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SmallerSmiley's avatar
SmallerSmiley
New Traveler
3 years ago

The power of ABS

I'm a through-and-through assists user and love the challenge that it gives you above using assists - especially racing line and ABS. I run in a number of leagues where there are a mix of assist and no assist drivers.

However, the ABS debate continues...

Yes, I am in agreement that without ABS, you should be faster if not just as fast as those who choose to use ABS. This is correct on a lap-by-lap, pure pace analysis. You'll see this from multiple esports drivers and respected content creators hopping into time trial and doing a comparison.

What isn't discussed with the comparison of ABS/no ABS is when you're actually racing/battling on track.

Yes, I can have a pace advantage over my rivals if I practice enough, but the moment I start battling an ABS user with similar pace to me, I can't keep them behind. They can brake so much later, so much harder, and turn in so much easier without the risk of locking up their tyres. I get swamped on safety car restarts because of the cooler brakes/tyres because I can't brake as late or as hard.

(FYI I also race in a no assists league, where I do not have the same problem - I don't get swamped, and can attack/defend much better as "braking late" is different in a no assists race when not using ABS and they run similar risks)

This is the point of where ABS is a very powerful assist, not just because of the single lap outright pace.

This is the reason I feel ABS has to be looked at to make it more rewarding to turn it off. Again, I'm against the "get gud or don't play" mentality, but those who choose to challenge themselves shouldn't be swamped by other drivers in these crucial moments.

I've seen other threads mention how ABS could be improved - and agree with the idea that there should be *some* form of "punishment" for ABS users if they were to "lock up" and trigger ABS.

As a matter of fact, I actually really like how ABS works in (believe it or not) Forza (both motorsport and Horizon). If ABS kicks in, then instead of locking your tyres, the ABS sacrifices turn-in grip to prevent wheel locking, meaning you experience some (fairly heavy) understeer. This teaches ABS users to begin trail-braking, without the risk of a full lockup. And then, those who practice and master ABS do edge out to be faster overall, but then *must* be consistent, as if you make a mistake and lock your tyres in close racing, then the driver with ABS gets ahead of you anyway.

Forza seems to manage to aid ABS users by preventing lockups (stopping tyre wear, spikes in temps and going straight on and missing the corner), without exploiting the lack of lock-ups by making them understeer a reasonable amount (which makes sense because if you need grip to prevent lock-up, then you don't have grip to turn-in).

TLDR; No ABS is faster on a purely lap pace basis, but is swamped by ABS users in a close battle racing situation due to being able to brake later without risk and continue to turn in without locking up their wheels.

What are people's thoughts on this take? Do you agree that no ABS is indeed faster on its own, but then in a racing situation ABS users have a huge advantage?

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