Automatic or manual gearbox?

Sharky · 16 May 2001, 04:28 (Ref:93083)

Well, I'm sure that most of you guys here play a lot of racing games and every game has the option of running it with a manual or automatic gearbox. So which do you use?

As for me, I had always used automatic until I sold my old trusty joystick and bought myself a steering wheel with F1 type shifters. Now I run every game with manual gearbox.

BTW. Another reason fro this poll is to use the poll function which I still haven't used

rdjones · 16 May 2001, 08:13 (Ref:93101)

It has to be an automatic box, so that you can consedtrate on keeping the car on the road and watching what is going on around you.

Minardi fan · 16 May 2001, 09:43 (Ref:93111)

I recently started practising with the manual gearbox on F1 '97, and I'm getting there slowly... Otherwise, I use the automatic every time.

DNQ · 16 May 2001, 09:52 (Ref:93114)

Always Auto. Although the other day I did a forty lap race around Indianapolis in Grand Prix 2 with no aids and finished at the front of the field. Although, it was pretty easy, apart from the start and pitstops, I was in sixth the whole time!

kuchi · 16 May 2001, 15:29 (Ref:93239)

Well Sharky, when I play racing games on my computer I also use a joystick, so it is hard to use manual gearboxes, but when I go to my cousin's, I play on manual, because he has a force feedback steering wheel, which I enjoy a lot. And when I use my play station I also put manual on every game.

Sharky · 16 May 2001, 15:53 (Ref:93246)

The only time I had previously used a manual gearbox was when I played Ayrton Senna's GP on a friend's Sega Genesis. Choosing the 7 speed manual gearbox was the only way to get to the top teams and win the championship in the hardest skill level. And I did!

badoer fan · 16 May 2001, 16:47 (Ref:93263)

I use the automatic, I'm not coordinated enough for manual. On F1 Championship Season 2000 if you press gear down whilst in automatic mode it pops the engine into neutral(!?)

SL · 16 May 2001, 22:30 (Ref:93393)

Manual every time.

When you have the power to slip to third at 70 mph and breeze passed the wheezing car ahead it is a great feeling.

As this is mainly Aussie area an Auto maybe the answer on the long roads you have, but the tight confines of the UK roads makes an auto seem very slow. 'cept in London City that is.

Simon

Buckshot · 17 May 2001, 05:06 (Ref:93488)

I'm only really playing 3 racing games at the moment. Gp3 and SCGT I drive on manual..only way to play but on CMR2 I use auto until I get more used to it - then I'll be switching to manual for that as well.

robert2000 · 20 May 2001, 14:42 (Ref:94493)

If you get a choice, then manual is always quicker. A lot of games auto-shift prematurely and your lap times are slower.

DAVID PATERSON · 25 May 2001, 08:29 (Ref:96400)

Just like real cars eh?

knowlesy59 · 11 Jun 2001, 20:33 (Ref:104053)

toca 1 -manual
toca 2 -manual
world touring cars-manual
f1 2000 -auto
f1 98 -auto
f1 97 -manual
f1 -manual
le mans -auto
cmr -auto
cmr2 -auto
gran turismo -manual
gt2 -manual

and if i use my steering wheel on any of these i always use manual.

mjstallard · 24 Jun 2001, 19:45 (Ref:109229)

I'm currently using automatic because I snapped my joystick in half in a barney with DC :/

But when I get my wheel, I'll be a manual driver again...GP3's auto gears suck ;(

Ed G · 30 Jul 2001, 22:35 (Ref:124052)

Playing GPL... you can't really try to drive using the automatic.... it will shift right in the middle of a coner for you which unbalances the car ... and off you go.

When I was playing ICR2 I found that the only way to play with any fuel strategy on ovals was to run manual... you can set up the car for cruising in one gear and passing in another. Did blow a few engines on yellow flag restarts concentrating on hitting the gas at the right time I forgot to shift.

Raven · 31 Jul 2001, 00:50 (Ref:124093)

I usually switch around quite a lot. On GP2 I use auto for qualifying and quick laps, but Ed is right about the fuel. You can save so much more fuel by shifting early and not using the maximum RPM, which is what automatic does.

jonboyG · 31 Jul 2001, 21:38 (Ref:124483)

Quote:

As this is mainly Aussie area an Auto maybe the answer on the long roads you have, but the tight confines of the UK roads makes an auto seem very slow. 'cept in London City that is.

SL - you know we're talking about computer racing?

As for me, auto all the way (its just a bit easier).

Marshal · 1 Aug 2001, 09:47 (Ref:124649)

Always Manual. Not only does it help judge corner speed better, but it gives you the option to use engine braking to help slow down more quickly, as well as trhe previously mentioned benefits in acceleration.

Mekola · 4 Aug 2001, 17:39 (Ref:125843)

I used to be automatic gearbox at my first racing games, but I now use the manual gearbox on GP2 (I don't have the GP3, and my Pentium 100 don't have enough resources to run it).

Mekola · 4 Aug 2001, 17:42 (Ref:125847)

Quote:

Originally posted by Mekola
I used to be automatic gearbox at my first racing games...

OK, OK, but ¿what must I write? ¿Perhaps "used to be USE automatic gearbox..."?

Mekola · 4 Aug 2001, 17:43 (Ref:125849)

¿Or "used to USE automatic gearbox..."?

DNQ · 4 Aug 2001, 21:33 (Ref:125930)

OK, I hate to admit it, but I just about always use automatic. I just can't stand changing gears on a keyboard, and I like to concentrate on my steering and braking

Jay · 5 Aug 2001, 06:51 (Ref:126038)

I used to use Automatic shifting, but learned manual in GP2 a while ago, and now going to automatic would just cheapen it for me. I use a wheel with F1 shifters though, so it's easy... If you dont have a good controller, I can see staying with automatic.

DNQ · 6 Aug 2001, 06:30 (Ref:126458)

Yes, changing gears with a keyboard is silly - if I had a wheel, then I'd use manual gears.

Jozo · 6 Aug 2001, 06:52 (Ref:126462)

Manual, of course. I suppose it depends on what sim you play and how you play (wheel/joystick/keyboard). But, for the sim of sims, GPL, you have the use manual shifting (and wheel) to be really quick.

Quote:

Originally posted by Ed G
Playing GPL... you can't really try to drive using the automatic.... it will shift right in the middle of a coner for you which unbalances the car ... and off you go.

I think it has to do with how good the sim's physics engine is, i.e. how well it models reality. No sim, except perhaps Papy's latest, NASCAR 4, beats GPL in this aspect.

Anyway, if you're a beginner, it's probably easier to start with automatic while learning the tracks and how the cars behave. At this point, shifting just gives you to many things to think of. Once you've learnt that you can switch to manual shifting.

**Aysedasi** · 5 Oct 2001, 18:14 (Ref:156375)

It just has to be manual, every time, every game. (Sorry, I'm catching up on posts that's why I'm two months late!).

I even went out and bought a steering wheel just to play GPL.

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View Poll Results: What's your gearbox settings for your racing games?
Manual	17	56.67%
Automatic	13	43.33%
Voters: 30. You may not vote on this poll