Rally games such as WRC 10 usually have steep learning curves that take a lot of time to understand. Such titles are most popular among longtime fans, who love real rally racing and its virtual counterparts. With the release of WRC 10, developers Kylotonn and KT Racing comethat much closer to mimicking the nuances of real-life rally championships. They're gritty, precise, and require the utmost concentration from the players. The developers have added multiple enhancements for enthusiasts of the genre, with improved car physics and control that is unique to each of the vehicles available.
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Entering the virtual dirt road can be quite daunting for the first time. Even seasoned rally drivers have difficulties with the game, using the standard setups. Here are a few tips that can help players make the transition from complete amateurs to veteran enthusiasts.
Listen To The Co-Driver
The co-driver plays an important role in rallies. If players want to master the tracks, understanding the instructions of the co-driver is absolutely crucial. They might talk slightly fast or in technical terms, and this can be problematic for beginners. However, this is the only way to learn how the world of rallying (even in the virtual realm) works.
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The co-driver throws pace notes and instructions at the player, who must make as much effort to understand the instructions as they make when controlling the car around difficult bends. This will take time to be perfectly executed, but it will be worth the effort.
Adjust The Co-Driver Timing
There's a setting in WRC 10 for when the co-driver calls out the pace notes and the instructions for the player. There are five settings in all, so players can choose what they prefer, based on their level of mastery. This can also differ with the pace and power of the car that the player is driving.
However, if the setting isn't handled correctly, the instructions can come too late, resulting in an unexpected meeting with the scenery next to the tracks. If it's set too early, players might not even see the corner or bend ahead when the instructions are called out. Although this isn't as chaotic as Dirt 5's gameplay, players would do well to adjust the setting within the first few hours of playing the game.
ABS And TC Are Important (At First)
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Traction Control (TC) help beginners stay in control of their cars, especially when turning at high speeds. The ABS keeps the brakes in check when turning the car at a bend, so that the player can focus on keeping control of the other facets of the car. The TC helps the car remain in control when the tracks are less than ideal, and doesn't allow the car to spin out of control in such situations. These are important settings in rally racing games.
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They work well together at the early stages. However, slowly but surely, both need to be turned off so that total mastery is achieved over the handling. Generally, players should first get used to driving the car after turning off TC. Once they've settled in, they can push farther by turning off ABS as well.
Keep Damage To Low
Busting up the car and trying to finish the race with a dented vehicle might sound fun. However, considering the realism that the WRC series offers players in next-gen consoles, it isn't a good idea for beginners. The damage settings should either be kept low, or to the visual side of things. As controlling the car is difficult in the beginning, crashes are going to be plentiful.
This will impede the progress that the player can make as they learn the basics. Players can work towards this level of simulation once their crashes are kept to a minimum and their handling of the car is more stabilized.
Tire Selection
Since WRC 10 aims for peak simulation, tire selection is an important part of the gameplay. Shorter stages of the race allow the player to push hard for a strong finish, so tires that offer more grip at high speeds can be preferred. However, in races with multiple stages, chances are that there will be different weather conditions as well. In these situations, players should consider both the length of the stage and the weather conditions.
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Since it is difficult to determine what will work best for such a vast array of weather situations, players should take a wide variety of hard and soft tires. More importantly, players have to memorize the color code of each tire.
Change Steering Sensitivity
The steering sensitivity for WRC 10 tends to be different based on the type of controller. Since sensitivity also tends to be slightly subjective and works based on player preference, this can be quite tricky to manipulate. Nonetheless, steering sensitivity does seem to be quite high in the case of controllers, and players struggling with handling the car might turn this to the lower side.
In the case of the steering wheel and pedal setups, the players can turn this higher than default as it may give more control over the car. Experiment with the settings to find the sweet spot.
Check the R&D Tree
The Research and Development tree carries over from WRC 9 with a few more updates. However, the idea behind it remains similar. The player would do well to go for upgrades that aim for reliability, which will reduce the damage that the player's car has to deal with.
This should be the first order of business for the player, as the other areas for the car's performance and the crew upgrades can be done at a later stage. Managing the reliability factor of the car at the beginning ensures that the player will not have to spend much time or money on repairs, and could avoid heavy damage.
Try Different Cars
There are quite a few cars that are available in WRC 10. These include (but are not limited to) the Ford Fiesta, Toyota Yaris, and the Hyundai i20. Players should try their luck with all the different cars, as each car offers a unique experience and characteristics.
The right car also depends on the player's driving style. If the player prefers a faster car and can manage with a lesser amount of control, their playstyle will be radically different from someone who can compromise on speed and power, but not on the handling. There are a lot of cars to try, and the player can find their niche with a little experimentation.
Recovery Between Events
In career mode, there are quite a few events to complete. The player can go on manufacturer test runs for rewards, or they can do maintenance runs to repair their care. These seem easier than they actually are, however, and will require a fair amount of effort from the player. In addition to this, there's the option for players to recover between official rally events.
Granting recovery time to the player character and their staff will result in a well-rested crew that can perform better. Players must manage these events in career mode (especially recovery), as they will be necessary for long-term progression.
Gearbox Settings
Although WRC 10 should be experienced with proper simulation settings, including manual settings for the gear changes, it can be a difficult run. For beginners, getting the right mix of speed and handling already requires a lot of effort, and has a fairly steep learning curve.
Beginners should keep the gearbox settings semi-automatic until they feel that they are comfortable with the control over their car(s). They can change it to manual, but it will slow down their progress and increase the difficulty. This, in turn, would lead to a longer learning process that may not be quite as rewarding.
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