automatic drifting

  • Thread starter GangsTaGT
  • 124 comments
  • 33,840 views
no way. gear settings can help, throttle control is key. mike (bubba drift el camino) does big 360s into drifts all day and night in an auto.
 
TRi
no way. gear settings can help, throttle control is key. mike (bubba drift el camino) does big 360s into drifts all day and night in an auto.

I just can't understand limiting your total amount of possible control... The fact is, a manual gives you more control than an automatic... I guess I'm just a settings geek, but if I have the option of doing someting that can allow a greater degree of control, I will do it, no matter how hard (or weird) it initialy feels...






;)
 
Delphic Reason
I just can't understand limiting your total amount of possible control... The fact is, a manual gives you more control than an automatic... I guess I'm just a settings geek, but if I have the option of doing someting that can allow a greater degree of control, I will do it, no matter how hard (or weird) it initialy feels...






;)

Actually, automatic will give you more control over your throttle and braking and e-brake and steering inputs because it lets you focus on them more. It's a trade off. Using a manual will give you control over your gears and will give you an additional and useful form of control, A CLUTCH :) , but will take some of your attention away from you steering, gas, brake and e-brake. Auto puts all that focus into the other, more important things, like steering, gas and brake, but you will have an occasional problem of being in the wrong gear, and the damn thing wanting to shift mid-drift unexpectedly, which causes you to mess up by doing a wieght shift you didn't antisipate.

I'll take a manual anyday. ANY REAL DRIFTER SHOULD. You can always get used to shifting and get better at it wich will alow you to put that attention back into the road, but the problems an auto tranny causes will always be there and there is nothing you can do about it except for swapping it out for a manual.
 
well u need to swop up and down gears to stableise the car after a drift, and some cars have to be driveb in manual with all driveing aids off because it keaps going up and down gear, like rally in auto
 
Wow TRi I didn't realize that you use auto until now. Oh **** that's why you were able to drift with one hand in your vid that you posted way back.

I don't blame ya it's your style :)
 
Mad Murphy NZ
Drifting with an open dif is a hell of a lot harder than with an LSD.

It seems to me that a lot of cars come with some sort of LSD (If they have it IRL) or VLSD or something. The one on the new Skyline (g35) is setup better than anything I could tune myself :)

Back on topic, I used to drift automatic but recently took the plunge .. and now I'm fully manual. I guess holding gears with R2 or something can have the same effect, but I like manual now cause I can make sure I always have torque when I need it. Quite a few times with auto, I've had to delay entry to turns etc cause I'm waiting for the downblip, ruining a link or run 👎

Using manual is easier with a wheel though.. L2 and R2 just felt awkward to me.
 
The Skyline has a good LSD? I'll have to try it out, I normally just for for a customisable one. Which skyline were you drifting? The 4 door or the coupe?
 
rsmithdrift
Actually, automatic will give you more control over your throttle and braking and e-brake and steering inputs because it lets you focus on them more. It's a trade off. Using a manual will give you control over your gears and will give you an additional and useful form of control, A CLUTCH :) , but will take some of your attention away from you steering, gas, brake and e-brake. Auto puts all that focus into the other, more important things, like steering, gas and brake, but you will have an occasional problem of being in the wrong gear, and the damn thing wanting to shift mid-drift unexpectedly, which causes you to mess up by doing a wieght shift you didn't antisipate.

I'll take a manual anyday. ANY REAL DRIFTER SHOULD. You can always get used to shifting and get better at it wich will alow you to put that attention back into the road, but the problems an auto tranny causes will always be there and there is nothing you can do about it except for swapping it out for a manual.

Wrong...

It only takes your attention away from such things if you are not accustomed to it... Manual will give you more control over all areas of driving... Automatic seems to allow for more control, to those that are not used to shifting... However, if you are used to shifting, you don't even think about it... It's ingrained in your muscle memory... I don't even realise I'm shifting anymore... I have all my attention on throttle, braking, and steering inputs... The shifting happens all by itself... Muscle memory is very powerful, and can help you concentrate on other things...





;)
 
rsmithdrift
dude, i said that, look at the last paragraph. lol.

Actually, what you did was contradict yourself... You managed to take a stand on opposite issues at the same time... A dizzying feet, no doubt... I corrected your statement to clarify the issue... Manual will always give you more control in all areas... Period... There just aren't any exceptions...



;)
 
Delphic Reason
Manual will always give you more control in all areas... Period... There just aren't any exceptions...

Word DR.

I know that this isn't really all that pertaining to GT4 and it's shifting system, but try, just try to enter a drift using shift lock in a real car - Yes I understand that I sound a little rediculous saying that (almost as bad as saying I can heel toe in an auto). But what I'm trying to say is auto takes away so much of the control you need to really drift. Here's an other real life example- I challenge anyone here to consistently drift a bone stock car (meaning, Open Slip Differential) with under 200 HP- and if you can do it in a car that has understeer naturally, huge props to you. My friend and I have been putting so much energy to getting him an LSD (for his S13 One-Via) that I'm really falling in love with the experience of tuning cars. I haven't posted this on this forum (only on the IDM board), but I recently got an internship at a shop where they have an incredible collection of some amazing cars. I won't get into it too much, but think of this- 1200 HP Supra, the highest HP (and fastest) Skyline in America, I hang out with the SCCA National Champion on a weekly basis (I don't mean that he's just a coworker, we're actually friends now), I'm going to be building an SRX soon- an SRX is an FC or FD with an SR20 in it-of course being used for drifting.

So besides that - auto is just plain stupid. Tell me automatic drivers, how d'you keep a car in the powerband without pushing all the power to the wheels (an important real life drift concept).

My two and a half cents,

< Vin >
 
i know auto is limiting. you guys didn't know i was using auto, so i think it hasnt been all that limiting, especially for my driving style, which is just plain wild. yes if it were a real car with a real tach and real engine noises and a real sense of speed, i would feel so much more at home and wouldn't think twice about using a manual. but it's a video game. the auto is pretty good at staying in the high powerband and during a turn it doesnt downshift(at least for me) unless i brake or let off a good amount. i've pretty much learned what and when the auto shifts. but a real life scenario is the formula d el camino that consistantly gets top 8 in an automatic vehicle. no way am i defending it, cuz i believe auto has its limitations for sure. but its defenitely possible to pull some stuff off with it.
 
TRi
i know auto is limiting. you guys didn't know i was using auto, so i think it hasnt been all that limiting, especially for my driving style, which is just plain wild. yes if it were a real car with a real tach and real engine noises and a real sense of speed, i would feel so much more at home and wouldn't think twice about using a manual. but it's a video game. the auto is pretty good at staying in the high powerband and during a turn it doesnt downshift(at least for me) unless i brake or let off a good amount. i've pretty much learned what and when the auto shifts. but a real life scenario is the formula d el camino that consistantly gets top 8 in an automatic vehicle. no way am i defending it, cuz i believe auto has its limitations for sure. but its defenitely possible to pull some stuff off with it.

Definitely possible... Definitely far from ideal...





;)
 
vinsion
Word DR.

I know that this isn't really all that pertaining to GT4 and it's shifting system, but try, just try to enter a drift using shift lock in a real car - Yes I understand that I sound a little rediculous saying that (almost as bad as saying I can heel toe in an auto). But what I'm trying to say is auto takes away so much of the control you need to really drift. Here's an other real life example- I challenge anyone here to consistently drift a bone stock car (meaning, Open Slip Differential) with under 200 HP- and if you can do it in a car that has understeer naturally, huge props to you.

So besides that - auto is just plain stupid. Tell me automatic drivers, how d'you keep a car in the powerband without pushing all the power to the wheels (an important real life drift concept).

My two and a half cents,

< Vin >

Damn, he does exist. lol.

I thank you on the props for drifting my BONE STOCK 1984 300zx 2+2 on a daily basis. I have an 86 2 seater stock + lsd that I used to autocross and drift around, and was rebuilding this 84 2+2 just because I got it for free from a friend (not running) and was going to fix and sell it. Little did I know that it's a better drifter than the 2 seater is. :odd: AND THE 84 HAS AN OPEN DIFF and it needs a clutch now thanks to my drifting it.

And DR. that is the point I was trying to make, but I think I just made it even more confusing. I was trying to say that auto is easier for the beginners, but once you get some experience you can't drift properly w/o a manual tranny and a good strong clutch.
 
rsmithdrift
I thank you on the props for drifting my BONE STOCK 1984 300zx 2+2 on a daily basis. I have an 86 2 seater stock + lsd that I used to autocross and drift around, and was rebuilding this 84 2+2 just because I got it for free from a friend (not running) and was going to fix and sell it. Little did I know that it's a better drifter than the 2 seater is. :odd: AND THE 84 HAS AN OPEN DIFF and it needs a clutch now thanks to my drifting it.

I meant with auto tranny bud. No clutch = no control. Thats the point I'm trying to get across.

< Vin >
 
i recently had a chance to drift an auto in GT4. a friend of mine can't drive the manny and i didnt feel like constantly switching back and forth.
it works fine... as long as you stick to the right line. biggest problem i had was sometimes it would downshift on me when i understeered before the drift. but i found that if i hit the breaking/release points correctly and timed the turn-in and gas correctly it would drift just how it would if i was using the manual.
i didnt use use the L2/R2 buttons to lock the gears, i never needed to and didn't want to bother with it either.
either way they both yielded similar lap times

i have to say that i couldnt stand driving the auto for too long. it just made the game feel like i was missing something. steer, gas, break and repeat.
 
TRi
but a real life scenario is the formula d el camino that consistantly gets top 8 in an automatic vehicle. no way am i defending it, cuz i believe auto has its limitations for sure. but its defenitely possible to pull some stuff off with it.

But that El Camino is running a turbo 350 3-Speed trans with a 2800 stall torque converter, not exactly your typical auto slushbox. I'd say the reason he does so well is because he has that auto trans. All he needs to focus on is steering, throttle and braking. And also considering it weighs over well over 2-tons he probably needs all the extra attention.

I guess the same can apply to GT4, if you have your gears setup just right, you don't really need the manual. It'd probably also help for exiting drifts in that if you can lay off the throttle enough it'll hold back some wheelspin for a smoother looking and more controlled exit.
 
Exits are just as smooth with auto as far as my experience goes. The real big plus with manual is avoiding mid-drift shifts when you don't want them, and being able to get revs on demand... I lost count of how many times I lost the turn in point because the stupid auto wouldn't shift down when it was supposed to :(

Plus you can set up your gears stupidly close and still avoid shifting. I have one relatively low powered car (Nissan 240RS Rally car) that does 80 kmh in 2nd and just 95 or so in 3rd, just to be able to extend links. I found that if they were set up any further apart, the car would go from revlimiting to gripping cause of the low and narrow torque band. The car handles and looks awesome though, so I HAD to drift it even though the engine was awful ;)
 
Now if it meant you had to use a clutch to change gear, then i'd definitely buy a steering wheel. Using the shoulder buttons never feels right. Shifting gear is second on my list of what makes driving so good, after steering of course. Auto's on real cars are for the lazy and fair play, to those who can't use their left foot. Every person should have to shift for themselves or don't let 'em drive at all. Take away vitals like this and people lose their concentration. When you have to do everything, then you are a driver, not merely a steerer.
 
I drift in Automatic, due to i'm not skilled enough in GT4 * I run Manual in Enthusia all the time.), and due to my crazy controller config. (R1 is handbrake and R2 is Nitrous Oxide, L1 is my rear view *default* and the L2 is my shift control in auto*default too*.)
 
I have been learning with it in auto, and wondering why the flickback is so goddamn unpredictable, and that would be why! I'm gonna switch to manual the second i turn the PS2 back on (it's 5:22AM and I have been going since god knows when, drifting is ADDICTIVE).

I went with the auto coz thats how i run rallies, as I CBF thinking about a gazillion things at once, I do however run the 'grip' races in manual.
 
The automatic in GT4 is nothing like the ones in real life. For example: RL transmissions dont always shift near redline, they down shift when your braking, when the accelerator is pressed hard then it would downshift for more passing power. The one in GT4 is just a computer that upshift when near redline, and after you brake, it notices that the rpm is too low, then it downshifts. So dumb.
 
KiwiBoy
The one in GT4 is just a computer that upshift when near redline, and after you brake, it notices that the rpm is too low, then it downshifts. So dumb.
It would be nice if we have programmable shift controller, or is there a armax code to change it ?
I drift using auto because I am too busy directing the car.............
 
when the roads are wet, i drift my auto '88 Holden Commodore, it works a treat, all you gotta realise, is that unlike a manual, you tromp the gas to get it to switch sides, and ease off to get the rear to stand out, well thats what i have found anyway, MUUUUCH easier in a manual, as far as control goes, but if you lock onto a really good one in an auto, is is waaaay more gratifying.

I miss my old '82 Torana though, 'twas awesome for drifting!
 
gooseter
when the roads are wet, i drift my auto '88 Holden Commodore, it works a treat, all you gotta realise, is that unlike a manual, you tromp the gas to get it to switch sides, and ease off to get the rear to stand out, well thats what i have found anyway, MUUUUCH easier in a manual, as far as control goes, but if you lock onto a really good one in an auto, is is waaaay more gratifying.

I miss my old '82 Torana though, 'twas awesome for drifting!
That's not drifting though, it's doing skids in the rain in a car with plenty of power - anyone can do that.
 
Mad Murphy NZ
That's not drifting though, it's doing skids in the rain in a car with plenty of power - anyone can do that.

.... unless its in a parking lot that has more islands than one person can count... and then trying to follow a course thru them... that makes drifting in rain fun lol :lol: :P
 
Back