950PP Formula Gran Turismo World Championship

[CyKosis1973]

Using auto transmission made things much easier for me too. I found that with auto I could dispense with TC altogether as the auto mostly handled that.

Made me wonder just how much of an AID auto is in the Time Trials etc, compared to those like me who use manual, regarding wheel spin.

Driving auto doesn't aid anything, other than giving us older folks less things to think about. If you're suffering from wheel spin and having to use TC, it's because of your driver inputs and a poorly set-up car. Manual shifters should be faster than auto shifters, as they have the ability to select which gear they want to be in, auto shifters are stuck in whatever gear they are in and are unable to shift down and use engine braking.

At some point, when (and indeed, if) I get a wheel, I'll look at migrating to manual shifting. In the meantime, me and my fat thumbs will stick to auto gearboxes...

{Cy}

 

[Dalone]

Driving auto doesn't aid anything, other than giving us older folks less things to think about. If you're suffering from wheel spin and having to use TC, it's because of your driver inputs and a poorly set-up car. Manual shifters should be faster than auto shifters, as they have the ability to select which gear they want to be in, auto shifters are stuck in whatever gear they are in and are unable to shift down and use engine braking.

At some point, when (and indeed, if) I get a wheel, I'll look at migrating to manual shifting. In the meantime, me and my fat thumbs will stick to auto gearboxes...

{Cy}

I am an 'older folk' myself, CyKosis, however switched from auto to manual around the end of GT4 I think. And I started playing sometime after buying my now adult sons the 1st Gran Tourismo to come out.
I am 66 yrs old in June incidentally, and while I do not see that as being over the hill just yet, I expect it makes me far older than the vast majority of drivers I race against here.

As for auto not shifting down, that's not my recollection at all. Hit the brakes and I think you'll find the car automatically downshifts and engine brakes.

And I have just this minute fired up the F1 in this GT5 Seasonal to check that and I can state categorically that I am correct on THAT issue.

I would add that I only used auto on the F1 as they are just too fast for me to use manual gears, all 7 of them. For that reason I don't like them and usually don't bother with F1 races.
But it was when using auto with the F1 here that I came to realise that I could dispense with using any TC at all as the auto helped control the wheel spin.

Now I don't have fat thumbs, in fact my fingers are quite nimble, perhaps due to a lifetime of working outdoors with my hands, but I still use the buttons on the controller and may never get a wheel, and I can live with that.

One last thing re; "Manual shifters should be faster than auto shifters."

Any day now I am expecting a truck to arrive at my place with a car one of my adult sons has just purchased interstate. It is a Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo, a 6 cylinder turbo charged full size sedan. It is faster than the Ford Falcon XR8, the V8 model of the same car, and faster than the equivalent GMH Holden V8.

Now the thing is, the auto is faster than the manual transmission in this vehicle and I expect the same would apply for a number of fast European/US sports cars.

 

[skyline1683]

Since SRF is forced on, doing this without AIDS is:

Well seeing as its forced on its is illogical but everything else is turned of I drive with immortal pilot in the stock fgt series so I don't need the srf on I find it horrible to drive with handle more like a go kart with it on

 

[CyKosis1973]

I am an 'older folk' myself, CyKosis, however switched from auto to manual around the end of GT4 I think. And I started playing sometime after buying my now adult sons the 1st Gran Tourismo to come out.
I am 66 yrs old in June incidentally, and while I do not see that as being over the hill just yet, I expect it makes me far older than the vast majority of drivers I race against here.

Good man, still racing approaching 66, I'm impressed, Sir. You have a couple of decades on me, so I'm not going to be able to use the 'Old Man' card as an excuse for my driving

As for auto not shifting down, that's not my recollection at all. Hit the brakes and I think you'll find the car automatically downshifts and engine brakes.

And I have just this minute fired up the F1 in this GT5 Seasonal to check that and I can state categorically that I am correct on THAT issue.

I was more meaning that if you shift manually, you can actually use a downshift rather than brake into a corner. Obviously driving auto, you don't have that option. I appreciate that it may only be a few corners a lap where you can use a downshift instead of the brakes, but over the life of a race, that could amount to several seconds.

I would add that I only used auto on the F1 as they are just too fast for me to use manual gears, all 7 of them. For that reason I don't like them and usually don't bother with F1 races.
But it was when using auto with the F1 here that I came to realise that I could dispense with using any TC at all as the auto helped control the wheel spin.

Now I don't have fat thumbs, in fact my fingers are quite nimble, perhaps due to a lifetime of working outdoors with my hands, but I still use the buttons on the controller and may never get a wheel, and I can live with that.

There's every chance that running auto in these F1 cars smooths the transition between gears, I'm going to have to bow to your experience, I can't drive these cars, in fact 550PP is about my limit. Anything above that and I tend to find I get far too intimate with the track surroundings

One last thing re; "Manual shifters should be faster than auto shifters."

Any day now I am expecting a truck to arrive at my place with a car one of my adult sons has just purchased interstate. It is a Ford Falcon XR6 Turbo, a 6 cylinder turbo charged full size sedan. It is faster than the Ford Falcon XR8, the V8 model of the same car, and faster than the equivalent GMH Holden V8.

Now the thing is, the auto is faster than the manual transmission in this vehicle and I expect the same would apply for a number of fast European/US sports cars.

In my experience, in real life, if you take two practically identical cars, with the exception of the gearbox, the manual will be faster. Now, it's been a long time since I drove an automatic, they're not so popular in Europe, and I appreciate that modern gearboxes are much more adept than they were even a decade ago.

I also have very limited real world experience of driving high-end cars, my driving history is entirely populated with underpowered, FWD cars, that's just how it is over here. I suspect that if you were to take a high-end Beemer or Merc, with a trick auto box, it will probably be able to change cogs a lot faster than you can manually. However, 0-60 time doesn't count for much, if the trick auto box isn't particularly good at anticipating what you're going to do next. I've read and seen enough to suggest that when you're on the track, it's better to be fully in charge of your gears, whilst day-to-day driving, an auto can be preferable.

The only auto I've driven for any length of time, was a 10 day jaunt around New England. Driving an auto saved my arse, I'm not sure I could have coped with negotiating my way out of Logan airport, if I'd had to change gears using my right hand

{Cy}

 

[Morgoth_666]

Automatic tranmission making TC less necessary, hmm that's a new concept for me. I've always found completely the opposite, Auto constantly downshifts into gears you don't want it to which creates wheelspin and Auto refuses to shift up into a higher gear until it is satisfied that the wheels have stopped spinning whch seems to take forever. Not saying it doesn't work for some people, I'm just a little surprised it does work that way. It might function better with the FGT(that car seems to have a number of odd features that most cars don't) but again I'd assume it would be even worse since you often don't even want to touch the first two gears on most tracks and you can't avoid using them with Auto.



I ran this seasonal the other day and must admit to being midly disappointed in how mind-numbingly easy all of the races were. I don't know if it was just the SRF(which seemed to make the FGT much easier than I remember to drive) or if they intentionally set it up easier than usual. The only races that gave me any trouble at all were the first two and that was probably just because I had to get used to driving the car. Spa was just hilarious(and I usually seem to get a decent challenge when running other cars there). I didn't think the Eiffel track was that bad of a track either, although I think it would be a better fit for a different type of car.

I didn't really expect it to be very difficult, but figured it wouldn't just be a walkover when running at the PP level suggested to double the reward. I wonder if that is at least partly skewed since the max PP is so much higher than the car can even reach?

It seemed all the more wacky after I finished and went to do the British Lightweight event to get a Speed 8 - the only car of its type I only have 1 of. I spent an hour trying to win the first of those with an Esprit which I eventually had raised to nearly the PP limit, then spent another hour trying in vain to find any other car that I could run at anything approaching the pace-per-PP that I could with an Elise 111R, then had had enough and just used my tuned 111R and finished it off with no effort. Then came the big slap-in-the-face as I hit the item limit when I finished the last race and so got neither the helmet nor the Bentley.

 

[waddy2001]

Won every event with no driver aids manual gears and my pp set at 850 just wish the srf wasn't on so I could drive it as fast as it will do normally

I think we'd love to see the videos. Hope you saved the replays.

 

[oink83]

Well seeing as its forced on its is illogical but everything else is turned of I drive with immortal pilot in the stock fgt series so I don't need the srf on I find it horrible to drive with handle more like a go kart with it on

I can understand that you do not feel the need to use srf, however your reason for this makes no sense. The statement highlighted is totally irrelevant to the point you are making.

 

[Shoe67]

I can understand that you do not feel the need to use srf, however your reason for this makes no sense. The statement highlighted is totally irrelevant to the point you are making.

He is saying that he is good enough to drive the FGT without SRF

 

[ylf4pus]

So far I've finished Fuji and Suzuka. I about lost my nerve finding a consistent line on Suzuka. It was all to just building confidence and not touching the bleepity bleep dirt.

Can't wait for spa. I'm saving it for last. Going to tackle the custom track after a good night's sleep. So far this is a fun/challenging seasonal.

 

[Shoe67]

So far I've finished Fuji and Suzuka. I about lost my nerve finding a consistent line on Suzuka. It was all to just building confidence and not touching the bleepity bleep dirt.

Can't wait for spa. I'm saving it for last. Going to tackle the custom track after a good night's sleep. So far this is a fun/challenging seasonal.

If you are upset with Suzuka, wait for the rally track that is the custom circuit. Absolutely the worst track I've ever driven in a seasonal.

 

[Dalone]

Cy;
I was more meaning that if you shift manually, you can actually use a downshift rather than brake into a corner. Obviously driving auto, you don't have that option. I appreciate that it may only be a few corners a lap where you can use a downshift instead of the brakes, but over the life of a race, that could amount to several seconds.
+++

Fair enough, I agree with that, manual allows far greater control of gears to slow down into a corner, changing down or up as the conditions warrant, whereas the auto version on the F1 just changes down in pretty rapid order which may not necessarily be ones preferred course of action.

And as I said, I don't like driving the F1 as it is just too quick for me, it's no fun at all, I much prefer cars up to the PP level you like.

 

[JogoAsobi]

Well seeing as its forced on its is illogical but everything else is turned of I drive with immortal pilot in the stock fgt series so I don't need the srf on I find it horrible to drive with handle more like a go kart with it on

Totally agree, for the last few months SRF has been forced on.
I use no aids whatsoever, so this has been a real let down for me.
At least the Ferrari F1 Seasonal that is still up has no forced SRF.

 

[AMPMROCKETFANN]

LOL! I need to see that when I start up GT5.

LLOOLL Good thing GT6 is on the way. epic fail

 

[MarcusQ]

finally done suzuka and Eifel.. hated that Eifel turn#1.. fgt just keeps flying through the air on that turn.

used Motor City Hami's gear settings(awesome setup btw), and got a BMW-V12 from the ticket....

 

[ylf4pus]

If you are upset with Suzuka, wait for the rally track that is the custom circuit. Absolutely the worst track I've ever driven in a seasonal.

Decided to finish the remaining 3 since I couldn't sleep. and agreed, of all 5 races the rally track doesn't make sense. Even the expert ferrari rally challenge is a blast. I ended up numbering the corners to remind myself of either:

1. full out
2. break slightly
3. blind, break but quick on the gas
4. break to slide in
5. DEAR LORD WHEN DOES THIS END SO I CAN GET MY DADGUM GIFT THINGY

5 was used a lot

 

[skyline1683]

I think we'd love to see the videos. Hope you saved the replays.

I have saved the replays and will upload them shortly

 

[skyline1683]

I can understand that you do not feel the need to use srf, however your reason for this makes no sense. The statement highlighted is totally irrelevant to the point you are making.

The point is I can drive this car flat out with out the use of any aids at all the use of srf made it feel more like a go kart than how it handles in a race without it

 

[Musolini187]

Still need to do eifel and suzuka...

 

[Frankenstein62]

Good man, still racing approaching 66, I'm impressed, Sir. You have a couple of decades on me, so I'm not going to be able to use the 'Old Man' card as an excuse for my driving

I was more meaning that if you shift manually, you can actually use a downshift rather than brake into a corner. Obviously driving auto, you don't have that option. I appreciate that it may only be a few corners a lap where you can use a downshift instead of the brakes, but over the life of a race, that could amount to several seconds.

There's every chance that running auto in these F1 cars smooths the transition between gears, I'm going to have to bow to your experience, I can't drive these cars, in fact 550PP is about my limit. Anything above that and I tend to find I get far too intimate with the track surroundings

In my experience, in real life, if you take two practically identical cars, with the exception of the gearbox, the manual will be faster. Now, it's been a long time since I drove an automatic, they're not so popular in Europe, and I appreciate that modern gearboxes are much more adept than they were even a decade ago.

I also have very limited real world experience of driving high-end cars, my driving history is entirely populated with underpowered, FWD cars, that's just how it is over here. I suspect that if you were to take a high-end Beemer or Merc, with a trick auto box, it will probably be able to change cogs a lot faster than you can manually. However, 0-60 time doesn't count for much, if the trick auto box isn't particularly good at anticipating what you're going to do next. I've read and seen enough to suggest that when you're on the track, it's better to be fully in charge of your gears, whilst day-to-day driving, an auto can be preferable.

The only auto I've driven for any length of time, was a 10 day jaunt around New England. Driving an auto saved my arse, I'm not sure I could have coped with negotiating my way out of Logan airport, if I'd had to change gears using my right hand

{Cy}

I used to be of the opinion that an auto box was slower than a manual, though this entirely depends on the car. Automatic boxes have developed considerably over the past few years. I used to run Audis with tiptronic boxes I thought these were good till I tried a PDK box.
My current drive has a PDK box which is phenomenal, though so is the car hence why I drive it. A manual can not be changed as fast as the PDK. Nowadays 80% of 911s are speced with a PDK box, the new 911 GT3 rs comes with a PDK box as standard, that is what I am after next, currently have a 911 Carrera 4 GTS.

From the above post I thought I was old at 50 for still plying GT5, I am seriously addicted have been for years now. Good on you the 66 year old and hope I will still be playing at that age.

 

[bushmaster]

I am 72 and still playing

 

[Dalone]

I am 72 and still playing

Good on you Bushmaster, hope I'm still around and doing so at 72.

By then my young ones, now 8 and 10 yrs, will be looking after themselves a lot more than they are now and so I will have more time for pleasurable pursuits.

 

[Jaybar]

Nice to see other "experienced" drivers on here. I've been driving for 55 years, will be 70 next year. GT5 is a great game, and the FGT's are quite a challenge, but fun never the less.

 

[blah blah blah]

Is it possible to do spa, without having the DLC for it? If not, then 🤬 you, PD.

 

[ToyGTone]

Is it possible to do spa, without having the DLC for it? If not, then 🤬 you, PD.

Yes, it's possible to do it.

I don't have the DLC for it.

 

[Dalone]

Ha ha, I don't even know what DLC means!

 

[Shoe67]

Ha ha, I don't even know what DLC means!

DLC = Downloadable Content

 

[NCRthree]

The point is I can drive this car flat out with out the use of any aids at all the use of srf made it feel more like a go kart than how it handles in a race without it

I'm not sure if you can get a full FGT field in Arcade Mode. If that works you'll get to have any length race, any track with a faster AI field, full damage, tire wear, no aids. Much better than any Seasonal.

 

[light driver]

I don`t understand (I never understand anything) why several people in here consider Suzuka the hardest race??? To amateur-me, Suzuka is not especially hard...A real enjoyable race on`suka I find...So far its far the best one...

I won easily on Fuji, and I DID win on Nurburg/GP, but that was immensely hard...And NOT a joy. That f....g NurburgringGP/F is horrible and akward....An akward car on an akward track....And after that I enjoyed Suzuka...Challenging in a good way...Today I will take on Spa. I guess the FGT will be a pain here..

Formula GT is really a pain to drive with a controller (standard sixaxis) I have the feeling that my motions with the stick is delayed very much, ressembling a huge backlash in the steering...Awfull...So it is with all my cars, delayed steering, but with the FGT it becomes a problem...

 

[Morgoth_666]

I don`t understand (I never understand anything) why several people in here consider Suzuka the hardest race??? To amateur-me, Suzuka is not especially hard...A real enjoyable race on`suka I find...So far its far the best one...

I won easily on Fuji, and I DID win on Nurburg/GP, but that was immensely hard...And NOT a joy. That f....g NurburgringGP/F is horrible and akward....An akward car on an akward track....And after that I enjoyed Suzuka...Challenging in a good way...Today I will take on Spa. I guess the FGT will be a pain here..

Formula GT is really a pain to drive with a controller (standard sixaxis) I have the feeling that my motions with the stick is delayed very much, ressembling a huge backlash in the steering...Awfull...So it is with all my cars, delayed steering, but with the FGT it becomes a problem...

Suzuka is a fairly difficult track to drive well, and of course the FGT is a rather difficult car to drive well. Put the two together and you have the reason. You might find the Nürburgring GP track to be more difficult, but a lot of other people will likely differ. The AI is absolutely garbage at driving the FGT(and at driving most of the corners at Suzuka) so beating them isn't the problem, it's just a matter of getting around without making mistakes and overtaking cleanly. Unless you are shooting for extremely low PP rewards, difficulty with any of these tracks is down to difficulty driving the car, period.

 

[light driver]

Suzuka is a fairly difficult track to drive well, and of course the FGT is a rather difficult car to drive well. Put the two together and you have the reason. You might find the Nürburgring GP track to be more difficult, but a lot of other people will likely differ. The AI is absolutely garbage at driving the FGT(and at driving most of the corners at Suzuka) so beating them isn't the problem, it's just a matter of getting around without making mistakes and overtaking cleanly. Unless you are shooting for extremely low PP rewards, difficulty with any of these tracks is down to difficulty driving the car, period.

Yes, the FGT is the problem....But still; I find it quite enjoyable on Suzuka...I think Suka is a track were You can get a good rhytm/drive...And good lines...But getting a rhytm on NurbGP is almost impossible for me...It`s an anti-rhytm track to me...Stiff and ackwarded...But softening the undercarriage a bit helps on all tracks I think..