Turn 10 Studios’ Forza Motorsport is finally upon us, releasing on October 10th for Xbox Series X/S and PC, along with Game Pass. However, those with the Premium Edition can start racing on October 5th, delving into the revamped gameplay and new Builders Cup career mode early. To prepare you for what lies ahead, here are a couple of tips and tricks, some obvious and others less so, to gain an advantage.
Fuel Reduction
Before starting Practice or an Event, you have the option to reduce the amount of fuel in your car. It may seem counter-productive, especially since pitting can cost you time (unless you need to repair any damage taken). However, reducing it can improve handling and acceleration. The game will indicate the amount of laps allowed by the current fuel. If you know how many laps an event could be, then reducing your fuel amount to stay slightly above that can give you an advantage.
Balance Acceleration, Handling, Speed and Braking
As you play through the Builders Cup and increase a car’s level, new parts and options begin to unlock. The four main stats are – Acceleration, Handling, Speed and Braking. You’re told early on to keep these balanced, and while you can become comfortable with the current handling and braking, that can change if the speed and acceleration increase, throwing you off in the process. Going into Practice and trying out changes is thus important.
Adjust Tire Pressure (and Other Settings)
Tuning can make a world of difference, even if you’re only adjusting the front and rear tire pressure. Lowering the tire pressure can reduce responsiveness, but increasing it can result in more unpredictable handling. They also affect your acceleration at certain speeds, top speed and braking distance. Balancing them is important, but modify areas where you’ll feel more comfortable.
If the braking distance at a particular speed is too high, adjust the tire pressure to lower it or vice versa. Play around with the options and find a set-up that works best for you (which can vary from car to car). Check the track and observe where settings may work better if there are more curves and which fare better with more stretches.
Observe the Time of Day
Forza Motorsport offers a dynamic time of day and extensive weather settings. While the latter is important, affecting your overall handling, braking and speed, pay attention to the former. The time of day can affect temperature, thus affecting the track and how your car controls. Wholesale changes after Practice in the Builders Cup may not be necessary, but it’s good to adjust now and then. Ensure you’re checking the Event Info during Practice and an Event to account for any changes.
Target Key Racing Segments
Practice offers more than just a means to familiarize yourself with a track and its conditions. It’s also good for gaining XP to level up your car and Car Points to equip a wider range of parts. There are two ways to maximize XP gains. The first is targeting the Key Racing Segments – think of these as specific parts of the track to set the best time. With each subsequent lap, you try to beat that time. Even if you don’t, the Segment Score will still provide XP gains.
The second method is completing the bonus objective, which involves racing a lap under the specified time. That alone is enough to give a healthy amount of XP and Car Points. Upon completing the three laps assigned in Practice, you can keep racing or progress to the event. You have roughly 10 minutes to continue Practice and can still earn XP. If you want to stay and level up some more, that’s an option. You can also restart Practice – any levels gained will still carry over.
Skipping Practice
Comfortable with your current set-up? Completed the bonus lap and familiarized yourself with the track enough to continue to the event? Bored of constant Practice? There is a way to skip it entirely. Open the Start menu, go to Exit, and select Skip Practice. It’s not always advised, especially when there are XP and Car Points to earn, but it’s an option for those who want to skip to the main event.
Work Backwards from Quick Upgrade
When upgrading your car, there are several things to consider, from the parts available (determined by the car level) to the class requirement and Car Points. Even if you have excess Car Points available to spend, the parts in question may cause your vehicle to overshoot the class requirement, which means it’s unusable.
One method is to use Quick Upgrade. The game will automatically select what it thinks is the most optimized set-up based on the Points and parts available. You can then work backwards and change things based on your needs. Again, you’ll want to fine-tune things and race with said vehicle to see if the setup works best, but it provides a base to work off of while staying within your limits.
The Racing Line
The racing line can be your greatest ally, indicating where to brake and where to accelerate, not to mention where your car should be on the track. Of course, this is obvious to anyone who’s played any Forza game in the past several years. It’s also known that you don’t have to follow the racing line all the time. Finding your best line and making adjustments, often to account for your opponents on the track, is also key. If you’re new to the series, consider it a guideline – follow it when necessary, but experiment when possible.
Anticipate the AI
Another obvious tip: Keep an eye on your opponents. Watch when they brake and how they approach specific turns. If you think they’ll take a certain path, try to get ahead of them. To avoid a collision, they may slow down, offering you a chance to get ahead. It won’t always work – some drivers will fight for positioning, and real players may collide with you, intentionally or not. Nevertheless, it’s one strategy that can occasionally work in the Builders Cup.
Risk vs Reward
A new Risk vs. Reward mechanic is available in Forza Motorsport, where you can adjust your starting position before a race begins. The further back you are, the higher the number of Credits earned. However, you must achieve a specific position when the race ends to cash in. If you adjust the difficulty of other Drivatars and opt for harder rulesets, this can be a way to earn some extra Credits.
One way to use the system is to opt for 8th to 10th as your starting position, keeping the Drivatar difficulty somewhat manageable (around 2 or 3), and opting for Sport rules. It’s easy to get first place, which earns you the Points necessary to win the entire Series. Once you have a comfortable enough lead, slightly increase the Drivatar difficulty for a higher Credit bonus (or go for Simulation rules, if you can handle it), and choose a tougher starting position, like 16th onwards.
If you’re good enough to reach the specified position at the end, you’ll avail of a healthy amount of Credits and remain in the lead with the Series standings. Cheap? Sure, but it’s still a legitimate strategy.
