Learning This Game For A Beginner?

[AfxTwn]

Hi everyone, I have bought this game after watching a few videos on YT and wanting to get into sim racing. I am a complete beginner to sim racing and don't know how to drive IRL so I am coming at this with completely fresh eyes.

I was hoping people could advise me the best way to learn and what sort of progression path I could take when playing the game (as in which car to start with, which track etc). Seeing as the game itself doesn't have any tutorials or career mode then getting started is difficult unless you're already familiar with this style of game.

I have had a few goes in the Mini's and a touring car and an F3 car and played online with someone from the Steam forum but as they didn't have voice chat we had to rely on text-based chat and was difficult getting our points across when having to stop every so often to type.

I have tried driving manual and while I can shift gears via my Logitech DFGT's flappy paddles, as I don't drive IRL, I don't know when to change gear and it's very hard to concentrate on the road and look at my in-game HUD/steering wheel for RPM points and other information and so I found driving manual very tricky.

I am used to playing games such as the Need For Speed franchise and Burnout Paradise with my 360 controller and this is a world away from AMS.

I know I have missed the recent members-only AMS Academy (which would've been perfect for me to get started with) but is there any chance that this event will be repeated in the future or are there any other ways I can learn to play the game and sim racing in general?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

 

[bug2342]

Some good stuff in this thread. I am not a hardcore simracer ( I drive with my X-Box controller, etc.), so maybe I can help to keep things fun while learning.

Some people will tell you to practice on an empty track, drive the Formula Vee, etc. All very useful advice for becoming a good driver, but you will (probably) not have fun. The Vee is slow and hard to drive at the same time. Lapping on empty tracks is OK, to learn the track, but you should get a couple of AI cars on the track, just to keep things interesting.

The Lancers are a pretty decent class to start driving. Also pick a track with only a few corners and very noticeable scenery. That makes it easier to memorize the track. Basically you have to now all the corners and how fast you can go through them before you really start to race.

Get used to the analog throttle/brake inputs. In Need for Speed/Burnout you can basically use both as on/off switches. This will get you in trouble with Automobelista. Be careful with the throttle at the curve exits, slightly release your brakes, before your wheels lock.

I would stay with manual gear changes. Learn to change gears "by ear". Driving manual makes it a lot easier to memorize a track, since you only need to remember the gear and the engine sound you are going for for each corner and not a defined speed.

Be not afraid to use some assists. I only use a bit of ABS (and the default traction control on the V10s), but when you tend to spin on curve exits it might help to add a bit of traction control (just to make the learning less frustrating).

Don´t be too scared of the nasty cars. Once you know the track, some of the faster cars are actually not that hard to drive. You might have to slow down the AI a bit, but it is just huge fun to drive the insanely fast V10s or throw a supercart through the corners. You will maybe learn less about "good driving" in these sessions, but you will have fun...

 

[AfxTwn]

I really appreciate all the suggestions I've been getting. I have mostly been driving the Mini's, I know they're FWD and some people have suggested they're difficult to drive but I quite like them and decided to just stick to one car for now and try to get used to it.

Having said that, I haven't been playing the game all that much recently and am going to get back into it after I've done the driver academy as that way I'll know what to work on and will have a good base to start from.

I'm also tempted to buy the upgrade for the Reiza Membership All-Inclusive Package as it's not that expensive and I will get all the DLC and updates for the game in the future. I've read they may include truck racing (not the current Super Trucks but as in commercial vehicles) which I quite like to watch on TV so that interests me.

Anyway, I'll keep practicing and let you know how I get on.