Forza Motorsport 2: The Art of the Drift
Over the past few years the concept of Drifting has grown from an unknown art form to a full on professional motorsport that has gained worldwide renown, particularly here in our very own Forza Motorsport community. Many players began drifting with Forza 1 (on Xbox) when they discovered that they could apply real-world throttle modulation techniques and work with realistic tire physics to produce life-like results in-game. Now with the (ever-growing) popularity of Forza 2 and its lively community, it is apparent that, more than ever, players are interested in learning the techniques needed to master the art of drifting. So what better way than to put together a little show-and-tell in the form of our first official Drift Guide to get you quickly sideways and looking good. This guide is intended for players who are looking to experience something different than just a quest to break that lap time record, and will cover basic and advanced techniques required to drift in Forza Motorsport 2.
Drifting Techniques: Basic Concepts
Drifting is all about losing tire traction while taking full control of your car as it gracefully slides around a corner with a mixture of angle and speed. In order to achieve this fine balance it is important to understand how your car will react to certain movements and weight transitions. Essentially a drift is a state of balance where the rear tires are spinning out of control, while the front tires maintain control and guide the car around the corner.
This kind of driving is usually referred to as “oversteer” as your car will be walking the fine line between a drift and a spin. Oversteer is necessary to maintain your cars angle, but it must be controlled by the driver's inputs if you are looking to successfully drift around a corner. If you have yet to read our Tactile Training Guide, then I suggest you take a quick look at how to take advantage of the pressure sensitive buttons found on the Xbox 360 Controller and pedals on the Wireless Steering Wheel, as these controls must be utilized to their full potential when drifting.
It is also important to turn off both Stability Management (STM) and Traction Control (TCS) when you are drifting. These assits will prevent your car from sliding by reducing the power sent to the wheels when they sense a loss of traction (obviously not good for drifting), so make sure to have both of these assists turned off before you begin practicing. The only assist that should be left on is Anti-Lock Braking (ABS) as this assist will allow you to shift the cars weight while braking, making it easier to accomplish the more difficult initiation techniques described on page 3. Alright now let's cover some of the basic concepts and terminology that will guide you through the rest of the article.
Drift Angle:
In the world of drifting the term “angle” is used to describe how far you can push your car before spinning out. Your angle is measured in relation to the turn you are drifting and will vary based on your car’s set-up and your driving style. Achieving angle is the main goal of drifting; however it is up to you to determine how much angle to get while sliding. Generally speaking the more angle you get -- or the more sideways you are -- the lower your overall speed around the corner. Many drifters prefer angle over speed while others are the opposite; however a balance between the two is desired and should be the goal for beginners. Once you are comfortable with the basics you can then explore the different ways to obtain either more angle or more speed when drifting.
Spinout's and Stalls:
When learning how to drift you may find that your car spins around after an unsuccessful initiation attempt; this is normally referred to as a "spinout". If you apply to much throttle while in a drift or do not countersteer enough, you're car will not be able to maintain a steady angle and will spin completely around. As a beginner you will be spinning out often so don't get discouraged if you fall into this category. Over time you will learn how far you can push your car before it let's go, so take your time and be patient!
The term “stalling” refers to a driver who is not able to maintain a drift throughout the entire turn due to decreased speed, too much angle, or an underpowered car. Essentially, a stall is one step short of a spin out, where the car does not completely spin around, but slows down to the point where the drift cannot be continued.
Driver Input: Throttle Control
Throttle Control can be explained as the modulation of the cars accelerator in order to maintain smooth acceleration, or in this case, smooth and consistent oversteer. When the rear tires begin to lose traction they will react differently to the power that is applied by the car’s engine; too much power and your car will spin out of control, not enough power and you will stall or lose the drift. The practice of modulating the throttle is one of the most important drifting techniques, and for that reason you should expect to spend a lot of time learning how to apply this concept when driving.
Generally speaking you should start out slow and apply no more than 70% throttle once you feel your car beginning to slide. Once you have initiated the drift you will need to apply more or less throttle depending on the amount of angle that you are aiming for; the more throttle you apply the more angle your car will get, however this concept changes once you introduce countersteer. You want to practice feathering the throttle, and avoid stepping on the gas 100% when you are learning. Remember, every car has its limit and it will take some time before you find out how much angle you can get before your front tires give way and you spin out. With careful throttle control, precise steering inputs and lots (and I mean lots) of practice you will soon be able to find the balance needed to maintain smooth and elegant drifts.
Driver Input: Countersteer
Countersteering is the practice of turning your front wheels in the direction of your drift in order to maintain angle while avoiding a spin-out. Just as you will need to be precise with your throttle control, you will need to be equally precise with your steering inputs. The amount of countersteer that is needed will depend on your cars angle, speed, how much throttle is being applied, and the amount of front end grip produced by your car. If you do not countersteer enough you will spin out, and if you countersteer too much you will stall out and lose the drift.
When countersteering you want to make sure to take advantage of the full range of motion found on either the left thumbstick or the steering wheel. You will need to make frequent adjustments to your steering angle, as the car will be trying to push one way or the other so quick countersteering is desired. Your countersteering technique will balance the overall motions of the car and will help you maintain angle, so be prepared to spend lots of time learning how to countersteer.
Throttle control and countersteering are both key elements to the process of drifting, so before you jump in a car and start sliding around it is important to understand the overall balance of drifting.
// Continue to Page 2: Maintaining Drift Balance //