DiRT Rally Thread

[JvM]

Yes, if you look back into the history of this very thread (and others around internet) you'll see lots of discussion about DR's weaknesses on tarmac. It used to be far worse, before they did the aerodynamics tweaks during Early Access, but it's still the least convincing aspect of DR. Remember that these rally cars aren't low slung full slicks high aero race cars, though, before you criticize them too much. The awesome suspension in a rally car is designed to suck up everything, so little unnevennesses on tarmac will not inconvenience a rally car even slightly.

Sebastien Loeb Rally Evo is definitely not as good as DiRT Rally in most areas, but one area it does beat DR is tarmac physics and road feel (as we were discussing in the SLRE thread).

That's just life for sim racers: There's no perfect sim. But likewise each sim has reasons to own it. So many simracers simply accept the inevitable: Buy all sims, play them all, enjoy their good points. Sorted.

My main issue with tarmac is FFB, mainly Hillclimb, rallys like Germany seems better.

Whenever in a faster corner and turning with no or very little understeer, the wheel goes almost completely limb, quite annoying.


Also, there is annoying 'bug' introduced with 1.1 it seems with RX and logi wheels.. some weird knocking.

So atm for me only the rally part is playable with wheel.

 

[PJTierney]

I decided that I would do the monthly challenge, asking myself "how bad can it be?"

Completely terrifying.

I was doing great at the Monthly:

Next stage:

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I was doing great at the Monthly

Of the 450 people who have made it as far as I have, I am ranked at #398. And my Ibiza is in such poor state that I don't think that I will be making it much further. I'm likely to end up a smouldering crater in the Welsh countryside.

 

[Scaff]

My main issue with tarmac is FFB, mainly Hillclimb, rallys like Germany seems better.

Whenever in a faster corner and turning with no or very little understeer, the wheel goes almost completely limb, quite annoying.


Also, there is annoying 'bug' introduced with 1.1 it seems with RX and logi wheels.. some weird knocking.

So atm for me only the rally part is playable with wheel.

That's self aligning torque (and what actually happens when a tyre exceeds it's slip angle, and it's that abrupt in reality), so you can dial it down in settings.

 

[JvM]

^ I'm talking about a situation with very low slip angle. (and as said, its quite different (better) on tarmac rallys)

If I dial down the SAT, it will basically tone down the whole ffb.

 

[rich m]

sorry for the noob question, but what is the difficulty set to in Career mode? I can't see how to change it, is it linked to whatever you have chosen on the custom championship mode?

 

[Brend]

sorry for the noob question, but what is the difficulty set to in Career mode? I can't see how to change it, is it linked to whatever you have chosen on the custom championship mode?

The difficulty is attributed to the level you are at in the championship mode.

I.E: You start at Open difficulty with Master being the highest.

 

[2clicks]

This is one amazing game. Not just as a racing game, but as a game in general

1. For starters, the presentation is amazing. The look of the menus and the menu music are incredibly and refreshingly nostalgic, free from the Americanisation that had featured in the series for so long.

2. The controller handling is absolutely spot on, almost feeling like a perfect evolution of the Colin Mcrae Rally handling model.

3. I don't know why every reviewer is complaining about the graphics, I think that this is the finest looking racing game running at 1080p and 60fps, with not a frame drop in sight.

That being said, it's not perfect. There are minor design choices that can't be rectified with a patch that might not irk most, but are definitely irking me :

1. No concise explanation of the complex pace notes; I might not have complete knowledge of how they work, but please explain to me how to deal with a 'crest-jump' and what gear to take a 'square' corner in.

2. On the topic of co-drivers still, why didn't they get Nicky Grist to record the co-driver voice again? This isn't much of a problem, but it would've been more interesting and authentic.

3. Why are all the cars unlocked at the start? And all the liveries too? This is the same gripe that I had with Project CARS, where there are no objectives other than to just race. The Dirt and CMR games always had something to unlock.

4. No Peugeot 206? Why Codemasters?!

This would've made it a perfect game, but it's still the best rally experience we have on console by a large margin.

 

[Scaff]

^ I'm talking about a situation with very low slip angle. (and as said, its quite different (better) on tarmac rallys)

If I dial down the SAT, it will basically tone down the whole ffb.

You are correct it will dial it down, however I've not personally come across it as an issue at all in none tarmac situations (running a T150 on a PS4).

2. On the topic of co-drivers still, why didn't they get Nicky Grist to record the co-driver voice again? This isn't much of a problem, but it would've been more interesting and authentic.

Derek Ringer might disagree with that.

3. Why are all the cars unlocked at the start? And all the liveries too? This is the same gripe that I had with Project CARS, where there are no objectives other than to just race. The Dirt and CMR games always had something to unlock.

They are all locked in career (not that it bothers me, I liked that PCars was all open from the start).

 

[MagpieRacer]

1. No concise explanation of the complex pace notes; I might not have complete knowledge of how they work, but please explain to me how to deal with a 'crest-jump' and what gear to take a 'square' corner in.

2. On the topic of co-drivers still, why didn't they get Nicky Grist to record the co-driver voice again? This isn't much of a problem, but it would've been more interesting and authentic.

3. Why are all the cars unlocked at the start? And all the liveries too? This is the same gripe that I had with Project CARS, where there are no objectives other than to just race. The Dirt and CMR games always had something to unlock.

4. No Peugeot 206? Why Codemasters?!

This would've made it a perfect game, but it's still the best rally experience we have on console by a large margin.

1. I think the problem here is there isn't a definite gear, all the cars and classes have varying ratios, transmissions etc, a mini with 4 gears will use a different gear to a 2013 Polo WRC. So the easiest solution is 6 is fast, 1 is tight, then square, hairpin and acute angle corners are progressively tighter. If there's no number your gonna be going slow.

2. Difficult to say, budget constraints may have played a part but that's not to say it would have been better.

3. They are unlocked in free play yes, most games do this now, forza, pcars, f1. It makes sense, not everyone wants to have to wait until they unlock it in career mode before being able to have a crack with it. But it's enough for me for stuff to be unlocked progressively in career mode as that's where the bulk of the game is.

4. Best theory is licensing issues. But it is hard to tell, it seems to me that SLRE must have got some exclusivity on some PSA cars including most of the Citroen rally cars and modern Peugeots but it could also just be a choice.

 

[Spitfire77]

Ok I'm changing my opinion on the FFB after driving the Alpine. It is lacking. You basically only feel weight transfer with this car on ps4 with a T300.

 

[Scaff]

Well I was doing rather well in today's stage, 15k of WRC Polo fun in Finland, until I got carried away and hit a tree with the rear. Last 2k with a flat tyre and then on the rim.

I must say I do like that the daily, weekly and monthly challenges are 'one-shot'' events, adds that 'real rally' element to them. Do you push and risk stuffing it or do you take it easier and risk a slower time and lesser reward.

 

[MeanElf]

Yes indeed, I too like the CM challenges and can see myself entering the daily ones at least, that is until I get more cars and can enter the others.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Usually when I play, not taking risks is faster.

 

[JvM]

You are correct it will dial it down, however I've not personally come across it as an issue at all in none tarmac situations (running a T150 on a PS4).

Oh no issue here on non tarmac either. By rally I meant the 'normal' ones, not hillclimb.
(and then different systems and wheels might differ too though)

 

[JBF77]

Ok I'm changing my opinion on the FFB after driving the Alpine. It is lacking. You basically only feel weight transfer with this car on ps4 with a T300.

It's supposed to be like that, all the weight is at the rear.

 

[2clicks]

They are all locked in career (not that it bothers me, I liked that PCars was all open from the start).

The only real incentive to play career for me, is for the unlockable upgrades.

 

[ELmarcotuff]

The numbers provide a guideline for the angle and danger of a corner, not at all related to gears.

Still doesn't explain the late call outs.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Still doesn't explain the late call outs.

If you think they're late, you can have them called out earlier in the preferences section (where the assists are).

 

[ELmarcotuff]

If you think they're late, you can have them called out earlier in the preferences section (where the assists are).

Not saying all of them are late, just some of them

 

[BionicDerp]

Not saying all of them are late, just some of them

It's been a bug since the start. Fairly sure calls are made by artificial waypoints you pass, some just aren't in the right places sometimes.

 

[Spitfire77]

It's sopposed to be like that, all the weight is at the rear.

Yeah, it was the tarmac and concrete. I just got the Alpne on gravel and theFFB is fine.

I have driven rear motor clasic cars it is not that light like DR had the alpine on tarmac. But as others have been stating before this is where DR is lacking.

 

[paulpg87]

T300 ps4, force feedback is very good. Best ffb from Codemasters ever. Off course all the moaning is just overaction from the so called hardcore gamers.. I not even sure they have the game...

 

[Magdelayna]

Im loving the Alpine,easily my favourite of the 1960s car. Love the pops and exhaust note!! This video below is pretty much my first clean good stage,ironically in Wales...and even then im a few seconds off the leader on Clubman difficulty!! Loving the toughness of the game.

 

[TheFlash05]

Does anybody else find the AI difficulty settings a bit inconsistent? I was doing a custom rally Finland in the Fiat 131, T300, Sequential trans, clutch over ride on, no TC, Stab control etc. etc. first 2 stages I won by 7-10 seconds on the clubman (I think that's the easiest) setting, I expected that, but come stage 3 I'm getting smashed by almost 1 sec a KM. Stage 4 and its the same, stage 5 and its back to easy again. But by now the AI is now so far ahead I cant bring it back, and this is on the supposedly the easiest setting!

Rally X & Hillclimb seem to be ok, I'm still upping the difficulty each time till I find my limits.

 

[LeGeNd-1]

My main issue with tarmac is FFB, mainly Hillclimb, rallys like Germany seems better.

Whenever in a faster corner and turning with no or very little understeer, the wheel goes almost completely limb, quite annoying.

I would turn down "Tyre Slip" effects in wheel settings. This is the effect that makes the wheel goes light when understeering, and I find most games tend to exaggerate this effect. Around 20% would be a good setting. SAT is the steering force and you want this as high as possible.

I have been cross checking FFB across a lot of sims lately (GTR2, LFS, AC, GSCE) and there are basically 2 main forces in FFB:
1) SAT - this is the force from steering rack (pulls the wheel straight after a turn - hence the name self aligning) and gives you mass transfer info. Very useful and you want this as high as possible
2) Tyre grip/slip - simulates the light steering feel when you lose grip in tires (mostly understeer, because oversteer affects the rear tyres and you don't steer with rear tyres ). Most games tend to over exaggerate this effect. The older sims does it, but the newer ones (LFS, AC) doesn't and it's only a subtle effect, just like in real life (yes, I have understeered and almost crashed into a fence once). EDIT: In Dirt Rally this seems to be a setting for rear tyres breaking lose, NOT front.

All other forces are "canned" effects that are just added random vibrations. You can safely turn these off as they provide no info about the actual car physics and just serves to muddle up the pure SAT forces. Also turn off steering center force. This is an old FFB "shortcut" when game physics didn't accurately simulate SAT.

1. No concise explanation of the complex pace notes; I might not have complete knowledge of how they work, but please explain to me how to deal with a 'crest-jump' and what gear to take a 'square' corner in.

http://blog.codemasters.com/dirt/04/co-driver-calls-explained/

Give this a good read, it explains everything about the numbers and additional descriptions. Also, it shows you how much work they actually put into the pacenotes (they strapped the guy to a motion simulator just to give the effect of talking while going over rough bumps). It's not just simple computer generated notes. Of course with such a wide variety of cars and surfaces a few corners are always going to be a bit off, but it's the best that we can expect from a studio of Codemasters size.

T300 ps4, force feedback is very good. Best ffb from Codemasters ever. Off course all the moaning is just overaction from the so called hardcore gamers.. I not even sure they have the game...

Just because you are less sensitive to FFB than others, doesn't mean there isn't a problem. At the end of the day we all just want the best physics and FFB possible, it's called constructive criticism.

 

[ScottPuss20]

 

[prisonermonkeys]

What's the story with the monthly event? I have finished 12 of the 24 stages, but now I just have a message that reads "Coming Soon".

 

[JvM]

I would turn down "Tyre Slip" effects in wheel settings. This is the effect that makes the wheel goes light when understeering, and I find most games tend to exaggerate this effect. Around 20% would be a good setting. SAT is the steering force and you want this as high as possible.

I have that quite low already, could try 0%, but quite sure it will still be an issue. For some reason it's way overdone in the HC cars.

 

[BionicDerp]

What's the story with the monthly event? I have finished 12 of the 24 stages, but now I just have a message that reads "Coming Soon".

Monthly events release the four sets week by week. Next 6 will release next week, and the last ones the week after that.