GT7 Update 1.66: Downshifting Concerns and Penalties.

[benjoi84]

Why would it be excessive, it's competition, you mess up, you have consequences.

It's a videogame, it's not an error that one would commit in real life racing, it's purely isolated to the videogame environment.

It's my understanding that this thread is about eliminating a "game-ified" aspect of GT7.

 

[Voodoovaj]

It's a videogame, it's not an error that one would commit in real life racing, it's purely isolated to the videogame environment.

It's my understanding that this thread is about eliminating a "game-ified" aspect of GT7.

More to the point about videogames, it VERY VERY VERY poor form in games to have an input be ignored. They should either give you an audible sign and tactile feedback (vibration) that you messed up the downshift, or (what's already in the game) damage the engine, thereby throwing the lap out the window anyway.

All the examples given of downshift protection are from cars with electronic aids. GT has an enormous selection of cars that do not have any such electronics. The game emulates the speed of the gearbox on a per case basis, different cars, different box types, so it's very necessary to give the player feedback.

As it stands now, I really do dislike the guessing game of whether I get a downshift or not. I used the example of the Super Formula. With that, enter a corner, hit the brakes, and downshift as fast as you can possible manage. Switch to the F3500 (which should have a sequential semi-auto), and the shift pace changes. Switch the Ferrari F40 as an example, and it changes again.

Now, I like the differences, but it feels broken to call for a shift and get nothing. Not even an "clunk" or gear grind sound to tell you what happened.

And remember, in real life, with a proper manual box (which is what many of the car in game are supposed to have), you can try to jam the gear level into the gear, but it won't go until the gears line up. You get a crunch when you try (and a giant repair bill if you succeed). So, IRL, you get feedback. In the game, you should get feedback too.

 

[Tommy_D]

The problem with wanted mechanical damage is that GT would have to have the whole game locked in at HEAVY damage. This is for License test, missions, offline races, TT, etc. In my league we only play with heavy damage on so I’m with it, however I’m 1 person and the select few. Many people don’t like that concept in GT or hardcore simulation, look how people are acting because you can’t unrealistically shift down anymore.

Why would it have to lock in Heavy Damage for everything? PD clearly has the ability to turn on damage or tire wear or fuel consumption, etc for a single race and not all races. Also what I find interesting is that "hard" difficulty on the game is only 2 of the 3 chili peppers on the difficulty meter. So, where is the setting for 3 chili peppers? Did PD have plans to include an "expert" difficulty into the game?

If so, I would love to see it be a much more hardcore version where you have to buy tires if they wear out (or as part of an "entry fee" to buy tires specifically for the race), that damage from a race carries over and you have to repair your car if you want to use it in another race. That over revving, or money shifting can blow your engine and repairs need to be made. All of this would cost credits in order to maintain your cars, but honestly, what do people use their credits for in this game anyways? To buy more cars? I guess after several years of playing and owning every car in the game, I'm sitting at 99M credits all the time now. I don't have any need for them anymore. I race a race, I get credits and it doesn't really matter. I think having some sort of reality of needing to maintain your car, buy more tires, maybe even have entry fees for races, etc would add a nice reason to earn more credits.

It wouldn't have to be every race in the game where you would need to do this, but certainly the DLC could have this added in to it as an extra level of difficulty for players who want a bit more realism in their sim racing. Maybe add it to the Gr.4/3/2/1 races as well? This would also be a thing that only is available in "expert" difficulty. Players still could have a choice to lower the difficulty so they don't waste all their credits on entry fees and tire replacements but never earn enough to build the piggy bank

 

[benjoi84]

You all make good points.

Those handful of tenths which I lose for a silly mistake like shifting down accidentally is more than enough for this level of simcade racer.

I noticed myself missing a downshift in one of the PP races the other day, I think it's my first since they made the change. As I said earlier, I've always played MT gears with a correct cadence ever since learning them.

 

[Yard_Sale]

Different gear cadences for different cars has always been a thing in GT7 since the beginning. I first really noticed it when they added the McLaren MP4-whatever, and drove it back to back with the 66’ Ford GT40. What’s really impressive is that PD modeled the clutch in such a way where if coasting in gear - using engine decompression and the transmission to slow down - if you push in the clutch, disengaging the transmission; the car will behave like in real life.

A personal pipe dream of mine for GT8, is that PD properly models non-synchronized manual transmissions - where you can slide the transmission in and out of gear sans clutch once the road speed matches the transmission speed, or just double clutch it like irl

 

[M Stark]

They should either give you an audible sign and tactile feedback (vibration) that you messed up the downshift

I think that’s a fair quality of life thing to ask. Personally, I have no issues with the downshift protection as is but I understand it can be learning curve for some.

 

[The DOHCter]

Just my 2 pence but i understand why they did it as many people downshifted in the wrong way.
Maybe they should allow quick downshift of one gear and not multiple to be more realistic.
Prior to the change it was like a dsg box now i feel I'm using an old zf auto from the e90/e60s lol.

 

[GT_brickhole]

I haven't missed any shifts and i think all online lobbies are toxic in any game.

I would prefer it to lock wheels or something more obvious, but i actually like the lock out...

i know better than to think PD would blow engines. but they can lock wheels just fine... i think it would make older cars more dynamic if you had to worry about rear axle hopping and the such on mis-shifts...