Hello Racers,
Last Week or so i have been racing on Fern Bay Gold and South City Long in a F08, and realised somthing. Even though this car isnt designed for these tracks its so much more fun and rewarding driving this car on these circuits. For the sole reason that the bumps make the car nervous and if your driving competitive (within 1.5sec of wr in both tracks i think) your heading into a wall at around 140mph before turning into a corner and mistakes are so easy (like the double right at 140mph with a little ditch at the left hand side so if u go off its so much of a challenge to keep goin fast). The only new track that comes anything near to these tracks is As historic, but even then the ascending chicane and the corners l8r on are a breeze when you got a good setup. The point of this topic, couldnt we make the new tracks in the next a patch a little less perfect a few bad bits of tarmic to mix it up, i know it might go against the nature of these tracks as there supposed to be modern (maybe u could get a way with a few bits of bad tarmac at We international, thats way too easy as it is). I think bringing back a bit of challenge could make things far more fun in long run (though im sure the majority will be against me).
On a side note couldnt we have a bigger city layout for South City, so then we get a a lot road and we can in essence design are own routes as long as they go back to the start finish straights.

I'm not too keen on bumps, sure you need them to keep things interesting, but there's no need to go OTT either. I do agree Westhill is quite boring though, especially have just done a 90 minute race there in the FOX (so many flat-out turns, gets tedious).

I just think twistier tracks in general will be better. Roll on the rally pack.

Trouble is the FO8 outside of the Oval or Westhill or perhaps the longer courses at Aston isn't a popular combo which means not many know how to drive well at these places in FO8 which means CHAOS!!!

I fear too many would become frustrated with the level of concentration required just to handle their own cars let alone race others.

Nah, i would much prefer a twisty track which requires skill to one that is bumpy and sheer dangerous. Westhill, in my opinion is the most boring track in the game, its not that it produces bad races, its that its boring. Tracks like south city or aston cadet produce amazing close racing, whereas westhill doesnt.

I don't think I like the S2 tracks much to be honest. I'm new with S2, I'd never played S1, but FE and SO are the circuits I find myself going back to most often. I think maybe because the longer configs at Aston and Kyoto have long meandering stretches where nothing much happens, and the circuit kinda looks the same the whole way 'round.

I was lapping the FO8 at FE Gold earlier tonight actually. Never bettered a 1:10 but I think I could've got into the :09s maybe if I was brave enough to jump the chicane

Westhill is perhaps the track that seems need most redoing. What I mean, is that there are many places where there is grass right next to track. In those places there should be curbs. I wouldn't really put anymore bumps there, just more "altitude differences", like that "chicane", make it much more tighter, like the cork screw at laguna seca! Just do it

I can't believe everyone is dogging on Westhill! Personally, that's the track that I like the best. Even though it's long and wide it's fun to drive in pretty much every car, other than maybe the UF. Sure, it doesn't have a ton of bumps, curbs, or walls right next to the track - but it DOES have a couple of turns that are right after hills so the suspension is unloaded. It also has two areas that allow you to get clear up into top gear, then require maximum braking to make the next turn. And there are several really good places to pass so it doesn't end up a wreck-fest (like South City) or a freight train (like the oval).

I hope Westhill doesn't change AT ALL!

(just gimme a RWD V8 car to drive on it)

I hate Westhill. Have done since the first day. I'm just no good at being quick there, and I make tonnes of errors.

Having said that, I hope they don't change it either - it's my lack of skill not the track thats the problem. Although a couple of grasscrete strips and intelligent places wouldn't make me cry or anything

I find the s1 tracks much more enjoyable myself, in any car. the shorter aston configs are pretty fun too.

I also hated WE from first day on. Only drove it in a FZR in a league, but never managed to setup the car in a way that i've had confidence in it without overheating my rear tyres. (propably i have the same prob as tristancliffe: lack of skill, cheers ) Nah i also say leave it as it is.

Quote from tristancliffe :

I hate Westhill. Have done since the first day.

A few weeks ago you were saying that WE1 in the FO8 was a great combo! I still think it is

Haven't tried it in the slower cars, but it's really exhilerating in the FO8. Maybe the final section with that pointless wiggly left-right nonsense is a bit dull, but maybe it's fun in other cars I wouldn't know...

Quote from thisnameistaken :

A few weeks ago you were saying that WE1 in the FO8 was a great combo! I still think it is

Haven't tried it in the slower cars, but it's really exhilerating in the FO8. Maybe the final section with that pointless wiggly left-right nonsense is a bit dull, but maybe it's fun in other cars I wouldn't know...

It is a great combo. I just suck at it, and therefore being my worst track, I hate it. Doesn't mean I don't enjoy trying to like/master it

You're probably just less familiar with it because it doesn't share any corners with any other track. I hope WE gets a couple of bonus configs at some point.

I'm slow at pretty much every circuit, but I love them all equally. Except AS Club, and AS National, which can suck my chuddies... OK fair point

I agree with you CueBall, I love Westhill and all the big fast tracks. I haven't really taken a liking to much of the smaller, tighter tracks. At FE where you have that nasty T1 then down into the little chicane, I hate that one. I either run off the T1 or blast through the tire barrier at the chicane every time. I do like, I think it is FE Green. That one would have been enjoyable in the LX6 if my force feedback didn't give out on me. But my preference is Kyoto, Aston, and Westhill in the FZR. I just love speed and the faster I can go, the happier. Though with that comment, I have no idea why I haven't driven the F08 hardly at all. I just HATE that car. I was watching a video at work (lunch break) with a buddy of mine and I said, "we need tracks like that, so we can move up through the gears while nailing fast corners." Few days later, S2 came out and he said "well, there you go, just what you asked for!"

Wow, Westhill is getting reamed! That's a pity as I find it one of the most fun, especially in an LX-something. I was in an awesome UFR/XFR enduro there earlier this year as well and managed 5th in the UFR. I think I like it because it reminds me of old, pre-safety era English tracks like Donington, Brands Hatch, Silverstone etc., where there track ends and the grass begins. The sorts of tracks that were designed for overpowered cars with no aero and hence had no mad 1st gear chicanes and no big generous runoffs (yes, GPL once again rears its head ). That's probably also why I like racing the LXs at Westhill too - their feisty rear ends remind me of GPL cars

Of course, another config or two at Westy would be nice - a shorter club track and maybe the obligatory rallyX variant ... just don't start putting concrete where the grass is - if you don't want to spin, stay on the grey stuff