice in this thread. I also advise that maybe in your free time when you’re on the computer or your phone, watch some real-life onboard laps on YouTube. In my opinion, this can help you learn real world techniques that are very effective in the game.

Don’t give up, keep practicing and having fun. Forza is a difficult game to master.

Good points SatNite! Thanks for the tips. I will work at getting the shifts to be second nature. It still isn’t natural and I have played, 3, 4 and now 5. I have always relied upon the easiest assist settings. The tip about watching the brake and the gas in the hud display of YT videos will help. I hadn’t thought of that. I’m always focusing on where the car is, not what the driver is doing via the hud. Excellent idea!

Straightlaced: I love this version of the game and “will” keep at it. I don’t want to give up this time. Yes, Jackie Stewart was/is so kewl!

Thanks Guys!

Don’t forget to rev match on downshifts. Should help out with making the car stable on corner entry.

Pick a car you like, load a tune onto it that has good handling and take it to a track you like then hot lap. Start slow and progress to getting faster.

Brake in straight lines early before the corner, coast through the first part of the turn to the apex, then ease back onto the gas.

Controlling your triggers to prevent lock up and spin out I found was the hardest to learn. Triggers should be babied it’s never all or nothing.

http://www.drivingfast.net/techniques/racing-line.htm#apex

This should help.

My pennys worth. Go easy on the brake when you are slowing down until the car is balanced then anchors on until the corner. In the corner keep the car balanced with gentle gas. Once past the apex, gentle with the gas until the car is balanced then give it the beans. Easy way to get practice is with tail happy c and d class cars. When these start to let go they tend to give more warning and can be easier to correct…and when you do spin you tend to be nearer the track:) And my last pearl of wisdom; when it is going bent let the car balance out by lifting off the gas and brake. You might say, ‘What if I am in a corner?’ You should have been on the brake sooner.

Tyres only have a certain amount of grip. It can be used for accel/deccel or turning but not lots of both at the same time. Keep practicing and have fun:)

just Play a lot and it will come. just have fun with game and get familiar with it.
to practice the rivals are a good playground i prefer the spec cause here you have different Kind of cars and all depends on driving.

a important tip from me- try to be easy with the right Trigger. and try to find the Position you hold the Speed in turns. that brings a lot of control.

break late, take the turn as fast as possible and accelerate early. the right combination of These things make you fast.

Brake.
Turn in.
Accelerate.

Stay in between black stuff.
On your way to being better.

Don’t forget start on the outside of a turn then inside to the apex then to the outside again on your exit. Start with D class cars as they are more forgiving. SLOW DOWN! You will be amazed at how much faster you are if you slow down especially when you are just learning a track. When you are no longer fighting for control of a car and flow through the turns then the speed will come and you get faster and faster. Control first then you can get faster. When you are moving on up to faster rwd, high horsepower cars with high torque remember to be easier on the gas on exit or you will kick the rear end out every time. D class cars with front wheel drive don’t have that problem and you can mash on the gas pedal on exit. Brake earlier for your turns then as you learn the track try braking a little later. Rivals mode is great for learning a track, learning your car, earning money and leveling up driver level and affinity. Pick a good rival and watch the lines they take and watch their braking points and turn in points. Don’t get frustrated but if you do take a break. Sometimes when I have issues with a track or car I will put it up for awhile and then come back a day or two later ace the course. There are tons of good posts on driving and handling just search around the forums. Good luck.

P.S. There are tons of videos on Youtube on performance driving. What you can learn on those can translate well on Forza or GT whatever racing game you like.