Is everything just faster?

[ASH32]

Why is it less of a challenge?

The grip levels have increased... so you just have to drive faster to find the limit. At the limit, the same skills are needed to go fast.

Yes plus off track grip reduction has been set to real in some sport races too lately and if anything more people, including me, are making mistakes post patch than before in the few races I've been a part of.

 

[Voodoovaj]

In answer to the original question, yes everything is faster, plus easier and less of a challenge (And therefore less rewarding) since the update 1.06.

This game has been dumbed down for commercial reasons.

Now everyone needs a Megane or Scirroco in Gr.4 to win.

I will admit that much of my displeasure was hyperbole, and I did like the challenge, but I was also concerned by the lack of people in the open lobbies. Even my long time driving buddies were commenting on how difficult the drive was, so...maybe there will be more enjoyment and a net gain for everyone.

HOWEVER, their BoP is now far less balanced. As you say, the Megane and the Scirocco are killers in Gr4. I ALWAYS hated that the best time/win required a specific car and that has come back. Some cars are dominant, others are useless. I tried using the Gr3 Genesis and the GR3 NSX. I like them, but they are several seconds slower than the field. Hopefully, they bring the balance back.

Before the change, the driving difficulty made car differences less of an issue.

 

[Zeitoss]

I will admit that much of my displeasure was hyperbole, and I did like the challenge, but I was also concerned by the lack of people in the open lobbies. Even my long time driving buddies were commenting on how difficult the drive was, so...maybe there will be more enjoyment and a net gain for everyone.

HOWEVER, their BoP is now far less balanced. As you say, the Megane and the Scirocco are killers in Gr4. I ALWAYS hated that the best time/win required a specific car and that has come back. Some cars are dominant, others are useless. I tried using the Gr3 Genesis and the GR3 NSX. I like them, but they are several seconds slower than the field. Hopefully, they bring the balance back.

Before the change, the driving difficulty made car differences less of an issue.

I agree, this update has ruined especially the Gr.4 with cars which are generally much easier to handle, less need for being delicate throttle and brakes, and the return of Scirocco/Megane festival.

Today race at Dragon Trail (BOP activated), with the Atenza I qualified as 7th behind 1 Audi TT and 5 Sciroccos.
From the start the Audi run away, I managed to stay with the Sciroccos just because they were doing mistakes here and there, and I had to drive fast and with no errors.
This update has created a tremendous gap between the FF and the rest of the cars in the Gr.4. Realistic???

 

[Zeitoss]

Why is it less of a challenge?

The grip levels have increased... so you just have to drive faster to find the limit. At the limit, the same skills are needed to go fast.

Because now is much more a sequence of full throttle-heavy brake-full throttle (and so on). There is much less need of slightly releasing the throttle in certain fast curves, of trail braking in approaching the bends, just gor example. Everything has become more an On-Off input.

I believe the other user was meaning the challenge offered by the driving system itself, not precisely by other users.

To me as well now GTS feels more forgiving and less challenging.