Forza Motorsport 2 (xbox360)

[Spud]

Mrs Spud has just told me my package containing the above has finally arrived!.

Tonight could be a long night!!!! Has any once else got this and if so is Honda represented??? Hopefully my 1st car will be a TypeR that i can soup up after a couple of races!!

Sorry if Ive posted to the wrong forum!!

[czechplastik]

Off topic matey! But enjoy it none the less!

[THX1138]

Gran Turismo rulez !!

But enjoy FMS 2 anyway

[TTDegs]

Only Off Topic if the answer to the question is "no, the Type R isn't in it "

[sprkeh]

Old style R is in it I believe...

[sik2k]

No FN2s though!

[Spud]

Yep - great game - Old style Type R though plus a few NSX's and assorted others - not enough credits yet to get that far at the mo!

[CivPilot]

Originally Posted by THX1138

Gran Turismo rulez !!

But enjoy FMS 2 anyway

I've had Playstation, PS1 & PS2 and I've played every single GT game to completion. I was once given an original xbox with Forza1 and hated it. I recently managed to spend about 30mins playing GTHD on the PS3 and the same amount of time playing Forza2 on the 360.

I bought a 360 the next day and currently after a week and a half i am level 28 in career mode with about 30cars .

I've been a long fan and supporter of the GT games but they cannot hold a candle to Forza2. Everything is better.

Car selection? Well F2 obviously has the Porsches, Ferrari's and the Lambos... but they have also dumped the huge multiples of skyline variations (still a few in there) and all the really horrid low end stuff. Everything left is fully justified and not once have I found myself wishing for a missing car. Still over 300 to choose from.

Physics? To be honest I play alot of racing games on the PC and F2 is easily in the top 3 best handling games I have ever played when set at "simulation" level. Even dropping 2psi from the tyres changes the car behaviour. In fact I would say the only racing game I have played with better physics is a game called "live for speed" ont he PC.

Moddifying? Yup, beats GT again with so many options to mix and match (For example, there are so many different tyre options its silly, everything from rim diameter, tyre width, tyre make, tyre type, aftermarket rim make, all with multiple vaiables). The slighest change to wieght and power output will make all the difference, and if you fit racing suspension the variables in the setup are frankly a bit mind boggling if you dont know what your doing (I thankfully have a bit of an idea )

Sound? GT4 sounds like a 1980's arcade game in comparison, every car is VERY authenticly modeled sound wise if F2. Just fitting an induction system will radically change the engine under load. The McLaren F1 GT sounds gobsmackingly fantastic. The Fezzers dont sound to shabby either. But of more interest here will be the fact that the Honda Vtec engines sound like vtecs in the high rev ranges. Also the tyres dont squeal the second you turn the steering wheel as they always have done it GT games, they only start sounding tourtured when you really loose the car, even more so when you spin out.

Tracks? The only slight weak spot with currently 14, all available in forward or reverse. But what it lacks in quantity it more than makes up for in realism. The 'Ring for example is the best interpretation I have ever seen digitally. Trust me on this, every single gradient and bump is properly there and it really shows up GT4's faults with this track (GT4 is way too flat compared to the real thing). More tracks are promissed as DLC from xbox live though with LeSarth being one of the first mentioned. The game also has the 2 versions of Tsukuba that exist in real life rather than just the 1 version in GT4.

Graphics? You know what, it runs so fast and so smooth there really isnt much in it between F2 and GTHD. That being said I expect this to be the one area where GT5 will eventually improve. The light reflections are stunning and the replays look just as good as anything GT has done. In game it currently looks way better, but as I say, this is the one area I expect GT5 to improve.

Put simply it is the best console based racing game I have ever played and one of the best racing games period. No queston whatsoever. And remember, I am a long time sony/GT supporter, but I just cannot defend the GT games against F2, they are no competition. Sony will have to completely start from scratch on the GT physics engine to beat this game.

Anyway, enjoy these quick shots taking while racing online with the Pistonheads crew. Mine is the Blue and orange 911 (In the side by side drift shot we didnt hit each other!!!!), the blue Audi (I had been hit in the corner!!), the lead yellow F40 (again just been whacked under braking) and the white number 8 M3....

[Pottsy]

That post might be an expensive one for me. I have avoided next gen consoles so far, but prices seem to be coming down, and I'm itching to get one attached to my computer monitor (Dell 2407WFP).

CP, quick question, how do you get the screenshots from the 360?

[Spud]

Pottsy - there is an option to take pictures of the race from various angles on replaying the race (I think - havn't tried it yet as too busy racing).

360 showing HD is superb and well worth the money IMO.

Rumor is though that the price will drop to £199 - no good to me as I was an early adopter and got stung!

[CivPilot]

Originally Posted by Pottsy

That post might be an expensive one for me. I have avoided next gen consoles so far, but prices seem to be coming down, and I'm itching to get one attached to my computer monitor (Dell 2407WFP).

CP, quick question, how do you get the screenshots from the 360?

When you watch the replay's (even saved multiplayer ones) there is a button that allows you to freeze the action and go to photo mode.
Once in photo mode the options are seemingly endless, every thing is tweakable for light balance through sepia tones through focal length and sharpness. The Camera is also totally free floating unlike GT4 with it's fixed camera locations.
Once you are have with the shot you save it to the xbox hard drive and once it has saved you are asked the question of wether you want to upload it.
Say yes as in a split second you get the message that the photo is uploaded.
Your Forza account is automatically logged on the webpage www.forzamotorsport.net and on this site you can upload 5 photos at any one time (save a 6th and it will overwrite the first etc). The great thing is that the photos are uploaded full size (I've reduced the attached ones here) so you dont end up with some resized rubbish.
Once you decide which ones you want to keep you just save then from there and host them elsewhere (or attach them to posts here )

The white Lambo attached here is the first shot I ever took, the other couple of photos are an example of what is possible when you learn photo mode (not that I'm teasing you or anything)....

[THX1138]

Gran Turismo still rulez

I hardly have time to play GT4 or GTHD on my PS3. So getting a 360 with FMS2 would require even more time.

I'll stick to what I have as long as it's entertaining me.

[Spud]

Originally Posted by THX1138

Gran Turismo still rulez

I hardly have time to play GT4 or GTHD on my PS3. So getting a 360 with FMS2 would require even more time.

I'll stick to what I have as long as it's entertaining me.

Try finding the time with 2 young children! When you do, the oldest who's 7 loves watching and having a go - so you end up giving up as you dont and letting her play. Then the 2 year old appears and disrupts everything!!!!!

Im still addicted to games but play them less and less now compared to my early/late twenties

[Bungle]

GT5 will literally blow that out of the water when it comes round.

[Mark996]

Originally Posted by Bungle

GT5 will literally blow that out of the water when it comes round.

In that context Bungle, 'When' is a massive word!!!

[Bungle]

Q4 2008 the last I heard. I'd be happy to wait longer if it means getting a better game!

[TTDegs]

perhaps not quite as costly for me as it might be for Pottsy, but it looks like I need to take a trip to Tescos...

[CivPilot]

Originally Posted by Bungle

Q4 2008 the last I heard. I'd be happy to wait longer if it means getting a better game!

Planned Q4 2008 for the Japanese market. Q1/2 2009 everywhere else. And nobody will know if it is a "better game" until it launches in 2 years time. Oh, and those dates are "planned", Polyphony digital have NEVER hit a planned date. GT3 was just over a year late, GT4 the same.

And graphically (as I stated in my first post) GT5 will look far better. As far as driving goes... well (as I also stated) Polyphony digital will need to start from scratch as the physics model in Forza2 is so far beyond anything that GT has ever shown it's silly.

GT has always suffered from an abundance of understeer and sqeauling tyres, yes you can dial out the understeer by upping the power and fitting race tyres but then you get a car that is tail happy. And should you get sideways and turn into the slid... cue snappy tank slapper as the car snaps back the otherway violently. It has been the same story with every single GT game. Yes it handles good but to "hold" a slide you couldnt actually turn into it. Having a little experience with sliding cars in real life it stands out as a glaring mistake and lazy coding. And as for the tyres, no matter how slow you are going they always squeal.. thats just plain dumb.

Forza2 on the other hand will only understeer if you go in to hot and the tyres will stay "un-sqeally" until you really push them (they will however give off a lovely scrubbing noise just like you hear in real life when cornering a bit hard).
If you do get the car out of shape in Forza2.... well just treat it as you would in real life, turn into it, modulate the throttle and you can either stop the slide bringing the car back under control or with practice hold it on the knife edge in a lovely drift. But this does take practice and very gentle modulation of the throttle.

I've been a huge fan of the sony GT games since GT1, but after playing Forza2 I can happily say hand on heart that GT has finally been beaten as a "game". Whilst graphicaly GT5 will retake the crown with ease IMHO I can't for one second see GT5 re-taking the handling crown unless Polyphony completely un-learns everything they have done so far.

I also think the basic "GT5 is/will be better" response is only really valid if you've spent time playing both games. Just saying it without playing Forza2 and GT5 to find out how well both drive is just a knee jerk responce typical of the usual "console war" mentality (I used to do it too, no more). I've played GTHD (which according to Polyphony has revised physics model to be more realistic) and to be honest it doesnt really move the game on at all and is total cr@p compared to Forza2.
Looks lovely yes, but just the same as it has always been to drive, including those bleeding tyre noises.

To put it into some perspective, every single person I know who has played Forza2 has, within a couple of days, bought a 360 just to play it more. Not one of them regrets that decision and a couple of those people already own PS3's with GTHD on the hard drives. All of them are longtime Sony/GT loyal fans.

Yup, this game really is that good.

[elfa7]

Amazon have the XBox 360 for £269.96 free delivery. Or £279.99 includes Forza 2 inc. delivery if ordered before July 30th.

[CivPilot]

Originally Posted by elfa7

Amazon have the XBox 360 for £269.96 free delivery. Or £279.99 includes Forza 2 inc. delivery if ordered before July 30th.

For £279.99 you will get a Premium xbox360 + Forza2 + Vitua Tennis 3 from any of your local game stores with no time limit on the offer. So no reason to use Amazon really, as usual they are more expensive.