Floppy padle shifter or stickshift?

[Jean Michel Rucheton]

Hello everyone,

I would like to have your take on this. I've tried both, mostly floppy panel because I feel it is faster and it allows to keep the hands on the wheels at all times, which is nice if you have to change gears often like on city tracks. However, on some tracks with slow, very tight turns where the wheel has to turn a lot, I find it more convenient to use the stick.

What do you guys think?

 

[Jean Michel Rucheton]

Thank you everyone for your posts, lots of useful replies.

I like the idea of being able to use both the paddles and the stick at the same time, keeping my hands on the wheel at all times except if tight turns with a lot of lock.

However I do see the point about using the shifting style that fits the car. Makes it fun and more realistic.

:bananamario:

 

[Matt Crouch]

well I wasn't picking on your spelling, just saying that the DFP has buttons instead of real paddles.

got them both bound up to B and G now. Just have to tell myself to use the stick when I need to

 

[Stuart Thomson]

do people really use forwards for gear down and backwards for gear up?

Absolutely. Towards me to upshift, away from me to downshift.

 

[Jaius Dewing]

sequential gearstick for me, id luv to be able to use the H pattern but the g25 stick is just not strong enough for me and the way i like to throw it into gear... i have only ever tried the paddles for like the f1's or f3000

 

[Dave Gelink]

Flappy paddles so I can keep both hands on the steering wheel

 

[Mikkow]

I find that real world racing and it's race cars are not always so convenient and perfect, and since I don't want to cheat myself or give myself very apparent advantages like that, and the reason I buy sims is to get a sim experience (not just any generic racing experience), I'll use whatever the real car has. That means just about never paddle shifter. The convenience of either is irelevant.

Edit: The reason real world sequentials in race cars is up-backwards, down-forwards is probably because of the g-forces. Under hard braking, your hand weighs much more than normal and is pushing forward, so might as well reduce some driver fatigue by making that the way to downshift, and vice versa.

Edit 2: Since the paddles are always free, using them to look left/right is a neat and useful feature.

 

[Dave Stephenson]

Edit 2: Since the paddles are always free, using them to look left/right is a neat and useful feature.

i used to do that back in my full auto days on.

im currently converting my cyborg evo to a H shifter. just figuring out how to add some resistance and sizing up templates for the guide. then gotta work out how in going to make the quickly interchangeable for 5/6 speed cars.

till then its paddles.

 

[Klyde Parker]

Floppy paddles for now, but they have been making my tendonitis flare up... so I'm thinking of converting to sequential shifter. Getting old is a bummer .

 

[vmagics]

To further the thread, I was wondering if it's considered an unfair advantage if I was to enable auto-clutch with sequential/paddle shifting. I am aware that clutch is only used for starting but I am asking because sometimes I use down-shifting to assist braking. If auto-clutch is disabled engine-braking doesn't work properly if I don't use the clutch pedal.

P.S.

Flappy for me so I can keep my hands on the wheels. Middle finger to shift.

Which finger do you use for signalling then?

 

[Mikkow]

If auto-clutch is disabled engine-braking doesn't work properly if I don't use the clutch pedal.

What about it does not work exactly? I haven't had any issues with engine braking with manual clutch + not using the pedal upon downshift.

 

[vmagics]

What about it does not work exactly? I haven't had any issues with engine braking with manual clutch + not using the pedal upon downshift.

When I said it doesn't work properly I meant the car goes into a spin if I'm using the engine to slow down without the clutch pedal. Using the clutch pedal (or auto-clutch) allows me to ease into the gear more slowly.
I hope that's clear, sometimes I'm not terribly good at explaining stuff.
P.S. I suspect that you don't have problems because you're better on the brake pedal than I am.

 

[Mikkow]

When I said it doesn't work properly I meant the car goes into a spin if I'm using the engine to slow down without the clutch pedal. Using the clutch pedal (or auto-clutch) allows me to ease into the gear more slowly.
I hope that's clear, sometimes I'm not terribly good at explaining stuff.

Understood! Race drivers normally blip the throttle (i.e. give the gas pedal a gentle push) right as they are moving the gear lever into the lower gear. This completely eliminates the tendency for the rear wheels to lock and cause instability. It's actually very easy without a clutch - brake with the left foot, and apply the blips with your right foot.

 

[Mike Jaanus]

h pattern on all expect the f3000

 

[Julian Webster]

Paddles for me.I never thought of anything else.If I had a G25 though I would be tempted to use the H.

 

[vmagics]

Understood! Race drivers normally blip the throttle (i.e. give the gas pedal a gentle push) right as they are moving the gear lever into the lower gear. This completely eliminates the tendency for the rear wheels to lock and cause instability. It's actually very easy without a clutch - brake with the left foot, and apply the blips with your right foot.

Thanks Mikkow, I often use blipping but I didn't realise it would be beneficial unless you blip whilst holding the clutch pedal down. Looks like my technique may need some adjustment. I swear you never stop learning with sims. Bloody brilliant!

 

[Jim McGhee]

I use paddles for cars that have them and then sequential stick shift for cars that have that. Strangely its feels more realistic

 

[Michael Lam]

I use the sequential stick on my DFP, Paddles are never used in GTR Evo

 

[Hatta Hakimi]

I always use the stick when racing. I may be faster with the flappy paddle especially with the autoclutch on but I try to be as realistic as possible when I'm simracing. If the only purpose is to go faster without any consideration for realistic simulation, I might as well turn on all the other aids and auto gearbox but thats not the purpose of simracing for me.

 

[Jean Michel Rucheton]

I always use the stick when racing. I may be faster with the flappy paddle especially with the autoclutch on but I try to be as realistic as possible when I'm simracing.

What about real-life racing cars that use paddles instead of stick?

I do like both ways, each way having its ups and downs and I totally agree with the people that use the type of gearing accordingly with the type of car they are racing. That, to me is being realistic.

When you become a member and race in the leagues, all the driving aids are disabled except for the autoclutch... and I know, from seeing these guys race that I personally am going to need all the help I can get to be even close to competitive, whether it means using paddles or holy water...

 

[Hatta Hakimi]

What about real-life racing cars that use paddles instead of stick?

I do like both ways, each way having its ups and downs and I totally agree with the people that use the type of gearing accordingly with the type of car they are racing. That, to me is being realistic.

When you become a member and race in the leagues, all the driving aids are disabled except for the autoclutch... and I know, from seeing these guys race that I personally am going to need all the help I can get to be even close to competitive, whether it means using paddles or holy water...

I should have worded my post more clearly. I meant as realistic as possible by using the stick since I race almost exclusively with WTCC and GT car. Since the both use the stick then the most realistic way is also with a stick.

If you are racing with cars that use the paddles in real life then you also should use the paddle to be as realistic as possible. I did not mean that you always have to use the stick regardless of what car to be as realistic as possible.