Got my copy in the mail, can't wait to try it, been reading some comments on the internet, and I believe this game is the perfect "hate it or love it" example, there's no in-between apparently! Oo
I've put a good 4 hours into it so far. Personally, the difference between the premium and standard models isn't that big of a deal, and barely noticeable - expect you lose the cockpit view which is a bummer. but you really expect 1000+ cockpits? hell no. Some weird graphic bugs I'm surprised they left in (i.e. bad sorting/rendering issues between the cars and the rain spray. Also while driving my Cobra in the rain, the rain on the windshield is just a bunch of huge pixels).
Playing through several of the standard tracks I am a little disappointed that they don't look as good as I thought they would.
Yes it is a good game so far. But I'm a little disappointed that so far it feels just like GT4 with only minor graphical updates. I was hoping for a little more hot new freshness. Maybe I just haven't gotten there yet.
I've put a good 4 hours into it so far. Personally, the difference between the premium and standard models isn't that big of a deal, and barely noticeable - expect you lose the cockpit view which is a bummer. but you really expect 1000+ cockpits? hell no. Some weird graphic bugs I'm surprised they left in (i.e. bad sorting/rendering issues between the cars and the rain spray. Also while driving my Cobra in the rain, the rain on the windshield is just a bunch of huge pixels).
Playing through several of the standard tracks I am a little disappointed that they don't look as good as I thought they would.
Yes it is a good game so far. But I'm a little disappointed that so far it feels just like GT4 with only minor graphical updates. I was hoping for a little more hot new freshness. Maybe I just haven't gotten there yet.
If forza 3 can have over 400 cars all with cockpit views I can't see how gt5 doesn't for 2 simple reason:
1. gt5 was in development much longer than forza 3 ever was (all 3 forza's have been released since gt4, granted forza one was in development before gt4).
2. So many cars in gran turismo are bloody duplicates that wouldn't require extra modelling other than some slight tweaks and perhaps only a slight texture change.
They had the time, budget and blu-ray has the storage space. Only issue I might honestly see is in load times with blu-ray being weak on the random access which would go up with even more cockpit views.
Also, on a side note, how is the audio in gt5? video I've seen has the audio sounding the same for most of the cars. Also, tire marks, for the folks that own it: did they actually make the final game or not?
If forza 3 can have over 400 cars all with cockpit views I can't see how gt5 doesn't for 2 simple reason:
1. gt5 was in development much longer than forza 3 ever was (all 3 forza's have been released since gt4, granted forza one was in development before gt4).
2. So many cars in gran turismo are bloody duplicates that wouldn't require extra modelling other than some slight tweaks and perhaps only a slight texture change.
They had the time, budget and blu-ray has the storage space. Only issue I might honestly see is in load times with blu-ray being weak on the random access which would go up with even more cockpit views.
Also, on a side note, how is the audio in gt5? video I've seen has the audio sounding the same for most of the cars. Also, tire marks, for the folks that own it: did they actually make the final game or not?
I agree it's disappointing there's no cockpit for every car, in fairness though, a lot of the cars on the list just don't have interiors worth modeling. Forzas car list is pretty much old cars or new cars. Both of which have plenty of interior character worth modeling whether that's the old school interiors in the old muscle cars, or the high tech stuff in the likes of the GT-R.
However, as I mentioned in my last post, a LOT of the cars on GT5's list are late 90's early 00's cars in the compact/family class and there really is no point in modeling the interiors to those because it's just a load of gray plastic.
In saying that, I really think they could've just modelled the outside nicer on the standard cars and just left out the interiors.
I'm pretty sure the game was probably scrapped 3 or 4 times during the huge amount of time it's supposedly been in development. I honestly can't see where the time went if it's actually been worked on solidly since GT4 (or earlier). Forza is an equally good game in terms of visuals, playability, and enjoyment in my opinion.
Honestly though, I think GT5 has the physics nailed. Forza feels arcadey in comparison, yes it may feel more enjoyable to drive, but when it comes to 'real' race physics, GT5 wins. Two of the cars I've owned are in the game and they behave exactly as they do in real life. One of those cars is also in Forza and it's entirely different.
Audio is weaker than Forza definitely. I know this because one of the cars I used to drive was a Honda with a B16 VTEC engine. Now anyone who has one of these will know they sound kinda tame at low revs, but you hit 4500rpm and the high lift cams kick in, and suddenly it absolutely screams up to about 9k rpm, I was pleasantly surprised when I played Forza to find they replicate this in the audio. Not so in GT5, it's just a bland purr throughout the rev range. Adding modifications in GT5 affects the audio a bit more realistically than Forza I think. You put a new exhaust pipe on in Forza 3 and suddenly any car sounds like some rally spec Impreza, but in GT it adds subtle changes as you'd expect.
Tyre marks are in. They realistic too. Subtle in most cases, but then that's how it is in real life, drifting round a corner or skidding a bit isn't going to leave thick black rubber on the track as in some games, but that does happen in GT5 too. Without ABS on in GT5, if you slam on the brakes at high speed, you just get locked into a straight skid which does leave a lot of rubber on the track.
Sorry, typed more than I planned to then.
As HP said, it's a love it or hate it thing and I think the only way to know is to try it.
any of you guys notice that the game doesnt let you apply any throttle while the wheel is turned? if im in a tight corner, i mash on the gas and nothing happens until i come out of the corner. this doesnt seem very realistic.
edit: nevermind again. stability management was on.
Even if the car interiors aren't pretty to look at, they should have still been modeled. it breaks the illusion, especially if you race from the cockpit.
I still hate the physics though. It might be great with a wheel but it's damn near unplayable without one. Forza at least controls great with the standard controller. The wheel just makes it better.
i know what you mean. i tried playing with the controller today. i feel so detached from whats happening its ridiculous. much better controller feel with forza 3.
On a consumer note, how is that even possible? No retailer (that I know of) accepts opened games for a refund. (unless you took a hit by giving it to gamestop, sorry for your loss)
Xoliul - Geez $10k for one car model. I could pump out something out in 2-3 weeks with a interior, of course there would be quite abit inaccuracies (all I would have for refrence is a scale model blueprint and photos to go off from the internet). I remember watching a development interview, and they had like 3 guys taking a slew of photos, and measuring every nook an cranny of a car on site, official blueprints etc. Having a R&D every car and I guess that price starts to make sense. But not a sane sense.
But I love how they're striving for 100% accuracy for the premium cars. I think it helps set the bar of what other modelers want to achieve in the future.
On a consumer note, how is that even possible? No retailer (that I know of) accepts opened games for a refund. (unless you took a hit by giving it to gamestop, sorry for your loss)
I used to run the shop I returned it to so they are quite lenient to my gaming antics I will get it again when its cheap, I enjoyed it but just felt theres a few games out there that deserve my money a bit more at the moment
Ok, after spending ~4 hours on it yesterday, I can say a few words about it.
Last time I touched a Gran Turismo game was back in 98 with GT1, I could barely speak or read English so I found it a bit confusing and way to overly complicated with all the tweaks you needed to do to your car to be able to evolve.
So yeah, this basically is RPG in a racing game. I loved that you start with a shitty used car of your choice, and work your way up from there. The menus are massive, and I loled at the time display on the top right corner of the screen, this game really is designed to spend up to 100 hours on it, and trust me, if you enjoy the game, you will!
I find it really amusing, buying a new part for your shitty car and go hit the tracks and be amazed at the difference. Can't wait to try more cars and other racing types too, rally, karts, daytona, le mans, etc this game has it all.
Graphics wise, yes it's very easy to spot graphical glitches. Main reason for that I reckon is that the game is very realistic and very minimal in it's art direction, so it's very easy to spot those small flaws like blurry textures in the environments, splotchy shadow maps, low res particles, etc. If you are an environment artist, you will feel some pain with this game, so just keep your eyes on the track! :P
All in all, the game is beautiful! I never played forza but it's totally the most realistic racing game I've played.
On a consumer note, how is that even possible? No retailer (that I know of) accepts opened games for a refund. (unless you took a hit by giving it to gamestop, sorry for your loss)
Xoliul - Geez $10k for one car model. I could pump out something out in 2-3 weeks with a interior, of course there would be quite abit inaccuracies (all I would have for refrence is a scale model blueprint and photos to go off from the internet). I remember watching a development interview, and they had like 3 guys taking a slew of photos, and measuring every nook an cranny of a car on site, official blueprints etc. Having a R&D every car and I guess that price starts to make sense. But not a sane sense.
But I love how they're striving for 100% accuracy for the premium cars. I think it helps set the bar of what other modelers want to achieve in the future.
Modeling cars that need to be approved by the manufacturer takes some work and not a little understanding of how cars are designed. Blueprints only get you so far. You also have to take into account the technical specs, damage, UV's that work with scrapes/paintjobs etc.
That said, 10k is at the high end and that's speaking as a US based outsourcer..
10k is absolutely justified I'd say. This sort of stuff is buttload more complicated than 90% of art that is outsourced, so comparing that to rates decent outsourcing companies ask for simpler assets it makes sense.
And again, there really is the question to find people up to this task; I'm supposed to be (too much of) a car artist even, and honestly I don't think I'd be able to meet their standards in every aspect. (an example of someone who would: http://www.3dfinlay.com)
It really isn't comparable to characters or anything due to the insane level of detail and accuracy required.
WTF is up with the menu system. who the hell thought this was a good idea? its so overly complicated. i seriously spent 10 minutes looking around trying to figure out how to race online. then i tried making a lobby to race a friend. how the hell do you invite friends? dont tell me he has to input the million digit lobby ID...
and why cant you change vehicles in a lobby? why would they force you to go back to your GT page, go into your garage, change your car, then go do w/e you want. this is ridiculous.
Yeah the menu is over complex for sure, and to make things worse, I've lost count of the times I've hit the wrong button and had to wait 3 hours for that wrong menu to load, then another week or so while the home screen loads again.
Zero - IIRC, you can't invite friends, or make custom lobbies or something along those lines. Apparently there's a "patch" coming out soon to remedy those (and other) issues.
Five and a half years and they couldn't fucking finish it? Unreal.
ok, so apparently to invite friends for a private match you dont go to open lobby in the gtlife thing. you go to community, find your friend on the list then lick on the lounge button or something.
but i still cant figure out how to change cars on a the fly in the lobby. it seems like it only lets you race with cars you actually own. I was hoping it would be like forza where you could pick any car and race. there is a shuffle mode but thats just retarded. you think it would pick a random car for everyone to use but it picks a random car per player. so one person could get a viper and the other could get a 1980s corolla.
10k is absolutely justified I'd say. This sort of stuff is buttload more complicated than 90% of art that is outsourced, so comparing that to rates decent outsourcing companies ask for simpler assets it makes sense.
And again, there really is the question to find people up to this task; I'm supposed to be (too much of) a car artist even, and honestly I don't think I'd be able to meet their standards in every aspect. (an example of someone who would: http://www.3dfinlay.com)
It really isn't comparable to characters or anything due to the insane level of detail and accuracy required.
I was actually trying to make the point that it is complicated.
You would definitely make the cut, working in a team much lesser artists would make the cut. It's production art.
The menus are seriously annoying... Every time you click a button, you need to wait 10/15 seconds to show the next menu, and you do that in this game A LOT!
There's alot of fucking menus! UI / Menu design PHAIL!
The menus are seriously annoying... Every time you click a button, you need to wait 10/15 seconds to show the next menu, and you do that in this game A LOT!
There's alot of fucking menus! UI / Menu design PHAIL!
Completely agree, the menus are pretty and laid out ok, but there's no need for it to be split up so much.
The car delivery thing is absolutely fucking pointless. Especially if you get more than one or two waiting to be redeemed. You have to sit through that headlight animation every time and wait for each to load.
And what's with being able to 'Circle' back out of some menus, but having to click 'Home' on others.
yea, its ridiculous. they have a seperate menu just to set up vibrations on the controller. you go into it and there is only 1 option. on or off.
and pressing circle to back out should be just that, press circle, and it backs out to the last menu. i dont want to press circle to move the fake cursor the the back button then press x.
it feels like whoever designed the UI, it was their first job
just got gt5 and logitech force gt wheel today, been playing all day.
The wheel takes a little getting used to but I think I got the hang of it after 4 hours. It's great fun to play with! A bit tiring though after so many hours, but then again, so is driving.
The loading times are really terrible indeed and the UI navigation is a complete mess. Why isn't there a button that jumps straight to the home? Actually theres so many unused buttons they could literally assign each of the main menus to each button or at least let me customize it so that I can do it for myself. The options seem to only let you customize racing controls.
The awesome cars are kind of ruined by the jaggy shadows There are jaggy shadows everywhere, its unbelievable! For something that is striving for excellence and perfection they sure messed up big time there.
And the character models look a bit... outdated. Actually most of the environments don't really look that impressive, it's only the cars that make me think "wow, nice!"
Regardless of all that, it's still very fun to play with a wheel Anyone tried playing online yet?
Really enjoying the game so far, they have improved the handling and driving intuition from the previous 2. Got a Buick Special thats competing with some great cars after tuning the suspension and other settings. So far, so good.
Yozora - same here. Picked up the Driving Force GT yesterday morning and played most of the day with it. The wheel makes a world of difference for sure and I'm enjoying the game much more because of it. I just need to build that PVC seat rig, heh.
BTW - anyone else having an impossible fucking time with the Top Gear Lotus challenge? Good god, I can't get anywhere in it! The car slides like it's on ice even at low speeds (30mph!). I tried with the controller and wheel and get the same issues either way =\
Yeah, that is a challenge, the difficult part is not putting too much gas whilst cornering. Best to brake, use the momentum to get you around the corner then ease into full power. The Nascar challenges are difficult with a joypad, if they get any harder I'm going to need a wheel for sure.
Yep, I recomend using the analog stick for the nascar races, not the dpad!
But yeah, a wheel would be perfect. How much do those things cost anyway? I don't think I want a giant round wheel on my living room just to enjoy a game for a few weeks.
my head just exploded. there are 34 variants of the mazda mx-5
the driving force gt is 140-150. amazon had them for 80
for the top gear lotus challenge, you have to really weave your way in and out of traffic.
for the first corner go slow on the outside then accelerate a bit to the inside and cut off the last car, then cut off the next car on the inside of the tires.
just remember thats its 2 laps. if you play it cool you can pass them no problem, just dont do anything crazy and spin out.
so for the lotus challenge, i keep getting to 3rd by hammerhead on 2nd lap but i get so nervous that i get lightheaded and always end up tapping a cone or something.
oh also...im using automatic (i know, but this is just a really hard one). traction control is at 6 so i can accelerate out of a turn but i can still control the car. skid recovery is on, active steering is strong, ABS is at 10.
oh also...im using automatic (i know, but this is just a really hard one). traction control is at 6 so i can accelerate out of a turn but i can still control the car. skid recovery is on, active steering is strong, ABS is at 10.
:poly141: How can you even play like that? so hard.
I have it set to manual, and everything off
Materials wise, the base is going to be MDF (medium density fiber board). It's denser and stronger than particle board, so it will act as a counterweight for the rest of the rig. The other wood will just be standard pine or oak - whatever is available (and cheap).
The bottom pivot blocks are 2x6x6 and the top ones are 1x6x6. The side arms are 1x4x27 and the top wheel mount is 1x6x24. A 3/4 inch dowel supports the lateral. The bolts will be T-bolt wood lock, so they will never come out. The tension to keep the rig in place will be from the loop fasteners and washers. This will allow for fast and easy adjustments. Not sure on the pedal angle block just yet. Might just use some wood scrap for it. Need to test a bunch of angles to see whatever feels right. Good thing about this rig is that it can work on the couch, office chair - anything you can sit on
Not sure about the finish though. Don't think the apt complex would be too fond of me sprayin' up shit on the patio, haha.
Anyone manage to complete the 3 classic comps in the beginner series?
I'm guessing I just have to watch the used cars for something to enter with? Also, what's with the check mark next to 'United Kingdom' on the Euro classic comp? Does that mean I need a UK car or what?
Struggling to find anything to enter any of those 3 with, spent nearly £100k on tuning a 65' Toyota thinking I'd blitz the Jap classic comp, unfortunately that thought was quickly lost as I sat 12/12 on a long ass straight watching my car max out at 98mph in 4th gear.
Its frustrating because I wanted to wrap up all the beginner comps before moving on but it's impossible due to the used car thing, unless I'm missing an option in the dealership market.
And yeah that Lotus challenge was haaaard. I got 5th/Bronze and that'll have to do.
I got a Lotus Elan '62 for the classic comps, maxed it out by putting in turbo and everything else. You can change the top speed by buying the high end transmission upgrade, then change the gear ratios.
Somethings up with the Euro comp or I'm clearly missing something.
I've got a Mercedes 300SL 'Chrome Line' which I got with the Collectors Edition, and I'm sure it fits in the contest limitations, but I still can't use it. I'm guessing the tick by United Kingdom means I have to use a UK car, even though the example cars list Alfa's and other EU cars.
Holy shit, the Buick Special '62 is totally bad ass. This old muscle car is boss, I can beat ferraris and lambos with this beast.
- double holy shit, when this game shines, it shines like nothing i've ever seen before. Cockpit view, at night, in the rain, this is something special that I will tell my grandkids about.
possible spoilers?:
I already hit the credits roll after completing the 3rd tier(professional?) of races. It felt like a really odd place to stick the credits, when there is clearly a lot more races to be had (two more tiers left). It's given me a false sense of accomplishment. And now, I kinda hate myself a little on the inside.
See, these games remind me of how pissed off I am that MS seems to have discontinued the wireless wheel. I can't seem to find one locally, ever since I bought Forza 3. I think they were discontinued in preparation of Kinect, which I DON'T WANT for driving games.
Yeah notman, that was my guess as well. But I have NO FUCKING CLUE why they would expect Kintect to replace the wheel. It is nowhere near as accurate as a real wheel peripheral.
Replies
Playing through several of the standard tracks I am a little disappointed that they don't look as good as I thought they would.
Yes it is a good game so far. But I'm a little disappointed that so far it feels just like GT4 with only minor graphical updates. I was hoping for a little more hot new freshness. Maybe I just haven't gotten there yet.
If forza 3 can have over 400 cars all with cockpit views I can't see how gt5 doesn't for 2 simple reason:
1. gt5 was in development much longer than forza 3 ever was (all 3 forza's have been released since gt4, granted forza one was in development before gt4).
2. So many cars in gran turismo are bloody duplicates that wouldn't require extra modelling other than some slight tweaks and perhaps only a slight texture change.
They had the time, budget and blu-ray has the storage space. Only issue I might honestly see is in load times with blu-ray being weak on the random access which would go up with even more cockpit views.
Also, on a side note, how is the audio in gt5? video I've seen has the audio sounding the same for most of the cars. Also, tire marks, for the folks that own it: did they actually make the final game or not?
I agree it's disappointing there's no cockpit for every car, in fairness though, a lot of the cars on the list just don't have interiors worth modeling. Forzas car list is pretty much old cars or new cars. Both of which have plenty of interior character worth modeling whether that's the old school interiors in the old muscle cars, or the high tech stuff in the likes of the GT-R.
However, as I mentioned in my last post, a LOT of the cars on GT5's list are late 90's early 00's cars in the compact/family class and there really is no point in modeling the interiors to those because it's just a load of gray plastic.
In saying that, I really think they could've just modelled the outside nicer on the standard cars and just left out the interiors.
I'm pretty sure the game was probably scrapped 3 or 4 times during the huge amount of time it's supposedly been in development. I honestly can't see where the time went if it's actually been worked on solidly since GT4 (or earlier). Forza is an equally good game in terms of visuals, playability, and enjoyment in my opinion.
Honestly though, I think GT5 has the physics nailed. Forza feels arcadey in comparison, yes it may feel more enjoyable to drive, but when it comes to 'real' race physics, GT5 wins. Two of the cars I've owned are in the game and they behave exactly as they do in real life. One of those cars is also in Forza and it's entirely different.
Audio is weaker than Forza definitely. I know this because one of the cars I used to drive was a Honda with a B16 VTEC engine. Now anyone who has one of these will know they sound kinda tame at low revs, but you hit 4500rpm and the high lift cams kick in, and suddenly it absolutely screams up to about 9k rpm, I was pleasantly surprised when I played Forza to find they replicate this in the audio. Not so in GT5, it's just a bland purr throughout the rev range. Adding modifications in GT5 affects the audio a bit more realistically than Forza I think. You put a new exhaust pipe on in Forza 3 and suddenly any car sounds like some rally spec Impreza, but in GT it adds subtle changes as you'd expect.
Tyre marks are in. They realistic too. Subtle in most cases, but then that's how it is in real life, drifting round a corner or skidding a bit isn't going to leave thick black rubber on the track as in some games, but that does happen in GT5 too. Without ABS on in GT5, if you slam on the brakes at high speed, you just get locked into a straight skid which does leave a lot of rubber on the track.
Sorry, typed more than I planned to then.
As HP said, it's a love it or hate it thing and I think the only way to know is to try it.
edit: nevermind again. stability management was on.
I like pizza
I still hate the physics though. It might be great with a wheel but it's damn near unplayable without one. Forza at least controls great with the standard controller. The wheel just makes it better.
but i am warming up to the wheel and enjoying it.
Sorry, can't drink and drive
On a consumer note, how is that even possible? No retailer (that I know of) accepts opened games for a refund. (unless you took a hit by giving it to gamestop, sorry for your loss)
Xoliul - Geez $10k for one car model. I could pump out something out in 2-3 weeks with a interior, of course there would be quite abit inaccuracies (all I would have for refrence is a scale model blueprint and photos to go off from the internet). I remember watching a development interview, and they had like 3 guys taking a slew of photos, and measuring every nook an cranny of a car on site, official blueprints etc. Having a R&D every car and I guess that price starts to make sense. But not a sane sense.
But I love how they're striving for 100% accuracy for the premium cars. I think it helps set the bar of what other modelers want to achieve in the future.
I used to run the shop I returned it to so they are quite lenient to my gaming antics
Last time I touched a Gran Turismo game was back in 98 with GT1, I could barely speak or read English so I found it a bit confusing and way to overly complicated with all the tweaks you needed to do to your car to be able to evolve.
So yeah, this basically is RPG in a racing game. I loved that you start with a shitty used car of your choice, and work your way up from there. The menus are massive, and I loled at the time display on the top right corner of the screen, this game really is designed to spend up to 100 hours on it, and trust me, if you enjoy the game, you will!
I find it really amusing, buying a new part for your shitty car and go hit the tracks and be amazed at the difference. Can't wait to try more cars and other racing types too, rally, karts, daytona, le mans, etc this game has it all.
Graphics wise, yes it's very easy to spot graphical glitches. Main reason for that I reckon is that the game is very realistic and very minimal in it's art direction, so it's very easy to spot those small flaws like blurry textures in the environments, splotchy shadow maps, low res particles, etc. If you are an environment artist, you will feel some pain with this game, so just keep your eyes on the track! :P
All in all, the game is beautiful! I never played forza but it's totally the most realistic racing game I've played.
So yeah, having a great time with it!
Modeling cars that need to be approved by the manufacturer takes some work and not a little understanding of how cars are designed. Blueprints only get you so far. You also have to take into account the technical specs, damage, UV's that work with scrapes/paintjobs etc.
That said, 10k is at the high end and that's speaking as a US based outsourcer..
And again, there really is the question to find people up to this task; I'm supposed to be (too much of) a car artist even, and honestly I don't think I'd be able to meet their standards in every aspect. (an example of someone who would: http://www.3dfinlay.com)
It really isn't comparable to characters or anything due to the insane level of detail and accuracy required.
and why cant you change vehicles in a lobby? why would they force you to go back to your GT page, go into your garage, change your car, then go do w/e you want. this is ridiculous.
I'd happily settle for the GT Mode menu from GT1.
Five and a half years and they couldn't fucking finish it? Unreal.
but i still cant figure out how to change cars on a the fly in the lobby. it seems like it only lets you race with cars you actually own. I was hoping it would be like forza where you could pick any car and race. there is a shuffle mode but thats just retarded. you think it would pick a random car for everyone to use but it picks a random car per player. so one person could get a viper and the other could get a 1980s corolla.
I was actually trying to make the point that it is complicated.
You would definitely make the cut, working in a team much lesser artists would make the cut. It's production art.
There's alot of fucking menus! UI / Menu design PHAIL!
Completely agree, the menus are pretty and laid out ok, but there's no need for it to be split up so much.
The car delivery thing is absolutely fucking pointless. Especially if you get more than one or two waiting to be redeemed. You have to sit through that headlight animation every time and wait for each to load.
And what's with being able to 'Circle' back out of some menus, but having to click 'Home' on others.
Still love the game but the menu layout sucks.
and pressing circle to back out should be just that, press circle, and it backs out to the last menu. i dont want to press circle to move the fake cursor the the back button then press x.
it feels like whoever designed the UI, it was their first job
The wheel takes a little getting used to but I think I got the hang of it after 4 hours. It's great fun to play with! A bit tiring though after so many hours, but then again, so is driving.
The loading times are really terrible indeed and the UI navigation is a complete mess. Why isn't there a button that jumps straight to the home? Actually theres so many unused buttons they could literally assign each of the main menus to each button or at least let me customize it so that I can do it for myself. The options seem to only let you customize racing controls.
The awesome cars are kind of ruined by the jaggy shadows
And the character models look a bit... outdated. Actually most of the environments don't really look that impressive, it's only the cars that make me think "wow, nice!"
Regardless of all that, it's still very fun to play with a wheel
BTW - anyone else having an impossible fucking time with the Top Gear Lotus challenge? Good god, I can't get anywhere in it! The car slides like it's on ice even at low speeds (30mph!). I tried with the controller and wheel and get the same issues either way =\
But yeah, a wheel would be perfect. How much do those things cost anyway? I don't think I want a giant round wheel on my living room just to enjoy a game for a few weeks.
the driving force gt is 140-150. amazon had them for 80
for the top gear lotus challenge, you have to really weave your way in and out of traffic.
for the first corner go slow on the outside then accelerate a bit to the inside and cut off the last car, then cut off the next car on the inside of the tires.
just remember thats its 2 laps. if you play it cool you can pass them no problem, just dont do anything crazy and spin out.
Also said to hell with spending $100+ on a wheel stand - I'm going to build my own for < $50. Cheap and adjustable ftw.
so for the lotus challenge, i keep getting to 3rd by hammerhead on 2nd lap but i get so nervous that i get lightheaded and always end up tapping a cone or something.
maybe ill draw a little map to help out
oh also...im using automatic (i know, but this is just a really hard one). traction control is at 6 so i can accelerate out of a turn but i can still control the car. skid recovery is on, active steering is strong, ABS is at 10.
I have it set to manual, and everything off
Zac - not sure man. I have to get estimates on the materials first. I'll post pics when it gets going.
The bottom pivot blocks are 2x6x6 and the top ones are 1x6x6. The side arms are 1x4x27 and the top wheel mount is 1x6x24. A 3/4 inch dowel supports the lateral. The bolts will be T-bolt wood lock, so they will never come out. The tension to keep the rig in place will be from the loop fasteners and washers. This will allow for fast and easy adjustments. Not sure on the pedal angle block just yet. Might just use some wood scrap for it. Need to test a bunch of angles to see whatever feels right. Good thing about this rig is that it can work on the couch, office chair - anything you can sit on
Not sure about the finish though. Don't think the apt complex would be too fond of me sprayin' up shit on the patio, haha.
Rest of it's pretty fun so far.
I'm guessing I just have to watch the used cars for something to enter with? Also, what's with the check mark next to 'United Kingdom' on the Euro classic comp? Does that mean I need a UK car or what?
Struggling to find anything to enter any of those 3 with, spent nearly £100k on tuning a 65' Toyota thinking I'd blitz the Jap classic comp, unfortunately that thought was quickly lost as I sat 12/12 on a long ass straight watching my car max out at 98mph in 4th gear.
Its frustrating because I wanted to wrap up all the beginner comps before moving on but it's impossible due to the used car thing, unless I'm missing an option in the dealership market.
And yeah that Lotus challenge was haaaard. I got 5th/Bronze and that'll have to do.
Somethings up with the Euro comp or I'm clearly missing something.
I've got a Mercedes 300SL 'Chrome Line' which I got with the Collectors Edition, and I'm sure it fits in the contest limitations, but I still can't use it. I'm guessing the tick by United Kingdom means I have to use a UK car, even though the example cars list Alfa's and other EU cars.
- double holy shit, when this game shines, it shines like nothing i've ever seen before. Cockpit view, at night, in the rain, this is something special that I will tell my grandkids about.
possible spoilers?:
I already hit the credits roll after completing the 3rd tier(professional?) of races. It felt like a really odd place to stick the credits, when there is clearly a lot more races to be had (two more tiers left). It's given me a false sense of accomplishment. And now, I kinda hate myself a little on the inside.