How to beat AI Master?

[Pao44445]

in Career mode, I got no problem with other AI until MASTER CHAMPIONSHIP, everytime I drive as usaul, I lose 20+ sec WTH?! If I push myself boom! crashes. I remember his name "Costa" damn AI, Only one map I can beat him is Germany with Group B but other classes I never win. I always play with keyboard ( W A S D ) with automatic transmission and no HUD(annoying my so much), has anyone beat him?( Costa ) with keyboard setting?

[Sierain]

Yeah, a ton of people have beat masters. It's not much harder than the other difficulties, unless the best AI driver retires (which seems more common in masters due to the amount of stages). I'm not sure how much automatic transmission slows you down, though.

Try the 60s class.

[Arya]

Your main problem is trying to play a simulator with a keyboard.

Plenty of people claim Keyboards work fine for sims. A couple have even told me it's superior to using a wheel. Which is completely untrue - you can't deliver anywhere near the finesse or control needed to succeed. Even if you master driving with a keyboard, you're still not making best use of the car's available grip and power - the best outcome is you twitching through the stages like a dying epileptic.

Buy a gamepad, it's really that simple. Otherwise this will just keep happening.

[Sierain]

I don't think a gamepad would be much of an improvement, if he's used to a keyboard. If he could beat elite, he can beat masters. It's not that hard.

[Mukatahren]

Auto transmission is a bit of a handicap.

[Aurora]

Originally posted by Mukatahren:

Auto transmission is a bit of a handicap.

It can be. It's more than sufficient to set top 10 times and beat masters though.

[Pao44445]

here is my driving with keyboard ( you can hear how I tap the keyboard )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIL_6DxTwaM
It is custom event ( easier than career mode )

should I try to set up car myself or with default setting is the best? I don't understand these setting how they affect driving (differential,suspension,damping,etc. )

[Sierain]

The default setup is usually ok, but I'd at least make the gear ratios shorter for greece. Judging from the video, I kinda get the feeling you're pushing too hard and driving too slow at the same time. Think about the driving lines, you seem to be slowing down in the corners a bit too much. Or maybe the auto transmission just makes it sound like that.

1990s class is also harder than most. Custom event should have the same difficulty as the career, but there's slight randomization in the times. (Btw prepare to get lynched by the forums for using the combo of keyboard, exterior cam and auto transmission.)

[Pao44445]

yeah I slowed the car myself because I couldn't see how is the corner (because I use exterior camera too :/ ) Should I open the ABS and some traction control?

[Arya]

Your driving technique is excellent, but you're losing a bunch of time in the mid to fast speed corners. And that's purely a mechanical limitation that comes from using the wheel. Because you can't apply partial steering, you're ending up rotating the car more than you should - and that's washing off a lot of speed and probably a couple of tenths each time.

ABS will probably help a lot on Tarmac, but won't make much if any difference on gravel. Because you can't apply anything other than 100% brake, you're effectively unable to Threshold brake with a KB. So having ABS is a no-brainer - you'll be slower and less co-ordinated without it. It's major disadvantage for Wheel users, but a big help for Keyboard.

Traction Control won't help at all, and will actually make you slower. Traction Control on Gravel is an anachronism - you need to ability to slide the car, on demand, and TCS gets in the way of this. It also saps power as you exit slow corners, which is when and where you need it most.

TCS usually costs me a couple of seconds per stage - it's a much bigger disadvantage than having a low-upgrade car.

[Pao44445]

yes, I've tried to fix that problem by repeatly tap the keyboard to control the throttle and steering (the most disadventage of a keyboard ), I tapped WASD + Backspace almost every second while driving it s too intense and painful ( +some maps such as Sweden and Monaco ) I play this game with left hand only (right hand for camera movement) maybe this is all I can do really :/

[Meszes]

Watched the video. Racing line was fine but it looked and felt really slow overall. You've taken a cautious approach which shows the right rally attitude and you can improve from there.

You lost a lot of speed in the straights, as coming out of turns you kept tapping the throttle key. With the Delta HF on this stage most straight sections can be taken flat out. As for turns you seem to be afraid of throwing the car around, barely seen any powerslides.

Can't tell how much of this is down to the keyboard controls.

EDIT:
Instead of WASD I'd suggest a different layout. A/Z for throttle and brake and ,/. for steering. I used this for many years with success, mapping S to upshift and Alt to downshift even allowed to use manual transmission without problem.

[mr. z]

Of all cars I've tried the Lancia HF Group A feels the easiest to win Masters - with a stick I won 5 rallies with a minute gap about, just Sweden gave 3rd place after a hard fight. The default setup worked pretty well but some tweaking did help.

[Sierain]

Originally posted by Not Lucien:

ABS will probably help a lot on Tarmac, but won't make much if any difference on gravel. Because you can't apply anything other than 100% brake, you're effectively unable to Threshold brake with a KB. So having ABS is a no-brainer - you'll be slower and less co-ordinated without it. It's major disadvantage for Wheel users, but a big help for Keyboard.

Traction Control won't help at all, and will actually make you slower. Traction Control on Gravel is an anachronism - you need to ability to slide the car, on demand, and TCS gets in the way of this. It also saps power as you exit slow corners, which is when and where you need it most.

TCS usually costs me a couple of seconds per stage - it's a much bigger disadvantage than having a low-upgrade car.

Some adjustments can be made to keyboard controls, like having the brakes at 90% or so. Never do this to throttle, though: You can't drive full speed anymore.

But yeah, assists like traction control are terrible. It makes you slow and the cars will simply be less fun to drive. You'll lose the control of the car. ABS isn't necessary, but I guess enabling it could help. I think many players use no assists but have ABS at level 1 or 2.

Originally posted by Meszes:

Instead of WASD I'd suggest a different layout. A/Z for throttle and brake and ,/. for steering. I used this for many years with success, mapping S to upshift and Alt to downshift even allowed to use manual transmission without problem.

Yeah. Playing DiRT Rally using one hand sounds valiant, but I'm sure there are better setups to get used to. It's hard to imagine how to manage all the accurate key tapping with the buttons so close to each other. Especially S as the brake sounds like a painful keybind.

I tend to defend the keyboard players' input choice, but if you're playing with one hand using WASD and want to have a better experience input-wise, it's probably just best to use a controller. Any controller. You'll go through the same trouble learning a totally different set of key bindings than learning to use a controller. You could learn to use manual at the same time.

Originally posted by shusaku:

You should try the '60s Renault Alpine for Masters, I'm far from being one of the fastest drivers in the community and I won most stages with a 10 to 30 seconds lead, it is a joke how overpowered this car is compared to the AI times.

Originally posted by sipppe:

Of all cars I've tried the Lancia HF Group A feels the easiest to win Masters - with a stick I won 5 rallies with a minute gap about, just Sweden gave 3rd place after a hard fight. The default setup worked pretty well but some tweaking did help.

I'm currently driving a championship with the Alpine, and it's ridiculous. I've usually performed badly in Monaco but am now winning some stages by over a minute, even when crashing.

[Aurora]

Originally posted by Pao44445:

yes, I've tried to fix that problem by repeatly tap the keyboard to control the throttle and steering (the most disadventage of a keyboard ), I tapped WASD + Backspace almost every second while driving it s too intense and painful ( +some maps such as Sweden and Monaco ) I play this game with left hand only (right hand for camera movement) maybe this is all I can do really :/

If you're right handed have you tried remapping the controls to the arrow keys?
I happen to use my right hand to drive and left to control the camera, handbrake and gears.