Forza 3

Sabre0001

Well, it was my first proper taste of the series (was a console noob up to February and never got into 2 properly - too many games!) but I have to say I'm enjoying the demo so far. Just been doing hotlap sessions. Raced the Ferrari, Porsche, Audi and a touch of the Mini. Porsche is my favourite so far - I like the possibility that control could be lost at any moment or that you can slide a little around the corners.

Setting respectable times but still a good couple of seconds off the leaders. Times so far are good enough for top 4-9%. The two lap race is a little too short to get an actual feel for the game and track and after discovering the hotlap option I haven't looked back. AI is.....interesting. They set good times but insist on taking the racing line.....even if you're on it - overtaking on one corner and was in position, then the AI car starts veering over - my choice: get out of the way or be put into the wall!

Will pick up the full version but I find myself reading promises (such as "over 100 tracks") and thinking "Is it necessary?". That's 100 tracks to learn! 100 tracks which could, but probably won't be, used in multiplayer. Add to that all the varying cars, setups, etc...Is less more at times? Or am I just crazy?

Question: Is glitching possible? I hear so much about Forza being a more realistic racer...But are people still chucking the car at the wall and then using the extra momentum for a faster turn?

What do ye think so far? As good as other installments? And how are the times looking? (I'm SabreO001 on Live if anyone wants a comparison - unfortunately no ghost of the leaderboards though)

brian plank

if your racing online you'll mostly see real world tracks being used so you wont exactly have to learn every track. as for people cheating the most popular way on F2 was slip streaming or using a fast car to ram a slow car accross the line. with the new penalty system that cant happen anymore.

i didnt really like it at first because its gone a bit more arcadey or "accesible" as they like to call it and all the new gimmicks like rewind, rollover and interiors add nothing to it. the interiors were a waste of time because they look terrible. after figuring out you can hotlap its grown on me and i really like it now.

NunianVonFuch

I'm more of an arcade racing fan, though I tried out Forza as they were boasting about their new damage model. Damage? What damage??? It's the exact effect on your handling as in Grid but without any visible damage to your car! There's a bit of crumple but the idea that I can smash my car head-on into a wall or another car and then just drive away is ludicrous. I had all aids turned off and damage at simulation level. Eventually after playing chicken for a few laps some smoke came out and the engine died but if playing normally I highly doubt this would ever happen.
Takes the edge of the game if they're not going to punish you properly if you mess it up, why you can't lose a tyre or two is probably some licensing issue, but I'm not a big fan of this oversight.
Game itself was all right besides that, handling was quite challenging, cars are very distinct. I'll probably still stick with Grid though.

Kenny_D

Do you have a wheel for it or just use the control pad?

Vegeta

I love Forza 2, great great game so I am looking forward to 3. I saw the demo of this being played sat night but never played it myself (was two tired after walking up Carrantuohill)

My fears are that it is going a bit arcade, as one of the others has already mentioned but I'll only really know after seeing the full game in action. I know some people wont like this (Burning Eclipse I'm looking at you) but I don't like the Audi R8 as the cover car. Its to tame for Forza, maybe if it was race prepared covered in decals, carbon fibre and dropped an inch or 2. Its too vanilla as a cover car in my opinion

I love tuning the cars from camber, caster and toe to spring rates.

Don't worry about the 100 tracks thing, that's a load of sh1te usually. It'll be like 20-30 actual tracks with 3-5 variations of each or something like that.

Forza for me is taking a sh1t box of a car and making it faster than the competition by way of driving and tuning skill.

If they can still let me do this with a wide array of cars, both fast and slow, and have decent licensed tracks. Then I'll be pretty happy

What it offers over Forza 2 I don't know, why would one by Forza 3 over Forza 2. I keep asking myself that and I don't really know the answer

Sabre0001

GStormcrow wrote: »

Do you have a wheel for it or just use the control pad?

I use the control pad.

Perhaps it is more arcadey. Noticed some difference in the performance but then I try to keep it out of the walls where possible Not a fan of the rewind system - thought it was done well in Grid in that you had a limit...Now you can use it every corner (of course, you could self-limit but still!). No need for the interiors either (although a lot of games seem to be pushing that "real" aspect - nothing better to focus on? :S)

Not a mechanical mind myself - prefer taking a bread and butter car but just using it better than others to win. Perhaps that is what has put me off Forza. That, or I just need to team up with a mechanic (hello Vegeta ) for a master team of victory!

Kinetic^

Rewind feature is lame. You're either good and have the consistency to carry that through a race or you're not. What incentive is there for someone to practice when they have something like that? :mad:

GothPunk

Kinetic^ wrote: »

Rewind feature is lame. You're either good and have the consistency to carry that through a race or you're not. What incentive is there for someone to practice when they have something like that? :mad:

My thoughts exactly, I mean, my enjoyment comes from playing the same track over and over again to see I can improve my time, although I do get some amused looks from the OH when I'm swearing at the TV when I make a stupid mistake. Rewind kind of takes away the risk factor, but I haven't been able to find out if you're penalised for using rewind in Forza 3 like you are in some other games that have the feature.

I have a Silver account, so I figure I'll be able to grab the demo this week?

brian plank

GothPunk wrote: »

I haven't been able to find out if you're penalised for using rewind in Forza 3

it uncertifys your lap so basically that lap wont count. if you do a 1:10 uncertified someone with a certified 1:15 will be ahead of you on the leaderboard.

Vegeta

Kinetic^ wrote: »

Rewind feature is lame. You're either good and have the consistency to carry that through a race or you're not. What incentive is there for someone to practice when they have something like that? :mad:

I can see a place for it, especially in the long races but allowing unlimited use is pretty ghey especially on the short races, no need for it on 2, 3 and 4 lap races.

Vegeta

Sabre0001 wrote: »

I use the control pad.

Perhaps it is more arcadey. Noticed some difference in the performance but then I try to keep it out of the walls where possible Not a fan of the rewind system - thought it was done well in Grid in that you had a limit...Now you can use it every corner (of course, you could self-limit but still!). No need for the interiors either (although a lot of games seem to be pushing that "real" aspect - nothing better to focus on? :S)

Not a mechanical mind myself - prefer taking a bread and butter car but just using it better than others to win. Perhaps that is what has put me off Forza. That, or I just need to team up with a mechanic (hello Vegeta ) for a master team of victory!

Hey when it comes out maybe we can have a race meet, I'm sure Burning Eclipse and Mr. K would be up for it anyway.

Sabre0001

Vegeta wrote: »

Hey when it comes out maybe we can have a race meet, I'm sure Burning Eclipse and Mr. K would be up for it anyway.

Sounds like a plan!

zero19

Boards race night ftw

Burning Eclipse

Vegeta wrote: »

I know some people wont like this (Burning Eclipse I'm looking at you) but I don't like the Audi R8 as the cover car. Its too vanilla as a cover car in my opinion

Just no.

Biro

Vegeta wrote: »

I know some people wont like this (Burning Eclipse I'm looking at you) but I don't like the Audi R8 as the cover car. Its to tame for Forza, maybe if it was race prepared covered in decals, carbon fibre and dropped an inch or 2. Its too vanilla as a cover car in my opinion

I agree. Many more options available to them! They did do some deal with Audi though.

NunianVonFuch

Did ye see this?


Why bother with damage at all!

amacachi

NunianVonFuch wrote: »

Did ye see this?


Why bother with damage at all!

Same thing happened me, was more or less stopped upside down, hit accelerate and it turned over.
They should've either tested it properly or taken rollover out, it's ridiculous.

EDIT: I did it in the R3 car.

Kinetic^

I think it's the case that Turn 10 just listened to their community a little too much. Bringing in damage and the rolls is a great idea but in practice it's a little different. To get all the car stats etc they need to work with each etc which means the driving experience is pretty spot on. If they were to put that same practice in to the damage aspect then they would've had to crash some cars. They should've just left it out and concentrated on more cars/tracks as I don't think the 360 has the power to be able to have Forza driving with burnout crashing all in one game.

zero19

It's quite hard to roll a car if you ask me, but that is annoying

Vegeta

NunianVonFuch wrote: »

Did ye see this?


Why bother with damage at all!

Mmmmmmm arcade goodness

What were they thinking with that. I saw it happen with the R3 car alright the other night and thought it was pathetic. Again what were they thinking, if you roll the car, it should be a restart or use the rewind to undo the mistake. The damage is implemented poorly.

In a game like this you do 1 of 2 things. You leave out damage and say we didn't want to do it half assed so we concentrated on the handling and realistic performance. The other option is to do it, but then you have to do it really well.

I like Forza because its marketed as a simulator but this looks diluted and that with the Audi marketing doesn't really sit well with me. Why didn't they just put one of the Audi Le Mans prototype cars on the cover instead of the vanilla R8. Actually It's like a metaphor for where I fear the series might to be headed. From hardcore racer to mass appeal racer.

Anyone who doubts this could potentially happen needs to notice a few things. The rewind feature in the demo allows unlimited use, making the game fundamentally easier (haven't checked this for all difficulties so am open to correction) Single button racing has been put in for people with the skill of a one fingered pianist. Why is the latter even needed, if you are not the best at driving just let the pro drivers do it for you and you work on setting up the car and getting the best out of it.

What fundamentals to the actual racing have been added to Forza 3 over Forza 2 to make it a better game? Are there more cars does anyone know, more tracks? More tuning/setup options? Better use of pro drivers? Better tyre wear/grip modelling in the wet and dry?

Obviously the goal of the developer is to make a game that sells well so mass appeal is good and hey if adding rewind and single button racing does that all the better. Change is not always bad but I fear they are coming close to a line where Forza is just updated with newer model cars, shinier graphics, and the odd gimmick feature just to turn a profit. That would sadden me

Now obviously I am basing this all off a demo so could be proved wrong by the full title but is anyone else worried that Forza 3 will be Forza 2.1

brian plank

Vegeta wrote: »

What fundamentals to the actual racing have been added to Forza 3 over Forza 2 to make it a better game? Are there more cars does anyone know, more tracks? More tuning/setup options? Better use of pro drivers? Better tyre wear/grip modelling in the wet and dry?

theres supposed to be 400+ cars but there was close to if not 400 in F2 including dlc. the only new real tracks seem to be catalunya and le mans + all the made up ones like in the demo which are basically the new snake tracks.

if you want to find out why theres so many gimmicks just look at the forzamotorsport.net forums and you'll soon understand. :rolleyes:. this is interesting too. http://gamer.blorge.com/2009/09/29/forza-dev-didnt-have-to-bash-gran-turismo-5-as-forza-3-is-good-on-its-own-merit/

zero19

The NeoGAF thing is gas, very childish behaviour that

zero19

Dunno if you guys have seen this, excellent video of in game drift antics with the legendary blackjack drift team, was lucky enough to drift with em now and then in FM2 and use their car tuning set-ups

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Znmb3BtsGos

amacachi

They the lads who were on Top Gear?

brian plank

zero19 wrote: »

Dunno if you guys have seen this, excellent video of in game drift antics with the legendary blackjack drift team, was lucky enough to drift with em now and then in FM2 and use their car tuning set-ups

i always thought drifting was a load of b0llox until i seen their videos on youtube. i'd have to see the really close stuff being done to believe it though. there was something very similar in one of the trailers for F3.

amacachi

brian plank wrote: »

i always thought drifting was a load of b0llox until i seen their videos on youtube. i'd have to see the really close stuff being done to believe it though. there was something very similar in one of the trailers for F3.

As much as I'd like to believe it, I doubt that was done in one take.

zero19

amacachi wrote: »

As much as I'd like to believe it, I doubt that was done in one take.

Me too, but i don't think it'd take many tries to get right, it looks harder than it is

amacachi

Wasn't sure if here or the review thread was the right place, but does anyone know if the limited/collectors edition will be available in Ireland?

mailrewop

amacachi wrote: »

Wasn't sure if here or the review thread was the right place, but does anyone know if the limited/collectors edition will be available in Ireland?

is this the one your talking about http://www.toys.ie/FORZA-MOTORSPORT-3-LTD-EDT-X360-!G10319-prod.aspx?qwSessionID=4840b0f3-08b2-46e3-a98c-7b328f3122ff

Dcully

As a life long simracing fanatic i can safely say nothing and i mean nothing on any console out there right now is a sim in the true sence of a racing sim, yes forza 2 was decent and definitely leaned toward the sim crowd more so than anything else on console but still fell short in many ways of the well established sims on the pc.
However of the guys over at Inside Simracing tv reckon Forza 3 will change that.
As a long time subscriber of their site i not only trust these guys but i tend to agree agree with them a lot on their general opinions and reviews etc.
Ive raced with Shaun and Darin a few times in iracing,they are top guys who give honest well informed revierws of everything sim related, check out their back catalogue of work to see how much these guys are in the know.
Have a look at their brand new Forza review here

Based on this vid console owners yearning for a proper racing sim on their 360 seem to be in luck.

Remember a proper sim deserves to be judged as such only when used in conjunction with a proper means of crontrol - ie a proper wheel and pedals setup.
I might just buy the Fanatec wheel in this video and get forza 3
[pity my G25 isnt compatible with the 360]

Vegeta

You are obviously a knowledgeable guy when it comes to the sims

Gameplay wise (or what Shaun and Darin called Physics, Damage and Sound) do you think there is a huge difference between 2 and the demo of 3?

I personally don't see it.

To me they play and feel very similar. Now in fairness I have only played the game with a Microsoft Wheel which appears to be a long way from those Fanatec wonders so maybe I don't get the full effect of the improvements in 3 (the clutch)

As I said many times now I really love Forza and I suppose I just expected improvements on the racing side as opposed to accessibility and visual presentation.

Looking forward to the drag racing a little more after seeing that review though

Dcully wrote: »

As a life long simracing fanatic i can safely say nothing and i mean nothing on any console out there right now is a sim in the true sence of a racing sim, yes forza 2 was decent and definitely leaned toward the sim crowd more so than anything else on console but still fell short in many ways of the well established sims on the pc.
However of the guys over at Inside Simracing tv reckon Forza 3 will change that.
As a long time subscriber of their site i not only trust these guys but i tend to agree agree with them a lot on their general opinions and reviews etc.
Ive raced with Shaun and Darin a few times in iracing,they are top guys who give honest well informed revierws of everything sim related, check out their back catalogue of work to see how much these guys are in the know.
Have a look at their brand new Forza review here

Based on this vid console owners yearning for a proper racing sim on their 360 seem to be in luck.

Remember a proper sim deserves to be judged as such only when used in conjunction with a proper means of crontrol - ie a proper wheel and pedals setup.
I might just buy the Fanatec wheel in this video and get forza 3
[pity my G25 isnt compatible with the 360]