Excellent Official FS2020 Reno Race Explainer Video

[Guest Robert455]

 

[Guest Robert455]

I’ve had some time on the T6 course and have to say it’s quite a lot of fun. There are some bugs and things they need to address but overall it’s a blast. Hard to say how it will age, though. They need to let users fly it as groups and do something about spectators so others can see it. There’s a lot of intimidation strapping on that first plane for a race not knowing how it will all go but turns out it’s pretty easy to run the race but hard to win.

 

One thing about the T6 class is energy management and squeaking out the last bit of speed. I saw lots of folks hugging the pylons down low but my technique is to climb up high to slow down to make the sharper turns at pylons 2 and 5. That makes it easier to haul around with less speed lost in the turns and the dive back to the deck gives back airspeed lost in the climb. But flying the right line consistently is tough. Takes a lot of concentration.

 

But the starts are wild. They line you up line abreast and when they let you go, everyone starts jockeying for the first pylon and position. For me, VR really helps with situational awareness and slipping between other aircraft in a crowd. It also makes it harder in that it feels really dangerous sliding under and over other planes and avoiding collisions that are close and themselves maneuvering.

 

The split and lap times make it easy to refine your technique and it’s thrilling to be in that proximity to a full field of other aircraft as everyone tries to get clear air and jockey for position to make a move. The aircraft wakes are tricky and can slam you into the desert. I got too low behind a couple of planes neck and neck for the lead and when I hit their wakes, down I went. It just restarts you back a little but I was able to make up some positions during the remaining laps and finished 2nd.

 

Highly recommended for anyone interested. The $20 Reno pack gives you one of each kind of airplane to give it a try. Nothing to be scared of. To get the feel of it you can always throttle back a little and let the others move ahead while you just watch. The only thing is each race you participate in moves you up or down the rankings depending on how you finish but it’s easy to climb back up.

 

It is a bit intimidating but is also a whole lot of fun. The visuals are through the roof. It is just going around in circles but it makes you a better pilot, forces you to plan ahead on where to put your plane, and is a fast-paced 3D chess match of sorts. Leaders are pretty predictable (and generally fast) but you can pass them when they make mistakes. It just takes practice and building some skills.

[sky44]

Yes, this so called "simulator " is more of a Game ...Let's Play!!!!!!

[Guest Robert455]

You must have missed the bits about the nuances and skill required to do well at Reno, sky. When you are flying it serious there truly is skill and simulation involved. There’s a lot going on and colliding with anyone penalizes you pretty heavy. Energy management, wake turbulence, flying a precise line, etc. all are important. Anyone can fly around the pylons but to be competitive takes practice and concentration and always trying to put that airplane right where you want it and doing it while the planes around you are constantly moving around.

 

We all have our own things we like to do in the sim. Anyone thinking their way is the only way and playing the “I’m simming but you’re playing and that’s important for some reason” game is just being childish. I’m sure whatever you like to do is fun for you too. But what you like to do is no more legitimate than what I like to do. It’s just a computer simulation.

[Herc79]

Well... despite the massive number of racing GAMES.... there are LOTS of racing SIMULATORS. That is, the cars have most or all of the car's settings that the real racecars feature for adjusting to get more speed. Shock rebound settings, gear selection for each gear some for better acceleration at this speed or that, maybe one for fuel economy to skip one pitstop. Wing settings for better downforce or lower drag at high speed or even strike a balance between the two if the track is made of mostly high speed sweeping corners... the physics are anywhere from good to incredibly advanced, and the AI is made to take corners and racing positions with effectiveness and realism, rather than "fairness" and adjusting to your progress like games usually do.

 

In this case, they seem to be making a racing simulator out of a flight simulator... still a simulation. I see nothing wrong with that... actually I think it's wonderful!

 

As long as the simulation part is well done, adding optional "game elements" is a good thing, helps to increase longevity and interest.

[Ducktooth]

Maybe they could improve that 12 fps rate. With CPU and GPU prices in the stratosphere now, it's unlikely I could upgrade to a rig that could squeeze out at least a frame rate that would make it enjoyable.

[Herc79]

Yea, that's fair.

 

It's not like the situation has improved over the last... well, quite some time really. I do wonder how much this might be a barrier to improve sales...

 

"hey that looks COOL!!! wait... why does it give me screenshots??!?! It's really only giving me 12 fps?! FOR REAL?!? YEa, refund please!"