Is it ok to reach out to racers(honest thread here)

[adam thompson]

Hi so my names Adam,

And I love cars a a lot I'm from Melbourne Victoria and love racing games. I have PS4, Xbox one s and Xbox 360 and PS3.

Most of my life I been playing racing games as well and some RPG (Bethesda) and shooters too here and there. When I was younger I found I was a pretty good racer I use controller but one day hope for a decent wheel and pedal set up.
But I've found lately as I'm getting older I suck at racing games. And really hurts. I'm playing Horizon 3 at the moment and some races take me oh 5-6 tries and I'm not happy with the way I drive or crash or get my ass kicked and I'm crying inside. I used to have good feel and raced really well and clean when younger. God I remember playing GT6 or forza 4 and doing all nighters and it felt really good. Now I'm lucky if one in 100 races I get that feeling. I have most assists off and race line off and difficulty is on around 60-70 out of 100 I would say. Can go higher to.

Any tips or anyone have any advice how to handle it. I am my own worst enemy I think negative. I literally beat myself up over it punches etc and get so down and out about it and just want to cry or loose it. Having mental stuff to go on doesent help either. I am just reaching out and hope this is the right place to do so as I feel we all have a lot in common love cars and racing.

Feel free to comment. Thank you for whoever reads and replys

May your races be clean and fun

Adam

 

[Brend]

Hi Adam,

I think what you're talking about is an interesting topic, more than most genres, racing games can kick your 🤬 at will and it really can make you feel bad. However, its important to remember at the end of the day this is just a hobby. I like to think anyone that gets into this scene does so because they love cars, racing, gaming or even all three! If playing these games is making you feel down, maybe just take a small break for a while and come at it fresh. I've had moments where the challenge seems impossible but after giving myself a bit of distance and coming back to it, crushed it as a result!

If taking a break doesn't pan out as you expect, perhaps decrease the difficulty / add a few more driving aids. Despite what a vocal minority may say, playing the game your way is the best way to play. Everyone has an opinion but for me, finding a comfortable median that allows you to have fun and having a chance of winning is the best compromise.

Every year when the new Formula 1 title comes out, I try and play with no driving aids and in cockpit cam. I absolutely suck and eventually concede defeat, turning Traction Control on and moving to chase cam. I could struggle through a full hardcore playthrough but if I'm having no fun, then what's the point? The fact is 99% of us aren't going to be 'aliens' when it comes to racing games. So, please don't beat yourself up (mentally or physically) because you feel off the pace.

Hope this helps out.

 

[AOS-]

Unlike Brend, I'm not about moral support.

Broad list of things I personally do:

-Keep a list of things I want improvements on and work on them at a time.

-I don't like to dedicate time to practice, but if I'm not having a good day, I stop playing in race and do solo stuff, practice, time trials, whatever mode that lets you drive with out feeling defeated by others.

When I'm doing solo stuff, that's when I go address notable issues I faced, be it braking time, throttle control through a specific corner, how much I can steer and ideal entry speed. Try out stuff and make small adjustments based on the previous results. The point of this here is to not look for results nor meeting any expectations, as that can set you up for the same kind of disappointment/discouragement you face when playing for real. Racing games come down to your understanding of the game's physics and your execution of applying that understanding to the fullest consistency. I use moments like this to examine what's going on in that very crucial moment (i.e making a turn). Example: I blow into a turn at 100, I'll have questions like this which I may later try:
Can my tires handle the load at this speed?
How much weight can I transfer to the front while still being able to make the turn?
If I steer all the way and notice the car's taking the turn too easily, perhaps I can go faster?
Was I going 100 last time I approached this corner? Do I need to slow down a tad more?


If I notice that I only struggled in one corner, I use some makeshift benchmarking where I take note of the clock at notable landmark before the corner, and one after. After that I try a whole bunch of different braking lines, while keeping tabs on the speedometer to get a sense of which line lets me get back on the accelerator soonest. I'll use the landmark as proof of whether a particular line has been effective.


I stopped playing sims a long time ago, but I do play the casual-level racing games seriously. These are the thoughts that go through my head when I've play games like NFS Hot Pursuit 3 or Dirt 3 as recent examples.




Final note: applicable for everyone: if you're not getting adequate sleep and/or nutrients, you're not going to be playing at your best. Eat properly and you'll find yourself making better decisions, responding faster and your execution (granted you're still thinking straight) will be sharp.

 

[Sprite]

Two interesting views and very much what gaming of any kind is about.

Like you Adam I played racing games from an early age, starting with "Stunt Car Racer" on the Amiga and all the way up to the last "GT Game" and "Project Cars".

I kind of fit into between @Brend & @AOS-

When I was younger I could pick up a new game and pretty much hammer it, the things I wasn't good at I wrote down and practiced all the time until I was proficient enough. As I got older and games got more complex and my reactions got slower I started to get disillusioned with gaming on the whole. No matter how much time I put in I couldn't move through games (Racing in particular) fast.

I then sat back and like Brend I realised why the heck am I tourturing myself over a game which is supposed to be fun. This was the time around GT4 Prologue. I decided then that unless I was having fun I would stop playing the game and have a rest, maybe play something else or take time away and visit friends, read a book or listen to some music.

Now we're far along from even then I play less and less games and I spend less than 10 hours on a heavy week and sometimes I can go weeks without picking up a pad.

What I'm trying to say is, no matter what is happening to your gaming prowess there are other things in life which to dedicate time to. If you adamant on getting those trophies, take a break and come back to it at a later time. The game will always be there but other things not so much... god I sound old!!!

 

[the_greeze]

Lower the difficulty, turn on a couple of assists etc.

Life's to short to sweat over this mate!