H-pattern gearbox: Clutchless digital neutral selection

[wark]

I was thinking about how you can't "downshift" from 1st gear into neutral without touching the clutch. But then, I thought, even with the clutch you can't drop into neutral from any other gear directly, save reverse.

One idea would be: When the button is pressed to change the gear, neutral is selected (regardless of clutch input). When the button is released with the clutch in, the next gear is selected. When it is released without touching the clutch, neutral is kept. This better illustrates the physical two-step act of changing gears: Click, click. However, it is still impossible to go fifth->neutral->third (for example).

Either way, it has been mentioned that a realistic way to select neutral (perhaps at the touch of a designated 'neutral button') would be a sensible amendment. That is, without going through all the intermediate gears à la sequential.

I realise that this is generally insignificant when it comes to racing, but it is nevertheless a noticeable realism flaw.

Got any better ideas?

[XCNuse]

With my ACT Labs H shifter, I can shift into neutral from any gear without touching my clutch. :shrug:

[Patussay]

that sounds like a comertial slogan :D

[DragonCommando]

When I was using my joystick as a shifter I could go to nutral fro many gear, and go to any gear from nutral.

[wark]

With my ACT Labs H shifter, I can shift into neutral from any gear without touching my clutch.
When I was using my joystick as a shifter I could go to nutral fro many gear, and go to any gear from nutral.

Did either of you happen to read the word DIGITAL in the thread title? :rolleyes: (hint: it's not analogue!)

[XCNuse]

Well.. care to explain lol I'm not sure what you mean?
I saw it, I just have no idea what you mean by digital, what type of shifter are you talking about?

[wark]

Well.. care to explain lol I'm not sure what you mean?
I saw it, I just have no idea what you mean by digital, what type of shifter are you talking about?

Well, I meant KB or wheel buttons (paddles). By digital I meant to imply any input that is either 1 or 0; on or off.

[MAGGOT]

I think he's referring to using buttons and/or paddles/sequential on the cars with a gated shifter, for those who do not have the hardware to simulate it.

[wark]

I think he's referring to using buttons and/or paddles/sequential on the cars with a gated shifter, for those who do not have the hardware to simulate it.

What he said. ;]

[dougie-lampkin]

NO shifters are analogue, because they are all buttons...
Analogue is like a pedal, it's variable, whereas digital is 1/0, nothing in between...

With G25 shifter you can go from any gear to neutral and vice-versa.

EDIT: damn my 3 minute typing! Just disregard my post...

[wark]

NO shifters are analogue, because they are all buttons...
Analogue is like a pedal, it's variable, whereas digital is 1/0, nothing in between...

With G25 shifter you can go from any gear to neutral and vice-versa.

EDIT: damn my 3 minute typing!

I realized this, but an H gate shifter is not just either on or off. It's several buttons.

It is digital, but for lack of a better word... it isn't what I meant. :schwitz:

[XCNuse]

Well as discussed in one of the threads recently about a neutral button, the only vehicle I know that has a neutral button is F1 cars.

After looking through some pictures of car interiors, I can't find any other vehicle with anything related to a neutral button. Just searched through google to see if i could find anythinkg else that has a neutral button and found nothing.
So.. who knows, but the BMW Sauber needs one for sure.

[wark]

Well as discussed in one of the threads recently about a neutral button, the only vehicle I know that has a neutral button is F1 cars.

After looking through some pictures of car interiors, I can't find any other vehicle with anything related to a neutral button. Just searched through google to see if i could find anythinkg else that has a neutral button and found nothing.
So.. who knows, but the BMW Sauber needs one for sure.

Yes, but every [h-gate] vehicle has the ability to access neutral with a flick of the wrist. One motion. With buttons in LFS you have to put the clutch in, and cycle through the gears. My point is that's less realistic than having a "neutral button."

[MAGGOT]

He's not talking about a neutral button (if I understand correctly). He's saying that when you press the 'shift up' button, the gearbox goes into neutral, then into the next gear instead of going directly to the new gear.

[EDIT] Or maybe he is. Damn my slow typing. :P

[wark]

He's not talking about a neutral button (if I understand correctly). He's saying that when you press the 'shift up' button, the gearbox goes into neutral, then into the next gear instead of going directly to the new gear.

[EDIT] Or maybe he is. Damn my slow typing. :P

No, you're right.

Nevertheless, a "neutral button" would be a better addition than nothing.

[dougie-lampkin]

I realized this, but an H gate shifter is not just either on or off. It's several buttons.

When I said it was on/off, I was talking about the buttons which the shifter contains...
Using a shifter in LFS, you can't be half-in or half-out of a gear, so they are digital. I know the shifter itself isn't on/off...

[GobLox]

I was thinking about how you can't "downshift" from 1st gear into neutral without touching the clutch. But then, I thought, even with the clutch you can't drop into neutral from any other gear directly, save reverse.

One idea would be: When the button is pressed to change the gear, neutral is selected (regardless of clutch input). When the button is released with the clutch in, the next gear is selected. When it is released without touching the clutch, neutral is kept. This better illustrates the physical two-step act of changing gears: Click, click. However, it is still impossible to go fifth->neutral->third (for example).

Either way, it has been mentioned that a realistic way to select neutral (perhaps at the touch of a designated 'neutral button') would be a sensible amendment. That is, without going through all the intermediate gears à la sequential.

I realise that this is generally insignificant when it comes to racing, but it is nevertheless a noticeable realism flaw.

Got any better ideas?

The game fully supports gated shifters; sequential shifting is also simulated properly. I suppose they could add Neutral to the Shifter key/button assignments (bearing in mind that even a small change like this can be an undertaking in such a complex program) but to what end? I'm not sure how this makes paddle shifting more realistic. Want to simulate gated shifting: buy a gated shifter and let the programmers work on things that genuinely need improvement.

But that's just my thinking.