Poll: How do you drive?

[SmokyTyrz]

I suspect I already know the answer but I want to poll anyway. Are you a smooth racer, who uses braking zones, hits apexes, and plans their line from turn to turn, all while avoiding walls? Or are you a kamikaze driver who drivers "arcade style" by using the walls to get you around a turn quickly?

Answer the poll, then reply with an elaboration if you will. I ask because I consider myself a smooth racer. It is more satisfying to me to hit an apex and gain proper exit speed than it is to slam into a wall to carry my speed through a turn. Unfortunately almost everyone racing online uses the kamikaze "slam in the wall" method which, sadly, seems to work better than racing properly.

What method do you use? Is this what you prefer or would you prefer that EA add a penalty for drivers who hit the wall. For example, I think that if a driver hits the wall then the degree of the hit should exponentially slow their car, up to the point of a full reset (representing a total wreck). This would encourage drivers to race properly, I think. Other thoughts?

Thanks! PS: No stigma or judgement for how you choose to drive. In all honesty I've abandoned what I prefer and use what works (kamikaze) because that is the only way to keep from finishing fourth!

[Grez~Supra_RZ-S]

I use a combination of racing lines and drift to maintain speed through the corners.

[Moosehead115]

I'm mostly a single player buff, lag really bothers me, but I find that if I dont just crash through the corners the AI will take the corner at top speed anyways, and I lose alot of time in the corner, (unless i'm in say a level 2 miata, where I dont have to slow down) And in the longer races it just gets to be extremley tiresome having to fight with the AI all the way through the tournament

[PSZeTa]

First one.

I'd rather drive good instead of crashing into the wall.

[UrQuattro]

this is an arcade that disregards real life racing rules - so for sure, you got to use kamikadze wall riding and punt off your opponents type of style.

[Jmac-]

Smooth ... I don't really have a problem being competitive with the AI on Hard while racing that way ...

[SmokyTyrz]

Me either. I've done well against the AI running smooth. But it's the online races that kill me. I hate resorting to kamikaze driving but it seems to be the only way to compete.

I've been thinking it would be nice to form a competitive league (aka a Clan) of racers who enjoy a smooth race are willing to forgo the advantages of running against the wall. Then we could all run together knowing there would be no intentional "walling" or wrecking and could look forward to a clean race. Then it would be about skill and tuning rather than who can hit the wall at the best angle.

l8rz

[f360spyda]

smooth. i dont like when im turning and i bump into a wall to straighten out, it looks so jerky n retarded. i have better luck driving smoothly, and i always catch up if i drive smoothly after being spun out. i actually drive in the vid game as i do in real life(not vice versa) cuz it works 4 me, much better

[Kilkenny]

I combine crashing into walls with smooth driving. Some turns just ask for crashing to keep some speed left.

[Dtox]

I am the third selection, I'd much rather drive smoothly but in some of the outrun challenges, to win you need to drive violently

[Dr-CiviC]

im sorta 1 and 3, when i need 2 i will get wreckless

[SunnyGTiR]

i do my best to drive smooth, but some of those 90/90degree+ corners are too much. and in drift, when the car gets locked in a slide, and will not respond to turning or brakes, time to taste more wall. url and streetx are smooth, lapping guys is good. the other races the stupid civilian cars get in the way so bad, they dont try to avoid accidents, theres random sideways cars lying around, and if u bump them the put the brakes on so u loose any momentum.

[jemc]

smooth

[AcidDog]

Smooth like a baby's bum, except when forced to avoid crazy traffic, then sometimes I bounce off the walls like the Joker in the insane asylum!!!

[Sweeper]

I enter the corner, like everyone else, but that is also where the similarities end.
I throw the car into an oversteer and drift through the corner and gain a pretty good exit speed.
But sometimes, I find myself forced to wallride in order to catch the other wallriders.
It isn't that funny, but if they don't do it, I show them why drifting is faster than grip.

To stop wallriding a lot of people have thought of giving them stats penalties, slower speed when wallriding and things like that.
But the solution is simple, DAMAGE! Let them have to pay for the damages afterwards, and make it affect handling.
Nothing worse than a blown tire and suspension causing the car to go straight when you are turning all the way to the left.
But EA has skipped that part, sadly.

[ReignsOfPower]

I'd like to have seen a SIMPLE implementation of a Speed Limiter activate for 5 seconds when you hit a wall to hard, just like GT4 Prologue on PS2. That would make braking an imporant aspect of the game.

I'm sure it could be implemeneted, just the compatibility b/w PS2 and X-Box would be a big issue.

[SmokyTyrz]

I agree. Some kind of penalty system for hitting walls would be fantastic. And of course, the race host could choose to enable or disable the option. Because the "race breaker" simply doesn't cut it. Denying the reward of nitrous isn't enough. You actually need to slow the car down (or, imho, STOP the car) after it hits an obstacle like a wall.

Thanks for everyone's inputs and votes! Keep em coming. Perhaps if EA see that we're serious about wanting to race with better drivers then they will do something about it.

Also, to the comments about NFS U2 being an arcade...yes and no. It is one only if you treat it that way. If you make an attempt to drive appropriately then the physics modeling are actually pretty darned good. It is really crossing over into sim. But you have to attend to your own behavior because the game will allow you get out of line, resulting in a more arcade-like feel.

Cheers

[Sweeper]

A speed limiter would be a pain in the ass, especially if you screw up a drift and impact the wall.
Not my choice, I prefer damage, anyone tried Porsche Unleashed or Street Legal Racing Redline? I suggest trying wallriding there.
Won't work, doors fall off, and at worst, you are standing there with NO ENGINE, where did it go? It is shattered to pieces after the last wallride.

A Speed limiter would probably make the game less error forgiving and throw its ranks down from 9/10 to 5/10.
Damage would send it higher, it was demanded by the fans, but why didn't EA listen?

[unfknblvble]

I always try to drive smooth, but usually end up looking like a kamakazi. More from poor skills and old slowing reflexes than anything else. I wish I didn't have to use a damn keyboard...

[thunderbolt]

keyboards are fine to play with, i finished UG2 with keyboard and drove smoothly all the way. with different controllers, you just have to learn different timing. or maybe thats just me.

[Zodiac]

Well.. Naturally i prefer smooth.. I Like to try and run a clean race if i can .. But i must admit ive gone kamikaze on a few corners espessially on the tracks i dont know well.. that doesnt include ( Oh crap..! slide sideways into a wall .. "Ohhh yeh THAT corner!" ) .. comes with only playing the game for 2 weeks Heh heh

[chimpzrl]

I prefer smooth but am forced to kamikazi by occasional mistakes or dodging traffic. One time, my brother was right behind an opponent and the last turn was coming up. My only thought was that my brother was not good enough at turning to pass him. So, instead, my brother proceeds to execute the most beautiful wallride I have ever seen. It was perfect, barely any impact, barely any lost speed. He won the race. Just an example of how walls can work, even unfairly, in your favor.

[Abrams]

depends, when im forced to wall-ride i do wall-ride, but of course when i get a healthy good race from real players and AI i drive nice too.

Sometimes(U.R.L. races, hard setting) you cant not to wall-ride, since AI turn 90 degrees without even brakin!

[thunderbolt]

what? you can be surprised at how the AI can still be as dumb as they are, even in hard mode. try the first track in URL and you will still see them fling themselves around the track. they simply lose control of themselves once they catch any air at all.

[Tunerfreak]

One method of mine... Agresiveness. Coming up to some pillars give your opponent a little nudge and hes off your tail for a grand ammount of time. Also smacking thier backside over a jump can stuff up thier race quite badley, but make shure you get it at the right angle or you will go joyriding with them. Peace .