GT4 DLC vs GT3's: Easier or Harder to Drive?

[newbert]

Although I've owned ACC from the start, I never really got into it --- probably because I'm a mediocre driver who found the GT3 cars (in ACC) too unforgiving for me (generally).

Now the GT4 DLC is here....I generally support the various titles by purchasing add-ons etc, but I'm really not sure about this one. I've read mixed info about the driving experience of the GT4's vs the GT3's......Are the GT4's generally harder or easier to drive than the GT3's? And of the new cars, which would be the easier ones?

Note that I generally only hot lap or race offline. I'll race online only occasionally (poorly).

Thanks!

 

[tapidlittle]

I find GT4 easier since they are a little bit slower.

 

[TShrimp]

I would say they are just different. Very fun though.

 

[oscarfaraday]

For me they’re deffinitely easier to drive, more forgiving and better over bumps/kerbs.

I haven’t driven all of the new cars yet but so far I think the A110 is the easiest to drive, light and neutral.

 

[Joakim Stensnæs]

You mention that you think the GT3's of ACC are unforgiving. Well GT4's certainly arn't that.

In my experience driving a few of the cars this evening, all of them seem to be quite *forgiving*- But.
Depends on the car, how "hard" it is to drive. You've got less areo, so the car moves around more, so you'll be countersteering alot more and reacting to what the car is doing. A positive effect of that, is they are more predictable, they are also slower so you just have more time to think.

I honestly think they are a better car for new-commers to sim-racing, to get into. Because they let you explore the fundamentals of driving a lot more than their big brothers and sisters in GT3.

The difficulty also ranges a lot I think - Cars without certain assists will obviously require you to pay better attention to your pedal-work.

I've only driven a small selection so far, that selection being the Ginetta, the Maserati and the Chevy.

 

[Adam Gough]

I found them a lot easier to handle. I was able to catch and hold the car in a slide quicker and easier. The GT4 cars don't get unsettled as much on the kerbs. Had a few races last night in GT4 and Mixed Servers and found it very satisfying all round

 

[DrRob]

With GT4 I have to unlearn quite a few things I have learned through the GT3 experience from EA onwards.

Quite different to drive. At the moment I have serious difficulties to adapt to the different driving style of GT4s in general and in between the 11 cars. Will have to practice a lot more, but that is fun, right?

People complain on how easy GT3 are to drive. That was the whole purpose of GT3. Make them accessible to gentleman drivers.
And that may be true if you're "just good" at driving them. Squeezing the last 0.1s and eventually 0.01s of laptime is what makes them hard to drive.

As for the GT4s they are a completely different animal. Much more down to earth road-going car like.
That might appeal to many, because you can relate much more if you have a drivers license and/or have been to a race track once or twice.
That might count as "easier to drive" aka more accessible. But I am sure getting the most out of the GT4s is also a steep learning curve.

 

[newbert]

Thanks for your insights, everyone. Just the kind of info I was looking for.

 

[Pegleg George]

I find the GT4 Cayman easier to drive than the RSR. I have only been to Nurburgring and Bathurst so far, but I can stay off the walls better in the GT4 than in the GT3 Porsches at Bathurst. I also find the Cayman takes the chicane at ring GP better (car doesn't seem as twitchy) than the faster Porsches, both GT3 and Cup car. I set the front wheels to 0 toe in all the cars. Speed is a factor, everything happens slower with the GT4.

 

[gwr3850]

I find they take a little more input from the driver, some you really have to drive more like the Ginetta. They certainly have a wider margin for error I find. Lot easier to catch slides than it does in the GT3 cars.

Now, I usually drive the Bentley. Soon to be doing a GT4 series and I'm torn whether to drive the M4 or the R8. The M4 is familiar being big and chunky and front engine. But I thought I'd try the R8 since I'm not used to MR cars, and this seems best platform to learn. Any tips on driving style how to get the most from the Audi?

 

[Robert Bachmayer]

Yep leave it in the garage, use the KTM.!!

 

[gwr3850]

Yep leave it in the garage, use the KTM.!!

Haha trying add variety to the grid. Though spending more time in M4 yesterday, I may use that afterall.

 

[Turk]

I wouldn't really call them easier. After spending time driving the GT4s and jumping back into a GT3, the GT3s with its extra downforce just felt like a pleasure to drive. They stick where the GT4s won't.

It's a toss up, probably depends on the person, the GT4s are more normal in their handling, but the GT3s have more performance all round. They make you feel like a real gentleman.

Now, I usually drive the Bentley. Soon to be doing a GT4 series and I'm torn whether to drive the M4 or the R8.

I spent the most time in the M4, it's a good car but I don't like the gearing, the first two gears seem a bit useless and I have to leave it in third even on slow corners. It performs fine but it feels wrong to me.

I think I might move to the Merc next time, it felt good and the gearing seems more normal to me.

 

[Carlo Meller]

both
hard to swap from gt3 to gt4 and viceversa because they need a completely different driving style.
with gt3 you throw the car in fast corner as a devil but you can't do it on gt4.

on the other side,i found more difficult to keep right pressures for whole race in gt4 than gt3.

 

[Boonatix]

The GT4 cars are mostly easier to control, and I would recommend a beginner to really start out with a GT4 to not be overwhelmed by the huge amount of speed and grip of a GT3. But the thing is... they are slower, and every little mistake adds up more as you cannot compensate so much with the lack of speed and downforce. So if you really want to be quick in a GT4 you have to be really good and on the edge all the time.

Some might say that in a GT3 it is the same but personally I have the feeling that if I do a little mistake in a GT3, I can compensate easier... plus the GT3 car handles much better, more direct and sticks to the tarmac thanks to its better downforce and aero

 

[SPEED-DEMON]

I think with GT4 you need to be more smooth and catch apexes, as had been mentioned it is hard to make up for mistakes elsewhere on the lap.
In GT3 you can really attack the circuit, the cars are more planted; mistakes are much more heavily punished.
The R8 GT4 you may have to catch a slide or get it off the grass a little; in the R8 GT3 you will be pulling the car out of the wall.

 

[gwr3850]

Managed to somewhat click with Audi in the end. The Esses at Suzuka for example, you have to really nurse the nose through corners or you can go from understeer to oversteer very quickly. It's easy to over drive it. Also noticed can get on power early but you have to have small steering lock on.
Managed a 2.13.7 at best there.