Forza Horizon demo impressions

Ok so I've not really kept up to date on this game, can somebody answer my question:

Does this game feature the same sort of 'hardcore' physics model of previous Forza's? Or has the physics model been altered along with the structure and tone of the game?
 
Arnie said:
Ok so I've not really kept up to date on this game, can somebody answer my question:

Does this game feature the same sort of 'hardcore' physics model of previous Forza's? Or has the physics model been altered along with the structure and tone of the game?
Click to expand...

think of it as semi sim
 
saladine1 said:
I was just going through the upgrades video when I noticed something.
When the guy was hovering over exhaust upgrade, part of the description read..

"These upgrades also make an audible difference"

Now, the last time we saw that description was in FM2. In FM2, swapping out exhausts actually changed the exhaust note of the vehicle. We haven't seen this since.

Maybe the reason why sounds are civilized/toned down in Horizon is perhaps it's making a return.(Holy shit if true!!). Maybe they meant to start the cars out stock, then crank up that shit as we upgrade our cars ala FM2.

On the other hand, "audible difference" could be referring to Wiswell's DSP effects from FM4 which would mean raspier stock notes and not actual changed notes..

Am I the only one who cares?
Click to expand...

I hope so! Love me some good car sounds.
 
I enjoyed the demo but I'm not dying to get this game. Will probably wait for a sale. I felt too floaty on the dirt section that you race the Lancer in. Granted, it's the first time I brought the Fanatec out since its summer retirement but I just felt all over the place.

Probably will have to get in 'the zone' but the game really didn't grab me like Forza 4's demo.

I turned off all assists as usual but still felt slightly arcadey, that also might be since it's the first time I actually played no a dirt course and just need to adjust.
 
NullPointer said:
Come on now. Marketing teams bring this upon themselves. The expectations for this game were set by Turn 10 and Playground, not the wild imaginings of onlookers.

Left to my own wishes I just wanted something better than TDU at its own game, and this game provides that for me, so its all good. But its not dismissive to wonder why this game is a Forza title, and just what is meant by 'Forza DNA' and 'Forza authenticity'. If its not the underpinning physics and driving feel then what is it?
Click to expand...

Well, as an example, it was exhaustively said that Horizon's handling is somewhat "Forza light", and now people are complaining because it plays different than Forza 4. It was said a lot of times that the gameplay was tweaked to be easier than it is in Forza 4.

It was always said that the game will run around a Music Festival; in fact, Horizon *is* a musical game (if you don't believe me, just play the Mustang vs. Mustang event and note that the music ends exactly when you finish the race), and now people are complaining that the engine/gearboxes sounds were reduced. Well, great news, Forza Horizon is about cars *and music*, so there's a reason for that.

Another example is about the "open world". Since the E3 I knew that we will not be able to leave the roads, city streets, offroad areas and places like the festival and the golf course. I knew that because I've seen tons of videos about this game, and I know that except for Fuel and TDU, all other open world racing games work the same way than Forza Horizon, and they never have shown any image or video where you see a car outside a place where you cannot go in the game.

So I don't buy the idea of misleading marketing. =P


But yeah, they *have* to improve the rumble features. =/
 
acm2000 said:
i would say cockpit sounds more realistic, muffled sound proofing of a modern car, exterior view however, forza 4 sounds better
Click to expand...

I was wondering if this was a purposeful change due to the sunny day road cruiser like mentality of Horizons versus the true racer of Forza 4.
 
ok, some notes

-handling is the best handling on xbox, outside of forza4. so that means it's still very-very good.
you can download the various racing games demos from xblive, and do comparison for yourselves
-"forza dna" patches are needed in a) rumble for driving feedback, b) sound effects

assuming no fuck-ups, I think teams of 8 people online will create havoc :) also the forza ladder/rival system will present some interesting challenges. and photo mode will have lots of variety.

I like it
 
fuck the golf courses guys, as long as there are good roads in the game.
do you know if the player will have the ability to set his own point to point races, or just choose from existing?
 
I wonder how long it takes to go from one end to the other for that long straight freeway that's on the map, I hope it's not just a few minutes at 180mph/300kmh.


I'll buy a RUF Yellowbird, paint it black and upgrade it to a freeway racer ala Wangan Midnight.
 
saladine1 said:
I was just going through the upgrades video when I noticed something.
When the guy was hovering over exhaust upgrade, part of the description read..

"These upgrades also make an audible difference"

Now, the last time we saw that description was in FM2. In FM2, swapping out exhausts actually changed the exhaust note of the vehicle. We haven't seen this since.

Maybe the reason why sounds are civilized/toned down in Horizon is perhaps it's making a return.(Holy shit if true!!). Maybe they meant to start the cars out stock, then crank up that shit as we upgrade our cars ala FM2.

On the other hand, "audible difference" could be referring to Wiswell's DSP effects from FM4 which would mean raspier stock notes and not actual changed notes..

Am I the only one who cares?
Click to expand...

No sir you are not the only one who cares about this.
Where is that video, do you have a link to it?
 
Arucardo said:
I wonder how long it takes to go from one end to the other for that long straight freeway that's on the map, I hope it's not just a few minutes at 180mph/300kmh.


I'll buy a RUF Yellowbird, paint it black and upgrade it to a freeway racer ala Wangan Midnight.
Click to expand...

Truth! This man knows what's up! Now I will finally have a reason to create the original Mid Night Club!
 
eso76 said:
Not under warranty, but Thomas already offered a small discount for clubsport pedals (still too much, considering how much i'll be using them).
CSR Pedals at 80$ that's not bad at all, i hadn't thought of that option.
i assume they're better than the old standard pedals that came with the TWPS ?


(btw, i hope it's the pedals and not the connector on the wheel side that's giving me problems)
Click to expand...
You might be able to get a set of G25 or G27 pedals from eBay. I used my old set of G27s for a while with my GT2 wheel before getting the Clubsports, and they are pretty good. Not Clubsport good, but good nevertheless.
 
p3tran said:
fuck the golf courses guys, as long as there are good roads in the game.
do you know if the player will have the ability to set his own point to point races, or just choose from existing?
Click to expand...
Heh. I would like at least one large open area where I could put the Raptor through its paces and get some nice jumps in, Top Gear USA style. I'm talking some truly uneven surfaces, but from the way rocks and trees have force fields in front of them I'm doubting we'll see that level of openness anywhere. Fingers crossed though.

DD said:
Well, as an example, it was exhaustively said that Horizon's handling is somewhat "Forza light", and now people are complaining because it plays different than Forza 4. It was said a lot of times that the gameplay was tweaked to be easier than it is in Forza 4.

...

So I don't buy the idea of misleading marketing. =P
Click to expand...
Believe me, I've watched and read every tidbit of media I could find on this game. 

Speaking of media: For what its worth it looks like there is an official answer to my question. From the Under the Hood series:

Under the Hood said:
Dan, some people are wondering why this game is even called "Forza" when that name is so closely tied to Forza Motorsports’ sim-racing roots. How do you respond to that? Was there every any consideration to use another name?

DAN GREENAWALT: As Ralph mentioned, to us Forza has always been about more than just simulation racing. We always knew we wanted to expand the Forza experience. I think "Forza Horizon" fits perfectly within the "Forza universe" because this is a game about expressing car passion. It’s just not what many people have expected. I actually love that about this game. We’ve said from the beginning that our goal has always been to turn gamers into car lovers and car lovers into gamers. And, let’s face it, there is a segment of players out there that might believe that simulation racing is not for them--it’s too technical, it’s too straight-laced, whatever the critique might be.

I’ve loved showing this game off to the press and the public over these past few months and watching their eyes light up the first time they grab a controller. For players who might be new to racing games, they instantly connect with that idea of getting into a hot car, smashing through fences and picnic tables, and basically hooning it up like crazy. There’s that visceral thrill that is undeniable. It’s equally satisfying, however, to hear from a long-time Forza Motorsport fan--the more skeptical the better, in my opinion--who grabs the controller and within just a few moments realizes that this really is true Forza physics underpinning the game. Yes, these cars feel like individual entities and they all drive differently. And they realize that, "Wait a minute, I’m on the open roads of Colorado and I can go anywhere I want?"
Click to expand...
(full article)

So uh, there's that ;p

But I still love the game, as it has the best driving model of any open world racer out there, hands down. The fact that its gorgeous, has nice upgrades and some seemingly crazy events is even better. But I still feel like I've been bullshitted - a lion share of that difference to driving feel might be found in the almost non-existent rumble on the controller, the muted sounds, and the lack to night and day difference between some of the driving surfaces.
 
Okay, I need some newbie advice on racing wheels. I want to find the best one I can for under 80 bucks (even if it is used on eBay, as long as it works). As long as it works with Forza 4 and Forza Horizon.

I know I'm not going to get a great one by any means, but this is for my boyfriend who is a relatively casual player, but loves cars.

Is my best bet the official Microsoft one that was released years ago?
 
Arucardo said:
I wonder how long it takes to go from one end to the other for that long straight freeway that's on the map, I hope it's not just a few minutes at 180mph/300kmh.


I'll buy a RUF Yellowbird, paint it black and upgrade it to a freeway racer ala Wangan Midnight.
Click to expand...
It will be something around 2 minutes, It's my guess.

Yesterday it took me something like 3 minutes to run around the cell tower mountain in Clear Springs, using a slower car (Lancer). It is a slower section of roads too. Considering a 100 Miles per hour (166 Km/h) of average speed, my guess is that it will take (excluding outer areas like Pinney Dam, Red Rock, Beaumont and Eagle Ridge, for example) something around 5 minutes on the outer ring.
 
Shadow2222 said:
Okay, I need some newbie advice on racing wheels. I want to find the best one I can for under 80 bucks (even if it is used on eBay, as long as it works). As long as it works with Forza 4 and Forza Horizon.

I know I'm not going to get a great one by any means, but this is for my boyfriend who is a relatively casual player, but loves cars.

Is my best bet the official Microsoft one that was released years ago?
Click to expand...

Yep. Pretty much.

I bought one last year for Forza 4 (on eBay; $70). It's a pretty good wheel.
 
Im pretty sure the only entry level wheel with force feedback is the official one, don't skimp and get one without!

I've got a cheap Logitech wheel here my kid uses, it's has rumble effects to fake the feedback but it's hardly worth getting.

Check out some pawn shops for a MS wheel, you can find them cheaper than eBay and it may be covered by a couple of months warranty.
 
drugstore_cowboy said:
Im pretty sure the only entry level wheel with force feedback is the official one, don't skimp and get one without!
Click to expand...

Yeah it is. That's the reason why I got it.

The other wheels that are in stores for $100-$200 don't have force feedback.

The only other wheels with force feedback are the recently released MadCatz wheel which is around $250 iirc and the Fanatec wheels which are very expensive ($300+).
 
The MS wireless wheel is genuinely a good wheel to start with and it's perfect for Forza. I started with one right before Forza 3 came out then as I got more in to it I sold the MS wheel and bought a G25 for more serious pc sims (I really wanted a clutch and a gearbox too).

I started craving some Forza again a bit before 4 came out and started looking for used Fanatecs and managed to find a complete steal for a PWTS (paid 120e for an almost brand new wheel with everything but the pedals and the more expensive shifter paddles, but it had the G25 pedal adapter so I could use the G25 pedals).

Also, I sold the MS wheel for twice what I paid for it. Since the wheel is out of production for a long time now every now and then the demand for used ones spikes and you can ask for more when you're selling one.
 
Arucardo said:
The MS wireless wheel is genuinely a good wheel to start with and it's perfect for Forza. I started with one right before Forza 3 came out then as I got more in to it I sold the MS wheel and bought a G25 for more serious pc sims (I really wanted a clutch and a gearbox too).

I started craving some Forza again a bit before 4 came out and started looking for used Fanatecs and managed to find a complete steal for a PWTS (paid 120e for an almost brand new wheel with everything but the pedals and the more expensive shifter paddles, but it had the G25 pedal adapter so I could use the G25 pedals).

Also, I sold the MS wheel for twice what I paid for it. Since the wheel is out of production for a long time now every now and then the demand for used ones spikes and you can ask for more when you're selling one.
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm really happy with it. It's what I use.

Have you tweaked the sensitivity settings at all for your wheel for this game?
 
I used to have a MS wheel. My son though, took a lighter to it to see what would happen.
Still sold it for more than I bought it for even though it was a little crispier than normal...
 
Thanks guys, I was able to get one in great condition for about 70 on eBay. It comes with the PGR3 disc "required" for calibration. Is that still true, or can I just plug and play?

Also, I heard the force feedback got slightly messed up with a firmware update a couple months back. Has that problem been rectified?
 
Shadow2222 said:
Thanks guys, I was able to get one in great condition for about 70 on eBay. It comes with the PGR3 disc "required" for calibration. Is that still true, or can I just plug and play?

Also, I heard the force feedback got slightly messed up with a firmware update a couple months back. Has that problem been rectified?
Click to expand...
Should be plug and play by now. Also I haven't noticed any issues with force feedback.
 
I received my Forza Horizon review copy today.

The embargo lifts 12:01am tomorrow, so I'll be streaming the game tomorrow night and answering any questions I can on it.
 
Yeah not sure what you'll see from people as most outlets got the game on Monday, so I would be suspect of any Review tomorrow.
 
saladine1 said:
Heliooosssooososss!!!

Please, put my fears to rest. I need to know:
Why are the sounds well behaved?
Do the exhaust upgrades at least raise the volume/aggressiveness of the sounds?
Is DSP still a feature in Horizon?
Where are the shifting effects?
Where are the exhaust pops,splutters and crackles?

C'mon man, need some answers here.

Yes, I sound like a nut case focusing on audio here. Some people love graphics, others, the game-play...I LOVE sound!

Surely Wiswell isn't responsible for this is he?

dawcryfff.gif
Click to expand...

Got you a few answers from an audio designer.

Do the exhaust upgrades at least raise the volume/aggressiveness of the sounds? – This depends heavily on the car. In general the volume of certain components does increase with upgrades. This in turn drives the DSP harder and gives the car more of a race feel.

Is DSP still a feature in Horizon? – Forza Horizon features the same DSP as Forza Motorsport.

Where are the shifting effects? – This also depends heavily on the car. These have been tweaked for Forza Horizon and become more prominent as the cars transmission is upgraded.

Where are the exhaust pops,splutters and crackles? ? – Forza Horizon features the same pops, splutters and crackles as Forza Motorsport.



Hope the above answers are to your liking.

That Dawson's Creek .gif always cracks me up lol.
 
Hawk SE said:
I received my Forza Horizon review copy today.

The embargo lifts 12:01am tomorrow, so I'll be streaming the game tomorrow night and answering any questions I can on it.
Click to expand...


When do you anticipate having your review ready? Any impressions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Hawk SE said:
I received my Forza Horizon review copy today.

The embargo lifts 12:01am tomorrow, so I'll be streaming the game tomorrow night and answering any questions I can on it.
Click to expand...

Oh sweet!


I'm done with the demo. After playing F4 obsessively, it's really hard to play with this game's handling. It is much more on-rails, which probably makes it more fun for people to speed through turns but it disappoints me. I'll still get it, but I personally will be looking at this like a new Midnight Club game, not a Forza game.
 
Drewfonse said:
When do you anticipate having your review ready? Any impressions would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

Realistically? A full week from tomorrow.

But I'll probably post an evolving review on my site: www.savingcontent.com - covering what I feel about it.

It's also worth noting I've played Forza 2, 3, and 4. So I'm quite familiar with the series and have expectations just like many of you do.

Starting tomorrow I'm gonna post pictures / video of the unboxing of the press kit. Then tomorrow night I'll start streaming my gameplay as I move through the career.
 
saladine1 said:
I used to have a MS wheel. My son though, took a lighter to it to see what would happen.
Still sold it for more than I bought it for even though it was a little crispier than normal...
Click to expand...
I've just spotted one on eBay for a hundo... would you say it's worth picking up for the 360 given the only wheel I have is a G27 for PC/PS3? I've been itching to play FM4 with a wheel, but MS don't make it easy :(

NullPointer said:
So uh, there's that ;p

But I still love the game, as it has the best driving model of any open world racer out there, hands down. The fact that its gorgeous, has nice upgrades and some seemingly crazy events is even better. But I still feel like I've been bullshitted - a lion share of that difference to driving feel might be found in the almost non-existent rumble on the controller, the muted sounds, and the lack to night and day difference between some of the driving surfaces.
Click to expand...
Open road ;)

If the handling (or at least, the feel of the handling) is drastically different with the full game (either patched or otherwise) or it's good with a wheel (like I said, I might be able to nab one for $100AU) I'll probably reconsider. But there's just too many driving games around at the moment that will take priority. It'll be good to have as a quick, casual "fling" compared to more simmy games, but even then... there's no urgency for it.
 
Played the demo. The racing isn't bad but I wish that you could go the road a bit more like TDU. Bit disapointed by that fact.
 
@jeffgerstmann said:
Review and Quick Look of Forza Horizon coming tonight at midnight (about 3.5 hours from now).
Click to expand...

I just realized I have no idea how the reviews will go for this game. Jeff really liked Forza 3 and Forza 4, but he likes a lot of flash with his other racing games, and he's said that he's really liked Need For Speed: Most Wanted. I feel he's going to be underwhelmed.
 
Will we be able to search for public free roam lobbies? Everything I have read makes it sound as if free roam is private only.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Forza Horizon 5 comes to PS5 this Spring
12 13 14 15 16
781
39K
NeverYouMind replied
  • Poll
Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 won’t have a physical version
2
74
4K
thicc_girls_are_teh_best replied
Lego Horizon Reviews/Impressions embargo November 13th
25
1K
Fake replied
Forza Horizon 5 on PS5 Will Require a Microsoft Account to Play
News Drama Business  2 3 4
168
8K
Sintoid replied
Forza Horizon 5 also coming to Nintendo Switch 2, according to Ex1stas
Rumor 
39
2K
Orbital2060 replied
Top Bottom