I noticed that the FBMW won't downshift without using clutch (except at very slow speeds), even though auto-clutch is on. Upshifts work fine. This is with 0.5Z. Is it just some quirk on my system or a common problem?

Windows XP SP3
Intel core 2 X6800 (2.93ghz) cpu
2gb ram
ATI HD4780 video card (single chip, not the x2 version)
Sound Blaster X-Fi
USB analog controller (CH Products USB)

You have to lift the throttle to shift up and down. Yes, down too! :P If thats not it then nooo idea.

Odd because FBM doesn't use clutch, it's straight cut gears like a motorbike gearbox. You shouldn't need clutch on the way down - or up for that matter.
Are you pressing the throttle down (or trying to blip) as the pimp of evilness said?

Motorcycles require clutch when downshifting.. even without load, it'll shred the gears.

Upshifts are working fine, it's only the downshifts that are problematic. Blipping the throttle doesn't seem to help on the downshifts, but using the clutch works, but I have auto-clutch enabled.

I just tried it and the FBM doesn't need clutch to dowshift, you just need to lift off.. or rather not be on the throttle at all I think.. but try playing about.

Yes, you misunderstood : DO NOT blip. Off the throttle, no clutch, just hammer down the gears. (with auto clutch)

aceracer

Quote from aceracer :

Yes, you misunderstood : DO NOT blip. Off the throttle, no clutch, just hammer down the gears. (with auto clutch)

aceracer

I found I have to blip on downshifts to maintain stability under braking. I've never touched the clutch pedal in the FBM, though.

I suggest you blip on downshifts and just work on your timing. The FBM is finnicky on downshifts if you don't hit your blip properly.

If I recall all sequential boxes require you to lift off the gas to down shift (in LFS at least). Or at least that is the only way I can get it to work at high speed.

when you are driving kz2 karts you dont need to clutch to downshift and i blip when i downshift with them to.
so it depends on the gearbox i think.
i havent driven a formula bmw in rl so i cant answer for that.

Although I have auto-clutch on, I found that using the clutch (a button on my controller) solves the problem. I made a macro to quickly deploy clutch during downshifts to confirm it wasn't related to timing of manual button presses to use the clutch. As mentioned, maybe I'm just not blipping the throttle correctly.

Seems wierd. I don't know about Formula BMW trannies, but as posted above, the racing motorcycle guys just blip the throttle on clutchless downshifts. Clutchless downshifts with just throttle blipping (assuming you're already off the throttle during braking) is done on some race cars, which allows for left foot braking:

Some people shift with the clutch, some people shift without ... All you've got to do, basically, is burp the throttle. :

tranny_tech.htm

AS said, all you need to do is blip the throttle (actually, even with auto clutch off all you need to do in any car in LFS is blip the throttle to downshift. Bug?). It may take some practice to get the throttle blip timed correctly, but that is all you need to do.

Quote from MAGGOT :

even with auto clutch off all you need to do in any car in LFS is blip the throttle to downshift. Bug?)

Not really... I'd say LFS is a bit too generous about rev matching. Can certainly be improved, though.

I was trying to use a very old CH yoke and pedal set. The pedals aren't very good, and I'm not sure how consistent the pots in the pedals are. It seemed I had to blip quite a bit before downshifting to get it to work. Using the clutch (via a button) allowed me to blip and shift at almost the same time.

Perhaps it just seems long to me because on my real motorcycle, I can shift much faster than I can in any game, with blip or cut and shift almost simultaneous on the bike, and I'm using clutch on every shift. For downshifting while braking, I can use all 4 fingers on the front brake and still easily blip using my palm and inner part of the thumb. Some riders just use the inner two fingers on the brake, but depending on the pressure and travel required on the front brake for some bikes this isn't alway enough (not enough pressure or your outer two fingers get in the way of the brake lever).

On the other hand, I also drive a car with a manual shift, H pattern (6 gears), and it takes much longer than the sequential shifting (buttons) I use in a game.