Test Drive Unlimited Simulation Mode

Now for one of the worst and best parts of the game, Hardcore mode, It’s basically supposed to be like a full on simulation-which it kind of is and isn’t.

What they seem to of done is lower the effect gravity has on the car, they seem to of made down force, near non-existent. This is obvious because you can go faster in hardcore mode than you can in normal-assuming you don’t crash, then when you slip stream a car it’s like a sudden turbo boost or shot of nitrous, before you pass the car your slipstreaming, you will crash because they have also lowered the tire-grip and brakes.

While it’s a very enjoyable mode overall, I’d say it’s more fun than the straight up simulation it claims to be. There’s no real point in trying to compete in this mode either, you just won’t stand a chance. In the 4wd vehicles there’s a chance. The acceleration of the Skyline stays the same. It just accelerates so unbelievably quickly. That seems to be the only thing that hasn’t changed in this mode

There’s a fair few niggling problems with hardcore mode. The biggest one that gets me is the weight-shifting of the cars and the fact they all seem to have an open differential, even if you know the car has a LSD, viscous LSD or any of the others in real life. This leads to a lot of unpredictable power slides and drifts and sometimes quite unusual handling characteristics.

When it comes to weight-shifting things get a bit weirder still. For example, when you let off the accelerator and brake you’d expect there to be strong bite of grip at the front of the car and be ready to turn in, since that’s where the focus of inertia will be, especially if the car is a front engine layout. However, in TDU you brake, feel the weight shift, release the brake and suddenly the car returns to a neutral position as if you weren’t turning or braking. I’m guessing the cars have no physical mass and weight; this would explain why the car flies when you go over a jump.