XB1 How to create a satisfying single player race

Just a suggestion to help you enjoy the game and create a satisfying single player race experience. This is aimed at helping newcomers to AC (no need to post to tell me you if know all this or because you are much faster etc ). Please feel free to add your similar suggestions for great racing.

I've played this scenario many times on PC and am glad to see the Xbox One version is just as good. I've included the settings I used on the console to create the race so that you can do the same.

Select the Quick Race option and a Supercar (RUF RT12 AWD, Audi R8 V10 or others you see in the video) which for me are a sweet spot in AC, fast enough to be thrilling but still easy enough to handle, although as always in AC you can't take liberties and will need to concentrate.

Opponent level will be personal choice but I find at Alien level the AI race realistically - they will take gaps if you leave them (see the video) and they also leave you racing room. Contact is usually minor rubbing is racing and will not usually cause you any problems. Turning in across the nose of another car mid corner after an overtake is usually the biggest source of accidents with the AI.

Select opponents from the same class to get a mixed grid of cars. All cars are not equal in AC. The Ferrari 458, Gallardo (if you have the DLC) and RUF RT12 are among the faster cars. If you want more of a challenge choose the Lotus Exige, Audi R8 V10 or AMG SLS as your car.

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I suggest these difficulty settings for an authentic simulation experience. AC has the option to use Factory settings for TC and ABS and I think this adds to the realism of the sim. I've left damage off but you can add that in for an extra level of challenge if you wish.

To get the most from AC I urge you to turn the stability control off and do the same with the racing line. In AC you don't need the stability control as the handling and physics give you plenty of feedback on what the car is doing. You should be able to feel the level of grip from the track and steadily increase your speed. The restart button is always there if it goes wrong early.



I'm far from the fastest AC player and my lap times are usually around the average (on the PC based RSR Live Timing App) and I'm sharing this video just to show how satisfying the racing can be if you find the right balance for you. Starting from the back of the pack gives you the chance to see the full range of AI ability, you will be way faster than some of them and I usually find a good match somewhere in the pack. From the back you get to practice racing cleanly with a pack of cars and hone you overtaking skills. This video includes a good battle with a 458. The leaders take some real catching. If you prefer more realism choose a full weekend and add 5 or 10 minutes of qualifying to set a more realistic grid position.



For comparison, if you are wondering how this compares to the PC experience here is a similar race vs the AI ar RBR in Oculus Rift VR, the racing and experiences are as good as the same on PC and Xbox One.


I hope this might help a few more people get the most from AC and enjoy the superb racing that is on offer in this game. I know there are a few issues with multiplayer so while they fix that there are many ways to enjoy the game. The physics and handling are a joy and when you find the car combination that works you will .

Have fun all and if you find similar satisfying race combinations please share them.

 

Thanks for the helpful post. Turning off stability control and using factory settings has certainly improved the driving experience.

 

Nice writeup, at the moment I'm just focussing on career races but this will come in handy in the future for sure.

Some questions about the assist settings since I see you use about the same as I do :

1) What is automatic blip? What does it mean / does it do? I've never seen it before in any racing game. Tried to google it but I still can't figure it out, seems to be something about up or downshifting?
2) When you put tyre blankets on, does that mean your tyres are pre-heated when a race start? And when you turn it off you start with cold tyres with lesser grip?

 

1. It automatically gives a throttle blip while down shifting. So you don't need to heel & toe in a manual transmission car.
2. Yes.

 

Ok found a nice video explaining heal toe shifting since I never heard of it before.

What I actually do in real life (and in games) let's say I come out of 5th gear and need to take a turn in 2nd gear is I start braking, at some point I push in the clutch pedal and keep braking, so both pedals are pushed in. Then when I slowed down enough I move the shifter stick from 5th gear straight into 2nd gear, I then move my foot from the brake pedal to the gas pedal (this is a short moment of coasting) and then as I move my foot off the clutch pedal I start pressing the gas pedal down as well, instinctively rev matching in that way. (as the clutch pedal comes free, the gas pedal becomes pushed in simultaneously)

I think what I do is just the lazy way of driving a car with a manual gearbox? Since it requires less footwork compared to going in each gate with the H-shifter. But of course I only use the brakes, I don't brake on the engine.

Is that a wrong way to drive a car?

 

You want to be either on throttle or on brakes all the time. Coasting looses you valuable time. Therefore the acrobatics.

 

I'm not sure that marginal coasting time is of much difference, I actually move my foot from brake straight to gas once instead of the acrobatics. I'm more keen to think my braking distance approaching a corner is longer since halfway through my braking distance I push in the clutch and continue braking with only the brakes and not on the engine + brakes anymore.

 

Granted, it's not that much of a time loss, but if you are looking for the last 0.01 sec it's has an impact.