Curious about the interest in H shifters

[GAHmusic]

Hi
I'm curious about the interest in H shifters, surely this is an old and outdated method used primarily in production cars? The only race car I ever drove with an h shift was a NASCAR and this is only leaving the pits as your in top by the time you hit the track and pretty much stay there.
I can understand using sequential shift as this is utilised in a lot of off road vehicles as well as touring cars and then of course you have paddles which are a must for F1 and most open wheel classes. Ok I can imagine it is fun in a classic race but surely it is a slow method with a great potential for error? If anyone can enlighten me I would be grateful.

 

[bevo]

We want an H shifter in our setup, because most of the people in the world have never really driven a real race car. Most of our fast car experience has been in a car that has a clutch and H pattern shifter. Real world cars are just now going away from the H pattern, so if we want an authentic sim experience, we need an H pattern shifter in our setups. In most console racing games the majority of cars are not race cars anyway, so to keep it "real" we need an H pattern shifter.

At least that's how I feel about it, but what do I know. When I play racing games, I use the shifter with cars that really have a shifter, and paddles with cars that use paddles. I don't though go as far as to move the shifter to the correct side of the car, but I imagine there are those out there that do.

 

[12thgear]

Gran Turismo and Forza have huge rosters of production cars with H-gate shifters. That, with a clutch pedal and 900 degree steering is what I like to use in those situations. If I'm using a race car I try to reduce my steering lock to the matching ratio and use the sequential shifting paddles. I'm trying to replicate the experience including its limitations. I know a sequential gearbox and most autos would be faster, but that's not the point for me.

 

[blacbul67]

We want an H shifter in our setup, because most of the people in the world have never really driven a real race car. Most of our fast car experience has been in a car that has a clutch and H pattern shifter. Real world cars are just now going away from the H pattern, so if we want an authentic sim experience, we need an H pattern shifter in our setups. In most console racing games the majority of cars are not race cars anyway, so to keep it "real" we need an H pattern shifter.

At least that's how I feel about it, but what do I know. When I play racing games, I use the shifter with cars that really have a shifter, and paddles with cars that use paddles. I don't though go as far as to move the shifter to the correct side of the car, but I imagine there are those out there that do.

Pretty much agree word for word with all of this, unless I win the lottery I expect to never race a racing car in real life and thus my interest in cars in both the GT and FM series has been on the everyday cars primarily. I have bought a Fanatec Turbo S Clubsport edition wheel in order to have all shifter options available to me depending on the car I am driving.

 

[Raitziger]

Hi
I'm curious about the interest in H shifters, surely this is an old and outdated method used primarily in production cars? The only race car I ever drove with an h shift was a NASCAR and this is only leaving the pits as your in top by the time you hit the track and pretty much stay there.
I can understand using sequential shift as this is utilised in a lot of off road vehicles as well as touring cars and then of course you have paddles which are a must for F1 and most open wheel classes. Ok I can imagine it is fun in a classic race but surely it is a slow method with a great potential for error? If anyone can enlighten me I would be grateful.

I never use H-pattern if i am racing and trying to win but i love it in casual driving. Proper manual gearbox is part of driving experience and it makes it more enjoyable. Right heal and toe down-shifting is same kind of art like drifting and you get same good feeling when you truly master the car. Also you can not do all the drifting moves if you have automatic clutch.

 

[Delphic Reason]

You can shift FASTER with a clutch and H-Gate, if you are good with it. This is often why clutch is not allowed in GTPlanet competitions. Unfair advantage.

Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo S user here. At first it was difficult and my lap times fell (considerably at first). Now, (after a few months) my lap times are much faster (than with sequential/paddles, and no clutch). It just takes getting used to. Not to mention, you can heel-toe with a clutch, which allows much better corner entry.

EDIT:

Also...

Like many others here, I try to replicate the setup of the vehicle in use at the time.

Standard/Modified Car - H-Gate (540 or 900 degrees depending on vehicle)
Touring Car/Rally Car - Sequential (540 degrees)
F1/Kart/Indy Car - Paddles (360 degree)

 

[GAHmusic]

Pretty much agree word for word with all of this, unless I win the lottery I expect to never race a racing car in real life and thus my interest in cars in both the GT and FM series has been on the everyday cars primarily. I have bought a Fanatec Turbo S Clubsport edition wheel in order to have all shifter options available to me depending on the car I am driving.

Why blacbul67? There are lots of ways to try out a race car of some form without being rich. I've tried rally cars and open wheel and when I was in Vegas getting married I had a great day out driving a proper ex season Nascar with Richard Petty Racing for $400 dollars (see my member pic) round the same track the pro's race on. I love motorsport in all it's forms and have had some great experiences and great times without spending a fortune. Maybe your too young at the moment and if so you have a lot to look forward too if you truly love motor sport. By the way my motto is if you don't ask you don't get, you'd be surprised what I've driven that way, lol

I see the point about acurate reproduction of the car model, I can apreciate that, cheers

 

[GAHmusic]

Hi
I've got one now and have been enjoying it. i see what you all mean

cheers