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Why do developers make a mess out of their driving games?


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I've played this game quite a lot lately, and I think it is quite good. The steering feels like in Shift2 but without the aggressive AI which was very annoying in Shift2. I am a casual player that loves driving games and uses the standard PS3 dual shock stick. I play the game on easy but with normal handling.

 

Playing on easy, you expect it to be easy, but it is not! I used over 5 hours to get past the “A change of pace” level in the Big league in the Golden ERA. 5 hours for just ONE SINGLE EVENT!! Considering it is over 200 levels in this game, quite a lot of people would be put off by this. It is okay to have hard levels for expert drivers, but on easy, it should be quite straight ahead to play through the game. The same problem has games like Shift 1 and 2 and the Gran Turismo series. Shift 2 has two problems:

- Way too aggressive CPU players

- Impossible drifting

Gran Tursimo has two problem:

- Way too hard for casual players which isn’t skilled enough to play on levels above the easiest one

- It’s boring because you have to play for hours and hours just to get to cars that actually are fun to drive (who really likes to drive an old Honda Civic with 90 bhp or a 1999 model Toyota Yaris for hours?

I stopped playing Shift2 at 59% and Gran Turismo 5 at 22%. By that time I realized that these games are impossible for me to get a platinum or even finish both the “story line” in the game. Now I am afraid that this is going to happen with Ferrari Racing Legends as well. :thumbsdown:

I consider myself over average in racing games, and ask myself the question: Why do developers put so much effort in their games (cars, tracks etc), only to make sure that maybe just 5% of those who buy their games, actually are good enough to experience all the cars and tracks they have made? :confused:

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I've played this game quite a lot lately, and I think it is quite good. The steering feels like in Shift2 but without the aggressive AI which was very annoying in Shift2. I am a casual player that loves driving games and uses the standard PS3 dual shock stick. I play the game on easy but with normal handling.

 

Playing on easy, you expect it to be easy, but it is not! I used over 5 hours to get past the “A change of pace” level in the Big league in the Golden ERA. 5 hours for just ONE SINGLE EVENT!! Considering it is over 200 levels in this game, quite a lot of people would be put off by this. It is okay to have hard levels for expert drivers, but on easy, it should be quite straight ahead to play through the game. The same problem has games like Shift 1 and 2 and the Gran Turismo series. Shift 2 has two problems:

- Way too aggressive CPU players

- Impossible drifting

Gran Tursimo has two problem:

- Way too hard for casual players which isn’t skilled enough to play on levels above the easiest one

- It’s boring because you have to play for hours and hours just to get to cars that actually are fun to drive (who really likes to drive an old Honda Civic with 90 bhp or a 1999 model Toyota Yaris for hours?

I stopped playing Shift2 at 59% and Gran Turismo 5 at 22%. By that time I realized that these games are impossible for me to get a platinum or even finish both the “story line” in the game. Now I am afraid that this is going to happen with Ferrari Racing Legends as well. :thumbsdown:

I consider myself over average in racing games, and ask myself the question: Why do developers put so much effort in their games (cars, tracks etc), only to make sure that maybe just 5% of those who buy their games, actually are good enough to experience all the cars and tracks they have made? :confused:

 

For the drifting problem, try to use traction control. And remember, for platting it, you need to finish it on hard, check my trophy guide for more info. ;) I don't know why you all are complaining about this game, are you playing it with a wheel? You say that both games are hard, but come on, if its hard, keep practicing, you will get it some time. About second problem of GT5, what you want? Start playing with Formula 1 or X2010 and loose all the fun of reaching it at the end?

These are games made to be played with a wheel, as they are "simulators". Its just like using a wheel on burnout paradise, its obvious it will be harder than using a DS3.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Shift 2 has two problems:

-Way too aggressive CPU players

-Impossible drifting

Gran Turismo has two problem:

-Way too hard for casual players which isn’t skilled enough to play on levels above the easiest one

-It’s boring because you have to play for hours and hours just to get to cars that actually are fun to drive (who really likes to drive an old Honda Civic with 90 bhp or a 1999 model Toyota Yaris for hours?

I stopped playing Shift2 at 59% and Gran Turismo 5 at 22%. By that time I realized that these games are impossible for me to get a platinum or even finish both the “story line” in the game.

I agree about AI being too aggressive in Shift 2, combine that with bad crash physics and that can make for a frustrating game. Other than that Shift 2 is a pretty fun game, it has a very good career mode, several good cars, and the best track selection of any racing game I've ever played.

 

GT5 too hard? Come on, AI is usually not that fast, you can use overpowered cars in most of the races, license tests are optional, all cars can be bought off the dealerships (no more prize only cars). With seasonal events you can make 1 million credits in 10 minutes, and buy several fast cars on the first day (including FGT and the Ferrari F1 cars)

These are games made to be played with a wheel, as they are "simulators".

Some people like myself don't have money or space for a wheel setup.

I play racing games with a controller, manual transmission, and as many aids off as possible. Being competitive with a controller is totally possible, it's just a matter of practice.

Edited by FS7
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Some people like myself don't have money or space for a wheel setup.

I play racing games with a controller, manual transmission, and as many aids off as possible. Being competitive with a controller is totally possible, it's just a matter of practice.

 

Yes, of course its possible. I was just saying that if you want to play those game as they are supposed to be played, you will need a wheel. Of course you can use a controller, but it will be a little more hard, and needs more practice. Its just like playing guitar hero on a controller. ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I agree, @777. Gran Turismo DOES have arcade mode, but i guess you wanted the 'simulation' trophies. Never expect that to be easy, since it is dubbed the 'real driving simulator.'

As for this, yeah, easy isn't what you'd expect from easy. This is a frustrating game. I might try AGAIN to Plat this, but i've come to grips with the fact that this is one of those games that you have to just forget about, as far as Platting. It is in NO WAY fun. Don't know how i didn't trade it in yet. Maybe i don't want to leave those remaining trophies on the table.

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I agree, @777. Gran Turismo DOES have arcade mode, but i guess you wanted the 'simulation' trophies. Never expect that to be easy, since it is dubbed the 'real driving simulator.'

As for this, yeah, easy isn't what you'd expect from easy. This is a frustrating game. I might try AGAIN to Plat this, but i've come to grips with the fact that this is one of those games that you have to just forget about, as far as Platting. It is in NO WAY fun. Don't know how i didn't trade it in yet. Maybe i don't want to leave those remaining trophies on the table.

 

Really? Because even playing on hard the game is easy (and no, I'm not a good driver in this game). It is supposed to be played with a wheel, and it DOES take a while to get used to the handling of the game. You need to learn the basics before playing it. And as a Ferrari Fan, I can say this game was fun.

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Really? Because even playing on hard the game is easy (and no, I'm not a good driver in this game). It is supposed to be played with a wheel, and it DOES take a while to get used to the handling of the game. You need to learn the basics before playing it. And as a Ferrari Fan, I can say this game was fun.

Thats the 'thing' with games, bro. My easy can be the next persons hard. Take 'NY Minute Hardcore' in Max Payne 3. You have one 'life.' You cant die. You reach chapter 14 & die, you start over. Many got that trophy. I cant even pass chapter 3 in the regular NY Minute! It varies from person to person. I'm good at racing games & i can't even pass the first race of the Silver & Modern eras!

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Thats the 'thing' with games, bro. My easy can be the next persons hard. Take 'NY Minute Hardcore' in Max Payne 3. You have one 'life.' You cant die. You reach chapter 14 & die, you start over. Many got that trophy. I cant even pass chapter 3 in the regular NY Minute! It varies from person to person. I'm good at racing games & i can't even pass the first race of the Silver & Modern eras!

 

So, why are you complaining? :confused: It's just practice and getting used to the game.

 

P.S.: NYM HC is so damn hard indeed, lol. ;)

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So, why are you complaining? :confused: It's just practice and getting used to

 

I'm complaining, because easy is supposed to be that.

I returned to try again, but the first event in both the Silver & Modern eras are a pain on hard. So are the time trials. I was able to complete 99% od 'Driver for hire,' on hard. Up to the 512 challenge now.

Since i completed the Golden era, wouldn't you say that should be enough practice?

Edited by Iceyice
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I'm complaining, because easy is supposed to be that.

I returned to try again, but the first event in both the Silver & Modern eras are a pain on hard. So are the time trials. I was able to complete 99% od 'Driver for hire,' on hard. Up to the 512 challenge now.

Since i completed the Golden era, wouldn't you say that should be enough practice?

 

No. All eras have a different handling. If easy is not easy to you, you need more practice then. Like you said before, my easy its not your easy. Developers consider this easy. ;)

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I hear ya, Thiagoft_55, about the practice. Problem is too many games right now. NHL 13, Madden 13, and Tuesday NBA 2K13.

I am determined to unlock that Nordshleife (spellcheck) challenge in the Modern era. Loved that track from the Gran Turismo and the Shift series.

 

It's an amazing track, indeed. ;) Yeah, maybe that's the problem for you. When I played I didn't had many other games to play, so I "only" played this game. Maybe that helped me, idk... :whistle:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, I have finally played through the game (82%, missing the ace and legend trophies). I have been using the standard dual shock, and from my point of view the handling of the cars are the best I have experienced in a racing game so far. :cool: Still there are several things that makes this game a game for the enthusiasts and for no one else:

 

1) Physics are quite odd in several aspects:

- now and then there are liftoff and insane swirls in the air after rather small nudges

- the car sometimes goes to full stop when driving on the curbs as examples of not very realistic behaviour

- restarting the races at Nordschleife for at least 25 minutes before I got to the first long straight, same with Spa, reason: strange or aggressive behavior from the CPUs that made me crash out 9 out of 10 times.

 

2) Extremely unbalanced difficulty levels both between levels and within the levels:

- I could have huge problems with a time attack challenge on Easy difficulty, and then the next race, I could easily win by 1:30 minutes in 5 rounds!!

- In general, I had to go to Easy difficulty every time there was a time attack to have a chance of beating the challenge, and then switch to Hard difficulty to cruise into a victory to get all the medals

 

3) Poor game design

The fact that you have to unlock everything to make progress in the game, forces you to play the game in a linear matter, so if you are stuck somewhere, you won't get access to large portions of the game, for instance the first challenge on the modern timeline.

 

For me the game was a nice racing experience, but I will probably never get a platinum, because it is too frustrating to play time attack on hard. If the game had been more balanced and had easier time attack challenges, then maybe. I think it is so sad to see such a superb game this could have been, had it not been for poor game design, which I think makes a lot of people think twice before they fork out the dough. Also everytime I try to play online there is 0 people in the lobby - where are everyone?? :think:

 

But in a couple of days, there will be a long pause for racing games for me, because on Friday WRC3 is out and then I will be rallying the rest of this year! :D

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The game does have it flaws in form of extremely aggressive AI and kerbs that are modelled so that when going over them you might end up crashing + flipping if your car has low ground clearance.

Imho the handling model isn't that different between eras, however the older cars are very different from newer ones. What i am trying to say that in golden era the Dino is very similar to the first cars in silver era and last cars of silver era are quite close to early modern cars.

For me the 512BB had the most frustrating events + the car handled like a barge. Overall it is not a difficult platinum IF you are using a wheel.

Have to agree on difficulty going back and forth, some of the time trials require very good laps and might be followed by a race on the same track with the same car where laps 20 seconds slower than you just had to pull off will be enough for clear win.

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  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...

This is a very interesting thread. Ever since I found out that this game was from Slightly Mad Studios, it got me interested - particularly because I have 100% both NFS: Shift and Shift 2: Unleashed (also from Slightly Mad)... then I've read all your inputs and I have to admit it kind of put me off.

 

I'm a bit disappointed that none of you folks (whom I believe played Shift series as well) have said that this game would be like a Shift 3: Ferrari Legends... I'm just a few hours away in purchasing this game in an online auction less than a fiver, which is not bad since this game has no DLCs to 100% compared to the Shift series...

 

Is it really that bad? I'm currently feeling defeated with DriveClub as this game has an awesome single player campaign and super-uber-crappy DLC campaign which is like 75% of the whole game. This game broke the camel's back for me and I totally lost confidence in me taking on racing games... so I'm looking for a confidence booster in this, BUT it seems like a very bad idea with how you guys are saying.

 

-----

 

I really really had the impression that the tracks would be EXACTLY the same as Shift 1/2 because it's the same devs - just playing it with Ferrari's... I've got it wrong haven't I?

Edited by Naps
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