Manual Transmission system

[Osho]

Hello.
I've been playing this game and had many great moments over the years. If there's one thing I've never learned, in fact, never understood, it's the 'manual transmission' driving system in cars.
Many people recommend it over automatic for realistic and truly great driving experience with the cars in game, and despite all the attempts, I just never got the hang of it.
This time I decided to start playing with manual transmission and understand thoroughly to become skillful with the mechanics.
Basically, Tommy can accelerate faster with the manual transmission but could anyone explain to me how to learn the proper way of driving in manual mode?
Not asking how to start manual option but the right method of driving using the keyboard controls, and things that I should focus while driving for getting the maximum top speeds in cars.
Thanks.
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Mafia walkthrough on YouTube

[Hunter]

Assign two keys for shifting, one up, one down. I like right shift for up, right control for down, since I use the arrow keys, left, stop, go, right to drive.

You also have a clutch (even in automatic) which by default is X. You don't need to touch the clutch. Mostly it's useful if you're stuck on stairs or an object and want more force to push off of it.

Note that in manual, down (or stop) won't make you reverse. To reverse, you just push your shift key as many times as you need to reach that gear.

The game's automatic transmission is fine, but the basic idea is that it will upshift inappropriately or unnecessarily because you have X amount of power, the road is X long/grade is X, your route is X, and MAFIA does in fact model power output based on RPM. So you can decide, if you know you're going to turn there, it would be better to stay in 2nd than let the game switch to third since you'll already be in the right gear to accelerate after the turn. This is a big deal in the race, where 3rd gear is only useful on the straightaway (you can try it going down the hill, but in my experience you need to slow down for the turns after the hill and it causes a loss of control).

Also, since it's a game, you can redline it as much as you want if that gives you more speed somewhere or you simply wish to not shift back and forth. The automatic will shift before the top of the redline, giving you a higher top speed and worse acceleration.

You can even shift into higher gears for whatever reason - quiet driving.

Thanks for the amusing open ended question.

[Osho]

Damn. Sounds a bit confusing, but thanks for your response. Nobody has yet given me such a step by step info to begin with. It will come in handy.
I'll need to practice further on this, a lot, that's for sure.
If I have any doubts then I will post it here.
Seriously, How people actually manage to pull this off and enjoy? Lol
Great, really. I guess being not a passionate driver and never played any driving games has cost me this time to understand but I will practice more.
Thanks again.
_________________

Mafia walkthrough on YouTube

[Hunter]

I've tried games that use "realistic" shifting like Colin McRae. Uhhh, not fun. MAFIA is not like that at all. All you do is push up and down as desired. Makes driving more interactive and interesting, is all, besides steering and gas.

Which reminds me, you can also do engine braking in MAFIA, but it requires the clutch since the game won't let you downshift to gears that won't support your current speed. So to do that you press the clutch and then you're allowed to downshift in spite of whatever speed.

Also, you can exceed a car's maximum engine driven speed if you reach the maximum and then hit the clutch going down a hill. For instance, get in the model T, go to the country, hit top speed going down the tunnel, then press in the clutch and you'll go faster...as long as the hill lasts. I have such useless information in my head.

I suspect a steering wheel and pedals would be even better, since MAFIA supports that, but I've never tried.

Hey, I should do a YouTube video on this

[Grzesiu]

I play from ages in mafia with manual transmission - but i play (when in car) with playstation gamepad so i can accelerate with great precision of analog stick and also corner / turn - with analog - and I use quite often engine braking or neutral gear - sometimes i park the car and accidentaly forget to put on the gear - and it is on neutral and it begins to go down the hill - those kind of details with cars in mafia is the reason i still play it after all those ears - i like a lot free roam games with cars - but sadly non of them offer that kind of attention to detail as 2002 mafia :< . I was greattly dissapointed with mafia 2 and the small amount of cars in that game :< - but I liked physics and fact that you could open the trunk and bonnet. La noire had some great cars but saddly the physics was awfull and tottaly unenjoyable to drive :<

[MattyDienhoff]

[Hunter]

This reminds me. A Model T doesn't even HAVE a clutch.

Oh well, it's the best way of demonstrating the concept; we don't have too many long steep straightaways and really slow cars to hit top speed on them.

Uhhh...and you have to be in manual for a burnout or any kind of J turn. Horsepower + low gear + hand brake = skid.

I had a topic named "clutch magic" back in the day describing these things, eh. No life at all.