Suggestions for Improvements in EA WRC Esports Tournament and Game Features

Title: Expanding Esports Opportunities: A New Era for Codemasters & EA Games

In the past, programs like Gran Turismo Academy showcased how virtual racing talent could be transitioned into real-world motorsports, as seen with Jann Mardenborough. This model could be applied by Codemasters and EA across their titles, such as WRC Esports, F1 Esports, and beyond.

Imagine a system where the WRC Esports champion is offered the opportunity to drive a real rally car, starting at the grassroots level, just as Jann did with GT Academy. The same could be done for F1 Esports, giving players a chance to join racing teams as simulator drivers or even as paid junior drivers in real series, climbing from the bottom ranks to the top. Not all who try their hand at esports racing come from wealthy backgrounds, but with programs like this, esports could become a viable path for talented individuals to make their dreams of becoming race car drivers a reality.

Additionally, expanding prize pools and opportunities would make motorsport esports more attractive and competitive. EA and Codemasters could create a WRC Esports Championship to match the format of F1 Esports Championship, giving virtual drivers the chance to secure roles within WRC teams, whether as simulator drivers or through a clear progression path into WRC Junior, WRC 2, and eventually WRC 1 as paid drivers.

To make this vision a reality, Codemasters and EA could collaborate with automotive brands, racing teams, and sponsors, providing financial backing and exposure for the drivers. This would ensure a smoother transition from virtual to real-world racing, just as Gran Turismo Academy achieved with Nissan's support.

Expanding these opportunities would also democratize access to motorsports, a sport often perceived as financially exclusive. By giving talented individuals from diverse backgrounds a shot, EA and Codemasters would align with broader trends toward inclusivity in sports.

Furthermore, creating development programs for esports participants would prepare them for real-world racing, including training in physical fitness, media handling, and racecraft. This holistic approach would ensure that esports champions are ready to step into the professional racing world with confidence.

Such initiatives would not only change the lives of virtual racers but also engage the motorsport community on a new level, fostering a passionate and loyal fanbase that bridges the gap between esports and real-life motorsports.

This approach would revive the spirit of Gran Turismo Academy, which, though now defunct, proved that virtual-to-real racing programs work and can generate success stories.

Best Regards

Subject: Suggestion for Enhanced Post-Race Data – Total Speed Average, AI Insights, and More

Hi EA WRC Team,

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the game, and I wanted to share an idea that I believe could elevate the post-race experience for players even further. Currently, the post-race data focuses on basic statistics like lap times and overall time, but I think expanding the feedback would provide deeper insights into player performance and make the game more engaging. 

Here are a few ideas I’d like to propose, centered around the inclusion of "Total Speed Average" and additional AI-based insights:

1. Total Speed Average: After each race or time trial, provide the total speed average as a key performance indicator. This stat would give players a better sense of how well they maintained pace throughout the event.

2. Optimal Speed Zones: The AI could highlight specific sections of the track where players could have maximized their speed. This feedback would help players identify where they can improve their racing lines and make better use of acceleration zones.

3. Time Loss & Gain Analysis: Offer a breakdown of where time was gained or lost in specific sections (corners, straights, etc.), compared to AI benchmark laps or even the player’s own best performances.

4. Consistency Rating: Evaluate how consistently the player maintained their average speed across multiple laps or stages, and point out areas where performance fluctuated.

5. AI-Suggested Driving Tips: Provide AI-driven feedback on specific areas of improvement such as braking points, acceleration control, or gear usage to help players boost their overall race pace.

6. AI vs. Player Performance Comparison: Generate a dynamic comparison between AI and player performance in similar race conditions, showing how top AI drivers handle the same stages, so players can learn from their techniques.

7. Dynamic Weather Impact Analysis: Analyze how weather conditions affected the player’s performance, offering feedback on how to adapt to different weather conditions like rain or snow to optimize future races.

8. AI Predicted Lap Time Improvement: Based on current performance, provide a predicted lap time improvement if AI-suggested changes are implemented, giving players a tangible goal to work toward in their next attempt.

9. Driver Fatigue/Concentration Insights: Track changes in reaction times, braking points, or speed choices during long rallies to detect signs of driver fatigue or loss of concentration, and suggest breaks or strategies to maintain focus.

10. Cornering Efficiency: Analyze how well the player handled each corner based on ideal speed and racing lines, providing feedback on how to improve cornering techniques for better performance.

11. Adaptive Challenge Level Feedback: After each race, suggest personalized challenges based on the player’s performance, like completing laps with fewer errors or tackling specific stages to help them improve.

12. Real-time Driver Performance Chart: Present a graphical chart tracking the player's acceleration, braking, and steering inputs alongside AI data in real-time, highlighting opportunities for improvement.

13. AI-based Replay Highlights: Automatically generate replay highlights that showcase key moments from the player’s race (e.g., best overtakes, areas with the most time gained/lost), comparing their performance to top AI drivers on the same segments.

14. AI-Based Opponent Difficulty Calibration: Based on performance data, the AI could suggest adjustments to the difficulty level of AI opponents, ensuring a balanced but challenging experience as players improve their skills.

15. Pit Stop/Repair Strategy: For longer races or stages with pit stops, the AI could analyze how pit stop timings and repair decisions affected the player’s performance and offer strategies for future races.

16. Track Familiarity Feedback: The AI could provide feedback on how well the player adapted to a specific track. This could include notes on whether the player improved over successive laps, mastered difficult sections, or struggled with certain turns.

17. Heat Map of Player's Line Choices: A post-race heat map could display the player’s racing line choices compared to the ideal AI racing line, showing visually where they deviated and lost or gained time.

18. Braking/Acceleration Balance: Offer a report that analyzes the player’s balance between braking and acceleration, suggesting whether they could have braked later, carried more speed through a corner, or accelerated sooner.

19. Fuel/Engine Efficiency Data: In races where fuel and engine efficiency matter, the AI could give feedback on how well the player managed these aspects and provide advice on conserving fuel without sacrificing too much speed.

20. Replay Commentary with AI Analysis: Provide post-race replay commentary that dynamically highlights where the player performed well or could improve, based on real-time AI analysis during the replay. It would feel like having a coach give feedback after each race.

These insights could help players understand the nuances of their driving and give them actionable data to improve their skills. It would also deepen the strategic and immersive aspects of the game, offering something for both casual players looking to improve and competitive players aiming to refine their techniques.

Thanks for considering these suggestions! I’m really looking forward to seeing how the game continues to evolve and offer a more immersive and data-rich rally racing experience.

Best regards

Subject: Request for Stage and Full Rally Time Records Feature

Hi EA WRC Team,

I’ve noticed in Time Trial stages and other game modes that there is no visible real world record for each stage. In comparison, the F1 games feature the fastest qualifying lap and race lap. However, I couldn’t find any similar data for rally regarding records for each stage and the full-time record across all stages within the game and on the internet as well.

I believe it would greatly enhance the experience if we had a table showing the following information for each country and rally stage:

• Year of the World Record
• Country
• Full Rally Time Record (from the first stage to the last)
• Stage Record
• Car Used
• Pilot and Co-pilot
• Time

Having this data would allow players to benchmark themselves against the world’s best times and add an extra layer of competitiveness to the game.

Thank you for considering this feature!

Best regards

Subject: Feedback on Stuttering and Physics Issues Across Driving Categories

Dear EA WRC Sports Team,

I hope this message finds you well.

After testing all the driving categories today—Asphalt, Dirt, and Snow—I have observed several performance issues that I wanted to bring to your attention ( for PC only ):

• Asphalt: I experience low stuttering, with only occasional micro-stutters.
• Dirt: The stuttering occurs more frequently, resulting in medium-level interruptions.
• Snow: Heavy stuttering occurs consistently, making the game almost unplayable in snow environments. Driving is nearly impossible.

In addition, I’ve noticed that whenever my car or wheels come into contact with around 20-30 cm of snow, the car immediately spins out. In my opinion, the car should continue through such a small amount of snow rather than spinning. This leads me to believe that the snow physics may not be behaving correctly / as intended.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I initially suspected the stuttering on Dirt Roads might be caused by dust particles ( kicked up from the ground by the car ) and now the same for Snow. I heavily suspect that the stuttering in Snow environments might be caused by snow particles - those falling from the sky and those kicked up from the ground by the car.

Could this be a potential issue with the physics or particle optimization? I would greatly appreciate any feedback or insights you may have.

Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards

Subject: Suggestion for Time Trial Leaderboard Filters and Car Setup Behavior

Hi EA WRC Team,

I have a couple of suggestions and a question regarding the Time Trial leaderboards and car setups:

1. Time Trial Leaderboard Filters:

   • Nationality: It would be great to have an option to filter leaderboards by nationality. For example, being able to see records set by drivers from specific countries like the UK, France, Germany, etc.
   • Cars: A filter to see results based on car manufacturers would also be useful. This could include filtering for specific brands like Audi, BMW, Toyota, etc., to compare how different cars perform on the same stages.

2. Car Setup Behavior Across Different Surfaces: I noticed that my dirt setup for a car doesn't behave the same on asphalt or snow. Is this expected, or should a car setup behave consistently regardless of the surface? If it's due to the different road types affecting car behavior, some clarification on this would be helpful.

Thanks for considering these suggestions, and I look forward to any insights on the car setup behavior!

Best regards

Subject: Boost Issue in WRC 1 Cars During Time Trial

Hello EA WRC SPORTS Team,

I've encountered a persistent issue with the boost system in WRC 1 cars during Time Trial sessions. The boost seems to function properly only at the start line with the marshalls, using about half of it right there and then it suddenly stops. For the rest of the stage, where I should have gotten around 3-5 more boosts, the system malfunctions and the boost abruptly ends after using just 1%. Following this, two scenarios typically occur:

1. The boost regenerates fully, but when I press the throttle—regardless of whether I set it to Cautious, Balanced, or Aggressive—the boost does not work. Only about 1% is used before it suddenly stops. I've tried varying the pedal pressure to 50%, 75%, and 100%, but it always stops abruptly after regeneration. I am convinced it should not behave this way.

2. The boost regenerates fully but does not turn green and stays white. After this point, no matter how many times I brake, the boost does not activate. If it does turn green, it only does so for a brief moment—about 1 millisecond or 1 second—then stops abruptly ( see screenshot attached ).

Due to this issue, I have lost significant time in Time Trial, possibly around 1-3 seconds. I am attaching a photo to illustrate this problem further.

Could you please look into this issue and provide some clarification or a fix? It would be great to understand if there's a specific mechanic I'm missing or if this is indeed an issue that needs addressing.

Why does the boost abruptly stop at the starting line and during the Time Trial Stage ? Must I press the throttle pedal twice ?

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Best regards

Subject: Rally Driver Name Change Issue Across All Car Classes

Hi,

I've recently driven cars across all classes, and I noticed that only some cars update the default names of real rally drivers to my selected driver and copilot names.

Shouldn't all cars, regardless of class, automatically replace the real driver names with my chosen ones?

This inconsistency is a bit confusing. Can you clarify if this is intentional or if it's something that needs fixing?

Thanks!

Subject: Feedback on Multiplayer Competition Score Saving and Game Stability

Hello EA WRC Team,

I wanted to provide some feedback regarding multiplayer competitions based on my experience. I was able to play from July to October, but after the October update, I was unable to play the game until now, in December.

When participating in multiplayer competitions, I noticed that if I restart a stage, my score does not save. This is a major issue, especially compared to F1 Esports, where virtual drivers can restart scenarios as many times as they want, and their best score is still saved to the leaderboard.

In WRC, this does not happen consistently. If I complete a stage perfectly, the score saves. However, if I make a mistake and restart the stage to achieve a better score, the improved result is often not recorded on the leaderboard. In order to get the score saved on the leaderboard, I have to quit the started stage, go back to the main menu, and re-enter the multiplayer competition. If I then drive with no mistakes, my new score is saved. However, if I make a mistake again, I have to repeat the same procedure—exiting the stage, returning to the main menu, re-entering the competition, and attempting the stage again without mistakes. This is frustrating, as players should be able to restart the stage and improve their performance without needing to exit and re-enter the competition from the menu.

Additionally, I’ve encountered game stability issues when restarting stages:

• The game sometimes crashes after attempting to restart.
• Stuttering frequently occurs during these scenarios.

I strongly suggest fixing these issues before WRC Esports is implemented. This will ensure a smoother and more competitive experience for all players.

Thank you for your time, and I hope these concerns can be addressed soon.

Best regards