Just wondering what your thoughts are relating to the "Throttle blip on downshift" option in LFS. I started with this option enabled, since I thought it would best simulate real racing, (I don't have a clutch on my pedals). Then I turned it off thinking I would get more speed through the corners with the engine helping to brake. But now I've enabled it again, since I think it simulates real racing. A couple of days ago I decided to relearn my braking techniques to get more speed. I read about trail-braking and have now started to use the left foot on the brake to practice this. In real racing, a driver would use the Heel-and-Toe method to blip the throttle on downshift while trail-braking. So since I don't have a clutch, and can't practice the Heel-and-Toe thing ... I just let the game blip for me.
Also:

1) When "Throttle blip on downshift" is on ... does it seem realistic compared to real driving?

2) Does LFS simulate damage to the drivetrain when down-shifting hard without throttle blipping? (in other words turning off the "Throttle blip on downshift" option in LFS, and then not manually blipping with a clutch on your pedals.

3) Do you get more speed and better lap times with this option on or off? (in LFS)

4) What do you prefer and why?

Quote from DavidSS :

1) When "Throttle blip on downshift" is on ... does it seem realistic compared to real driving?

Nope -- it's perfect every time. In real life, I get some RPM mismatches due to being a bit heavy or light with my foot on the throttle, or being off a bit in my timing.

Quote from DavidSS :

2) Does LFS simulate damage to the drivetrain when down-shifting hard without throttle blipping? (in other words turning off the "Throttle blip on downshift" option in LFS, and then not manually blipping with a clutch on your pedals.

3) Do you get more speed and better lap times with this option on or off? (in LFS)

Sorry, no idea for either one -- not enough LFS experience yet.

Quote from DavidSS :

4) What do you prefer and why?

To always do my own throttle blipping. It's not about winning LFS races, it's all about becoming a better driver in real life races.

If you don't blip the throttle yourself, you should definitely switch on the driving aid. Downshifting without blipping can cause the driven wheels to brake too heavily, lose traction, and you end up in the scenery.

As for realism: I've been manually blipping since I plugged in a clutch pedal and tbh I think LFS is pretty lenient in terms of rev-matching. You have to be a long way off for a bad blip to upset the car.

Quote from DavidSS :

1) When "Throttle blip on downshift" is on ... does it seem realistic compared to real driving?

what Murray Peterson said. it's too perfect, like with paddle shifters.

Quote from DavidSS :

2) Does LFS simulate damage to the drivetrain when down-shifting hard without throttle blipping? (in other words turning off the "Throttle blip on downshift" option in LFS, and then not manually blipping with a clutch on your pedals.

Unless there's been some update recently that I don't know about, LFS does not simulate any drivetrain damage, but if you over-rev, there is some slight engine damage (you lose a little power), though I have never noticed it. Then again, I don't really over-rev the engine that much.

Quote from DavidSS :

3) Do you get more speed and better lap times with this option on or off? (in LFS)

If you are absolutely terrible at rev-matching (or don't do it at all), then having it on may help sometimes.

Quote from DavidSS :

4) What do you prefer and why?

I have a clutch pedal and I prefer blipping the throttle myself because heel-toe braking is more realistic and fun.
However, it makes braking more complicated and more difficult until you get good enough so it becomes instinct. I find it easier to learn in real life because I can really feel if it was done properly or not. In LFS it's hard to tell if you rev-matched perfectly.

I prefer the throttle blip off since I have gotten the G25, however, when I used to use the DFP I would have the aid on.

Weather its faster or slower, I'm not too sure.

Having blip on or off being faster or slower depends on your braking technique and the way you set up your brakes so there is not one answer.

Personally I have it off and do manual blipping. As you learn to trail brake more you will find you need to use the throttle to balance the car anyways.

Fastest way to downshift for me in FWD cars and in RWD cars but to a lesser extent is to hold the throttle full open for the split second you down shift and apply brakes. That helps keep the car balanced in the initial braking phase with quite alot of engine braking. Then I find in the RWD cars (especially road cars while using the clutch pack with low preload settings) that picking up the throttle again before you come off the brakes entirely helps keep the car balanced in the transition phase.

You don't really need the clutch to practice heal and toe braking - you just need to use one foot on the brake/throttle. I've never used the option because a car doesn't do that for me. Its great fun when you get the hang of it.

i blip manually since i've got a clutch pedal. imo not doing so would be cheating.. who cares which way is faster

I have the feeling that leaving the aid turned off improves my lap times a tiny bit. I may be wrong, though.

Quote from Glenn67 :

Having blip on or off being faster or slower depends on your braking technique and the way you set up your brakes so there is not one answer.

Personally I have it off and do manual blipping. As you learn to trail brake more you will find you need to use the throttle to balance the car anyways.

Fastest way to downshift for me in FWD cars and in RWD cars but to a lesser extent is to hold the throttle full open for the split second you down shift and apply brakes. That helps keep the car balanced in the initial braking phase with quite alot of engine braking. Then I find in the RWD cars (especially road cars while using the clutch pack with low preload settings) that picking up the throttle again before you come off the brakes entirely helps keep the car balanced in the transition phase.

Throttle while separating the clutch? Good thing LFS doesn't simulate clutch wear!

Quote from Impreza WRX :

Throttle while separating the clutch? Good thing LFS doesn't simulate clutch wear!

Even if it did the average public pick up race is 5 laps then you would get a new one so it would last

A bit off-topic but I've recently started using Clutch pedal (again) but I'm not that good with Heel-toe at the moment so the option is on, however it doesn't seem to match revs very good. I want to do it all by myself. Maybe there are some exercises to learn heel-toeing you can suggest? thanks

Quote from [RF]-art555 :

A bit off-topic but I've recently started using Clutch pedal (again) but I'm not that good with Heel-toe at the moment so the option is on, however it doesn't seem to match revs very good. I want to do it all by myself. Maybe there are some exercises to learn heel-toeing you can suggest? thanks

I sometimes go to the autox course or a track with a long straight and just practice heel-toe braking.
Maybe try starting with slower, more gentle braking and work your way up to full threshold braking.

Also you can try driving in a straight line at a constant speed and then try to down-shift without changing speed or upsetting the car. That's more of a rev matching exercise than heel-toe, but it might help.

Quote from ultrataco :

I sometimes go to the autox course or a track with a long straight and just practice heel-toe braking.
Maybe try starting with slower, more gentle braking and work your way up to full threshold braking.

Also you can try driving in a straight line at a constant speed and then try to down-shift without changing speed or upsetting the car. That's more of a rev matching exercise than heel-toe, but it might help.

Thanks for tips

Unfortunatly...My second pedal set(from Formula GP) was hardly working(working range of axis was 0% till 50%) finally gave up. Well, I'm gonna use your tips when I'll get G25

If it helps, I use the AutoClutch with the Blip off, and i release my foot when shifting. I do it so I can HeelToe when I need/want to. Also, it's more realistic, in most of the cars a person drives you have to release your foot (unless you are a GTR/Rally driver)

I just realized i've had it off the whole time, guess i really didn't know what it was. Never did much heal toe for downshifting, mostly a mix of break and downshift, that doesnt over rev.

In real life I am good at rev-matching on downshifts, but in LFS, because I use a DFP and do not have control of when I re-engage the clutch on downshifts, I find it difficult to time it correctly. So in LFS I let it blip automatically. Maybe not as realistic, but for the road cars it's not realistic to have 2 pedals in a car that should have a manual clutch, so I don't worry about it.

well, I just ressurected that half alive pedal set(allthough the range of the axis is still 10-50%, but thanks to LFS to be able to set it correctly) , and...learnt heel-toe! Was way easier than I thought! Allthough I use it only in road cars, its a fantastic feeling to control every single movement of the car.

The way I learnt it was a bit diffirent tho. To start of I 've just spent about 2 mins repeating the movements with my legs while the car was standing still. Then I grabbed RB4, went on AS National and in 4 laps I've started doing quite accurate rev matches Feels great!

Quote from [RF]-art555 :

well, I just ressurected that half alive pedal set.....

Cool! I'd love to use my extra pedal set, but the spacing is just so weird that it is horrible to use. That and it just doens't feel right with using an axis deflection for braking that I'd just rather use autoclutch than try to use 3 pedals.

Eh... Maybe I'll try it out tonight and run a bit with a clutch. Or perhaps I can go back to my squashball mod. Extremely stiff brake pedal with extremely high braking forces worked quite well for me at one time to come close to pressure sensitive brake pedal.

If only my dang shifter I built worked....

Quote from mrodgers :

Cool! I'd love to use my extra pedal set, but the spacing is just so weird that it is horrible to use. That and it just doens't feel right with using an axis deflection for braking that I'd just rather use autoclutch than try to use 3 pedals.

Its extremly fun! But Its quite useless in big GTRs (atleast I didn't managed to shigt down as fast as I need to...yet) but in road cars its even effective (for me atleast, I'm a bit faster in RB4 at some tracks)

Here is the way my pedal's set look like :

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g270/art555/Image264.jpg

phone capture, so the quality is poor, but you can see the main part BTW that small white box in right upper corner is the Formula GP wheel

Yup, I need to stop and pick up superglue anyways (darn MOMO throttle pot loose again), so I'll pick up some squashballs to give me my simulated pressure sensitive MOMO brake again and some electrical contact cleaner for the old trusty Thrustmaster T2 pedal pots. The throttle is spikey like crazy. Tonight I shall start using the clutch!

Of course this all depends on if my 7 year old sees me and she says "Dad, I want to play racing on my computer...". She doesn't like the force feedback. Bah... I'll just tell her it's time to learn how to use the clutch, hehehe.