So picked up Dirt 4 from GMG today. Still messing around with settings to see what I want to play around with long term. Right now going back and forth between Gamer and Sim modes. I noticed something weird. The AI seems to be more difficult in the Freeplay sections it seems. I loaded up the very first race. On the Gamer side with difficulty on Pro (challenging) I came in at number 1 comfortably in the career mode. In the Freeplay, same settings and stage (not a custom one), I'm coming in 5th or 6th. I don't think I'm doing anything different driving wise. My time was shorter to. However where I could slow down in the career race to take a section, it seems doing so in Freeplay seems like a negative where the AI very likely isn't bothering but they are in career. Tried the same thing on Demanding (kept the other settings the same). In Career I came in 2nd, would have been first but I screwed up two sections. Hit the low teens in Freeplay.
Haven't seen if it's the same in simulation mode yet. Is this suppose to be a thing? Is it a bug that is being looked into? Is it because I was loading up premade stage and not generating one? Or is the Your Stage suppose to be "end game" content so by the time you use you're suppose to be better after finishing the career mode?
I have also noticed though that I'm finding the Gamer side pretty challenging when it comes to controlling the car on the Pro settings. This is not Dirt 3. That's what I'd hit with the arcade label by comparison if it had to be done. This is a better and more challenging. This feels closer to when I play Project Cars starting on Amateur (choices being Novice, Amateur, Pro) and then customizing things further. I just don't feel I can slam on the gas and not have care. I've seen some trying to say that and I don't see it or experience it. I dabbled a little with the Simulation mode, same settings, and it was pretty interesting. I felt more comfortable with it then the little of Dirt Rally I experienced. Now this is all with a controller so maybe things might be different with a wheel. These are my initial impressions anyway.
I still don't know which side to stick with it. I guess it's good I can switch at will.