Anyone take the plunge on Test Drive:Unlimited?

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:09 pm

Uhh...I've upgraded about 15 cars and only one time did it upgrade the class. You must have just picked a couple of the few cars that actually do it.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:14 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:Uhh...I've upgraded about 15 cars and only one time did it upgrade the class. You must have just picked a couple of the few cars that actually do it.

Yeah, that was his point. He's wondering why anyone would take anything less than the top upgrade, because only rarely does an upgrade push you to a higher class. (Which could be a reason for taking lower upgrades)

I just think it's dollars, Zepp. Some folks might not have the cash.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:18 pm

Oh yeah...I misread it the first time...I thought he meant that all the cars he's tried went up a class. Oh well...thanks.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:22 pm

dbdynsty25 wrote:Uhh...I've upgraded about 15 cars and only one time did it upgrade the class. You must have just picked a couple of the few cars that actually do it.

I'm not sure what you're getting at.

What I was trying to say was that I don't understand the purpose of more than one upgrade kit for each car. If I am upgrading my car, I am going to get the top upgrade kit, period. Only if that top upgrade bumps the car up a class would I consider getting anything but that top upgrade kit, and I've only seen that be the case with two cars, the Alfa and the Saleen upgrades (as opposed to the normal Ford upgrades) for the Mustang.

In Forza, for example, there was a myriad of ways to upgrade your car with different parts in different areas, and part of the challenge was to get it as upgraded as you could with a combination of upgrades without jumping into another class, or jumping only one class. One too many upgrades in weight reduction, or exhaust system or whatever, would push you past where you wanted to go.

In TDU, the upgrades are just simple, overall upgrades. I don't understand why there are upgrade kits 1 and 2 when upgrade kit 3 gives you the biggest upgrade, and yet doesn't penalize you in any way, certainly not by bumping the car into a higher class. So why have kits 1 and 2 in the game at all?

I just don't get it.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:28 pm

Yeah, I misread what you said the first time Zeppo.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:32 pm

Yeah and since my verbose setting is on high, you guys added those posts while I was still hammering away at the keyboard.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:39 pm

Zeppo wrote:Yeah and since my verbose setting is on high, you guys added those posts while I was still hammering away at the keyboard.

You have other settings?!

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 4:32 pm

Which is the best A car?...Ive got 1.25 mil in the bank and I think its the only class I need..

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 4:34 pm

I personally dig the Saleen Twin Turbo.

Fshguy · Post by **Fshguy** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 4:41 pm

I don't understand the upgrades either. If you buy level 1 and then buy level 3, you don't get a discount for already buying one...

Best A car depends on your driving style. Saleen or the Mclaren are probably fastest, but almost too fast to control unless you're on a lot of straights. Enzo is a nice balance, I prefer the Lam, doesn't lose as much traction...

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:12 am

Finally bought the Saleen last night. The in-cockpit experience is awesome--it feels claustrophobic, the engine sounds ridiculous, and the sheer speed is amazing.

I was looking around at my accomplishments last night and it is crazy just how little I've gotten done despite the amount of time I've spent playing the game. There's something like 60% of the roads still undiscovered in my game.

Anyone know how well it is selling here? I saw it seems to be doing well on the UK sales charts, but I hope Atari is getting the results they deserve with this one.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 4:40 pm

Zeppo wrote:
XXXIV wrote:I have unlocked all the dealers and have a bike but Im having trouble finding the tune up shops...

Where is the tune up shop for Lamborghini?...McLaren? American Muscle?
If you get out the manual and a magnifying glass, you can see all the tune-up shops marked on the map. Luckily, the tune-up shop icon is the easiest to see in nano-form, so armed with that you can kind of figure out where they are. I could show you online if we run into each other.

It worked.I figured it out with manual. I have all the shops.
I would have let you show Me but I was on phone racing then had to sign off quick. Didnt get the message til later.

Since the first one is full is there a second club?

Gurantsu · Post by **Gurantsu** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 10:43 am

During the 2 hours every other day when my daughter is in preschool and my son is napping, I've been concentrating on driving on every road. Today I finally completed it, 100% of the roads driven on. For your reward you get 40 gamer points, and they give you the highest house on the island, way up in the NW corner. My apologies to all those Europeans who challenged me to races which I declined; I was on a mission man!

I want to snag the Saleen, but also the Enzo. I think the Enzo is one of the ugliest cars ever built, but it does handle very well in the game. At least I don't have to look at it when I'm driving it!

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:24 pm

Gurantsu wrote: I want to snag the Saleen, but also the Enzo. I think the Enzo is one of the ugliest cars ever built, but it does handle very well in the game. At least I don't have to look at it when I'm driving it!

I grabbed the Enzo last night and completed the millionaire race offline...

It took Me two tries to get under 60 minutes...I kept hitting police cars the first attempt....It is a pretty easy million if you avoid hitting cars...Just longgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg....

Car does handle well...

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:36 pm

Yeah the Enzo is a joy to drive. I completed that millionaire challenge in 53 minutes in it, I think. Using the McLaren F1 GTR, it took me something like 58 or 59 minutes, it was close. Too slippery, so I sold it.

I'll try it with a Saleen soon...that car seems to be fun.

Fshguy · Post by **Fshguy** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:42 pm

Use the motorcycle for the Millionare challenge... A lot easier to avoid cars...

The "All Roads" thing was a real pain, I'm still 1400 miles short of 5000. At even 120mph average, thats still over 11 hours of straight driving...

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:07 pm

I can't control the motorcycles to save my life. I hate them. Absolutely hate them. It's like they have no "subtle" weight shifting. You go from straight up and down to 45 degree angle with nothing in between. I'll stick to cars.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:20 pm

TCrouch wrote:I can't control the motorcycles to save my life. I hate them. Absolutely hate them. It's like they have no "subtle" weight shifting. You go from straight up and down to 45 degree angle with nothing in between. I'll stick to cars.

Yeah...they handle like crap. I was expecting more a MotoGP type ride but not even close.

Fshguy · Post by **Fshguy** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 4:26 pm

TCrouch wrote:I can't control the motorcycles to save my life. I hate them. Absolutely hate them. It's like they have no "subtle" weight shifting. You go from straight up and down to 45 degree angle with nothing in between. I'll stick to cars.

I had to go to the "outside" the bike/third person view. Never had any luck with the on bike views.

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:15 pm

Gurantsu wrote: I think the Enzo is one of the ugliest cars ever built, but it does handle very well in the game. At least I don't have to look at it when I'm driving it!

Nope. That honor has to go to the Pagani...I bought it as my first A class car, and it's one ugly ride...but it's pretty fast, and sounds very cool. I painted it flat black, and my six year old calls it 'The Batmobile'...

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Thu Oct 05, 2006 10:48 pm

Has anyone made it to 100% yet? I'm at 59% and I don't think I can get much higher...I only have a few of the hitchhiker/top models/transport missions left and that damn sure isn't going to make up 40%. I hope you don't have to do the multiplayer crap to get to 100%. I'm still working my way around the island, trying to drive on all of the roads, but I'm skeptical.

TDU is one of the first driving games I've felt compelled to finish. It is probably my favorite driving game of all time.

AcemanPR · Post by **AcemanPR** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:25 am

The percentage of the game relates to the number of achievement points you have for the game. So if you are 59% done, you probably have 590 or 595 Achievement points in TDU.

Fshguy · Post by **Fshguy** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 10:35 am

dbdynsty25 wrote:Has anyone made it to 100% yet? I'm at 59% and I don't think I can get much higher...I only have a few of the hitchhiker/top models/transport missions left and that damn sure isn't going to make up 40%. I hope you don't have to do the multiplayer crap to get to 100%. I'm still working my way around the island, trying to drive on all of the roads, but I'm skeptical.

TDU is one of the first driving games I've felt compelled to finish. It is probably my favorite driving game of all time.

Db, I'm up for some multiplayer racing sometime. I'm sure a couple of the other guys around here might be up for it to.

I'm up to 85% and have only the Multiplayer "crap" and the 5000 mile achievement to go. Oh, and the trade your car which doesn't work.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:34 pm

Are you guys still playing this online? There were tons of posts here for a while and then nothing! ???

I am looking to get going on this game.....I know I am late to this party, but are you guys still racing this online or just doing offline/single player stuff?

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 7:24 pm

JackB1 wrote:Are you guys still playing this online? There were tons of posts here for a while and then nothing! ???

I am looking to get going on this game.....I know I am late to this party, but are you guys still racing this online or just doing offline/single player stuff?

I haven't raced in a while, but would love to get some more multiplayer in sometime soon. We'd have to see if we can make room in the club for you, and you'd have realize that we all have pretty extensive garages of cars. I'm trying to make it so I have tuned and untuned cars in each class, but I'm not really that close. More and more, though, I'm sure that some cars untuned are better balanced for certain other cars fully tuned, if that makes any sense.

The big bummer is that you can't earn towrads opening up new cars in the multiplayer, the way you could in PGR. You can only earn money in offline racing or the diner challenges to buy new cars; all single player.

The vehicle transports are the easiest money, and I echo that you must make them perfect because the bonuses are 50%; that is, for a $90K mission if you get it perfect, you get $135K. Now that I can stream my iTunes into the 360, that kind of careful driving is a lot more fun!

The hitch-hikers and models only earn you coupons for new clothes, but there are achievements to be earned by completing those as well, and achievements are how you rise in level. Once you get to Champion level, money ceases to be a real issue, since there are a couple of $75K per-pop races/time challenges that can be completed pretty fast.

I tried to rise incrementally in car class, going from F to E to D, then to C, but like I said I still have no A cars. I think D is my favorite class, but I enjoy driving nearly every car I have tremendously, especially the classics. I wish I could tell which club/MP races had traffic and which didn't, because traffic is a ton of fun.

I can't wait to see what you've got your avatar looking like, Jack, once we meet in the Club!

You should see Fshguy!

EDIT: Couple more things; use the filters on the map to highlight specific challenges, or locations, etc. It helps clear the clutter.

And no question, visiting all the dealerships is a very key thing to do early on. It takes a long time and there are a lot of distractions, but I found that it helped give me focus early in the game. Once I got a car I really enjoyed (that Firebird in the American Muscle shop), I just made that my goal, and once I was done, I was well on my way.