EA Sports WRC: Pivot Point Debate Ultimately Does Not Matter

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With the release of EA Sports WRC just around the corner, a debate about its physics has emerged. Do the cars have a single pivot point or not? And does it even matter?

Image credit: EA Sports

Note (October 21st): The article previously stated that the YouTuber who created the physics analysis video had access to the preview build of the game. However, the EA Sports WRC footage in their video is not from that version. The article has been corrected accordingly.

Arguments about the accuracy of physics models in sim racing are probably as old as the genre itself. As a result, it should come as no surprise that even ahead of EA Sports WRC‘s release, a debate has broken out about this very element. Mind you, this is without most sim racers even having gotten their hands on the title, as a preview version was made available only to influencers and media outlets thus far.

EA Sports WRC Physics: Central Pivot Point?​

So, what is the matter with it? Put simply, YouTuber mrelwood games has released a video looking into the physics of DiRT Rally 2.0 and EA Sports WRC. Their video is based on clips from DiRT Rally 2.0 and official gameplay preview clips of EA Sports WRC. Allegedly, EA Sports WRC, just like DiRT Rally 2.0, has cars rotate around a single, central pivot point, instead of their tires actually slipping.


Interestingly, most of the evidence in the video comes from tarmac stages and from third-person view. This is where I have an issue with it: It may look like the pivot point theory is correct from that point of view, but the camera tends to swing around a bit in this view. Could this add to the perceived effect? It is a possibility.

Basically, the theory states that this central pivot point would be a “cheap” way to make the car feel like it is sliding at all times, but not out of control. Numerous comments on YouTube seem to prove mrelwood games right.

Theory Disproven?​

However, voices stating the opposite also started appearing. A Reddit post aims to disprove the theory, stating that if the car would pivot around a central point, the rear wheels should hit a close-by wall when trying to steer away from it. This appears not to be the case in their video clips.

The pivot point theory may explain the “off feeling” they get from DiRT Rally 2.0‘s physics for some. Others argue that there is no evidence to support this. Either way, it does not really matter if you look a the core aspect of EA Sports WRC: It is fun.

Now, the die-hard sim racers may crucify me for this opinion, but in the end, it is all that counts. Would we spend thousands of bucks on sim racing equipment if it was not fun to us? Of course, this definition is always subjective. But the majority of reviewers who have tried EA Sports WRC ahead of release seem to agree that it is immensely enjoyable. Pivot point or not.


Focus On What Is Fun​

The title is still satisfying to play as a sim racer. It may be forgiving here and there, but the driving feel is far from the dreaded “arcade”. However, a number of assists ensure that as many players as possible can enjoy it. This includes those on a controller, as well as beginners and novices.

And while that may not be as hardcore as many people would like, it is enjoyable for a lot of players. Tarmac handling may still not be perfect, but it did feel nice in the preview version. The cars were more agile than in DR2.0, inspired confidence to push, and felt absolutely rapid. That sounds like a recipe for a good time to me.

EA Sports WRC Full Stage List Revealed
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EA Sports WRC Pivot Point Theory: It Does Not Matter​

Whether or not the pivot point theory is correct, this article will not judge. The essential takeaway from it is something that often feels like it is missing for many sim racers: Go and enjoy driving virtual race cars! If you are having fun out there, you likely will not be thinking about physics quirks.

EA Sports WRC launches on November 3rd. The game will be available on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

What is your take on the EA Sports WRC debate? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
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About author
Yannik Haustein
Yannik Haustein
Lifelong motorsport enthusiast and sim racing aficionado, walking racing history encyclopedia.

Sim racing editor, streamer and one half of the SimRacing Buddies podcast (warning, German!).

Heel & Toe Gang 4 life :D

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Comments

Firssen
roadyroad said:
If you want to do something unrealistic in any title you'll be able to find a way.
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But in other so called sims u need to find a way. In meantime in DR/EA WRC u need to watchout to not do something unrealistic :p

It's kinda funny because many Dirt Rally/WRC players hates RBR community for glorifying that old game but they completely forgetting that their fav game still using 80s pivot point based steering model :whistling:

People have fun, that great but I don't understand why reviewers tries to justify design mistakes or EA lies... That's it and that's the only reason why I put my silly comments here.

I don't think "hating" is a good word here. We haven't used any insults yet. Just conversation :p
 
R
Firssen said:
But in other so called sims u need to find a way. In meantime in DR/EA WRC u need to watchout to not do something unrealistic :p

It's kinda funny because many Dirt Rally/WRC players hates RBR community for glorifying that old game but they completely forgetting that their fav game still using 80s pivot point based steering model :whistling:

People have fun, that great but I don't understand why reviewers tries to justify design mistakes or EA lies... That's it and that's the only reason why I put my silly comments here.

I don't think "hating" is a good word here. We haven't used any insults yet. Just conversation :p
Click to expand...
Because insults are necessary to hate? I use insults much more towards people I appreciate (second degree) than towards those I hate.

Anyway, 1s I've been away from rally games for a long time, I launch several titles to compare them and I was suprised that, after some FFB tweaking (except RBR), they felt pretty similar, much more than when I switch between road racing sims. What is true too is that competent sim rally drivers play all the available games. And one professional rallly driver, Louise Cook, has stated (on her channel wehre she displays her driving skills on sims) that all of them (and she plays all in a super racing sim rig) had qualities and flaws, even RBR. And that's what is true for every sim. I have more trust in a real rally driver than in my virtual fellows... ;)
 
Firssen
roadyroad said:
Because insults are necessary to hate? I use insults much more towards people I appreciate (second degree) than towards those I hate.

Anyway, 1s I've been away from rally games for a long time, I launch several titles to compare them and I was suprised that, after some FFB tweaking (except RBR), they felt pretty similar, much more than when I switch between road racing sims. What is true too is that competent sim rally drivers play all the available games. And one professional rallly driver, Louise Cook, has stated (on her channel wehre she displays her driving skills on sims) that all of them (and she plays all in a super racing sim rig) had qualities and flaws, even RBR. And that's what is true for every sim. I have more trust in a real rally driver than in my virtual fellows... ;)
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IMO we lost "hating" definition somewhere and people like to call constructive critizm using that word. To me as far as u don't attack without arguments it's not hating.

Asking real drivers for opinions about realism isn't really good judge for the game. Different drivers gonna mention different games as most realistic because they all focus on different things and have different feelings. They don't dip deep enough, just play.
Cookie and Takamoto Katsuta plays KT WRC and Codies games but in the meantime RBR have similar real drivers fanbase: Kubica, Gryazin, even Rovanpera claimed that RBR is closer to real feeling of the car.
So u trust one or two rally drivers, not rally drivers in general ;>
I wouldn't be suprised if Cookie prefer Codies games because they are more accesible. RBR is modded and broken game after all...

I wouldn't tell that rally games feel similar. Cars in KT WRC games are way different, less artifical sliding and central pivot point isn't noticeable. It's probably still here and that's why u may feel similarities but to me, changing direction was more natural. I know that grip levels were huge, diffs behave like open ones and it was overall easier but I preferred that over DR2.0/EA WRC physics.

Vanilla RBR is piece of crap... even in times when Czechs was in charge and before NGP 7 it was still kinda crap but after some developing by rallysimfans community and releasing WorkerBees NGP 7 physics it finally works good. I like RBR now because it gives great feeling of grip limits and it have lot of narrow bumpy stages. It just feels very naturall to me.
Even my two friends who were laugh at RBR community before, changed their minds when they tried current state of this game.

Codies games never gave me that fun because grip limit works like a switch. It randomly dissapear and FFB force drops along with that when u go too much... Bumps on stages are pretty rare untill u set gravel stage to "worn".
Great and fun games but I like simracing for that feeling of the car, especially when different cars gives different feeling. Codies just doesn't give me that.

We always have BeamNG if we want realism... That's basically EOT when it comes to realistic physics in computer games xD
 
R
Firssen said:
IMO we lost "hating" definition somewhere and people like to call constructive critizm using that word. To me as far as u don't attack without arguments it's not hating.

Asking real drivers for opinions about realism isn't really good judge for the game. Different drivers gonna mention different games as most realistic because they all focus on different things and have different feelings. They don't dip deep enough, just play.
Cookie and Takamoto Katsuta plays KT WRC and Codies games but in the meantime RBR have similar real drivers fanbase: Kubica, Gryazin, even Rovanpera claimed that RBR is closer to real feeling of the car.
So u trust one or two rally drivers, not rally drivers in general ;>
I wouldn't be suprised if Cookie prefer Codies games because they are more accesible. RBR is modded and broken game after all...

I wouldn't tell that rally games feel similar. Cars in KT WRC games are way different, less artifical sliding and central pivot point isn't noticeable. It's probably still here and that's why u may feel similarities but to me, changing direction was more natural. I know that grip levels were huge, diffs behave like open ones and it was overall easier but I preferred that over DR2.0/EA WRC physics.

Vanilla RBR is piece of crap... even in times when Czechs was in charge and before NGP 7 it was still kinda crap but after some developing by rallysimfans community and releasing WorkerBees NGP 7 physics it finally works good. I like RBR now because it gives great feeling of grip limits and it have lot of narrow bumpy stages. It just feels very naturall to me.
Even my two friends who were laugh at RBR community before, changed their minds when they tried current state of this game.

Codies games never gave me that fun because grip limit works like a switch. It randomly dissapear and FFB force drops along with that when u go too much... Bumps on stages are pretty rare untill u set gravel stage to "worn".
Great and fun games but I like simracing for that feeling of the car, especially when different cars gives different feeling. Codies just doesn't give me that.

We always have BeamNG if we want realism... That's basically EOT when it comes to realistic physics in computer games xD
Click to expand...
I mentionned Cook because I discovered hee channel few days ago, but yes there are other rally drivers playing sims iut there for sure. What was interesting in Cook is that she did state that no sim was perfect.

I wouldn't say vanilla RBR was crap, the defaukt aetups were crap. On its time, and even now, it felt really natural and one of the rare games were I felt I was in a (too light) car with wheels on a track. The current NGP physics make the game close to DR1 imo (from my last testing session, I was surprised).

I perfectly agree on BeamNG, as I always state, I really think it is the future of simulation. When it will be a mature engine, I can't see why a sim developper would create another engine ; physics should be managed in this engine and the work should focus on the tire model. I don't know how BeamNG manages aerodynamics and downforce but, as it is able to realistically simulate the cars flying in the air, I assume aerodynamics are already part of the core engine, but I may assume too much, not an expert at all.
 
Firssen
roadyroad said:
I wouldn't say vanilla RBR was crap, the defaukt aetups were crap. On its time, and even now, it felt really natural and one of the rare games were I felt I was in a (too light) car with wheels on a track. The current NGP physics make the game close to DR1 imo (from my last testing session, I was surprised).
Click to expand...
Vanilla RBR: throttle just adjust engine RPM, it doesn't feel like there's internal combustion engine under the hood, cars are so light like from cartboard, suspensions are hard stiff and any bump make them unpredictable as... That's why I think it's kinda weird and crappy.

To me NGP 7 physics makes it better than any Dirt Rally just for reason I mentioned before :p
 
R
Firssen said:
Vanilla RBR: throttle just adjust engine RPM, it doesn't feel like there's internal combustion engine under the hood, cars are so light like from cartboard, suspensions are hard stiff and any bump make them unpredictable as... That's why I think it's kinda weird and crappy.

To me NGP 7 physics makes it better than any Dirt Rally just for reason I mentioned before :p
Click to expand...
Yes, better, there's no doubt about that, but much closer than I expected.
 

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