EA Sports WRC: General Discussion

[doblocruiser]

Ordered these parts to upgrade my simrig. I'm ready. ;-)

Sim-Lab XB1 Handbrake

BJ Steel Clutch

Moza HGP Shifter

TREQ Shifter Frame

Sim-Lab Shifter Bracket

I'll be going all out with my t150 and its Magic plastic pedals 🥳

 

[xX Jojje Xx]

Impressive driving, even some donuts 👌🏻

 

[MagpieRacer]

I think both games (WRCG and EAWRC) have a "generic", simplified, global implementation. The technical directive is pasted below for everyone to read. There are actually six maps (three for throttle and three for braking) but both games use only three. I will summarize here:

1. Stage Start Mode: only available at the start line. Full boost power is deployed for 10s or until the driver brakes or lifts off the throttle.
2. Stage Mode regen: boost regen through engine braking (coasting) and and pedal braking.
3. Stage Mode deployment: personalized maps depending on stage characteristics and driving style.

#3 does not specify anything about thresholds, lifting off the throttle, or hitting the brakes. Only that "to reuse hybrid boost, drivers must accumulate enough regeneration energy to create what is called a ‘valid regen’. After each valid regen and the next time the drivers press the throttle, they will have electric power available, depending on the parameters selected by their choice of map."

So it is possible, within the rules, to create a map that gives less boost, but does not cut the boost when lifting off the throttle. Further compounding the confusion, there are actually six maps: three throttle maps, and three braking/engine braking maps. The latter is not modeled in either game, or maybe both KT and Codemasters decided to package the throttle and regen rules into one single map for simplicity's sake.

The three WRCG maps are:

1. Most power, least time deployment
2. Mid power, mid time deployment
3. Least power, longest time deployment

In all three of these cases, lifting does not cut off the boost. I suspect KT decided to ignore engine braking altogether, which is why their maps do not cut boost when lifting completely off the throttle. Lifting and coasting also does not count towards regen in WRCG. So it seems to be the most simple, least confusing implementation they were looking for: ignore off-throttle regen, therefore also there is no boost cancellation when off the throttle, and no throttle threshold governing when boost activates and when it cuts off.

EAWRC on the other hand, models it slightly differently and, like KT, also fits into the technical directive.

1. Most power, strictest threshold, least time deployment
2. Medium power, medium threshold, mid time deployment
3. Least power, most permissive threshold, longest time deployment

So it seems Codemasters also decided to ignore the three regen maps, and probably incorporate them into the three throttle maps. If this is true, then I would expect EAWRC, unlike WRCG, to generate regen when coasting (engine braking). I haven't seen anyone do this in the preview videos yet.

To summarize, it seems both games have taken valid, yet different, approaches to how the Stage Mode maps work. In the real WRC each driver uses his own customized maps, six in total (three throttle and three brake). In the games, both WRCG and EAWRC use a global, generic throttle mapping that is applied to all cars, and does away with the brake maps entirely (or more likely stuffs them into the throttle maps as a generic combo).

Here is the technical info:

During the special stages, two modes will be available:

1. At the start of each special stage, the full power of the hybrid system will be available for approximately the first 10 seconds, or until the driver releases the throttle or presses the brake.

2. During the special stage, the 100kW (134 hp) hybrid power will be available, but teams and drivers will have to create up to three personalised ‘maps’ to decide how to deploy them. The extra power can be very strong over a short period of time or medium over a longer period of time

According to FIA, these maps will be based on driver input only (throttle pedal and brake). They will allow the release of energy in a way that is tailored to the driver’s style and the road conditions. The amount of power released with each press of the throttle will be decided by the length of the stage and the state of charge (SOC) of the battery.

l) the hybrid unit automatically recovers electrical power when the throttle pedal is released and under braking (regeneration phase or ‘regen’), with the accelerator set below a certain level (no energy is recovered if brake and accelerator are pushed simultaneously). The MGU additionally brakes the car and charges the battery.

m) to reuse hybrid boost, drivers must accumulate enough regeneration energy to create what is called a ‘valid regen’. After each valid regen and the next time the drivers press the throttle, they will have electric power available, depending on the parameters selected by their choice of map.

n) drivers can create up to three maps for the regeneration phases as well. This offers a chance to tailor how and when the regen is utilized as this will have the same effect as engine braking on the car.

o) The hybrid unit will be pre-programmed according to each individual stage distance in kilometers and will manage the duration of power available to try to ensure there is power accessible throughout the stage.

Thanks for that, a genuinely informative post there. It seems there’s no right or wrong just simple application and they’ve gone different ways to do. Will be interesting to see how it feels compared to WRCG to use.

Learned something new.

I'll be going all out with my t150 and its Magic plastic pedals 🥳

I have a purple Xbox Series X controller that I’ve just purchased to put some serious miles on.

Bet you’re all jealous now.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Impressive driving, even some donuts 👌🏻

Definitely impressive driving, haven’t watched the whole thing but, 20 minutes plus, max, gonna be some real tests in this game. Jimmy Broadbent did the Chile stage in a Rally1 and it was north of 25 minutes.

 

[Jtheripper]

I just saw a video that explains the rear sliding out on just steering, like i wrote in a couple of posts up above, in dr2.
It's like 4w steering, car turns centered in the middle of the car, instead of the rear, which should be, for a front steering car.

The rear is supposed to just try follow the turning, until grip is lost, and it slides out.

Shame really, its a flagrant flaw in dr2, makes it unaturally difficult, unstable, and responsive, like to counter steer, maybe that is their intention.

He says it's same in ea wrc, plus the suspension seems too stable now, on bumps, off road cut corners, on landings of jumps.

That be a shame for me really.
They should instead fix this centre pivoting turning, and give us raw physics, control.

And seems maybe too much grip on tarmac especially.
Ill get it and enjoy im sure, but still a shame if so.

 

[xX Jojje Xx]

Definitely impressive driving, haven’t watched the whole thing but, 20 minutes plus, max, gonna be some real tests in this game. Jimmy Broadbent did the Chile stage in a Rally1 and it was north of 25 minutes.

Rarely have I looked forward to a game this much! 😊

 

[UKMikey]

Impressive driving, even some donuts 👌🏻

I'm beginning to realise why Creator Network put a time limit on the length of vidoes now. These stages are long.

Perhaps it'd be nice for people who don't have time to glance at their speedometer while concentrating on the road ahead to have the option of an unobtrusive click sound when the regen is ready in case their peripheral vision is too occupied to notice the indicator change to green.

 

[MagpieRacer]

I just saw a video that explains the rear sliding out on just steering, like i wrote in a couple of posts up above, in dr2.
It's like 4w steering, car turns centered in the middle of the car, instead of the rear, which should be, for a front steering car.

The rear is supposed to just try follow the turning, until grip is lost, and it slides out.

Shame really, its a flagrant flaw in dr2, makes it unaturally difficult, unstable, and responsive, like to counter steer, maybe that is their intention.

He says it's same in ea wrc, plus the suspension seems too stable now, on bumps, off road cut corners, on landings of jumps.

That be a shame for me really.
They should instead fix this centre pivoting turning, and give us raw physics, control.

And seems maybe too much grip on tarmac especially.
Ill get it and enjoy im sure, but still a shame if so.

It’s a flaw that has been part of Codemasters since the Stone Age. It was expected to be here as the physics were ported from Dirt Rally 2.0. Given the work they’ve done so far, I think it would have been a bit much to expect a new physics engine.

And also, while the flaw is visually apparent, the guy who made the video hasn’t played the game. Sometimes visuals and underlying physics don’t match up. I expect the pivot to be there but not quite as bad as he’s making out.

 

[doblocruiser]

I just saw a video that explains the rear sliding out on just steering, like i wrote in a couple of posts up above, in dr2.
It's like 4w steering, car turns centered in the middle of the car, instead of the rear, which should be, for a front steering car.

The rear is supposed to just try follow the turning, until grip is lost, and it slides out.

Shame really, its a flagrant flaw in dr2, makes it unaturally difficult, unstable, and responsive, like to counter steer, maybe that is their intention.

He says it's same in ea wrc, plus the suspension seems too stable now, on bumps, off road cut corners, on landings of jumps.

That be a shame for me really.
They should instead fix this centre pivoting turning, and give us raw physics, control.

And seems maybe too much grip on tarmac especially.
Ill get it and enjoy im sure, but still a shame if so.

It has been an issue with every game Codies has released and I don't understand thé reasoning behind it, definitely not since the PS3 era. I would love to see a more natural behaviour like SLRE but maybe someone can explain to me why the pivot-model is being used to date? 🤔

Still very excited to get going with the game. No wait, stocked is the good word 🤟

 

[MagpieRacer]

It has been an issue with every game Codies has released and I don't understand thé reasoning behind it, definitely not since the PS3 era. I would love to see a more natural behaviour like SLRE but maybe someone can explain to me why the pivot-model is being used to date? 🤔

Still very excited to get going with the game. No wait, stocked is the good word 🤟

It’s difficult to say, it’s existed in their games since CMR1 really when you go back and watch footage of that. There just be something in how they build their physics platforms that necessitates it, otherwise they would have got rid of it when they did the first Dirt Rally. I certainly don’t find it overly noticeable in DR2 or 1. The F1 games eradicated it a while ago as well, but I believe those games are on a bespoke engine from anything else Codemasters do.

It’s also funny how with one video, everyone on Reddit is now attacking the game, knowing full well it was going to be like this and then acting surprised.

 

[Jtheripper]

I'll still wont give them some slack for it though, even if I've been loving dr2.
Newgen game, better cpus, there's some good sims on console now, they had time etc, and they've been saying it's a full sim here and there.

And it's a basic fundamental flaw for a sim.
It is pretty noticeable once you have it in mind.
And with a wheel.

Reminds me of ride3, how when you start to lean for a curve, the rear goes out a little, even though it's not really sliding/skidding.

Like the guy says in the video i linked, if you are leaned against a wall and try turn away, it's kinda stuck cause the rear has no space to turn out.

If i remember, it kinda happens in kt wrc games too. I'll try it out maybe next I'm in game.
Anyhow..

 

[MagpieRacer]

I'll still wont give them some slack for it though, even if I've been loving dr2.
Newgen game, better cpus, there's some good sims on console now, they had time etc, and they've been saying it's a full sim here and there.

And it's a basic fundamental flaw for a sim.
It is pretty noticeable once you have it in mind.
And with a wheel.

Reminds me of ride3, how when you start to lean for a curve, the rear goes out a little, even though it's not really sliding/skidding.

Like the guy says in the video i linked, if you are leaned against a wall and try turn away, it's kinda stuck cause the rear has no space to turn out.

If i remember, it kinda happens in kt wrc games too. I'll try it out maybe next I'm in game.
Anyhow..

There’s a few trains of thought with it overall, no one knows for sure, but it does it for a reason. The first thing is so many rally games have a similar thing that there’s something fundamentally in trying to recreate a rally car that encourages it. But also, there’s a very good chance it may not be a driving physics thing at all. For starters, one of the Codemasters devs who posts in the Discord (I believe he’s a sound effects guy) suggested that when he spoke to the physics guys in around 2017 they said there is no central pivot point in the physics. This leans into my theory and a theory shared by others in that it is purely visual, it’s just how the 3D model of the car is interacting with the environment and not hardwired into the physics.

The scraping against the wall and not being able to turn away can be explained here by the fact that the car model wants to rotate but can’t, which will impact what your doing because the physical model can’t move away.

Also Sim of Sims Racing who got the preview code said it’s barely noticeable after reviewing his footage, to the point of wondering if it actually does it at all during gameplay (replays may still be based on approximations like previous games). So comparing what a respected voice in rally sims has to say having played it himself vs someone analysing older build footage having not played it, makes the debate a bit blurry.

I’d love CM to do a physics deep dive and put it to bed once a for all.

 

[ManuBicht]

I just saw a video that explains the rear sliding out on just steering, like i wrote in a couple of posts up above, in dr2.
It's like 4w steering, car turns centered in the middle of the car, instead of the rear, which should be, for a front steering car.

The rear is supposed to just try follow the turning, until grip is lost, and it slides out.

Shame really, its a flagrant flaw in dr2, makes it unaturally difficult, unstable, and responsive, like to counter steer, maybe that is their intention.

He says it's same in ea wrc, plus the suspension seems too stable now, on bumps, off road cut corners, on landings of jumps.

That be a shame for me really.
They should instead fix this centre pivoting turning, and give us raw physics, control.

And seems maybe too much grip on tarmac especially.
Ill get it and enjoy im sure, but still a shame if so.

Honestly, I don't get the point. I don't know what he wants to demonstrate by making constant turns and with the external camera. I personally notice each axis separately. I don't notice anything strange in DR or DR 2.0. That was corrected and it was a problem in old games, like in Colin Mcrae 3.

However, the little light bulb that we have under our hair does not turn on when they put the RBR on and they cannot turn a normal 90º angle as if a real car would do, and no video is made of that xD

The suspensions must always absorb imperfections, and seek maximum stability. The strange thing is that a car jumps 3 meters, over a pebble on the side of the road xD.

But it's not just that... it's that if we set out to find errors, not a single game is won. But I would say that DR and DR 2.0 is the most politically correct thing there is.

 

[sirjim73]

Thanks for that, a genuinely informative post there. It seems there’s no right or wrong just simple application and they’ve gone different ways to do. Will be interesting to see how it feels compared to WRCG to use.

Learned something new.



I have a purple Xbox Series X controller that I’ve just purchased to put some serious miles on.

Bet you’re all jealous now.

You'd better make sure you don't throw it at the screen the first week then!

 

[Jtheripper]

There’s a few trains of thought with it overall, no one knows for sure, but it does it for a reason. The first thing is so many rally games have a similar thing that there’s something fundamentally in trying to recreate a rally car that encourages it. But also, there’s a very good chance it may not be a driving physics thing at all. For starters, one of the Codemasters devs who posts in the Discord (I believe he’s a sound effects guy) suggested that when he spoke to the physics guys in around 2017 they said there is no central pivot point in the physics. This leans into my theory and a theory shared by others in that it is purely visual, it’s just how the 3D model of the car is interacting with the environment and not hardwired into the physics.

The scraping against the wall and not being able to turn away can be explained here by the fact that the car model wants to rotate but can’t, which will impact what your doing because the physical model can’t move away.

Also Sim of Sims Racing who got the preview code said it’s barely noticeable after reviewing his footage, to the point of wondering if it actually does it at all during gameplay (replays may still be based on approximations like previous games). So comparing what a respected voice in rally sims has to say having played it himself vs someone analysing older build footage having not played it, makes the debate a bit blurry.

I’d love CM to do a physics deep dive and put it to bed once a for all.

Yeah, but if its stuck by a wall, also if the car really slides out the back for no other reason, to the point of making it skid sideways, and even lose it, it's s not just visual then.

It can make it easier to swerve left and right, less stable than it should.
In ride3, it adds an effect of sway left right when in rider view.

I still love dr2, but it is a flaw that affects clearly the driving controls, not just visual.

Well, i hope it's true that in this new game it's less noticeable and affects less the control etc.
Good then.
But hopefully its not with cheating in other ways, like added exaggerated stability, and grip.
Edit: reminds how in dr1 they had engine braking, which could slip the driven wheels, and then in dr2 it was just dropped.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Yeah, but if its stuck by a wall, also if the car really slides out the back for no other reason, to the point of making it skid sideways, and even lose it, it's s not just visual then.

It can make it easier to swerve left and right, less stable than it should.
In ride3, it adds an effect of sway left right when in rider view.

I still love dr2, but it is a flaw that affects clearly the driving controls, not just visual.

Well, i hope it's true that in this new game it's less noticeable and affects less the control etc.
Good then.
But hopefully its not with cheating in other ways, like added exaggerated stability, and grip.
Edit: reminds how in dr1 they had engine braking, which could slip the driven wheels, and then in dr2 it was just dropped.

I’m not convinced it’s physics engine based, less so if Devs are saying there’s no pivot point. Either way, both can be explained to a point but I think it’s visual. The visual reaction of a car on screen can influence so much in the mind, like Gran Turismo and it’s static chase cams for example.

 

[Whitestar]

Not sure if this has been posted here:


I'm just a bit concerned what he says about grip, traction loss and struggling to do powerslides.
Hopefully, these are things that can be adjusted post launch.

 

[MagpieRacer]

Not sure if this has been posted here:


I'm just a bit concerned what he says about grip, traction loss and struggling to do powerslides.
Hopefully, these are things that can be adjusted post launch.

I’d starting watching it and then he tried to compare it to Forza Horizon so I stopped. I’ll stick to the people whose opinions I can rely on 😆.

 

[Ali]

I’d starting watching it and then he tried to compare it to Forza Horizon so I stopped. I’ll stick to the people whose opinions I can rely on 😆.

I don't know, at least in FH you get to experience both understeer and powerslides...

 

[ManuBicht]

Try to gain views, at the expense of making cheating or dubious videos against CM? There is no credibility at all, when you compare or point to the RBR (it is non-stop.... but every action triggers an action...) as an example "of something."

In DR 2.0 there is understeer, oversteer, entering "past..."... "over...". Everything on gravel feels incredible. Returning to the topic of the kingpin....it's just visual. You can notice the axles of the car separately when turning. There is nothing strange.

 

[MagpieRacer]

I don't know, at least in FH you get to experience both understeer and powerslides...

Especially with a 2500bhp dorifto build 😜.

In all seriousness though, I’ve seen such a mix across the previews of some saying too much grip, others saying it’s spot on. Until we get the final build in our own hands it’s so hard to judge.

 

[UKMikey]

More Lukas Matejo.

 

[Whitestar]

There is no credibility at all, when you compare or point to the RBR.

Why not? In the end, isn't it just one subjective opinion against anothers? People prefer different things. Evidenced by the fact that nobody can agree on what's the best rally title. Just like nobody can agree on what's the best sim title.

Sure, there are some objective criteria but the rest is all subjective. Heck, even pro drivers that drive a real life racing car can't even agree on what's the most realistic simulator. That says it all really.

(I kinda agree with you that that video is clickbaity though, but then again what video isn't these days)

 

[MagpieRacer]

Why not? In the end, isn't it just one subjective opinion against anothers? People prefer different things. Evidenced by the fact that nobody can agree on what's the best rally title. Just like nobody can agree on what's the best sim title.

Sure, there are some objective criteria but the rest is all subjective. Heck, even pro drivers that drive a real life racing car can't even agree on what's the most realistic simulator. That says it all really.

(I kinda agree with you that that video is clickbaity though, but then again what video isn't these days)

RBR is a much more relevant comparison than Forza Horizon 5 as well.

12 days 17 hours to go for early access. I'm quite lucky in that I work for my wife, we're closed on the Tuesday anyway and I've been given the Wednesday off too, probably because I won't shut up about the game😅.

 

[Dreadmed]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"On my fairly powerful PC (RTX 3080 GPU, Ryzen 7 CPU) the game struggled for frame rate and stuttered often on recommended settings. News Editor Adam Ismail (who also got to sample the game) tells me it's down to a shader compilation issue unique to Unreal titles on PC. It’s the greatest weakness of the game in the state I played it in, and it was a fairly consistent struggle throughout. Fortunately, it shouldn't pose an issue for console performance, and it's fixable. Hopefully the final product will run a little more smoothly by the time it releases on November 3."

The only reason I hadn't pre-ordered already... (I was about to pull the trigger before checking back here).

That's honestly a bummer, although looking over the article I didn't see what resolution they were running at; I'm using a similar setup (RTX 3070/Ryzen 7 5800) at 1440p so if they were playing on 4K there may be some hope for myself.

 

[Pfei]

The only reason I hadn't pre-ordered already... (I was about to pull the trigger before checking back here).

That's honestly a bummer, although looking over the article I didn't see what resolution they were running at; I'm using a similar setup (RTX 3070/Ryzen 7 5800) at 1440p so if they were playing on 4K there may be some hope for myself.

Yeah a lot of PC players are holding off for now because of that. Additionally, the preview key are probably not using Denuvo so that is also a worry for increased overhead.

I can get the game for $8 on my Argentine Steam account but between my potato RTX 2060 and the stutters I decided to order one of those $30 PS5 discs from Amazon instead, and will wait until opinions post-release before opening it. I have seen a lot of comments from people with similar specs as mine planning on console over PC, too.

 

[Rivanov]

Recieved my Sim-Lab XB1 Handbrake and Moza HGP Shifter.
Right now, I have them behind eachother (vertically), where my shifter is nearest to me and the handbrake behind the shifter.

That's not ideal. I want them side by side. Which do I have to put closest to me normally? Handbrake or shifter?

 

[Pfei]

Which do I have to put closest to me normally? Handbrake or shifter?

Rally1 cars have the shifter closest, and the handbrake to the right of it.

 

[xX Jojje Xx]

EA SPORTS WRC - The Road Ahead

Take a look at what’s available in the Rally Pass, as well as the perks of pre-ordering EA SPORTS™ WRC

www.ea.com

 

[MagpieRacer]

The Rally Pass and content map has been detailed. Also confirmed the cost of the VIP Rally Passes, 5.99 each post launch (all included in preorders).

Get the latest EA SPORTS™ WRC 24 News, Updates and Patch Notes - Electronic Arts

Get up to date with the latest news, patch notes and game updates of EA SPORTS™ WRC 24 .

www.ea.com

“What is the Rally Pass?

The Rally Pass is a progression system in EA SPORTS WRC where players can unlock a range of items to customise their drivers and cars.

XP is earned through all on-road activity players will take part in throughout the game, and this XP unlocks items throughout the Rally Pass’s 20 levels.

Each Season, players can unlock a racing suit, pair of gloves, a helmet design for their custom driver, and a selection of decals for use in the livery editor, as well as a livery to show off on the Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID, Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID, and the Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID.

The Rally Pass will start from the game’s launch, and each season will run as follows:

Season 1 - 7 Weeks - Starting at Launch
Season 2 - 8 Weeks - Starting December 2023
Season 3 - 8 Weeks - Coming in 2024
Season 4 - 8 Weeks - Coming in 2024
Season 5 - 8 Weeks - Coming in 2024
There are no exclusive cars or locations contained within the Rally Pass. The game’s 78 cars and over 200 rally stages are available to everyone from launch with no additional purchase required.

Additionally, there is no paid in-game currency or boosters in EA SPORTS WRC

VIP Rally Pass

In addition to the Free Tier of content available to all players and detailed above, VIP Pass owners of each Season get additional content to use on their cars and drivers.

VIP players can look forward to unlocking an additional three sets of racing suits, gloves, helmets, caps and Rally1 liveries throughout each Season, as part of the Rally Pass.

Whilst all of the five planned VIP Rally Passes are available for those who pre-order EA SPORTS WRC, they can be purchased for £5.99/$5.99/€5.99** each post-launch.”

EA play members get an additional suit/glove/cap/livery combo and 7 extra moments in the first season. For everyone else there will be more than 50 moments in Season 1.