Manual or Auto Tranny? which is majority
- Thread starter vax
- 178 comments
- 10,712 views
- 24,043
- It/It
- GTP_TheCracker
[Shame]Sorry to report, but i'm a Auto user[/Shame]
Being a non-DFP user (although i am an owner!) i just find that using manual is just two buttons too many for my tiny mind to handle.
I should really bite the bullet and start using manual. I'm sure Famine would agree after our woeful 2 driver Clio race at the last UKGTP LAN party.
Being a non-DFP user (although i am an owner!) i just find that using manual is just two buttons too many for my tiny mind to handle.
I should really bite the bullet and start using manual. I'm sure Famine would agree after our woeful 2 driver Clio race at the last UKGTP LAN party.
Pink_the_Floyd
(Banned)
- 4,041
Manual since I've got a DFP. Shifting is ease but turning and controlling? yeah right!
- 287
- Leicestershire,
- bellybox
Keep practicing, it does come & you'll never go back.
- 36,710
- Scotland
- GTP_daan
Don't bother with that, just use this
Manual is much easier, and more natural, when you're using a wheel.
I was like you. My fingers/brain couldn't handle steering, braking, accelerating and gear changing using a DS2. As soon as I started using a wheel on GT3 (The red MOMO), I started using manual. If I was ever to go back to using a DS2, I'd be back to automatic. I'm using a DFP now, so its not an issue.
- 19,724
- Alabamamania
I've used manual for every racing game. The only exception was the first time I tried GT2's license tests, since it was easier to concentrate on turning presicely that way. I switched to using automatic for races after that, for some reason. Although I was quite sucessful, I felt I was cheating myself out of using the game the right way, since most racing and sports-cars cars aren't available in automatic.
I just practiced with cars with long gaps between shifts and those with less gears (the GT2 Superbird worked for me), and then tried a couple of one-make/Manufacturer's races to see how I stacked up against the AI with a similar car and by shifting by myself.
That sealed it for me, and I've never intentionally driven automatic since (except for those CVT cars, which you have no choice...and to test the 4-speed box in the '91 Lexus GS 300...for comparsion purposes).
I just practiced with cars with long gaps between shifts and those with less gears (the GT2 Superbird worked for me), and then tried a couple of one-make/Manufacturer's races to see how I stacked up against the AI with a similar car and by shifting by myself.
That sealed it for me, and I've never intentionally driven automatic since (except for those CVT cars, which you have no choice...and to test the 4-speed box in the '91 Lexus GS 300...for comparsion purposes).
- 20,145
- Australia
- VIPERGTS01
I have been using manual since way back when I was young playing the Commodore 64 and games like Test Drive and Street Rod where the manual trans is faster in the game so I adapted from young. Never thought twice about it since, its just natual.
My nephew used to always drive auto until he wanted to copy me, he had quite a hard time for awhile but he now has got pretty good. Just takes practice.
Actually the only time I do use an Automatic is when I play split screen with friends and I can't hear my car properly over their cars.
My nephew used to always drive auto until he wanted to copy me, he had quite a hard time for awhile but he now has got pretty good. Just takes practice.
Actually the only time I do use an Automatic is when I play split screen with friends and I can't hear my car properly over their cars.
I use manual transmission for games like GT4, TRD, or Tourist Trophy, and sims like Enthusia, Live for Speed, or Suzuki TT Superbikes, but I very often find myself using automatic for pure arcade racers, such as PGR, Ridge Racer, Need for Speed, Burnout, etc....
SportWagon
Premium
- 1,822
- Punkeydoodles Corners, Ontario, Canada. (aka GT2t
Actually few other racing games seem to give as much feedback to indicate when you should shift. I actually think GT does a few things to make manual easier than it might; principally the automatic clutch-out to prevent over-rev on downshifts, but at times I also think power-curves are exaggerated a bit to help you hear when to shift.
But the first game in which I used MT was Superbike Challenge on the Commodore 64.
Oh yes. The principal reason I began using MT in GT was to avoid shift-down oversteer with the NSX in the GT1 demo.
The arbitrary button reassignment definitely helps too--I use R1/R2.
I much prefer manual, for a few reasons.
Firstly I can control upshifts - especially in powerful cars, some tight corners I will shift down to 1st or 2nd for engine braking, then up to 3rd to keep the revs down a bit and make the takeoff out of the corner a bit easier (less chance of wheelspin). With engines that have high torque, often they run better when you shift up before redline. The Impreza Rally Car (old body style) in GT3 is a perfect example of this. I never shifted above 6,000/6,500 rpm, because it just ran out of puff. Keep it in the 3,000 - 4,000 range, though, and it flies, because it is a very torquey engine. If you use auto, it waits until almost redline to change, which doesn't work for this particular car.
Manuals are good for controlling wheelspin too, because if you come out of a corner in a gear that has you wheelspinning, you can snap it up a gear and usually (with a bit of throttle control) it will put the car back on track. In addition to that, with higher powered cars I will often start off the line in 2nd or 3rd gear. I find that it arrests wheelspin and you can launch of the line harder. 4WD cars respond best to this, but I've found the others benefit as well.
Controlling downshifts is good for engine braking, because you can shift at just the right point to maximise your stopping power. You can also snap down gears for overtaking/acceleration as well.
Although you can inhibit gearshifts in auto mode, I much prefer being able to actually control when the car shifts gears. It's part of my driving style, so I don't think I'd ever go back to an auto unless I had no choice. Even if the autos did perform the same as the manuals, using manual gives a feeling of control. It may just be perception, but it works for me.
Firstly I can control upshifts - especially in powerful cars, some tight corners I will shift down to 1st or 2nd for engine braking, then up to 3rd to keep the revs down a bit and make the takeoff out of the corner a bit easier (less chance of wheelspin). With engines that have high torque, often they run better when you shift up before redline. The Impreza Rally Car (old body style) in GT3 is a perfect example of this. I never shifted above 6,000/6,500 rpm, because it just ran out of puff. Keep it in the 3,000 - 4,000 range, though, and it flies, because it is a very torquey engine. If you use auto, it waits until almost redline to change, which doesn't work for this particular car.
Manuals are good for controlling wheelspin too, because if you come out of a corner in a gear that has you wheelspinning, you can snap it up a gear and usually (with a bit of throttle control) it will put the car back on track. In addition to that, with higher powered cars I will often start off the line in 2nd or 3rd gear. I find that it arrests wheelspin and you can launch of the line harder. 4WD cars respond best to this, but I've found the others benefit as well.
Controlling downshifts is good for engine braking, because you can shift at just the right point to maximise your stopping power. You can also snap down gears for overtaking/acceleration as well.
Although you can inhibit gearshifts in auto mode, I much prefer being able to actually control when the car shifts gears. It's part of my driving style, so I don't think I'd ever go back to an auto unless I had no choice. Even if the autos did perform the same as the manuals, using manual gives a feeling of control. It may just be perception, but it works for me.
👍.
- 730
- GTP_nige/scooby_nige
Interested to read the comments about the Scooby Rally car. How close is this to real life. I drive a Scooby WRX and recently had race track tuition in a WRX.
The instructor told me every time we shifted up the gears coming out of a corner not to rev it too much and change up earlier than I had expected( from 3rd to 4th ).
The acceleration out of the corner was much smoother and hence quicker.
nige
Fairly close, actually. Part of the horsepower restrictions on WRC cars is an inlet air restrictor which keeps the power to less than 300BHP, IIRC. They make up for it by setting the engines up for monstrous midrange torque rather than top-end power, as well as anti-lag devices to keep the turbos on boost as much as possible.
The standard WRX reaches peak power and torque below redline - depending on the year model - peak torque is around 4,000rpm, and peak power is around 5,500 - 6,000 rpm.
Ideally you want to upshift at peak power, and the transmission gearing should put you right into your peak torque range. That's where you want to be - between peak torque and peak power. That's why in the GT3 Impreza rally car, I never change above 6,500rpm.
The other thing you find is that depending on the setup and tune of the engine, the car's torque and power bands may be quite different. The scooby's standard turbo should spool up at around 2,500 rpm, which gives very nice midrange torque. You don't need to redline a WRX to get performance, in fact they run out of breath and lose performance above 6,500 - 7,000 rpm, so that's the last thing you want to do.
Anyways, enough rambling from me...
- 528
Real life - I would not touch automatic, I just hate them (haven't tested Audi's DSG yet)
GT4 - Mostly auto. I would play with manual when driving slower cars but when it gets to LMPs I just don't have time to think about gears. I think I'm pretty quick with auto - 93000 A-Spec points 93% complete.
GT4 - Mostly auto. I would play with manual when driving slower cars but when it gets to LMPs I just don't have time to think about gears. I think I'm pretty quick with auto - 93000 A-Spec points 93% complete.
I think there are a few styles of racing where autos can be beneficial. Drag racing is one, but usually only if you have your auto set up specifically for racing. I work with a group who run a couple of drag cars. We get 'at risk' youth from the community and put them in as the pit crew, so they work on the cars and go to display days and race days with them. Our 'flagship' at the moment is a VR Holden Commodore shell with a 350ci Chevy V8 that runs about 650 - 700hp (we're not sure exactly how much...). It's fitted with a 3 speed 'turbo 400' automatic that has been rebuilt for racing. It runs a 4,700rpm stall converter. We recently ran it at the quarter mile and scored a 10.87 second run at 200kph. Not bad for a car put together by 15 year olds...
The point being that we find the auto more reliable, more forgiving and easier to use in drag racing than the manuals.
I have also driven 'tiptronic' autos, and some of them are quite tidy. I would possibly make an exception for them in driving, since you can drive them somewhat like a manual...
The point being that we find the auto more reliable, more forgiving and easier to use in drag racing than the manuals.
I have also driven 'tiptronic' autos, and some of them are quite tidy. I would possibly make an exception for them in driving, since you can drive them somewhat like a manual...
- 2,235
- Norway
I'm sitting on DFP, so I've got a stick beside me. No way I'm not going to use it!
I like engine braking. There's not that much need for unnecessary braking. Besides, a couple of hours ago, I drove a 1997 Toyota Supra RZ with ~850 bhp. Because I never drive with TCS/ASM, the cars develop more wheelspin than controlable over ~6.000 rpm. So, I shift up at around 5.000-5.500 rpm, before the wheelspin gets too heavy. I couldn't have done that with auto the same way.
However, sometimes I do run with auto, but only when driving cars with auto-only in-game, for example the 2005 Mitsubishi Colt, the Toyota bB (aka. Scion xB), the Jaguar S-Type R and the Mitsubshi Evo VII GT-A. Manual just becomes weird, four gears on the two first cars, what's that about? Leave four manual gears to the older cars.
I enjoy manual, it's one area more to control, but you will be rewarded if you manage to do so.
Eirik
I like engine braking. There's not that much need for unnecessary braking. Besides, a couple of hours ago, I drove a 1997 Toyota Supra RZ with ~850 bhp. Because I never drive with TCS/ASM, the cars develop more wheelspin than controlable over ~6.000 rpm. So, I shift up at around 5.000-5.500 rpm, before the wheelspin gets too heavy. I couldn't have done that with auto the same way.
However, sometimes I do run with auto, but only when driving cars with auto-only in-game, for example the 2005 Mitsubishi Colt, the Toyota bB (aka. Scion xB), the Jaguar S-Type R and the Mitsubshi Evo VII GT-A. Manual just becomes weird, four gears on the two first cars, what's that about? Leave four manual gears to the older cars.
I enjoy manual, it's one area more to control, but you will be rewarded if you manage to do so.
Eirik
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