Heel-Toe/Auto-Blipping

[Xaero]

Hey all

My first post here - I've been a Gran Turismo (and racing game in general) fan ever since the original on the PSOne. Only recently have I experienced the joys of playing racing games/sims with a steering wheel/pedal/gear shifter set (G25).

Some of the games I've played since getting the G25 are GTR2, Race07, rFactor, Gran Turismo 4, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue Demo and as soon as it's delivered, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue.

I've got to say I'm loving the supreme level of control that the G25 can offer - I don't know why I didn't ever invest in a steering wheel in previous years!

Now onto the topic: correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think any of the previous Gran Turismos have had clutch support? And hence the ability to turn auto-blipping of the accelerator off? This is a technique that I've been able to practice with the G25 in games like rFactor - it's immensely satisfying racing around the track using the heel/toe technique effectively, knowing that if you didn't, there's a higher chance you would lose control of the car under braking and downshifting.

So, how important is it to you guys personally, that GT5 has the option to turn off auto-blipping, especially with a mainstream product like the Logitech G25 now being available? For me, I would love to have this option simply so that I could get the satisfaction of doing well in a race knowing I worked hard on it with all driver aids off and using advanced techniques like heel/toeing. This satisfaction is what makes me return to games like rFactor again and again! Anyone agree?

 

[Sturdy]

I think once you enable the clutch, the blipping of the throttle is up to you.

Also, couldn't help but notice Live For Speed wasn't mentioned. If you've enjoyed those other games, chances are you'll love it...

 

[Jay]

Yes blipping is up to you now when using the clutch, and I am very happy about it.

I just wish they would remove the autothrottle limiting when in reverse and in the sand.

 

[gt3killer]

I think it would great if there was a deeper sense of the clutch catching at it's proper point like a real car. Right now it feels more like an off/on button. I know when you activiate the clutch on GT5P you have to modulate the accelerator and the clutch when in 1st gear, but after that it really feels like an off/on button. What I think would be cool is that if PD simulated the feeling of the clutch grabbing, I mean don't get me wrong the G25 and GT5P feels awesome, but if they just make a few more adjustments that would be sweet. I do have to give it up to them for increasing the wheel feedback strength, I have it set to 9 now and it feels awesome.

 

[Jay]

Yeah thats my only gripe, the biting point of the clutch is so small, and it take delicate clutch movement to get it to slip like in a real car. (so it almost feels on/off)

Not hard at all for them to fix though.

 

[Xaero]

Ah so auto-blipping is off with the clutch activated? Cool

Have you noticed though whether blipping is actually necessary for any of the cars with driving aids off to keep it stable under braking? Does blipping actually help at all? How easy is it to lock the back wheels under braking and lose control?

Also, I assume you can't stall the engine? And hence there is no engine start button? It's these little things that push a racing sim to that next level IMO.

letdown427: Yeah looking over this forum over the past few months I have notced LFS mentioned a number of times - I might just try it out too. If it's anything like rFactor I'll be lovin it.

It's obvious many of us have tiny little annoyances with some things in Prologue, but that's exactly what Kaz and the team want from us - feedback! And Kaz has said so a number of times in interviews that one of the reasons for a "prologue" game is to get user feedback and push GT5 to as close to perfect as possible. I have a feeling a longer clutch will most definately be included in GT5, if not sooner as an update to Prologue.

RE force feedback: I have to say I was disappointed with it in the Prologue demo. Compared to games like rFactor (where I would set feedback effects to FULL ) there wasn't really much feedback at all, but it sounds like they have addressed this in Prologue too. Looking forward to racing you guys next week!

 

[Jay]

Ah so auto-blipping is off with the clutch activated? Cool

Yep.

Have you noticed though whether blipping is actually necessary for any of the cars with driving aids off to keep it stable under braking? Does blipping actually help at all? How easy is it to lock the back wheels under braking and lose control?

In a way, when coming hard into the first long corner (with high speed entry) of Daytona road course, cars become very unstable when trailing in heavy braking, it does help to heel-toe for smoother downshifts rather than just dropping down gears, the wheels don't really lock like you can in real life but it does make the rear a little more squirmish, I do notice the difference. At lower speed on slower courses compression locks are not strong enough in GT5P to loose control.

Actually sometimes I do drop the clutch down gears to give it that extra locking slowdown (when braking in a straight line), and sometimes when I want to start a drift while I am transferring weight for the corner to begin the drift.

Also, I assume you can't stall the engine? And hence there is no engine start button? It's these little things that push a racing sim to that next level IMO.

You don't actually stall it, like you say no starter button, but...... The engine will die off, the revs drop to just off zero and if you press the throttle you will get nothing except maybe a few luggy clicks, but it wont move unless you are rolling. When you depress the clutch it will come back to idle. this means you can't just let the clutch go at idle and expect to drive off, you do need to feed the clutch and throttle in properly or just WOT and dump works too.

RE force feedback: I have to say I was disappointed with it in the Prologue demo. Compared to games like rFactor (where I would set feedback effects to FULL ) there wasn't really much feedback at all, but it sounds like they have addressed this in Prologue too. Looking forward to racing you guys next week!

Yeah, Now GT5P has a 1-10 scale setting for force feedback and other options (that I turn off), I actually have feedback at 5 at the moment.