Forza 2 Demo is Out

SoMisss2000 · Post by **SoMisss2000** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:12 am

Demo dropped. I like it so far. No it doesn't have a cockpit cam PK...lol...however, it appears to be a definite improvement over the first Forza. I'm not much of a racing fan but i'll pick it up for the multiplayer value. The AI cars seem to be more aggressive than what i've seen. I saw so many pieces of my car flying off my car from being bumped and hit...The graphics look nice. I wonder how much fun it would be with a wheel....anyways, check it out.

SoMisss2000 · Post by **SoMisss2000** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:15 am

Better impressions...

I have given it some time this morning, and overall, I'm really enjoying it.

The first thing I really noticed was the difference in cars. I started out with the Mustang GT and it felt so sluggish on the turns, so I went all the way down to the BMW M3 E36 and that car runs really smooth on the provided track (which by the way is the Mugello Circuit).

The racing AI is pretty impressive. After a few runs, and getting used tot he track, I had a nice race going with the BMW. I took a bad turn and a few cars caught up to me. You look back and you can see the car behind you really trying to work its way around you. Then..boom he nips my back end and I go into a spin, leaving me in last place. Total frustration, but fun.

I agree with the braking being sensitive, but I'm no racing buff, so I'm not sure about the specifics of all that. Many times, I have found myself reducing speed and very using very little brake.

The sound in this game is very nicely done. I "parked" my car in the grass and just listened to the other cars passing me. You hear them from in back of you, moving closer, the gears shifting and then they pass with the full surround sound fell. It's perfect. Also, the sounds of when you rub the grass or go off the track are really nice.

Graphicly, I think it's great, and where I feel the game shines is of course in the smooth framerate, but also where your car connects with the pavement. You really have this sense that the car is part of the ground. Now, I'm not sure if the lighting does this or what, but it's very well done. When you put together the graphics and sound, the game really delivers.

The car damage stops at a certain point. You'll lose your bumpers, windows, but then your car remains the same, even after hitting the wall at 70 mph. As Flawless, noted, the damage isn't dynamic in the sense of it hindering the performance of the car.

I think this game is going to be a monster. I mean, once you get an understanding of how to handle your car, and then all of the customizations, you'll be putting a good amount of time into it. Driving these cars is pretty difficult (IMO). I went with the Ferarri for a little bit, and it's insane how difficult it is to not only keep it on the road, but if you give anyone the slightest bump, you're sliding.

As far as the demo goes, I like it. I just wish it had some multiplayer.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:41 am

SoMisss2000 wrote:The car damage stops at a certain point. You'll lose your bumpers, windows, but then your car remains the same, even after hitting the wall at 70 mph. As Flawless, noted, the damage isn't dynamic in the sense of it hindering the performance of the car.

The car can't be totaled by damage? It can't suffer terminal mechanical problems due to damage? My memory is foggy, but couldn't a car be totaled by damage in the original Forza?

If damage is more cosmetic than anything, that's a joke for a game that depicts itself as a racing sim.

Take care,
PK

fanatic · Post by **fanatic** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:54 am

If I recall correctly, wasn't one of the biggest problems with the first Forza the overly-aggressive AI?

If they are just as aggressive or even moreso, then I'm not sure I'd enjoy it so much. I want the race to come down to "good racing" rather than who manages to tailspin the next guy out of the race. That's what I found with the first one anyways.

While I'm sure the driving system will be awesome in this game, I just don't see myself having the time or desire to play two racing games (I'm not a big of a driving nut as a lot of your guys in here). Dirt will probably be my racing choice for the next while.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Thu May 10, 2007 11:14 am

pk500 wrote:
SoMisss2000 wrote:The car damage stops at a certain point. You'll lose your bumpers, windows, but then your car remains the same, even after hitting the wall at 70 mph. As Flawless, noted, the damage isn't dynamic in the sense of it hindering the performance of the car.
The car can't be totaled by damage? It can't suffer terminal mechanical problems due to damage? My memory is foggy, but couldn't a car be totaled by damage in the original Forza?

If damage is more cosmetic than anything, that's a joke for a game that depicts itself as a racing sim.

Take care,
PK

I'm sure this is just the demo in some sort of intermediary damage mode. I don't doubt for a second you can total your car in the full game, if you have the settings right.

What really bothers me are reports of 'El Corn-Holio' AI, and I'm most worried about the end-of-race protocols. If they haven't fixed the end of race, the long races I like to run will be pointless, just like in the last Forza. Not to mention, flexible number of laps (rather than just 5, 10, 20 like in the original), and such. The damage and tire models in the original were great for longer races, but the screwed up end of race situation just killed it. But then, with only 8 cars per race, the longer races don't really work as well as I'd like anyway. What's wrong with these people? Why only 8 per race? Don't they ever game with friends?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu May 10, 2007 11:25 am

Zep:

Too many laundry nights have fogged my memory: What was the problem with the end of the races in Forza? Was it that the race timed out a minute after the winner crossed the finish line?

Thanks,
PK

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:15 pm

pk500 wrote:Zep:

Too many laundry nights have fogged my memory: What was the problem with the end of the races in Forza? Was it that the race timed out a minute after the winner crossed the finish line?

Thanks,
PK

Wasn't it 30 seconds?

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:28 pm

I have been playing the demo and reading impressions.

Damage is only cosmetic in Demo and arcade mode you can turn on full simulation damage in full game to the point of not being able to continue.

Game doesnt blow you away with graphics
No cockpit cam , no realy , still A sim? no cockpit ? whats worse in order to get the best sound you gotta race in 3rd person view the worst cam ever.
Its ok if you crank up the sound but for me it makes the camera options even worse.

The cars are easy to drive with all assists off i dont mean too easy just very managable and raceable from the get go.
Its not like im finishing 1st in r2 class yet.

Ai seems very good, observant of its surroundings not stuck on a rail around the track making mistakes and the like looks very good.
EDIT:- Havnt been cornholed once in 10 races.

TCROUCH!!!!!! Impressions with the wheel please.
Right now this is a no purchase for me.

Gotta go with PK on the lack of cockpit cam quite simply, with one i buy this game and more than likely the wheel ( yeh f*** it ,another one) without it no go.

Sudz · Post by **Sudz** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:34 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:
pk500 wrote:Zep:

Too many laundry nights have fogged my memory: What was the problem with the end of the races in Forza? Was it that the race timed out a minute after the winner crossed the finish line?

Thanks,
PK
Wasn't it 30 seconds?

that is his sex time.

ba dum chee.

thx. be here all night!

*edited because i'm a dumbass.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu May 10, 2007 12:40 pm

If you want the joke to work correctly, at least proof read the damn thing!

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Thu May 10, 2007 1:00 pm

It wasn't just the ultra-short, 0:30 timer after the winner crossed the line, though that was a huge part of it. The other problem was that all drivers were meant to complete their laps. So, if you were three laps down, and the winner crossed the line with the checkered out, and you were right behind him . . . you still had three laps left to complete. You kept racing. Beyond stupid, really. I mean, just brain-dead dumb. Unless the only races you ever ran were three or even five laps, it makes no sense to me how someone could have thought this was an OK way to do things.

This combined with the severe limits on how many laps you could do (as opposed to ToCA where you could set it to any number, and thus set a race distance that would reslut in just about 30 minute races every time) really hurt. What we did the few times we ran longer races was run X -1 laps, so we'd set it to 20 laps but everyone would run 19 laps. The winner would cross the line with one lap to go and that would be the end of th actual race. He would then pull off the road somewhere near the middle of the track, and the rest of the finishers would queue up behind him as they completed their 20 -1 laps. Any lapped cars would loop around until they had run their 20 -1 laps, and then we would parade across the finish in the proper order so that everyone could cross the line within 0:30 behind the leader and earn their points or money or whatever the hell. Just annoying and dumb.

The one time we ran a 5-lap race at the Nordschleife was an amazing race, though, it must be said. We were forced to pit once, since the fuel wouldn't carry us to the finish. I remember I pitted on lap 2, whereas just about everyone else pitted on lap 3. The way it played out it was just awesome, just the way it is supposed to work; you couldn't exactly tell where you were in relation to the other cars because of the pit, and I ended up in a great race on lap 4 with a car I cought up to as it came out of the pits. I remember Spooky157 forgetting to pit, and running out of fuel way back on the middle part of the track. Really funny.

But we only ran that one time, as the interest in the game had failed by then. It was a great race, though. It frustrates me so much because the damage model, the tire/ rubbering in model, and the fuel consumption were perfectly set up for half hour races (some with quick, quali-style setups would end up with severely damaged suspensions, or quickly eroding tires over the longer races, etc.) but the game itself in terms of race rules was not built for anything longer than 5 laps. Stupid.

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Thu May 10, 2007 1:58 pm

I'm about to mess with the demo and the wheel here at lunch, I'll let you know after...

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Thu May 10, 2007 2:51 pm

I tried the demo quickly, and came away unimpressed. Felt like the last one with prettier graphics.

Fingers crossed that someone picks up GTR...

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Thu May 10, 2007 3:28 pm

I tried the demo VERY briefly with the MS wheel and a C-class car, and the handling felt great, fwiw.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu May 10, 2007 6:11 pm

Gurantsu wrote:I tried the demo quickly, and came away unimpressed. Felt like the last one with prettier graphics.

Fingers crossed that someone picks up GTR...

I came away feeling that same way...Hoping for GTR or TOCA to come out and wishing I could get the NASCAR3 download to work on my PC.

I dodnt even see the graphics as being anything special.

On the bright side...It is just a demo.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Thu May 10, 2007 7:16 pm

I'm more excited about DiRT than Forza.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu May 10, 2007 7:52 pm

JRod wrote:I'm more excited about DiRT than Forza.

Yesssss

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Thu May 10, 2007 8:26 pm

I enjoyed the demo. There's nothing that seems broken or at all wrong with the basic driving model. It's fun driving. Contact with other cars is forgiving, with none of the one-bump-and-spin that can be so frustrating, so it was possible to confidently take an outside line, for example, and react to the other car on contact rather than paying the ulitmate price on the first touch. I hammered some AI in the rear a number of times, and they held on, and I too was able to keep it steady after a love tap from behind once or twice. The new 'braking only' driving line option is very cool.

There's a great feeling of the road even without the FF of the wheel. It's really cool to look at the telemetry of the tires in the replay when you go off-track, and everything about off-track feels very real, whether it's skipping over grass or shuffling in gravel. They have time penalties for contact and off-road time, so I hope that will be enough to eliminate corner cutting. The absence of a cockpit view doesn't kill me, but it's still pretty lame.

This thing is going to be nuts, just because of the number of cars and the insanity of decal customization that will ensue. It should provide for some really fun racing, especially if they've effectively improved the upgrade/ class thing to allow a lot of different makes and models to be competitive among each other. The graphics aren't about being pretty for screenshots, they're about smooth framerates and clear definition of the road at a distance, and as far as I can see they excel.

Driving the game makes me ever more excited for this thing, and I've been lukewarm about it from the beginning. I'm not really confident they will have fixed the end of race stuff, so maybe the long races won't work as well as the 5-lappers, but whatever. The driving model itself is going be worth a decent amount of gametime for me.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:15 pm

Zeppo wrote:I enjoyed the demo. There's nothing that seems broken or at all wrong with the basic driving model. It's fun driving. Contact with other cars is forgiving, with none of the one-bump-and-spin that can be so frustrating, so it was possible to confidently take an outside line, for example, and react to the other car on contact rather than paying the ulitmate price on the first touch. I hammered some AI in the rear a number of times, and they held on, and I too was able to keep it steady after a love tap from behind once or twice. The new 'braking only' driving line option is very cool.

There's a great feeling of the road even without the FF of the wheel. It's really cool to look at the telemetry of the tires in the replay when you go off-track, and everything about off-track feels very real, whether it's skipping over grass or shuffling in gravel. They have time penalties for contact and off-road time, so I hope that will be enough to eliminate corner cutting. The absence of a cockpit view doesn't kill me, but it's still pretty lame.

This thing is going to be nuts, just because of the number of cars and the insanity of decal customization that will ensue. It should provide for some really fun racing, especially if they've effectively improved the upgrade/ class thing to allow a lot of different makes and models to be competitive among each other. The graphics aren't about being pretty for screenshots, they're about smooth framerates and clear definition of the road at a distance, and as far as I can see they excel.

Driving the game makes me ever more excited for this thing, and I've been lukewarm about it from the beginning. I'm not really confident they will have fixed the end of race stuff, so maybe the long races won't work as well as the 5-lappers, but whatever. The driving model itself is going be worth a decent amount of gametime for me.

Sure...make me go play it again...sighssssssss

DChaps · Post by **DChaps** » Thu May 10, 2007 11:24 pm

I had originally figured that Forza 2 or GTR would be the games that would finally get me to purchase a 360. There are so many things that Forza did well, like the fact that it has by far the most realistic depiction of Road Atlanta that I have seen in any sim regardless of platform. However, the end of race issues and lack of multiplayer options for controlling difficulty and leveling the playing field killed that game. Seems odd to provide no cockpit cam either, but I guess they must figure that the GT series has gotten away with it for so many years and I would imagine modeling that many cockpits for so many different cars would be a major task. Thanks for the impressions so far.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Fri May 11, 2007 11:07 am

looking forward to a weekly Forza2 Poker Night!!!

(won't be the same without PK though)

johnvon314 · Post by **johnvon314** » Fri May 11, 2007 8:36 pm

Forza 2 has been on my buy list for a while, and the demo really didn't change that. A few notes:

-The Mugello circuit in the demo is the short version, not the Grand Prix version.
-It is nice to see Forza 2 running st 60 fps as I recall Forza at 30fps was a bit of a distraction.
-The number of cars for a demo is quite generous.
-The AI cars do adjust their driving line with regards to you and also each other.
-The physics model regarding contact with other cars is much more forgiving.
-A few nice extra graphical touches like dust kickup and an animated crowd in the bleachers.
-I was able to drive the wrong way for what appears like an indefinite time to test the limited damage model. Oddly enough, the other cars were still racing each other long after they had completed their allotted laps.

John

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Fri May 11, 2007 8:58 pm

JackB1 wrote:looking forward to a weekly Forza2 Poker Night!!!

(won't be the same without PK though)

He wont be able to hold out forever.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri May 11, 2007 9:22 pm

XXXIV wrote:
JackB1 wrote:looking forward to a weekly Forza2 Poker Night!!!

(won't be the same without PK though)
He wont be able to hold out forever.

Don't hold your breath. I'm getting a new laptop next week, so I'll have NASCAR Racing 2003 Season, Richard Burns Rally, rFactor and Grand Prix Legends running on it within a week after returning from Indy. Pure, true sim racing bliss.

Plus my PC is free (company supplies it), and I know it won't get the three red lights of death.

Take care,
PK

Nozzleman_216 · Post by **Nozzleman_216** » Sat May 12, 2007 3:37 am

pk500 wrote:
XXXIV wrote:
JackB1 wrote:looking forward to a weekly Forza2 Poker Night!!!

(won't be the same without PK though)
He wont be able to hold out forever.
Don't hold your breath. I'm getting a new laptop next week, so I'll have NASCAR Racing 2003 Season, Richard Burns Rally, rFactor and Grand Prix Legends running on it within a week after returning from Indy. Pure, true sim racing bliss.

Plus my PC is free (company supplies it), and I know it won't get the three red lights of death.

Take care,
PK

That best be one HELL of a laptop!! Thats all I can say! I wish you the best though Paul. I told you months ago you would get hooked on pc sim racing and you would have a wheel, I called it, and yet my machine is now showing its legs and I am not about to upgrade for some racing

I wish I could though, the wife doesnt see the need

as the pc surfs and does everything else fine BUT play my racing sims like I want!