ForzaHorizon 2 first impressions

[OldF@rt]

Aha, dipping a toe in eh, well you'll just have to get a console to match then.
You won't be disappointed. Online is smooth as ever and the nightmare Kinnect spying on you is overblown nonsense.

My only negative is the lack of support for previous wheels.

Lack of previous wheel support is an absolute deal-breaker for me, as the proud owner of a Fanatec GT2, which I bought for X360 support. We'll see how the PS4 handles previous-generation wheels when the new games come out. If the situation is as bad as with the XBone my next generation console will be a PC...

 

[Aftrbrnr]

There's a handful of things I didn't like in my opinion. I kind of preferred the original FH's career structure along with the "bosses" at the end of each wristband. The "road trips" in between each championship gets old really fast, I know they want you to enjoy the scenery like a real-life road trip but being a video game it doesn't really capture the whole experience as well as a real-life experience would. The way the championship classes are structured out means some vehicles will never see each other in competition where they would have in previous Forza games, or there are too few race types. As an example, gone are races such as AWD races, Class A (or any other class), 500 and under, etc. These race types in past games were basically how you got something like a Ford Raptor to line up against a Honda Civic, now a Raptor is basically perpetually stuck with three other "extreme off-road" vehicles in competition.

Oh, back to wristbands, where as in the previous game they actually signified career progression, this time around it only seems to indicate rank or essentially how much you have played the game.

The other thing that is kind of a head scratcher to me is the whole music festival aspect of Horizon, they seem to want to integrate it into the game but being a racing game it's hard to really properly apply it. You see a bit of it in the intros of both games, but other than that you don't see much else. The main festival areas give you an idea of what is going on, but it really leaves much to the imagination of the actual experience. A perfect example is how a few times during FH2 where we are told we are going to an awards ceremony and how awesome it will be (the radio announcers even telling you how much of a loser you are if you miss out), yet when you get there you are not even treated to a cut scene, the screen goes black and pretty much loads the next "day". In summary, I just feel the music festival part of Horizon is pointless because it basically occurs off-screen in the background minus the player, yet the franchise seems to try and push onto us how awesome it is despite how irrelevant it is to gameplay or how there is no real options to even get a glimmer of it.

 

[RC45]

There's a handful of things I didn't like in my opinion. I kind of preferred the original FH's career structure along with the "bosses" at the end of each wristband. The "road trips" in between each championship gets old really fast, I know they want you to enjoy the scenery like a real-life road trip but being a video game it doesn't really capture the whole experience as well as a real-life experience would. The way the championship classes are structured out means some vehicles will never see each other in competition where they would have in previous Forza games, or there are too few race types. As an example, gone are races such as AWD races, Class A (or any other class), 500 and under, etc. These race types in past games were basically how you got something like a Ford Raptor to line up against a Honda Civic, now a Raptor is basically perpetually stuck with three other "extreme off-road" vehicles in competition.

Oh, back to wristbands, where as in the previous game they actually signified career progression, this time around it only seems to indicate rank or essentially how much you have played the game.

The other thing that is kind of a head scratcher to me is the whole music festival aspect of Horizon, they seem to want to integrate it into the game but being a racing game it's hard to really properly apply it. You see a bit of it in the intros of both games, but other than that you don't see much else. The main festival areas give you an idea of what is going on, but it really leaves much to the imagination of the actual experience. A perfect example is how a few times during FH2 where we are told we are going to an awards ceremony and how awesome it will be (the radio announcers even telling you how much of a loser you are if you miss out), yet when you get there you are not even treated to a cut scene, the screen goes black and pretty much loads the next "day". In summary, I just feel the music festival part of Horizon is pointless because it basically occurs off-screen in the background minus the player, yet the franchise seems to try and push onto us how awesome it is despite how irrelevant it is to gameplay or how there is no real options to even get a glimmer of it.

So the road trip is pointless and you want more music festival?

Perhaps you are not into driving as much as you thought.

 

[Blkout]

I agree, I actually like the road trips. its a pretty cool way to enjoy a new ride, or new music or just relax before you start racing again. Its usually about 5-7 minutes long at the most. More than bearable.

 

[Blkout]

Having some minor issues now......when I started playing the game (and demo) I set my TX wheel to 900 in the game settings....works great..up until last night..The game says its at 900 but it feels like its on 1200..From dead center I have to rotate the wheel 180 (completley upside down) to make a 90 degree turn in the game..I had to go in the settings and put the degrees to 750 in order for me to even drive...I have tried to reflash the wheel but it doesnt seem to help. Also Im getting alot of stuttering while playing the game...it will freeze for a couple seconds then pick back up.....At the moment I have unstalled everything and re installing right now...When I was installing it the first time I didnt wait for it to completely install before I started playing..so maybe thats it......Anybody have problems like that before??

Weird, I have no issues with my TX and FH2, demo or full game both work properly.

 

[RC45]

Yep - TX working fine here. Although I did have to flash the firmware to support the TH8A - maybe that makes a difference? Do you have the latest TX firmware?

As for the road trips - I just enjoy driving - hell with our real Forza tuned car we often do 250 miles or more on a Sunday just cruising the East Texas hi-ways and back roads. Of course the traffic in FH2 is about 10x more than what we encounter in real life - which is a bit of a nuisance.

 

[Aftrbrnr]

So the road trip is pointless and you want more music festival?

Perhaps you are not into driving as much as you thought.

That's not what I'm saying at all, especially with regards to wanting more music festival. Basically, I think it's pointless in a racing game, and both games show that, I doubt most fans or players talk about what little there is of festival portions of the game so I don't know why they even bothered implementing it (It would have made more sense IMO if the Horizon festival was purely a racing tournament).

My issue with the road trips in solo mode is they get tedious when you are trying to get through the championship as they are forced on you so even if you want to fast travel in-between championships to the next one you have no option. Of course it is different if you are ripping around friends in online multiplayer mode, which I did a bit of in the original Horizon. However, and this is just my opinion, the coolness factor of the career mode road trips wear off after doing multiple championships because you are doing the same trips over, and eventually I find the scenery to just be icing on the cake - it's a novelty that is neat, but you realize the staying power is in the actual game play. The way video games currently are, I feel they just don't come close to any where emulating the things they are supposed to if they are based on real-life aspects - to put this into perspective, I guarantee driving Southern Europe in real-life is way better then in FH2, the scope is so limited.

As I've said, I am not knocking the road trips but I just question why they are forced onto players, if you want to drive in between the championship venues and take your time like they say you should, I am not going to knock you for it. However, some of us just want to get back into the action and fast travel to the next set of races, I'll cruise France and Italy on my own time or better yet, with friends.

 

[RC45]

Meh - different strokes for different folks. The race speeds and level of grip are so far out of the realms of reality for the open road during the actual game races, I find the non-race road trips are a way to compete without having to compete.

As a fan of open road cruising, as I say to the tune of 250+ miles in a day - 400 to 500 over a weekend, the road trips are really enjoyable in a video game

 

[katpeeler]

Yep - TX working fine here. Although I did have to flash the firmware to support the TH8A - maybe that makes a difference? Do you have the latest TX firmware?

Yes I do have the latest firmware for the TX but dont have the TH8A yet...its weird....as long as the wheel isnt at 900 in game its ok...I can drop it down to one notch below 900 and it feels like 900..it was working fine up until a couple days ago...also...the game doesnt remember me changing the degrees when I jump back in the game

 

[MuchoJimbo]

I think they intended the music festival to be a back drop, something to make you feel apart of something rather than just "show up here, race to there". Its cool to be cruising, listening to the radio, pull up to a festival tent to start hearing the same song being played at the festival, it just adds to the immersion.

The Horizon series is, to me, a cruising, car appreciation type game. This one just happens to exceed my expectations. I will always prefer a standard sim game over these but for what it offers, you can't deny a well executed title!

 

[Ialyrn]

Personally I hated the first Horizon, and I wished T10 and playground games had never made it. I found it even easier then FM4 was in single player mode, and I was burning through the offline races. I also had all the roads explored within the space of 4 to 6 hours of starting the game on release day. Hated the fact there was no proper tuning as well, which really hampered the whole drifting side of things. The physics where far too watered down as well, and I just didn't enjoy racing online at all with it. I did buy it again before FM5 dropped just so I could give it another go, thinking that I might have just been too harsh the first time around; but I had the same feelings as the first time. I traded it in when the X1 and FM5 released last year.

Now onto FH2, and I have to say I like it. It feels like the game the first one should have been, and it is just better to play. I am enjoying driving around the map, enjoying the single player races, although the drivatars are still too easy on unbeatable difficulty; but I have that same issue on FM5. The physics, even though they have been watered down, are on a much closer level to FM5 this time around. Obviously with some exceptions for the style of gameplay in FH2. The car list is pretty good, and not really missing very many cars that are in FM5. I have been online a couple of times, and I am enjoying that aspect also. I am also enjoying the photomode, which is something I have never really paid any attention too over the years it has been in forza. Sufficed to say, I am glad I have FH2, and it will be used fairly often. Been messing around with a little FH2 mini edit tonight also, something I haven't done for quite a while. I am not great at montages and such, but I never really felt the desire to do any since early FM4 days.

Lack of previous wheel support is an absolute deal-breaker for me, as the proud owner of a Fanatec GT2, which I bought for X360 support. We'll see how the PS4 handles previous-generation wheels when the new games come out. If the situation is as bad as with the XBone my next generation console will be a PC...

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-10-01-sony-confirms-wheels-that-work-with-ps4-racer-driveclub

You could be out of luck there unfortunately, as Sony have potentially locked out previous gen wheels. Logitech are saying the G27 wont work on the PS4 without a security chip, so that could also be the same with the PS3 compatible Fanatec wheels.

 

[Oso Actual]

I have to ask, how are you recording this?

 

[Ialyrn]

I have to ask, how are you recording this?

I have a Hauppauge HDPVR2, and using rewind in single player allows you to view a replay. you can go to about 30 second sections of freeroam replay footage at a time by doing that. You sould be able to do something similar with the Xbox ones game DVR also, would just take a little longer to collect the clips, and you would need to use Microsoft "one drive" to get those clips onto a pc for editing. Though you could just use upload studio to edit the clips together.

 

[Oso Actual]

Ok, thanks. I have been upset that I could not find any save replay function on this game.

 

[Ialyrn]

That was the same on Horizon 1 also, which really sucks. It means the only way to get decent footage in an online session, is to act as a camera car while recording to a pc.

 

[C_Raccoon23]

Personally I hated the first Horizon, and I wished T10 and playground games had never made it. I found it even easier then FM4 was in single player mode, and I was burning through the offline races. I also had all the roads explored within the space of 4 to 6 hours of starting the game on release day. Hated the fact there was no proper tuning as well, which really hampered the whole drifting side of things. The physics where far too watered down as well, and I just didn't enjoy racing online at all with it. I did buy it again before FM5 dropped just so I could give it another go, thinking that I might have just been too harsh the first time around; but I had the same feelings as the first time. I traded it in when the X1 and FM5 released last year.

Now onto FH2, and I have to say I like it. It feels like the game the first one should have been, and it is just better to play. I am enjoying driving around the map, enjoying the single player races, although the drivatars are still too easy on unbeatable difficulty; but I have that same issue on FM5. The physics, even though they have been watered down, are on a much closer level to FM5 this time around. Obviously with some exceptions for the style of gameplay in FH2. The car list is pretty good, and not really missing very many cars that are in FM5. I have been online a couple of times, and I am enjoying that aspect also. I am also enjoying the photomode, which is something I have never really paid any attention too over the years it has been in forza. Sufficed to say, I am glad I have FH2, and it will be used fairly often. Been messing around with a little FH2 mini edit tonight also, something I haven't done for quite a while. I am not great at montages and such, but I never really felt the desire to do any since early FM4 days.





http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-10-01-sony-confirms-wheels-that-work-with-ps4-racer-driveclub

You could be out of luck there unfortunately, as Sony have potentially locked out previous gen wheels. Logitech are saying the G27 wont work on the PS4 without a security chip, so that could also be the same with the PS3 compatible Fanatec wheels.

I understand if you disliked Horizon 1, but saying it shouldn't have been made? What would that accomplish? Because to be fair, some of us got a lot of enjoyment out of it and it's not like the game had a negative impact on Forza 5 development.

 

[Ialyrn]

I understand if you disliked Horizon 1, but saying it shouldn't have been made? What would that accomplish? Because to be fair, some of us got a lot of enjoyment out of it and it's not like the game had a negative impact on Forza 5 development.

Sorry, but that is my opinion of the first game. I never said it shouldn't have been made, I just wish it hadn't. If the first Horizon was like FH2 is (with the obvious X360 limitations obviously), I would have enjoyed it; as I am enjoying the second instalment so far. Horizon one though, I hated it, it was an awful attempt at the open world racing game in my opinion. Test drive unlimited was better in terms of an open world racer, as Horizon 1 boxed you in at nearly every opportunity. Even though Playground games and T10 said at the games announcement at E3 2012 that the game was go anywhere. The only open world aspect to it is the actual roads, but they led us to believe it was a 100% open within the confines of the map. In TDU 1 you could go pretty much anywhere in most cases, and was only really stopped once you almost reached the edge of the map. And as I mentioned above, they watered down the physics so much. They was supposed to be just like FM4's, according to playground games anyway. But by release they had gimped the entire handling system. I have been playing racing games since 1989 (the earliest I can remember playing video games at 4 years old), and I have never ever played any racing game I have outright hated. I have been frustrated at a fair few racing games before, but never wished a company had never made that game. I havnt even wished that about games from other genres either, and that includes the matrix online; which was also a stupidly bad game in my opinion.

 

[Oso Actual]

But in all reality, if FH1 was never made, FH2 would be FH1 currently........eh, I get your point though. I have a few games I think the same about, Alan Wake I'm looking at you!

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Personally I hated the first Horizon, and I wished T10 and playground games had never made it. I found it even easier then FM4 was in single player mode, and I was burning through the offline races. I also had all the roads explored within the space of 4 to 6 hours of starting the game on release day. Hated the fact there was no proper tuning as well, which really hampered the whole drifting side of things. The physics where far too watered down as well, and I just didn't enjoy racing online at all with it. I did buy it again before FM5 dropped just so I could give it another go, thinking that I might have just been too harsh the first time around; but I had the same feelings as the first time. I traded it in when the X1 and FM5 released last year.

Now onto FH2, and I have to say I like it. It feels like the game the first one should have been, and it is just better to play. I am enjoying driving around the map, enjoying the single player races, although the drivatars are still too easy on unbeatable difficulty; but I have that same issue on FM5. The physics, even though they have been watered down, are on a much closer level to FM5 this time around. Obviously with some exceptions for the style of gameplay in FH2. The car list is pretty good, and not really missing very many cars that are in FM5. I have been online a couple of times, and I am enjoying that aspect also. I am also enjoying the photomode, which is something I have never really paid any attention too over the years it has been in forza. Sufficed to say, I am glad I have FH2, and it will be used fairly often. Been messing around with a little FH2 mini edit tonight also, something I haven't done for quite a while. I am not great at montages and such, but I never really felt the desire to do any since early FM4 days.





http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2014-10-01-sony-confirms-wheels-that-work-with-ps4-racer-driveclub

You could be out of luck there unfortunately, as Sony have potentially locked out previous gen wheels. Logitech are saying the G27 wont work on the PS4 without a security chip, so that could also be the same with the PS3 compatible Fanatec wheels.

I felt the exact same way. Didn't like FH1 at all and did not support it. Only rented FH1 and to me it was only a beta that I refused to pay for......

NOW FH2 on the other hand has been such a wonderful experience and well worth the purchase. Playground games truly listened to the community feedback from FH1 and made all the right decisions for FH2. I look forward to every moment I can have with FH2.

 

[Ialyrn]

Lack of previous wheel support is an absolute deal-breaker for me, as the proud owner of a Fanatec GT2, which I bought for X360 support. We'll see how the PS4 handles previous-generation wheels when the new games come out. If the situation is as bad as with the XBone my next generation console will be a PC...

Something just for you OldF@rt, and every other xbox 360 fanatec owner

https://www.facebook.com/Fanatec/posts/720679831341349 (Fanatec)

https://twitter.com/ForzaMotorsport/status/518044540130062336 (Turn 10)

 

[ImaRobot]

Something just for you OldF@rt, and every other xbox 360 fanatec owner

https://www.facebook.com/Fanatec/posts/720679831341349 (Fanatec)

Fanatec products on Xbox One

Landshut, Germany – 3.10.2014 – This is the announcement many people have been waiting for and we are happy to announce that Endor AG (the company behind the brand Fanatec) and Microsoft Corp. have closed a license agreement to make racing peripherals for the Xbox One.
Fanatec plans to release a broad line up of racing wheels which will fit all kind of racing styles and different budgets.
Xbox One brings the latest in innovation and power to the development of racing peripherals giving fans of Fanatec products the opportunity to play the newest Xbox One titles with full support and integration.
Available soon, fans will be able to enable Xbox One compatibility on their current Fanatec wheels by simply attaching them to a Fanatec wheel base, making their whole system compatible to Xbox One. Additional details and features will be announced soon.
Additional Fanatec peripherals like pedals, shifters or handbrakes that were purchased with an Xbox 360 will also be compatible with Xbox One. The modular configuration system in the Fanatec webshop allows you to purchase only the components you need.

Thomas Jackermeier, CEO of Endor/Fanatec: “I am very excited to announce this partnership as we have been working with Microsoft behind the scenes on new and exciting products. Xbox One and “Forza Motorsport” will continue to be a landmark of ultra-realistic racing simulations on any gaming console and we look forward to bringing this realism to a whole new level for our fans.”

Thats good news for all you wheel users from past gen.

 

[Ialyrn]

Thats assuming they do it for the xbox 360 compatible wheels, it could be just for the CSW v1. We will have to wait and see, but that is still potential good news regardless. Especially with the issues I had with that Thrustmaster TX wheel, and Thrustmaster tech support.

 

[Oso Actual]

I am still confused by both responses. Fanatecs seems to say that only a wheel upgrade is needed and the T10 sounds like existing wheels (clubsport etc) are going to be usable?

 

[ImaRobot]

Thats assuming they do it for the xbox 360 compatible wheels, it could be just for the CSW v1. We will have to wait and see, but that is still potential good news regardless. Especially with the issues I had with that Thrustmaster TX wheel, and Thrustmaster tech support.

"Available soon, fans will be able to enable Xbox One compatibility on their current Fanatec wheels by simply attaching them to a Fanatec wheel base, making their whole system compatible to Xbox One. Additional details and features will be announced soon.
Additional Fanatec peripherals like pedals, shifters or handbrakes that were purchased with an Xbox 360 will also be compatible with Xbox One. The modular configuration system in the Fanatec webshop allows you to purchase only the components you need."

If thats anything to go off of, I think it should be fine, no? Do they have any current gen wheels?

 

[Ialyrn]

I am still confused by both responses. Fanatecs seems to say that only a wheel upgrade is needed and the T10 sounds like existing wheels (clubsport etc) are going to be usable?

Microsoft would have the ability to push a patch through to the Xbox one with device drivers for the fanatec wheels, and can deactivate the Xbox ones OS from needing to handshake with the security chip needed in controller devices. Essentially Microsoft have, and have always had the ability to make any 3rd party usb device work in the xbox platform. They just never have before, I guess this is all influence from Phill Spencer. So at this precise moment in time, I am glad he is in charge of the xbox division. He is doing a far better job than Don Mattrick ever did.

"Available soon, fans will be able to enable Xbox One compatibility on their current Fanatec wheels by simply attaching them to a Fanatec wheel base, making their whole system compatible to Xbox One. Additional details and features will be announced soon.
Additional Fanatec peripherals like pedals, shifters or handbrakes that were purchased with an Xbox 360 will also be compatible with Xbox One. The modular configuration system in the Fanatec webshop allows you to purchase only the components you need."

If thats anything to go off of, I think it should be fine, no? Do they have any current gen wheels?

You would assume so, but I never take those things at face value. Even though this is potentially excellent news, it is still worth taking it with a pinch of salt.

 

[ImaRobot]

You would assume so, but I never take those things at face value. Even though this is potentially excellent news, it is still worth taking it with a pinch of salt.

Well considering it came from two of the direct sources, I'm sure we can take a bit more than a pinch. Now, when will they actually get around to doing it though?

 

[Oso Actual]

I will take this news as positive regardless. Then, if we get even luckier, Sony will also see the potential and work with Fanatec and I will have so many options each and everyday as to which system I want to race on......oh man! A.D.D will be in full effect those days!

 

[ImaRobot]

I will take this news as positive regardless. Then, if we get even luckier, Sony will also see the potential and work with Fanatec and I will have so many options each and everyday as to which system I want to race on......oh man! A.D.D will be in full effect those days!

Past gen wheels arent compatible with the PS4 currently as well, correct? I can see this working out well with everyone, but if PS4 doesnt follow suit it'll be a big blow for Sim Racers on it.

 

[Ialyrn]

If they do allow the CSR to work on the X1, I will so be buying one with the shifters. I wanted a Fanatec wheel before the X1 released, but never bought into it because of the compatibility issues. Instead I bought the Thrustmaster TX, and it stopped working after 6 months, and its replacement was dead on arrival; so I got a refund for it. Been missing having a wheel though, so this is just awesome news. There is finally some competition out there for Thrustmaster, and now a very big reason for them to get there act together.

 

[Oso Actual]

If they do allow the CSR to work on the X1, I will so be buying one with the shifters. I wanted a Fanatec wheel before the X1 released, but never bought into it because of the compatibility issues. Instead I bought the Thrustmaster TX, and it stopped working after 6 months, and its replacement was dead on arrival; so I got a refund for it. Been missing having a wheel though, so this is just awesome news. There is finally some competition out there for Thrustmaster, and now a very big reason for them to get there act together.

Not to sound like an emotional wreck but I am almost choking up over here! I never thought the day would come when I may not have to justify another $500+ Wheel purchase to my wife. *exits room to do a cartwheel (but it really looks like a somersault)