Forza Motorsport

[cartman]

I know the official release date is a week from today, but I'm hoping some stores will sneak some copies onto the shelves this weekend. I've been waiting for this one to come out for a long time, and I hope it doesn't disappoint.

[Emiliano]

I'm waiting for this one too. The European release date is around May 15, I think I'll pre-order it. With the ability to sell and buy cars online, maybe it's time to get the XBOX Live... Do you read the latest preview on IGN? It says great things.

[Pumpy Tudors]

This will probably be my next game purchase. I'm really looking forward to it!

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm also looking forward to it after having read several good previews of it so far.

[Eaglesfan27]

Gamespot gave it a great review of 9.2 out of 10. It's 4 pages and too long to post. However, a few high points:

- Dynamic tutor where a line appears showing you how to handle a course, when to accelerate, brake, etc. This is great for me, since I'm not particularly good at racing games although I enjoy them. Of course, this is a feature you can turn on or off.

- Multiple realistic aids including anti-lock-breaking among many others which will again help the novice such as myself.

- Realistic AI!!! The AI isn't just following a set course. According to the review, if you play cleanly they will race fairly cleanly but aggressively. However, if you bump them quite a bit, they will become downright nasty. Also, they will make mistakes. Sometimes spectacular mistakes!

- The programmable AI where you do some training courses and it creates an AI that races like you and you can use in the dynasty mode sounds great!

I'm hopeful that my wife got this for my anniversary (which we are celebrating tomorrow), but if not I'll be sure to get this on Thursday

[hukarez]

I haven't grabbed a racing game in ages. I think Tokyo Extreme Racer for the Dreamcast was the last racing game that I picked up; and I played the GT series on my buddy's console for the past versions.

However, the more I read about this particular game -- especially the graphics thereof, plus the positive reviews so far...I'm tempted to pick this up for the sole purpose of exhibiting my horrid console driving skills online among others.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by hukarez

I haven't grabbed a racing game in ages. I think Tokyo Extreme Racer for the Dreamcast was the last racing game that I picked up; and I played the GT series on my buddy's console for the past versions.

However, the more I read about this particular game -- especially the graphics thereof, plus the positive reviews so far...I'm tempted to pick this up for the sole purpose of exhibiting my horrid console driving skills online among others.

I'm a horrid console driver as well, so we should race if you get it

I meant to put a link to Gamespot's review in my previous post. It is a fairly long review at 4 pages, but a good read that makes me excited to pick this game up.

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/driving...rt/review.html

[hukarez]

Am I correct that this game is available for general purchase as of today? I know some Gamestops and EBgames by my area usually hold it for folks who pre-ordered. I'll have to see about picking this up this week for sure.

So what exactly are the details about this game anyways? Any official game site by the developer? Number of cars? Etc..?

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by hukarez

Am I correct that this game is available for general purchase as of today? I know some Gamestops and EBgames by my area usually hold it for folks who pre-ordered. I'll have to see about picking this up this week for sure.

So what exactly are the details about this game anyways? Any official game site by the developer? Number of cars? Etc..?

Well, the review at gamespot says there are over 230 cars and 60 tracks I believe (including some real tracks, some fictional tracks, some that are street tracks I think?) However, I'm interested in checking out the official site as well if someone knows the address. Of course, I might be able to find it with Google?

[Eaglesfan27]

Dola -

Google is great. Here is a link to the official website which looks like it has some very cool features. My previous post was inaccurate, it is over 230 cars from over 60 manufacturers. They don't mention how many tracks there are. However, from the website it appears there are at least 32 tracks as you can click on their layouts.

http://www.xbox.com/assets/en-us/fla...te/default.htm

[hukarez]

Damn...that GameSpot review (as well as the screenshots) have me itching to pick this up. I'll have to call into a few places, to see if they carry it yet.

In any case, I haven't used my Live in awhile -- I should still have my account, since I last recall that it was billed already for this year. Here's my gamertag for future reference: boocake

[Eaglesfan27]

I get my anniversary gifts in a few minutes. I'm hoping this is one of them (even though I won't have time to play until tomorrow.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I've got the game. Played it very briefly in the game store. It seems great. I'm going to start playing it in about 3 minutes. We should get an FOFC car club going!

[hukarez]

Caved in, bought my first racer since the Dreamcast. My uber-suckage skills at virtual driving will be unmatched. I'll try to get a few rounds in, but Smallville's on tonight so I'll probably wait until afterwards.

Thankfully, the Gamestop by my place had a few copies left in stock. I'll have to check to see if my Live account is still around; pretty sure it is, but I haven't used it since Halo 2 back in November. Oy!

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I've got the game. Played it very briefly in the game store. It seems great. I'm going to start playing it in about 3 minutes. We should get an FOFC car club going!

Mrs. Eaglesfan says she tried the Babbage's at the lakeside mall and Best Buy and they both told her it won't be out until tomorrow. However, she "gave [me] permission" to go get it tomorrow

I'd be game to get an FOFC Car Club going. This will be my first racer in several years.

[Eaglesfan27]

Dola -

Hopefully, I'll be able to find a copy at my local EB Games tomorrow.

[Emiliano]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I've got the game. Played it very briefly in the game store. It seems great. I'm going to start playing it in about 3 minutes. We should get an FOFC car club going!

Man, that would be awesome! I gotta get XBOX Live...

[hukarez]

I've been playing this game for about an hour and a half -- I don't think I'll attempt manual shifting anytime soon. My coordination is atrocious, and I've already smashed out the rear window and jacked up my entire driver side careening into the wall. I've got to brake a wee bit early in those turns.

I'm a bit confused about one aspect of the game, however -- and I've been going through to manual to see if I've missed it, but I can't seem to figure out how to repair my car. Is this done automatically, post-race? Maybe I've been that bad enough to consistently damage my car when I'm running a couple of events, but I can't seem to locate it in the menus anywhere.

[Ragone]

Hell i might even get xbox live again for a car club :P

[Pumpy Tudors]

If nobody else has done it by tonight, I'll start up the car club (if I can figure out how). As for hukarez's question, I think the repairs are done automatically. They cost you some of your credits, though, so you don't want to go crazy out on the track during a race.

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

If nobody else has done it by tonight, I'll start up the car club (if I can figure out how). As for hukarez's question, I think the repairs are done automatically. They cost you some of your credits, though, so you don't want to go crazy out on the track during a race.

Sweet beans. It's a testament to my atrocious virtual driving skills.

In regards to the car club -- let me know, and send boocake an invitation. I've got a funny setup going on that I can't explain (for some reason, I have to directly connect my Xbox to my jack as opposed to my daisy chained hub). In essence, I've got to unplug my computer from my jack. So much for multi-tasking.

[Ajaxab]

Any impressions on the single player mode for those of us who don't have Live?

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Ajaxab

Any impressions on the single player mode for those of us who don't have Live?

The single player mode seems to be very good. It's a fun driving experience. I'm sure that if you're into modifying your car, you'll have even more fun. I haven't even touched the car setup yet, and I'm enjoying just racing around the track.

For the other folks, I should be home in an hour or two, and I'll try to get the FOFC car club going. I'll post details in this thread after it's done.

[Eaglesfan27]

I picked up the game on the way home from work tonight. I have some work to do, but I'll be trying this game out in 2 or 3 hours. Please send me an invite to the car club once it comes together. Sounds like fun.

[Pumpy Tudors]

The Colossal Squids are set up. Eaglesfan27 and hukarez have gotten their invitations. Anyone else, let me know if you want in!

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

The Colossal Squids are set up. Eaglesfan27 and hukarez have gotten their invitations. Anyone else, let me know if you want in!

Excellent. I just finished my work and reading the manual. Any suggestions on what my home region should be (the manual mentions that perhaps friends should have different regions for gathering different cars?)

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Excellent. I just finished my work and reading the manual. Any suggestions on what my home region should be (the manual mentions that perhaps friends should have different regions for gathering different cars?)

Take North America or Europe. I'm in Asia.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Take North America or Europe. I'm in Asia.

Sounds good I'll start up a profile in North America very soon

[Pumpy Tudors]

I've been trying to trick out my Toyota Altezza. It's up to class C2 now. I also gave the windows a nice yellow tint. My black car with a yellow tint almost looks like a friggin' bumblebee now. I love it!

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

I've been trying to trick out my Toyota Altezza. It's up to class C2 now. I also gave the windows a nice yellow tint. My black car with a yellow tint almost looks like a friggin' bumblebee now. I love it!

Sweet! I picked a Lexus IS300 and I'm getting killed so far. I was finally about to win a race in the North American Open when a jerk in an Eagle Talon who I had bumped decided to bump me back allowing another guy to take over 1st place just before we all crossed the finish line.

[hukarez]

Man, I'm getting worked online. Only played in 2 races -- silly mistakes on my part, but I didn't even finish both of them. Didn't realize there was a second or two timer before the race ends - which is kind of nice, since I can foresee some folks just flat out giving up.

Still, I wouldn't mind placing a prestigious 5th place!

[Eaglesfan27]

I was getting killed in my first few races. I finally realized I would have to tolerate a few 3rd place finishes to earn some money and get some upgrades. As a result, my car is now a D1 car and I got my first win on the American Open - New York Track! My wife was rolling her eyes as I was raising my arm in victory

However, she likes racing games and she wants to play tomorrow

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

I was getting killed in my first few races. I finally realized I would have to tolerate a few 3rd place finishes to earn some money and get some upgrades. As a result, my car is now a D1 car and I got my first win on the American Open - New York Track! My wife was rolling her eyes as I was raising my arm in victory

However, she likes racing games and she wants to play tomorrow

I wish I could place 3rd in my races. Clearly, the car I started out with (Acura RSX-S) isn't helping me much. Plus, some of the tracks that I played against other folks are ones I'm not familiar with -- then again, I've only been playing for 2 days!

Hopefully I'll actually be able to finish a race rather than the consecutive DNFs that I ended up with.

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

The Colossal Squids are set up. Eaglesfan27 and hukarez have gotten their invitations. Anyone else, let me know if you want in!

Got the invite! Added you to my friend's list too. I'm tempted to start over a new profile, and go for Europe, but I ended up North America in my trial run. No other way to change it, I'm guessing?

[Eaglesfan27]

You can't change your region once you start. However, this game is so good I'm sure we'll get some new members in the near future and they might start in Europe.

Mrs. Eaglesfan played the game this morning while I was at work. She likes it so much that she wants me to spend some cash on getting a "good" racing wheel with pedals.

Edited to add: As for me, I can't wait to get home from work this afternoon and play some more (with the new wheel I'm about to pick up on my way home from work.)

I'm hopeful that I can finish first in the North American Open to win a 2nd car (which I might sell for money towards a better car.)

[hukarez]

Which wheel/pedal package are you planning on going with? I'll see about adding your gamertag to my list too. I'll just practice a bit more, hopefully 'placing' in an optimatch in the near future!

Just 40 minutes more to go before I'm free for the weekend!

[Eaglesfan27]

We ended up splurging on the Speedster 3, but I don't like it that much

I use to power lift when I was younger and I have big thighs. As a result, it doesn't fit on my lap well at all. Our current set-up in the living room doesn't give a great spot to mount it for comfortable play either. After an hour of using it, I just went back to the regular controller. However, Mrs. Eaglesfan should love the wheel as her thighs are much smaller

[Eaglesfan27]

Dola -

On the good news front, I just finished winning a gold medal for the North American Open and I got a new Italian car as a prize! I now can compete in the European Open with that car

[hukarez]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

We ended up splurging on the Speedster 3, but I don't like it that much

I use to power lift when I was younger and I have big thighs. As a result, it doesn't fit on my lap well at all. Our current set-up in the living room doesn't give a great spot to mount it for comfortable play either. After an hour of using it, I just went back to the regular controller. However, Mrs. Eaglesfan should love the wheel as her thighs are much smaller

Speedster 3? Is that Mad Catz, by any chance? I'm hearing different things on a variety of steering wheel/pedal setups that are coming out -- and I'm trying not to mix the PS2's GT series and the XBox's Forza between the two peripherals. I'll have to do more research on the matter, however -- I'm a bit more comfortable with the controller at this stage, but I'm curious about using a 3rd party peripheral for this game in particular..

[Eaglesfan27]

Speedster 3 is by Fanatec which is a German company that has a reputation for building very good but very pricey gaming accessories. It is a very nice wheel, and I find myself trying to think of what I might need to buy to mount it on. I might try a TV tray like my grandmom used to have if I can find one that is the right height at a store

However, I'm becoming good with my regular controller and now have 5 cars in my garage and am at level 7 I love my speciality car which is now grade B1

[BigDPW]

Please invite me to the car club... I bought the game today and started in North America as well... I have a black widow car right now (RSX) red with a black widow on the hood and flames down the side... I also won the italian car from finishing first in all the NA races... I will be on for awhile now...

[BigDPW]

Dola I am BigDPW on XBL also...

[Eaglesfan27]

I think Pumpy has to add you, but Hukarez may have been given recruiting powers as well. I know that I haven't. Sounds like you have a nice ride there

[hukarez]

I don't think I have any recruiting powers. I gave the club thing a gander when I first logged in earlier today, and took part in a couple of races.

I jumped up a few levels from placing in 3rd in an online match (woohoo!) and got 21k CR worth of stuff. A couple of sponsorships, and some Toyota car added to my collection.

I'm in the A3 class with my RSX right now -- more than likely going to get worked, but I'll probably try out that other car in the B class series for awhile. I seriously need to re-think my applications for the e-brake!

[Pumpy Tudors]

Going out for lunch right now. Will add to the car club when I get back in a couple of hours. I now have three cars myself, but only my Altezza has had any upgrades. We'll need to race together sometime, just so the Colossal Squids can evaluate each other!

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm up to 5 cars with 3 of them upgraded. I'm really enjoying this game

I'm saving up to try to buy a nice car, although I LOVE the car that I was given at Level 5 I think.

[Pumpy Tudors]

My Drivatar drives just like me. It's pretty cool. I'm letting him do a couple of races just for kicks. I'm going to post pictures of my cars in a couple of minutes, just so you all can see what we have available in the car club.

[Pumpy Tudors]

My first car, the Altezza:


My Pontiac GTO:


A shot of the GTO from the top (showing our club logo):


I just earned this Integra:


My Drivatar just earned me this Mistubishi Lancer:


That's it for now!

[Joe Canadian]

I'll join, I'm Davis00...

[Eaglesfan27]

Nice group of cars Pumpy. I need to add our club logo to some of my cars