Racing to Victory: Reviews and Tips for Racing Games
26 May 2023
Gaming is his life: Playing with cars on the computer was Jimmy Broadbent’s favorite activity even when he was a young boy. The Englishman, who is 28 years old, began his career as a sim racer with Gran Turismo on the PlayStation before moving on to the PC. He competes in rFactor 2, Assetto Corsa, and iRacing, and his 2012-established YouTube channel has more than 327,000 subscribers. Additionally, he is a Gran Turismo World Tour commentator.
I get asked that a lot. In their own way, each racing simulator is good. iRacing, which focuses on online racing and competition, is a lot of fun for me. Automobilista and rFactor 2 excel in tire modeling and driving mechanics. There is also enough content in these two racing games for solo drivers who don’t want to race against other players. Assetto Corsa ought to be your first choice when it comes to range.
So this is all I can say: Take a look at all of the different simulations if you get the chance. Also, if I had to choose, iRacing for competition and Automobilista for solo play would be my top choices. The GT racing series, which includes GT3 and GT4, is one of the most popular sim racing genres. With those two, you can jump right into things pretty quickly. In the normal range, the vehicles behave fairly well. They become difficult to maneuver only when stretched to their limits. On iRacing, for instance, a Mazda MX5 might be a good option for beginners. It is light, doesn’t have a lot of power, and it will either understeer or oversteer depending on how you set it up. Before you dare move up to faster classes, you can learn the fundamentals of driving this way. The highly potent prototype class is at the other end of the spectrum, requiring fast reaction times.
For me, driving a new track very slowly at first is the best approach. I can see the course’s structure and curve path this way. After that, I push the car and drive faster to see how it reacts to the track. There are also drivers who, even on unfamiliar racetracks, immediately give it their all. However, don’t be surprised if you find yourself skidding around corners if you do that.
The racing line that can be layered onto motorsport racing games is extremely helpful to me. However, after about five or six attempts, I turn it off. Another tip: Follow the quickest drivers in multiplayer meetings. You can keep track of things like their setup, braking points, and changing gears because of this. Some gamers would rather just practice themselves because they are too proud to do so.
An important point is made here. Since one thing is pivotal while you’re getting to know a track: how to turn in. Examine the precise braking points first. Take your bearings from prominent objects like corner distance markers. Remember them! Another pivotal point is the pinnacle. It needs to be caught inside the curve. In a race, you shouldn’t forget to check your rearview mirror because you don’t want to be caught off guard by someone behind you on a corner!
Another thing to keep in mind is that each corner is unique. When a curve is followed by a long straight, for instance, my focus shifts from entering to exiting the corner. As a result, I accelerate into the corner, accelerate the car’s orientation toward the exit, and accelerate again as quickly as possible. It’s very unique with esses; With these, don’t be afraid to really throw the car into the corner to get it ready for quickly going the other way.
There is a great method for fast cornering in motorsports that can also be used in many racing games: braking on trails. Before a curve, you typically brake, turn in, and then accelerate again. Trail brakes are distinct: As you enter the curve, you apply less force to the brakes than you would on a straight road. So you brake smoothly into the corner and use the shifting weight of the car to gain more grip on the front wheels, giving you better control over the steering wheel. Trail slowing down is particularly valuable after lengthy straights or for slanted bends. This method is preferred by some games, such as iRacing; rFactor 2 and others, less so.
When racing in a simulation, it can be tempting to just accelerate as quickly as possible. But there aren’t many cars where that works because racing games these days are too real. For instance, when a car in group C has 700 horsepower, the turbocharger will kick in at full throttle, causing the vehicle to skid out immediately. The back tires go off the deep end and you have zero grasp.
After a corner, it is preferable to pedal evenly and gently. Exactly how quickly and hard depends on the vehicle. F1 vehicles, for instance, have enormous grasp on the back tires. When driving a car with front-wheel drive, you have to go by feel a lot more.
That requires time more than anything else. It only requires a lot of driving practice and time.
Be a “good listener” to what your car is telling you is one of the most important gaming tips. Sim racing makes things more difficult because you don’t feel the g-forces. However, you can learn about the vehicle’s limits, drift behavior, and grip from the force feedback provided by the steering wheel. You ought to likewise focus on tire screech while cornering to try not to overstrain your tires. This is especially true for racing automobiles, but less so for road vehicles.